Within hours . One telegram from Moscow was signed by "workers in science, literature, the arts," including composers Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev. All seven men were convicted and sentenced to death within eight days. From left to right: John Clabon Taylor, Joe Henry Hampton, Francis DeSales Grayson, Booker T. Millner, James Luther Hairston, Howard Lee Hairston, and Frank Hairston. In advance of a large planned CRC demonstration in the state capital, Governor Battle doubled the capital guard and alerted the state militia. The case attracted national newspaper coverage. In 1866, the state legislature changed the law so that execution remained an option for both races in rape cases. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. The sentences were carried out in February 1951, the largest group of executions for crimes against a single victim in state history and one of the largest in U.S. history. [8] The day before the youngest of the seven was executed, he said, "God knows I didn't touch that woman and I'll see y'all on the other side. Smyth Jr., the penitentiary superintendent, wrote a succinct response: "No white person has ever been electrocuted in Virginia for the crime of rape; or attempted rape. There is a problem with your email/password. The Martinsville Seven were a group of seven African American men from Martinsville, Virginia, who were convicted and executed for raping a white woman in 1949. We encourage you all to respect the dead and accord the family heartbroken with the loss of a cherished one, some privacy as you leave a message in the comment session. But the remaining three men were executed on Monday, Feb. 5. Fired RPS employee sues school district, alleges misuse of federal funds. Please if you have any form of concern, suggestions, or query as regards this publication, kindly contact us. In denying appeals to commute the Martinsville 7 death sentences, Virginias Governor John S. Battle said, that the wave of messages that flooded his desks was cosponsored by the Civil Rights Congress and the Communist Party. The campaigns to stop the legal lynching of the Martinsville 7 and Willie McGee in Mississippi were met with red-baiting and gruesome determination by the white elite to protect strict racial codes. A group of young Black men executed after being convicted by all-White juries of allegedly raping a White woman have been pardoned in Virginia 70 years after their deaths. He sobbed loudly when Northam told the family members he would grant the pardons after meeting with them Tuesday. Each were. A unique soul with a great personality has an amazing sense of humour, diligent and caring. That they could be standing there for photos with those smug looks on their faces like they have something to be proud of is just beyond my comprehension ! Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. But Hodge-Muse, Millner and others also believe that not all the facts came out during the trials and that there are many unanswered questions. I'm grateful to the advocates and families of the Martinsville Seven for their dedication and perseverance. There was considerable community sentiment against the men. MARTINSVILLE -- On April 19, 1949, Judge Kennon Whittle addressed prosecutors and defense lawyers gathered in his second-floor chambers of the Henry County courthouse. That they could be standing there for photos with those smug looks on their faces like they have something to be proud of is just beyond my comprehension ! John S. Battle to grant clemency to no avail. 0 cemeteries found in Duplin County, North Carolina, USA. At age 37, World War II veteran Francis DeSales Grayson was the oldest of the defendants. Rape is no longer a death-eligible crime in the U.S., but 60 years later, the executions of the Martinsville Seven still provoke strong feelings in Martinsville's African-American community and among death-penalty critics. The preliminary hearing occurred about a month later, and the grand jury two months after that. / CBS/AP. The rapes occurred on Saturday, January 8, 1949, after Ruby Stroud Floyd, a 32-year-old white woman, entered a black neighborhood in Martinsville, Virginia, to collect money for clothing she had sold. August 31, 2021 / 3:17 PM For a PDF of this 8 x 11, one-sided, flyer, see washingtonspark.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/1950-11-08-ma For more information and related images, see flic.kr/s/aHsjWUExj5. Privacy, I Saw Black Spirits & White Spirits Engaged In Battle: The Confessions Of Nat Turner, Black Thens Chocolate Scoop Submit A Scoop-Worthy Story. The image is an auction find. The seven men, most in their late teens or early 20s, were: Grayson, Frank Hairston Jr.; Howard Lee Hairston; James Luther Hairston; Joe Henry Hampton; Booker Millner; and John Clabon Taylor. The Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office has decided to end its participation on a national television show, at least for now. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The Martinsville 7 were African-American young men accused of the rape of a white woman, Ruby Stroud Floyd, on January 8, 1949 in Martinsville, Virginia. