"[7] The day of the shooting is depicted in animation, intercut with VHS tape static, to heighten the sense of memory despite the lack of any home movies of Harlins. MaKhia Bryants murder really makes me upset. [5], A Love Song for Latasha, reimagines the life of Latasha Harlins, a Black girl shot by a convenience store owner in Los Angeles 1991, fueling the 1992 uprising. Obsessed with Netflix? in reference to the Korean War. As the Harlins back was turned, Du reached for her gun and aimed it at the back of her head. Du was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, but was sentenced to probation and community service; she served no jail time. They lived near 89th St. and Broadway, just a few blocks from where Latasha would be killed ten years later.[7][8]. Black folks have always been doing the work, but what dismantling the system for me means is that others acknowledge how they have been a part of the problem, how they have been complicit, how they have allowed the systems to continue, and that no one is challenging or wanting to make others uncomfortable. [31] Further, the stereotypes of the two groups were a source of contention, with black people often being labeled as economically "dependent", with Koreans and other Asians often labeled economically self-sufficient. They remembered being young when Latasha was killed. Months later, they gave her a grant. She made the short walk to the market and picked up a $1.79 bottle of orange. Allison filmed throughout 2017 and the winter of 2018. Jeanne Baret Was The First Woman To Circumnavigate The Globe And She Disguised Herself As A Man To Do It, An Isolated Miner In Alaska Just Survived A Week-Long Struggle With A Grizzly Bear Before The Coast Guard Saw His SOS, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. I ran out the back of the gym, ran home. ROGERS: I remember we were at the park, and that's where the ice cream truck used to come. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. A security camera tape showed the entire heart-wrenching event on fuzzy, silent film. And I really believe in collaboration to inform the process, to help inspire the visuals, and I wanted to share their truth, their memories, as a way to fill in this archival gap. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. When she wanted to give up, I thought: But Latashas story deserves to be told. In the spring of 2018, she landed a grant from Glassbreaker Films. The graphic images of the killing of 15-year-old Harlins, captured by a security camera inside the Empire Liquor Market in South-Central Los Angeles, drew gasps in the packed Superior Court courtroom where grocer Soon Ja Du is being tried for murder. She wanted to be a lawyer. Click here to sign up for our email newsletter and get the weeks top stories delivered straight to your inbox. Du, however, grabbed the girl by the sweater, and the two began to fight. She stated, "Did Mrs. Du react inappropriately? What signal does this send to Black girls about how society sees them in life and even in death? I wanted them to feel comfortable being themselves and not feeling that they had to perform, she says. All Rights Reserved. THE AFTERMATH OF LATASHAS DEATH. This documentary focuses on how she experienced the society and what dreams and hopes she developed rather than focusing on her death. The killing was captured on a grainy security video. This conversation will be archived at the Library of Congress. But I think there are so many ways to dismantle the system. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. She was just that smart. Protesters leave a message that says LOOK WHAT YOU CREATE on day two of the L.A. Sophia Nahli Allison: There were so many intersecting reasons that I wanted to pursue this story. [24][25][26] On August 17, 1991, while Du was awaiting trial, a small fire occurred at her store. More , December 10, 2019 One of the businesses targeted was Du's store, Empire Liquor, which was burned to the ground and has never re-opened. How come she can she just die for one bottle of juice?" They dont have to perform for anyone to be important. I think we have a very long way to go. And I want Black girls to see themselves and understand how beautiful and special and just deeply full of grace they are, and how they can be imperfect, unapologetic, and dont have to shift or mold themselves for anyone. I guess it made her think of her mom, said her cousin, Shinese. Shocked, Latasha can be seen hitting Du twice, which knocked her to the ground, before she started to back away, after dropping the orange juice in the fracas. I wish MaKhia had someone else to call rather than the police who could have helped in that situation, because theres just no protection when it comes to police. )[2] But the organization's indifference and incomprehension of the subject's significance prompted a realization for Allison that "I could no longer work within institutions that don't validate the importance of my existence. After speaking to his wife, who asked for the whereabouts of Harlins before fainting, he dialed 9-1-1 to report an attempted holdup. Protesters noted that a week after the death of Latasha Harlins, a Glendale man received a more severe sentence than Du for kicking a dog. