1 ranking in country. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. Image courtesy of Papers of the Civil Rights Congress. [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. You must log in or register to reply here. "The older people all know about it, and it's so hurtful that they don't really want to talk about it. Share. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. 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. "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. Please join us to mourn the passing of Ruby Stroud Floyd. Please enter valid email address to continue. Floyd identified two of her rapists as Grayson and Hampton, but she could not identify the others. At the time of their arrest, all but one were between the ages of 18 and 23. 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. Some questioned the accuracy of parts of the confessions, and at least one said he did not have intercourse with Floyd and that he did not see Floyd resist anyone. The preliminary hearing occurred about a month later, and the grand jury two months after that. All seven men were convicted and sentenced to death within eight days. Rarely. She was emotionally upset, said the doctor, her underclothing was missing and her coat, dress and slip were "extremely dirty.". We have set your language to [2], The officials separated the men. You are using an out of date browser. 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 . Their petition does not argue that the men were innocent, but says their trials were unfair and the punishment was extreme and unjust. The prosecution vetoed all potential black jurors so that all-white and all-male juries heard the cases. Deputies in Davidson County rushed to help a 69-year-old man they'd found unresponsive in his house following a welfare check. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Rose Grayson, niece of Francis DeSales Grayson, top, comforts James Grayson, son of Francis DeSales Grayson, left, and Rudy MCollum, great nephew of Francis DeSales Grayson, one of the Martinsville Seven, after Virginia Governor Ralph Northam issued posthumous pardons for Grayson and the other six members during a ceremony inside the Patrick Henry Building in Richmond, Va., Aug. 31, 2021. While we can't change the past, I hope today's action brings them some small measure of peace. Every single one of the 45 men executed by Virginias electric chair for the crime of rape at that point in time were African American men charged with assaulting white women. Cause of death Details of the circumstance surrounding our beloved, Ruby Stroud Floyddeath is not public yet, we will share more as we learn. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. The first man to die in Virginia's electric chair was Henry Smith, a black man who raped an elderly white woman. His signed confession, like those of the others, was read into the record and can be found in the old files. Newly elected Virginia Governor John S. Battle refused their request for clemency. Floyd identified Grayson and Hampton as her rapists but struggled to identify the others because the attack happened at night. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. "The validity of the confessions were one of the things their defence attorneys brought up at the trials," Rise said. She had previously distributed Jehovah's Witnesses materials in the neighborhood. Three days later, the remaining three were also electrocuted. Ralph Northam, left, looks over the. If people like George Floyd really did die "simply for being black," how can we doubt that black men in the . He sobbed loudly when Northam told the family members he would grant the pardons after meeting with them Tuesday. Whittle.[7]. 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. ", The lawyers used the figures in their clemency petition to Gov. Execution of black teen in 1944 shouldn't have occurred, U.S. judge rules, Man freed from prison, over racial bias in jury selection, will not face 7th murder trial, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Eric W. Rise, author of "The Martinsville Seven, Race, Rape and Capital Punishment" and a professor of criminal justice at the University of Delaware, said prospective black jurors were excused for expressing reservations about the death penalty or struck by prosecutors. While we can't change the past, I hope today's action brings them some small measure of peace.". Northam said some of the defendants were impaired at the time of their arrests or unable to read confessions they signed. Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. To protect them from mob violence, they took them to other jails outside Henry County. Northam has now granted a total of 604 pardons since taking office in 2018, more than the previous nine governors combined, his administration announced Tuesday. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Our deepest condolences and heartfelt prayers are with the family and friends. 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 . 0 cemeteries found in Duplin County, North Carolina, USA. Try again later. The Civil Rights Congress pickets the White House February 1, 1951 demanding President Harry Truman stop the execution of the Martinsville 7 seven African American men sentenced to death for the rape of a white woman in Virginia. Floyd identified two of her rapists as Grayson and Hampton, but she could not identify the others. 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. Reached by telephone, she said her family will not talk about her grandfather or what happened. Privacy, I Saw Black Spirits & White Spirits Engaged In Battle: The Confessions Of Nat Turner, Black Thens Chocolate Scoop Submit A Scoop-Worthy Story. At age 37, World War II veteran Francis DeSales Grayson was the oldest of the defendants. