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Analysis Of Zoot Suit Riots By Joseph Tovores

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The PBS documentary called Zoot Suit Riots was produced by Joseph Tovores in 2001. The documentary provided information on the tension between zoot suiters and sailors in Los Angeles, California in 1943. In the summer of 1942, there was a growing concern of Mexican crime. In the forties, Mexican American on Mexican American crime rarely ever grabbed media attention. It was until August 1, 1942, when Hank Levas and his girlfriend had a violent confrontation with a neighboring gang. After Hank and his girlfriend had left, they returned with his gang (38th Street Gang), ready to attack. When they came back, however, his attackers had already fled the scene. One night Hank Levas and other members of the 38th Street Gang came to a party in search of the attackers. Violence ensued when the boys arrived at the party, leaving one boy, Jose Diaz, seriously injured. Jose died that morning, and it did not take long for the news of his death to spread, causing police to arrest every 38th Street Gang member for the murder of Jose Diaz, including leader Hank Levas. Throughout the trial, the boys weren’t allowed to change or shower after they had been arrested. This affected the way the jury viewed the boys. On January 12, 1943, a verdict was reached. The seventeen defendants were found guilty and Hank Levas was sentenced for …show more content…

Their blatant dislike and disrespect towards each other created a breeding ground for fights to come in the near future. Sailors insulted Mexican American teenagers and Mexican Americans would taunt the sailors in return. The LAPD was frustrated because not only did they lose their men to the war, now they had to deal with the animosity between zoot suiters and servicemen. Except, they didn’t necessarily deal with the violence, only until the fifth and fourth day of the Zoot Suit

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