Chinese Labor Strike of 1867 facts for kids
In June of 1867, two thousand Chinese Transcontinental Railroad workers participated in a general strike (a collective action) for a week along the Sierra Nevada range, demanding better working conditions. By 1867, the Central Pacific Railroad workforce was composed of 80-90% Chinese laborers and the rest were European-Americans. The workers in the Chinese project were literate and well organized, but left no written records. Despite the lack of written account from the Chinese workers, it is apparent from reports in the press and from the railroad bosses that the Chinese workers were hard-working, peaceful, and that the strike was carried out with no violence. The strike was organized in June, at the time of the Summer Solstice, and carried it out a way that strongly reflected Confucian values. The strike lasted a little over a week, and the workers returned peacefully to work.
Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project at Stanford
The main historical record for the Chinese Labor Strike of 1867 has come from a Stanford University initiative called the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project. The project was co-directed by Professors Gordon Chang and Shelley Fisher-Fishkin "believing that Stanford University had a special obligation to try to fill this gaping hole in the historical record . . ." The project included more than 100 scholars from fields of archaeology, American studies, anthropology, Asian American studies, history and literature.
The Stanford project is the main source for information on the Chinese Labor Strike of 1867 and includes research materials, a bibliography, a digital materials repository, exhibits, a curriculum guide and oral histories with railroad worker descendants.
