Ethnic Studies Pachucos Are Mexican-American Youth, Who

Ethnic Studies

Pachucos are Mexican-American youth, who are generally ages of thirteen to twenty-two who belonged to juvenile gangs between 1930s to the 1950s.they, developed their own subculture during this period and were located in the southwestern United States. They were generally referred to as zoot- suites by mainstream media due to the distinctive clothes that they wore. It is speculated that the origin of Pachuquismo as it being connected to Pachucos and Spanish gypsies, between Pachucos and lower class mixed blood soldiers and civilians who had settled the Borderlands during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Mostly they were associated with the social dislocation that was associated with rapid process of urbanization that was experienced by Mexican-Americans during 1930s through the mid twentieth century. During the era of 1930s and 1950s, the Pachuco youths in urban Texas were known for their style of dress, idioms of speech and countercultural activities .accessories to the Pachuco look was inclusive of hair that was groomed into ducktails that was kept down with pomade, they had tattoos on their arms and hands and a concealed weapon like a knife (Leon, A.D. 2012).

Due to their double-marginalization stemming from these youth and the ethnicity, there was a close association of Pachuco subculture and gang subculture. Many members of the dominant Anglo culture therefore assumed that anyone dressed in the Pachuco style was a gang member. They were generally viewed as criminals as seen in the way they conducted themselves. They were engaged in criminal behaviors such as gang rivalry, harassment of Mexican and Anglo-American citizens, vandalism and killings. They organized riots that were labeled Zoot-suit Riots which had Los Angeles as their setting in 1943 (Leon, A.D. 2012). they emerged due to youth hostility towards the traditions of the older generation, racism against Mexican-Americans, spread of drugs into Mexican-American enclaves and the process of Americanism gone awry. With the zoo-suite style prevailing among the American youth at large which was at the era of the World War 2 there was an increase in juvenile delinquency. First because they were widely known for their juvenile records though however some of those juveniles were more than just imitators who dressed in the Pachuco dress of the day or sought to emulate the Pachuco's antiestablishment attitude. They were known for their series of riots that erupted in Los Angeles, California during World War 2 between sailors and soldiers stationed in the city and Pachucos gangs that fostered the idea of gang membership and gang activity. They were known for these riots that were racially charged. Their style was hence associated with gang membership, gang activity and violence as well as unpatriotic behavior and promiscuity.