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Item
Title
968-1
Date(s)
- 1885-11 (Creation)
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On November 3, 1885, fueled by racism and fear, this "Committee of 27" led a mob that forced the Chinese population of Tacoma onto trains for Portland, looted their homes and then burned them to the ground. Far from being an anonymous group, the Committee included Tacoma mayor Jacob Robert Weisbach (seated at center, full beard), as well as the sheriff, a city councilman and a judge. They had the support of the local newspaper and most of Tacoma's citizenry who blamed the Chinese for Tacoma's economic recession. The "Committee" was brought to trial for their actions, but the charges were dropped and the group declared heroes. Their actions became known throughout the country as the "Tacoma Method" for dealing with the "Chinese problem." In 1993, the Tacoma City Council formally apologized for the Committee's actions. (original photo by photographer "Jackson" copied for the Tacoma Times in 1935) (historylink.org) TPL-9638
Deportations--Tacoma--1880-1890; Exiles--Chinese--Tacoma;