What did anti-Greek stereotyping look like in the United States in the early 20th century?

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I would say that when looking and studying the history of American immigration, Greek-Americans have experienced little stereotyping when compared with other ethnic and racial groups over the past 100 plus years. One would have to go back to the early 1900's, when Greek immigration to the United States was fairly high and Greek communities were being established throughout the continental United States-(with its heaviest concentrations in New York City, Boston, Chicago and Pinellas County, Florida).

However, there were also Greek communities established in some of the more conservative parts of the United States, such as Salt Lake City, Utah, Omaha, Nebraska and Atlanta, Georgia....and in each of these cities, there were anti-Greek riots or in the case of Atlanta, Georgia, the fiery destruction of the Greek Community's Orthodox Church, which led to the founding of the American Hellenic Educational Public Association-(nicknamed, AHEPA).

One long lasting stereotype of Greek-Americans is that it is assumed that all diners-(especially, in the Northeastern United States), are "run by Greeks"...this is a stereotype that is often voiced and heard by Greek-Americans for time immemorial. Outside of the diner owner stereotype, as well as the very few above mentioned riots which occurred 100 plus year ago, during the height of Greek-(and Southern European) migration to America, the Greek-American community has been largely-(though not totally) spared from very negative and vicious stereotyping.

There tends to be, amongst many ordinary and everyday Americans-(though this does not include the educated and well-traveled elites), an ignorance, indeed a mysterious ignorance, of the Greek Orthodox Christian faith. There are usually strange and rather odd sounding questions that are asked which tend to lack a basic historical understanding and familiarity with the evolution and centuries old presence of the Greek Orthodox Church-(and in particular, the 100 year plus presence of the Greek Orthodox Church in America). Yet, such ignorance, (while frustrating and irksome), tends to be harmless in nature and is often more in the form of innocent sounding questions and inquiries, rather than harmful or harassing stereotypes.

Overall, the Greek experience in the United States, has been rather successful and part of its success, is attributable to its lack of both personal stereotyping and institutional discrimination.

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Guarding the Gates

There is a book about it called Guarding the Gates.

Henry Pratt Fairchild & The Press

According to sociologist Henry Pratt Fairchild in Page 82 of Guarding the Gates the Greeks and Italians were disproportionately "criminal types" unable to assimilate in to society.

According to Page 82 the press were equally scathing, labelling them as "a vicious element unfit for citizenship, and as ignorant, depraved and brutal foreigners".

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