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Lesson Plan, Video, Article, Activity :

Lesson Plan, Video, Article, Activity The 1992 L.A. Civil Unrest

  • Grade Level 3rd-12th Grade
  • Time Period 1990 - 2009
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Introduction

Sparked off by the acquittal of four officers in the Rodney King police brutality case, the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest took place over several days and led to rioting and destruction of the city. The unrest represented a boiling point of underlying issues including systemic racism, police brutality, failure of the criminal justice system, economic disparities between communities of color, and racial tensions. The perceived racial tensions between Korean and Black Americans, further complicated by the shooting of Latasha Harlins by a Korean storeowner, led to some targeting of Korean American neighborhoods/businesses for violence and looting. Students will explore the history, conditions, and tensions that led to the 1992 civil unrest in L.A.

Objectives

  • Students will investigate the root causes and factors that led to the 1992 L.A. Civil Unrest, such as the Rodney King case, which stem from systemic racism.
  • Students will learn about what happened during the civil unrest, and how it affected Korean Americans and their relations with Black Americans.
  • Students will research cases of police brutality and civil unrest that have occurred since the 1992 L.A. Civil Unrest.

Essential Questions

  • What are some causes of civil unrest? What causes contributed to the 1992 L.A. Civil Unrest?

  • How might civil unrest affect communities without access to financial or social support in particular?

  • How did mainstream media play a role in increasing tensions between Koreans and Black people?

  • What similarities do recent instances of civil unrest have with the 1992 L.A Civil Unrest?

  • Has the situation changed since 1992 between police and Black men? Why? What needs to be done?

  • Have the root causes changed?