Between 1851 and 1855, Californios, Chinese people, African Americans, and Native Americans were sent to San Quentin Prison. The most common convictions for all groups was grand larceny. In a state that fiercely debated the extension of property rights over human bodies, material possessions were staunchly protected, often at the cost of indiscriminately targeting people of color.
Click on the chart above to jump to an interactive version.
Imprisoning Women of Color
Below are profiles of women who were imprisoned in San Quentin during the nineteenth century. Each profile includes primary sources.
The Case of Ethel Wilson, 1899
Cecilia Mesa, 1856
Isabel, 1856
Antonia Legardo, 1855
Dolores Martinez, 1852
Carmine Nuñez, 1852
Racial Violence and the West 