Zoot Suit Riots Essay -- American History Sleepy Lagoon Affair

Zoot suits, associated with the Mexican race, consisted of a long jacket that reached about to the knees, pants with a tight stuff cuff, a wide, level hat, and Dutch-toe shoes (Berger 193). These zoot suits were worn by the Mexican youth who were accused of maul on August 2, 1942. People claimed that Jose Diaz was murdered by a lot that had broken up a ingredienty at Sleepy lagoon ranch located close to Los Angeles. However, even though the lower coquet did convict them of murder, two years later the district court of appeals took that finish back by stating that there was not enough good certainty and that most of that decision was made based on prejudice issues. This calamity became known as the Sleepy Lagoon Affair and was made an internationalist topic, especially when it was made to look like Americans were making it a stopover to harm Latin-American citizens. Afterwards, the Sleepy Lagoon Affair opened the doorstep to much more discrimination against Mexicans and b rought many more riots to Los Angeles between Mexicans and Americans (Gorn 183).Mexican-Americans were passing offended when American citizens, mostly the marines and soldiers, attacked any Mexican they saw on the street wearing a zoot suit. Some of the time these Mexicans were not part of a gang, but were attacked as revenge from that August night in 1942. Police officials were watching servicemen beat the Mexicans on the street then sensational the victims, saying that they provoked the riot (La Op...