1885 Chinese expulsion from Eureka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 1885 Chinese expulsion from Eureka |
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Eureka Chinatown 1885
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| Location | Eureka, California |
| Date | February 7, 1885 |
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Attack type
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Anti-Chinese sentiment in the United States, ethnic cleansing |
| Victims | Eureka Chinese |
| Assailants | Eureka city government |
| Motive | Sinophobia, racial discrimination |
The 1885 Chinese expulsion from Eureka was a sad event. On February 7, 1885, Chinese people living in Eureka, California, were forced to leave their homes and the city. This event is sometimes called an ethnic cleansing, which means a group of people is forced out of an area because of their background.
Contents
Why Did This Happen?
Rising Anti-Chinese Feelings
For many years, some people in the United States had strong negative feelings toward Chinese immigrants. This was especially true in the mid-1800s. There were many riots and angry protests against Chinese people, especially in places like California.
One example was the San Francisco riot of 1877. After this riot, a group called the Workingmen's Party of California was formed. Their main slogan was "The Chinese must go!" This slogan made the feelings against Chinese immigrants even stronger.
Laws Against Chinese Immigrants
These negative feelings, also called sinophobia (fear or dislike of Chinese people), led to new laws. In 1882, the United States Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. This law stopped almost all Chinese people from coming to the U.S.
Chinese People in Eureka
In the Humboldt Bay area, many Chinese workers came to help with the logging industry. They built a neighborhood called Chinatown in Eureka, near Fourth and E streets. By 1880, about 96 Chinese people lived in Eureka.
The Day of the Expulsion
A Tragic Event Leads to Action
On the evening of February 6, 1885, something terrible happened. David Kendall, a city council member in Eureka, was accidentally killed. He was caught in the middle of a conflict between two groups of Chinese people.
News of this death quickly spread. A large crowd of over 600 white residents gathered at Centennial Hall. This hall was built ten years earlier to celebrate 100 years since the Declaration of Independence. At this meeting, the crowd decided that all Chinese people must leave Eureka.
Forced to Leave
The very next day, February 7, the city leaders made official rules. These rules said that "all Chinamen be expelled from the city and that none be allowed to return."
A group called the Committee of Fifteen was formed. They made sure that almost all 480 Chinese residents were forced onto two steamships. These ships took them to San Francisco. Only a few Chinese people managed to stay hidden in the wider Humboldt County.
It is surprising that no one was killed during this forced removal. However, the Chinese neighborhood, Chinatown, was completely destroyed. Nothing was left behind. Even today, there are very few people of Asian background living in Humboldt County.
What Happened Next?
The "Eureka Method"
This way of forcing Chinese people out of Eureka was called The Eureka Method or Eureka Plan. It was seen as a "peaceful" way to remove a group of people. Other cities in California and along the West Coast used this method as a model. These cities included Crescent City (1885), Arcata (1886), Ferndale (1906), and Tacoma, Washington (1885).
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The Chinese must go!
Seeking Justice
In 1886, a group in San Francisco called the Chinese Six Companies tried to sue the city of Eureka. This case was called Wing Hing vs. Eureka. They asked for money to make up for what the Chinese residents had lost. However, the case was dropped. This was because Chinese people at that time could not legally own land. So, the court said they had not lost any property they owned.
Continuing Exclusion
In 1890, a business guide for Humboldt County proudly stated it was "The Only County in the State Containing No Chinamen."
The rules against Chinese and other Asian people in Eureka continued for many years. In 1941, the Eureka City Council even updated its city rules to include this:
Sec. 190 No Chinese shall ever be employed, either directly or indirectly on any work of the city, or in the performance of any contract or sub-contract of the city. Nor shall any provisions, supplies, materials, or articles of Chinese manufacture or production ever be use or purchased by or furnished to the city.
This rule meant that Chinese people could not work for the city or sell anything to the city. This unfair rule was finally removed from Eureka's city rules in 1959.
