Zoot Suit Riots Research Paper
Rigoberto Rodriguez
Professor Beeles
SPA 281
April 26, 2016
The Emergence of the Zoot Suits
In the early '40s in Los Angeles, several factors made the city remain under stress, contributing to conflicts known as the Zoot Suit Riots. Decades of discrimination have forced the Mexican-American community to turn inward. By the 1940, LA 240,000 Mexican-American lived in a series of neighborhoods called barrios. These communities were traditional, conservative and self-contained. During those years, segregations was very usual, and any thing was used as an excuse to bad treat Mexicans, with the Zoot Suits, they were seen as criminals and rebels.
Mexican American teenagers that grew up in the atmosphere of a second-class citizenship started to use fashion, culture, and solidarity to express their identity, and to proclaim their rebellion. They dressed in baggy Zoot Suits, a style adopted from African-Americans and the LA jazz scene. Mexican American youth left their East LA barrios and hit the jazz clubs. …show more content…
Dance music and jazz were sensual, expressive, cheerful and rowdy. Defying war time clothing rations, these "Pachucos" began to be seen as dangerous juvenile delinquents, and were repeatedly represented as such in sensationalist news headlines.
The Zoot Suit was a part of the jazz world that visually challenged social relations with its segregationist challenge code. Segregation required Mexican-Americans and black people remain invisible and not heard in public places, and the zoot suit with broad shoulders, tight waist and baggy pants was a loud and bold public statement. As fashion, Zoot suit didn’t lead to the civil youth to protest or resist the incursions of the military, but for many military and civilian men in Los Angeles, the zoot suit an easily evident symbol of rebellion and subversion return.
During World War II in the city of Los Angeles, California, a series of clashes between US Marines and Army Mexican origin youth called "Zoot Suit" or "Pachuco" recorded. Tensions between the military and civilians rose to a measure that thousands of soldiers under license output came to Los Angeles and behaved as if the city were his own amusement park where they were allowed to freely enjoy alcohol, women and street brawls. The conflict erupted in riots in several cities, there were killed, imprisoned and dozens injured.
It all started when military accused a gang of “Pachuco” of perpetrating an attack against them. The incident was the perfect pretext for marines and elements of police in Los Angeles began a campaign against not only of Mexican immigrants but anyone who dressed as "Zoot Suit": African Americans and Filipino-Americans were also the target of beatings and arbitrary detentions. Many of the civilians tolerated them, considering the effort that they made for the country, others not. Although street fights occurred between the military and young people of all colors, these conflicts used to occur more frequently among young military and Mexico-Americans since the Mexico-Americans made up the largest minority group racially Los Angeles.
The Zoot Suit Crowd was just trying to have a good time and were dressing in this manner to express their individuality and status among their community.
The Zoot Suit Riots were a blatant attack of racism by a group of people (the military servicemen) on the Mexican American Zoot Suit community.
The servicemen didn’t understand the Zoot Suit crowd and perceived them as a threat. The media at the time was blaming Mexican American "gangs" for crime in LA, which had nothing to do with the Zoot Suit Crowd, because although they were Mexican American they didn’t formed "gangs". In short these resentments coupled with the media's reporting about Mexican American Gangs prompted the servicemen to launch attacks on the Zoot Suit crowd who were an easy target for an already keyed up group of people. The police instead of arresting the military men arrested the Zoot Suit Crowd and the attacks continued until the military police stepped in and ended it. It was a tragic U.S. incidents that had nothing to do with the Mexican American Community of the time seeking race equality but being persecuted for being who they are...once
again.
Professor Beeles
SPA 281
April 26, 2016
The Emergence of the Zoot Suits
In the early '40s in Los Angeles, several factors made the city remain under stress, contributing to conflicts known as the Zoot Suit Riots. Decades of discrimination have forced the Mexican-American community to turn inward. By the 1940, LA 240,000 Mexican-American lived in a series of neighborhoods called barrios. These communities were traditional, conservative and self-contained. During those years, segregations was very usual, and any thing was used as an excuse to bad treat Mexicans, with the Zoot Suits, they were seen as criminals and rebels.
Mexican American teenagers that grew up in the atmosphere of a second-class citizenship started to use fashion, culture, and solidarity to express their identity, and to proclaim their rebellion. They dressed in baggy Zoot Suits, a style adopted from African-Americans and the LA jazz scene. Mexican American youth left their East LA barrios and hit the jazz clubs. …show more content…
Dance music and jazz were sensual, expressive, cheerful and rowdy. Defying war time clothing rations, these "Pachucos" began to be seen as dangerous juvenile delinquents, and were repeatedly represented as such in sensationalist news headlines.
The Zoot Suit was a part of the jazz world that visually challenged social relations with its segregationist challenge code. Segregation required Mexican-Americans and black people remain invisible and not heard in public places, and the zoot suit with broad shoulders, tight waist and baggy pants was a loud and bold public statement. As fashion, Zoot suit didn’t lead to the civil youth to protest or resist the incursions of the military, but for many military and civilian men in Los Angeles, the zoot suit an easily evident symbol of rebellion and subversion return.
During World War II in the city of Los Angeles, California, a series of clashes between US Marines and Army Mexican origin youth called "Zoot Suit" or "Pachuco" recorded. Tensions between the military and civilians rose to a measure that thousands of soldiers under license output came to Los Angeles and behaved as if the city were his own amusement park where they were allowed to freely enjoy alcohol, women and street brawls. The conflict erupted in riots in several cities, there were killed, imprisoned and dozens injured.
It all started when military accused a gang of “Pachuco” of perpetrating an attack against them. The incident was the perfect pretext for marines and elements of police in Los Angeles began a campaign against not only of Mexican immigrants but anyone who dressed as "Zoot Suit": African Americans and Filipino-Americans were also the target of beatings and arbitrary detentions. Many of the civilians tolerated them, considering the effort that they made for the country, others not. Although street fights occurred between the military and young people of all colors, these conflicts used to occur more frequently among young military and Mexico-Americans since the Mexico-Americans made up the largest minority group racially Los Angeles.
The Zoot Suit Crowd was just trying to have a good time and were dressing in this manner to express their individuality and status among their community.
The Zoot Suit Riots were a blatant attack of racism by a group of people (the military servicemen) on the Mexican American Zoot Suit community.
The servicemen didn’t understand the Zoot Suit crowd and perceived them as a threat. The media at the time was blaming Mexican American "gangs" for crime in LA, which had nothing to do with the Zoot Suit Crowd, because although they were Mexican American they didn’t formed "gangs". In short these resentments coupled with the media's reporting about Mexican American Gangs prompted the servicemen to launch attacks on the Zoot Suit crowd who were an easy target for an already keyed up group of people. The police instead of arresting the military men arrested the Zoot Suit Crowd and the attacks continued until the military police stepped in and ended it. It was a tragic U.S. incidents that had nothing to do with the Mexican American Community of the time seeking race equality but being persecuted for being who they are...once
again.