The Zoot Suit Riots - A series of race riots involving American servicemen and Mexican American youth wearing zoot suits start in Los Angeles, California. These riots are considered to be some of the worst race riots in the city's history and were fueled by racial tensions during World War II. Zoot suits, characterized by long, baggy coats and wide-legged pants. were a popular style of clothing among young Mexican Americans at the time. Servicemen, along with some white civilians, attacked Mexican American youth, often beating them and ripping off their zoot suits. The violence was widespread, targeting not only young men wearing zoot suits but also extending to other minority communities, including African Americans and Filipino Americans.
Associated Press, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
