Monday, February 27, 2012
RACC 2012 Question 3
Briefly discuss your overall assessment of the Scottsboro Boys film and incident. Describe how whites and the state of Alabama vilified Haywood Patterson as an archetypical "Incubus”. Also explain how the Scottsboro Boys case helped expand the legal rights and civil liberties of blacks in America.
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Haywood Patterson was dark skinned man with a surly attitude (he was even disliked by the other Scottsboro boys.). His dark skin and non-compromising attitude made him the perfect candidate to be the target of the dominant white stereotypes. They purposely made him the first defendant in the court cases to inflame the same fears that were prevalent in the book. The dark skinned "incubus" Patterson, was an enemy to white womanhood, he had a "bad attitude”. There was no way he, and the other Scottsboro defendants, were going to be found not guilty. (It is also important to note that the young men incriminated one another by saying that the others raped the girls.) Legal rights of blacks were greatly expanded during the trials because of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the convictions, not once but twice. The first time that the convictions were overturned was after the first trials. The Supreme Court decided that the due process of the defendants had been violated. Powell v. Alabama stated that the defendant’s didn’t get an impartial trial, nor did they get the required effective legal counsel. In the retrial they were again found guilty, but black civil rights were again to be expanded. The Supreme Court again decided that black rights were abused. In Patterson v. Alabama, the court decided that the defendant’s rights had been abused because blacks were excluded from the jury. The court ruled that excluding people from jury service based on race exclusively was forbidden by the constitution. This long list of cases, and losses by Alabama, is what the state wanted to avoid in the Recy Taylor case. The state did not want to relive the embarrassment of the Scottsboro case.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottsboro film was very historic. It is sad because they had to face the horrid of what it is like to be falsely blamed. The fact that there was actually proof that they were being accused just make one mad just thinking about it. Whites in Alabama saw Haywood Patterson as an archetypical "incubus because he fit the perfect stereotype of a black man that would rape someone. That is still an issue in today's time. Many people are quick to fear a big black man that may be very harmless in appose to a thin light man or white man. The Scottsboro case is also significant because back in those times it was mostly black women getting raped by white men, and it was completely okay to do. The governor feared that the Recy Taylor case would be a remake of the Scottsboro case causing once a gain negativity to that area. These men were trialed and convicted to death multiple of times with proof that they were actually innocent. This struck a big turmoil as time prevailed because it was soon evident that this case was racist. the Judge himself actually realized it and the town neglected him. I honestly believe that the public was the ones doing the conviction, and the fact that the whole jury was white because black was not allowed. This case brought a new look to the Constitution and allowed blacks to be able to serve on the bench. This case brought people together from everywhere to observe the racism and the unjustly law of Alabama.
ReplyDeleteThe film was very moving and emotional for me. To me it is a reminder that blackness is still very much so a criminal state in America. Black boys are constantly being hung and villified because of the fears and ignorance of others concerning their intentions and desires. Their are several key things in this film that spoke volumes to me. The fact that Clarence Norris felt the need to declare his innocence to white America years after his release speaks to an issue. The fact that Trayvonn Martin not Zimmerman, had a background check ran on him speaks to that same issue. Black boys are eternally guilty in the eyes of some, whether they be victim or defendant. Black masculinity is a criminal state in America. This is shown by both Haywood Patterson and Trayvonn. Black boys are trapped by the fears and suspicion of white males. Haywood had to escape to gain freedom, even when it was clear that he was innocent. This is due to the fact that whites perceived him as mean,black,and a criminal. Zimmerman felt the need follow and kill Martin because he was suspicious of his blackness and subconsciously or consciously determined Martin's intentions based on his race were negative.This film rattled the anger and hope in me. I'm angry at the attrocities committed against these men and same attrocities that continue to be committed against men like him. I'm angered that just like Leibowitz some other person will attach themselves to Trayvonn's case with intentions that are beyond the case but engulfed in their self-serving personal ambitions. I'm angered that the there will be another communist party in the form of other organizations that are solely committed to propagating their on agendas instead of really caring about the issues of Trayvonn's case. I'm hopeful because thanks to the tragedy that happened to the scottsboro boys Trayvonn's parents will at least have the satisfaction of potentially seeing a jury of their peers prosecute Zimmerman. The Scottsboro case also established that even the lesser of the least deserve due process. I'm sobered by the fact that after the whoopla dies down, Trayvonn will be another Scottsboro boy, another Troy Davis, another Amadou Diallo, another forgotten story.
