Sunday, April 28, 2013

San Francisco's nexus of crime and racial tension

I'm reading HERBERT ASBURY'S landmark, 1933 examination of early SAN FRANCISCO crime, "THE BARBARY COAST," in preparation for my visit to the City by the Bay next month.
Last night, I read about the nexus of crime and racial tension of the 1870s.
Roving bands of young criminals, which were dubbed "HOODLUMS" by the San Francisco press, were the front line attack during a rising tide of sentiment against CHINESE immigration.
The hoodlums -- the word would eventually enter mainstream English -- delighted in terrorizing the community, robbing visiting miners, forcing girls into prostitution, etc. They saved their most pronounced viciousness, however, for the Chinese.
Asbury writes:
"All of these hoodlums, of whatever age, possessed a violent antipathy to the Chinese and tormented them at every opportunity and in every conceivable way. A favorite pastime of younger hoodlums was to board street cars on which Chinese were riding, tie the yellow men's queues (traditional hairstyle pigtails) together, and, if possible, cut off the ends."
I'm finding Asbury's book a fascinating view of early San Francisco and the problems that plagued the region during the years following the gold rush.
I'm sure it will give me inspiration as I visit San Francisco next month.

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