Protests came from as far away as Turkey over the conviction of the Scottsboro Boys. The international communities' intellectual elites, like scientist Albert Einstein, even added their voices in support of the young men.
Traveling, sometimes undercover, parents and defenders of the young men, took their message outside of the U.S., succeeding in bringing the case to the world stage.
All were galvanized in the extraordinary effort, which would save the nine from an appointment with death.
Compiled by the International Labor Defense
May 1 - Workers in 300 cities protested against the frame-up at their May Day demonstrations.
June 8 - Huge demonstration held before the United States Embassy in Dresden, Germany, demanding freedom for the Scottsboro boys. Five were arrested.
June 29 - Huge demonstrations were held in Berlin, Germany. One policeman was killed in the fights that resulted when the meetings were broken up.
July 1 - Maxim Gorky led international intellectuals and scientists in the demand for the release of the nine boys.
April 27 - Ada Wright and J. Louis Engdahl, General Secretary of the I.L.D. sailed for Europe to conduct an international Scottsboro protest campaign. They were invited by the International Red Aid.
May 7 - A huge Scottsboro protest demonstration was held in Chemnitz, Germany. The demonstration was smashed up by the police. Twelve were shot and one was killed.
May 31 - 2,000 workers listened to Ada Wright and Engdahl at a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, the home of the League of Nations.
June 15 - Ada Wright was smuggled over the Belgian border to address a protest meeting of 5,000 workers.
July 3 - A demonstration of 150,000 workers in the Lustgarten in Berlin, Germany listened to the plea of Ada Wright to save the boys.
Aug. 7 - Mrs. Wright and Engdahl attended the Amsterdam Anti-War Congress which passed a resolution protesting against the frame-up and demanding freedom for the Scottsboro boys.
Aug. 29 - Ada Wright and Engdahl were arrested in Brussels, Belgium, and deported from the country.
Nov. 3 - 36 organizations presented a petition at the American Embassy in Paris, France, demanding the release of the nine boys.
Nov. 7 - International Scottsboro Day. Demonstrations all over the world.
Nov. 21 - J. Louis Engdahl died in Moscow where he was attending the International Red Aid Congress.
Jan. 1 - International Red Aid inaugurates weekly world-wide Scottsboro press Service.
Feb. 17 - Intensive Scottsboro campaign reported from
Holland, where case is linked up with fight against Hitler fascism and defense
of "Seven Provinces" mutineers.
Actions reported from London and New Zealand.
Mar. 5 - Appeal filed with Alabama Supreme Court in spite of Callahan's maneuver. Protest actions reported from Mexico, Africa.
Copyright © 2001-, Terry Muse
Revised: November 6, 2001
URL: http://black_and_hispanic.tripod.com/blackhistory/
Contact: Terry Muse