Irish Immigration to New York

This excerpt provides a detailed account of Irish immigration to New York City in the 19th century, highlighting both their struggles and limited advantages. The discussion begins by noting the one advantage Irish immigrants had: being classified as white under the 1790 Naturalization Act, which facilitated their path to citizenship compared to non-white groups. However, despite this advantage, Irish immigrants faced significant discrimination, fueled by anti-Catholic sentiment and stereotypes that painted them as sub-human, lazy, violent, and involved in a Catholic plot to overthrow Protestant America.

The narrative goes on to describe Ireland’s dire economic conditions that pushed the Irish to migrate, particularly the devastating impact of the Irish Potato Famine (1845-1853), which led to mass starvation and death. The British government’s neglect, exemplified by figures like Charles Trevelyan, worsened the situation as they continued to extract resources from Ireland for profit while the Irish starved. The famine forced many to emigrate on overcrowded and dangerous "coffin ships," where nearly a quarter perished during the voyage.

The Irish were needed for labor-intensive projects like the construction of the Erie Canal and urban expansion, but they were not welcomed as equals. American stereotypes of the Irish mirrored those held by the British, reinforcing social and economic barriers that hindered Irish assimilation and opportunities. Despite these hardships, the resilience of the Irish community contributed to the transformation of New York City and set a precedent for future waves of immigrants.

The 1830s a mob including many Irish immigrants destroyed Black homes and businesses and announced themselves in opposition to abolition. There was a real fear that freed slaves would come and compete with the Irish, lowering their paychecks and hurting their job prospects. The most famous incident of anti-Black violence by mobs heavily comprising Irish New Yorkers took place in 1863 with the draft riots. In 1862, when Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address, he announced that all slaves, albeit in southern states, were then free. This changed the perception of what the war was about for many Irish folks who thought they had been fighting to preserve the Union. The Battle of Gettysburg, which preceded Lincoln's address, cost the Irish community of New York many lives. In 1863, it was announced that hundreds of thousands would be drafted. Every white male under the age of 35 was eligible. Though many would serve bravely in the war, Blacks were not citizens and thus they were not eligible for the draft. Still, a largely impoverished community, unlike wealthy New Yorkers, most of the Irish could not afford an exemption from service.

The Irish saw themselves as fighting a war to free the slaves and damage their own job prospects in the process. They understood the war was extremely profitable for wealthy businesses in New York City, which were receiving war contracts to supply the troops. While many of the rioters attempted to express their anger directly at the wealthy in New York City, African Americans of the city proved far easier targets. Estimates of the total dead range between 120 to 2,000. In addition to taking Black lives, the mobs attacked the Black orphanage in New York City. No longer feeling safe in the city, twelve thousand African Americans moved out of Manhattan and to Brooklyn.

Due to their rising political power, many of these Irish people who were protesting being drafted to fight in the Civil War, a cause they no longer saw as their own, were eventually exempted from the draft. Despite the initial hostility they faced, to many in New York City politics, it became clear very quickly in the 1840s and 1850s that this collection of Irish immigrants could become a force in New York City politics. Initially organized as an anti-Catholic organization, Tammany Hall quickly changed its tune and began providing services to newly arrived Irish immigrants. The expectation was that these people would then vote with Tammany come election time. In the second half of the 19th century, the Irish were able to consolidate their influence over city government.

Tammany instituted a spoils system by which their Irish supporters were able to access jobs in the police department, the fire department, and as construction workers and builders for the city's various projects. Other groups, like African Americans, were often shut out from these employment opportunities. This had significant ramifications when a massive urban project got underway in 1859, coming off a depression in 1857, the worst in the country’s history up to that point. Many people were out of work, and the first to be fired were those on the bottom rungs of society, including the Irish, African Americans, and other marginalized groups. This massive construction project offered possibilities for many groups seeking employment. The project was Central Park. When they laid out the grid system, they made a serious mistake by not creating space for parks. As the city expanded and green spaces disappeared, congestion and dangerous air quality followed.

A decision was made to invest in a massive park stretching miles over the center of the island. However, there was a small problem: people were living in the space designated for the park's construction. There was a community of immigrants, mostly Irish and Germans, as well as a prosperous community of African Americans. These settlements were burned down to make space for the park. It was decided that African Americans would be excluded from the work, with some leaders suggesting they would be unable to work peacefully with Irish immigrants. This division among working-class and marginalized people successfully prevented class solidarity between African Americans and Irish immigrants, who conflicted more with each other than with the power structure pitting them against each other.

The park was built uptown, more convenient for wealthier residents who lived there, while poorer, mostly immigrant populations downtown had less access. Tammany Hall, which had provided many services to Irish immigrants, eventually became involved in corruption scandals, the most famous involving Tammany boss William Tweed and the construction of a courthouse. Tweed and his associates were found to have spent 5.6 million dollars on furniture alone, in 19th-century money. The project took decades, with Tammany leaders skimming from it. Although Tweed died in prison and Tammany became synonymous with corruption, Irish influence in the city persisted.

In 1880, the first Irish Catholic mayor of New York City, William R. Grace, was elected. In 1928, an Irish Catholic from New York City, Al Smith, became the Democratic candidate for president. Although ultimately unsuccessful, this demonstrated that the Irish of New York had successfully assimilated and gained influence in the United States less than a century after the Irish Potato Famine.

Irish Immigration

Explore the journey of Irish immigrants to New York City.