Mortimer
Gold Member
I skipped the google search and asked ChatGPT, but did some thorough google search already a year ago but didnt found many sources, except that there was since time immemorial immigration to the USA of Romani in waves, from the first colonies were romani were shipped, to the 18th/19th/20th centuries where romani came from the former austro-hungary areas, or romania after servitude/slavery was abolished in romania of romani, and even now romani still keep going to the United States. However considering the large size of the USA the romani are a small insiginificant group rather.
In the United States were there ever anti-race mixing laws forbidding romani gypsies from marrying whites? Like there were forbidding whites marrying blacks?
ChatGPT
In the United States, anti-miscegenation laws primarily targeted relationships and marriages between white people and those of African descent. These laws were designed to maintain racial segregation and the so-called "purity" of the white race. While the primary focus was on preventing marriages between whites and blacks, some states extended these prohibitions to other groups as well, including Asians and Native Americans.
There is no substantial historical evidence that specific anti-miscegenation laws were widely enacted or enforced to prevent Romani people (often referred to as Gypsies) from marrying whites in the United States. The legal and social status of the Romani in the U.S. did not draw the same intense legislative scrutiny as African Americans or, in some regions, Asian Americans.
However, it is important to note that anti-miscegenation laws were often broadly written. Some statutes referred to "Mongolians," "Malays," or other non-white groups in general terms, which could potentially include Romani individuals. Nevertheless, Romani people were a much smaller and less visible minority in the U.S. compared to African Americans and Asians, which might explain the lack of specific mention in anti-miscegenation laws and the lesser historical focus on their marriages.
By 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia struck down all remaining anti-miscegenation laws, making it unconstitutional to prohibit interracial marriage. This landmark decision ensured that no racial or ethnic group could legally be barred from marrying another.
When only whites in the United States were eligible for citizenship were ever any recorded romani gypsies eligible for citizenship or legally white?
ChatGPT
When the United States' naturalization laws restricted citizenship to "free white persons" (from the Naturalization Act of 1790 until the change with the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952), the definition of "white" was often contested and evolved over time through various court cases and social understandings.
Romani people, often referred to as Gypsies, are of South Asian origin but have lived in Europe for centuries. Their classification within the racial categories used in the U.S. naturalization process varied. Generally, Romani individuals from Europe who sought naturalization might have been considered legally white, particularly if they were perceived as assimilated into European cultures. However, this classification was not uniform, and Romani people often faced significant discrimination and social exclusion, which could affect their treatment under the law.
In some cases, Romani individuals did gain U.S. citizenship during this period, especially if they were able to navigate the system and present themselves in ways that aligned with the legal and social definitions of whiteness at the time. There were no specific laws categorically excluding Romani people from being considered white under the naturalization laws, but their experiences would have been highly individual and dependent on local interpretations and the attitudes of officials.
In summary, while there might not be extensive recorded instances of Romani individuals seeking or obtaining citizenship under these laws, it was possible for them to be considered legally white and thus eligible for citizenship, depending on the context and perceptions of the time.
In the United States were there ever anti-race mixing laws forbidding romani gypsies from marrying whites? Like there were forbidding whites marrying blacks?
ChatGPT
In the United States, anti-miscegenation laws primarily targeted relationships and marriages between white people and those of African descent. These laws were designed to maintain racial segregation and the so-called "purity" of the white race. While the primary focus was on preventing marriages between whites and blacks, some states extended these prohibitions to other groups as well, including Asians and Native Americans.
There is no substantial historical evidence that specific anti-miscegenation laws were widely enacted or enforced to prevent Romani people (often referred to as Gypsies) from marrying whites in the United States. The legal and social status of the Romani in the U.S. did not draw the same intense legislative scrutiny as African Americans or, in some regions, Asian Americans.
However, it is important to note that anti-miscegenation laws were often broadly written. Some statutes referred to "Mongolians," "Malays," or other non-white groups in general terms, which could potentially include Romani individuals. Nevertheless, Romani people were a much smaller and less visible minority in the U.S. compared to African Americans and Asians, which might explain the lack of specific mention in anti-miscegenation laws and the lesser historical focus on their marriages.
By 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia struck down all remaining anti-miscegenation laws, making it unconstitutional to prohibit interracial marriage. This landmark decision ensured that no racial or ethnic group could legally be barred from marrying another.
When only whites in the United States were eligible for citizenship were ever any recorded romani gypsies eligible for citizenship or legally white?
ChatGPT
When the United States' naturalization laws restricted citizenship to "free white persons" (from the Naturalization Act of 1790 until the change with the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952), the definition of "white" was often contested and evolved over time through various court cases and social understandings.
Romani people, often referred to as Gypsies, are of South Asian origin but have lived in Europe for centuries. Their classification within the racial categories used in the U.S. naturalization process varied. Generally, Romani individuals from Europe who sought naturalization might have been considered legally white, particularly if they were perceived as assimilated into European cultures. However, this classification was not uniform, and Romani people often faced significant discrimination and social exclusion, which could affect their treatment under the law.
In some cases, Romani individuals did gain U.S. citizenship during this period, especially if they were able to navigate the system and present themselves in ways that aligned with the legal and social definitions of whiteness at the time. There were no specific laws categorically excluding Romani people from being considered white under the naturalization laws, but their experiences would have been highly individual and dependent on local interpretations and the attitudes of officials.
In summary, while there might not be extensive recorded instances of Romani individuals seeking or obtaining citizenship under these laws, it was possible for them to be considered legally white and thus eligible for citizenship, depending on the context and perceptions of the time.
