Race Distinctions in American LawStephenson, Gilbert Thomas
History
Race Distinctions in American Law
Stephenson, Gilbert Thomas
African Americans -- Politics and government; Law -- United States -- History; United States -- Race relations
County No. 6, 6,000 white people, 13,000 Negroes: “... We still have
some Negro jurors at every term of our courts, but not near so many as
in former years. Our County Commissioners ... are very careful in
putting the names of only good, respectable Negroes in the jury box. The
consequence is we have very few Negroes on our juries, but those we have
are well disposed and the most intelligent Negroes of the county, and
make very acceptable jurors. I have been struck with the fact that our
lawyers in selecting the jury for both criminal and civil cases, seldom
ever object to the Negroes who are on the regular panel. If this is
always kept up, with only the best and most intelligent Negroes in the
county in the jury-box, all will be well and our people will not object.
But in former years, when sometimes the majority of the jury would be
Negroes, there was great dissatisfaction.”
_Oklahoma._—County No. 1, 15,000 white people, 2,400 Negroes: “Negroes
have served on both grand and petit juries nearly every term of court
with the exception of the last two terms of the district court. There
are some Negro names in the box, but they did not happen to be drawn by
the Sheriff or myself. The men who have sat have given satisfaction to
the litigants, but have been objectionable to the other jurors. Where it
has come to a locked-up jury, and where they have to eat and be closely
confined with the white man, I have heard some complaint. The court and
officials who are all white Republicans—except the sheriff—treat Negroes
with utmost fairness.”
_South Carolina._—County No. 1, 9,000 white people, 19,000 Negroes: “...
I have only been in office for [the] last four years, but since I have
been in office I have had a good many Negroes on juries. Year before
last I had Negroes on juries three consecutive courts, and every year I
have several of them. We always put the names of those qualified to act
in our jury-box, but it is a bad condition of affairs when you go over
the Negroes of the county, and find how few are qualified to act. The
Negro jurors have increased in our section.”
County No. 2, 5,000 white people, 17,000 Negroes: “... The number of
Negro jurors has decreased in late years. I do not think that a great
number of Negro jurors would impress very favorably the court and the
people at large.”
County No. 3, 10,000 white people, 19,000 Negroes: “... I do not
remember ever to have seen a Negro on the jury in this county. I am
told, however, that one served occasionally for only awhile after 1876.”
County No. 4, 18,000 white people, 41,000 Negroes: “In my experience
covering ten years or more, I find it difficult to get a large array of
competent jurors. We are careful and painstaking in making our lists;
therefore, we never allow a Negro to serve for the reason of the general
moral unfitness, and general depravity.”
County No. 6, 20,000 white people, 22,000 Negroes: “No Negroes serve on
the jury in the county courts in this county.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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