TKAM/Scottsboro- Final Paper Racism has been a major social issue in our modern world. From many years ago to today, there has been discrimination among many. Nine young african american men were accused of rapping 2 white women in 1931 (Scottsboro Boys) and a black man was accused of rape in To Kill a Mockingbird. The men were falsely convicted due to the fact that they were black men and the victims were white women. Comparing the two cases, we see similarities that stand out due to unjust rulings. The lawyers, accused, and time period all demonstrate the similarities between both stories. The Finch family are residents of Maycomb, Alabama. The family was treated disrespectfully because Atticus, the father, took on a case defending Tom Robinson, a black man. At one point in the story a mob attempts to get rid of Tom, but Scout, Atticus’ daughter, made it stop. Mostly every white resident of Maycomb was against Atticus. The story behind the crime was that Tom Robinson was helping out at the Ewell house when he …show more content…
A similarity between the two is racial injustice. Atticus explains the court that they cannot simply judge someone based off the color of their skin in which case is happening (Lee 208- online). The Scottsboro trial is known as one of the most shameful examples of injustice in the nation’s history (Linder 9). Back in these times, racism was common and there was still great tension between those of white skin and those of colored. Things we hear and know today are very different from that of Racism and The Great Depression. A lady from Calpurnia’s church, Lula, says Cal had no business bringin white children to their church and that it was there place while the kids had their own (Lee 120- online). During the depression, often times young men would hop trains for adventure or job search otherwise known as hoboing (Linder
The article The Trials of “The Scottsboro Boys,” by Douglas O. Linder speaks about, “an alleged gang rape of two white girls by nine black teenagers on a Southern Railroad freight run on March 25, 1931.” The trial was closed when the boys were pronounced guilty in court. Some of the boys were sentenced to death and some were sentenced to life in prison. This conflict is similar to a quote from, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” that says,"My folks said your daddy was a disgrace an' that nigger oughta hang from the water-tank!” (chapter 9.
Famous Trials, Ed. Douglas Linder, UMKC School of Law, 2017, famous-trias.com/scottsboroboys/2344-firsttrial-2, Accessed 3 April
To Kill a Mockingbird is a story about an african american man who has there life on the line because his being falsely accused of raping a white woman. To Kill a Mockingbird was based off the true story of the Scottsboro boys who were a group of african american teenagers who all had their lives on the line for being falsely accused of raping two white women. Both of these cases are similar because they both have to do with african american men who are being falsely accused of rape, deal with racial injustice or hatred, and are both represented by kind white lawyers. Both the Scottsboro case and the Tom Robinson case, where about black men that had their lives on the line for being falsely accused of rape. On April 9th,1931 an Alabama judge sentenced
On March 25, 1931, a group of nine black teenagers, ranging from ages 12 to 20, were on a train from Chattanooga to Memphis.2 At the height of the depression, it was typical for young men to hop aboard local railways, moving from one fruitless job to another. During this particular train ride, one white teen had stepped on one of the black teens, Haywood Patterson’s, hands and began a stone throwing fight, which quickly escalated to one between the nine blacks and a group of young white men.2 The group of nine successfully managed to throw all but one of their attackers from the train before it had reached a life endangering speed, at which point those men had alerted the local station master.2 The station called to have the train stopped and the boys arrived to a lynch mob in the town of Scottsboro, Alabama.2 Local authorities and state police held the crowd back and escorted the boys to the local jailhouse to await questioning and certain imprisonment.2 Also arriving to Scottsboro were two women, Victoria Price and Ruby Bates, one of which gave testament to which she claimed the two had been raped by a group of twelve black men with pistols and knives.2 While in the jail, Price identified six of the nine boys as the ones who had attacked her.2 The guard on duty had reportedly replied, “If those six had Miss
The Trials of Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird and The Scottsboro Boys Racism and prejudice can control the life of innocent individuals. For instance, historically, many slaves were used to do demeaning jobs like cleaning and cooking by their white owners. Their masters would beat them to a pulp if they disobeyed due to the fact they were their property. Furthermore, they were bought at a cheap price, which shows how worthless they were to society. The pain and suffering are really hard to understand for these men and women and how they struggled.
