The Chinese Massacre of 1871
Written by Daniel Yen
The Chinese Massacre of 1871 occurred on October 24, 1871, in LA where a mob of hundreds brutally attacked, bullied, robbed, and murdered Chinese residents in Old Chinatown. A total of 19 Chinese immigrants were killed throughout the course of the riot. At the time, the Chinese population of LA amounted to a mere 172 and as such, those killed in the racial massacre represented over 10% of the Chinese population. Individuals from the mob were prosecuted and several were convicted of manslaughter in these deaths. However, the convictions were later overturned on appeal due to technicalities.
What Has Been Done?
Currently, the only marker of the massacre is a small sidewalk plaque on Los Angeles Street, near the Chinese American Museum and El Pueblo De Los Angeles plaza. English and Chinese text is crammed into a square that doesn’t properly represent the significance of the historical event.
What Is Being Planned?
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the largest mass killing in modern LA History. The 1871 Steering Committee, a team of civic and cultural leaders, coordinated with the city to release a report with recommendations to create a memorial to the massacre. The city is providing $250,000 dollars for a design competition to create a world-class memorial that would properly commemorate the importance of the massacre. To read the steering committee report, go to their Civic Memory
Daniel started his professional career working in the residential mortgage sector at a bank. From there, he transitioned into an accounting firm where he specialized in auditing employee benefit plans, labor organizations, and a variety of clients. After a few years, he brought his experience into the Department of Auditor-Controller. He focused on information technology audits for various departments and now works on the County's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys playing sports, discovering new music, and hanging out with family.
