Negro-Italian riots of 1895
 

Another little known race riot, this time from 1895 between Negro and Italian mine workers in Spring Valley,Illinois.

A RACE RIOT IN ILLINOIS; Italians Attack the Negroes at Spring Valley. MANY ARE PROBABLY FATALLY HURT The Trouble the Result of the Murder of an Italian by a Negro -- The Mob Travels with a Band at Its Head.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...ro+riots&hl=en

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...ro+riots&hl=en

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...ro+riots&hl=en

So did we win?http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/grin.gif

Hands up all those who don't give a shit.
http://routenote.com/blog/wp-content...3/Hands-up.jpg

It appears the Italians got the upper hand in the riot from reading the old reports.

One incident I heard of is that Southerners lynched a group of Italians in Louisiana back in the old days. Italians where discriminated against alot, like Jews then. In the mid-to-late twentieth century they started blending in with typical Whites.

Italians are still considered 'ethnic' and will never be seen as an average white guy in America.

What's your point justhere?

This is simply not true. I live in an area that has many people of Italian descent, and, they are seen as mainstream Americans. Perhaps 50 years ago this was true, but not today. In fact, the Italian culture is almost revered here. I know of people who claim Italian descent, even though they have none, just because it is admired.

Still considered ethnic but are less discriminated towards the end of the twentieth century.

No If they were just normal white Americans, they would simply be Americans. Like the British and German descended Americans. American culture at it's core is an British descended one and then a North Western European one. Jews have also been accepted as being almost mainstream , but they will always be slightly different.

In the majority of northeastern USA, Italian Americans are perceived to be as equally white as any other white American. This also holds true for Portuguese Americans in the majority of the northeastern USA.

The standards of whiteness in the USA is regional. You can't generalize the whole country as having the same standard of whiteness.

Apparently this was a multiethnic riot: it mentions Huns (Hungarians, I guess) and Poles along with the Italians. The governor clearly says he will protect the Blacks from being driven from their homes. It goes to show in the past the powers that be weren't always given Blacks the shortest end of the stick.

The Blacks were also not helpless as if often portrayed by some people when discussing race relations prior to the Civil Rights Movement. They were armed and ready to push back but they settled down.

---------- Post added 2012-06-24 at 00:15 ----------

They were Sicilians who were lynched and it was because they had friendly relationships with the local Blacks. This was seen as a big no-no in that area.

---------- Post added 2012-06-24 at 00:18 ----------

People of British and German background whose families do not go way back in America refer to themselves as English- and German-Americans.

People who only refer to themselves as Americans are people out in places such as Kentucky, West Virginia, etc. who have had family in the US since colonial times.

I know towns around where I live where Italian Americans run just about everything, from the government, to the schools, to the businesses. There are pizza shops and Italian restaurants on just about every corner. A Columbus day parade goes down main street in October. The church has Italian ethnic festivals that shut down the streets when they process. I bet you they don't feel like outsiders.

Yes. Sicilians, Italians same difference.

Depends on who you talk to.

Most people do consider Sicilians, Italians. They have a little independence, but is still considered a municipality of Italy.

I don't know why you quoted me. I'm in agreement with you.

Sorry about that. I was using your quote to support my argument. I guess I should have been more clear in my explanation.

All right, gotcha.

We have a small number of Italians but they blend in without any issue. They have generally been here for 3 or 4 generations. They don't have an enclave. They are usually mixed with Northern Euros and their phenotypes are diluted to the point that they aren't distinguishable. The only noticeable difference about them is they tend to be Catholic, but not always. Also some families have been in the restaurant and liquor distribution businesses for multiple generations. The "New Jersey Italian" stereotype of guidos and mafia doesn't exist here. Maybe it existed 50-100 years ago, but not for the past 30 years.