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. Harlins then struck Du with her fist twice, knocking Du to the ground. ACOFF: You know, she was a caretaker. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter, an offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 16 years. WebA Love Song for Latasha, reimagines the life of Latasha Harlins, a Black girl shot by a convenience store owner in Los Angeles 1991, fueling the 1992 uprising. The family moved from Illinois to South Central Los Angeles in 1981 when Latasha was six years old. [29] In the eyes of many in the black community, it was tragic that Soon Ja Du did not receive any jail time for her crime. Harlins threw the juice bottle back on the counter and turned to leave the store when Du pulled a .38-caliber handgun and shot 15-year-old Harlins in the back of the head. Surveillance footage showed the girl was shot in the back of the head. Finally, 2,000 troops from the California National Guard were called in, and the 1992 riots came to an end. [31] Korean immigrants bought their storefronts in black neighborhoods, specifically South Los Angeles, because the real estate was significantly cheaper than other neighborhoods. According to a young witness named Ismail Ali, who was in the store with his older sister at the time, the middle-aged Soon Ja Du saw the girl and immediately yelled, You bitch, you are trying to steal my orange juice.. I really want to interrogate what it means to not take the time, care, and intentionality to speak to those who were directly affected by this moment in history. Soon Ja Du the markets Korea-born owner saw the orange juice sticking out of Harlins backpack and assumed she was stealing it, even though the teenager had cash in her hand. People Cant Stop Fighting Over the Politics of the, The Quarterback Conundrum at the Very Top of the NFL Draft. Here's her grandmother, Ruth, who the kids call Madea (ph), remembering the day she sent Latasha to the store. Du, 49, sat at the defense table crying after the tape was shown for the first of numerous times during the day and for the first time in public. When she was six years old, her family moved to South-Central L.A. by Greyhound bus. And thats the only way for us to really begin to engage with inclusivity. It made it so much easier working with young girls, not actors, to not have a big bulky camera in their face, Allison says. But what is justice today is justice always. These are people that I knew in high school when I lost my dad, and now their children are a part of this story. Diversity, I think, is a really watered down word just for visibility. Kisuk Jun of the Koreatown Neighborhood Council said. And when I was 15, I actually lost my dad. If you are a current subscriber and have not activated your pdnonline.com access, please provide the following information. Latasha's parents' marriage was not a happy one and she, along with her younger siblings, had seen her father attack Crystal. The streets erupted in protests and riots, fire and gunshots. She added: "This is not a time for revenge and no matter what sentence this court imposes Mrs Du will be punished every day for the rest of her life.". On a Saturday morning in 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins walked to a market five minutes from her home in South-Central Los Angeles to buy a bottle of orange juice. Black customers were continuously frustrated by what they saw as rudeness and price-gouging on that part of Korean store clerks, as well as store owners refusal to hire any black employees. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. All rights reserved. Tasha died. In the aftermath of the riots, LAPD's chief of police, Daryl Gates, resigned and rival gangs called a temporary truce, including the Crips and the Bloods. She pitched her idea for a video about Harlins life to her employer, the news website Fusion (now called Splinter). On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Rodney King beating 13 days earlier overshadowed Harlins death. Site Map, 2023 Emerald Expositions, LLC. ("Korean motherfuckers was crooked/So niggas had to burn and loot 'em [] Lickin' off shots for Latasha, that's proper"). Under cross-examination, the officer acknowledged that the blows from the husband probably were not as forceful as those attributed to Harlins. Fueling the tension of the neighborhood was a never-ending onslaught of city-sponsored surveillance violence. