What a Country!: Scottsboro Boys Museum

6/28/11

While waiting for Joan at the Unclaimed Baggage Center, Bob found a brochure for the Scottsboro Boys Museum. The museum was only open a few days a month. Bob took a chance and called the telephone number at the bottom of the brochure and was fortunate to contact Shelia Washington, the founder and director. Shelia graciously offered to open the museum for us.

Ms. Washington told us that she found a book under her parent's bed wrapped in an old cloth. When she asked her father about the book, Scottsboro Boys by Haywood Patterson, he told her to forget about its existence. It was apparent from Sheila's retelling of the story that her father was upset about what had happened in 1931. Haywood Patterson was one of the nine mostly teens who were falsely accused of raping two white women.

The second story is that of a determined, focused and courageous woman who persevered in the face of veiled threats when she began to pursue the concept of the museum. A church became available and she raised the funds to purchase it. She gathered news articles and artifacts and opened her museum in February, 2010. Sheila Washington is an inspiration. She's proof that America is still a place where a person with little more than a dream and determination can succeed.

Joan stands with the indomitable Sheila Washington in the museum.

The church remains as it was when the last of the congregants - four elderly ladies - left to join another church.

This corner shows photographs of the Scottsboro Boys taken when they were arrested. A juror's chair from the courthouse is seen below the photographs.