In this chapter, we highlight a few landmarks that influenced current immigration policies in the United States. In particular, we discuss three migration waves: the British indentured servitude, the transatlantic slave trade of Africans, and the California gold rush which led to the Chinese Exclusion Act. Next, before providing context for immigrant faculty of color as a focus of this edited book, we examine the notion of the American dream and how current federal policies continue to impact Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). After introducing the theoretical frameworks employed by different contributors to this book, we describe the structure of the book. By exploring the historical context of migration to the United States, this chapter provides context for Chap. 2 which offers insight into the historical context of race relations in the United States. Together, Chaps. 1 and 2 set the stage for the remainder of the book.