Scottsboro: A Tragedy of the American South

1037 Scottsboro: A Tragedy of the American South, by Dan T. Carter (read 7 Dec 1969) (Bancroft Prize in 1969) I found this easy reading, and difficult to lay down. I am also surprised how fuzzy my knowledge of the case actually was. On March 25, 1931, a train was searched at Paint Rock, Jackson County, Alabama, and nine young Negro men and two white prostitutes were removed therefrom. The women accused the Negroes of rape. The first hurried trial at Scottsboro, Ala., resulted in the death penalty for all nine. The U.S. Supreme Court,in an opinion by Justice Sutherland, reversed, because of mob influence, in Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S. 45 (1932). Then Liebowitz got into the case and numerous trials followed--all of which ran into the show more most blind Alabama prejudice as far as jurors were concerned. It is simply fantastic that jurors could be so prejudiced. Apparently these boys had nothing at all to do with the girls! The awful miscarriages of justice resulted in all the nine being in prison till 1937, and five being in prison longer--one till June 9, 1950. The book, written by a South Carolinian and published by Louisiana State University Press, is objective--and thus terrifying. Nine dumb Negroes, who did nothing to deserve it, ruined by stupid prejudice. A fantastic story. show less