D7 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

D7 - Assignment Example Likewise, the war that ensued in 1941 caused â€Å"white men went off to fight in a segregated military, and women and people of color filled the jobs in the defense industry previously reserved for white males† (American Experience: People & Events par. 3). Concurrently, a group of Mexican Americans who became enthusiastic in jazz began to don zoot suits, originally defined as â€Å"an African American youth fashion, closely connected to jazz culture, the zoot suit was co-opted by a generation of Mexican American kids, who made it their own† (American Experience: Zoot Suit Culture par. 1). When military servicemen drove by the thousands in Los Angeles, seen as a leisure spot as a playground for drinking, womanizing and engaging in fight, civilians detested the behavior and stirred tensions between servicemen and Mexican Americans. The constant tension between these groups over Mexican American girls provided the impetus for the Zoot Suit Riots that took place for more than one week in June of 1943 (American Experience: People & Events par. 8; Star xxiv; American Express:The Press and the Riot). The United Farmworkers Union (UFW) was primarily envisioned as an organization to reclaim â€Å"dignity for people who were marginalized by society† (Tejada-Flores, CEZAR CHAVEZ). Eventually, the UFW was reported to have evolved as a political force spurred from growing awareness of the need for Mexican Americans to participate in deciding on economic issues, electoral activity and cultural enhancement. This organization was presided by Cesar Chavez who was also instrumental in winning the battle for the farmers’ rights. However, setbacks from these victories cased the UFW to strike, to wit: â€Å"the UFW responded with strikes that led to the jailing of thousands. Many strikers were injured by violent attacks on the picket lines, and two were killed in dreveby shootings and attacks.. But the â€Å"inter-union† battle had left the public confused and made