The Long Term Impacts of the WWII “Zoot Suit Riots”

Seventy-five years ago, Los Angeles experienced the famous “zoot suit riots,” in which Anglo servicemen beat up young Latino youth wearing fashionable “zoot suits.”  Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano says the Zoot Suit era is when white America learned to stereotype young Latinos as threats.  Such stereotypes play into President Trump’s demonization of Mexican immigrants.

KJ