Anna Deavere Smith Reflects on Rodney King and L.A. Riots, 20 Years Later
On April 29, 1992, nearly 20 years ago, an all-white jury acquitted four white Los Angeles police officers in the case of Rodney King, a black motorist who suffered severe injuries after a brutal beating from the LAPD. South Los Angeles promptly exploded into riots that lasted six days, leaving more than 50 people dead, thousands injured, and $1 billion in damage. Anna Deavere Smith is an playwright, actress and a…