Of the over 5,000 documented lynchings in the United States between 1835 and 1964, the large majority of them were lynchings of African Americans. Around 1,000 non-Black people were lynched, including Asian-Americans,
Latinos,
whites, and
Native Americans. The lynching of Asian Americans mostly occurred in Western states, as part of a broader wave of violence against Asians in the West. The history of anti-Asian lynching has historically been understudied, but it has received renewed attention in recent years.
Incidents California Colorado During the 1880 race riot in Denver,
Chinatown was destroyed by a mob and one Chinese man named Look Young was hanged. A Chinese man, Lee Quan, was lynched by a mob in
Ouray, Colorado, in August of 1891. Quan was accused of assaulting the daughter of General Shaw. Authorities attempted to remove Quan to safety, but he was shot to death by members of the mob.
Hawaii A Japanese merchant named
Katsu Goto was lynched by a mob in Hawaii in 1889. Accused of arson, Goto was hanged from a telephone pole.
Idaho Five Chinese men were lynched by a mob in
Pierce City, Idaho, in September, 1885. The men were accused of murder and hanged. The Chinese government was angered by the lynching and demanded reparations. The Idaho territorial governor
Edward A. Stevenson investigated the murder, but concluded that the men were guilty. None of the perpetrators were ever charged for the murders.
Nevada One Chinese man was lynched by a mob during the anti-Chinese riot in
Tonopah, Nevada, in September of 1903. The 66 year old Chinese immigrant Chong Bing Long was, the owner of a laundromat, was robbed and beaten. The mob then drove him into the desert, beat him again, and left him to die. Several survivors of the mob sustained serious injuries.
Oregon Utah Ah Sing, a Chinese man, was lynched by a mob in
Corinne, Utah, in April, 1874. Sing was accused of murder and arrested. A mob abducted Sing from the jail and marched him to a railroad bridge where he was hanged.
Washington state Wyoming ==See also==