In doing some family history, I ran across some of the issues my French-Canadian ancestors faced in New England. A lot of Canadians emigrated to the northern states in the 19th century, estimated at 900,000, of which about 500,000 stayed and became Americans. The immigrant communities, dubbed "Little Canadas" were not accepted with open arms. Though 500,000 looks much more modest than the current figures from south of the border, it was a big proportion of the New England population, which was just 5.7 million in the year 1900.
It was very easy back then to cross the border, there were no constraints on Canadian border crossings until 1908. And, it was less than $20 for a train ticket from Montreal to most anywhere in New England.
Many similarities show up, along the lines of the current day frictions with Mexicans and other Latinos.
As the French-Canadians clung to their language, rules came down outlawing the use of French in schools, even on school playgrounds. Neighbors were not keen to see the Montreal newspapers in stores or hear the Canadians listening to French radio stations from Quebec in the early 20th century. The New York Times editorialized against the cultural divide these strangers posed to society.
To top it off, the director of the Vermont "Eugenics Board", a Dr. Henry Perkins, in 1922 advocated investigation of the Canadians due to their perceived low intelligence and forced sterilization where indicated.
As time wore on, the flow of immigrants diminished as Montreal expanded so much economically in the 20th century.
For those who stayed, the children of the first wave took on skilled and professional jobs. The slow path of assimilation set in and today, you will see towns in northern New England in which half of the surnames are French, but you see these people fit in completely in the community and carry on with businesses and farms and leadership roles in their towns.
It was very easy back then to cross the border, there were no constraints on Canadian border crossings until 1908. And, it was less than $20 for a train ticket from Montreal to most anywhere in New England.
Many similarities show up, along the lines of the current day frictions with Mexicans and other Latinos.
As the French-Canadians clung to their language, rules came down outlawing the use of French in schools, even on school playgrounds. Neighbors were not keen to see the Montreal newspapers in stores or hear the Canadians listening to French radio stations from Quebec in the early 20th century. The New York Times editorialized against the cultural divide these strangers posed to society.
To top it off, the director of the Vermont "Eugenics Board", a Dr. Henry Perkins, in 1922 advocated investigation of the Canadians due to their perceived low intelligence and forced sterilization where indicated.
As time wore on, the flow of immigrants diminished as Montreal expanded so much economically in the 20th century.
For those who stayed, the children of the first wave took on skilled and professional jobs. The slow path of assimilation set in and today, you will see towns in northern New England in which half of the surnames are French, but you see these people fit in completely in the community and carry on with businesses and farms and leadership roles in their towns.
