It is challenging to imagine the history of the United States without the stories of individual national groups who have connected their lives with this country. The records of different ethnic groups developed differently under the influence of various factors. A comparison of the Irish and Native American diasporas demonstrates how other factors contribute to overcoming social discrimination with fundamentally different consequences for both peoples.
The peak of Irish immigration to North America was in the middle and end of the 19th century. Between 1820 and 1930, about 4.5 million Irish refugees arrived in the United States (DeSilver, 2020). The low incomes of the vast majority of Irish forced them to engage in low-skilled work. Due to their low incomes, the Irish were often treated as people of the “lower class”. In addition, the poor settlers lived in crowded conditions, contributing to the stereotype of the Irish as uncultured savages. The religious conflict also aggravated the problematic situation since most Irish emigrants were Catholics.
Despite being oppressed for many reasons, the Irish could still overcome prejudice. First of all, this became possible due to the Irish diaspora’s active participation in political life. By the beginning of the 20th century, their influence in politics had become so significant that many powerful US political machines were under the control of the Irish. In addition, the influx of immigrants from China and Eastern Europe in the 20th century “switched” attention from the Irish, white people with relative privileges, to people of other races (Richter, 2021). That helped to strengthen the status of representatives of the Irish community. The Irish diaspora can be cited as an example of a social group that has successfully overcome discrimination. In 2015, 32.7 million Americans named themselves descendants of Irish settlers (DeSilver, 2020). The contribution of the Irish to the social life and culture of the United States is also significant.
The history of Native Americans in the United States is a history of treaties and local conflicts with elements of genocide and discrimination. The first Indian reservations were established in 1786, and land rights were guaranteed to the tribes. However, due to the development of new lands and resources, Indian tribes were regularly evicted from their lands to poorer ones, which caused famine. The situation was aggravated by internal conflicts between tribes for steadily declining resources. Native Americans were severely infringed on their rights since they received the right to full citizenship only in the 20th century, much later than African Americans. This could not but affect the process of assimilation of the indigenous population of North America into public and state life.
The current situation within the Native American community is far from ideal. The on-reserve poverty rate was 26.2% in 2016, much higher than the national average (Findling et al., 2019). The level of provision of social services is still low; life expectancy on the reservation is 5.5 years lower than that of other ethnic groups (Findling et al., 2019). Discrimination from the law is also a problem – in recent years, the number of native Americans killed by police officers has almost equaled that of African Americans. Despite initiatives at the state and state levels, the position of Native Americans in American society in the 21st century is still tricky.
When comparing these two groups, certain conclusions can be drawn. In US society, minorities are discriminated mainly due to competition for resources, religious prejudices, and harmful stereotypes. To overcome this, strong community cohesion was required. For the Irish, belonging to the white race and the unity of people within the community were the key features of success. On the opposite, Native Americans did not have those benefits and were divided inside their community. While discrimination issues persist, active individuals can still help significantly improve the status of oppressed groups. One can help communities that are discriminated against, for example, by promoting legislative change and assisting oppressed people to overcome social barriers and prove themselves in the fight for their future.
References
DeSilver, D. (2020). The fading of the green: Fewer Americans identify as Irish. Web.
Findling, M. G., Casey, L. S., Fryberg, S. A., Hafner, S., Blendon, R. J., Benson, J. M.,… Miller, C. (2019). Discrimination in the United States: Experiences of Native Americans. Health Services Research, 54(S2), 1431-1441.
Richter, E. (2021). America for Americans: A history of xenophobia in the United States by Erika Lee. Radical Teacher,120, 102-104.