Scottsboro Boys Research Paper

The United States is a large country with fifty states. South Carolina is present in the southeastern part of the United States. It faces the Atlantic Ocean on its eastern border. North Carolina lies to its north while the state of Georgia is present in the south and the west of South Carolina. The state has a significant history especially in the American Civil War.

In Scottsboro, Alabama, March 9, 1931 nine African american boys, Olen Montgomery, Clarence Norris, Haywood Patterson, Ozie Powell, Willie Roberson, Charles Weems, Eugene Williams, Andy Wright, and Roy Wright were incriminated of rapeing two white women on the subway. As they were accused of raping Ruby Bates and Victoria Price they were put on trial. This trail was long and unfair.

April 6, 1931, the trials for the Scottsboro boys begin(Uschan 16). The boys were represented by Milo C. Moody and Stephen Roddy who were only given twelve days to prepare for the trials. Stephen was and unpaid, unprepared real estate attorney, and Milo was a forgetful seventy year old local attorney who hadn’t tried a case in a long time (“San Marcos” line 13). The trails were completely unorganized and false information was stated throughout the whole thing. The cross examination of Victoria Price lasted minutes and the defense offered very little information to the judge. Six out of the nine boys ended up denying the rape while 3 admitted to it. Even though the three men didn’t rape the women, because of beatings and threats, they admitted to the gang rape. By the time the trail had ended 8 out of the 9 boys were convicted and sentenced to death. Since one of the Scottsboro boys was only thirteen, he was considered too young to be tried as an adult (“UMKC” par. 6-7).

It took place on March, 25, 1931 near Scottsboro, Alabama. The 9 african american boys were taken off the train for charges of assault from the whites. Then all 9 boys were accused of rape from white women Victoria Price and Ruby Bates.

Scottsboro case was at first led on March 25, 1931, in Scottsboro Alabama. The case included dark young people who later ended up noticeably celebrated as Scottsboro Boys. Young men included Clarence Norris, Olen Montgomery, Andy Wright, Willie Robertson, Ozie Powell, Eugene Williams, Charlie Weems, Roy Wright and Haywood Patterson. The named dark young people were dishonestly charged to have posse assaulted two white ladies. This case wound up plainly a standout amongst the most disputable and confounded cases in the historical backdrop of United States of America.

The boys of the Scottsboro trials were never treated fairly from the beginning. The whole journey was filled with misconception. The journey began on the freight train, there was nine African Americans on a train car and with them, was a group of Caucasian men. It all started with one of the white males stepping on the hand of one of the blacks. Not too long after, the white males threatened the nine boys to leave the train car (Doc). After the nine black males refused their threat, a fight broke out between all of them. All of the members of the white group were thrown off the train, all, but one. The one that was left on the train went and reported the fight to the train conductor.

Compare and contrast the infamous events and trials relating to Leo Frank (in 1913), the Scottsboro Nine (in 1931), and Emmett Till (in 1955).

The Paxton Boys were a group of Scot-Irish men who were retaliating against the American Indians, in 1763. They were fighting against the American Indians in the residuum of the French and Indian War and the Pontiac’s Rebellion. The Paxton boys invaded a small group of Conestoga Indians in Lancaster County. During the riot fourteen indians were being taken captive, six were murdered, and all of the prisoners were killed weeks later. The American Indians had not caused any problems before. They were always peaceful among their neighbors and had never experienced such a phenomenon, until this one.

Obviously, the Scottsboro boys did in fact get into a brawl and hobo on a train, however, they did not rape the two girls and should not be convicted as there is no physical evidence pointing towards the rape of the two girls. According to the Facts Sheet The girls were both examined by a doctor after the events and nothing but minor bruising was there which would not be the case if it were rape. Furthermore dead sperm samples were found on both of the girls which is not accurate as it would still be alive at the time of the examination helping to prove that the girls were not raped.It was also stated that neither of the girls had signs that proved they had intercourse recently.

the prisoners were lucky enough to escape the being lynched when they were moved into Scottsboro. In this trial, nine young, black boys were charged with the rape of two white girls while on a train. This case was a major source of controversy in the 1930’s. “Despite testimony by doctors who had examined the women that no rape had occurred, the all- white jury convicted the nine, and all but the youngest, who was 12 years old were sentenced to death” (“Scottsboro”). The boys’ lawyer, Samuel Leibowitz, did not even get assigned to the case until the first day of the trial. “If he could show a jury that these nine boys were innocent, as the record indicated, the jury would surely free them. To Leibowitz, that was simple!” (Chalmers 35). However, it was not that simple. Many white citizens would not change their minds about

In the year 1931, all nine of the Scottsboro boys Haywood Patterson, Charles Weems, Clarence Norris, Andy Wright, Ozzie Powell, Olen Montgomery, Eugene Williams, Willie Roberson, and Roy Wright are arrested and tried on charges of assault from fighting white boys on a train. Along with accusations made by Victoria Price and Ruby Bates that the boys raped them. Their trial begins April 6, 1931. All of the boys except for Roy Wright are tired and convicted, with the result of the death sentence, Roy Wright’s trial ends in a mistrial. Later the NAACP and International Labor Defense, fight to represent the boys. Even though there was no proof that the boys committed these crimes they

Over time, the Scottsboro boys grew from boys to men and with the progression of their age so to do the attitudes of this country toward racism. Granted, there are still bigots and racist in the United States and in the south especially, but they are not the majority or the accepted---they are the minority and the outcasts. No one would be proud to say things like, “’There shouldn't be any trial for them damn niggers-- thirty cents worth of rope would do the work and it wouldn't cost the county much.’ --Decatur lunchroom proprietor (p. 211)” Those ignorant phrases are not common place in our country now, but we had to grow to get there. This trial brought about some of that growth, for not only was this something wrongfully done against a group of African American teens, it was injustice done to Americans and there were some in the United States who saw that and color lines began to blur. My great grandfather marched in the Scottsboro march on Washington along side blacks and Indians, all fighting for the same cause. The growth all the way to 1976 when Clarence Norris, one of the Scottsboro boys, came back to Alabama for the first time since the trials and was greeted, not by a posse or mob, but by cheers and outstretched hands to shake of all races.

During the 1920’s, the black population started to grow very fast in Detroit. In the second year of the Great Depression, blacks and other European immigrants were in deep competition for jobs. As a result, blacks’ feelings towards whites became more bitter. It didn’t matter if it were the immigrants that they were in competition with or even to the police to that matter. Blacks just became more resentful toward white people, in Detroit. Another contributing factor to the conflict between blacks and whites was

My first half of a year in high school has been a great experience. I have had fun this year and learned a lot. In this essay, I will be talking about me and answering three essential questions. These questions are “Who am I and what does success look like to me?”, “How am I connected to Greensburg Salem High School?”, and “How are my academic efforts and achievements helping me to be successful in the global community?”.

There are remarkable places to visit for instance New York, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles , but a place that is worth visiting with one ticket, is sweet home Alabama.