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Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles
During the 1910's Mexico experiences a revolution thus creating a need for some seek refuge in Western United States. By 1920, the mexican population in Los Angeles is 21,000. -
Zoot Suit Origins
The zoot suit was born in Harlem, NY during the 1930's. Harlem dancers wore loose fitting clothes that accentuated their movements. -
"A badge of delinquency"
Zoot Suits became popular with Mexican Americans and other minority groups in California. Mexican Americans were referred to as pachucos when dressed in Zoot suits. Pachucos were often seen as thugs, gang members and juvenile deliquents -
1940's wave of immigration
Mexicans now represent a quarter of Los Angeles' total poulation. 250,000 are living among the ethnically diverse population of 1 million. Mexicans are listed as "white" in the census but not welcome in Los Angeles. -
Wartime patriotism
Pearl Harbor didn't assuage the growing tensions between affluent white people and the booming Mexican immigration in Los Angeles during the 1940's. -
Los Angeles wartime violence
19 year old Frank Torres was killed outside a trackmeet at the LA Coliseum. Chaos erupts and the event starts the reporting of Mexican boy gangs. -
Spring 1943- US Servicemen vs. Mexican youths
Tensions run high in the Spring of 1943. Fights happen occur up to three times daily. Servicemen armed with clubs and other paraphenlia look for zoot suiters. -
Venice Riot
Crowd of 500 sailors converges on the Aragon Ballroom where they say a sailor has been stabbed. The sailors attack the Zoot Suiters leaving a dance being held there. Fighting continues until early the next morning. -
The Zoot Suit Riots - Prelude
A fight between Mexican youth and sailors occurs. Joe Coleman is badly injured -
The Zoot Suit Riots
50 sailors from the Naval Reserve Armory seek revenge for the attach on Coleman. They look for anyone wearing a Zoot Suit, giving birth to the Zoot Suit Riots. -
Zoot Suit Riots
The rioting continues for the next six days. The servicemen initally look for Zoot Suiters then any Pachuco male. Servicemen from as far as San Diego come to LA to join the rioting. The riots spread to predominately minority areas of LA like East LA and Watts.