How the Finns became White (in America)

#ancestry #findingyourroots #ancestrydna #dnatest #finns #finland #familyhistory #genealogy #courtcases In the compelling narrative of Finnish immigrants, the court case of John Svan stands as a pivotal moment in their quest for whiteness in America. In 1908, Svan’s application for naturalized citizenship was initially rejected, as Finnish immigrants were deemed “mongols“ and “yellow,“ rendering them ineligible. However, a state supreme court judge offered a remarkable perspective, acknowledging that while the Finns may have had Mongolian origins, their adaptation to the harsh, Northern climate and historical assimilation had turned them into one of “the whitest people in Europe.“ This significant ruling allowed John Svan and other Finnish immigrants to be recognized as white, affording them the protective benefits and legitimacy of U.S. citizenship, in an era where notions of whiteness were deeply entwined with societal power and counts as “w