James Edwin Horton, Jr.: Scottsboro Judge.

As a region of myth, paradox, and even fantasy, the South often finds itself defending beliefs no longer defensible, structuring facades of reason and rationality which reluctantly collapse when faced with factual reality. Rarely do Southerners inspect their traditions, and even more rarely do they find them lacking. This phenomenon is exemplified in many areas of Southern life. The intricate and complex voting requirements contrived by Southern states at the turn of the century and the entire concept of "separate but equal" both indicate attempts by Southerners to justify beliefs they were unwilling to reject. The entire system of Southern justice before 1950 proclaimed justice for all but in fact only protected age-old traditions.People outside the South regularly point out these conflicts, to the anger and resentment of Southerners. However, although changes brought about by those from outside the South occur, it is self-inspection and self-realization which bring on the slower and painful process of rejecting myths and effecting change. Unless recognition comes from individuals within the South, imbedded in the traditions of the South, it is generally meaningless.The famous Scottsboro trials of the 1930's illuminated the sham of Southern justice and pointed out the difficulty of showing the South the "error of its ways." Yet from these trials a moment of realization and a genuine hope for change were expressed by a Southerner. The decision of Judge James Edwin Horton, Jr., to overturn the guilty verdict of a jury, thereby decreeing a new trial for a Negro accused of raping a Southern white woman, required not only personal courage, but deep love and understanding of the South. This example of courage and wisdom may be seen as an early sign of a profound change in ideology, brought about from within the South, by those Southerners most steeped in its traditions.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Year

1974

Author dc:creator

• Goodrich, Gillian White

• Southerners
• Scottsboro trials
• Personal courage
• Ideology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/7099

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.library.uab.edu:etd-collection-8091