HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2025-4625
HR 4625
By Representative Zahn
WHEREAS, The Chinese were the first Asians to migrate in significant numbers to Washington, fleeing conflicts such as the Taiping Rebellion and the Opium War, with more than 3,000 Chinese people living in the Washington Territory by 1880, playing a critical role in the development of the territory; and
WHEREAS, Racial tension in the west came to a head in the 1880s during an economic recession, leading to the passage of the federal Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, which restricted immigration, and the tragedies of the Tacoma Riot of 1885 and the Seattle Riot of 1886, in which hundreds of Chinese Americans were forcibly expelled from their homes, with some losing their lives; and
WHEREAS, Chinese Americans in Washington faced continued discrimination such as special taxes, prohibitions against marrying whites, and owning land, which led to the Chinese American community sharing resources, forming businesses, and using the judicial system to defend their civil rights; and
WHEREAS, Washington state is now home to more than 190,000 Chinese Americans, making up nearly two percent of the total population; and
WHEREAS, Chinese Americans have formed groups, associations, and numerous Chinese churches, which preserve and celebrate Chinese culture, heritage, and religion, and support new immigrants; and
WHEREAS, Chinese Americans in Washington have enriched our state through their leadership and contributions in agriculture, business, academia, government, and the arts;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State House of Representatives acknowledge the tragedy of historical discrimination against the Chinese American community and recognize the important role Chinese Americans play in the civic, cultural, and economic life of Washington State.