Thank you so much for coming to the LAMoG Spring exhibits covering the Zoot Suit Riots. These riots have a tragic history, and are a large representation of the hate that was shown towards Mexican-Americans and other racial groups. L.A. was split in half, some believing the riots weren’t linked to racism and others trying to prove that the previous racist acts were at fault. “During the riots, the press, the police, the officialdom, and the dominant control groups of LA were caught with the bombs of prejudice in their hands,” wrote journalist Carey McWilliams, who was a reporter during the riots. The Zoot Suit Riots were a result of the past, causing everything from the Native American Tribes and the Mexican-American War to the Repatriation Program and Sleepy Lagoon murder, to be of importance. As a museum, we hope that you now have a better understanding of the events that occurred during the tragic Zoot Suit Riots and their importance to L.A. history.