TERRORISM FROM BELOW
VIGILANTES AND PATRIOT MILITIAS
 TERRORISM HAS BEEN AN
EVOLUTIONARY RATHER THAN
REVOLUTIONARY PART OF AMERICAN
HISTORY
 EARLY COLONISTS BROUGHT
POLITICAL VIOLENCE WITH THEM

TERRORISM IN RESPONSE TO:
DEFEND OR PRESERVE COMMUNAL
VALUES
BELIEF THAT GOVERNMENT MUST BE
CONTROLLED AT LOCAL LEVEL
THOSE FRONTIERSMAN BECAME
SCAPEGOAT VIGILANTES
 POLITICAL VIOLENCE USED TO
REFORM OR DESTROY EXISTING
RECIPS
 RESULT = PATRIOT MILITIAS
SCAPEGOATING VIGILANTES
 CATHOLICS AND VIGILANTES
(EARLY SETTLEMENT – 1900S)
ALL BUT ONE COLONY MADE
CELEBRATING MASS A PUBLIC OFFENSE
CATHOLICS DENIED RIGHT TO VOTE
SEVERAL STATES REQUIRED STATE OFFICE
HOLDERS TO SWEAR THEY WERE
PROTESTANTS
1840S AND POTATO FAMINE
KKK TERRORISM AGAINST CATHOLICS IN
1920S
ASIANS AND VIGILANTES
 TERRORISM TIED TO ASIAN
IMMIGRATION OVER LAST 150
YEARS

1870S – CHINESE 20 PERCENT
OF CALIFORNIA LABOR FORCE

ANTI-CHINESE SENTIMENT LED
TO:
1850 – CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE PASSED
A MINER’S TAX
1854 – CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT
DECISION THAT “CHINESE AND OTHER
PEOPLE NOT WHITE” COULD NOT TESTIFY
IN COURT AGAINST WHITES
1870S – CIGARMAKERS’ UNION SENT
NOTICE ACROSS WESTERN UNITED STATES
THAT CHINESE IMPOSED GREAT INJURY TO
WHITE WORKING MEN AND WOMEN
CALIFORNIA CHINESE VICTIMS OF
VIGILANTISM
1882 – CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT
PROHIBITED ENTRY INTO THE US:
EXCLUSIONS INCLUDED TEACHERS,
STUDENTS, MERCHANTS, TOURISTS, AND
OFFICIALS
1913 – ALIEN LAND LAW (CA) – ALIENS
INELIGIBLE FOR CITIZENSHIPS (ASIANS);
LIMITED LEASE OF AGRICULTURE TO 3
YEARS
1920 – LAND LAW AMENDED
PROHIBIT LEASING LAND TO ALIENS
INELIGIBLE FOR CITIZENSHIP
1922 – US SUPREME COURT DECISION:
ASIANS WERE NEITHER WHITE NOR BLACK
AND THEREFORE INELIGIBLE TO BECOME
CITIZENS
1922 – CABLE ACT: ANY WOMAN WHO
MARRIES AN ALIEN INELIGIBLE FOR
CITIZENSHIP SHALL CEASE TO BE A US
CITIZEN
1924 – IMMIGRATION ACT: FORBADE
IMMIGRATION OF ASIANS, EXCEPT
FILIPINOS
DENIED ALL ASIANS NATURALIZATION
RIGHTS
PROHIBITED ASIANS FROM MARRYING A
CAUCASIAN AND OWNING LAND
AFRICAN AMERICANS AND VIGILANTES
 1824-1949: 39 RIOTS IN NORTHERN
CITIES INSTIGATED BY WHITES
 1862 AND 1963: VIOLENT URBAN
RIOTS LED BY RACIST OR PROSOUTHERN WHITES
 NEW YORK CITY RIOT OF 1863:
BLOODIEST TO DATE
 END OF CIVIL WAR TRIGGERED
VIGILANTE VIOLENCE:
MANY WHITES FEARED CHANGE
BECAUSE NO LEGAL INSTITUTION OF
SLAVERY
1868 – 1,081 AFRICAN AMERICANS AND
WHITE REPUBLICANS KILLED
DENIED ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL
FACILITIES – BURNING BUILDINGS,
FLOGGING TEACHERS, AND SOME
MURDERS
1882-1951: 4,730 PERSONS, 70 % BLACK,
WERE EXECUTED BY LYNCH MOBS IN THE
SOUTH
TACTICS: URBAN RIOTS – WHITES
PROVOKE ONE-SIDED ATTACKS AGAINST
BLACKS
1898 – DECLARATION OF WHITE
INDEPENDENCE IN WILMINGTON, SOUTH
CAROLINA
REMOVAL OF ALL BLACKS FROM OFFICE
AND JOBS
1906 – ATLANTA
RACE RIOTS IN RESPONSE TO CALL TO
END BLACK RAPE
AFTER WW 1, COMMUNAL RIOTS
1942-43 RESURGENCE OF RACIAL
RIOTING
1954 – BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION
VIGILANTISM INCLUDING BOMBINGS,
ARSONS, AND KILLINGS
TARGETS: BLACK CIVIL RIGHTS
ACTIVISTS AND WHITE TRAITORS
ATTACKS ON SOUTHERN BLACKS BY
RACIST INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND
MOBS
PATRIOT MILITIAS
 ANGER TOWARD UNRESPONSIVE
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS,
LANDOWNERS, AND CAPITALISTS
 FRONTIER FARMERS – SMALL
FARMS AND LOCAL CONTROL
 SOME PRIVATE, ARMED MILITIAS
ATTACKED INDIANS (SELF-DEFENSE)
 1786 AND BEYOND, PATRIOT
MILITIAS WERE CREATED TO:
PROTEST OVERZEALOUS FEDERAL
LEGISLATION
OPPOSED CAPITALISTIC EFFORTS THAT
EXPLOITED LABORING MEN AND WOMEN
 PATRIOT MILITIAS: 1930 – 1950
PROTEST INCREASING NATIONAL, VERSUS
LOCAL, CONTROL OVER FARMERS
PRODUCTS
INCREASING NUMBERS OF EVICTIONS OF
FARMERS DUE TO THE DEPRESSION
USED VIOLENCE TO STOP EVICTIONS AND
FORECLOSURES