ReplyDeleteTo witness a movie with a message of that capacity, was powerful. The film was not only informative and enlightened but, also possessed emotional barrings for me. The Scottsboro boys were stripped of their entire lively hood, even after justice was rendered. Watching the story told through pictures and narrators helped me to culminate the undying effects of racism that still exist. To be a black male, even now, seems to sanction and justify, defamed value and guilt. Haywood Patterson was the first person selected to stand trial individually. For the same reasons that he was selected to stand trial first, physical appearance, demeanor, and color, are the same reasons in which black males are arrested and prosecuted today. A current example is held in the ever controversial , Travyonn Martin case. He wasn't as lucky to be arrested or prosecuted, he suffered the punishment of death for being nothing more than 'suspicious'. Have we returned to the days of Jim Crow were mere suspicion would suffice for a lynching or attack of a black person?
ReplyDeleteIn the film the communist party was portrayed as "divine help" for the nine boys. It was more of a , "right situation, right time" movement instead. The communist party was looking for a reason or situation to attach themselves to, The Scottsboro boys were arrested just in time. On top of the crashed stock market, the Scottsboro case gave hope and reason to the Communist party to rise in the democratic playing field of American politics. although ulterior motives were clearly suggested, the Scottsboro boys did benefit from the help of the part through Leibowitz. Clearly, Leibowitz was an already highly decorated lawyer and set out once more to prove this by handling this case. Exposing of blacks is seen to often, to accelerate someone's political career or intentions. It is my genuine hope that the same situation does not occur in the Travyonn Martin case. Can there be a genuine call to action where political succession is not an underlined intention? Although hopeful of our progression, the film laid bases to show that, apparently, we are not to far removed from the likings of color chain gangs, racism, and racial barriers.
Being that I have a actually been to Scottsboro, the movie brought the incident full circle to me. The film was just sad. Yes, I see others have mentioned the dark-skinned complexion as being a factor. This is true because the stereotype of dark-skinned males is still prevalent today. Whites equate dark-skinned blacks with evil. I agree that Haywood was a perfect match for the stereotype. These boys were just victims of being black in the wrong setting honestly. I was just watching the news and a young black teen was unarmed and was shot and killed. When will this calamity stop? This case happened in a time of mass racism. The whole court case was biased from the all white jury to the fear instilled in the boys. The fear that was put in them caused them to sell each other out even though they knew they were innocent. The part that really eats away at my soul is the fact that the boys were clearly innocent and had spend all of their childhood and adult lives behind bars for being wrongfully accused. Where was the voice of reason here? Is there room for one in this world? Why are the stereotypes from decades ago still prevalent. I blame it all on society. It's not the government anymore. It is society who sets the canon, or what is to be accepted, today. We set the norms, beliefs, and values of our everyday life. But the big question is, how do we change the perceptions people have on us? The color of your skin is a powerful thing. I consider racism as just recognizing color, but racism has developed this negative connotation to which there seems to be no way of turning back. I also blame it on the family and schools because we are putting these thoughts into the minds of children and they are passing it on to others.
ReplyDeleteAs with most films of the sort, the Scottsboro Boys film stirred up feelings of anger in me. This anger is not at the people who commited these injustices in those times but, rather, our society today. The fact that these young men and countless others suffered at the hand of an unjust legal system should say something to us about the stereotypes we (African Americans) embrace today.
ReplyDeleteI look at the example of the Trayvon Martin case and the "movement" surrounding it. While it is true that this young man's death is a tragic event, I find it disturbing that many of the people who are putting on hoodies and "marching for justice" have no real understanding of the fact that it will take much more than a few marches to solve the negative aspects of race relations in America. We have to 1. Recognize that negative stereotypes are a reality and 2. help the next generation understand the reality of racism, how to rise above it, and how to protect themselves until real change is a reality.
I agree with LeBuria in that, we cannot blame the governmet for this issue because the unjust laws that exist are ALLOWED to exist by those within minority communities who know how to fight them but refuse. When will we get real leadership that works hard to find meaningful ways to work toward solutions to these issues. Right now, we have leaders who enjoy the spotlight and sit on their behinds until an opportunity to stand in front of a camera comes along.
