04/22/2026
In North American history, the concept of "becoming White" refers to a transition in social and economic status rather than a change in legal status. Legally, nearly all European immigrants were classified as "free white persons" from the first U.S. census in 1790, which allowed them to naturalize as citizens.
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
+4
However, social acceptance as "White" occurred gradually over different periods for various groups:
19th Century: Early Transitions
German Immigrants (1700s–1800s): While initially viewed with suspicion by Anglo-Saxons like Benjamin Franklin, Germans were the most quickly accepted as "White" due to their perceived similarity to the English "Saxon" stock.
Irish Immigrants (1840s–1890s): Arriving in mass during the 1840s, the Irish were initially racialized and compared to Black Americans or depicted as "brutish". They "became white" through the late 19th century by integrating into labor movements, the police force, and local politics while distancing themselves from Black communities.
University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
+5
20th Century: Expansion of Whiteness
Italian Immigrants (1920s–1970s): Southern Italians were often viewed as a "racial other" and faced extreme violence, including the 1891 New Orleans lynchings. Their full social whitening is often cited as occurring post-WWII, bolstered by the GI Bill, suburbanization, and the romanticization of Italian culture in 1970s cinema like The Godfather.
Jewish Immigrants (1940s–1950s): Despite being legally white, European Jews faced scientific racism that categorized them as "Asiatic" or "Semite". Their widespread social acceptance as White accelerated after WWII as they moved into higher education and professional classes.
Greek and Slavic Immigrants (1920s–1960s): Initially classified as "new immigrants" and viewed as racially inferior to Northern Europeans, these groups gradually assimilated into the broader white category following the restrictive Immigration Act of 1924, which halted new arrivals and forced integration.
Reddit
Reddit
+7
Group Shifts and Exceptions
Mexican Americans (Variable): Mexicans were legally white from 1850 to 1920. In the 1930 census, they were given their own category, but this was reverted in 1940, and they were classified as white until the "Hispanic" ethnic category was introduced in 1970.
South Asian Indians: This group was counted as "Hindu" (a racial proxy) from 1920–1940, then as "White" from 1950–1970, before finally being categorized as "Asian" in 1980.
Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Immigrants: Historically classified as White by the Census Bureau, this changed in March 2024 when the U.S. Federal Register announced a new, separate MENA category for federal forms.
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
+1
75 likes, 7 comments. "Black History : How Race Changed For Immigrants In America'' "