Zoot Suit Riots

Overview

On August 1, 1942, a 22-year-old Mexican American man was stabbed to death at a party. To white Los Angelenos, the murder was just more proof that Mexican American crime was spiraling out of control. The police fanned out across LA, netting 600 young Mexican American suspects. Almost all those taken into custody were wearing the distinctive uniform of their generation: Zoot Suits. The tragic murder and the injustice of the trial that followed, coupled with sensational news coverage of both, fanned the flames of the racial hostility that was already running rife in the city. Within months of the verdict, Los Angeles was in the grip of some of the worst violence in its history.

Details

Status

Released

Release date

March 1, 2002

Original language

English

Spoken languages

English

Countries

United States of America

Production

PBS,WGBH,GBH

Cast

Héctor Elizondo

Director

Joseph Tovares

Writer

Joseph Tovares

Cinematography

Michael Chin

Budget

Not recorded

Revenue

Not recorded

Homepage

Official site

IMDb

tt0312067