In today’s world, many people live their lives by the way they are influenced by society. People nowadays are influenced by society in many ways. They are influenced by the way other people react to certain situations, any news they see in the media, or just the way they were raised by their families. With the victims of the Scottsboro trial and the novel To Kill a Mockingbird you can see how all these things plays an effect on the way Mayella, Ruby, and Victoria are shaped and you will see how the character, Mayella, relates to the non-fictional victims of the Scottsboro trial. During the trial in both the fictional and non-fictional cases society plays a big role on shaping the people involved as victims.
In the novel, Tom Robinson and others experienced many injustices in the trial. Atticus Finch is the lawyer of Tom Robinson, an African American and he faced a injustice. For instance, he is looked at differently than every person in Maycomb because he is defending Tom. He is also treated differently. An example of that is when many people showed up to the jail house when Atticus was there reading to Tom and many men came and told Atticus to move or else they were going
Atticus knows there will be a lot criticism from people all around the town of Maycomb; a heavily white populated area. Nevertheless, Atticus does not care and tries everything he can possibly do, to save Tom Robinson’s life. Thus shows, that not all people of white color are prejudice and racist, because there are beings like Atticus who have chosen to fight against the crowd and bring society an inch closer towards equality. Throughout the story, not only does Atticus have to suffer from hateful people around the town, but his two children also have to deal with boat loads of mischief, that comes with having a white father as lawyer, that is defending a
Since the 1930’s, milestones have been reached as to racial equality and equal rights in America, but there are still issues between black and white. Today, racism is an existing part of society. News headlines of “Police Brutality” flash across the television screen from time to time. Racial stereotypes are a common mindset for some people. Back in the 1930’s however, racism and segregation was everywhere.
The Unbalanced Law Being a black man in trouble with the law during the era of To Kill a Mockingbird is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline. During the 1930’s when the book took place racism was the cultural normality. The definition of racism is to believe one race is superior to another's often resulting in discrimination. In the book we see racism displayed in a court case that’s basis is a white mans word verses a black mans word. Throughout the trail in To Kill a Mockingbird the main characters each have a strong but different way in response the the racism displayed in the trail and in their daily lives.
From the crime to the trial, there are parallels between the crimes and trials. On March 25, 1931, a freight train was stopped in Paint Rock, a tiny community in northern Alabama, and nine young African American men who had been riding the rails were arrested. Two white women, Ruby Bates and Victoria Price, descended from the freight cars, and accused the men of raping them on the train. As a result, the accused men were taken to the Scottsboro jail.
Most Americans 65% including majorities across racial and ethnic groups say it has become more common for people to express racism toward other ethnicities. Throughout this essay, there will be two examples of racism that will be discussed. Number one the Scottsboro trial and number 2 the To Kill A Mockingbird novel . These examples genuinely show the negative factors of racism.
During the 1930s the south was still raging with racism, and the thought of a black man raping a white woman lead to no further investigation whether it was true or false, he was simply sentenced to death. Atticus Finch, Toms adept lawyer, believed Soulfly in equality and justice for all and was more than happy to defend Tom Robinson with all his heart no matter his race. The Finch family felt very different than the majority of people in Maycomb Alabama. When Tom Robinson has accused the entirety of the town flocked to the courthouse to view the trial. Some with hopes for justice and liberty but most unapologetically hoping for an unfair sentence.
Injustice The Scottsboro Case shed light on the racial practices expressed in law that made a great impact on the legal system today. The actual victims of the Case did not receive a fair trial due to the color of their skin. The ones who played the victims planned the crime, and their stories made no sense. But like many of the trials during the time it wasn’t based on the actual evidence that was found,or even the defendants ' stories.
How is the racial problem of the southern states of USA in the 1930s portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird? INTRO In the 1930s the Southern states of America suffered from a strong discrimination and racial hatred towards colored people. They had no rights, no respect and were not allowed to go places white people went. In other words they were segregated from the rest of the society.