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Monica Monarez

History 102

Professor Gold

3 May 2015

The Zoot Suit Riots Essay

In the early 1940s, the city of Los Angeles was segregated heavily based on race. It was

an era of ethnic and racial paranoia sparked by arguably one of the most racist trials in the

history of California. The Zoot Suit Riots violently flooded many streets in the city of Los

Angeles. The Zoot Suiters, trying to make a name for themselves beyond their Mexican parents

traditions, felt they were being attacked and retaliated against United States servicemen. Soldiers

and sailors, being portrayed as heroic in the media, lashed out towards Mexican-Americans

claiming to help restore society. While the Los Angeles Police Department, court and Mayor

viewed Zoot Suiters as delinquent gang members and took no legal action towards servicemen.

The Zoot Suiters had the most accurate perspective despite the fact they did commit crime

because they had no one to defend or protect them, but themselves.

The United States was dealing with many problems during World War II. Due to the

country being at war, many people talked of spies and traitors. Hatred spread through the streets

of Los Angeles and much of that hatred was centered towards Mexican-American teenagers.

Heavily influenced by African American jazz music and dance clubs, Mexican-American

teenagers took on a very cool, hip, and unique type of style which would later be known as a

zoot suite. A typical zoot suit consisted of high-waisted pants, forty inches wide at the knee

and gave the teenagers that wore the suite a ballooned up appearance (PBS Zoot Suit Riots,
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video). These zoot suits were worn proudly by Mexican-American youth as a symbol of their

new place in American society. Just about every individual in Los Angeles knew about these

Zoot Suiters, but they would soon become known to the nation after the incident known as The

Sleepy Lagoon Murder of 1942. A murder that shocked the Mexican-American community. Jose

Diaz died after a brawl between two groups of Zoot Suiters. In a case that was played out like a

Hollywood movie, (PBS Zoot Suit Riots, video) all the men charged with the murder were

sentenced to prison despite lack of evidence, not guilty pleas, illegal methods of interrogation,

and an unfair trial which sparked a period of massive rioting.

Hank Lavas, who was the prime suspect in the murder, accompanied by 21 other men

were arrested and made the front page news. Despite the harsh treatment by law enforcement

they all stuck to their stories [of innocence], (PBS Zoot Suit Riots, video) and ended up serving

time in San Quentin State Prison. The trail not only sparked anger from the community, but

angered servicemen from the United States Navy and military. On June 3rd, 1943 the streets of

Los Angeles were filled with fights. In the eyes of the teenagers, the early 1940s paved the way

for them to try and escape the tradition of their Mexican born parents. The statement they were

trying to make challenged the codes of prejudice, but angered the servicemen. Sailors armed with

chains and clubs searched the streets, bars, and even movie theatres for Mexican-Americans and

the Zoot Suit Riots began. As days progressed, not only the Zoot Suiters, but any Mexican-

American was at risk to being beaten so they fought back. They believed that law enforcement

was not on their side due to the fact the Los Angeles Police Department would hang back and

only show up at the end (PBS Zoot Suit Riots, video) to arrest Mexican-American victims.

These victims were arrested and sent to jail. One newspaper wrote, Sixteen Mexican youths, all

armed with some sort of bludgeon, were arrested, (The New York Times) but they needed to
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have protection from the servicemen. This also shows that they were arrested by police before

committing any crime. Only the crimes of the Mexican-Americans were reported to the media:

George Lorigo, 19, of 9533 Wilmington Ave., was arrested on a battery charge in connection

with the assault, and Lewis D. English, 23-year-old zoos-suit wearer of 844 E. Fifth St., was

arrested by Officer R. F. Brady for carrying a 16-inch razor sharp butcher knife for protection

and a 16-year-old lad was taken into custody for carrying an iron bar and a knife. (Los Angeles

Times). Although what they did was illegal, they felt that they had to take the situation in their

own hands due to the fact that none of the sailors were ever arrested, therefore they had only

each other and some African-American supporters in these rage-filled, racist riots.

