The Dead Rabbits were a notorious Irish-American street gang that roamed Lower Manhattan’s Five Points neighborhood from the 1830s to the 1850s, embodying the gritty underbelly of 19th-century New York. Legend has it they earned their name when a dead rabbit was flung into a meeting of the Roach Guards, prompting a splinter group to adopt the symbol—a dead rabbit impaled on a pike—as their battle standard. Comprised largely of Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Famine, they clashed fiercely with nativist gangs like the Bowery Boys, who despised their Catholic roots, in a rivalry that fueled over 200 violent skirmishes across a decade. Beyond street brawls, the Dead Rabbits wielded political muscle, backing Tammany Hall and its pro-immigrant candidates, often strong-arming voters under leaders like Isaiah Rynders. Their infamy peaked during the 1857 Dead Rabbits Riot, a chaotic two-day clash that left at least eight dead and showcased their ability to overwhelm even the city’s fractured police forces—though some historians, like Tyler Anbinder, argue the gang’s existence might be more myth than fact, possibly a misnomer for the Roach Guards.

Get to know your new favorite tee—it's super smooth, super comfortable, and made from a cotton touch polyester jersey that won't fade after washing. 

- Fabric composition in the EU: 96% polyester, 4% spandex
- Fabric composition in the US: 93% polyester, 7% spandex
- Fabric weight in the EU: 6.34 oz./yd.² (215 g/m²)
- Fabric weight in the US: 7.08 oz./yd.² (240 g/m²)
- Premium knit mid-weight jersey
- Smooth, comfortable 2-way stretch fabric that stretches and recovers on the cross and lengthwise grains
- Regular fit
- Blank product components in the EU sourced from Lithuania
- Blank product components in the US sourced from the US

This product is made especially for you as soon as you place an order, which is why it takes us a bit longer to deliver it to you. Making products on demand instead of in bulk helps reduce overproduction, so thank you for making thoughtful purchasing decisions!