How the Irish Became White

Synopsis

'…from time to time a study comes along that truly can be called 'path breaking,' 'seminal,' 'essential,' a 'must read.' How the Irish Became White is such a study.' John Bracey, W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies, University of Massachussetts, Amherst

The Irish came to America in the eighteenth century, fleeing a homeland under foreign occupation and a caste system that regarded them as the lowest form of humanity. In the new country - a land of opportunity - they found a very different form of social hierarchy, one that was based on the color of a person's skin. Noel Ignatiev's 1995 book - the first published work of one of America's leading and most controversial historians - tells the story of how the oppressed became the oppressors; how the new Irish immigrants achieved acceptance among an initially hostile population only by proving that they could be more brutal in their oppression of African Americans than the nativists. This is the story of How the Irish Became White.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Great Famine and the Making of the Irish Diaspora

Summary:
The Great Famine (1845-1849) decimated Ireland's population and forced millions to emigrate, primarily to the United States. These immigrants faced widespread discrimination and prejudice.

Example:
Anne O'Malley, a young Irish famine survivor, arrived in New York City in 1848 and found herself excluded from housing, employment, and social circles due to her Irish heritage.

Chapter 2: Becoming Blacker than Black: The Irish in the Antebellum South

Summary:
Irish immigrants in the antebellum South were initially perceived as a "lower" race than whites, akin to African Americans. This was due to their Catholic faith, poverty, and perceived lack of "civilization."

Example:
In 1853, a mob of white Southerners attacked an Irish neighborhood in Philadelphia, killing several people and burning down homes. The attackers labeled the Irish as "Black Paddies" and saw them as subhuman beings.

Chapter 3: The Civil War and the Transformation of Irish Identity

Summary:
Irish immigrants played a significant role in the Civil War, both for the Union and the Confederacy. However, their allegiance to either side did little to improve their social standing.

Example:
General Thomas Francis Meagher, an Irish-born Union general, was celebrated for his bravery but faced discrimination and racism after the war. He was denied a political appointment due to his Irish heritage.

Chapter 4: The Rise of the Irish Machine: Ethnic Politics in Gilded Age America

Summary:
In the late 19th century, Irish immigrants gained political power through the creation of political machines, which controlled elections and provided patronage to Irish voters.

Example:
William "Boss" Tweed, an Irish-born politician, became the leader of the infamous Tammany Hall political machine in New York City. He used his position to enrich himself and his cronies, but also provided jobs and services to Irish immigrants.

Chapter 5: The Assimilation of the Irish: Nativism, Protestantism, and Racial Whiteness

Summary:
Over time, Irish immigrants gradually assimilated into American society. This process involved adopting Protestant values, distancing themselves from their Irish heritage, and conforming to mainstream American norms.

Example:
Mary Boyle O'Reilly, the daughter of an Irish immigrant, became a successful writer and lecturer. She married an American Protestant and raised her children in the Protestant faith, distancing herself from her Irish Catholic roots.

Chapter 6: The Whitening of the Irish: From Alien to American

Summary:
By the early 20th century, Irish Americans had largely shed their status as inferior and become accepted as "white" in American society. This was due to a combination of assimilation, intermarriage, and the rise of eugenics, which classified the Irish as a superior race.

Example:
In 1940, the United States Census Bureau officially classified the Irish as white, reflecting their full integration into American society.