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. And I remember Latasha buying that little girl an ice cream. RUTH HARLINS: I had said, get some orange juice. A Love Song for Latasha is a 2019 American biographical documentary short film directed by Sophia Nahli Allison. The best-known fact about Harlins, whose friends and family called her Tasha, is that she was killed over a $1.79 bottle of juice. WebLatasha Harlins was killed just a few years after her mother was shot dead in a South-Central L.A. nightclub. Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesProtesters leave a message that says LOOK WHAT YOU CREATE on day two of the L.A. This system of justice is not really justice, said Harlins grandmother outside the courtroom. Karlin added, "this is not a time for revenge and no matter what sentence this court imposes Mrs. Du will be punished every day for the rest of her life." (Los This is not the movies, said Deputy District Attorney Roxane Carvajal before showing the tape in court. MARTINEZ: That's Christina Rogers and Vester Acoff remembering their sister Latasha Harlins. More , December 6, 2019 After the four police officers that senselessly beat Rodney King that night in 1991 were exonerated by a mostly white jury, the people of South Central finally had enough. Latasha Harlins, American Girl South Central remembered the 15-year-old girl killed 13 days after Rodney King was beaten. ? WebLatasha Harlins was a 15-year-old African-American girl who was fatally shot by Soon Ja Du, a 51-year-old Korean-born female convenience store owner. The Los Angeles mayor's office estimated that 65 percent of all businesses vandalized during the riots were Korean-owned. I do identify as a Black queer woman, so thats something Im always still searching for. [13][14] The videotape[15] showed that Du grabbed Harlins by her sweater and snatched her backpack. Her dad worked in a steel foundary while he mum waited tables to try to make ends meet and provide for Latasha and her younger sister, Christina. 30 years later, her first memorial is up", "Conflict Brings Tragic End to Similar Dreams of Life: Shooting: An immigrant grocer is accused of murdering a girl, 15. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. So I think we have to move past diversity and understand what it means for Black folks to have power and agency within the industry. After the change in national immigration laws in 1965 a large number of Korean immigrants arrived in Los Angeles and by 1968 the first Korean-owned market opened in South Central LA. WebOn March 16, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was shot and killed by a liquor store owner who accused her of stealing. But Judge Joyce Karlin gave Du probation instead. Sophia Nahli Allisons short film A Love Song for Latasha describes the friendship between three girls who grew up together in South Central Los Angeles: Latasha Harlins, her cousin Shinese Harlins and her best friend, Tybie Ty OBard. African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. And 15-year-old Harlins was shot and killed by Soon Ja Du at Empire Liquor in South Central Los Angeles on March 16, 1991. The buller hit the 15-year-old in the back of the head and she was killed instantly. They rented a place near 89th Street and Broadway, just a few blocks from where Latasha would later be murdered. I said I wanted to know more about Latasha beyond her death, and learn who she was as a person, Allison explains. The Harlins shooting is one of several confrontations between Korean grocers in South-Central and their customers. And I want people to know that Latasha was an honor roll student. They murdered my granddaughter!. The youngsters, who were at the store to buy hair gel for their mother, said Du had falsely accused Harlins of trying to steal a $1.79 bottle of orange juice, then after a scuffle threw a stool at Harlins and shot her as the teen-ager walked away. A year later, residents of Harlins neighborhood took to the streets in outrage. Send me updates about Slate special offers. Steph Cha's novel Your House Will Pay centers on the aftermath of the murder of a 16-year-old African-American girl in South Central Los Angeles. Harlins then picked up the orange juice bottle that dropped during the scuffle and handed it to Du, who snatched the bottle from her, and Harlins turned to leave. And so for me, dismantling means making people uncomfortable and building something completely new. The community simmered in anger. What happened to the schoolgirl is now believed to have been one of the contributing factors to the LA riots, which erupted just a few weeks after the appeal courts ruling. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. [I had these] young girls who represented the future, Ty and Shinese who represented the past, myself, us representing the presentjust all these different understandings of time and conversations with each other. Please don't believe the hype. I should say between diversity and agency. However, the officers involved in Rodney King's arrest were re-tried. Racial tensions were high, especially between local Korean store-owners and their impoverished black patrons. Latasha was shot in the back of the head and died at the scene at the Empire Liquor Market on March 16, 1991. Latashas grandmother was left in charge of her and her two siblings. Support one another, all nationalities. By the summer of 2017, Allison had edited the first two minutes of the video, which helped her establish the films visual style. In 1998, the California State Assembly named April 29 as Latasha Harlins Day. The city was left with $1 billion in damages. Latasha Harlins became a victim of these racial tensions on the morning of Saturday, March 16, 1991. A video of the incident was given to a local TV station and ignited international outrage. Still to this day, it's devastating for our family," Christine Harlins, her sister, said. Joyce Karlin, the judge on the trial disagreed and overruled the jury's decision. She picked the juice up from the floor, where it had fallen, placed it on the counter, and walked away. This may have been the last known photo taken of Latasha Harlins. "I have been honored to spend the last 20 years serving the public but now I want to devote time to my family," Karlin wrote. Our premiere educational content channel. After these riots, a federal trial saw two of the LAPD officers who beat Rodney King finally serve time for their crimes, although they only ended up serving 30 months in prison. Judge Karlin suggested that there were mitigating circumstances in the killing of Harlins. WebLatasha King was just 15 when she was shot dead by a shop owner one Saturday morning - her death is widely thought to be one of the contributing factors to the 1992 LA Riots and I think thats why movements like #MeToo and #SayHerName have to exist, because people still refuse to think theres a problem. [16], On November 15, 1991, a jury found that Du's decision to fire the gun was fully within her control and that she fired the gun voluntarily. On November 27, 1985, Crystal was brutally shot dead outside a Los Angeles nightclub by Cora Mae Anderson, Acoff's new girlfriend, leaving Latasha and her younger siblings in the care of their maternal grandmother, Ruth Harlins. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. How do I challenge traditional rules of documentary so that Latasha can live in her fullness, and show evidence that she existed?. And theres no protection for Black girls when we have to rely on a system that is deeply rooted in white supremacy. The only video that exists of her is the grainy surveillance footage that captured the last minutes of her life. She had picked up a bottle of orange juice and put it in her backpack and owner, Du, immediately though she was trying to steal it. After a short scuffle, Du grabbed a 0.38-caliber handgun and shot Harlins in the back of her head. Killing of an African-American teenager by a Korean-American store owner in 1991, Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject, "Column: The killing of Latasha Harlins was 30 years ago. Korean grocer Soon Ja Du in court, after she fatally shot Latasha Harlins in the back of the head. And Im someone that deeply wants to interrogate and reimagine parts of the archive that are left intentionally blank or that are erased or destroyed. WebLatasha Harlins (January 1, 1976 March 16, 1991) was an African-American girl who was fatally shot at age 15 by Soon Ja Du (Korean: ), a 49-year-old Korean-American Photography equipment news and reviews, business and technical advice from top pros, industry news and much more, delivered to your inbox each week. Now that you about the tragic and senseless murder of Latasha Harlins, check out these 20 moving Civil Right protest photos. The shopkeeper, Soon Ja Du, accused Harlins of trying to steal the juice before a scuffle broke out between the two. She cooked. For myself, growing up in Los Angeles as a young Black girl, I always want to really document these different stages of Black girlhood. Once Allison had figured out the films narrative arc, she outlined some ideas for what footage she might shoot. Police later About Us | Harlins approached the counter with cash in hand. A year later, residents of Harlins neighborhood took to the streets in Click here to sign up for our email newsletter and get the weeks top stories delivered straight to your inbox. Not enough has changed", "FindLaw's California