Twenty American academics, historians, and librarians contribute 18 chapters to a comparative reference text covering 17 of the major ethnic groups from Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America that have populated the U.S. over the past two centuries. The new edition has been revised throughout, and substantially expanded to include essays on seven groups not covered in the first edition: Arabs, Asian Indians, Dominicans, Filipinos, Haitians, Koreans, and Vietnamese. Also included are three new essays by new authors on groups previously covered--Irish, Chinese, and Mexican Americans. The chapters on the remaining groups--Africans, American Indians, Germans, Italians, Jewish, Polish, and Scandinavians--have been revised and updated. Academic but accessible to the general reader. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)