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Despite the efforts put forth by the NAACP, four of the Martinsville Seven were electrocuted on February 2, 1951. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. "But we don't really know what happened.". 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Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Although the defense attorneys pointed out mitigating circumstances, the juries quickly convicted each defendant and sentenced them to execution in the electric chair. Four of the men were executed in Virginia's electric chair on Feb. 2, 1951. "Thank you, Jesus. He and his older brother (below) were not related to Frank Hairston Jr. Francis DeSales Grayson, age 38 and of Richmond, Virginia, denied having sex with Floyd; only defendant without local ties. GREAT NEWS! ", She also asked, "How many black women have been raped in Virginia and nobody has ever been executed?" The Associated Press contributed to this report. She had previously distributed Jehovah's Witnesses materials in the neighborhood. This is a carousel with slides. The original trial records, including hundreds of pages of transcripts, are on file at the Martinsville Circuit Court clerk's office. The young men with spotty employment records but no real criminal history soon became known as the Martinsville Seven. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. It's even worse than that. Gravely also does not believe everything has come out about the case. Search above to list available cemeteries. The Martinsville 7 were seven African American men sentenced to death for the rape of a white woman in Virginia. Virginia had historically convicted and executed numerous black men accused of raping white women; for most of its history, only blacks were sentenced to death for rape. Their trials and the electrocutions became a cause clbre similar to the Scottsboro Case of the 1930s. Oh boo, fricking hoo look what they do to criminals in their Afreakan homeland. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. In their appeals, Martin and the NAACP discussed the unfairness of the venue, the pressure on later juries to arrive at the same sentence as the earlier ones, and the historical racial disparities in application of death penalty sentences in the state. Defense lawyers argued that Floyd had consented to sexual intercourse by failing to forcibly resist the men and that the initial confessions were forced by the local sheriff. "I remember the very day the police came to the door. Ralph Northam granted posthumous pardons Tuesday to seven Black men who were executed in 1951 for the rape of a white woman, in a case that attracted pleas for mercy from around the world and in recent years has been denounced as an example of racial disparity in the use of the death penalty. Four of the men were executed in Virginia's electric chair on February 2, 1951. Listen to these niggers holding up seven rapists as though they were victims of some kind ! [4] Authorities showed increased professional conduct and procedures since the controversial arrest and execution of Odell Waller during World War II (he was initially represented at trial by the Trotskyite Revolutionary Workers League and ultimately executed).[5]. Image courtesy of Papers of the Civil Rights Congress. Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. "I am not excusing rape. "My daddy was Hampton's uncle," she said. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Virginia Gov. "The validity of the confessions were one of the things their defence attorneys brought up at the trials," Rise said. Martin A. Martin and other NAACP attorneys defended the men on appeals, attempting to ensure fair trials, set due process precedents, and gain clemency or sentence reductions. In December, advocates and descendants of the men asked Northam to issue posthumous pardons. The Martinsville Seven were a group of seven African-American men from Martinsville, Virginia, who were convicted and executed in 1951 for raping a white woman in 1949. The night of Feb. 1, 1951, hundreds of people of both races gathered at the state Capitol to pray. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. There had been no threats of lynching before the trials and no disturbances after the executions. The Court of Appeals upheld the rulings on March 13, 1950, with Chief Justice Edward W. Hudgins writing: "one can hardly conceive of a more atrocious, a more beastly crime". %privacy_policy%. James Walter Grayson is the son of Francis DeSales Grayson, who was one of the seven. The propaganda emanating from these sources bears no semblance of truth and is designed for no other purpose than to foment ill feeling between the races and to mislead those who have no knowledge of the true fact of these cases.. