The Depression that swept through America in the 1930s greatly affected everyone’s life. One-quarter of the citizens lost their jobs and were looking for work. The fight to find food and a place to live created an increase in tensions among all citizens. Often women became the breadwinners of the family, since their employers could pay them less than men. This scarcity of jobs meant that the men had an even harder time finding them. Many Puerto Ricans and Mexicans felt the increase in racial tension while looking for work and were encouraged to return to their homeland. In some cases, the law enforcement agencies force illegal people back to their country. However, the impact of the racial tension was felt the most by African-American men who lived in the South. This tension led to a tragic event for a group of African American teenage boys riding a train looking for work during this trying time.
The Scottsboro Trial in Alabama is known as one of the greatest legal battles regarding racism in the 1930’s and the national civil rights movement. In this case, nine males of African-American descent between the ages of thirteen to twenty-one were riding a train looking for work. The male African-American people happen to be on the same train with a few white boys and a fight between the two groups of boys broke out. As a result of the fight, the train was forced to stop near Scottsboro, Alabama. The African American males initially were only accused of a minor crime. However, when more questions were asked about what happened on the train, two white girls, claimed that the nine African American teenagers had raped them. These nine teenagers were then moved to a local facility to await trial. Soon after being arrested for the crime the trial took place, all nine boys were found guilty of rape by a jury of only white people. The eight boys were to receive the death penalty and one boy, because he was very young, only thirteen was to spend his life in an Alabama prison. Since the case took place in the notoriously racist state of Alabama, several of the African American teenagers rights were violated.
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The case is significant to history for several reasons. The “Scottsboro Boys” were denied the rights provided by the 5th, 6th, and 14th Amendments. The 5th and 6th Amendments, allow the defendant to have a reasonable time to prepare to defend yourself against the crime and the right to a lawyer and an impartial jury. “The accused boys were not given lawyers until the morning of the trial and these attorneys made almost no effort to defend their clients. On the same day that the case began, the defendants were convicted and received death sentences.” (History.com). Sadly, the teenager's fate was decided again by a white jury made up of all males. The Scottsboro teenage boys were also denied the rights provided by the 14th amendment, which “granted equal protection of the laws.” (History.com). Since the boys were provided with a lawyer on the morning they were going to court to defend themselves against the charges their lawyer did not prepare himself to adequately defend each person accused of rape.
As a result, the Scottsboro teenage boys were denied several of the constitutional rights and the unfairness in this case because of racism, the Communist party stepped in and the International Labor Defense (ILD) offered to represent the teenagers. The Communist party held speeches, rallies, parades, and demonstrations to protest the guilty charge for the boys. The Communist party believed by supporting the boys and believing they were innocent, they would receive the support of the African-American people in their political campaign. Initially, the NAACP and the ACLU did not rush to defend the boys since “rape was a politically explosive charge in the South (famous-trial.com). The NAACP was very concerned that there might be negative impacts if any of the boys were found guilty. However, as the case went on more evidence came out that proved the Scottsboro Boys were not given a fair trial. At this point, the Communist Party International Labor Defense was joined by the NAACP and the ACLU and agreed to form the Scottsboro Defense Committee.
Since the Scottsboro teenage boys were not provided with a fair trial, the ILD decided to appeal the case with the Supreme Court, stating they did not receive adequate legal counsel and were denied their 14th Amendment. The “U.S. Supreme Court reversals of the convictions became landmarks in constitutional law and civil rights and had a great effect of improving the standard of racial justice throughout the United States.” (Britannica.com). This case became known as the “Powell vs Alabama” and entitled the Scottsboro Boys to a retrial, however, it was to take place in Alabama once again. Many believe that the Supreme Court ruling in “Powell vs Alabama” helped reinforce the need to abide by the Constitutional Amendments that our forefathers created.
In conclusion, the Scottsboro Boys were given the right to have another trial, however, once again they were found guilty by the jury in Alabama. Over the next few years, there were many more trials of the Scottsboro Boys, and every time the jury found them guilty, it was appealed. In the end, the Scottsboro Boys were finally set free. However, the process ended up taking so long, that the boys spent approximately ten years in prison trying to defend their innocence. However, as a result of this case, many African American, people were encouraged to challenge the racial prejudice that took place in America during the 1950’s and 1960’s. This trial was a stepping stone, leading to the rise of famous activists, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
Sources:
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Scottsboro.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 4 Oct. 2013, www.britannica.com/place/Scottsboro#ref752647.
- Blakemore, Erin. “Why the Communist Party Defended the Scottsboro Boys.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 1 May 2018, www.history.com/news/scottsboro-boys-naacp-communist-party.
- “Verdict Is Announced in Scottsboro Case.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 13 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/verdict-is-announced-in-scottsboro-case.
- User, Super. “The Trials of ‘The Scottsboro Boys’: An Account.” Famous Trials, famous-trials.com/scottsboroboys/1531-home.
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