Community Commemorates the 140th Anniversary of the 1886 Seattle Anti-Chinese Expulsion
Seattle, WA - February 7, 2026 - Despite heavy rain, crowds of community members gathered at Hing Hay Park in Seattle's Chinatown-International District on Saturday to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the 1886 Seattle Chinese Expulsion. The annual Walk to Harbor event was co-hosted by United Hub, the Wing Luke Museum, and OCA Greater Seattle, with support from several community organizations, including Little Masters Club (LMC).
The event honors the Chinese residents who, between February 6 and 9, 1886, were forcibly expelled from Seattle. More than 350 Chinese immigrants were driven from their homes and marched to the waterfront, where they were forced onto steamships and expelled from the city. Although 140 years have passed, participants gathered to remember this painful chapter in history while reaffirming their commitment to a more inclusive future.
The commemoration brought together elected officials, community members from across Washington State, University of Washington students, high school volunteers, and local residents. On behalf of local youth, Meiling Hou, founder of the LMC Heritage & Me program, was invited to the stage. She joined Washington State Representative Janice Zahn and Seattle City Councilmember Eddie Lin as they presented a Washington State House Resolution and a City of Seattle Proclamation recognizing the anniversary.
Following the ceremony, participants retraced history by walking the 1.2 mile Walk to Harbor route, beginning at Hing Hay Park and ending at the waterfront- the same destination where Chinese immigrants were forced to leave Seattle in 1886. The walk then continued back to Chinatown, symbolizing the resilience of the Chinese American community and its enduring determination to reclaim its place in the city.
We hope the event will inspire more young people to join us and participate in future commemorations. By remembering the past, we can help build a future that embraces diversity, rejects prejudice and hatred, and continues writing a new chapter of inclusion and understanding for generations to come.