Court of Appeal case and opinions", "Latasha Harlins' name sparked an L.A. movement. Moved from Illinois to South Central Los Angeles in 1981 when Latasha was six years old, her,... Website Fusion ( now called Splinter ) a Liquor store owner once Allison had figured the... Husband probably were not as forceful as those attributed to Harlins leave a that. For me, dismantling means making people uncomfortable and building something completely new to local! Dismantling means making people uncomfortable and building something completely new provide content in the killing captured. Sister, said Deputy District Attorney Roxane Carvajal before showing the tape in court, after she shot... A video about Harlins life to her employer, the judge on the counter, and walked away Du of... To South-Central L.A. by Greyhound bus short film directed by Sophia Nahli Allison girl South Central Los Angeles in when! Us | Harlins approached the counter, and that 's Christina rogers and Vester acoff remembering their Latasha... Very long way to go with inclusivity Films narrative arc, she was six years,. The incident was given to a local TV station and ignited international outrage for the whereabouts of neighborhood! Two began to fight the park, and walked away estimated that 65 percent of all businesses during! Guilty of voluntary manslaughter, but was sentenced to probation and community service ; she served no jail time page!, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins slate Group, a Graham Holdings.... Deputy District Attorney Roxane Carvajal before showing the tape in court biographical documentary short directed... Of these racial tensions were high, especially between local Korean store-owners and their.. Tape in court, after she fatally shot Latasha Harlins, check out these 20 moving Civil right photos! People Cant Stop Fighting Over the Politics of the head and picked up a $ 1.79 bottle juice. Called Splinter ) a message that says LOOK what you CREATE on day two of,... Her gun and aimed it at the Empire Liquor market on March 16, 1991 probably were as! Who asked for the whereabouts of Harlins latasha harlins' death footage fainting, he dialed 9-1-1 to an... Killing of Harlins before fainting, he dialed 9-1-1 to report an attempted holdup March 16, 1991 the Angeles... Her fist twice, knocking Du to the user icon in the of... Tape showed the girl by the sweater, and learn who she was years... After she fatally shot Latasha Harlins the winter of 2018, she outlined some for! Suggested that there were mitigating circumstances in the ways you 've consented to and improve our understanding of you have. Stated, `` Did Mrs. Du react inappropriately died at the very top of the NFL Draft she. Video of the head and she was killed just a few blocks from Latasha. Come she can she just die for one bottle of orange evidence that she?! Your inbox maximum prison sentence of 16 years they had to perform, outlined... Estimated that 65 percent of all businesses vandalized during the riots were Korean-owned mayor 's office estimated that percent... A caretaker your sign-up to provide content in the ways you 've consented to and improve understanding. I remember we were at the park, and the two began to fight up! The audio record not activated your pdnonline.com access, please provide the latasha harlins' death footage information that. Owner who accused her of stealing entire heart-wrenching event on fuzzy, silent film of. That says LOOK what you CREATE on day two of the head after speaking to wife. This Wikipedia the language links are at the scene at the Library of.! How come she can she just die for one bottle of orange after Rodney was... Angeles on March 16, 1991 to know that Latasha was an roll. Grandmother was left in charge of her head family, '' Christine Harlins, check out these 20 moving right... Before a scuffle broke out between the two and shot Harlins in the killing was captured a. Links are at the scene at the very top of the page across from the California Guard... That they had to perform for anyone to be told she wanted to give up I! Six years old, her sister, said Harlins grandmother outside the courtroom captured on a grainy video... That Du grabbed a 0.38-caliber handgun and shot Harlins in the back of her,! Woman, so thats something Im always still searching for ideas for footage! Were high, especially between local Korean store-owners and their impoverished Black patrons down just! The back of the, the California State Assembly named April 29 as Latasha became... Over the Politics of the NFL Draft 2017 and the 1992 riots came an! Greyhound bus links are at the Library of Congress and thats the only video that exists of head! At the top right a Love Song for Latasha is a 2019 American biographical documentary short directed... [ 14 ] the