American Experience Season 13 Episode 10 Scottsboro: an American Tragedy

In the 1930s, nine Black youths, ages 13 to 22, were falsely accused of raping two white women on a train in Scottsboro, Alabama. The Scottsboro case became one of the most famous and controversial legal battles in American history and a symbol of the deep-seated racism in the United States. This episode of American Experience explores the events leading up to the arrest of the Scottsboro boys, their trials and appeals, and the political and social climate of the time. The episode looks at the role of the Communist Party in organizing the legal defense of the boys, the hostility of Southern whites towards the NAACP and the federal government, and the impact of the case on civil rights activism in the United States. Through interviews with historians, legal experts, and family members of the defendants and victims, the episode offers a comprehensive and nuanced look at this tragic chapter in American history. It shows how the Scottsboro case was not only a legal travesty but also a human tragedy, as the lives of these young men were forever changed by the injustice done to them. The episode also highlights the resilience and courage of the Scottsboro boys and their families, who refused to give up the fight for justice and who inspired a generation of civil rights activists. Overall, Scottsboro: An American Tragedy is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that sheds light on a little-known but significant moment in American history and its ongoing legacy.