to kill a mockingbird
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To Kill a Mockingbird. Scottsboro Trial. Social and Economic Climate of the 1930s. Wall Street Crash (October 1929) People invested in shares Prices increased Companies bogus. Social and Economic Climate of the 1930s. The Rise of Unemployment. The Effect of the Wall Street Crash - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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To Kill a Mockingbird
Scottsboro Trial
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Social and Economic Climate of the 1930s Wall Street Crash (October 1929)
People invested in shares Prices increased Companies bogus
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Social and Economic Climate of the 1930s The Effect of the Wall
Street Crash People saved money
Withdrew money from banks
Banks collapsed Companies went
bankrupt Result
Loss of jobs, homes, businesses, and land
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1920 1930 1931 1932 1933
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Scottsboro Case Two Huntsville Mill Girls
Hobo to Chattanooga Victoria Price
21 years old Known prostitute Employed at Margaret
spinning mill
Ruby Bates 17 years old Quiet and well behaved Employed at Margaret
spinning mill
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Scottsboro Case
The Alleged Rape According to Price’s
testimony: African-American men
forced white men off train
Six men raped Price and Bates
The Defendants
Accused
1. Haywood Patterson; sentenced to 75 years in prison
2. Charles Weems; sentenced to 75 years in prison
3. Ozie Powell; dropped rape charges and plead guilty to assault on an officer
4. Andy Wright; sentenced to 99 years in prison
5. Olen Montgomery; charges dropped
6. Eugene Williams, charges dropped
7. Willie Roberson; charges dropped
8. Clarence Norris; sentenced to death
9. Roy Wright, 13 years old; charges dropped
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Scottsboro Case
A Lynching Spirit Officials maintain a
peaceful crowd Due to concerns of a lynch
mob, Governor Miller ordered the National Guard to protect the suspects
Armed soldiers on guard inside and outside the courtroom
An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people gather outside the courthouse
Outside the Courtroom
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Scottsboro Case
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Scottsboro Case
The Trial April 6, 1931 – April 9, 1931
Witnesses Price and Bates One white man (collaborated) Nine African-American men Acquaintance of women (did not collaborate) Physician
Eight of nine men sentenced to death Six were identified by Price
A guard said, “If those six had Miss Price, it stand to reason that the others had Miss Bates.”
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Scottsboro Case Trial Continues
November 7, 1932 United States Supreme Court orders new trial March 27, 1933 the new trial begins
Famous New York defense attorney Samuel S. Leibowitz Two physicians refute that multiple rapes occurred Prosecution’ eyewitness farmer claimed he saw the blacks grab Price
and Bates. On cross, Liebowitz asked how he could be sure given the distance and the speed
of the train. The farmer said they were wearing women’s clothes, but Bates and Price were wearing overalls.
Ruby Bates openly denies rapes occurred April 9, 1933 first defendant found guilty
Judge James Horton overturns conviction April 1, 1935 United States Supreme Court reversed all
convictions
In the 1930’s Alabama jurors were not willing to accord a black charged with raping a white woman the usual presumption of innocence. Because of indifferent jurors and career-motivated prosecutors, the self-serving and groundless accusations of a single woman were allowed to change forever the lives of nine black teenagers who found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time
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Parallels Between Scottsboro and Tom Robinson Trials
1930s 1930s
Northern Alabama Southern Alabama
Rape charge by white women against African-American men
Rape charge by a white woman against an African-American man
Poor white status of accusers a critical issue
Poor white status of Mayella a critical issue
Central figure is a heroic judge Central figure is Atticus, who defends an African-American man
Judge goes against public sentiment
Atticus arouses anger in community defending Robinson
Jury ignores evidence Jury ignores evidence
Scottsboro Trial Tom Robinson’s Trial
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To Kill a Mockingbird Historical Background Quiz
Directions: Visit the following Internet site:
http://www.quia.com/tq/243735.html Complete the To Kill a Mockingbird Background
Quiz (click here to begin >>)