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I wanted to use the Daniel O’Connell post to continue with this. What I am writing here is by no means scholarly.
On my old blog Irish vs. Blacks was one of the biggest hits. Therefore, I try and cover it.
O’Connell chastised Irish immigrants in the United States for being racist and supporting slavery. Why would a people, who had been mistreated at home do it to someone else in another country?
The Irish were coming to the United States at the bottom of the scale. Just to give an example, the Irish who were brought to New Orleans were brought there to do things like dig canals in bayous in sub-tropical heat, with all the diseases and nasty critters South Louisiana has. From a historical perspective, you may ask, “Why weren’t slaves used?” As crude as this sounds, slaves were property. you didn’t care if the Irish immigrant died, but a slave was a major investment at the time.
Irish immigrants feared that free African-Americans would take their jobs if slavery ended. Irish immigrants fought for both sides in the American Civil War. For later history, read Dennis Lehane‘s novel about the 1919 Boston Police Strike. Boston‘s busing crisis in the ’70′s is an entire dissertation in itself.
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Very very Interesting. Where did you learn that about the Irish worrying that freed slaves might take their jobs? Very very interesting!
Do not remember will see if I can find my sources.
Thank you for posting this Michael! I have always thought that someone should write the truth about Irish Slavery. It has been over looked as though African-Americans are the only ones who were used. And the Chinese. What about them?
I’m sure there are more scholarly books out there, Soni.
Name one.
Well I haven’t looked yet. I do know of one book called When the Irish Became White. As far as scholarly stuff I would have to look deeper.
That sounds cool! I’ll look for it. Thanks!
If you get it, let me know what you think. The authors last name is Ignatieff.
Here is an interesting quote from a synopsis (by, Art McDonald, PhD) that I stumbled upon today:
Irish and Africans Americans had lots in common and lots of contact during this period; they lived side by side and shared work spaces. In the early years of immigration the poor Irish and blacks were thrown together, very much part of the same class competing for the same jobs. In the census of 1850, the term mulatto appears for the first time due primarily to inter-marriage between Irish and African Americans. The Irish were often referred to as “Negroes turned inside out and Negroes as smoked Irish.” A famous quip of the time attributed to a black man went something like this: “My master is a great tyrant, he treats me like a common Irishman.”
“How the Irish Became White”– Art McDonald– PhD
Hi, there! I’m a fellow campaigner and dropped by your blog to say hello and introduce myself. This is interesting stuff! Very glad to meet you.
Nadine Galinsky Feldman
Pleasure to meet you, Nadine.