In this lesson, students will learn about the Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre of 1871. They will examine the attitudes and policies of the time which led to the Massacre. Students will learn about recent acts of anti-Asian violence and make connections between the Chinese Massacre and recent attacks.

Students will:

This lesson and the videos include discussion of and materials discussing or depicting xenophobia, Sinophobia, and racial violence, including lynchings. Please let students know that this lesson will cover these topics and approach discussions with care. You may choose to modify and/or not to show them.

Teaching these topics and having these discussions can be difficult. Here are two resources that may be helpful for planning and facilitating lessons and activities on difficult topics: Strategies for Facilitating Conversations About Race and Racism in the Classroom [run time: 00:04:59] and Let’s Talk! | Discussing Race, Racism and Other Difficult Topics with Students [24 pages].

Over 150 years ago, in 1870, there were 172 Chinese people in Los Angeles, a major city in California. At the time, white and other non-Chinese people saw the Chinese as foreign. They believed the Chinese language, dress, traditions, and facial features were too different. They treated these immigrants like outsiders who did not belong in the United States. As a result, attacks against Chinese communities were often common. 

The United States relied on Chinese workers. Chinese immigrants arrived in large groups from China starting in the 1850s. They helped build railroads and establish towns along the West Coast. The Chinese worked for less money than white workers. They also did jobs that white workers refused to do. More Chinese workers arrived in the United States. This worried many white workers who saw the Chinese immigrants as a threat. As the Chinese population increased, xenophobia, specifically against Asians, also increased. 

In 1870, more than half of Los Angeles’s Chinese population lived in the “Chinese quarter.” This area was along a short street called Calle de Los Negros (later renamed Los Angeles Street). This street was named after the darker-skinned multiracial population who first lived there. Violence was common in this area. 

On the afternoon of October 24, 1871, there was a shootout between two Chinese tongs (groups) near Calle de Los Negros. A tong fighter was killed. Local police soon arrived at the scene. During the shootout, a white police officer was wounded, and Robert Thompson, a local white rancher and former saloonkeeper, was killed. Rumors started to spread. White city residents heard that Thompson was killed by Chinese fighters. This led to the formation of a mob of over 500 people. The mob tore through the Chinese quarter. They targeted and attacked any Chinese person they saw. They attacked people that did not have any connection to the shootout earlier in the day. After three hours, eighteen Chinese people were killed, including a doctor and a fifteen-year-old boy. After the Massacre, five trials were held. Only ten of the five hundred rioters were charged with murder. Eight of them were sent to prison, but were released just a year later. 

The 1871 Massacre was traumatic for the Chinese community of Los Angeles. They continued to suffer greatly from anti-Chinese attitudes and policies. They were denied rights. They weren’t allowed to own land or property. They also weren’t allowed to be citizens. They faced discrimination and were attacked. The media continued to spread negative stereotypes about the Chinese. This made the Chinese community vulnerable. However, the Chinese community refused to be turned aside. Within one year, more Chinese immigrants moved into the area. Some moved into the same buildings that were destroyed during the Massacre. The Chinese population of Los Angeles grew about five times more from 1870 to 1880. Chinese farmers on the outskirts of town became the main source of fresh food for Los Angeles. Chinese residents created successful businesses like grocery stores and restaurants. This thriving area became known as Chinatown. 

The injustice of the 1871 Massacre did not go unanswered by the Chinese community. After the killings, some residents used the limited legal resources available to them to fight for reparations for their losses. As of 2021, a plaque embedded in the street of the old Chinese quarter is the only reminder of the 1871 Massacre. Some believe more should be done to honor these victims who senselessly lost their lives.

This activity helps students identify the causes of the 1871 Massacre.

This activity helps students understand the historical contexts of the Chinese Massacre of 1871 by creating a timeline.

This activity helps students connect the Chinese Massacre of 1871 to the anti-Asian hate happening today.

This activity helps students build and demonstrate a deeper understanding of the Chinese Massacre of 1871 in a creative way.