Chinatown Map, 1894 | Records of Rights

Signaling the intention of the Chinese to remain in San Jose, “New China Town” was designed to protect its inhabitants and merchants from arson and other violence. Its buildings were made of brick, faced inward and were surrounded by a high picket fence covered with barbed wire. The gated streets were locked each night. But harassment and violence continued to drive away the residents and merchants.

Chinatown Map 1894

The residents of Chinatown in San Jose, California, rebuilt their neighborhood after arsonists burned it to the ground in 1883. Local authorities subsequently tried new tactics to force them out. A group of men claiming to be policemen began “terrorizing the tenants and driving away the customers.” This map was used as evidence in Quen Hing Tong’s successful lawsuit to stop the harassment.

National Archives, Records of District Courts of the United States