Italians began immigrating to the United States in the second half of the 19th century. In the U.S. by 1920, more than ten percent of foreign-born people were Italian (or more than 4 million). As Italian American enclaves sprang up, so did anti-Italian sentiment. Prejudice and discrimination were pervasive and stereotypes of Italians as criminals were widespread. See our earlier posts on Italian research.
During World War II, hundreds of Italian, German, and Japanese Americans (considered enemy aliens) were sent to internment camps. More than 10,000 Italian Americans were forced from their homes, had curfews, confiscations, and surveillance. Even though there was a lack of evidence that these ethnic groups were conducting any anti-American operations, they were still targeted.
The FBI started lists once conflicts began with Germany, Italy, and Japan. The lists, the ABC lists, characterized by high, moderate, and limited engagement (A,B,C) with organizations that could be subversive. Beginning in 1941, the Immigration and Naturalization Service established procedures and centers in Montana, New Mexico, and North Dakota for interning enemy aliens.
After Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt issued a series of proclamations declaring citizens of Japan, Germany, and Italy (and permanent residents) to be “alien enemies”. Hearings determined whether these people would remain in these camps. Over 600,000 Italians suffered under the policies their support was needed for an Italy invasion in 1942. Those in internment camps were not released for another year.
The persecution of Italian Americans during World War II was revealed in 2001, when the US Attorney General reported to Congress on the treatment of Italian Americans during World War II, A Review of the Restrictions on Persons of Italian Ancestry During World War II, and the House Judiciary Committee released the report to the public.
The report includes:
- Names and locations of those taken into custody and/or interned
- Names of those arrested for curfew, contraband, or other violations
- Names of fishermen of Italian ancestry that were prohibited to perform their occupation.
You can find out more about this topic and whether you may have an ancestor that was involved in this moment in history by consulting The Handbook of Texas Online, the U.S. Department of Justice: Wartime Violation of Italian American Civil Liberties, and the Densho Encyclopedia.
What unusual things happened to your ancestors? Were any of your ancestors on the lists?
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