Timeline: Scottsboro Boys

Mar 25, 1931

The Train Ride

On a train, a fight breaks out between some white boys and some blacks. When the train is stopped, the boys are arrested for assault. Next two white girls come off the train and claim they were raped. The nine black boys are then taken to Scottsboro, Alabama.

Period: Apr 1, 1931 to Dec 31, 1931

The Communities Reaction

After the trials end, the community is shocked. People are upset that the boys did not get lawyers, how they were treated based on their age and how harsh their punishments were going to be. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and The International Labor Defense ask to represent the boys and raise money for their trials.

Period: Apr 6, 1931 to Apr 7, 1931

First Trial

Clarence Norris and Charlie Weems are convicted and sentenced to death.

Period: Apr 7, 1931 to Apr 8, 1931

First Trial

Haywood Patterson is convicted and sentenced to death.

Period: Apr 8, 1931 to Apr 9, 1931

First Trial

Olen Montgomery, Ozie Powell, Willie Roberson, Eugene Williams, and Andy Wright are convicted and sentenced to death.

Apr 9, 1931

First Trial

One of the boys, Roy Wright, was convicted. However his trial was a hung jury, a jury that couldnt agree on a sentence. Eleven members of the jury voted that Roy be sentenced to death and one voted for life in prison

Mar 24, 1932

Convictions

The Alabama Supreme Court decides to keep the convictions of all except one of the Scottsboro boys. Eugene Williams is allowed another trial because he was a juvenile at the time of the crime.

Nov 7, 1932

The Fourteenth Amendment

The U.S Supreme Court decides that the boys were denied lawyers and since it is against the Fourteenth Amendment, they send the case to a lower court.

Apr 6, 1933

Surprise Witness

At Haywood Patterson's second trial, Ruby Bates comes forward and says she was with Victoria Price the entire ride and they were not raped. However Haywood Patterson is sentenced to death by the electric chair.

Apr 18, 1933

Unfair Decison

Judge Horton decides to give Haywood Patterson another trial because he believes with everything going on in the town, no one is making a fair decsion.

Oct 20, 1933

New Court

These cases are no longer under Judge Horton and are now under Judge Callahan.

Nov 20, 1933

Trial Again

The oldest seven boys appear in Callahan's court. The youngest two, Roy Wright and Eugene Williams, are put in juvenile court.

Period: Jul 1, 1937 to Jul 31, 1937

Sentences For Some Of The Boys

After appeal, Clarence Norris is sentenced to death. Andy Wright is sentenced to 99 years in prison. Charlie Weems is sentenced to 75 years and Ozzie Powell is sentenced to 20 years.