1st National Consultation on Ethnic America.

The article presents a report on "The First National Consultation on Ethnic America," which was held on June 20-21, 1968 at Fordham University, New York. The rationale behind the Consultation was put forth by Irving M. Levine, Director of Education and Urban Planning for the American Jewish Committee. He noted that white backlash to Black demands seemed to be most vehement and to have its greatest political ramifications within the working class community. It was Levine's thesis that the white working man's economic situation was one of recent and tenuous affluence. His traditional source of security was his family, but in the last few years redefinitions of roles within the working class family have lessened his sense of security. Andrew Greeley, Program Director at the National Opinion Research Council, presented the opening paper in the proceeding, entitled "Ethnicity as an Influence on Behavior." According to him, almost everyone thinks ethnicity is an important social variable-witness the balanced political ticket, the national parish or the ethnic suburb.