Skinheads
Skinheads are groups often associated with white supremacist ideologies, originating in England during the 1970s. The movement initially comprised primarily young, white, working-class men who were influenced by punk culture and neo-Nazi beliefs. Characteristically, skinheads are known for their shaved heads, distinctive fashion involving steel-toed boots and bomber jackets, and a fondness for "Oi!" music—a genre that frequently embodies racist themes.
In the United States, the skinhead movement took root in the early 1980s, mirroring British counterparts in appearance and ideology. Members typically hold strong anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQIA+, and anti-minority views, often leading to acts of violence including hate crimes and assaults. Some skinhead groups have attempted to organize more formally, collaborating with other white supremacist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan. Despite the establishment of hate crime laws in response to their activities, the effectiveness of these laws in curbing skinhead violence remains uncertain. Over time, the skinhead culture has diversified into various subgroups, each with distinct beliefs and activities, from opposing racial inclusivity to aligning with political movements focused on working-class issues.
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Skinheads
Skinheads are loosely organized groups of white supremacists. Compared with other white supremacist groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan, skinheads tend to be younger, more violent, and more concentrated in urban areas.
Skinheads originated in England in the 1970s. The original skinheads were mostly young, White, working-class men. They were influenced heavily by punk culture as well as neo-Nazi ideals. They listened to “Oi!” music (a blend of punk and heavy metal), the lyrics of which often glorified Great Britain and denigrated immigrants and minorities. Skinheads shaved their heads and often sported tattoos and insignia with swastikas and other Nazi themes.
The skinhead movement came to the United States in the early 1980s. American skinheads, like their British counterparts, shaved their heads. They wore steel-toed workman’s boots, jeans, white T-shirts, red suspenders, and black bomber jackets. They listened to Oi! music, both British bands such as Skrewdriver and American bands. American Oi! music was as racist as the British music.
American skinheads adopted the bigoted beliefs of their British forebears. They take a strong stance against Jews, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, immigrants, people of color, and even unhoused individuals. Although the majority of skinheads come from working-class backgrounds, in some areas the members are more affluent.
Skinheads have been actively involved in committing hate crimes throughout North America. In their mildest form, these crimes include graffiti painting and vandalism, often of homes, cemeteries, and places of worship. Skinheads are also known for committing acts of extreme violence. These have included brutal assaults with baseball bats and knives, “stompings” with their workman’s boots, and murders. In 1989, for example, several skinheads in Portland, Oregon, attacked an Ethiopian immigrant, Mulugeta Seraw, and beat him to death, kicking him with their steel-toed boots and hitting him with baseball bats.
Skinhead groups in the United States have been allied with other white supremacist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan, militia groups, and neo-Nazis, although they are typically more loosely organized than these groups. However, in some cases, attempts have been made to organize skinheads; often, these attempts have been made by older people with current or former ties to other white supremacist groups. In California, for example, Tom Metzger, a former Klansman, created the White Aryan Resistance with a hotline and newsletter and made recruiting efforts in other locations.
By the end of the 1990s, skinhead groups had made wide use of technology and the media to try to spread their views. Some groups maintained sites on the web, and others appeared on talk shows and local cable access programs. In response to the actions of skinheads and other white supremacist groups, by the late 1990s, most states had enacted special hate-crime laws. These laws target the violent activities of these groups by enhancing the penalties for hate crimes. It is unclear, however, whether these laws are effective in reducing the criminal behavior of skinheads. Subgroups of skinhead culture formed over time, asserting a wide range of beliefs and engaging in activities from opposing racial inclusivity in schools to supporting political groups and the working-class.
Bibliography
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Covey, Herbert C. "American Skinhead Street Gangs." Street Gangs throughout the World. 2nd ed., Thomas, 2010, pp. 65–68.
Dobson, Ian. Hippies, Skinheads, Rastas, Punks, and Disco Dancing Bowie Boot Boys: Screening Youth Subcultures 1967-1985. Flowmotion Press, 2020.
Kaplan, Jeffrey, editor. Encyclopedia of White Power. AltaMira, 2000.
King, John. Skinheads. Jonathan Cape, 2008.
Oliveria, Dave. "Huckleberries: Skinheads—Then and Now—Make Headlines." Coeur d'Alene Press, 21 Apr. 2024, cdapress.com/news/2024/apr/21/huckleberries-skinheads-then-and-now-are-big-news. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.
Travis, Tiffini A., and Perry Hardy. Skinheads: A Guide to an American Subculture. Greenwood, 2012.
Tremblay, Maxwell, and Stephen Duncombe. "White Power." White Riot: Punk Rock and the Politics of Race. Verso, 2011.