The lives of at least 18 Chinese, including a teenager boy and doctor, were tragically cut short during an October afternoon 151 years ago. They were either shot or hanged as an angry mob of around 500 people descended upon Chinatown to take revenge on the accidental shooting of a white man.
Los Angeles is reconciling with its past through a plan for a memorial to remember the buried history of the brutal attack against the Chinese.
AAPI Equity Alliance, a coalition of community-based organizations working to advance the rights of Asian American and Pacific Islander community in LA and beyond, released the following statement to China Daily.
“The 1871 Chinese Massacre is a dark stain on our community and history. Many of our members are involved in the steering committee to develop a memorial to the victims and we feel the significance of this memorial will be a reminder of a tragic history largely forgotten,” it added.
