LANDMARK MOVEMENTS AND MOMENTS
Sa I Gu: Los Angeles 1992
Is the 1992 Los Angeles civil unrest relevant to today and has there been progress since?
Chapter objectives
- Learn about the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising, the key events leading up to the civil unrest, and its effect on the Korean American community of Los Angeles.
- Understand how historical systemic issues and the media’s portrayal of race relations contributed to the civil unrest.
- Explore how both Black and Korean American communities have faced injustice and have worked to build solidarity with each other.
On April 29, 1992, the Los Angeles Uprising erupted over the jury decision that found four police officers not guilty for beating Rodney King, an unarmed Black man. Over the six days of civil unrest, a total of sixty-three people died. Properties in Koreatown were disproportionately damaged with 2,300 Korean-owned businesses destroyed. The police failed to protect Koreatown, leaving the immigrant community to fend for themselves. This devastating moment in Korean American history is remembered as “Sa I Gu” or “4-2-9” in Korean. There were many factors that contributed to the racial tensions between Black and Korean Americans that started long before the jury decision was announced. This chapter explores the full history of Sa I Gu, including the history of racial segregation in Los Angeles and the murder of Latasha Harlins, both of which are deeply connected to the violence that transpired during the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising.
Modules in this chapter
“Los Angeles On Edge”
Latasha Harlins and Soon Ja Du
Rodney King: A Story of Justice, Race and Unrest
“Flashpoints: from Florence and Normandie to Koreatown”
“Can We All Get Along?”
Epilogue: The Birth of Korean America and the Future
“Los Angeles On Edge”
Latasha Harlins and Soon Ja Du
Rodney King: A Story of Justice, Race and Unrest
“Flashpoints: from Florence and Normandie to Koreatown”
“Can We All Get Along?”
Epilogue: The Birth of Korean America and the Future
Chapter Sources
Yoo, Paula. Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire. Norton Young Readers, 2024.