Although I've always heard about the case, the visual the film gave put it in a clearer prospective. The Scottsboro Boys story was another example of the pro-white, Jim Crow south and the horrid circumstances we went through as a people just because of the pigment in our skin. The major theme of the book is rape. In today's society, we are all aware of what is considered rape and we know rape itself is a crime, no BUTs about it. The definition of rape in those days, although similar, had a factor that seemed to dictate rape during these times. The BUT of these times was skin color. A white man raping a black seemed to be a norm during these times. It was expected and the whites were actively engaged in this distasteful crime of hate and superiority and usually these raping went without a trial. In contrast, as represented in the Scottsboro Boys trial, a black man a raping a white was almost equal to the greatest sin. Haywood Patterson's physical appearance and persona made him stand out as an archetypical "Incubus” due to his dark skin, physique, and bad attitude. All these characteristics referenced to the stereotypical view of an African American male. This image was seen as a threat, especially compared to that of a white woman, that challenged white womanhood. Through this case, not only were blacks allowed to serve on the jury, but it ensured the fair trial. This case open the eyes to people, black and white, so they could really see racism in action and see just how people, particularly white people, interpret the law for themselves. This case formed a new perspective of interpretation as it related to the law and the Constitution. Like the previous responses stated, we the people hold the voice and set the pace in this country. It is up to us to show a sense of justice toward each other regardless of race. And it is up to us a African Americans to continue to stand together and to strive to rid ourselves and our actions of those things that engulf us in the 'stereotypical' view of a race.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottboro Boys movie was nothing short of a sad realtiy. We are not too far removed from how whites thought about black males during that case. Black men, especially those with darker skin are instantly profiled and are perceived as no good citizens who are out to steal, or kill. Haywood Patterson is a symbols of what white America and some blacks interperet as the "angry black man". It was also real because blacks are not too far removed from receiving unfair time for lesser crimes and not actually being judged by a jury of their peers just as patterson was heard by an all white jury. This film made me eager to do my best to debunk myths and false notions that are stamped on the black male. This case expanded legal rights because it opened the eyes of blacks and pushed them to not only fight for local equality but also to fight for equal legislation and representation.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottsboro Boys was a very emotional film for me. This film really showed the reality of racism back in the day. There was no way those boys raped anyone, especially with the disabilities some of them faced. Of the boys had a STD, so if he raped the white women why didn't they have the disease as well. I’m sure the boys had common sense to get off the train before it stopped if they had raped two white women. The south blamed the boys attorney for them being convicted of raped three times. If it had not been for their attorney they would have died before they were ever freed. Haywood Patterson was a good man but he was labeled by the whites as an angry/problem some black man. Haywood knew that he did not rape those women and just had expected the fact that he was going to rot in prison. Haywood stood up for himself and fought back, that is why the white people did not like him. The Scottsboro Boys will always be a legend because this led to whites and blacks coming together as one for the first time in history. The NAACP even looked at this as a chance to take action. The communist party in my opinion gave these boys hope. This film was very interesting along with sad. Black men's lives were taking away from them because a white whore wanted to cry wolf. Later on in life she wanted to sue NBC for making her look like a prostitute, and everyone thought she was dead. She was in hiding because she knew she had told a lie. I felt like racism really showed when they took Horton off the case and replaced him with a 70 year old racist judge. Horton knew in his heart that the boys were innocent and just could not live with sentencing, that’s why he turned the convictions. Horton didn’t get re-elected because he stood for what he believed in, and I think a lot of blacks respected him for that.
ReplyDeleteMy overall assessment of the film is that it was a great reconstruction of a great tragedy. One of the most surprising parts of the film came when Ms Price resurfaced because she felt her imaged had been tarnished by NBC and was actually rewarded monetary compensation. This 9 men were never given any kind of compensation after their lives had been gravely affected, and Ms Price shouldn't have been either. Patterson was only vilified because he was everything that the white man did not want a black man to be: assertive and one who would stand his ground. The trial did offer some legal liberties to blacks in Alabama, on ebbing the integration of juries.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottsboro Film was very historic, tragic, and mind blowing. It was a recap of the events following the accusations made that these boys raped these trashy women. Seeing this movie enrages me due to all the African American women that were raped before this incident. This is significant because cases like these still go on today where blacks are not recieving fair trials in the U.S.. The unfair conviction of these boys showed the racism and hate that blacks have to continuosly put up with. Cases like these are very significant to our history. Cases like this should spark movements when tragedies like the Travon Martin takes place. In my opinion African Americans must rise above these situations by staying involved with situations so that The Scottsboro case will not take place again.
