The Canal Builders: Making America's Empire at the Panama Canal - Penguin History of American Life Book | Historical Nonfiction About US Engineering & Global Power | Perfect for History Buffs & Students

This book gave insight to some of the customs and cultural expression my parents and grandparents relayed to us over the years (born in Panama and lived on the Canal Zone). It explained the source of the antagonism between the different racial and ethnic groups and how it was fostered and encouraged by the racial attitudes and world view the United States exported to Panama ( condescending towards those of Spanish ancestry and dismissive of the intelligence, skill and work ethic of those, confusingly for a post slavery US, African West Indians) . Beyond that it also illustrated the hardships ALL workers faced and consequently the pride of my ancestors (West Indian) felt when they proclaimed :" We built this ditch". I always wondered about the contrast and differences in the quality of housing and amenities between the "Yankee" parts of the Canal Zone and the "panamanian" parts and why no Panamanian born could have certain jobs. Yet living on the Canal Zone provided our extended families those little extras only Zonians could purchase (food and medicine especially and money) that was more difficult or expensive to obtain for most Panamanian workers. Great book!!!