Dreams to Ashes: The 1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre

Picture book. By Livia Blackburne, with illustrations by Nicole Xu. 2025. 40 pages.
Tells the story of the 1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre in which nearly 20 Chinese men were killed, their dreams turned to ashes.

Time Periods: 1865–1876

Deftly brings to light a lesser-known horror in the context of America’s history of racism against Chinese immigrants. — Kirkus Reviews

On Oct. 24, 1871, a mob of about 500 Anglo and Latino men rioted in Los Angeles’ Chinatown.

They lynched at least 17 Chinese residents, some as young as 18. This Reconstruction era riot started after a police officer was wounded and a white civilian was killed in the middle of a local dispute.

The Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre was one of the largest mass lynchings in U.S. history. The rioters also plundered and destroyed property in the Chinese community.

New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne and illustrator Nicole Xu have created a picture book to bring this history to light for young readers, using age-appropriate language and themes.

In an interview by Betsy Bird in School Library Journal, Blackburne said, “I hope this book will illuminate the tragic consequences of xenophobia and racism. I’m really hoping that the massacre is a piece of history we learn from, and not one that we relive.”

This book can be read in tandem with Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford which also shines a light on the lives of people in the community before the massacre, and encourages truth telling as a path forward [Adapted from publishers’ description.]

Find a Dreams to Ashes Discussion Guide, an interview with the author on NPR’s Here and Now, and more here.

ISBN: 9798765627228 | Carolrhoda Books (R)