Rodney King and the L.A. Riots

This title examines an important historic event—the police beating of Rodney King in 1991 and the riots in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Easy-to-read, compelling text explores the events of March 3, 1991, when a high-speed car chase ended in King’s beating, the significance of the video tape of the beating, the officers’ trials, and the riots that followed their acquittal in May 1992. Key to the discussion is an examination of the racial context of the riots, including preexisting racia...