5 Things About The Watsonville Riots You Probably Didn't Know

January 18, 2015 marked the 85th year anniversary of the Watsonville riots. Here are 5 things you probably did not know about the Watsonville Riots:

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1. Watsonville What?

Via nhdfilipinorights.weebly.com

The Watsonville Riots was a period of intense racial violence targeting the Filipino American community. It began in January 18, 1930 in Watsonville, California and it quickly spread throughout the state in cities like San Francisco, Stockton, San Jose, Gilroy, etc.

2. What Happened?

Filipinos pose before the ruins of their bombed-out clubhouse in Stockton, California in 1930. (Source: Filipino American National Historical Society)

During the riots, mobs dragged Filipinos from their homes. They were dragged out in the streets and beaten up almost to death. People died. Filipino homes were peppered with bullets. Businesses were threatened and in at least one case, blown up. Neighborhoods were destroyed. Did I mention people died? Innocent people were killed. But despite all these, the Filipino American community kept their spirits up as you can see in this photo.

3. Why did it happen?

Tomato harvest farmworkers 1930. Photo courtesy of the Filipino American National Historical Society – California Central Coast Chapter.

This was all happening within the context of the Great Depression and the U.S. Occupation of the Philippines. During this period the Filipino American community was overwhelmingly composed of young bachelors brought in as a source of cheap labor. By 1930 the Filipino American agricultural workers became the dominant Asian labor force. They were treated badly and paid the lowest or in other words, exploited. During this period many in the White community saw Filipino men as sexual predators taking away their women and stealing their jobs. Filipino Americans faced anti-immigration sentiment, intense discrimination and violence.

4. What happened after?

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As a result, after the riots, attitudes towards Asian Americans changed. Filipino immigration to the United States plummeted. Filipino agricultural workers were quickly replaced by their employers with Mexican American farm workers in an attempt to divide and conquer.

(Although three and a half decades later Filipino American agricultural workers would lead a multi-ethnic solidarity with the Mexican Americans and other groups in what would become one of the most historic labor movements. More on this on another post.)

5. Too late to apologize?

“Origin of poster: Positively No Filipinos Allowed ?”, in Americans of Filipino Descent - FAQs - by Eloisa Gomez Borah

It was only in September 2011, 81 years later, that the State of California officially apologized to Filipinos and the Filipino American community. Filipino Americans have a long and proud history in the United States, especially in California, but it wasn’t always smooth sailing. In fact, the Watsonville Riots was just one of the many injustices Filipinos and Filipino Americans have endured throughout history.

6. Now What?

San Lorenzo, California. Fruit and vegetable stand on highway operated by Filipino. Image from the http://U.S. National Archives.

As Filipino Americans it is important for us to know and not forget about our history. And it is equally important for the rest of the United States to recognize and remember such dark episodes of history so that we can learn from the past, move forward, and not repeat such injustices and violence against any community.

#KnowHistoryKnowSelf #NoHistoryNoSelf

Read more:

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/41171455?sid=21105082658631&uid=4&uid=3739256&uid=3739560&uid=2

http://www.museumca.org/picturethis/timeline/depression-era-1930s/watsonville-riots/info

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20110904/riots-in-1930-revealed-watsonville-racism-california-apologizes-to-filipino-americans