Pacific Coast race riots of 1907 facts for kids

The Pacific Coast race riots were a series of violent events in the United States and Canada. These riots happened because some white people were against the growing number of Asian immigrants. This tension led to violence in cities like San Francisco, California; Bellingham, Washington; and Vancouver, Canada. Each city had its own reasons for the riots. For example, in Bellingham, the target was Sikh workers from India. In Vancouver, Chinese immigrants were attacked. In San Francisco, Japanese immigrants were targeted.

Why the Riots Happened

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many Asian immigrants came to North America. As more people arrived, some citizens on the Pacific Coast became worried. They feared that Asian immigrants would take jobs that they thought belonged to white workers. Some employers were even accused of hiring immigrants for lower wages.

By the 1880s, over 100,000 Chinese people worked in many jobs. They worked on railroads, farms, and in mines. They also worked as house helpers, in restaurants, and in laundries. Soon after, many Japanese immigrants also came to the United States. By the late 1880s, their numbers were similar to the Chinese immigrants.

As the 19th century ended, immigration kept growing. So did a belief called Nativism. Nativism is the idea of protecting a country's existing social values. People who believed in Nativism often thought that immigrants who were not white or from certain parts of Europe were "un-American." They believed these immigrants could not fit into society. If people were seen as not fitting in, they were considered a threat to American values. Many Canadian and American citizens used violence to force Asian immigrants out of jobs and certain cities in 1907.

Major Riots of 1907

The Pacific Coast race riots mainly involved three big events. These riots happened in San Francisco, Bellingham, and Vancouver.

San Francisco Riot

The San Francisco riot started on May 20, 1907, and lasted several nights. It was led by white American nativists. They used violence to try and remove Japanese immigrants. They also wanted to keep schools separate for white and Japanese students.

The disagreements over schools and the San Francisco riot led to talks between the United States, Canada, and Japan. These talks resulted in the Gentlemen's Agreement. In this agreement, the Japanese government agreed to stop issuing passports to skilled or unskilled workers who wanted to enter the United States, unless they had been there before.

Bellingham Riot

The Bellingham riot happened on September 4, 1907. When Asian immigrants came to Bellingham, employers saw a chance to hire them for less money than white workers. This made racial tensions worse in the community. White lumber workers worried that South Asian immigrants would take their jobs.

Vancouver Riot

The Vancouver riot took place two days after the Bellingham riot, on September 7 and 8. White residents were concerned about the growing Asian population in the summer of 1907.

The Vancouver race riots led to new laws that limited immigration. For example, in 1907–1908, 2,623 people from India and South Asia entered Canada. But in 1908–1909, only six South Asian immigrants were allowed into Canada.

These riots brought more attention to Asian immigration policies in both the United States and Canada.