The drastic fluctuation in the ethnic make-up of South Central from 1960-1990 contributed to a melting pot community that would boil over into massive rioting. Such a radical change within such an abrupt period of time provoked the rising racial tensions. The Population of Los Angeles itself, “increased 87 percent from approximately 7,752,000 in 1960 to 14,531,000 in 1990.” Not only was there an increase in population, but of immigrants in particular. This boom of immigrants was due to the Hart-Cellar act of 1965. This act abolished the previous quota system based on country of origin and gave priority to those immigrants which had family living within the United States or ones with skilled work experience. After this change in immigration
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The Los Angeles Times notes that, “the biggest single group of eventual offenders were Latino men from 18 to 24 years old, accounting for 30% of the arrests.” This is proven from the list of deaths in the riot, some examples are, “Ira McCurry, 45, a white man, Deandre Harrison, a 17-year-old black youth, Eduardo Vela, a 34-year-old Latino, Edward Song Lee, 18, of Korean descent.” Not only was it a black riot due to the decision of the Rodney King trial, but it was a minority riot against the years of oppression and the unfair system. Further seen here is the melting pot mentality of Los Angeles that would cause tensions between the various communities bundled up in one …show more content…
The Kerner Commission was originally created by President Lyndon B. Johnson to analyze the sources and reasons of civil disturbances throughout the 60’s including the Watts Riots. This report revealed that society after the riots was disturbing as post riot programs did not help alleviate African-Americans, only exacerbating racial tensions and equipping police with better weapons to combat the rioters. The report also stated, “in several cities, increasing polarization is evident, with continuing breakdown of inter-racial communication, and growth of white segregationist or black separatist groups.” The Bush and Reagan administrations did almost next to nothing to renew and reinvest into these urban centers. Their policies of neo-conservatism focused more on expansion of foreign influence rather than domestic improvement. Los Angeles city lacked a strong middle and upper class as well since many whites chose to ignore the problems and migrate to what they deemed “safer” suburbs. Melvin Oliver, a sociologist, writes about the early 1990’s in Los Angeles on how, “wholesale disinvestments in the South Central Los Angeles community by banks and other institutions” led to an impoverished community. Minorities in the South Central and surrounding communities lacked grocery stores,
The Los Angeles Times notes that, “the biggest single group of eventual offenders were Latino men from 18 to 24 years old, accounting for 30% of the arrests.” This is proven from the list of deaths in the riot, some examples are, “Ira McCurry, 45, a white man, Deandre Harrison, a 17-year-old black youth, Eduardo Vela, a 34-year-old Latino, Edward Song Lee, 18, of Korean descent.” Not only was it a black riot due to the decision of the Rodney King trial, but it was a minority riot against the years of oppression and the unfair system. Further seen here is the melting pot mentality of Los Angeles that would cause tensions between the various communities bundled up in one …show more content…
The Kerner Commission was originally created by President Lyndon B. Johnson to analyze the sources and reasons of civil disturbances throughout the 60’s including the Watts Riots. This report revealed that society after the riots was disturbing as post riot programs did not help alleviate African-Americans, only exacerbating racial tensions and equipping police with better weapons to combat the rioters. The report also stated, “in several cities, increasing polarization is evident, with continuing breakdown of inter-racial communication, and growth of white segregationist or black separatist groups.” The Bush and Reagan administrations did almost next to nothing to renew and reinvest into these urban centers. Their policies of neo-conservatism focused more on expansion of foreign influence rather than domestic improvement. Los Angeles city lacked a strong middle and upper class as well since many whites chose to ignore the problems and migrate to what they deemed “safer” suburbs. Melvin Oliver, a sociologist, writes about the early 1990’s in Los Angeles on how, “wholesale disinvestments in the South Central Los Angeles community by banks and other institutions” led to an impoverished community. Minorities in the South Central and surrounding communities lacked grocery stores,