Remembrance of the Massacre and Anti-Asian Sentiment
A rise of anti-coolie clubs exploded throughout the city shortly after the Chinese Massacre. Anti-coolie clubs are clubs formed by white miners in an attempt to segregate whites and Asians. The Chinese were often given lower wages than their white counterparts. In 1862, the Anti-Coolie Act was passed; it was an act that attempted to tax anyone of Chinese descent who applied for miners’ licenses. 20 years later, this sentiment would lead to the passing of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act—an act that systemically restricted the immigration of anyone from Asian background (LA Times).
As time progressed, Asian hostility continued to flourish in the American fabric—even outside of Los Angeles’ Chinatown. In the 1880s the San Jose City Council concluded that Chinatown was a health hazard and deserved to be demolished so the land can be used for the new city hall. In 1887, a group of white arsonists set the San Jose Chinatown on fire. Up until September 2021, the city of San Jose did not formally apologize or recognize the incident (Voss).
A separate hate crime occurred in Detroit in 1982. Vincent Chin was enjoying his bachelor party when Ronald Evens and Michael Nitz killed Chin with a baseball bat. Evens and Nitz assumed Chin was of Japanese descent and was to blame for Japan’s successful auto industry and therefore the decline of the American auto industry. The two partners took the anger of their recent layoff against Chin; Nitz held him down while Eben took Chin's life with a baseball bat. The result of Chin’s murder? Nitz and Ebens were given three years’ probation and a fine of $3,000—a small slap on the wrist for a hate crime (Shima).
The reoccurring pattern of little to no justice and recognition for Asian hate crimes is a prominent theme in American history. A prime example is a measly plaque that is dedicated to the Chinese Massacre. Smaller than a pizza box, the plaque sits out front of the Chinese American Museum in Downtown Los Angeles—a small token of public memory for an event that resulted in a 10% decline in the Chinese population (LA Times).
In today’s climate, Asian hate is still on the rise and the recent pandemic has only increased anti-Asian sentiment. Stop Asian Hate, is a movement founded on March 13, 2021, in response to the rise of the xenophobia caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their goal is to end hate crimes against Asian Americans. Since March 19, 2020, Stop Asian Hate has reported over 9,000 hate crimes caused by the Coronavirus, with nearly 63% of incidents being submitted by women(stopaapihate.org). The horrific incidents against people of the Asian diaspora have been improperly recognized by a pseudo plaque, late public apologies, and small legal consequences. Little has been done to properly recognize the Chinese Massacre as well as the continued anti-Asian sentiment that became public over 150 years ago.