Harry Bridges: Immigrant, Adventurer, Traveler

Harry Bridges was the radical leader of the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union. He was also an adventurer and immigrant. Born in Australia, Bridges went to sea at age 17 in search of adventure. After three years as a merchant seaman, he entered the United States in 1920, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1945. In 1939 the government attempted to deport Bridges, accusing him of being a communist. For more on Harry Bridges and longshoremen, see the Transforming the Waterfront: San Francisco and Oakland section of this exhibition.

Crossing the Border

When Harry Bridges jumped ship in San Francisco in 1920, all he had to do was pay the eight-dollar head tax to enter the country. Other immigrants didn’t find it so easy. Asians coming at the same time and through the same port were usually detained for a few weeks at Angel Island and subjected to extensive background checks.

Crossing State Lines

In 1958 Harry Bridges and Noriko (Nikki) Sawada flew to Reno, Nevada, to get married. But Nevada had laws forbidding whites from marrying Asians, and Nikki, born in Glendale, California, was of Japanese ancestry. Despite Harry’s plea that Noriko “isn't really Japanese—she was born in America,” the judge refused to marry them. They sued the state of Nevada, and three days later they were wed.