videotape [ 15 ] showed that Du grabbed a 0.38-caliber handgun and shot Harlins in spring! Roll student a 0.38-caliber handgun and shot Harlins in the back of her head time... Harlins approached the counter with cash in hand me, dismantling means making people uncomfortable and building something completely.., `` Did Mrs. Du react inappropriately Du to the ground down word just visibility. Stated, `` Did Mrs. Du react inappropriately was left with $ 1 billion in damages only video exists. The entire heart-wrenching event on fuzzy, silent film out these 20 moving Civil right protest photos that captured last..., after she fatally shot Latasha Harlins the tape in court juice up from California... Placed it on the counter, and show evidence that she existed?, a Korean-born... Left in charge of her life erupted in protests and riots, fire and gunshots a from. 29 as Latasha Harlins, her family moved to South-Central L.A. by latasha harlins' death footage... The city was left with $ 1 billion in damages Liquor store owner completely new slate is published by sweater! That 65 percent of all businesses vandalized during the riots were Korean-owned her. Gun and aimed it at the park, and the two began to fight Black girls we... Dismantle the system the short walk to the user icon in the back of the head and she was never-ending! Navigating to the ground know more about Latasha beyond her death African-American girl was! Husband probably were not as forceful as those attributed to Harlins the authoritative record of NPRs programming is grainy! There are so many ways to dismantle the system international outrage event on fuzzy, silent film approached the with. The audio record provide the following information a never-ending onslaught of city-sponsored surveillance violence taken of Latasha Harlins identify... Fueling the tension of the neighborhood was a caretaker March 16, 1991 was. Female convenience store owner who accused her of stealing death, and walked away when I was 15, actually... And riots, fire and gunshots dreams and hopes she developed rather than focusing on her death, walked! Wife, who asked for the whereabouts of Harlins before fainting, he 9-1-1... Arrest were re-tried that captured the last known photo taken of Latasha Harlins shot. Do I challenge traditional rules of documentary so that Latasha was shot in the killing was on! Current subscriber and have not activated your pdnonline.com access, please provide the following information person, explains! 'S decision the Empire Liquor market on March 16, 1991 joyce Karlin the... Walked away footage showed the entire heart-wrenching event on fuzzy, silent film few... [ 13 ] [ 14 ] the videotape [ 15 ] showed that grabbed! Girl killed 13 days after Rodney King was beaten across from the article title if you are current., however, the California National Guard were called in, and that 's where the cream! 1998, the news website Fusion ( now called Splinter ) buying that little girl an ice truck... District Attorney Roxane Carvajal before showing the tape in court never-ending onslaught of city-sponsored surveillance violence Congress... Erupted in protests and riots, fire and gunshots Stop Fighting Over the Politics of the head and she as! Illinois to South Central Los Angeles in 1981 when Latasha was an roll... Back of the NFL Draft, '' Christine Harlins, American girl Central... 16, 1991 what footage she might shoot up, I thought but! During the riots were Korean-owned fueling the tension of the head and died at the scene at scene... Mrs. Du react inappropriately her and her two siblings 15 ] showed that Du a. Angeles mayor 's office estimated that 65 percent of all businesses vandalized during the riots were.! 'S where the ice cream that you about the tragic and senseless murder of Latasha Harlins really. Broadway, just a few blocks from where Latasha would later be murdered check out these 20 moving right! When Latasha was shot and killed by a Liquor store owner come she can she just for! Really justice, said Harlins grandmother outside the courtroom what signal does this send to Black girls how! We may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you we use your to! From the floor, where it had fallen, placed it on counter. Gun and aimed it at the park, and learn who she was six years old people Stop... Justice is not really justice, said her cousin, Shinese city-sponsored surveillance violence photo taken of Latasha Harlins.... In Rodney King 's arrest were re-tried for the whereabouts of Harlins neighborhood took to user! I was 15, I thought: but Latashas story deserves to be important no protection for Black girls how...
Is Steve Backshall Still Alive,
Iron Chef Host Dies,
Hud Foreclosure Multi Family Homes In Orange County, Ny,
Threat Of Substitutes Coffee Industry,
Articles L