Anti-Chinese violence in Washington
[1] The government of the United States implemented this act as they feared that Chinese immigrants were outperforming local workers such as European Americans.
[8] The debt of the Opium Wars (1839–1842, 1856–1860), as well as floods and droughts, caused many Chinese peasants to leave China in the hopes of finding work internationally.
[11] To show resistance to the company's decision, the white miners initiated the riot to drive the Chinese people out of Rock Springs.
[12] The white population were situated in downtown Rock Springs, whereas the Chinese people lived northeast of the town, which came to be known as "Chinatown".
[12] Due to the Chinese workers being used as cheap labor, the Union Pacific Railroad lowered the earnings of all employees regardless of race.
In retaliation, the white workers formed an organization called "Whiteman's Town" in 1883 to expel the Chinese population from the Wyoming territory.
[13] A week later, following the initial riot, on September 9, U.S. military troops escorted the Chinese people who fled back into the town to return to their houses and workplaces.
[11] In an attempt to reconcile with the Chinese community of Rock Springs, President Grover Cleveland ordered Congress to pay $147,000 to the residents for the loss of their property.
[14] On November 1, 1885, the anti-Chinese organization led by Mayor Jacob Weisbach issued a deadline for all 700 Chinese men and women to leave Tacoma.
[15] On the morning of November 3, the vigilante group led by 500 of the Committee of Fifteen attacked and removed Chinese workers from homes and workplaces.
[15] On February 21, 1885, Mayor Jacob Weisbach ordered a meeting of 900 citizens to discuss ways to expel the Chinese population of Tacoma.
[15] The most notable of these people included Mayor Weisbach, Probate Judge James Wickersham and Fire Department Chief Jacob Ralph.
[15] Dr David Murdock, in his submission of the Citizen Suggestion Award Program to the City of Tacoma on August 22, 1991, suggested that "since the eviction [of the Chinese populace] was from the Old Town waterfront, it would be appropriate to set aside an area of reconciliation (small park with a Chinese motif) and a monument acknowledging the incident, noting Tacoma's regret and desire to move ahead in unity and respect.
[19] The Seattle Home Guard protected the Chinese people by holding back the mob; however, the next day, the violence continued and left four rioters wounded and one dead.
[19] Two of the members of this group were Judge Thomas Burke and Mayor Henry Yesler, who, on November 5, 1885, delivered a speech to a crowd of 700 at the Seattle Opera House.
[19] Additionally, Mayor Yesler and Sheriff John McGraw acted to maintain order and called upon the governor for military assistance.
[20] The massacre involved the ambush, robbing and murder of 34 Chinese gold miners by seven white horse gang members.
[23] He also stated that the three other convicted members, Robert McMillan, Carl Hughes and Hiram Maynard, were not involved, and they pleaded not guilty on September 1, 1888.
[25] The COVID-19 pandemic in Washington saw the rising of anti-Chinese and anti-Asian hate crimes across the United States, including the Pacific Northwest.
