Twenty years ago today, four police officers were acquitted on all charges in the beating of black motorist Rodney King, and Los Angeles was soon on fire. After three days of some of the worst race riots America had ever seen, 55 people were dead, 2,325 people reported injuries, 1,573 buildings had been damaged or destroyed, and the total cost of the riots was estimated at $1 billion.
This past week, news outlets from across Los Angeles County have commemorated the 20th anniversary milestone with scores of pieces that range from a celebration of how far the city has come since the riots to questions about the economic woes still plaguing South LA.
At HuffPost Los Angeles, we published a round up of the most shocking videos from the LA Riots, as well as a story about how community recording has empowered victims and changed policing for the better.
We also took a look at how the LA riots have impacted Los Angeles culture. We compiled 10 references to the riots in pop culture and took a look at VH1's upcoming rock doc, "Uprising: Hip Hop & the LA Riots," about the connection between rap music and rage among South Central residents.
On the blogs, KoreAm writer Alex Ko celebrated the resurrection of Koreatown but confessed that he still can't bear to return to parts of town where his parents' businesses once stood. Marqueece Harris-Dawson, president of Community Coalition in South LA, called attention to the fact that the median income for black and latino families in the area has decreased since 1990. Author Earl Ofari Hutchinson wrote about the tremendous strides that the Los Angeles Police Department has taken since the riots, and journalist Leslie Griffith blamed the overhead newscopters, in part, for fanning the flames of rioters and giving them an audience for which to perform.
On that note, stay tuned Monday for our interview with Bob Tur and Marika Gerrard, the then-husband and wife team who captured unforgettable footage of the riots, including the beating of white truck driver Reginald Denny, from their helicopter.
For now, here's a round up of some of the coverage that caught our eye as we looked back on the LA riots this week.
RETURNING TO RODNEY KING:
- Rodney King is happy. This interview with the Associated Press details the ups and downs his life has taken since the beating and verdict. From reality TV star to record company executive to boxing match promoter, King says, "This part of my life is the easy part now."
REGINALD DENNY, RECLUSE: In the years since his 1992 beating at the hands of four South Central residents on Florence and Normandie avenues, Denny has withdrawn from the spotlight to live a quiet life in Arizona. He refuses all media interviews, but that hasn't stopped others from reflecting on his assault.
- Titus Murphy tells about why he and his girlfriend decided to get up off their couch and help Reginald Denny, a stranger. It's just one part of Los Angeles magazine's coverage of the LA Riots, which includes a timeline, rare courtroom sketches of the Rodney King trial and a KCRW playlist.
COVERING THE RIOTS:
- Call transcripts and audio recordings reveal the pivotal role radio station KJLH played as a community connector throughout the riots. The station, which usually played R&B and soul, halted all music programming and commercials in order to take calls from residents caught up in the riots, and they eventually won a Peabody award for their coverage. Read about it on The Huffington Post.
HOW HAS LA EVOLVED SINCE THE RIOTS?
- Angelenos have a variety of ways to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the LA riots. CBS2 has a list of all the activities and events happening Sunday.
Related
Before You Go
