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The Zoot Suit Riots of the 1940s were a series of days in which violence ensued between Latino-Americans under the label of “Pachucos” and White-Los Angeles citizens. The fights began after an accusation made against Pachucos by a group of sailors, an accusation that involved the rumor of the sailors being attacked while merely walking around at night. Pachucos were simply men who wore suits that boasted the usage of too much fabric during the time of war and were the 1940s equivalent of “flappers”.

Latino-Americans were simply looking for good times, wearing suits that they worked hard to earn money for. Bored of their lives in the barrio, these Latino-Americans showed White-Anglos how to live life and be jovial, even if that meant being “disruptive”.

Since they were not the model citizens that most Americans strived to be, they were easy targets for xenophobic Americans to harass. Pachucos, after being accused of the attack on the sailors, were then made the victims of a series of violent encounters.

The most horrifying part of this was the fact that law enforcement officers did nothing to assist the victims and did everything to enable the aggressors. They would make “token arrests” in which they would take the aggressor into custody for a mere few hours and then release them with zero charges placed on them. The rioting only stopped after an ordinance was passed prohibiting sailors from encroaching upon territory populated by the Pachucos.

Decades later, a formal apology was issued by the Los Angeles City Council for sensationalizing the affair but at the end of the day that means very little. The Zoot Suit Riots showed everyone just how unjust the world was for minorities who were simply wanting to indulge in the American Dream just like everyone else.

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The reason why it is so important that this event took place in the West Coast is due to the blatant fact that after the attack of Pearl Harbor, Los Angeles was made the location of a military base due to its close proximity to the coast.

With the military influence, tensions were high between Patriotic citizens and those who merely wanted to enjoy life after working hard to contribute to the United States.

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A newspaper headline depicting the clashes between Pachucos and Sailors.

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Decades later, the City of Los Angeles apologizes...

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L.A. apologizes for city’s role in Zoot Suit riots

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The Los Angeles City Council formally apologized for its role in the racist and brutal attacks on young Latino, Filipino and Black Angelenos.

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A Pachuco and a Pachuca

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One of my favorite songs that takes inspiration from the topic. The lead singer's wife's grandfather was a victim of the original zoot suit riots, hence the inspiration for the song.

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A picture taken at an event to commemorate the riots