The Scottsboro Boys Timeline Of Events

Scottsboro Boys are arrested

Mar 25, 1931

Posse stops Southern Railroad train in Paint Rock, Alabama. Scottsboro boys are arrested on charges of assault. Rape charges are added aginst all nine boys after accusations are made by Victoria Price and Ruby Bates.

Scottsboro boys are almost lynched

Mar 26, 1931

Scottcboro boys are almost lynched by a crowd of over 100 people gathered around Scottsboro's jail.

Grand jury indicts Scottsboro boys

Mar 30, 1931

Grand jury indicts the nine Scottsboro boys for rape.

Trials begin

Apr 6, 1931

Trials begin in Scottcboro before Judge A. E. Hawkins.

Scottsboro 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 sentenced to death, while Roy Wright is either going to be sentenced to death or imprisoned for life.

Scottsboro boys listen to execution of Willie Stokes

Jul 10, 1931

On the first date 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.

NAACP withdraws from case

Jan 1, 1932

NAACP withdraws from the Scottsboro boys case

Ruby Bates sends letter to Earl Streetman

Jan 5, 1932

Ruby Bates wrote a letter to Earl Streetman that denies that she was raped by the Scottsboro boys.

U. S. Supreme Court reviews Scottsboro cases

May 1, 1932

The United States Supreme Court announces that it will review the Scottsboro cases.

Samuel S. Leibowitz is retained to defend Scottsboro boys

Jan 1, 1933

Samuel S. Leibowitz, a New York lawyer, is retained by the ILD to defend the Scottsboro boys.

Haywood Patterson found guilty

Apr 9, 1933

Haywood Patterson is found guilty by jury and sentenced to death in electric chair.

Thousands march in Washington

May 7, 1933

In one of many protests around the nation, thousands march in Washington protesting the Alabama trials.

Two lawyers try to bribe Victoria Price

Oct 1, 1934

Two lawyers are charged with attempting to bribe Victoria Price in order to change her testimony.

U. S. Supreme Court overturns convictions

Apr 1, 1935

The U. S. Supreme Court overturns the convictions of Norris and Patterson because African Americans were excluded from sitting on the juries in their trials.

The Scottsboro Defense Committee is organized

Dec 1, 1935

The Scottsboro Defense Committee is organized.

Ozzie Powell is shot in the head

Jan 24, 1936

Ozzie Powell is shot in the head by Sheriff Jay Sandlin while attacking Deputy Sheriff Edgar Blalock.

Scottsboro boys' sentences

Jul 1, 1937

Clarence Norris is convicted 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 Scottsboro boys are released

Jul 24, 1937

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

Haywood Patterson is involved in a barroom fight

Dec 1, 1950

Patterson is involved in a barroom fight, resulting in the death of another man. Haywood is charged with murder.

Patterson is convisted of manslaughter

Sep 1, 1951

Patterson is convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 6 to 15 years. He dies of cancer a year later.

Clarence Norris dies

Jan 1, 1989

Clarence Norris, the last surviving Scottsboro boy, dies at 76.

All nine Scottsboro boys are pardoned

Apr 19, 2013

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley signs legislation officially pardoning and exonerating all nine Scottsboro boys.