The Chinese Massacre of 1871

Calle de los Negros. Or as it used to be mistranslated in those days, "Nigger Alley". In today's landscape, it was right off the 101 freeway between Main Street & Alameda. It was an unpaved street and took its name from the dark-complexioned mixed-race Californians who lived there. It was once an upscale area. It had now become the first Chinatown in Los Angeles and it was a slum.

By all accounts it was a rough neighborhood and descriptions make it sound about the equivalent of a wild west town, complete with saloons, casinos, whorehouses and dark alleys.

As the story goes, the abduction of a Chinese woman lead to feuding between two Chinese tong societies (similar to many martial arts films starring DMX). On October 24th, 1871, the two factions (potentially under the influence of Opium-yum) began firing at each other in Calle de los Negros. A local white rancher named Robert Thompson was caught in the cross-fire and was killed. Word spread quickly (as Farmer Thompson boneless chicken was a local favorite) and within minutes an angry mob of white men began chasing down any Chinese person they could find. A telegraph from Los Angeles to the San Francisco Daily Examiner estimated the mob to be around 500 men (However, at that time, 500 people would make up 8% of the Los Angeles population, so it is safe to assume it's an inflated number).

Once the proverbial dust had settled, between 18 and 23 Chinese men were hanging from any crossbeam available. Some were missing clothing and some were missing body parts. Apparently, 156 men were indicted, 10 were brought to trial, 8 were convicted, but none were ever jailed. Part of this was due to a ridiculous law that had been passed during the height of the Civil War in 1863 which stated that no "Mongolian, Indian, Indian half-caste, or Chinese" could testify in court where a white man was involved.

It further stained the reputation of the small town of Los Angeles which, at the time, was still considered to be a backwater town.