Jim Crow Racism In Southern United States In The 1930's

The Southeastern United States in the 1930s were a time of racism and injustice. African Americans were harshly discriminated because of their darker skin in a way known as Jim Crow Racism. During this unjust era, African Americans, though legally given rights by the government, had little to none in these areas. Because of this, they were often subjected to unfair treatment ranging from racial slangs to outright lynchings. Starting in the 1870s, Jim Crow Racism would eventually be brought down in the 1950s through a combination of courageous individuals, activist groups, and the eventual acceptance of equality among all. However, some of these equality causing factors have, over time, been exaggerated as to just how powerful they are. Courage’s
In this trial, nine African American teenagers were unjustly accused of raping two white women on a train. Even though the evidence clearly showed otherwise, they were still convicted again and again by the many juries that they faced because of their skin color, showing once more the power of Jim Crow Racism. During the multiple trials that this case spanned, there were many individuals who showed courage. One such person was, ironically enough, Ruby Bates, one of the women that had accused the boys of raping her. Aside from adding to the fact that the teenagers were innocent, Ruby’s recantation of her story was also, on her part, a courageous one. This was primarily due to the fact that African Americans during this time were discriminated to such a degree that it was considered improper for a white person, especially a white woman, to help them out in any way. Thus, by acting on the behalf of the Scottsboro Boys, Bates showed her courage. However, as stated in the Randsdall Report, this courage amounted to nothing. Jim Crow Racism was ingrained so deeply into the political system of the South at the time that the court deemed Ruby a “weak witness” due to her inability to make her testimony fit in with that of Victoria Price’s, the other woman who had accused the teenagers of rape. In short, the jury considered Bate’s testimony invalid because of her refusal to take part in the unjust conviction of the teenagers. Another individual who showed courage during the Scottsboro Trial was the presiding judge of Haywood Patterson, one of the accused teenagers. This judge’s name was James E. Horton. With the possible risk of ending his career as an elected circuit judge and bearing the scorn of his fellow townspeople, Horton acted on his conscience and try to give the accused a fair trial. Despite this act of courage, Patterson was not freed, but instead