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Joseph R. Brodsky Records Concerning Haywood Patterson and Clarence Norris v. State of Alabama
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Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
This collection includes the transcript of record for Haywood Patterson v. State of Alabama, the transcript of record for Clarence Norris v. State of Alabama, and the Supreme Court of the State of Alabama's brief for appellants for Haywood Patterson and Clarence Norris. This material was created and collected by attorney Joseph R. Brodsky as part of the trial of the "Scottsboro Boys," a group of nine African American teenagers who were falsely accused and wrongfully convicted of sexually assaulting two white women.
These materials include descriptions of graphic sexual and physical violence, racist anti-Black slurs and antisemitic commentary.
As no original order was discernible, materials were arranged by type/genre.
Purchased from Heritage Auctions in October 2022 (AM 2024-011).
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This collection was processed by Megan Bardis in August 2023. Finding aid written by Megan Bardis in August 2023, incorporating some description from the dealer.
No materials were removed from the collection during 2023 processing.
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Subject
- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Author
- Megan Bardis
- Finding Aid Date
- 2023
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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Collection Inventory
Joseph R. Brodsky's 787-page copy of the transcript of record for Haywood Patterson v. State of Alabama is an appeal from the circuit court of Morgan County, Alabama, to the Supreme Court of Alabama. Patterson's attorneys, one of whom was Joseph R. Brodsky, appealed Patterson's guilty verdict and death sentence due to discrmination experienced by Patterson, the remaining "Scottsboro Boys," and the attorneys. This appeal includes testimonies of the members of the Jackson County, Alabama Jury Commission, revealing that the all-white jury for Patterson's trial was chosen from a jury roll that excluded African American residents. The transcript of record also includes the motion for a change in venue, citing numerous examples of racism experienced by Patterson and the remaining "Scottsboro Boys" as well as antisemitism experienced by Patterson's Jewish-American attorneys by the prosecutors, plaintiffs, and Alabama residents.
These materials contain graphic descriptions of physical and sexual violence, racist anti-Black slurs and antisemitic commentary.
Physical Description1 folder
Joseph R. Brodsky's 675-page copy of the transcript of record for Clarence Norris v. State of Alabama is an appeal from the circuit court of Morgan County, Alabama to the Supreme Court of Alabama. Norris' attorneys, one of whom was Joseph R. Brodsky, appealed Norris' guilty verdict and death sentence due to discrmination experienced by Norris, the remaining "Scottsboro Boys," and the attorneys. This appeal includes testimonies of the members of the Jackson County, Alabama Jury Commission, revealing that the all-white jury for Norris' trial was chosen from a jury roll that excluded African American residents. The transcript of record also includes the motion for a change in venue, citing numerous examples of racism experienced by Norris and the remaining "Scottsboro Boys" as well as antisemitism experienced by Norris' Jewish-American attorneys by the prosecutors, plaintiffs and Alabama residents.
These materials contain graphic descriptions of physical and sexual violence, racist anti-Black slurs and antisemitic commentary.
Joseph R. Brodsky's copy of the brief for appellants for the State of Alabama v. Haywood Patterson and the State of Alabama v. Clarence Norris. These two cases are briefed together because of the three motions that rested on both of the cases: the motion to quash the indictments, the motion for a change of venue, and the motion to quash the venire. This brief for appellants includes the evidence involved in the trials for both Patterson and Norris, the legal propositions common to both of the cases as well as the exceptions regarding each respective defendant, and the conclusion for both cases. These materials also include the appeal from Jackson Circuit Court for both Haywood Patterson and Clarence Norris.
These materials include graphic descriptions of physical and sexual violence, racist anti-Black slurs and antisemitic commentary.
Physical Description1 folder