Setting the Stage

In the 1940s, school segregation was legal all around the nation and discrimination was very prominent. The Supreme Court case Plessy v. Furguson justified segregation, saying it doesn’t go against the Constitution as long as their separate facilities were equal in quality making them "separate but equal". American citizens of many races had recently returned from World War II and questioned their country declaring them to be so free, yet treating people this way. Schools didn't just segregate African Americans, they segregated many different races keeping those children away from “more superior” whites.

Black students attend a segregated school in Siloam, Georgia, in October 1941

PHOTOGRAPH BY UNIVERSAL HISTORY ARCHIVE / UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP VIA GETTY IMAGES.

First Grade Class at Hoover School, 1944. Voiceofoc.org

Discrimination in the Area

During this time, the large Mexican-American population in Southern California faced harsh discrimination. Many were forced to repatriate back to Mexico during the Depression, even if they were native born citizens. States designated schools called Mexican schools, which didn't provide a good education. Mexican-Americans also suffered from harsh discrimination in finding jobs, fair wages, and housing. Young Mexican-Americans that called themselves Pachucos, were targeted as criminals and delinquints because of their atire known as zoot suits. American servicemen violently fought and rioted against these “criminal” zoot suiters just based off of their racist generalizations.

"He becomes an enemy of extreme danger to society"

Long Beach Independent (Long Beach, California) · Fri, Jun 11, 1943 · Page 14

"a minority group has special problems beyond the problems faced by all workers"

California Eagle (Los Angeles, California) · Thu, Sep 8, 1949 · Page 7

"Why not those of Mexican decent? They are treated as rare specimens"

Daily News (Los Angeles, California) · Fri, Jun 11, 1943 · Page 36

"discriminating against Mexican-Americans by refusing to sell them homes"

The San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, California) · Tue, Aug 30, 1949 · Page 13