6.+The+Los+Angeles+Zoot+Suit+Riots

[|p:/zoot-suit.jpg] http://www.neatorama.com/2007/01/16/37-fads-that-swept-the-nation/

Hello my name is Jim Madison, reporting to you from Los Angeles. Do you know what a zoot suit is? A zoot suit consists of a long jacket with broad shoulders and a tapered waist. The pants are baggy with a high waist, pleated legs and pegged cuffs. A broad brimmed hat is usually worn with this outfit (“37” 18). I was born in March of 1921. I have lived through the depression, but I have never seen anything like this. A major fad has just led to a vicious outbreak of racial violence. In Los Angeles, it has become popular for young Latino boys to wear zoot suits. It was also popular to not stay in their respective neighborhoods, as they came downtown in great numbers to the movies and pool houses. They are the victims. Today, June 7th, 1943 the four day riot is finally over. Last week, on June 3rd, 11 white sailor claimed that he had been robbed by Latinos wearing zoot suits (Danzer 593, “Los” 1). Now there already had been some tension between the white skinned servicemen and the brown skinned youths. The sailors felt that the zoot suits mocked their military uniforms and that not enough Latinos were in the armed forces. The sailors were bored and restless, and the accusations against the Latinos wearing zoot suits were just too much for them to take. [|p:/zoot 2.bmp] http://www.pbs.org/thewar/at_home_civil_rights_minorities.htm On the evening of June 4th, a mob of 200 sailors descended on the zoot suiters (“Los” 1). Any person wearing a zoot suit was viciously stripped and beaten. Also, any black Latino youth that was found received the same treatment. The police did nothing to stop the rioters. Their orders were to let them be until the military police say something. By the end, around 150 people were in the hospital and close to 500 Latino youths were arrested because of rioting. The military police said it was just “self defense against the rowdy element” (“Los” 2). Racial violence such as this cannot go on. We must do all that is necessary to stick together to win this war. Goodnight.

Danzer, Gerald, et al. __Americans__. Evanston, Illinois. McDougal Little. 2003.   “Los Angeles Zoot Suit Riots”. __Los Angeles__ __Almanac__. 1998 Given Place Media. 20 Oct. 2008.  “37 Fads that Swept the Nation”. __Neatorama__. 20 Oct. 2008. 