Many Americans are surprised to learn
that there was a time in the US when the
Irish were looked upon with contempt and
were savagely caricatured. After the devastating
Irish potato blight and resulting Great
Famine (1845-1849), hundreds of thousands
of Irish left the country and immigrated
to the United States. Many stayed in America's
urban centers, where they lived in economic
competition with African-Americans. Their
large numbers and Catholic heritage inspired
fear in the overwhelmingly Protestant population.
They were so loathed that they were almost
seen as a race separate from the Caucasian
race. Some Irish American stereotypes can
still be found in American popular culture
today.
This section is planned for the future