In March 1931, Clarence Norris, a self-described hobo, and eight other black men were arrested in Paint Rock, Alabama, and charged with raping two white girls who were also hoboes on the train he was riding. The one day trial of the nine men, better known as the "Scottsboro Boys" resulted in conviction and the death sentence despite a paucity of evidence. Though later pardoned, Norris spent 13 years in jail. (He died in 1989.) Clarence Norris's description of his arrest, trial and sentencing is both tragic and inspirational. His letters to his family, attorneys and supporters show his spirit...

From 1827 to 1861, most Africans in America were either enslaved, propertyless or without citizenship. Yet during that period at least 28 African American newspapers were published. Perhaps the most frequent and controversial topic of debate in these papers was the issue of emigration vs. assimilation. Should blacks in America emigrate to Africa, the Caribbean, and Canada, or continue their quest for assimilation within the American culture? Editors of the black press influenced the self-view of countless African Americans.