Durham Stevens

Durham Stevens
Stevens in a 1903 photo
Born(1851-02-01)February 1, 1851
DiedMarch 25, 1908(1908-03-25) (aged 57)
Cause of deathAssassination by gunshot
EducationOberlin College
Columbian University
Howard University
OccupationDiplomat
Durham Stevens
Hangul
수지분
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSujibun
McCune–ReischauerSujibun

Durham White Stevens (February 1, 1851 – March 25, 1908) was an American diplomat and later an employee of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, working for the Japanese colonial office in Korea, the Resident-General.[2] He was fatally shot by Korean-American activists Jang In-hwan and Jeon Myeong-un in one of the first acts of nationalist rebellion by pro-Korean activists in the United States.

Stevens' assassination took place at the same time as numerous other pro-Korean demonstrations, largely as a reaction to the 1905 treaty that established Korea as a colony of Japan. Itō Hirobumi (the Japanese Resident-General) was also assassinated, crowds in Korea attacked and burned down a pro-Japanese newspaper office, and crowds also clashed with Japanese guards at the Gyeongbokgung Palace.[3]

  1. ^ Gim 1988
  2. ^ Shavit 1990, p. 468
  3. ^ Han Woo-keun (1971). "Chapter 31: The Last Years of Independence". In Grafton K. Mintz (ed.). The History of Korea. Translated by Lee Kyung-shik. East-West Center Press, Honolulu. pp. 452–3.