HISTORY LESSONS
Following the acquittal of police officers for the brutal beating of Rodney King, as well as a light sentence for a Korean shopkeeper in the shooting death of Latasha Harlins, the LA riots began. From April 29 – May 4, 1992, South Central was beset by mass riots, looting, and fires. Over 11,000 people were arrested and an estimated 63 people were killed, including 10 by police. Tom Jennings, a local reporter at the time—and producer of the documentary ‘The Lost Tapes: LA Riots,’ premiering April 23rd on the Smithsonian Channel—writes about the legacy of the riots on their 25th anniversary.