Dennis Kearney (1847–1907) was a California political leader in the late 19th century, known for his anti-immigrant political views toward Chinese immigrants.

Kearney was born in County Cork, Ireland and emigrated to the United States. He worked as a sailor and then as a drayage proprietor in San Francisco. During the Long Depression, he became popular by speaking to the unemployed in San Francisco, denouncing the railroad monopoly and immigrant Chinese workers (known as Coolies.) His slogan was, simply, the Chinese must go.

Kearney began his political life on the side of employers. He gained some notoriety for breaking up "sandlot" meetings of working men. He became involved with the infamous vigilantes for a time. With the onset of the depression of the 1870s, he saw a change in the political winds and helped organize the Workingman's Party of California, and led often violent attacks on Chinese, including denunciations of the powerful Central Pacific railroad which had employed them in large numbers. He was influential in the enactment of the Chinese Exclusion Acts. The party was influential at the California Constitutional convention of 1878.

Kearney travelled east to popularize his views, but found few takers. He faded from the public's eye by 1878, leaving only his legacy of racialist laws to be overturned a few years later.

References

• Dennis Kearney
• Dennis Kearney, President, and H. L. Knight, Secretary, “Appeal from California. The Chinese Invasion. Workingmen’s Address,” Indianapolis Times, 28 February 1878.
• The Kearney Agitation in California, by Henry George

1847 births | 1929 deaths | Chinese American history | History of immigration to the United States | Irish-born United States political figures | Natives of County Cork

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