Scottsboro Trials

Ruby Bates denies she was ever raped

Jan 5, 1931

Ruby confesses in a letter to Earl Streetman that she was never raped

Assault and Rape Charges Pressed

Mar 25, 1931

Victoria Price and Ruby Bates announce accusations of rape

Scottsboro Boys Events through the Trial and Beyond

Period: Mar 25, 1931 to Jan 23, 1989

All 9 boys are found guilty of rape by a grand jury

Mar 30, 1931

Trial begins

Apr 6, 1931

Several boys are convicted and sentenced to death

Apr 7, 1931

Clarence Norris, Charlie Weems, Haywood Patterson, Olen Montgomery, Ozie Powell, Willie Roberson, Eugene Williams, and Andy Wright

First boy is executed

Jul 10, 1931

Willie Stokes was the first Scottsboro boy executed

Supreme Court announces it will review the Scottsboro Boys case

Jan 1, 1932

Judge grants second trials

Jun 22, 1933

Judge Horton ignores Haywood Pattersons convictions and grants a new trial

The Scottsboro Defense Comittee is organized

Dec 5, 1935

4 boys are released and free of all charges

Jul 24, 1937

Roy Wright, Eugene Williams, Olen Montgomery and Willie Roberson

2 boys are paroled

Jan 5, 1944

Norris and Andy Wright

One more Scottboro boy dies

Sep 5, 1951

Haywood Patterson died of cancer less than a year after being convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 6-15 years in prison

A movie based on the Scottsboro Trials is produced

Jul 5, 1977

it was called Judge Horton and the Scottboro Boys.

Victoria Price dies

Jan 1, 1982

Victoria Price dies only 5 years after her suit against NBC's movie called Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys claiming it was a violation of her privacy and defamed her. Her claims were dismissed.

Last surviving Scottsboro boy dies

Jan 23, 1989

Clarence Norris was the last surviving Scottsboro Boy and died at the age of 76