The Los Angeles press was hostile to zoot suiters, many of them Mexican American young people. The newspapers depicted them as hoodlums. With the nation at war, headlines about zoot suiters shared column space with articles on Allied advances in Europe, food shortages at home, and advertisements urging American victory. Read through these articles from 1942 and 1943 to see how the press covered the Sleepy Lagoon case and the Zoot Suit Riots.

Police 'Showup' Scheduled Tonight as Result of 300 Juvenile Arrests
Inquest Into Ranch Death to be Held This Morning
Los Angeles Examiner
August 11, 1942

Hair Style Used in Identification of Hoodlums
Suspects Must Not Change Haircut, Judge Rules
Los Angeles Examiner
October 27, 1942

Crowds Downtown on Hunt for Zoot Suiters
Los Angeles Examiner
June 8, 1943

Latin America Group Probes Street Fights
Fact-Finding Committee to Delve Into Causes of Brawls Between Servicemen, Gangs
Los Angeles Examiner
June 8, 1943

Near-martial law in L.A. riot zones
Los Angeles Daily News
June 9, 1943

Nazis Spur Zoot Riots
Los Angeles Daily News
June 9, 1943

U.S. Acts in Zoot Suit Riots; Governor Orders Inquiry
Police Must Clean Up L.A. Hoodlumism
Los Angeles Examiner
June 10, 1943