1992 LA Riots Research Paper

African Americans in Los Angeles and throughout the United States have experienced racial oppression for centuries. (Background about racial oppression by the LAPD). Rodney King was an African American motorist who inspired positive police reforms after he had a brutal conflict and was beaten by four members of the LAPD. Rodney King’s encounter resulted in a social and legal compromise because the incident made people aware of police brutality, gave African Americans a voice against police abuse, and resulted in reforms to the way that the LAPD responds to communities of color.

In fact, an “expert” from the L.A. Sheriff’s Department who testified at the Sleepy Lagoon trial is quoted as saying:

The beating of Rodney King from the Los Angeles Police Department on March 3, 1991 and the Los Angeles riots resulting from the verdict of the police officers on April 29 through May 5, 1992 are events that will never be forgotten. They both evolve around one incident, but there are two sides of ethical deviance: the LAPD and the citizens involved in the L.A. riots. The incident on March 3, 1991 is an event, which the public across the nation has never witnessed. If it weren’t for the random videotaping of the beating that night, society would never know what truly happened to Rodney King. What was even more disturbing is the mentality the LAPD displayed to the public and the details of how this mentality of policing led up to this

April 26th, 1992, there was a riot on the streets, tell me where were you? You were sittin' home watchin' your TV, while I was paticipatin' in some anarchy. First spot we hit it was my liquor store. I finally got all that alcohol I can't afford. With red lights flashin' time to retire, and then we turned that liquor store into a structure fire. Next stop we hit it was the music shop, it only took one brick to make that window drop. Finally we got our own p.a. where do you think I got this guitar that you're hearing today?

Since the time of slavery, racial tension has existed between whites and blacks. This tension has only increased with the passing of time. This conflict culminated in the 1940s in the form of mob violence. While there have been previous riots because of race relations, none of them were of the magnitude of the 1943 Detroit riot. Much like any other event involving racism in the 1940s, the Detroit riot has little coverage, most of which is skewed, in articles in the nation?s leading news sources such as ?Deep Trouble? in Time, ?Riotous Race Hate? in Newsweek, and ?The Truth About the Detroit Riot? in Harper?s. Thus, one must compare articles from these sources to ascertain accurate information. Even when

Many people of today's society believe that riots and protests initiated by black people in America came about in the early 90's around the time of the 1992 Los Angeles riots stemmed from the acquittal of four white Los Angeles Police Department in the beating of black motorist Rodney King in 1991 (cnn.com). Although that story brought major attention to police brutality in America there were many other significant riots that have taken place in American history. In August of 1965 the essential although easily overlooked Watts Riot took place in Watt, Los Angeles California. After a white police officer pulled over a black man and had him arrested and his car impounded because he assumed he was under the influence, a crowd of angry and confused

The Los Angeles Riots developed as a way to show frustration at the injustice that occurred at the expense of Rodney King, with the acquittal of the four white police officers. The escalation that occurred as a result, could have been prevented, had police chief Darryl Gates mobilized troops into the affected areas immediately, instead of prolonging the deployment. As a member of law enforcement, with over 42 years of experience, there is no way that he could not have anticipated the backlash that ensued. The complete brutalization and dehumanization of black people in the United States is appalling and it has led to inhumane, atrocious fall out that has had impacts that have carried forward to the present.

How did the Los Angeles Riots help bring a change to the community and to the LAPD? Rodney King was an African American motorist who inspired positive police reforms after he was brutally beaten by four members of the LAPD. Rodney King had an impact on the lives of everyone. He was an inspiration to most of the black African Americans. He was their voice.

A Great deal of things happen in the La riot in the year 1992.on the other had what stood out the most was how the world was focused on all the wrong things that accrued from the riot.most if not all of the stories were exposed to the public were just about all the criminals that generate the violence. What about the people who were badly injured from the accidents they were sadly involved in. seem that no one cared until a man named Steve Lopez, who came up with an great idea to have Fidel Lopez story heard. But i’m most certain that there were so many more stories that could have been told,it seem that no one cared about them but cared more about the people who made the stories, and that just isn't fair to anybody. It took just about 20 years

The Los Angeles riots of 1992 was one of the largest scale riots in American history. Though the riots started just hours after the infamous not guilty verdict in the Rodney King trial, there were many factors that contributed to the anarchy created by certain members of the Los Angeles community. The media’s coverage of the trial and riots focused on the concept that the black community had reached their boiling point, and was now rebelling in protest of police brutality against them. News broadcasts selectively displayed images of blacks mobbing, looting, and terrorizing Korean-owned businesses, while giving little justification for

The 1992 LA riot is known as "sa-i-gu" to Korean Americans. Korean American felt that they were not given voice and believed the mainstream media was at fault in increasing tensions and exaggerating the rift between the African and Korean American communities. For example, the media did not write anything about the fact that Korean merchants were making donations to youth programs and the African American community or that African Americans were volunteering to help Korean immigrants study for their citizenship exams. The media from the Korean prospective were perpetuating and sensationalizing negative stereotypes between the two

The history of African-Americans in the United States is full of many periods of achievements, as well as periods of struggle. The Los Angeles riots of 1992 were the result of many years of systematic racism in the United States following the Civil Rights Movement. The beating and unjust trial of Rodney King exposed the unfair and brutal treatment of African Americans by the police. As well as the shooting of 15 year-old Latasha Harlins 2 weeks after the beating of Rodney King to further ignite hatred within African-Americans in Los Angeles. What came forth was a week long riot not only changed Los Angeles, but the United States. That is why the Los Angeles riots was the most devastating, yet consequential, civil uproar in the history of the United States.

"Far too often, the cops find themselves in need of the 'big guns' and body armor." That there have been times in were the police officers have been forced to used their more dangerous tactics or situation. "The rioting, protests and controversy continue to swirl around Ferguson (Missouri, where police officer Darren Wilson shot Michael Brown, an eighteen-year-old, unarmed black man in August 2014) this weekend, and you will no doubt be reading plenty of coverage from both sides about it. But in the background, a disturbing, larger national conversation has erupted out of the troubles in the St. Louis suburb." The police are forced to use force when the time comes because they are being threatened.” "The hot topic everywhere seems to be

The twentieth century brought with it many conflicts, such as both World Wars, the Great Depression, and civil unrest, the latter of which its effects can still be seen today. The Civil Rights Movement of the sixties, paved the way for more demonstrations during the last quarter of the twentieth century. One of the greatest of these demonstrations was the Los Angeles Riots (commonly known as the Rodney King Riots) of nineteen ninety two.

On March 3, 1991, Rodney King, a paroled felon from Los Angeles, led officers on a high-speed chase throughout Los Angeles County. Eventually, King stopped for the officers and surrendered. “Blacks, particularly young males, complained that they were often stopped by police and ‘proned out’--made to lie face down with legs and arms spread and palms up--for minor traffic violations or for no reason at all.” says Lou Cannon. (Cannon) After resisting arrest, four officers by the names of Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind and Theodore Briseno beat the unarmed King