Oct. 24, 2025, marks the 154th anniversary of the 1871 Los Angeles Chinese massacre, a tragedy long forgotten by most.
A lynching mob of 500 white and Hispanic men attacked Chinatown after the death of a white sheriff, brutally murdering 18 Chinese men. This was nearly 10% of the small Los Angeles Chinese population at the time. The commemoration took place at Pico House downtown. It was a somber affair, with vigil candles provided.
Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, attended the event and spoke. She reminded the audience that it is important to commemorate because “what happened before can happen again”. The mayor spoke in reference to the recent ICE raids on racial minorities, including the Korean and Latinx communities, vowing to use every resource available to the city to protect her diverse citizenry, something the city did not do 154 years ago.
Next, Council member Michael Woo spoke of the progress made on the memorial of the 1871 Massacre, noting that the project has received 501(c)(3) status. A model of the memorial was made available for attendees of the commemoration.
Representative Judy Chu also attended and gave a speech. She was glad that she attended many commemorations, and she is deeply grateful that the museum is taking so much effort to preserve this event and the dignity of the past. She reminded the audience of the many tragic details of the massacre, including the murder of an innocent 12 year old boy. She also elaborated on the ramifications of the massacre, including manifestation in policies such as the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, and also recent governmental actions to erase cultural identity, bury history, and discriminate against foreigners. Efforts are made by Congresswoman Chu to fight against these recent developments, through political action and public efforts, and she calls for solidarity of all people.
Lastly, keynote speaker Associate Professor Susie Ling of Pasadena City College spoke of the 1871 massacre, noting that “their murder causes our Americanness to be questioned”, and that it is the most violent in California history. She spoke of the 1879 California Constitution, Article 19, which specifically discriminated against Chinese as well as the later race riots that targeted Chinese workers across the United States. Over 153 race riots against Americans of Chinese descent were recorded. She concluded that “We are not ghosts, we are not alone ….we are shining the way we are meant to be!”
However, the history of the massacre is one not only of sadness and anguish, but also of shame. The massacre was the culmination of a series of events that transpired due to the escape of Chinese women forced into prostitution. Dispute over the division of reward paid by their Chinese handlers escalated into open conflict between Tong factions, eventually spilling white blood. Speaking on my own behalf, I am deeply pained by the historical conditions that enabled this massacre. It is painful to read the treatment endured by these women, and about oppressive and often violent gender dynamics shaped by racist immigration laws and inhumane conditions forced upon Asian immigrants.
Yet even for the misdeeds and evils that transpired, the 18 men did not deserve a grisly death at the hands of lynchers. Innocent blood was certainly spilled that day, and justice looked away. Of the 500 strong mob, not a single sentencing or punishment was delivered due to legal technicalities, and absurd arguments such as questioning the very identity of the dead Chinese victim was utilized to great success for the murderer. This was made easy by the denial of Chinese testimonies in court, and the selection of jurors based on the ability to speak and understand English. The California Supreme Court lent its full support to the release of captured rioters, and denied compensation to Chinese store owners whose property were thoroughly robbed and ransacked.
However in spite of this, the community endured. The Chinese population grew over time, gaining 800 new members between 1870 and 1880 alone, and reaching roughly 432,800 today. For new immigrants such as myself, it is often hard to imagine the feeling of alienation endured by immigrants of Asian descent. It is hard to imagine today, standing in the bustling Westwood, Los Angeles or Downtown San Jose, that our forefathers had such a fragile place in this country. As if putting down rabid dogs or escaped chicken, let us not forget all the violence endured by minorities who are hunted through their homes and communities, a lifetime of work destroyed and spit upon. Do you remember the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, the 1890 Wounded knee massacre, the 1863 New York draft riots, and the 1941 Japanese Incarceration? This land is nourished by blood, and her fruits tainted by violence.
Surrounded by prejudice, unprotected by law, looked down by decent society, and strangled by needs and poverty, the Asian community has taken great strides since its early days. As we continue to advance forward into the future, we must remember that our place today is one not handed, but hard earned with blood, tears, and generational labor. Our place is not so unalienable and promised, but one in need of vigilant guardianship and generational memory.
Oct. 24, 2025 marks the 154th anniversary of the 1871 LA Chinese Massacre, a tragedy remembered by a few more today than yesterday.
Visual Credit: Seth Tang
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