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Today in History: Five Chinese Lynched Outside Idaho’s Pierce City

By Drooid · Sep 18, 2026, 10:34 AM UTC · How we work

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Summary

Story summary

On September 18 1885, a mob outside the town of Pierce, Idaho Territory, lynched five Chinese men who had been detained by a locally formed vigilance committee after a businessman’s murder. The extrajudicial killing reflected the era’s anti-Chinese sentiment and occurred before Idaho achieved statehood in 1890.

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Story summary

On September 18 1885, a mob outside the town of Pierce, Idaho Territory, lynched five Chinese men who had been detained by a locally formed vigilance committee after a businessman’s murder. The extrajudicial killing reflected the era’s anti-Chinese sentiment and occurred before Idaho achieved statehood in 1890.