TKAM Research Project
Gretchen Hubbard
Question 1 What were the Scottsboro boys on trial for? Did they actually commit the crime? How do you know?
The Scottsboro boys where on trial for the rape of two woman Victoria Price and Ruby Bates. Just like in Tom Robinson's case the boys did not commit the crime. Ruby Bates actually admitted on the stand that they were not raped on the train.Victoria Price came up with the false accusation because they dident want to be charged for the violation of crossing state lines with immoral purposes.Also for riding on a train with out a permit and Victoria could have been charged for prostitution.Ruby Bates went on to defend the Scottsboro boys.
Question 2 Describe Alabama,including the jury's reaction to the boys and the trial.
Alabama during the 1930's during the time of the great depression and segregation.Just because of the race of the boys,people jumped to conclusions and blamed the black without even knowing the whole story. The jury was considered prejudicial because of the race differences,just like in TKAM.
Question 3 How is the trial similar to Tom Roberson's trial? How is it different?
Some similarities between the Scottsboro boys and Tom Robinson . In The Scottsboro trials, nine boys were accused of assaulting two young girls. Six of those boys were accused of raping the two girls, Ruby Bates and Victoria Price. Tom Robinson was also accused of rape a girl, Mayella Ewell. Just like in the case of Tom Robinson, the town is just a racist as Maycomb. All of the nine boys where black just like Tom Robinson.Over a hundred men stood outside the jail hoping for a good “lynching”, compared to the few who were outside of Maycomb’s jail.
Some Differences would be that in Tom's case it was just him and Mayella,In the Scottsboro case there were two woman and nine men.Also the crime that committed assent the same. Tom was accused of raping Mayella in her home and the men where accused of raping the woman on a train .
The Trials of the Scottsboro Boys - A Short Documentary