The Los Angeles "Zoot Suit riots" revisited: Mexican and Latin American perspectives

The so-called Zoot Suit riots in Los Angeles in June of 1943 made Latin Ame ricans more aware of the negative racial attitudes within the United States toward Mexicans. Through the publicity surrounding the riots, they also fi rst learned of the existence of a large ethnic group of Mexican origin. Thi s knowledge, however, often came with an additional message that the Mexica n American culture was not worthy of esteem by respectable people.