ReplyDeleteHaywood Patterson villified because he fit the description of a black man that tall dark skin and very strong .His physical sttributes made him a guilty man to all whites no matter what he did .The Scottboro movie was a very sad movie that allowed me to see what it was really like back then .Ive only heard stories about the case the fact that they would fasely accuse innocent boys of a crime so horrible is ridiculous.This case showed the Supreme Court how unfair blacks were being treated and therefore forced them to chage
ReplyDeleteThe film of the "the Scottboro Boys" was very touching and emotional to me. To see what African American males in the past endured really bothered me. I could not even imagine being in that situation in today's society, better yet in past society. Whites and the state of Alabama viewed Haywood Patterson as being "too black". Meaning he was too dark skinned and that he acted like the typical black "nigger" which they perceived us as being too angry. I think the whole stereotype is ludacris. This case ordered the expansion of legal rights and civil liberties becasue it showed African Americans that there are people that are willing to fight for the rights of African American freedom and rights. But yet today we still have those issues with the judicial system, such as those of the Trayvon Martin case........
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ReplyDeleteThis film was exactly how I depicted. The story of the Scottsboro Boys is one of the most shameful examples of injustice in our nation's history. It makes clear that in the Deep South of the 1930's, jurors were not willing to accord a black charged with raping a white woman the usual presumption of innocence.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottsboro Film is one that truly depicted how life for blacks in the south was in that time of history. In my eyes the way they were treated during their case was unjust in more ways than one. This case shows how the American judicial system is just not fair at all. In the film it showed how the women lied about the incident of rape, and the boys still sat there in jail. As a country we have to fix how we go by handling issues and stop jumping to conclusions relating to crime.
ReplyDeleteFrom taking the trip with Dr. Slaughter and my colleagues, I felt enlightened by events that transpired in Scottsboro, AL.Nine young black men aged 13 to 19 were arrested on trumped up rape charges in 1931 Alabama and became a national cause celeb. Though sentenced to death at repeated trials which were overturned again and again none of the nine were killed outright by the state. But they spent years, in some cases even decades in prison and suffered a remarkable disruption in their lives that was hardly offset by the fame their case engendered. All of their lives were broken and shattered all down the line. The reason why Haywood Patterson was the "incubus" was because he fit the stereotype that the whites percieved of blacks.Not to mention the attitude he had which also wasnt favorable for his situation.
ReplyDeleteThis movie blew my mind. I've never been a fan of civil right's movies. After the Rosewood Massacre movie i was pretty much done with them. Such depressing material. This movie was no exception. By the end of the movie i had experienced every emotion imaginable from immense sadness to outrage to pity to a strong desire for revenge. I was over it! I cant put it any more eloquently....The state of Alabama made Haywood Patterson out to be a monster. Sure his attitude sucked, but look at what he was facing. A bunch of prejudiced white people who's main objective in life was to make sure that he failed at his. He knew that he and the other young men were not going to get a fair trial and they were all simply going through the motions. It was enterntainment for the townspeople. He wasn't going to cry, or beg, or cooperate because it was a lost cause. He could trust no one, not even the boys he was convicted with, who in a pointless strategy, had turned on eachother in an effort to be named innocent. The good thing that came out of this unfortunate event is that years later the Supreme Court overturned the decision and recognized that their due process rights had been violated. This decision was monumental in Black American's struggle for civil liberties and equal treatment under the law.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottsboro film showed us an injustice event for African Americans. The boys were put in jail because of two lying white women, which one, after years admitted that she had lied and was only saying what the other woman made her say. There was no way those boys could have committed the crime. One of them could barely see, one had a std, and one was just a baby. Not only did they say they raped them, but the boys got off of the bus unknowingly that they were accused of rape. The boys would have jumped of the train before it stop if they had of raped someone. The boys did not seek fair trials in the beginning but would soon be proven innocent. Haywood was looked upon as a bad person because he did not break in the midst of all the commotion. He kept his composure and even when the boys started telling on each other just to be free; he still stuck with his story and said he did not do it. Once the boys were tried numerous times this gave blacks the mentality that they can have justice. The white supremacist took judge Horton off of the case once it was reopened to make sure that the boys did not walk free, but there was just plain evidence there showing that they could not have possible raped the two women.