Credit: Scottsboro Defense Committee and Special Collections, Michigan State University Libraries
Media type: book cover
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Annotation: Largely regarded as one of the most notorious travesties of justice in U.S. history, the conviction of nine black teenagers sentenced to death in Scottsboro, Alabama drew international attention in the 1930's. Tried and sentenced for the rape of two part-time prostitutes, one of whom later recanted her allegations, all of the boys (save one) were eventually paroled, freed or pardoned. The case would serve as the inspiration for Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird.
Year: 1937