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Historic Newspaper Lesson about The Scottsboro Boys Trial by Susan Lyon

Album Description

I will use this album to introduce the trial on which Harper Lee based the trial in her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Students will research the Scottsboro Boys and then examine newspaper articles from the time period.

Detroit tribune. [volume], April 14, 1933, Image 1

Teaching Notes

This article is from the Detroit Tribune. There are several articles on this page related to the Scottsboro Boys Trial. Students would be interested to discover that one of the accusers recanted her testimony, stating that the men were framed.

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016294/1933-04-14/ed-1/seq-1/print/image_654x817_from_0%2C7_to_6836%2C8540

Reference note

Newspaper: Detroit tribune. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1933
Newspaper Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016294/1933-04-14/ed-1/seq-1/print/image_654x817_from_0%...
Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library
PDF Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016294/1933-04-14/ed-1/seq-1.pdf

The Weekly echo., December 29, 1933, Image 1

Teaching Notes

This article is from The Weekly Echo in Meridian, Mississippi. I find this newspaper article fascinating because the writer claims that the Scottsboro Boys will be considered "true heroes" and "martyrs" and the "light of new hope of the world" will be placed in their hands, yet we are still struggling with race issues in 2020. This would be an interesting discussion as we delve into the issues in To Kill a Mockingbird and today.

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87065408/1933-12-29/ed-1/seq-1/print/image_564x817_from_0%2C0_to_4588%2C6642

Reference note

Newspaper: The Weekly echo. (Meridian, Miss.) 1931-1942
Newspaper Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87065408/1933-12-29/ed-1/seq-1/print/image_564x817_from_0%...
Image provided by: Mississippi Department of Archives and History
PDF Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87065408/1933-12-29/ed-1/seq-1.pdf

Evening star. [volume], October 09, 1932, Page A-6, Image 6

Teaching Notes

This article refers to a Cleveland, Ohio, protest against the death penalty for the Scottsboro Boys and plans to attend the Supreme Court review of their case.

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1932-10-09/ed-1/seq-6/print/image_617x817_from_0%2C0_to_5871%2C7774

Reference note

Newspaper: Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972
Newspaper Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1932-10-09/ed-1/seq-6/print/image_617x817_from_0%...
Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC
PDF Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1932-10-09/ed-1/seq-6.pdf

Detroit tribune. [volume], October 28, 1933, Image 1

Teaching Notes

I would use this article to increase interest in the Scottsboro Boys case and the ways in which people tried to derail the trial.

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016294/1933-10-28/ed-1/seq-1/print/image_644x817_from_0%2C0_to_6715%2C8512

Reference note

Newspaper: Detroit tribune. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1933
Newspaper Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016294/1933-10-28/ed-1/seq-1/print/image_644x817_from_0%...
Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library
PDF Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016294/1933-10-28/ed-1/seq-1.pdf

Detroit tribune. [volume], August 12, 1933, Image 1

Teaching Notes

Students would be interested to find that there was a National Scottsboro Day on August 22, 1933. 

Harper Lee's trial in To Kill a Mockingbird was based on this trial that took place when she was a child, but we can make connections to what is happening today in our country. 

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016294/1933-08-12/ed-1/seq-1/print/image_645x817_from_0%2C0_to_6741%2C8533

Reference note

Newspaper: Detroit tribune. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1933
Newspaper Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016294/1933-08-12/ed-1/seq-1/print/image_645x817_from_0%...
Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library
PDF Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83016294/1933-08-12/ed-1/seq-1.pdf