In 1943, racial tension between white Marines and sailors and Mexican-American youths erupted into a series of riots in Los Angeles. This violence was known as the "Zoot Suit Riots," named for the fashion then popular among young Mexican Americans. In this lesson, students discuss conflicting newspaper articles to answer the question: What caused the Zoot Suit Riots?
Image: Photo of sailors, soldiers, and marines with wooden clubs during the Zoot Suit Riots in 1943. From the Library of Congress.