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottboro Film was a glaring reminder of the injustices African American's faced not very many years ago in this country. It was shocking to watch a group of innocent boys lives ruined simply for being black in the Jim Crow South. The way Haywood Patterson was depicted was shameful but expectant. He did have a poor attitude and was not playing the "good negro" role. Many years later the Supreme Court would over turn the original decision because of it's unconstituional process. This was a leaping victority for blacks and other minorities alike. It said that even though you are black you still have the right to a fair trial.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottsboro Boys film was an enlightening flashback. The film reminded me of all the hell that black people suffered in that time. During those years black men were born with two strikes against being male and being black. Ignorance was truly bliss with their case, evidence sat right in front of their faces that it wasn't them but it didn't matter. It was as if white people could do whatever they pleased good or bad and then blame the bad on somebody that was black. Haywood Patterson was the perfect target for the whites simply because of his physical exterior and we all know he wasn't known for his "glowing charm." The Scottsboro Boys cases helped expand legal rights because when the courts did overturn the rulings they set another precedent for what could and couldn't be done, fortunately it was in defense of blacks and not at our expense.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottsboro Boys film was extremely sad but very informative. It shed light on exactly how the African American boys were treated during the time of segregation. These boys were falsely accused of raping white prostitutes on the train in Alabama. Just because the boys were black, whites automatically proclaimed that they were guilty. These boys served several years in jail for doing nothing but riding on the train. During that time period, the judicial system was totally corrupt. Jurors based their decision on color instead of information hitting them in their face.Haywood's dark colored skin played a major role in him being onn trial first. He was the darkest African American out of the group. I suppose in this case the darker a person was the worse they got treated. His dark colored skin made him the perfect stereotype for the whites. It was completely not fair.
DeleteThis film was exactly how I thought it would be. The story of the Scottsboro Boys is one of the most shameful examples of injustice in our nation's history. It makes clear that in the Deep South of the 1930's, jurors were not willing to accord a black charged with raping a white woman the usual notion of innocence. The movie struck a cord with me for the fact that all of these horrific things happened. The movie was very emotional
ReplyDeleteThe Scottsborro Boys film really places in perspective the impossibility of achieving justice during the time of this incident. While they boys were accused of raping white prostitutes on a train in Alabama, they were not given a fair trial and served several years in hail for a crime they could not have committed. It was clear that the jury decided the case on the color of their skin instead of the facts of the case. In the eyes of whites at this time, color was equal to evil. The darker a person was, the more evil they seemed to be because white things and white skin was associated with purity and innocence. Haywood was especially discriminated against because he had darker skin. Because of his color he was placed on trial first and was associated with criminal behavior. Blacks legal rights and civil liberties at this time ran out as they got darker in complexion. No wonder black grandmothers today warn children about staying out in the sun too long or crawling on their knees while playing. The lighter the person, the easier their life. I wonder how true this is today.
ReplyDeleteScottsboro Boys was a phenomenal film that portrayed the mistreatment and torture of black men during that time. Haywood Patterson was the main one that was tried first because of his stereotypical character. He was mean and brutish which would be the picture whites wanted to paint on the walls of the minds of the community and the nation. However, the Scottsboro Boys produced the right for black men than any movement could have ever did.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottsboro Boys film demonstrated how blacks had no chance of winning justice. In this case it was about accusations of boys raping a white woman. Haywood Patterson was an easy target for the whites to accuse him because of his physical stature and his bad attitude. Clearly the jury decided the case on the color of the boys skin instead of the facts of the case. This case helped expand the legal rights and civil liberties of blacks in America because this was just another perfect event showing how justice was wrongfully served to a group of innocent black people yet again.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottsboro Boys film was an enlightening portrayal of injustice for African Americans boys in this horrible time of segregation in the United States. These boys were wrongly accused of raping a white woman just because of the color of their skin. This shows how bad the racism in the deep south was.
