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The Scottsboro Ordeal
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The fight
A fight breaks out between groups of young black and white passengers riding a freight train. The wite boys were forced off of the train. The Boys called ahead to the next stop telling police to apprehend the black boys. When the train stopped just outside Paint Rock, they black youths were greated by local police and a mob. Nine black youths ranging in age from 13 to 20. The police also questioned two white women who were illegaly riding the train, and said the blacks raped them. -
First of the four initial trials (April 6-7)
Before Judge A. E. Hawkins, Clarence Norris and Charlie Weems are tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. -
Second of the four initial trials
Before Judge A. E. Hawkins, Clarence Norris and Charlie Weems are tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. -
Third of four trials (April 8-9
Before Judge A. E. Hawkins, Olen Montgomery, Ozie Powell, Willie Roberson, Eugene Williams, and Andy Wright are tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. -
Final of Four trials
The trial For Roy Wright (who was 13 at the time) ends in a mistrial, due to the fact that 11 out of 13 jurors want the death penalty, while one just wanted life in prission. -
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Civil rights attention to the case
Progressive national organizations take up the Scottsboro case and call for the country to reject the Alabama frame-up. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the International Labor Defense (I.L.D.) court the defendants, their parents, and public opinion for the right to represent the young men in an appeal, and raise money for their defense. -
Stay of excecution is granted
The executions of the defendants are stayed pending appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court. -
Withdrawl of the NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People walks away from the case, leaving the fate of the Scottsboro nine in tha hands of the International Labor Defense -
Next court decision
In a decision of 6-1, the Supreme Court of Alabama upholds the decision of the trial judge -
Supreme court gets involved
The United States Supreme Court agrees to hear the case. -
United States Supreme Court Makes decision
In Powell v. Alabama, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the defendants were denied the right to counsel. The court orders new trials. -
International Labor Defense (I.L.D.)
International Labor Defense (I.L.D.) asks well known american lawer Samuel Leibowitz to take the case -
Patterson trial
Patterson is found guilty and sentenced to death -
Alabama Supreme Court
unanimously denies the request for a new set of trials -
Bribery
Two lawyers that have links with the I.L.D are caught with nearly $1, 500 trying to bribe Victoria Price (one of the girls who claimed that the nine had raped the girls) to changer her testimony -
Supreme Court
The case is back in the Supreme Court again, this time because the jurry was composed of only white members -
United States Supreme Court
In Norris v. Alabama, the United States Supreme Court finds the exclusion of blacks on jury rolls deprived black defendants of their rights to equal protection under the law -
Scottsboro Defense Committee
The Scottsboro Defense Committee (SDC) is formed -
Escape attempt
While being transported Ozie Powell pulls a knife and slashes a Deputy throat. The sherrif stops the car, and shoots Ozie Powell in the head. Everybody survives. -
Guilty...Again
Patterson is found guilty and sentenced to 75 years in prison -
Negotiations
Prosecuting attorney Lieutenant Governor Thomas Knight meets the defence council in New York to negotiate a compromise -
Alabama Supreme Court once again
Alabama Supreme Court upholds Patterson's conviction -
The third trial of Clarence Norris
The third trial of Clarence Norris ends in a death sentence -
The trial of Andy Wright
The trial of Andy Wright ends in conviction and a sentence of 99 years. -
Trial of Charley Weems
The trial of Charley Weems ends in conviction and a sentence of 75 years -
More charges
Ozie Powell pleads guilty to assaulting Blalock and is sentenced to 20 years in prisson. The rape charges against him are dropped -
More charges dropped
Rape charges against the last four defendants, Olen Montgomery, Willie Roberson, Eugene Williams, and Roy Wright, are dropped -
US Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear the appeal of Haywood Patterson -
Alabama Governor
Governor Bibb Graves meets with Allan Knight Chalmers to discuss granting a pardon to the five convicted Scottsboro defendants. -
Alabama Supreme Court
The Alabama Supreme Court affirms the sentences given Norris, Andy Wright and Weems -
Governor Graves
Governor Graves commutes Norris's death sentence to life imprisonment -
Governor Graves
Governor Graves meets with the convicted Scottsboro defendants in his office to consider parole -
Governor Graves
Governor Graves meets with the convicted Scottsboro defendants in his office to consider parole -
Governor Graves denies the pardon
Governor Graves denies the pardon applications of all five Scottsboro defendants -
Parole
Andy Wright and Clarence Norris are released on parole -
Violation of parole
Wright and Norris leave Alabama, in violation of their parole. Chalmers persuades them to return to the South and, despite promises to be lenient, both are returned to jail, Norris in October 1944, Wright in October 1946 -
Patterson
Patterson dies of cancer -
Roy Wright
Roy Wright dies -
Pardoned
Clarence Norris is pardoned -
The legacy ends
Clarence Norris, the last of the Scottsboro Boys, dies
