White ethnics
White ethnics refer to Southern and Eastern European Americans, including individuals of Italian, Polish, Russian, Czechoslovakian (now Czech and Slovak), Hungarian, Austrian, and Balkan descent. Large waves of these immigrants came to the United States between 1800 and 1920, often seeking better opportunities and escaping impoverished conditions in their home countries. Many were uneducated and settled in urban areas, taking on entry-level jobs in factories and plants, a trend that persisted well into the twentieth century. Upon arrival, they faced significant prejudice, particularly due to the predominant Protestant culture in America, which viewed the influx of Catholic immigrants with suspicion.
The restrictive National Origins Act of 1924 dramatically reduced immigration from these regions, but numbers increased again after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Today, many Southern and Eastern European Americans reside in New England, the Mid-Atlantic States, and the Midwest. Over time, they have generally achieved educational and economic parity with the Anglo-Protestant population and have often surpassed non-European groups. Their ethnic identity has become largely symbolic, reflecting a high level of assimilation into American culture. Recent census data has revealed a more nuanced understanding of White ethnic identities, with Italian, Polish, Scottish, and French groups each reporting significant populations.
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White ethnics
White ethnics, or Southern and Eastern European Americans, have immigrated from or are the descendants of immigrants from areas such as Italy, Poland, Russia, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic and Slovakia), Hungary, Austria, and the Balkans. Southern and Eastern Europeans arrived in the United States in large numbers between 1800 and 1920. Many of the immigrants were impoverished individuals lacking a formal education. These immigrants settled in the cities and were often employed in entry-level jobs in plants and factories. Many Southern and Eastern Europeans and their descendants remained in this labor sector well into the twentieth century.
Immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe faced prejudice upon their arrival to the United States. Protestantism was the dominant religion in the United States, and many people feared that the increase in Catholic immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe would negatively affect the Protestant mores of the country. Immigration from this area was sharply reduced with the passage of the National Origins Act in 1924 but increased again in 1965 when the restrictive immigration policy ended with the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.
Many Southern and Eastern European Americans live in New England, the Mid-Atlantic States, and the Midwest. Indicators of educational attainment, occupational level, and income show that, as a group, they have reached parity with the Anglo-Protestant population and generally have surpassed non-European groups. In general, Southern and Eastern European Americans are highly assimilated, and their ethnicity is displayed primarily in symbolic ways.
In 2020, the US Census Bureau added more detailed options for White respondents to identify their ethnic hetriage. The census found that within the White population, English was the most commonly reported group, followed by German and Irish. Italian, Polish, Scottish, and French populations also each reported over eight million people.
Bibliography
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Blanck, Dag. “‘A Mixture of People with Different Roots’: Swedish Immigrants in the American Ethno-Racial Hierarchies.” SHAFR Guide Online, 2022, doi.org/10.1163/2468-1733‗shafr‗SIM270020315. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Jacobs, Paul, et al. "Over Half of White Population Reported Being English, German or Irish." US Census Bureau, 10 Oct. 2023, www.census.gov/library/stories/2023/10/2020-census-dhc-a-white-population.html. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Kasinitz, Philip. “Herbert Gans and the Death of Miss Norway.” Ethnic and Racial Studies, vol. 37, no. 5, 2014, pp. 770–73, doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2013.871055. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Lazos Vargas, S. R. “Deconstructing Homo[geneous] Americanus: The White Ethnic Immigrant Narrative and Its Exclusionary Effect.” Tulane Law Review, vol. 72, no. 5, 1998, pp. 1493–596, Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Sengstock, Mary C., et al. Voices of Diversity: Multi-Culturalism in America. Springer, 2009.