Why so many american people say that italians are not white? Can you show a photo of a black italian?

Question

i'm italian, i live in italy and i have never seen black italians, except some people tanned in summer, or italians citizens that are immigrated from some african nations during the last years.

Can you show a photo of a famous italian american black, please?

Answer 1

YOU ARE CORRECT, SIR!

Italians are not *******, they are Caucasian...

However, part of the misconception derives from the fact, that Italy, and especially Sicily, are very low latitude areas on the Mediterranean Sea, and before the glaciers from the last Ice Age melted, Tunisia was connected to Sicily.

Additionally, Italy colonized, and held Ethiopia for a period, so each of these circumstances contributed to the likely mixing with *******, African peoples, moreso than Germans, English or Scandanavians would have...

Answer 2

Ecco perchè Bush è stato eletto.

Sti americani sono proprio ignoranti all'ennesima potenza.

Answer 3

I am an American, and I am confused by your question because I have never heard anyone suggest that Italians are not white???

Can you clarify?

Answer 4

The "white" you are referring to is European, but Italy is not part of these white people.  The reason?  Well Italians are darker then the other European nations, but I don't think that's it.  The only Italian people I know of that are considered black are Sicilians, the southern part of Italy I believe, these people do have black heritage.  As for why Italians in general are not considered white....... I don't really know but I suspect it has something to do with an alienation from the European powers, possibly the fall of the Roman empire, or the fact that Italy is mostly Catholic (which is NOT a "white" religion).

Polish people are not considered white either.  I think your misunderstanding what it means to not be white.  Just because a group of people are not considered white, they are black?  A Mexican man is not white, but he is not black either.  Italians being considered not white has nothing to do with black people.  Just like Poles, they have their own racist terms.  Are you just saying that if their not considered white they must be black?

I'm not saying anything wrong.  If you just think physical appearance is what makes one white you are very wrong.  I really would rather not argue about this.  I do know this, I understand my culture.  Polish people are not in the prodominent European empire I talked about earlier.  It dosn't matter what they look like, in the United States most Polish people work in labor jobs, Chicago alone has more people then Warsaw.  So the terms like Guido, or Polock are used to be racist toward Italians and Polish people made by white people because they feel they are inferior.  I do not agree with racism and if you want to say I'm wrong then bring about arguements to prove this.  Good-bye

Answer 5

Italians are obviously Caucasian but are usually darker than most northern Europeans.  American politics has included a "white" race in my opinion to divide people into minorities that are then exploited.  They are exploited by offering certain benefits as payment for hoped for votes.  It tends to divide rather than unite.  My wife has a teacher friend who is Portuguese.  She always puts other in the race question to help her in her LAUSD job.

Answer 6

as an american i have never heard another american mention italian people as not white. italians, by definition are mediterraean people and thus some may have an olive complexion in the south while the ones in the alpine reason are lighter.

Answer 7

I think it is just said by wasps as a racist slang type insult thing, though I'm sure (as you pointed out) that there are Italians that actually have black features and complexion.

Answer 8

I don't know anyone who thinks that Italians aren't white personally. Ignorance is the reason why some people say that Italians aren't white, they believe in myths that all southern Italians are mixed with european and non-european blood. Some Northern Italians claim that they're descended from Germanic tribes, neglecting that they've had non-Europeans invade their land and that Germanic and other European peoples have invaded Southern Italy. Sicily and Southern Italy have been invaded by non-European peoples, but their genetic influence is negligible. The only italian american blacks are those that are mixed like Alicia Keys or Franco Harris.

Answer 9

some americans say italians are not white because they are not the ideal american whites, when italians came to america back in the  early 1900s, the italian immigrants were treated badly just like the irish and jews.  

back then, the ideal americans where descents from britian and other northern european countries like the netherlands and sweden. although italian and other white ethnic group were treated badly like the blacks, their status  were still a bit above blacks in america.

we call italians , irish and jews as ethnic white group. so back then and maybe still today, they are still kind of made fun of or pointed out.

Answer 10

It's personally insulting when I hear people go off at the mouth about Italians having black ancestry because it's an erroneous statement. Greeks & Jews are dark too, but nobody says they have black ancestry. Look at the kind of movies Spike Lee puts out. That movie coming out called American Gangster makes me laugh. It started with the north of Italy being racist towards the south, but in American culture it's the blacks who perpetuate the myth that Italians have black DNA because it gives them an excuse to jock us. Ask most blacks what their favorite movie is and they say Goodfellas. See the following site:

http://www.geocities.com/racial_reality/...

Answer 11

You seem to be more concerned with arguing with Americans then finding an answer to your question.

Answer 12

Franco Harris, a black Italian American whose mother came from Lucca, played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A record-breaking rusher, he led his team to its first divisional title in 40 years and then won two league championships in 1974 and 1975. He held the record for the most yards gained in a Super Bowl -- 158 against the Minnesota Vikings in 1975.

www.watsoncrombie.com/.../franco_harri...

http://www.viewimages.com/Search.aspx?mi...

Answer 13

well i'm not sure  but i have heard that Italians and others on the Iberian peninsula mixed with other ethnicities from hundreds of years ago, such as African, north African, East Indian, and so on. Something about Hannibal invading and occupying that area for a few centuries, and then finally being kicked out. You should research it and see if its true or not.

Also, you make it seem like there are only 2 ethnicities, Black and white. As if Italians not being white, makes them Black by default. Aren't you aware of the hundreds of other ethnicities that are "not white"?

The last point i'll make is that while you may disagree, i have heard quite a few Italians say they aren't white. Perhaps they don't consider themselves Anglo.

Answer 14

I have never personally heard anybody say that here in the USA ; however , I have read that over a hundred years ago..that SOME Italians viewed Sicilians that way at one time . I envy dark Italians and wouldn't mind dark skin .