The soldiers and sailors involved in the Zoot Suite Riots were portrayed by the media as

heroic men that were cleaning up the streets (The New York Times). Armed with various types

of weaponry they taunted, harassed, and seriously injured many Mexican-American people. They

raided many bars and homes looking for trouble while ripping and stripping off baggy zoot suits

and purposely seeking out Mexican- Americans to hurt. These Sailors, most of whom grew up in

other states, had very little contact with Latinos and looked at them as gangmembers. The media

applauded the sailors and soldiers involved, even though they would be described as criminals

today. If the media was not applauding the actions of the servicemen, then they were trying to get

the public on their side by appealing to pity, Phelps and Jackson said they were walking

peaceably along the street at First St. and Evergreen Ave. when at least 15 zoot suiters jumped

from auto-mobiles and attacked them, slashing Jackson (Los Angeles Times).The media painted

the servicemen victims by only telling one side of the story. Headline after headline of countless

stories like, One sailor, Harold Tabor, 32, was beaten by a group of zoot suiters at 103rd and

Graham streets and treated at Georgia Street Receiving Hospital for a broken nose, (Los
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Angeles Times) aided the servicemen in recruiting support. These headlines left those not

involved in the riots angry and wanting to help those heroic servicemen. On the Fifth day of

riots, thousands of people got involved. LA was like a war zone. Many civilians that assisted

thought they were doing their part for the war effort (PBS Zoot Suit Riots, video). Sailors and

soldiers felt they were so respected in society they could get away with committing crime and

that they did. One citizen stated, Los Angeles was like a war zone and we had to do something

about it and I felt that I was doing my share for the war effort [by helping the soldiers and

sailors] (PBS Zoot Suit Riots, video).

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), court and Mayor all had their own part in

these terrible riots. Along with the fact of the LAPD hanging back when servicemen

committed crime and arresting only Mexican-Americans, it took them five days to realize they

finally needed to intervene.

On June 8th, 1943, the military authority in consultation with civic leaders, finally declared

the city off limits to servicemen and the riots ended soon after. The following day the city

council banned the wearing of zoot suites and it was punishable by law for a thirty day jail

term. Stores moved and distanced themselves from the style that became known for a

rebellion. (PBS Zoot Suit Riots, video)

Mayor Bowron wrote an article for the New York Times titled Not a Race Issue and stated:

We have here, unfortunately, a bad situation as the result of the formation and activities of

youthful gangs, the members of which, probably to the extent of 98 per cent or more,
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were born right here in Los Angeles. They are Los Angeles youth, and the problem is

purely a local one.

We are going to see that members of the armed forces are not attacked. At the same time,

we expect cooperation from officers of the Army and Navy to the extent that soldiers and

sailors do not pile into Los Angeles for the purpose of excitement and adventure and be

that they might consider a little fun by beating up young men whose appearance they do

not like.

He goes on to state that the police are going to do the job and I propose to back up the police.

The LAPD, Mayor and court backed up one another which lead to further downfall for the city of

Los Angeles. By not stepping in and doing the right thing they themselves were the criminals.

They all referred to Mexican-American youth as criminal delinquents, trouble makers, and

hoodlums (PBS Zoot Suit Riots, video). Even Judge Charles Fricke, the man who ruled in The

Sleepy Lagoon Murder case, convicted Hank Lavas and the other teenagers to prison despite the

lack of evidence, unacceptable conduct by the LAPD, and the unfair trail the men received. It

was not until a successful appeal in 1944 the boys were able to walk free. The LAPD, Mayor and

court all played a major role in the riots even though they were not physically involved in the

rioting.

I would have to say the opinion of the Zoot Suiters would be the most accurate. Although

each party involved was at fault and this never should have escalated as it did, our community is

governed by people entrusted to make right decisions and to protect our community. We should
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feel safe with police and law enforcement, confident in the Los Angeles Mayor and court

decisions, and proud of the people protecting our country. The LAPD, Mayor and court let racial

profiling and illegal methods take control over what is just. The United States servicemen that

were involved harmed their own countrys citizens. The fact that they acted that way is a disgrace

to the American people. You also cannot deal with hate by relaying hate and that is what the Zoot

Suiters ultimately did. I only feel for them in the sense they had no one but themselves and some

African Americans (who deal with racism, as well) to turn to. They could not rely on the LAPD,

Mayor and court, or servicemen for help. The fact that something like the Zoot Suit Riots even

occurred is completely unacceptable on all parties involved. The only good thing that came from

all of the hatred and racism of these riots is knowledge we can learn from to not let anything like

this happen again.

The Zoot Suit Riots stemmed from a controversial and misguided murder trial. The

Mexican-American youth were labeled by the media as violent gang members due to their race

and affiliation with rebellion. The soldiers and sailors which took to the streets in an effort to

cleanse the city from the gang members were guided by morality veiled by racial judgment.

The Los Angeles government including the police, Mayor, and court allowed their judgment to

be predetermined by a programmed patriotism favoring the servicemen and dismissing the

Mexican-American youth. All parties involved in the Zoot Suit Riots allowed for racism to fuel

violence. Although the Zoot Suiters were also at fault, they were the true victims of the Zoot Suit

Riots.
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