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The "Martinsville Seven" were convicted of raping 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd, who had gone to a predominantly Black neighborhood in Martinsville, Virginia, on Jan. 8, 1949, to collect money for . Based on her account, in which she claimed to have been raped by 13 black men,[3] the police quickly arrested Frank Hairston Jr. and Booker Millner. "Their punishment did not fit the crime. Please try again later. Joe Hampton, 19, and three others took turns raping Ruby Floyd, a 32-year-old white woman. [2] The men were executed in early February. Two days later, on Sunday, 100 people picketed the White House in Washington, and Josephine Grayson, wife of Francis Grayson, unsuccessfully sought to see President Harry S. Truman. Ruby Stroud Floyd accused thirteen black men of raping her while she passed through a poor black neighborhood in Martinsville, Virginia. 7 Black men were executed for an alleged rape in 1951. NAACP officials focused national attention to the case, hoping to delay or overturn the death penalty judgment. "We all deserve a criminal justice system that is fair, equal, and gets it right no matter who you are or what you look like," he said. Their trials and the electrocutions became a cause clbre similar to the Scottsboro Case of the 1930s. "It means so much to me," he said of the pardon. Appeals to the Virginia and U.S. supreme courts followed but also failed. Do you find this information helpful? Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Later, three other men, Francis DeSales Grayson, John Clabon Taylor and James Luther Hairston joined the other four in the assault, according to the confessions. Now they've been pardoned | CNN, Shocking moment thief is burned to death by villagers who say he led a violent gang. "The Martinsville Seven were not given adequate due process 'simply for being black,' they were sentenced to death for a crime that a white person would not have been executed for 'simply for being black,' and they were killed, by the Commonwealth, 'simply for being black,' " the advocates wrote in their letter to Northam. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Pickets parade in front of the White House Jan. 30, 1951, in an effort to persuade President Truman to halt execution of seven black men sentenced to death in Virginia on charges of raping a white woman. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, 41, and Brandy Washington tied the knot last week, a year after the couple got engaged. [2], Rise says that the white community disdained Ruby Floyd for her missionary work with the Jehovah's Witnesses and for her willingness to enter the black part of Martinsville. At the time, all 45 men executed for rape in Virginia since the state began using the electric chair in 1908 were blacks convicted of attacking white women. Racism was less explicit in the trial than in cases known as "legal lynchings" in the South, in which innocent men were convicted (e.g., the Scottsboro Boys, Willie McGee), and the Groveland Boys. Unanimous juries recommended death sentences at the end of each trial. Rise said two men said they had consensual sex with her, one man denied any involvement, and another man said he was so intoxicated he could not remember what happened. One of the pickets who identified himself as Richard O. Boyer of New York City, said most of the marchers were New Yorkers and the protest came from the New York Council of Arts, Sciences and Professions. W.F. [7] From 1908 to 1951, only Texas, North Carolina and Georgia executed more black men for rape than did Virginia. . Footage too graphic to publish shows the man . For the first time, records were kept at a central location. Before their executions, protesters picketed at the White House, and the governor's office received letters from around the world asking for mercy. Please login and add some widgets to this sidebar. Archives Unbound. Please enter your email and password to sign in. She also had abrasions on her elbows, forearms, knees, lower legs and thighs. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. But Northam said Tuesday that the death penalty for rape was applied almost exclusively to Black people. The campaign included picket lines, post cards and telegrams, a demonstration by hundreds rallying in Richmond to try to persuade Gov. Grayson said she once told her father that she wanted to meet her grandfather. He was appalled at the nature of the crime.[2]. [11], The case of the Martinsville Seven was taken up by outside groups, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Civil Rights Congress (CRC). Virginias court system repeatedly rejected the NAACPs arguments and the US Supreme Court rejected the case twice without review. Ruby Stroud Floyd Obituary: In the loving memory of Ruby Stroud Floyd, we are saddened to inform you that Ruby Stroud Floyd, a beloved and loyal friend, has passed away. It must be tried as though both parties were members of the same race. What happened to the white American Ruby Stroud Floyd more than 70 years ago in a black neighborhood in the small town of Martinsville, Virginia, will probably remain unexplained forever. John S. Battle to grant clemencyall to no avail. They argued for lesser sentences, but Battle resisted their pleas. