Racial Discrimination The And Wearing The Zoot Suit

Throughout the complex and contradictory history of the United States, minorities always had to stand out and fight for their human rights, because there were no rights for the minorities and they were always treated differently than the White people, and these situations can be described as racial discriminations. In 1930s and 1940s, there were some historical events took place in Los Angeles that affected the relationship between different ethnic groups and the transformation of different ethnic groups in social position. The development of Olvera Street and wearing the zoot-suit are definitely some ways for Mexicans and other minorities to â€Å"negotiate† their identities when they were facing serious racial discrimination. The racism toward Mexican people and other minorities during that period is obvious to see from the idea of White supremacy. The Mexican and African Americans were often called â€Å"Subaltern subjects†, because during that period they had low social status, they did not have any political power, and they did not even have any civil rights. Yet the environment they built and their physical appearances definitely helped themselves to figure out who they are in the United States even when they had to face such a big change in that period. In 1930s, there were a huge population of Mexicans living in Los Angeles, and the huge deportation was essentially the beginning of the battle between the Anglos and the Mexicans. Olvera Street is a place that helps Mexicans toShow MoreRelatedZoot Suits Riot Film1107 Words   |  5 PagesIn effect, they tried to disassociate themselves from this faction. Young Latino men referred to themselves as pachucos and sported oversize suits known as zoot suits. In the film Zoot Suit Riots, Joseph Tovares remarkably portrayed the difficult lives of Mexican Americans in the 1940s. Zoot Suit Riots is a powerful film that explores the complicated racial tensions, as well as the changing social and political scene leading up to the riots in the streets of Los Angeles in the summer of 1943. WhiteRead MoreSocial Movements Created by Mexican Americans1447 Words   |  6 PagesNew York’s Harlem nightlife. Many young men of African American descent wore suits that had exaggerated shoulder pads, pegged trousers that were very tapered at the ankles, oversized coat, long dangling key chain and wide brimmed hats, this style is called the Zoot suit. According to the fashion reader, Cosgrove states that â€Å" The word Zoot means worn or performed in its’ lavish style when, most jazz musicians wore, zoot suits on stage like, a famous jazz performer Cab Calloway.† Cab Calloway had inspiredRead MoreThe Zoot Suits : A Time Of War For T he United States1785 Words   |  8 Pagesto identify with, zoot suits. The zoot suits were more than just a fashion statement. The suits were part of the Mexican American youth culture and uncovered the truth of what society really thought of Mexican Americans. They played an important role in history by putting the issues of the people who used them to express who they were as a minority into the spotlight. Zoot suits made their first appearance in the 1920s during the height of the Harlem Renaissance. The term ‘zoot’ has no real definitionRead MoreMexicans And Mexican American Youth2035 Words   |  9 PagesTwo. Such hostilities are reflected in our treatment of Mexican Americans in the late 19th after the Civil War and early 20th centuries, the Sleepy Lagoon murder responses, and the Zoot Suit riots. My primary source reveals a feeling of inferiority in the United States by the Mexican American youth due discrimination that they faced, which can be better understood by analyzing the cultural contexts. As railroads expanded during the United States western expansionist period in the late 19th centuryRead MoreRacism : Racism And Prejudice Essay1435 Words   |  6 Pagesor also known as bias, discrimination, race, and racist so there s a clear understanding of why I picked the specific examples. The definition of racism that we learned in class would be an â€Å"Institutionalized system with disproportionate unjust outcomes for a particular race†. Prejudice or also known as bias was defined as â€Å"A negative feeling, opinion, or attitude toward a certain category or people† this would be an feeling with no action acted upon, where discrimination is defined as â€Å"Action orRead More Luis Valdezs Play, Los Vendidos Essay2016 Words   |  9 Pagesby American society. As the Mexican male attempts to become a part of American society, he soon realizes that he is not welcome, which often causes him to rebel against the culture that will not accept him. An example is t he Zoot Suit Riots that occurred in 1944. The Zoot Suit Riots were a reaction by young Mexican-American males against a culture that did not want them to be a part of it. Stuart Cosgrove examines this issue when he states, In the most obvious ways they had been stripped of theirRead MoreBlack And Brown Youth Were Criminalized By The State Similarly1583 Words   |  7 Pagesof Los Angeles (L.A) grew. With the influx of White European descendants and immigrants, the alienation and discrimination of Brown and Black people became so egregious as to consider them the racial other. Inasmuch, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) became social control agents, suppressing labor unions and radical political organizations to protect White corporate America and racial superiority. The Progressive Era was from 1890 to 1930 and was renowned for the idea of Mankind’s ability toRead MoreLaw Enforcement And Criminal Justice System2527 Words   |  11 Pagesbeen accused of exhibiting biasness when it comes to the implementation of the law. The two systems have been accused of being harsh on particular ethnic communities and being too lenient on other communities. One perfect exemplification of the discrimination and bias exhibited by law enforcement agencies regards the criminalization of Black and Latino communities. Recent statistics indicates that members of the black and Latino communities are increasingly being exposed to harsher treatment by theRead MoreRace Determined Inclusion and Exclusion in America1861 Words   |  7 PagesBlacks (African Americans) and Native Americans, were excluded from first class citizenship, and were and still are in some cases America’s victims of separatism. Americans of European descent fought to keep their status quo though eugenics, racial discrimination and unfair laws and practices. Therefore, many obstacles were put in place to disenfranchised minorities through strategically bigoted activities and politically orchestrated legislation. Some of these things included inequality in economicsRead More Social Changes In The US Durring WW2 Essay1918 Words   |  8 Pagesformed organizations. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), was the largest organization of its kind and fought for the equal treatment for African-Americans. The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) was founded in 1942 and mobilized mass resistance to discrimination and employed acts of non-violent civil disobedience such as sit-ins at movie theaters and restaurants. The March on Washington Movement (MOWM) was organized by A. Philip Randolph to bring attention to the