Scottsboro Boys Project

Scottsboro Boys Charged

Mar 25, 1931

March 25, 1931 Scottsboro Boys are arrested on charges of assault. Rape charges are added against all nine boys after accusations are made by Victoria Price and Ruby Bates. I got this picture from www.blackamericaweb.com

Scottsboro Boys almost Lynched

Mar 26, 1931

March 26, 1931 Scottsboro Boys are nearly lynched by a crowd of over 100 people

8 Boys are sentenced to Death

Apr 7, 1931

Clarence Norris, Charlie Weems, Haywood Patterson, Olen Montgomery, Ozie Powell, Willie Roberson, Eugene Williams, and Andy Wright are tried and convicted, and sentenced to death. The trial of Roy Wright ends in a mistrial when some jurors hold out for a death sentence even though the prosecution asked for life imprisonment.

1st Boy is Executed

Jul 10, 1931

On the date first set for their executions, the Scottsboro boys listen to the execution of Willie Stokes, the first of ten blacks to be executed at the prison over the next ten years. After hearing gruesome reports of the execution, many of the boys report nightmares or sleepless nights.

Ruby Bates denies she was raped

Jan 5, 1932

Ruby Bates, in a letter to a Earl Streetman, denies that she was raped. I got this image from www.wikipedia.org

Hayword Patterson's 2nd Trial

Apr 9, 1932

Hayword Patterson is found guilty for the second time and is sentenced to death by the electric chair. I got this image from http://law2.umkc.edu/

Supreme Court Steps In

May 12, 1932

The Supreme Court Decides to review the Scotssboro Boys case.

Thousands march in Washington

Sep 7, 1933

Thousands march in Washington regarding the Alabama Trials

Fourth Trial for Patterson

Jan 23, 1936

Hayword Patterson is accused a Fourth time of rape and is sentenced for 75 years in prison

Ozzie Powell shot

Jan 24, 1936

Ozzie Powell is shot in the head by Sheriff Jay Sandlin while attacking Deputy Sheriff Edgar Blalock. I got this image from www.law.umkc.edu

4 More boys are Convicted

Jul 23, 1937

Clarence Norris is convicted of rape and sentenced to death. Andy Wright is convicted and sentenced to 99 years for rape. Charlie Weems is convicted and sentenced to 75 years. Ozzie Powell pleads guilty to assaulting the sheriff and is sentenced to 20 years.

4 Boys are released

Jul 24, 1937

Roy Wright, Eugene Williams, Olen Montgomery and Willie Roberson were released after all charges were dropped against them.

Patterson escapes prison

Jul 30, 1948

Haywood Patterson escapes from prison. Later is arrested by the FBI but Michigan Governer refuses extradition to Alabama.

Patterson convicted of manslaughter

Dec 30, 1950

Patterson is involved in a barroom fight resulting in the death of another man. Haywood is charged with murder. He is later sentenced to 6-15 years in prison but he dies of cancer less than a year later.

Angry at NBC

Jul 30, 1977

Victoria Price's suit against NBC for its movie "Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys," which she claimed defamed her and invaded her privacy, is dismissed. Price dies five years later.

Last Scottsboro Boy Dies

Jan 23, 1989

Clarence Norris, the last surviving Scottsboro boy, dies at age 76. I got this image from www.law.umkc.edu