The Zoot Suit Riots — History Shorts

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In the early 1940s, the zoot suit — high-waisted, wide-shouldered, and impossible to miss — was a badge of pride for many young Mexican American, Black, and Filipino Americans. In June 1943, it made them targets. For about a week, mobs of sailors, soldiers, and Marines attacked young men across Los Angeles while police arrested the victims and newspapers cheered. In this episode, we explore the wartime rationing, the Sleepy Lagoon trial, and the press coverage that set the stage for the Zoot Suit Riots — and how long it took Los Angeles to admit what really happened.

🎙️ History Shorts is a daily history podcast hosted by historian and author of Eight Days in August, Peter Zablocki. New episodes every day.

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