The Scottsboro Boys Trial

Nine black boys versus two white women. Neither party without fault, neither party wholly virtuous, but one party decidedly innocent. If it were not for the absolute control of racism in the South, a control that ruled over culture, politics, and the justice system, the innocent party of nine black boys may have walked free. But even with logic, justice, and truth stacked in their favor, the Southern racial regime could not relinquish control over the case.Though efforts were made to shake the enormous power of the Southern regime, every resulting trial and repeated guilty conviction proved that the reign of racism could not be broken.

From the beginning, the standards of the Southern racial regime framed the case into something almost indefensible.

In cases of rape, especially one as horrible as that committed by the Scottsboro Boys, much of the racist South demanded justice by lynch mob. According to Goodman, advocates argued that lynching was “the most efficient, humane, and effective means of punishing black men who violated the South’s most fundamental taboo.” To avoid the horrors of lynching, the equally prejudiced justice system promised the mob a speedy trial and a quick conviction. The crowd at this rushed trial was “one big smiling white face,” according to Patterson, and the defense the court provided him with could be equally defined. Though the judge offered to run the trial with no lawyer to represent the boys, ultimately two old, intimidated, and uninvested attorneys stepped up. No one else was willing to take on the case, perhaps because of their own racist convictions, or because they knew the case had no hope of success. Even though Roddy and Moody, the two representatives for the boys, volunteered their services, they made “little more than half-hearted attempts” at defense, and the result was unsurprising. Eight of the boys were proclaimed guilty, and sentenced to death, establishing just the beginning of how much power the Southern racial regime would hold over this

The reign of racism asserted its power over each subsequent trial, and every situation and verdict only bowed to the power of the regime. The case of the Scottsboro Boys demonstrated the power of thee Southern racial regime, but it also reflected the changes that were to come. Though it could not be cracked, the appeals of the defense did begin to chip away at the control and influence of racism. The successes at the United States Supreme Court show that the tide was stirring, about to turn, and a precedent was set for Civil Rights cases to come. Though the Scottsboro Boys were defeated by the reign of racism in the South, its control could not hold