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. It is a filthy, sick crime," Hodge-Muse said. They were not assigned a lawyer. The attack occurred in Cherrytown, the black section of Martinsville. By early 1951, legal strategies to save the Martinsville Seven were exhausted and the NAACP, joined by the Civil Rights Congress (CRC), turned towards a public relations campaign aimed at commuting the mens death sentences. You can cancel at any time. Two of the men were tried together. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Only one of the accused had a prior criminal record, and most of the men were employed. COPYRIGHT (C) 2017 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - BLACK THEN On January 31, a mass demonstration of over 400 took place in Richmond to demand a halt to the planned executions despite the virulent racist opposition of many white supremacists. There were six trials two defendants elected to be tried together held back to back, none of them lasting more than a day. I suppose that's how the electric nigglet was found innocent too. Add to your scrapbook. All seven men signed statements admitting they were present during the attack, but they had no access to their parents or attorneys at the time, Rise said. "I won't talk about that," Martin said. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. How To Unsubscribe From Emails and Push Notifications. He said none of the men had attorneys present while they were interrogated. To protect them from mob violence, they took them to other jails outside Henry County. Although it was dark, Floyd testified in all six trials identifying each of the seven. Do I see a pattern here? While Ruby Stroud Floyd was being treated in hospital after the alleged rape, police arrested six suspects, and two days later a seventh. On 8 January 1949, 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd was out collecting money for some clothes she had recently sold. Four of the Martinsville Seven were electrocuted on February 2, 1951. The Martinsville 7 were seven African American men convicted of raping a white woman in 1949. Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Please enter valid email address to continue. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? The Martinsville 7 were charged with the rape of a white woman, Ruby Stroud Floyd, in a black neighborhood of Martinsville, Virginia on January 8, 1949. "It is worthy of note that none of the defendants claimed that promises or threats were made by anyone before the confessions were signed," he wrote. Try again later. "But to kill them and not even really know that all of them even committed this crime? A presentation of a bouquet of flowers is a special way of showing youre thinking of them and their loss, as the bright colours reflect the personality of the passed loved one. Grayson said he was fouryears old when his father was executed. The Wades called an ambulance for her. The remaining three were electrocuted on February 5. http://revcom.us/a/098/martinsville7-en.html, http://www.blackpast.org/aah/martinsville-seven-1949-1951. [8][16], On August 31, 2021, Governor Ralph Northam posthumously pardoned all seven men. According to historian Eric W. Rise, this case "demonstrated the power of the southern legal system to enforce codes of racial behavior."[2]. The next morning, a Friday, 75 people were praying at the Capitol when several blocks away at the penitentiary on Spring Street, Department of Corrections records show that Hampton, 21, was seated in the electric chair at 8:04 a.m. He further stated, "We all deserve a criminal justice system that is fair, equal, and gets it rightno matter who you are or what you look like. "No one believed they should get off free " she said. It is not known whether Floyd is still alive and if so, where. Martin and his uncle later testified that the uncle warned Floyd not to make the trip in the dark. The last was Grayson, 38, who was pronounced dead at 8:15 that morning. Virginia would later execute three more men for rape, the last in 1961. She was emotionally upset, said the doctor, her underclothing was missing and her coat, dress and slip were "extremely dirty.". All they are celebrating is the dismantling of White laws, laws which have held . Among the key witnesses against the men was 11-year-old Charlie Martin. On January 30, 1951, 400 protesters arrived in Richmond, appealing to Battle on the issue of racial disparity in sentencing. Photo by Henry Burroughts. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Verify and try again. The February 10, 1951 national edition of the Afro American headlines the mass execution of the Martinsville 7 in Virginia. *. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. In this period of the second Red Scare, Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee had raised alarms about purported communist influence in government and society. You must log in or register to reply here. ", The lawyers used the figures in their clemency petition to Gov. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. View Source. But on July 24, 1950, Battle turned them down, writing: "No fair minded person can read the evidence in these cases without being convinced, beyond the shadow of a doubt, of the guilt of all the defendants.". Though our words can do little, we hope our thoughts and prayers will encourage you this period and always as you mourn, the passing soul. While Ruby Stroud Floyd was being treated in hospital after the alleged rape, police arrested six suspects, and two days later a seventh. This account has been disabled. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. You have permission to edit this article. The "Martinsville Seven," as the men became known, were all convicted of raping 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd, a White woman who had gone to a predominantly Black neighborhood in Martinsville, Virginia, on January 8, 1949, to collect money for clothes she had sold. Floyd identified two of her rapists as Grayson and Hampton, but she could not identify the others. What makes the Justices so elite? Though Governor William Tuck initially agreed to a stay during appellate litigation, by late July 1950, newly elected Governor John S. Battle refused to commute the men's sentences, saying he was horrified by the rapes. Save to. Four of the seven testified at their own trials. A better quality image can be found in the Fight for Racial Justice: the Civil Rights Congress (Gale) that can be accessed online through the D.C. Public Library databases, among other methods. The pardons do not address the guilt or innocence of the men, but Northam said the pardons are an acknowledgement that they did not receive due process and received a "racially-biased death sentence not similarly applied to white defendants.". The case of the Martinsville Seven was cited during the legislative debate as an example of the disproportionate use of the death penalty against people of color. Now, They Have Been Pardoned", A Year of History: Martinsville Seven executions remain 'a raw wound' for many, "Seeking Justice For The Martinsville Seven", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Martinsville_Seven&oldid=1137887829, Frank Hairston Jr., age 20, confessed to rape, Booker T. Millner, age 22, said he was present, but did not take part. In some cases, they said that the police had written the confessions, that the formal account varied from a handwritten version, and that they had not fully read the police version when signing and did not recognize that their own accounts had been changed. cemeteries found in Duplin County, North Carolina, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The photographer is unknown. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson's name misspelled as "Jakie" on road sign, Serena Williams honored at NAACP Image Awards, City, family reach $2 million settlement in Florida fatal police shooting, How these 3 hashtags from Black Twitter changed America, announced new steps to streamline the pardon process. The "Martinsville Seven," as the men became known, were all convicted of raping 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd, a white woman who had gone to a predominantly black neighborhood in Martinsville . After a long legal battle led by the NAACP and a grassroots campaign led by the Civil Rights Congress (CRC), the seven were executed in 1951 on February 2nd and February 5th. I will not have it otherwise.". Deputies in Davidson County rushed to help a 69-year-old man they'd found unresponsive in his house following a welfare check. Virginia Gov. 69-year-old suffers stroke in his N.C. home; Realtor showing house leaves him there. The judge ruled that there was no evidence that discrimination was involved in imposing the Martinsville death sentences. The first four were executed at 15-minute intervals on February 2. Northam announced the pardons after meeting with about a dozen descendants of the men and their advocates. Weve updated the security on the site. "I think I touched a nerve. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. "This was the Jim Crow South; this was prior to the civil-rights movement why would she be there," she asked. Failed to report flower. The Civil Rights Congress and the Virginia Committee to Save the Martinsville Seven publish a flyer November 8, 1950 explaining why the Virginia case of seven black men sentenced to death was important for the fight against white supremacy. After the verdicts and sentencings, the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals later rejected a racial-prejudice claim filed on behalf of the Martinsville Seven, ruling that sentences did not, "depend upon the race of the accused, but upon the circumstances, aggravation and enormity of the crime proven in each case." The" Martinsville Seven," as the men became known, were all convicted of raping 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd, a white woman on Jan. 8, 1949. Required fields are marked *. At 7:30p.m., after dark, she went to Mary Wade's house for shelter, showing signs of an assault. NAACP officials focused national attention to the case, hoping to delay or overturn the death penalty judgment. 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