Quick question: Were non-Black minorities also considered "colored" when segregation was legal?

[Jamaal510]

For example, did Asians, Native Americans, Hispanics, etc. also have to use "Colored" facilities? Or were they allowed to use the "White" ones?
I have been curious about this for a while, since virtually all of what I have heard about segregation is what Black people experienced.

[Gravitycollapse]

1. The short answer is "no" as many minorities were considered white...

The long answer, of course, is much less easily had. Many racial minorities did not exist in great enough numbers to create white unrest in places of the country further away from main hubs of immigration. Racial segregation in the South was created chiefly to address the animalization of black African decent. And there was a massive black population that could easily be identified, targeted, hated and ultimately marginalized. The history of the United States, the one you don't hear about in school for the most part, is a history of black hatred.

In other places of the country where these racial minorities, a true misnomer considering many of them outnumbered white people, were prominent enough to scare whitey, the prejudice was tangible and well structured. Many of these racial communities were forced into segregated lifestyles, isolated from the white world engulfing them. Each race has a different history of horror.

[bravenak]

2. I think in L.A. They considered Mexicans white.

They could use the white toilets. Segregation was unique to blacks. They used different tactics on Mexicans. Like rounding them up and deporting US citizens to Mexico and beating them up.

[wandy]

3. No, other groups had their own derogative "nick names"........

During certain times, in some parts of the country, "Whop" served for Italians. "Polak" served nicely for those of Polish decent.
At times Irish were called "Harps"

We deceive ourselves when we think this is an American only problem. It is a human nature problem.

The correct word would not be "Whop" or "colored"
It would be something like.

"Someonewhoisnotlikeme"

[dipsydoodle]

7. Given that polak is a Polish word anyway

use of that becomes a matter of intent notwithstanding the change the spelling to polack. Whop is is actually wop and seems to go back to the Italian word "guappo" c. 1910. It may well be that original use of both meant no harm but became derogatory. There's another which originally , 1700's, meant / was used to describe someone with the appearance of being from Niger - 'nuff said on the one.

With regard intent its a bit like in the UK calling Greeks "bubbles". Use amongst Greek or Cypriot friends is one thing - use outside that group may not be a good idea. Similarly back in the '50s we referred to our Jewish friends as "yids" and they referred to us as "goys" - no offense was taken by either group as we were all just pals.

[Igel]

9. Don't confuse etymology with meaning.

Polack was intented to be offensive and was.

It's just that if you're Polish or Italian there weren't a series of words used.

At one time "colored" was the neutral word for a black person. Then it was deemed racist and "Negro" was the neutral term. "Afro-American" was around for a while but quickly became "African-American." That "colored" wasn't offensive says nothing about what it became, or the "authenticity" of the offensiveness.

[dipsydoodle]

10. The actual issue is giving power to words.

Take that away and there would be no derogatory expressions.

At one time...... In the UK black is African origin and coloured Asian origin which in the case of the UK refers solely to Indian sub Continent. Part of the background to that is that blacks resent being grouped with Asians. That was so at least as far back as the '70s.

[wandy]

11. Thanks. OK spelling may reflect where you come from.......

In NE Pennsylvania a Clum pile is pronounced "column". How you spelled "Wop" didn't matter if you were, sort of one of them.

Harry Chapen.

"In back yard slag piles and folks manage to eat each day.
Just about 30,000 pounds of bananas"

No they were column piles and it was 30,000 pounds of mixed fruit.
I have seen these things with my very own eyes. It was mixed fruit.

If you happen to be half "Whop" and half "Polak" you just might have some problems with the little "Harp" kids in the neighborhood.
Seriously.
If you didn't wear green on St, Pattys day the Irish kids would beat the crap out of you.
If you didn't wear red on St. Pattys day, you're own cousins would beat the crap out of you.
Good day to stay home from school.

Just saying that we tend to demonise anything that is different than us.
Someday the human race may out grow that.

Take a break. It's close to the real story. Yup you did put the family sedan in second coming down Moosic St. hill.
My home town. What can I tell you.

[dipsydoodle]

4. There appear to have been differences between segration and hypersegregation

with blacks only , as opposed to other minority, subject to hyper-segregation.

Details herein : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_segregation_in_the_United_States

Please be aware - I'm UK and still find the subject just as distressing as I did 50 years ago. I did the search solely because of the subject of the OP. I had a feeling I'd also come across refs to segregation re Native Americans.

See here : http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/20832196?uid=3738032&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21102551037853

[Ecumenist]

5. Not in America but in South Africa, that was the case. nt

[Scootaloo]

6. It was regional

In places where Indians were a sizable minority, the concept was applied to them. In places where it was Hispanics, same deal.



Now looks like

[MotherPetrie]

8. in VA, at least, anti-miscegenation laws applied to white/Asian marriages too