The Exclusion Act in Seattle Courts
A Chinese resident is denied U.S. citizenship despite his education and church membership.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Chaong Woo, a native of China, appeared at the Clerk’s office in Seattle today to become a citizen of the United States. He stated he had arrived at age 15 and resided here continuously, save for a short visit to China. He has been educated here, joined the Christian church, and desires to remain as a citizen. The Clerk decided no relief could be given him in consequence of the Act of May 6th, 1882, which provides that hereafter no State court or court of the United States shall admit Chinese to citizenship.
“The Clerk decided that no relief could be given him, in consequence of the act of May 6th, 1882.”
This reflects the stark legal reality of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which barred Chinese immigrants from naturalization. It is a grim precursor to the anti-Chinese expulsion riots that would engulf Seattle just two years later in 1886.
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