Biography
Harry Bridges was an Australian-born president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) for 40 years. Led the 1934 West Coast Waterfront Strike; founded the ILWU in 1937. The U.S. government pursued him in four major proceedings (1939, 1941, 1948-55) attempting to deport him as a Communist. In 1949 indicted for perjury and conspiracy for denying CP membership in his 1945 naturalization. Convicted 1950, sentenced 5 years; jailed 3 weeks August 1950 before bail. Reversed by SCOTUS Bridges v. United States, 346 U.S. 209 (1953).
Daily Worker, December 18, 1936, page 3–4: The paper reports that Bridges spoke before a Madison Square Garden audience of about sixteen thousand on December 16 in support of the maritime strike. The report and identified photographs document public organizing activity; they do not establish another arrest. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1936/v13-n303-XX-dec-18-1936-DW-Q.pdf
Howard Kimeldorf interview with Sam Darcy, May 10, 1986, transcript page 5–6: Darcy recalls Bridges participating in the Albion Hall Sunday study group in winter 1933–34, alongside Schmidt and other waterfront organizers. The transcript contains memory disagreements over strike chronology; this recollection is kept as attributed organizing history rather than a precise new custody fact. Source: https://www.marxists.org/archive/darcy-sam/darcy-interview.pdf
Page 5 reports the Bridges Defense Committee preparing to wind down in six to eight weeks, raising 1,100 dollars to file final briefs plus money for outstanding bills. Secretary Estolv Ward said the hearings had been completed. This is defense-financing and procedural context for the deportation proceeding, not a finding of deportability, another arrest or physical release. Source: https://archive.ilwu.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/19390928.pdf
Voice of the Federation, December 21, 1940, pages 1, 3, 5, 8 and Christmas supplement pages 3–4 (PDF pages 11–12): The issue records Bridges' denial of J. Edgar Hoover's claim that he was a Communist and deportable, and protests by the Northern California Civil Rights Council, Episcopal bishop Edward L. Parsons and the CIO convention. Its defense narrative recalls Dean James M. Landis' 1939 Angel Island hearing outcome and alleges attempted deals offering freedom to Earl King and Ernest Ramsay for evidence against Bridges. These are attributed contemporary defense allegations and ongoing deportation controversy, not a new arrest or completed removal. The December 20 longshore-contract signing is labor context, not release from custody. Source: https://archive.ilwu.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/19401221.pdf
Daily Worker, July 16, 1934, pages 1–2 and 5: The San Francisco general-strike report identifies Bridges as moving for a Monday walkout and being elected to the strike committee after narrowly losing the vice-presidency to C. W. Deal. Ella Winter's eyewitness funeral account quotes him responding to Assistant Secretary McGrady's accusation that the strikers sought to break the government. These document strike leadership and a contemporary speech, not another arrest or custody interval. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1934/v11-n169-sect-one-jul-16-1934-DW-LOC.pdf
Voice of the Federation, July 6, 1940, pages 3–4, reports that the House passed Leonard Allen's bill targeting Bridges for deportation, 330–42, and that a Senate Immigration subcommittee consisting of William H. King, Warren R. Austin and Lewis B. Schwellenbach was considering it. Bjorn Halling's column criticizes refusal of requested public hearings, and ship crews petitioned against the bill. House passage and a pending Senate measure are not an executed deportation, new arrest or completed custody event. Source: https://archive.ilwu.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/19400706.pdf
Voice of the Federation, September 28, 1939; relevant page stated in the accompanying profile note.
Daily Worker, July 16, 1934; relevant page stated in the accompanying profile note.
Voice of the Federation, July 6, 1940; relevant page stated in the accompanying profile note.
Pages4,5,7and8 describe the upcoming deportation hearing, scheduled Monday July10,1939, with CarolKing leading defense counsel. The defense and maritime unions demanded public access rather than restricted admission at AngelIsland. The issue reports preparations and objections; a hearing at an immigration station is not itself proof Bridges was incarcerated there, and no completed deportation is established.
