The Presumed Alliance: The Unspoken Conflict Between Latinos and Blacks and What It Means for America Paperback - 2004

First line

Prior to the 2000 Census various political commentators, reporters, academics, and government entities predicted that while the num of Latinos in the United States would eventually surpass the num of African Americans, this phenomenon would not happen until some time in the very distant future.

From the rear cover

As Latino and African Americans increasingly live side by side in large urban centers, as well as in suburban clusters, the idealized concept of a "Rainbow Coalition" would suggest that these two disenfranchised groups are natural political allies. Indeed, as the number of Latinos has increased dramatically over the last ten years, competition over power and resources between these two groups has led to surprisingly antagonistic and uncooperative interactions. Many African Americans now view Latinos, because of their growth in numbers, as a threat to their social, economic, and political gains.

Vaca debunks the myth of "The Great Union" and offers the hope he believes each community could learn from, in order to achieve a mutually agreed upon agenda. More than simply unveiling the problem, The Presumed Alliance offers optimistic solutions to the future relations between Latino and Black America.