America is called a "nation of immigrants," but it is also a nation of xenophobia. Historian Erika Lee explores the deep roots of xenophobia in America, why it's such a big problem today, and what we can do about it.
Filmed September 19th, 2020 at Dogwood Coffee NE in Minneapolis. One of the nation’s leading immigration and Asian American historians, Erika Lee teaches American history at the University of Minnesota, where she is Director of the Immigration History Research Center. The granddaughter of Chinese immigrants, she is the author of award-winning books including America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States, which was called “essential reading” by Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to Be an Antiracist. Recently elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Erika is Vice President of the Organization of American Historians. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx