cc >> Beth Lemke: Welcome to
the Wisconsin Historical
Today we're here to listen Museum, ladies and gentlemen.
perspectives of immigration, to Mike Jacobs look at his
propaganda relating to it. So if you could please give me ae
warm welcome for Mike Jacobs. [APPLAUSE]
Mike Jacobs: So we're going to
through the course of takeat least 150 years andnda
see how the nativist faction has
But by emphasizing the tried to support its agenda.
what I'm hoping to do is to demonstrate that the fears have,
neither changed nor diminished. And I'm trying to assure both
sides, whichever side you are on, that our current debate is
neither epic nor final. And that's really my most
important point to you. Demographic changes in British
North America occurred rapidly
anti-immigrant sentiment existed during the 18th century, and
existed. The principal even before this country
the time, though, was not immigration but the kind of
immigrant, the kind of
Many British North American colonists were concerned about
the importation of convicted
German separatists. But crthat's not the focus ofand
today's presentation so let's start with the United States.
The United States did not have
immigration. Traditionally a uniform policy regarding
government placed neither restrictions nor parameters on
immigration, and federal
discouraged immigration indirectly through laws that
pertained to citizenship rather than actual travel or entry.
In 1798 the federal government
which were the first national restrictions on immigration.
Rather they were the first
immigrants not immigration. As these laws did not prevent
immigration but threatened
imprisonment if they didn't behave in accordance with ther
current administration's wishes.
and subjective and arbitrary, Tand thus they were unpopular.an
This 1798 cartoon depicts a fight that broke out on the
floor of the United States House
Matthew Lyon, an Irish of Representatives between
Congressman from Vermont, and Roger Griswold, an American-born
federalist from Connecticut.
decried this unpopular The democratic republicans
support to their party. fedThat's how they attractedlly
immigrants to them. Such was the earliest
controversy regarding immigration.
That controversy surrounded the kind of immigrant, rather than
immigration itself, comes as
this. The United little surprise to me studying
always had a dearth in labor. When there hasn't been,
immigration has slowed. If
chart, you will see that the you take a look at this
Great Depression. We have slthis idea or we purportthe
this idea that people come to America for political freedom or
religious freedom, and that is
minority. Unless you're certaingoing to make they small
argument that suddenly in the 1930s places around the world
were offering religious freedom and political freedom, therefore
people weren't coming. If you're familiar with fascist
Spain, fascist Portugal, fascist
arguments aren't Germany, fascist Italy, those
The reality is that the vast that easy to make.
come to America have come for maopportunity, particularlyve
economic opportunity. And you can see in the 1930s
that did not exist. And speaking of migrations, Beth
had mentioned that we had both
Wisconsin, a migration because moved here from Indiana to
I'd be curious what kind of migrations happened regarding
Wisconsin pertaining to what's going on outside.
As the United States started to supply belligerence engaged in
World War II, the need for labor
All were welcome, as depicted in in America was revitalized.
Free Press. In fact, at this this time the Unitedroit
States was desperate for
the Bracero Program with Mexico unswhich brought hundreds ofted
thousands of Mexicans across
enterprises that needed labor, the border to work in American
railroads. While the particularly in agriculture and
contributors to the American war Braceros were major
always meet with acceptance effort ain this country. did not
But the immigrants were deemed
Program was continued even after valuable enough that the Bracero
and maintained by the American the war ended for two decades
government until 1964. If you were to look at illegal
immigration to the United States
happens, when the program that from Mexico, 1964 is when it
here ended. It ended had allowed for workers to come
guard the border. They Mexico's incentive to
not wanting people to move back and forth unless they could tax
them. But that
with that program. World incentive disappeared
time labor influenced American's War II was not the first
desirability of immigration. opinions regarding the
by J Wayne Laurens called The ThiCrisis; or The Enemies ofbook
America Unmasked depicts a labor
City's city hall demanding demonstration outside New York
the panic of 1854. This reliefpresentation here ofduring
foreign labor demonstrators,
meant to alarm readers. moIt's one of the very fewas
antebellum images of organized
of anti-immigrant propaganda. laDuring the post bellum era,ds
immigrant laborers were not a threat to capital but to other
laborers. Native labor
cheap immigrant labor that might organized against
replace them. In drive down their wages or
emanating from California, the both of these pieces
prescribed solution is clear: physically remove the Chinese by
force or political action. And
Labor is warning Americans of the danger of illegitimate
immigrant labor. But
immigrant labor has gone beyond organized labor and become a
grassroots campaign as Americans
And corporate America has fear shouldered the blame.ture.
And corporate executives and
have warned about the presence upper middle-class Americans
But that has not stopped of such undocumented workers.
benefiting from that very labor. such segments from using and
supported continued practice of moderate immigration enforcement
and was criticized for
As this cartoon suggests, it is compassionate to assist these
poor immigrants with any work and useful for the American
economy. The competing
displayed here on the page forces at work are
the San Antonio Express. The of June 8, 2006, edition of
would make some deportations top article, Texans proposal
could get rid of undocumented eor undesirable immigrants.
The second article suggests that
immigrants were useful, but they President Bush believed that
macroculture. My should conform to the American
article. At the bottom favorite is the bottom
the issue full circle by of the page brings
who are cleaning up New Orleans pafter hurricane Katrina lacke
proper papers. As much
want them here, as much as the as people who do not
them of their historic culture, these people are helping America
and Americans. This desire for cheap and
abundant labor has even compromised homeland security
measures according to this piece of propaganda.
Click to enlarge indicates that even this formula is flexible as
needed. Nativist
link America's immigration forces were quick to
attacks. Even Osama policbin Laden is able toorist
enter the United States in this 2003 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
cartoon by Stuart Carlson.
ground picked up on that notion. And nativist forces on the
sleeve or jacket or lapel. But And fears can be worn on your
bugaboo is simply a cat's ipaw for other objectives.t
The message here is morphed to suit other tastes.
And they transform the message
generations of and images to appeal to older
Every avenue is explored and exploited.
Neither the ploys nor the fears were new.
Post-World War I cartoons suggested that America's liberal
immigration policies opened doors to those who would destroy
us. The jingoism is particularly
noticeable in this cartoon from the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Now Memphis has little history
In 1920 only 3.6% of its as an immigrant city.
ranking it 47th among America's popu50th largest cities.orn,
Yet they still have a concern about what is going to happen.
And the remedy did
Nativists warned Americans about not change either.
long before World War I as those determined to destroy us
demonstrates. And the this loyalty question hasation
surfaced as well. Even if these new immigrants are
bent on America's destruction,
loyalty. The clinging theyto traditions isdual
more easily understood when one considers the transitory nature
of some migrations. For example, prior to the
immigration act of 1924 as many as 60% of Italians who came to
America returned to Italy within five years.
America would be a temporary
to see if they like. place to earn money or to test
Woodrow Wilson warned Americans of such people who clung to the
traditions of their birth place. During World War I,
German-American immigrants
In 1918 Life magazine ran this particularly faced prejudice.
jingle of My Country cartoon with the accompanying
My country over sea, Deutschland 'Tis of Thee.
For thee my honor died, for thee is sweet to me, to thee I cling.
every side culture might ring. I spied and lied, so that from
States to be at war to inspire But it didn't require the United
Uncle Sam in 1915 to such fears as instructed by
The term hyphenated American cut off that hyphen.
the early 1890s referring to entered the American slang in
satisfactorily acculturated. In imthis 1899 cartoon from Puck,r
Uncle Sam inquires "why should
ballots when they are I leonly half Americans?"hole
One of the first concerns regarding dual loyalty had
little to do with foreign national powers.
It was the Catholic church
In this 1853 Currier & Ives lithograph Pope Pius IX lands on
American soil with a cross in one hand and a sword in the
other. One of the Bishops hooks the
boat ashore by a shamrock,
complicity in making this happen those who are already inn
America. Brother
precursor to Uncle Sam is whittling in the back and fails
to act. Therefore, it is up to the youth
of America to challenge this religious invasion.
This 1870 cover of Harper's Weekly sends a similar message
of the Catholic church's
Note the skeletal face of the priest on the far right and the
raised weapons in the rear
This 1873 cartoon from Harper's Weekly suggests that Catholics
are to subvert American institutions such as schools.
Students at the right are forced
alters and are being to worship at non-Christian
philosophies and religions. Thomas Nast, the most famous
cartoonist in American history, produced one of the most
infamous anti-immigrant works of the 19th century with his
warning of Catholic invasions.
coming to shore are Noticeactually Bishops.hat are
The Vatican has taken over the
The public school governis falling apart.round.
The American flag is inverted.
away a woman at the top of the Catholic-Irish thugs are hauling
prepared in the upper clifright-hand corner. are
And into the 20th century the fear had not subsided.
A deadly Catholic Bishop
because Americans are not replsufficiently on guard.erty
But there was an antidote realized in the 1920s.
The Klan would be America's savior from foreign menaces.
It's a good thing that religious
gone by the wayside and bno longer enters into theas
immigration debate. In the
century, Catholic and Irish were early part of the 19th
parts of America. Not only used interchangeably in many
question, but their economic was their religion in
burden for America. And situathis concern about be a
immigrants has not changed as this bumper sticker suggests.
This 1852 plate considers the physiognomy of the Irish,
likening them to dogs.
encouraged people to treat This type of pseudoscience
This 1882 cartoon from Puck depicts the Irish as subhuman.
Uncle Sam reprimands him "look
and peaceable and you're all here you everybody else is quiet
The editorial that accompanied the time a kicking up a row."
Irish in America is a nuisance. His son is a curse.
They never assimilate. The
shows an intensification of all the bad qualities of the first.
They are a burden and a misery to this country."
Such characterizations led to the popularization and general
acceptance of no Irish need apply or NINA as some newspaper
ads proclaimed. Or as Puck suggested in this
1889 cartoon, the Irish simply are not mixable.
Chinese immigrants would face even greater discrimination than
the Irish. Columbia here guards the weary
Chinese immigrant in this 1874
She warns the Irish pursuers engraving from Harper's Weekly.
for all men." Notice that America "means fair play
the Irish and all the anti-Chinese propaganda on the
wall behind. Secretary
Blaine protects the African American and says no to the
apparently
Less than two years later, high-cultured Chinese.
editorial policy towards Harper's Weekly changed its
This propaganda on the wall depicts whites pushing American
Indians west and Chinese
The American Indian observes pushing Americans east.
out as he did me." You "pale face 'fraid you crowd him
Go west and go east. And can see this up here.
issue could prevent the freefall the Chinese immigration
left or pull both parties down of the democratic tiger on the
right. Frank as Thomas Nast suggests on the
newspaper warned the working man Leslie's illustrated
Chinese labor in 1877. This of thmontage of cartoons byctive
Joseph Keppler called the Chinese invasion from an 1880
issue of Judge warned that the
the workforce and the center Chinese would push others from
preservers offered by Columbia. theThe WASP magazine, fromife
California, warned that the immigrant Chinese sought
monopolies in certain trades, especially laundries, cigar
making, dry goods and manufacturing.
Chinese came to dominate the
cities, and they became a target laundry trade in a number of
In this trade card, Columbia because of the competition.
Chinese cheap labor. Business poowners tried to depictre
themselves as patriotic by
Chinese. In this trade finding ways of replacing the
kicking the Chinese back to the sea, replacing them with the
George D Company's magic washer.
Americans depicted here, To the satisfaction of so many
immigrant Chinese Columfrom the school. the
Note the ironing board and opium
Indeed, Chinese immigration proved a rallying point for a
disparate group of Americans. Emanating from the new Statue of
Liberty is filth, immorality, and ruin to white labor.
The WASP hope to stop the threats on both shores: Chinese
from the Pacific and
When the fear of Chinese communists from the Atlantic.
restricted immigration policies directed at that country, a new
threat from Asia emerged. The tide of turbans failed to
materialize, as the nativists claimed it would, but the
propaganda machine was prepared.
immigrants or natives were And during World War II Japanese
Immigrant Asians are no longer targets of American jingoism.
American wages and taxes but singled out as a threat to
migrant labor. And Americans are still warned about
wasn't the only concern of the migrant labor, or labor
it to advantage. In this nativist, but they have to use
drawing from Judge magazine, the turn of the century
world districts as they are liable to be infest if this
Russian exodus of the persecuted
This 1896 cartoon published in Hebrews continues much longer."
assortment of undesirable baggage brought by immigrants
including Sabbath desecration,
and disease. This 1883 anarchy, poverty, superstition,
of health hazards, specifically cholera, entering the country
through immigration.
suggests American immigration policy is more strict on
potentially contaminated beef than humans with serious
communicable diseases. But
and communicable diseases are not at the forefront of the
current immigration debate. It is clear where nativists
believe the problem originates.
And what the end
And they will employ scare result could mean.
objective. And nativists tactics to achieve their
the policies of the most have criticized
Some have their own remartial remedies.nt.
They try to instill fear in the American public that the new
immigrants from south of the
peoples and political systems. border will overwhelm existing
Americans that has assuaged fears of immigrants unique
habits, traditions, qualities,
differences will disappear in the great American melting pot.
But the melting pot idea, as
has noted, is a more recent hisideal than a historicalein
expectation. He writes
the prevalent American view that existed for centuries.
America should remain a white protestant nation and all others
must either assimilate or be relegated to a permanent
inferior status. That is
pot is not the end result. not to say the melting
standardized formula emerges, Waccording to this cartoon.
Dinnerstein adds most second and
foreign ancestry are not anxious third generation Americans of
blend into the dominate society. to remain ethnic as they are to
letters back to the old country. Consider first generation
follow suit and maintain Did second and third generations
Do any such letters to the the traditions?
generations? Fourth old generations are moreurth
likely to have anonymous
their families back overseas. ovBut historically, even thiste
recipe, as a path for immigrant,
Some groups simply acceptance has come under fire.
The remedy? Close the chute.
Perhaps it had gone too far while Uncle Sam had his back
turned, as this 1921 Gale cartoon, Spoiling the Broth,
insinuates. Pouring too many immigrants into
the mix has been a detriment to the country, according to the
Saturday Evening Post in 1930.
nothing new. In fact So this bumper sticker is
the propaganda of iearlier generations.n
But some still hold out hope, as this 2006 editorial cartoon
suggests. For good
altogether certain that there's not a melting pot of some sort
as three generations of recent
demonstrate the immiMacarena. [LAUGHTER]tan
One thing that has changed over the course of the last century
regarding American's attitudes
many want immigrants towards immigrants is that
Ethnic ghettos and villages were to speak English.
19th century that speaking so common and insulated in the
necessary or even Engldesirable for some.emed
Notice the ironic land of the free flag in the background.
That changed in the 20th century.
And not only did many Americans want new arrivals to speak
English, they wanted
In this 1914 cartoon from Puck them literate.
Lincoln, the martyred president pleads, "I stand among you, good
people, my father could never have passed."
And standardization became a
free. Americans are rallyingordered to speak of the
American in this poster issued
during World War II. Using by the American government
especially German, Italian non-English languages,
disloyal. And efforts and Jato serve and/orsidered
accommodate non-English speaking
recently. And opposition immigrants has been ridiculed
nation has become vitriolic. to a polyglot
Insulated Iowa with just 3.1% Anforeign-born population in.
the census of 2000 passed a law that made English its official
language. While once concerned that
immigrants would the not adapt
American institutions such as tsuffrage, many nativists fearte
the opposite, that immigrants will participate in the
political process. Some outspoken people such as
Pat Buchanan have tried to use
providence, if not this issue to rise to national
Disgruntled nativists accused the last president of pandering
to this potential constituency. To them, Bush has compromised
America's sovereignty for his own political future.
Or to achieve another unrelated political agenda.
However upset those forces are
their propaganda leaves little with the former President Bush,
believe they have the best doubt with which party they
In this 2006 flyer, nativists chancpropose that by votingoals.
democratic you are cooperating
people. There's little with the wishes of the Mexican
will be a highly contested issue doubt immigration
cycles. And it's not in our future major election
battles were waged. California senator and famed
opponent of Japanese immigration
promised to stop the James Phelan's campaign poster
Riffraff immigrants might subvert the political process,
damage our ideas, institutions, as Uncle Sam fears here.
And this concern predates the 20th and 21st century.
"What weight can my vote have against this flood of ignorance,
stupidity and fraud," the American citizen asks in this
1896 cartoon from The Ram's Horn.
In this election day fiasco,
immigrants run off with the liballot box to determine theman
election's victor. Finally, in this cartoon dubbed
the naturalization mill, judges and party hacks grind immigrants
into democratic votes.
participating in politics, the Whether or not they will be
sheerconcern to nativists.n is a
But 80 years ago, the Ku Klux Klan warned America of the same
phenomenon in its pamphlet on immigration.
And the Klan was carrying on a
concern about the volume as well strong tradition of the nativist
In this 1891 cartoon from Judge, as the character of immigration.
lectures Uncle Sam, "If simmigration was properly
restricted you would no longer
socialism, the mafia and be troubled with anarchy,
The caption on the sign in the such kindred evils."
immigrants, baggage backthe only requisite."for
Captions on immigrants include
brigand, English convict, "PolRussian anarchist,ian
Irish pauper." In this
lithograph contains the caption "An interesting question:
how long will it be before
and the man gets out?" the rats own the garden
permitting the vermin to take command of the American garden.
This F Beard cartoon is called
As immigrants emerge from the sewers of other countries, if
you see in the background.
propaganda, the pied piper leads In this early piece of
America. Notice the the Statue of Liberty inn to
the background and the
Today's propaganda remains with the patriotic theme by employing
images of Uncle Sam. More tangible efforts are
suggested as well. Not
groundless, but certainly some that all concerns are
arguments. For example, of thenote this sign inational
Tennessee, a state that ranks 33rd in the percentage of
immigrants, approximately two-thirds below the national
average. The volume of current
immigration, some nativists suggest, will overwhelm the
United States. So great that the new immigrants
will not assimilate but will
existing one, wrecking the hoist their culture upon the
Americans. The traditions known to most
novelty, as with this 1922 American will become a
portrays the last JameAmerican in captivity.toon
Flagg copied the idea from the
Frank Leslie's illustrated Last Yankee, first published in
frequently over the newspapernext 30 years.eprinted
Uncle Sam is literally devoured by Irish and Chinese immigrants
in this early depiction. This is the first cartoon of a
three-part series.
America has drawn so many immigrants because it is the
land of opportunity,
In this 1880 Joseph Keppler cartoon called Welcome to All,
Uncle Sam welcomes immigrants of all nationalities and a sign
lauds America's features: political freedom and economic
opportunity. A
utilized in this Puck cartoon in which Uncle Sam plays Moses
leading immigrants from oppression and intolerance to a
new day that is America. Today
for the same reasons: immigropportunities.erica
But nativists today are less
share the opportunities libof this great country.to
Now comparatively, United States
speaking nations in limiting is not alone among English
means to discourage immigration accas this 1899 cartoon fromas a
New South Wales,
"A white colony" and "mineral wealth" are guarded against
"black labor" and "minority rule."
And in England, God save the King.
And even more recently
And there is little difference in the warning.
And America should
English speaking countries heed a warning too.
the world who discourage haven't been the only ones in
among them. And America's particuimmigrant policyliving
has had foreign policy ramifications.
The Japanese considered exclusion of their nationals as
an insult to their
This 1915 cartoon suggests that America's doors are open to just
about any kind of immigrant except the Japanese.
The link to Pearl Harbor is not as direct as the treatment of
Irish-Catholic immigrants in
Several hundred of them deserted the America army in the 1840s.
Mexico in the the AMexican-American War.ht for
The Los San Patricios are officially celebrated in both
Ireland and in Mexico.
discriminated against immigrant Irish and prevented Japanese
immigration. Recent complaints by nativists
argue that the laws in
Indeed, salutary neglect has place are not enforced.
illegal immigration beenfrom Central America.ards
Bush's plan to legitimize illegal immigration came under
fire from nativists as well.
securing the borders have Thbeen criticized also.for
The INS shirked its principal function and has been complicit
in this disregard for the law according to these recent
characterizations.
Legal measures have been
immigration in 1921. And taken before trying to curb
In 1924, the Ku Klux Klan tried to take credit for a restrictive
legislation. The Klan is still active in the
nativist movement. Other
organizations, such as the national right wing
also feed on national socialist movement,
Most ultra-conservatives know that the history of those two
groups preclude them from effectiveness or even being part
of the national dialogue. So
Project, employing patriotic they created the Minuteman
cause. Even more symbols to rally people to their
This organization pushes for bland is US English.
English as the official language of the United States.
Madison Grant, the vice president of the Immigration
Restriction League, was best
passing of the great race and knthe introduction to fellowe
restrictionist Lathrop
Color Against World StoddarWhite Supremacy.ide of
And before the Immigration
Order of United Americans. And Restriction League there was the
party the American party. Its precursor, the Native
American party, commonly known
knows. Two aspects as the no nothings or the don't
debate have degenerated. For of the immigration
less vehement. And the one the message was formally
the fringe of American society. But in the 21st century,
nativism has obtained mainstream
and middle-class. And the statumessage has lost allold,
polish. The message has become
malicious. Venomous.
The irony of American's immigration policies have not
been lost on previous generations.
Hendrik van Loon asks in this 1924 cartoon, what if the
original Americans
Even the debate on terrorism opposed immigration?
"Give me your tired, poor, has been put into perspective.
to breathe free, the wretched refuse of the teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my
lamp beside the golden door !" Do the nativists, the
defenders of America's
America's traditional promise?
They wouldn't be the first, as
indicates. Even to this 1921 Lute Pease cartoon
popular solution to halt implement the nativist
imOn both sides of the border.c.
And it is not without historic precedent.
In this 19th century work,
immigrants are doing the the immediate descendants of
Recent immigrants have been more vocal than in the past.
Demanding a measure of equality.
so I will open it I seeup for questions.1:00,
[APPLAUSE]