"These bears and Italians walked down Clinton avenue."

Whenever I hear negative stereotypes about new immigrants (Mexicans are taking the brunt of the abuse right now), I know it’s just history repeating itself. Old newspaper articles are littered with insulting stereotypes of every ethnic group. Take my people, the Italians, for instance. Even the bizarre stories that involved Italian immigrants used crude language and depictions. Case in point: an article from the August 9, 1895 issue of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, which had to do with the Long Island town being invaded by bears and Italians. And which was more horrifying?!? An excerpt:

“Yesterday two large bears and three Italians appeared in town. Bears are especially forbidden to roam the streets of Bay Shore. These bears and Italians walked down Clinton avenue, at the extreme western end of the village, which is a street of the fine houses of the city residents, and the bears performed their tricks for the amusement of the New Yorkers. Constable George W. Jeffrey soon located them and had considerable difficulty in getting the Italians into the lockup, and had to use his club freely. Finally they were all shut up, bears and Italians together. Last night their trial came off and each of the men was fined $5. They refused to pay and so Constable Jeffrey took them all to Riverhead jail this morning, where they will stay until the fines are paid.”

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Trick bears, 1899: