> ## Content Index
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# Who Can Become American? | The History of White People in America, Ep 6
- URL: https://www.cascadepbs.org/show/independent-lens/specials/the-history-of-white-people-in-america-episode-6-6jn2sv/
- Published: 2024-12-16T17:30:53.000Z
- Updated: 2025-08-21T05:48:46.000Z
- Description: Catchy, musical short chronicles the 175-year-long arbitrary system of race in America.
- Author: Cascade PBS Staff
- Tags: Independent Lens, #ZZZ_Show_0b7db2c5-17c9-47e3-a2fa-022bad749896, #v1.7, #ZZZ_Special_c6a4ef4f-a099-4dd8-a82f-7b07a6e77623, #special

This catchy, musical short chronicles the arbitrary system of race in the United States, which kept people who were not white in an ongoing battle of identity. See how immigrants had to play "race roulette" with a biased court system due to the Alien Naturalization Act of 1790, which set the standard for citizenship in America and remained law for 175 years.