Through out my days in elementary, junior high and high school I have read and heard about such unjustice happening in this great country the United States in which we live. Being 18 and living in present day society the stories of the recent past seems more and more unbelievable. Not unbelievable, in that I don't believe these stories happened, but throughout history this nation has been influencing other countries on the treatment of their people. Yet, this nation not only allows the unjust treatment of a race of its own people, this country looked the other way. Nevertheless this country, which once embraced slavery, discrimination, and segregation, is now moving toward a country of inclusion and diversity acceptance. Although this country is not totally without discrimination it has advanced over the years. Before this advancement there were many black people that suffered tremendously in all aspects of their lives. .
The Dawson Five was an example of racism and how it plays a role in receiving justice.
Five black boys were being tried for the robbery of Tiny's grocery story and the murder of Gordon B. Howell. A susposelly eyewitness identified one of the boys. When asked about the murder the five boys said that they didn't have any involvement with it. They boys then stated that the police forced them to confess under threats of electrocution, castration, and execution. The question of white police officers forcing confessions from poor black suspects arose during the trial. The boys" attorney used the confessions as the main part of the evidence. Their attorney stated that the boys were not only innocent of any crime and should not even be tried, but they were also innocent by reason of racial prejudices in Terrell County. The Dawson Five story had gone public and touched a lot of people. People felt it was sad that the Dawson Five had to be accused of a crime in order to change the county's view on racism.
