The state of California has always been famous for its ethnic and cultural diversity. However, various groups and nations have never been treated fairly and respectfully enough. As mentioned by Starr:
“American California was founded on racial distinctions and repressions: the disenfranchisement of black and Asians, the aggression against Mexican land titles”.
In addition, the immigration of various oppressed nations, such as Armenians, Jews, and Koreans, to the U.S. caused a high increase in the population of refugees in Los Angeles. Therefore, racial differences and immigration slowly contributed to the emergence of societal conflict in California.
The Watts and the Los Angeles riots that happened at the end of the 20th century serve as perfect examples of race dynamics and relations in California. The Watts riots started after police arrested a black man for driving under the influence. As a result of five days of rioting and fighting, around 35 bodies ended up in a morgue, and approximately a thousand individuals were injured. The Los Angeles riots were connected to a similar accident — a black person was beaten severely by the police, which provoked an immediate response from the population. Both of these situations proved that even near the beginning of the 21st-century race was still a severe issue in American society. Racial groups were in a state of constant conflict, which also contributed to economic and political tensions in the U.S.
One of the measures that could be undertaken to diffuse these tensions is educating the population both about race and the negative consequences that can be brought by conflicts between the groups. If people were more aware of the differences and histories of nations, they would be more tolerant of each other. Thus, teaching individuals to treat everyone equally without paying attention to their skin color could be beneficial during that time.