In the 1900s, there was a strong prejudice against irish immigrants and their descendants. editorial cartoons often depicted the irish as physically distinct and as looking like apes. what does this tell you about the history of race in the united states? the irish were once considered to be a separate race. racial hostility is permanent. europe has many different racial groups. there must have been significant biological differences between early protestant immigrants from england and holland and catholic immigrants from ireland. ireland must have changed a great deal over the course of the twentieth century.