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February 1921

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Oppression
Elaine Massacre Aftermath: 12 Black Men Sentenced to Death for Defending Themselves

The Elaine Massacre of 1919 — in which over 100 Black sharecroppers were killed by white mobs after a union meeting — resulted in 12 Black men being sentenced to death and 67 sentenced to prison for 'murder,' while no white participants faced charges. The NAACP challenged the convictions for years; in Moore v. Dempsey (1923), the Supreme Court ruled that the mob-dominated trials violated due process, a landmark ruling holding that federal courts could review state criminal proceedings for constitutional violations. The men were eventually released in 1925.

Events

  1. February 1921
    Elaine Massacre Aftermath: 12 Black Men Sentenced to Death for Defending Themselves

    The Elaine Massacre of 1919 — in which over 100 Black sharecroppers were killed by white mobs after a union meeting — resulted in 12 Black men being sentenced to death and 67 sentenced to prison for 'murder,' while no white participants faced charges. The NAACP challenged the convictions for years; in Moore v. Dempsey (1923), the Supreme Court ruled that the mob-dominated trials violated due process, a landmark ruling holding that federal courts could review state criminal proceedings for constitutional violations. The men were eventually released in 1925.

  2. February 1921
    Elaine Massacre Aftermath: 12 Black Men Sentenced to Death for Defending Themselves

    The Elaine Massacre of 1919 — in which over 100 Black sharecroppers were killed by white mobs after a union meeting — resulted in 12 Black men being sentenced to death and 67 sentenced to prison for 'murder,' while no white participants faced charges. The NAACP challenged the convictions for years; in Moore v. Dempsey (1923), the Supreme Court ruled that the mob-dominated trials violated due process. The men were eventually released in 1925 after sustained NAACP legal pressure.