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Other demonstrations were held in Washington, D.C. in an attempt to convince President Harry S. Truman to interveneagain to no avail. 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. A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. 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. Ruby belonged to a predominantly black neighborhood in Martinsville,. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password. What the Martinsville case lacked in legal import, it made up for politically by drawing national and worldwide attention to the death penalty as a civil-rights issue. This legal argument of a discriminatory death penalty was denied by the courts at that time, but by 1977 the U.S. Supreme Court began to consider the effects of race on the death penalty. You can directly shop your flowers on Amazon. NAACP officials focused national attention to the case, hoping to delay or overturn the death penalty judgment. COPYRIGHT (C) 2017 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - BLACK THEN For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Do you find this information helpful? "[2] The prosecution did not explicitly discuss race; it argued the case based on the "preservation of community stability, not the protection of southern womanly virtues,"[2] as had formerly been common. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. Washington and Lee University law professor David Bruck said that even if the trials were fair and the men guilty, "the idea that you could have a 45-to-nothing ratio and that does not prove anything tells you that this was simply a judicial system that was not prepared to do the right thing.". "I remember the very day the police came to the door. When the NAACP appealed their convictions, its defense team noted that when the police had questioned the men, they had been drinking for some time, and they were not allowed to consult lawyers or their families. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. During the eleven-day trials, juries heard testimonies from both sides, including medical evidence of Floyds physical injuries and accounts from black witnesses whom Floyd appealed to for help after the assault. 7 Black men were executed for an alleged rape in 1951. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. By the spring of 1949, all seven men were charged with rape. "Their punishment did not fit the crime. The last was Grayson, 38, who was pronounced dead at 8:15 that morning. But, none was selected for any of the seven juries, as the prosecutors rejected all of them on various grounds. He was pronounced dead at 8:12 a.m. Three more executions quickly followed. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Make sure that the file is a photo. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. Joe Hampton, 19, and three others took turns raping Ruby Floyd, a 32-year-old white woman. By the spring of 1949, all seven men were charged with rape. It has been stated by several residents of Martinsville, Virginia that Grayson and Floyd were in a sexual relationship. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. 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. Oh boo, fricking hoo look what they do to criminals in their Afreakan homeland. It was the largest group of people executed for a single-victim crime in Virginia's history. 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. Martinsville remained quiet. The seven men, ranging in age from 18-37 years old, were arrested in 1949 for the reported rape of 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd, a white woman who lived in Martinsville. One telegram from Moscow was signed by "workers in science, literature, the arts," including composers Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. Despite the efforts put forth by the NAACP, four of the Martinsville Seven were electrocuted on February 2, 1951. On the stand, each of the defendants at least partially rejected his confession. James Walter Grayson is the son of Francis DeSales Grayson, who was one of the seven. 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.". John Marshall boys basketball reclaims No. Among the key witnesses against the men was 11-year-old Charlie Martin. He is now in his 70s and lives just outside the city of Martinsville. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. 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. In Richmond, more than 200 people, most wearing black armbands, marched to Capitol Square from a memorial meeting at Third Street Bethel AME Church. Four more suspects were arrested that night, based in part on the first two men's confessions. 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. Ruby Stroud Floyd obituary is not public at the time, we will share more as we learn about the obituary and possibly the funeral. Try again later. At the time of their arrest, all but one was between the ages of 20 and 23. Resend Activation Email. 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. The seven were charged with the rape of Ruby Stroud Floyd in a black neighborhood of Martinsville, Virginia on January 8, 1949. Grayson said she once told her father that she wanted to meet her grandfather. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Sorry! In a news release, Northam said the pardons were not about whether the men were guilty, but it was "recognition from the Commonwealth" that the men did not receive adequate due process. [1] On August 31, 2021, the Governor of Virginia pardoned the convictions of all seven men, 70 years after their deaths. At 7:30p.m., after dark, she went to Mary Wade's house for shelter, showing signs of an assault. To use this feature, use a newer browser. All of them were tried by all-white juries. 