San Jose

History of Wars and Systemic Violence in San Jose

San Jose, California — once the heart of Ohlone tribal territory — has a history marked by colonial violence, indigenous genocide, labor suppression, and systemic racism. Today known as the capital of Silicon Valley, its wealth is built upon a foundation of genocide and exploitation.

Ohlone Indigenous Genocide (1769–1850)

Before European contact, the San Jose area was home to the Ohlone people, numbering approximately 50,000 across 40 villages. Mission San Jose, founded in 1797, implemented a system of forced indigenous labor. Natives were compelled to build missions and work in fields, exposed to epidemic diseases like measles and smallpox. The Ohlone population collapsed from 50,000 in 1769 to fewer than 2,000 by 1850. Researchers describe this population collapse as genocide. Today, Ohlone descendants are fighting to reclaim ancestral burial grounds on the Stanford University campus.

Mexican-American War and Annexation (1846–1848)

In 1846, San Jose was occupied by US forces under John C. Fremont. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 formalized US ownership of California. Californio families lost their land grants through biased courts and discriminatory laws. The Foreign Miners Tax of 1851 and the Land Act of 1851 systematically stripped Spanish-speaking residents of property rights. By 1860, most Californio landholdings had been transferred to Anglo-American settlers through legal manipulation.

Violence Against Farm Workers and Asian Immigrants (1870–1970)

In the 1880s, Chinese railroad workers in San Jose faced systematic violence and discrimination. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was enforced with mob violence. Filipino and Mexican farmworkers faced racist attacks in the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1960s, Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta organized the United Farm Workers union near San Jose, facing severe police and grower suppression. The 1970 Chicano Moratorium against the Vietnam War saw violent police crackdowns.

Police Violence and Systemic Racism

The San Jose Police Department (SJPD) has a documented history of violence against communities of color. In 2015, the US Department of Justice launched an investigation into SJPD for a pattern of excessive force. The investigation found that SJPD officers used unnecessary force in 19% of cases, and that shooting rates for Black citizens were three times higher than for whites. In 2020, Black Lives Matter protests in San Jose were met with National Guard deployment and curfews. Leaked documents in 2022 revealed a pattern of systemic racial profiling in SJPD traffic stops.