Outfit of Outrage: The Story of the Zoot Suit Riots For Teens

Baggy pants. Wide-brim hats. Chain-draped jackets. In 1940s Los Angeles, a bold fashion statement turned into a political flashpoint-and sparked one of the most explosive clashes of race, identity, and power in American history. This gripping nonfiction book dives deep into the Zoot Suit Riots, a moment when young people of color-especially Mexican American teens-became targets of violence for the way they dressed and the pride they showed in who they were. Sailors roamed the streets attacking anyone in a zoot suit, and newspapers fueled the fire with slanted headlines. But beyond the fights were powerful stories: zoot suiters who refused to be invisible, women who spoke out and stood strong, and communities that pushed back even when no one was listening. Perfect for readers who care about justice, culture, and reclaiming forgotten history, this book shows how fashion can become resistance-and how youth voices, no matter the decade, have always mattered. Through true stories, personal accounts, and a lens on both the past and present, it challenges readers to ask tough questions about identity, belonging, and who gets to define what it means to be American. History isn't just in textbooks. Sometimes, it's sewn into the seams.