Scottsboro Boys
Brittany Adams
What you need to know
In 1931, 9 young African American boys where accused of raping two white women in the town of Scottsboro, Al. After a series of trails the young boys where found guilty and sentenced to 75 to 99 years in jail, Basically life in jail. Then in 1937 charges against 5 where dropped and the remaining 4 where put on parol. But this never fully went threw because a new case came to the court, that was far more savere and had to be delt with asap, putting of the scottsboro case, The verdicts of the case where soon accused of racism, Also communist used the case for propaganda to even further the troublesome case.
One key person in the Scottsboro case was Haywood Paterson. Mr. Paterson was 18 when he was one of the nine people accused for raping. Haywood is the most famous in this case because he has carried out two prison escapes, one in april 1943 and the last in july 1947. After returning to the prison once being cought he was put under harsh conditions by the guards as punishment. This made him stand out in the case more than the other remaining 8.
TIME LIME
March 25: 9 Young men accused for rape
March 30: a jury found all nine boys guilty
April 6: Mr.Norris and Mr.Weems sentenced to death
April 7: Mr.Paterson dentenced to death
April 9: The rest of the 6 boys where sentenced to death
June 22: the excecution of the defendants where still pending making this the longest case in history and as many trials, convictions, and reversals