Scottsboro Racism

An Incident of Racism

Racism has been, and still is, one of the largest and most unfair issues throughout history. The concept of racism shows a major flaw in human society. A single characteristic should not be the determining factor in the treatment of two groups of people. One of the many incidents in American history where racism was demonstrated was known as the Scottsboro Incident. The Scottsboro Incident took place on March 25, 1931 in Scottsboro, Alabama. Nine black youths, riding on a Southern Railroad train, got in a fight with a group of white men, resulting in the white men jumping off the train. When the train arrived in Scottsboro, the nine black boys were falsely accused and charged for the raping of two girls: Victoria Price and Ruby Bates. These youths were given a death sentence for a crime that they did not commit (Chadwick 55). For the next decade, the Scottsboro Boys were kept locked up and re-tried, each time getting media attention. The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and the ILP (International Labor Defense) got involved to try and help the boys, eventually getting their cases dismissed. The last boy was finally released from prison in 1950. The Scottsboro Incident trials highlighted the unjust use of racism in America’s courtrooms.

The lack of evidence needed to convict the Scottsboro boys shows that the courtroom was racist. There were many pieces of information that were able to prove Bates and Price wrong, but they were not used in the original and subsequent trials. Victoria Price and Ruby Bates were both prostitutes with adultery and fornication on their record (Bailey 4). After the girls were raped, Price “was neither crying, bleeding, or seriously bruised” (“Tri...

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...es throughout the Scottsboro trials. It was a strong motivator for the prosecution team and the judge to persuade the jury to keep the nine boys behind bars and on to their death. The innocent Scottsboro Boys were put through years of jail time and relentless trials for a crime they did not commit. This disturbing false accusations caused riots and threatening mobs throughout Alabama and parts of the United States, and helped change the severity of racism everywhere. The story of the Scottsboro Incident raised awareness across the United States that racial prejudice does not belong in our justice system. Two major Supreme Court rulings were made because of this case - that poor people should have a right to fair legal representation, and juries should be made up of all types of people regardless of their race. Racism is a crime in itself and is unjust in every way.