Powell v. Alabama: The Scottsboro Boys and American Justice

In 1931, nine African American teenagers were arrested in Alabama and falsely accused of raping two white women. The case that followed Powell v. Alabama became one of the most significant in U.S. Supreme Court history, establishing the right to effective legal representation for criminal defendants. Gerald Horne examines this landmark case and the courageous individuals caught up in a flawed legal system, exploring how the Scottsboro Boys' struggle for justice shaped American civil rights law.