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. They noted the assaults of Floyd had no evidence of homicidal intent. The NAACP appeals also noted that since Virginia started use of the electric chair, only black men had been executed for rape in the state for what was a non-lethal crime. "I think I touched a nerve. A physician who treated Floyd after the attack testified that she suffered a swollen lip, scratches on the back of her neck, the back of her right chest and on her buttocks. Here you'll find all collections you've created before. All seven men were convicted and sentenced to death within eight days. Four of the men testified in their own defence. The seven executed were Francis Grayson, James L. Hairston, John Claybon Taylor, Frank Hairston, Jr., Booker T. Millner, Howard Lee Hairston and Joe Henry Hampton. The trial lasted for eleven days, during which the jury heard testimonies from both sides, including medical evidence of Floyds physical injuries and accounts from black witnesses whom Floyd appealed to for help after the assault. In 1908, Virginia became the fifth state in the U.S. to use the electric chair, and executions were carried out by the Virginia Department of Corrections at the State Penitentiary in Richmond. The photographer is unknown. Eric W. Rise, Race, Rape, and Radicalism: The Case of the Martinsville Seven, 1949-1951. The Journal of Southern History LVIII, no. The victim of the rape recounted in The Martinsville Seven was Ruby Stroud Floyd, a thirty-two year old housewife who had moved to Martinsville with her husband, Glenn Floyd, a department store manager, only four years prior to the attack. 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 ! After being held by police overnight, the first six all signed confessions, implicating themselves and each other. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. The mass executions were the largest in Virginia in modern times. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. . Records unavailable at the time of the Martinsville Seven appeals show that from 1626 until 1908, at least three whites and 99 blacks were hanged for rape or attempted rape in Virginia. By the spring of 1949, all seven men were charged with rape. How To Unsubscribe From Emails and Push Notifications. The Martinsville 7 were seven African American men convicted of raping a white woman in 1949. [2], Judge Kennon Whittle told the attorneys: "this case must and will be tried in such a way as not to disturb the kindly feeling now, locally, existing between the races. [2] A relative of the Hairstons has said that their family tradition always said that Floyd had been having an affair with one of the defendants, but this was not explored at trial. A unique soul with a great personality has an amazing sense of humour, diligent and caring. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. 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. Despite the letter-writing campaigns, editorials, and local vigils, newly-installed Virginia Governor John S. Battle refused clemency. John S. Battle to grant clemencyall to no avail. I'm grateful to the advocates and families of the Martinsville Seven for their dedication and perseverance. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Suggest Edits Toggle Dropdown. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). 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. 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. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. New York Public Library. Joe Henry Hampton, 21, was the first man tried. He kissed us and they took him away," he told The Associated Press in an interview after the announcement. There had been no threats of lynching before the trials and no disturbances after the executions. Please try again later. He sobbed loudly when Northam told the family members he would grant the pardons after meeting with them Tuesday. Unanimous juries recommended death sentences at the end of each trial. According to historian Eric W. Rise, this case "demonstrated the power of the southern legal system to enforce codes of racial behavior."[2]. The seven were charged with the rape of Ruby Stroud Floyd in a black neighborhood of Martinsville, Virginia on January 8, 1949. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. [7] From 1908 to 1951, only Texas, North Carolina and Georgia executed more black men for rape than did Virginia. The seven men, ranging in age from 18-37 years old, were arrested in 1949 for the reported rape of 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd, a white woman who lived in Martinsville. All six juries convicted the young men of rape and recommended the death penalty. She had previously distributed Jehovah's Witnesses materials in the neighborhood. Doris Gravely, 80, of Martinsville, a first cousin of Joe Henry Hampton, the first of the seven executed, talked about the case in her living room last month. Footage too graphic to publish shows the man . There was a problem getting your location. "They won't discuss that at all," she said. Rudolph McCollum Jr., a former Richmond mayor who is the great-nephew of Francis DeSales Grayson and the nephew of another one of the executed men, Booker T. Millner, told Northam the executions represent "a wound that continues to mar Virginia's history and the efforts to move beyond its dubious past." "It's such a raw wound," said Naomi Hodge-Muse, president of the Martinsville chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. I will not have it otherwise.". A grand jury (which included both black and white members) indicted all the men. Within hours, they admitted to having "sex" with Floyd or admitted to watching their friends have intercourse with the thirty-two-year-old. All but one man were in their early 20s. Only one of the accused had a prior criminal record, and most of the men were employed. Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, USA. The judge ruled that there was no evidence that discrimination was involved in imposing the Martinsville death sentences. But Northam said Tuesday that the death penalty for rape was applied almost exclusively to Black people. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. The mass executions were the largest in Virginia in modern times. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. The image is an auction find. [9][10] An editorial in New York's Amsterdam News read, When we consider the fact that in the entire history of the Old Dominion state, no white man has ever received capital punishment for rape, then of necessity we must conclude that the death penalty for seven men for a singular crime was neither righteous, nor compassionate, nor wise. Northam announced the pardons after meeting with about a dozen descendants of the men and their advocates. But Northam said Tuesday that the death penalty for rape was applied almost exclusively to Black people. Your email address will not be published. In December, advocates and descendants of the men asked Northam to issue posthumous pardons. The shortest was little more than half an hour. State And Regional Martinsville Film To Be Produced By Charlottesville Activist And Uvas Center For Politics. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Northam announced the pardons after meeting with about a dozen descendants of the men and their advocates. The police first arrested Frank Hairston, Jr. and Booker T. Millner, and soon picked up James Luther Hairston, Howard Lee Hairston, John Clabon Taylor, Francis DeSales Grayson, then James Henry Hampton as additional suspects. The Civil Rights Congress pickets the White House January 30, 1951 demanding President Harry Truman stop the execution of the Martinsville 7 seven African American men sentenced to death for the rape of a white woman in Virginia. NAACP lawyers argued on appeal that Virginias legal code was hardly race-neutral since whites convicted of rape seldom if ever received the death penalty. "But to kill them and not even really know that all of them even committed this crime? After the convictions, the seven were represented by Richmond-area civil-rights lawyers Martin A. Martin, Samuel W. Tucker, Roland D. Ealey and Oliver W. Hill, and others. Fired RPS employee sues school district, alleges misuse of federal funds. 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. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. 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. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Independent Contractor (Newspaper Carrier), Virginia railroad union says safety concerns have been rising amid cost-saving moves, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office ends affiliation with Reelz TV show 'On Patrol: Live', Former Virginia basketball coach Terry Holland dies after battling Alzheimer's. The trial transcripts show that on the evening of Saturday, Jan. 8, 1949, Ruby Stroud Floyd, the 32-year-old wife of a department-store manager, entered a black area of the city to collect money owed her by Ruth Pettie, a woman to whom she had sold clothing. Grayson said he was fouryears old when his father was executed. Archives Unbound. 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. Hundreds stayed in Richmond for a prayer vigil until the executions took place. 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. Their quick arrest assured the community that stability was being preserved. The Martinsville 7, seven African American men sentenced to death for the rape of a white woman in Virginia are shown in a group photograph while in prison in 1950. Howard Lee Hairston, age 20, denied having sex with Floyd. Man died Wednesday. Ruby Stroud Floyd always brought light to every room entered. "These men were executed because they were Black, and that's not right," Northam said. In 1977 the Supreme Court referred to those arguments with respect to rulings in other cases. John S. Battle. NAACP officials focused national attention to the case, hoping to delay or overturn the death penalty judgment. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, North Carolina, U.S., Death Indexes, 1908-2004, U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current, U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. SHELBY- Annie "Ruby" Raines Stroud, 89, of 329 Reece Road, Shelby, departed this life on April 11, 2015, at Hospice of Wendover. And, he asserts, it is "the most dramatic example of how the American judicial system has simply refused to face the facts about race and capital punishment.". After being questioned by local police officers, the defendants initially confessed to committing or witnessing the crime. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. "These men were executed because they were Black, and that's not right," Northam said. Before their executions, protesters picketed at the White House, and the governor's office received letters from around the world asking for mercy. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Modern times for rape was applied almost exclusively to black people or witnessing the.... Discrimination was involved in imposing the Martinsville seven, 1949-1951 on your eyes at day time outside... 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