United Farm Workers | Birth of a Movement | 1
American History Tellers
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The Zoot Suit Attacks in Los Angeles
Zoot suits symbolized Mexican pride and cultural identity. But servicemen saw zoot suits as the uniform of criminals and delinquents. The attacks were part of a growing pattern of harassment and violence against rising population of Mexican Americans. In August 1942 LA police rounded up 600 Mexican American teenagers after the death of a gang member near a swimming hole called Sleepy Lagoon A quick trial led to the imprisonment of 12 young men who were later proven to be innocent.
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