Some of the worst racial violence in Los Angeles history occurred 76 years ago, when American servicemen launched racially-motivated attacks against Mexican-American youth in what is today known as the Zoot Suit Riots.
Sailors, soldiers, and marines on leave from World War II beat up minority youth wearing baggy “zoot suits,” a symbol of cultural pride during a time of heavy racial tension and segregation. The oversized suits also flew in the face of wartime fabric restrictions, which offended many of the servicemen during a period of patriotic zeal.
Zoot suiters fought back, writes KCET, but they “they bore the brunt of the violence,” which broke out June 3, 1943 and lasted nearly a week. Below are some of the most crucial sites relating to this dark time in LA history.
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