The Anti-Greek Riot of 1909 - Omaha
Cleavages have always been a concern when it comes to politics, communities, and corruption. Ever since it’s beginning Omaha has continued to grow when it comes to banking & its economy as well as the production of meat packing. Overall, Omaha, Nebraska has always been a well balanced and diverse community. However, when a place becomes too diverse it may be start to corruption from within. One of the leading acts of corruption in Omaha began in 1909, and we know it today as the Anti-Greek Riots. This essay will take the reader through the background of the anti-Greek riots; it will also give the reader the information on this event while also tying this malicious event in to the national theme of this time period. The city of Omaha was settled by immigrants just like all of Nebraska. The difference is than that of the Omaha Community is that it was settled by exceptionally diverse mix of people over the years. This is unusual because of the location of the city in the middle of the United States. Between the times of 1900 and 1930 Omaha was home of the highest percentage of foreign born residents in the nation (Meed & Hunt). The countries of origin where most of the immigrants came from northern Europe and changed to more of the southern and eastern heritage of Europe. Ever since the late 1800 it was known that Germans were the leading immigrants in the United States. Omaha has always been known to be a diverse community, but it was as if each type of immigrant had their own sector or portion of Omaha. Germans took up the area of 13th street, and 'Little Poland” was more developed between 25th and 29th street and F and L streets (Meed & Hunt). Being one of the earliest and most organized groups of people the Bohemians became developed from south Omaha to being more east of where they had started. Immigrants came from everywhere and claimed their little areas of Omaha and South Omaha. One may think that all of the different types of people in one place can