Chinese Massacre

Chinese Massacre. . . Chinese immigrants established their first community in Los Angeles in what is now part of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. By 1870 about two hundred Chinese had settled in Los Angeles Street across from the Garnier Building, then known as Calle de Los Negros. . . Anti-Chinese legislation and social discrimination greatly affected Chinese American families and their community life. On March 3, 1863, the California Legislature passed a statute prohibiting Asian Americans from testifying in court as witnesses or victims. The statute left them without legal protection. On October 24, 1871, a dispute between two Chinese rivals over ownership rights to a female prostitute resulted in the accidental shooting of a Caucasian. Fueled by the incident and general anti-Chinese sentiment, a mob of 500 locals shot, hung, and stabbed innocent Chinese residents. . . While some policemen and citizens tried to help the residents, they could not defend the victims against the mob. At the coroner's inquest, other policemen revealed that they found it pointless to arrest members of the mob, as the Chinese victims were not protected under law. In the end, nineteen Chinese living on Calle de Los Negroes were murdered. . . In 1872, nine men were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to terms in San Quentin, ranging from two to six years each. On a technicality, the California Supreme Court overruled the decision in April 1873, and released the nine men.

(Chinese not transcribed.) . This historical marker is in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County California