14. Zoots and Mexican-American Teens
The most dramatic backlash against Zoots occurred in Los Angeles in June of 1943, in what came to be known as the Zoot Suit Riots. In the preceding year, local newspapers had whipped up racial tensions by harping on a non-existent “crime wave“, allegedly caused by Mexican-American youths. Soon, a media campaign was in full swing, calling for action against “Zoot suiters”.
LA’s cops responded with frequent roundups and arrests of hundreds of young Mexican-Americans, guilty of nothing more than wearing oversized outfits. Tensions were further exacerbated by the conviction for murder of nine young Mexican Americans of murder, following a controversial trial amidst a wave of anti-Mexican-American hysteria. The trial had been a travesty, and the convictions were overturned on appeal. However, in the trial’s aftermath, anti-Mexican-American racism reached a peak.