National acknowledgment of the 1885 Rock Springs Chinese Massacre

Earlier this month, Congressional Representative Judy Chu’s office asked Dr. Dudley Gardner and I to provide feedback on a draft of a resolution introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives recognizing the 1885 Rock Springs Chinese Massacre and the importance of education and historic preservation related to the massacre site. The resolution is finally out and has received support from Reps. Meng, Khanna, Velázquez, Tlaib, Simon, and Holmes Norton. You can access the Press Release and Resolution itself here: https://chu.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-chu-introduces-resolution-recognizing-1885-rock-springs-chinese

I am quoted in the Press Release:

“This resolution recognizes the dark history of anti-Chinese sentiment in the U.S., which included discriminatory laws, expulsions, and racial violence,” said Laura W. Ng, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Grinnell College and Co-Principal Investigator of the Wyoming Chinatowns Archaeology Project. “Acknowledging instances of anti-Chinese violence across the United States such as the 1885 Rock Springs Chinese Massacre contributes to much-needed nationwide education on why a violent mob attacked the Chinese community in Rock Springs, and demonstrates the importance of archaeological research on the Rock Springs Chinatown.”

If you’d like to comment on the Resolution or track it, follow this link on Congress.gov: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-resolution/1324?hl=rock+springs&s=1&r=2

I am proud that our archaeological research at the Rock Springs Chinatown has contributed to a reckoning with past injustices. Thank you to all of the project supporters and special thanks to research team members, funders, donors, and descendants for paving the way to this national acknowledgment of the 1885 Rock Springs Chinese Massacre.