- The song No Irish need Apply provides a humorous take at the discrimination against Irishmen during the mid 1800s. The source tells about how during the influx of Irish immigration, many employers and renters discriminated against the immigrants, providing them with a much harder time in the United States. Employers would hang signs in their windows stating that “No Irish need apply”, while home renters would not allow the Irish to rent homes in certain neighborhoods. I included this source as it shows how discrimination was at one point taken lightly, and made humorous by white Americans. I think it is important to see how pieces of media used to portray racism and discrimination, so we can compare that to how it is portrayed in our media now.
I'm a dacint boy, just landed from the town of Ballyfad; I want a situation: yis, I want it mighty bad. I saw a place advartised. It's the thing for me, says I; But the dirty spalpeen ended with: No Irish need apply. Whoo! says I; but that's an insult -- though to get the place I'll try. So, I wint to see the blaggar with: No Irish need apply. I started off to find the house, I got it mighty soon; There I found the ould chap saited: he was reading the TRIBUNE. I tould him what I came for, whin he in a rage did fly: No! says he, you are a Paddy, and no Irish need apply! Thin I felt my dandher rising, and I'd like to black his eye-- To tell an Irish Gintleman: No Irish need apply! I couldn't stand it longer: so, a hoult of him I took, And I gave him such a welting as he'd get at Donnybrook. He hollered: Millia murther! and to get away did try, And swore he'd never write again: No Irish need apply. He made a big apology; I bid him thin good-bye, Saying: Whin next you want a bating, add: No Irish need apply! Sure, I've heard that in America it always is the plan That an Irishman is just as good as any other man; A home and hospitality they never will deny The stranger here, or ever say: No Irish need apply. But some black sheep are in the flock: a dirty lot, say I; A dacint man will never write: No Irish need apply! Sure, Paddy's heart is in his hand, as all the world does know, His praties and his whiskey he will share with friend or foe; His door is always open to the stranger passing by; He never thinks of saying: None but Irish may apply. And, in Columbia's history, his name is ranking high; Thin, the Divil take the knaves that write: No Irish need apply! Ould Ireland on the battle-field a lasting fame has made; We all have heard of Meagher's men, and Corcoran's brigade.* Though fools may flout and bigots rave, and fanatics may cry, Yet when they want good fighting-men, the Irish may apply, And when for freedom and the right they raise the battle-cry, Then the Rebel ranks begin to think: No Irish need apply John F. Poole, No Irish need apply. H. De Marsan, 54 Chatham Street, New-York. Monographic. Online Text. https://www.loc.gov/item/amss.as109730/.
- The photos captured by Ansel Adams of the Japanese internment camps showcases how white Americans react to people of other ethnicities when scared. When Americans are scared, a big portion of people have no problem singling out a certain group of people and segregating them to provide peace of mind to whites. The Japanese-Americans had no choice in this separation of races. This source was created to bring attention to the humanity of the Japanese-Americans, it was an attempt to show the general public that the large population of people being discriminated against due to their race was, in fact, human. This source is important as it shows racism towards a group other than blacks, which is not seen regularly, and shows that racism was still prevalent in the mid 1900’s.
Adams, Ansel. Science Lecture, Manzanar Relocation Center. 1943. Ansel Adams’s Manzanar War Relocation Center photographs, Library of Congress, Manzanar, CA.