in addition to this great thread, i recommend reading “how the irish became white” by noel ignatiev. i do expect a lot of fighting against these facts because these lies and myth are so ingrained and now have become a part of the community and the sense of self and pride of irish people.
Anti-Blackness is such a thing amongst the Irish till this day Black people find it so difficult to get work here in Ireland and if they do get work they often get harassed for being Black. I had a feeling that the ‘Irish slave’ wasn’t a thing, I’m glad to know in fact it wasn’t.
This is why history is so important. People try to bury this because of shame and some still feel no guilt. The Irish are not the only ones who have done this. Everyone who landed on this rock was the new negro on the block and tried hard to exclude themselves. No matter how many times you check white on an application you will never be white. You are just a means to an end.
the funniest thing about the Irish slave myth is that it was started by non irish (norwegian) white supremacists as a trap for Irish people who really didnt know their own history but claimed whiteness. and it worked.
March is Irish-American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate “the hardy character, the rich cultural heritage, and the many valuable contributions of Irish-Americans” to our Nation (from the 1991 Presidential Proclamation of President George Bush).
We are sharing this image, which is captioned, “Irish Clam Diggers, Boston, Mass. 1882.”
