The following resources offer a comprehensive understanding of the historical events surrounding the Tacoma Method, the City of Tacoma’s and the Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation’s efforts toward reconciliation, and the ongoing cultural initiatives that honor and educate the public about this pivotal chapter in Tacoma’s history. Please thoroughly review the content of these sources before inquiring about interviewing with us – many of the sources below include previous interviews and statements from members of our Board.
Historical Background: The Tacoma Method
- Tacoma Method – Race in the City of Destiny
An oral history project featuring interviews with artists, scholars, and community leaders reflecting on the 1885 expulsion of Chinese residents from Tacoma and its legacy.
https://www.tacomarcd.com/tacomamethod - Virtual Tour: 1885 Chinese Expulsion – Tales of Tacoma
An interactive virtual tour developed by the Tacoma Historical Society, highlighting key locations and narratives associated with the 1885 expulsion.
https://tacomatales.org/2020/10/02/virtual-tour-1885-chinese-expulsion/ - Tacoma’s History of Racial Exclusion, Segregation, and Housing
An analysis of Tacoma’s broader patterns of racial exclusion, including the 1885 expulsion and subsequent discriminatory housing practices.
https://depts.washington.edu/covenants/segregation_tacoma.shtml - The Tacoma Method: How the City of Destiny Reconciles its Racist Past
A part of the “Our Communities, Our Neighbors,” film series, this entry by Joanne M. Lisosky documents the creation of a new opera called “Tacoma Method” which brings to life the painful story of the expulsion of Tacoma’s Chinese population in the 1880s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhNny7Nmhoc
Chinese Reconciliation Park & CRPF Initiatives
- Tacoma City Council Approves Chinese Reconciliation Resolution – HistoryLink.org
Documentation of the 1993 resolution passed by the Tacoma City Council to acknowledge and make amends for the 1885 expulsion.
https://www.historylink.org/File/4132 - Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation Records – Archives West
A collection documenting the activities of the CRPF, including meeting minutes, correspondence, and administrative records from 1992 to 2009.
https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark%3A80444/xv274202 - “Aftermath – The Tacoma Method”
This resource provides a detailed account of the events following the 1885 expulsion and the subsequent efforts leading to the establishment of the Chinese Reconciliation Park.
https://www.tacomamethod.com/aftermath - Of Race and Reconciliation – KBTC Documentary
A documentary exploring the Chinese experience in America around 1885 and Tacoma’s journey toward reconciliation.
https://www.kbtc.org/watch/watch-on-demand/kbtc-originals/of-race-and-reconciliation/ - Tacoma Chinese Expulsion History and CRPF Intro and Activities
This 15-minute video first explains the history of the expulsion of the Chinese population from Tacoma, Washington in 1885 (The “Tacoma Method”) and then introduces the mission and activities of the Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation which is based in Tacoma.
https://youtu.be/RtgLYadEqSg?si=xU6pFLMc-n4lFHa0 - From Darkness to Light
In this CRPF produced short video, Lihuang Wung Gives a Tour of Tacoma Chinese Reconciliation Park
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke99vZJhmrU&t=2s - Tacoma Chinese Reconciliation Park Grapples with History of Expulsion
By Shaun Kuo. This piece explores the park’s origins, its role in acknowledging the 1885 expulsion of Chinese residents from Tacoma, and its ongoing mission to promote reconciliation and multicultural understanding. The article provides insights into the park’s design elements, such as the Fuzhou Ting pavilion and the symbolic “Walk With The Sojourner’s Path,” which collectively narrate the journey and struggles of the Chinese community in Tacoma.
https://www.theurbanist.org/2021/06/16/tacoma-chinese-reconciliation-park-grapples-with-history-of-expulsion/?utm_source=chatgpt.com - Where Is Tacoma’s ‘Chinatown’? – University of Puget Sound
An exploration of Tacoma’s historical Chinese community and the efforts to commemorate its legacy through the Chinese Reconciliation Park.
https://www.pugetsound.edu/stories/where-tacomas-chinatown - “It’s Almost Too Relevant: Tacoma Mob’s 1885 Removal of Chinese Immigrants” – KING 5 News
This piece reflects on the historical expulsion in the context of contemporary issues, such as the rise in anti-Asian sentiment. It underscores the importance of the Chinese Reconciliation Park as a symbol of acknowledgment and a step toward healing.
https://www.king5.com/article/news/community/facing-race/tacoma-1885-chinese-immigrant-removal/281-da47e652-fc0e-4aba-ba03-ae8ef533226f - Walk for Reconciliation Against Racism 2024
On Saturday, October 26, 2024 about 150 leaders and citizens in the City of Tacoma walked the route of the 1885 Chinese Expulsion event- but in reverse, thus welcoming back all Chinese and other immigrants to the modern City of Tacoma.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c65qTKReQb0
Artistic and Cultural Representations
- Tacoma Method: A Full-Length, Archival Recording of the Opera
Tacoma Method is a powerful telling of the story of the expulsion of the Chinese community from Tacoma, Washington in 1885 with a historically based libretto by Beijing-born poet Zhang Er and evocative and soaring music by Gregory Youtz.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtVU9galXw0 - Shipment to China – Wikipedia
An overview of the “Shipment to China” sculpture by Hai Ying Wu, commemorating the expulsion of Chinese residents from Tacoma.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipment_to_China - Fuzhou Ting – Chinese Reconciliation Park
A Historical Overview of the Landmark’s Past, Present, and Future.
https://crpftacoma.org/crpf-news/the-fuzhou-ting-a-historical-overview-of-the-landmarks-past-present-and-future/
Additional Resources:
- CRPF on YouTube
A collection of videos and films produced by the Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation, available on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@chinesereconciliationproje2372 - The Wind Will Not Stop: A Conversation and Reading with Judy Carlson Hulbert
Tacoma author Judy Carlson Hulbert reads Chapter 5: “Finding Li” from her new young adult novel “The Wind Will Not Stop” set in Tacoma in 1885 during the events that led up to the November 3 expulsion of the Chinese community. She also explains to her readers how she wrote the book and how they, too, might find stories about their own families to turn into a short story, a poem, a play or even a novel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-aYdauImqg&t=3s - CRPF publications
Books, articles, and videos produced by CRPF