CA ACR84 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session

California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 84, The 80th Anniversary of the Zoot Suit Riots, states in part: "WHEREAS, The next day, the Los Angeles City Council passed a resolution that banned the wearing of zoot suits on the City of Los Angeles streets..." The media (including History Channel, Encyclopedia Britannica and Daily News), politicians (California Assembly Member Wendy Carrillo, California Senator Maria Durazo, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, Los Angeles City Council Member Kevin de Leon and Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council President Jonathan Echavarria) and others contend that Zoot Suits were banned, in one form or another, by the Los Angeles City Council in 1943. Some historias claim that the ban was passed in the middle of the night. Others claim that an actual law was passed banning Zoot Suits and that this law is on the books today. Still others say that although an actual law was not passed, a resolution was passed that was pretty much the same thing as a law. Or, that the resolution was never passed but even debating such a resolution was indicative of racism by the Los Angeles City Council as a whole. None of this is true. On Wednesday, June 9, 1943 the Los Angeles City Council met at 10 o'clock in the morning to discuss more than two dozen items. Thirteen of the 14 council members were present at the beginning of the meeting. Just before presentation of the final item, two councilmen were excused from the meeting, leaving 11 members to discuss the final item: a report and resolution submitted by the Police and Fire Committee (apparently consisting of councilmen Nelson and Gay--and the three missing councilmen). The Committee recommended adoption of a resolution instructing the City Attorney to "...prepare an ordinance declaring [Zoot Suits] a nuisance and prohibit the wearing of Zoot Suits with reet pleats within the City limits of Los Angeles." Committee member Nelson moved, and member Gay seconded, that the resolution be adopted by the City Council. However, the Council never attempted a vote on the proposed resolution. Instead, Councilman Baumgartner moved, and Councilman Burns seconded, a substitute motion which was adopted by the City Council with a unanimous vote. The substitute motion did not approve any resolution or any law banning Zoot Suits. Rather, it referred the proposed resolution to the Board of Police Commissioners with a request that the Police Commission review the proposed resolution and report back to the City Council with their advice on whether a Zoot Suit ban or other legislation was necessary. Apparently, the Police Commission was not in favor of banning Zoot Suits, as no such advice was ever presented by the Commission to the City Council. Also, it seems that the City Council (with the exception of two of its 14 members) was not in favor of a ban, as no such ban was ever voted on and no such ordinance was ever drafted by the City Attorney or passed into law. Despite the claims by certain media, politicians and radicalized historians that a non-existent Zoot Suit ban is evidence of white racism, this action by the Los Angeles City Council in 1943 is an example of cooler heads prevailing during a very difficult and divisive period of time. The California Assembly and Senate would do well to follow the example of the 1943 Los Angeles City Council and the Police Commission by repudiating an inaccurate, divisive and racist resolution proposed by California Assembly Member Wendy Carrillo and California Senator Maria Durazo and drafting a substitute resolution that is accurate, unifying and multicultural. Reference to Original Source Document of 1943: LA City Clerk Archived Digital Vault https://clkrep.lacity.org/oldcfidocs/ Click on "Council Minutes Archive" tab Search Keyword "zoot" Click on File Name "9061943" Scroll to item No. 15079 on pages 10 and 11