Upon entering the Country the Syrians dealt with discriminations and prejudices and even had to fight for naturalization. Syrians fought many legal battles for the recognition of being part of the “white race.” Being “white” would grant them citizenship, allow them suffrage, and allow them to be able to travel freely. They could have argues for naturalization on the basis of African origin or ancestry, but none of the cases were fought with this basis. This being understandable because the African Americans were dealing with terrible discrimination at the time. The biggest court case dealing with the Syrian immigrants and their naturalization was George Dow v. United States. George Dow’s petition was approved and the judge ruled that Syrians were to be considered white persons and were entitled for naturalization. This was for Syrians, a conquest over the racial discernments they encountered. or so they thought .Even after Dow won his case, Syrians still faced racism. In Georgia, the Ku Klux Klan was threatening Syrians and Nicholas Romey, a Syrian immigrant, and his wife were lynched in Florida. They might have gotten some economic success and religious freedom, but they also got the unjustified effects of racism, but these trying times could not even put a dent in the hope of the Syrians.
The process to come to America for Syrian immigrants was tough and misleading. They left their country to find relief from religious and political chaos, came to American having to meet standards and requirements, and fight for their rights and citizenship. They may have been put through terrible hardships, they never gave up. That it is proven so today; there are more than 142,897 Americans of Syrian ancestry. They make up about 12% of the Arab population in the United States, according to the United states 2000 Census.
Works Cited
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2. Gualtieri, Sarah. "Becoming "White": Race, Religion and the Foundations of Syrian/Lebanese Ethnicity in the United States." Journal of American Ethnic History 20.4 (2001): 29-58. ProQuest Central. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
3. Hasser Bennett , Sandra . "Part Three - Lebanese and Syrian Immigration." Genealogy Today: Family Tree History, Ancestry, Free Lookups. N.p. n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.genealogytoday.com/family/syrian/part3.html> 4. Syria. ELEANOR STANFORD. Countries and Their Cultures. Ed. Carol R. Ember and Melvin Ember. Vol. 4. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. p2149-2159. Word Count: 5923.
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7 . “United States Immigration Before 1965.” 2012. The History Channel website. Nov 25 2012, < http://www.history.com/topics/united-states-immigration-to-1965>
Cited: 1"Ellis Island - FREE Port of New York Passenger Records Search." Ellis Island - FREE Port of New York Passenger Records Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.ellisisland.org/immexp/wseix_5_3.asp> 2. Gualtieri, Sarah. "Becoming "White": Race, Religion and the Foundations of Syrian/Lebanese Ethnicity in the United States." Journal of American Ethnic History 20.4 (2001): 29-58. ProQuest Central. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. 3. Hasser Bennett , Sandra . "Part Three - Lebanese and Syrian Immigration." Genealogy Today: Family Tree History, Ancestry, Free Lookups. N.p. n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.genealogytoday.com/family/syrian/part3.html> 4. Syria. ELEANOR STANFORD. Countries and Their Cultures. Ed. Carol R. Ember and Melvin Ember. Vol. 4. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. p2149-2159. Word Count: 5923. 5. "Syria." CIA World Factbook. Washington: CIA, 2012. N. pag. Credo Reference. 26 Sept. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://ezproxy.library.csn.edu/login?qurl=http://www.credoreference.com/entry/cia/syria>. 6. “The Arab Population: 2000” Census 2000 brief,2003. U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration. Web. 25 Nov. 2012 <http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-23.pdf> 7 . “United States Immigration Before 1965.” 2012. The History Channel website. Nov 25 2012, < http://www.history.com/topics/united-states-immigration-to-1965>