Zoot suit

A Deliberation on Borders External and internal limitations surround us at every moment in our lives; hence, borders such as the color of our skin, geographical borders, and culture are hard to escape from. It is solely up to an individual to establish how they intend to deal with their borders, if at all. This was no different for both Gualinto, from George Washington Gomez, and Henry, from Zoot Suit. They both struggled with, a psychological border, the awareness that they came from two distinct cultures and therefore found themselves caught in the middle and being judged upon. Due to their Mexican legacy, culture, and the geographical area in which they lived, both Gualinto and Henry encountered some form of discrimination and mental anguish…

American, sailors in the riots may have associated “Chicas Patas Boogie” with the minority group and attacked them during the riots. The song can also be linked to Mexican American community because the lyrics of the song are in Spanish with a hint of Calo. However, the vocal in the song was sung in a blue and rhythm manner rather than in Mexican American’s style like the corridor. The subtle clapping and the fixed rhythm scheme in the song make it an ideal song for the dancing clubs in downtown…

The topic I chose for my online presentation was the Zoot Suit Riots. The reason why I chose the zoot suits is because it shows that racial tensions go far beyond African Americans, Whites or any other race. While most textbooks and history lessons oversee the struggles that Latinos have had to face. In the early 1940s, many young Latino males wore the Zoot Suits as a statement of their generation. The Zoot Suit are men’s suits that consisted of large high-waisted balloon pants, peg-legged…

The movie, Zoot Suit, follows the events of Henry Reyna and his 38th Street gang after they were falsely accused for of a murder they did not commit. The first scene of the movie depicts the 38th Street gang partying at the local dance club. It isn’t long until Henry’s brother, Rudy, provokes a fight with their rival gang, The Downey Gang, forcing the 38th Street gang to leave. That same night, Henry and his girlfriend, Della, take a trip to the Sleepy Lagoon where they are confronted by the…

In the early 1940’s inhabitants of Los Angeles experience widespread tension and conflict that ultimately led to the Zoot Suit riots. During WWII, Southern California was a vital military outpost with stations scattered from San Diego through Los Angeles, resulting in thousands of active servicemen deployed in the area. Along with these social tensions come the influence of jazz music that developed into a rich culture that flourished throughout Los Angeles area (PBS). Big band and swing music…

Like many of immigrants, Mexican immigrants, typically, did not assimilate right away. They usually continued their traditions and worked to maintain their family. The second generation of Mexican Americans were forced to live their lives with two cultures constantly clashing with the other. They spoke English at school and spoke Spanish at home; this resulted in creating their own language as a mixture of the two. They developed a dialect called caló, which is an argot that uses slang from the…

off with some background information for those of you who do not know what a “Zoot Suiter” is and how they came about. “Zoot Suiters” were often belonging to Mexican American Culture and often times were young in age, most under 25 years of age. These individuals were famously known for wearing a unique style of clothing, hence the name Zoot suit, and were usually found in groups. This movement in style and culture originated in East L.A. and rapidly spread into Hollywood and onto the various…

Japanese Americans wearing zoot suits were not noted, but African Americans and Mexican Americans were well known for wearing these boots to show their rebellion during the war. In Robin Kelley’s work The Riddle of the Zoot: Malcolm Little and Black Cultural Politics During WWII, he discusses about what wearing a zoot suit meant during these times and the reaction that people had to them, and the consequences and life that the zoot suitors had. During a time of rationing, wearing a zoot suit was…

using such a strong derogative word, thief, as a symbol for Chicanos and then defending them, the author is able to express her feelings more strongly and get her point across to the audience. Another example of symbolism in Anzaldua’s writing is when she mentions the Pachuco’s language as a form of spanish. By incorporating the symbol of a “Pachuco” and “zoot suit” the audience can derive conclusions from the zoot suit 's cultural and political meaning based on a time when Mexican Americans…

In the past there were tragedies such as the Sleepy Lagoon incident or the Zoot Suit Riots, but the prisons were at least not filled to the brim with Latino youth. While as now, states such as California are overpopulated with the Hispanics in the prison, left wandering through the criminal justice system, left on the streets to do whatever they can to survive, whether they be male or female; the Latino youth are criminalized the moment they step on the streets. The modern Latino population is…