Remembering the case that sparked the Civil Rights Movement across America

Scottsboro, AL – The Scottsboro Multicultural Foundation established the Scottsboro Boys Museum and Cultural Center in 2010. The Museum’s opening was the culmination of a 17-year effort led by Scottsboro native Shelia Washington, to bring honor and dignity to the lives and cases of nine black teenagers accused of raping two white women while traveling through Jackson County Alabama on a train in 1931. A decade later, they are looking to completely modernize.

Recently added to the National Civil Rights Trail, along with 7 other Alabama Museums, they have begun fundraising to undertake a massive remodel in order to better represent & preserve this very important history. Now part of the National Civil Rights Trail, The Scottsboro Boys Case is recognized internationally as one of the most infamous in legal history. The U.S. Supreme Court twice heard arguments in the case, leading to two landmark civil-rights precedents regarding the right to counsel and nondiscrimination in juror rolls.

The Scottsboro Boys Museum and Cultural Center commemorates the lives and legacy of nine young African American males who, in the 1930’s, became international symbols of race-based injustice in the American South. The museum’s mission celebrates the positive actions of those of all colors, creeds and origins that have taken a stand against the tyranny of racial oppression and continue to stay committed to advancing reconciliation and healing, while promoting civil rights and an appreciation of cultural diversity worldwide.

For 10 years, information from the Scottsboro Boys Trials can be found on display at the Scottsboro Boys Museum & Cultural Center in Scottsboro, Alabama.  Now, working with the Design Display Company – out of Birmingham – they’ve begun an initial transformation process with the installation of the Trial Display, before the end of 2020.

With 18 installation displays to go, two handicap bathroom remodels – to include outdoor handicap accessibility, parking lot pavement and façade updates – they are seeking donations totaling $100,000 (proposal review available upon request) to better represent the Scottsboro Boys and how their historical case affected every generation.