Today is the 20th anniversary of the beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles -- a brutal event that would lead to rioting in the city, and have a lasting impact on race relations in America.
The beating, which came after a drunken King was stopped in his car by police, was captured on video, and shown over and over on television. (This was before the Internet brought videos to every cell phone, kids. Imagine how much impact it would have had today, with near-instantaneous dispatch around the nation.) In April, 1992, after four white police officers were acquitted of beating King, a black man, parts of L.A. burned. He later won a multimillion-dollar civil award. If you want to read more about the beating and its impact, here are some suggestions:
-- "Understanding the Riots: Los Angeles Before and After the Rodney King Case" by the staff of the Los Angeles Times.
-- "Presumed Guilty: The Tragedy of the Rodney King Affair" by Stacey Koon.