ReplyDeleteThe case of the Scottsboro Boys was in an example of the stigma that black men in America have. Cases like this were common at the time because of the myth of the Black Incubus. Haywood Patternson was cast in role of the the incubus perfectly by the prosecution. He was dark skinned and considered angry. Those are two things that scared white America then and today. The "angry black man" is one of the oldest stereotypes in America. As a dark skinned person I have experienced this in my life. I am considered a threat especially to people who don't know me. I am constantly made aware that I have to watch my own body language because of this stereotype. The mythology of the black man has a long ugly history in the eyes of white America.
ReplyDeleteBecause the Supreme court overturned this case twice it advanced the civil rights of blacks charged with crimes. By finding that the defendants were not given effective counsel and they rights were abused this was a huge moment for the rights of blacks in America.
The state of Alabama made Haywood Patterson took look like a monster. He had a very bad attitude, but wouldnt you if you were going through what he went through. The white people were prejudiced, they wanted to make sure he failed at life.He knew that he and the other young men were not going to get a fair trial. The jury decided the case on the color of the boys skin instead of the facts of the case. This case helped expand the legal rights and civil liberties of blacks in America because this was just another perfect event showing how justice was wrongfully served to a group of innocent black people yet again.
ReplyDeleteI was not familiar with the Scottsboro Boys story before watching this film, but I found myself getting angry as the plot unfolded. It bothered me so much how a group of people could just throw someone’s life away without just cause. Although, it was evident that these young men were innocent the white community didn’t care, to them they were just another group of black men taking up space and polluting their “pure” white society. It is truly very sickening how the white community could stereotype black men as malicious and vile rapists, who prey over their virtuous little white girls. Unfortunately, Recy Taylor and her case did not get the same attention when she was gang raped by white men. For years, black women have been fighting to protect their bodies from revolting white men, who force themselves, on to them. When indeed it white men who needed to be locked away in jail or even put to death. I was happy to see the boys were eventually set free, but they were definitely owed much more than they were given.
ReplyDelete“Incubus,” extended from the Latin verb incubo meaning “to lie upon,” is a mythological male demon who was said to lie upon sleepers, especially women, and have sex with them. It is said that Incubus wanted to have intercourse with them in order to bear a child. This story in mythology was translated into the justification that white men felt it necessary to protect white women at any cause. Black, among many other things, was associated with dark, dirty, demon, devilish. So throughout history white men would generally find a parallel between black men and Incubus,” stemmed from the ever growing fear of miscegenation. So it was not any surprise how whites viewed Haywood Patterson, during the Scottsboro incident. He was the meanest, roughest, and toughest of all of the nine days. Not showing any remorse in his face, only implementing fear in the white man. Haywood Patterson was quickly labeled as the prime example of the feared “Incubus.” The rest of the boys, looked intimidated, were young, sick, or of lighter complexion. I think those were all determining factors as to Haywood Paterson’s label, and as to why he was the only one never released from prison. Overall the Scottsboro film was instrumental into opening my eyes to the overwhelming racism that was present in the south during that time. The fact that 9 black men could with stand trial and put on death row for decades, after a weak argument by the prosecution is astounding. But the incident had nothing to do with the prosecutions process, the verdict was based on centuries of racism, fear, and oppression. After years of the case being reopened, retried, appealed, it swept across a nation starting movements and called for better rights from blacks in America and especially in the south. Norris v. Alabama stemmed from the Scottsboro incident, which for the first time in Alabama recognized that blacks were not given proper due process in court cases, which set precedent for many other cases to come. With George Wallace pardoning Clarence Norris, it showed that although a state can be looked upon negatively as the epicenter for racism, it can correct its mistakes.
ReplyDeleteNo crime in American history produced as many trials, convictions, reversals, and retrials as did an alleged gang rape of two white girls by nine black teenagers. Over the course of the two decades that followed, the struggle for justice of the Scottsboro Boys,opened southern juries to blacks, and divided America's political left. However, incompetence was showed throughout, tha boys were never given a trial together. After the fight for a re-trial it was unsuccesful, it was said that negros were "systematically" removed from jury roll. The story of the Scottsboro Boys is one of the most shameful examples of injustice in our nation's history. It makes clear that in the Deep South of the 1930's, jurors were not willing to accord a black charged with raping a white woman the usual presumption of innocence. In fact, one may argue that the presumption seemed reversed: a black was presumed guilty unless he could establish his innocence beyond a reasonable doubt. The cases show that to jurors, black lives didn't count for much.
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