Letter from Viola Montgomery in Atlanta, Georgia, to Ser (Governor Miller in Montgomery, Alabama).

Letter from Viola Montgomery in Atlanta, Georgia, to Ser (Governor Miller in Montgomery, Alabama).

Scottsboro Trial, Scottsboro, Ala., 1931; African Americans--Civil rights--Alabama; African Americans--Imprisonment--Alabama; Miller, Benjamin Meek, 1864-1944

Viola Montgomery—the mother of one of the Scottsboro Boys, Olen Montgomery—writes to Governor Miller to plead with him for a retrial for her son. She has prayed to God, raised money, and does not know what else to do in order to prevent her son's execution. She believes that the Scottsboro Boys are guilty of no more than being hobos, and asks the Governor to think about things from a mother's perspective.

Montgomery, Viola

Alabama Governor, Scottsboro Case appeals to the Governor, SG004237, Folder 4, Alabama Dept. of Archives and History

1932-04-28

Letter

English

United States--Georgia--Atlanta

ATLANTA, GA (Stamp: Red
APR 29 Washington
230 PM 2¢ 1932
1932 United
STA.B. States
Postage)

Gov. B.M. Miller
of
Montgomery Ala.


if not received return Back to
70 1/2 one Waugh Blvd
Atlanta GA


Scottsboro

A!

Atlanta GA.
April 28-32.
Dear ser.
I am riten you just a
few line to let you
here from me I am a
mother of one of the
ScottsBaro Boys Viola
Montgomery I have prayed
to god and I have razed
money and I have did
Every thing I no to do
try to get a new trile
for me sun and it
seam like my sun
will have to go to that
chair any how now I

(notes: ser-- sir, riten -- writing, here -- hear, ScottsBaro -- Scottsboro,
razed -- raised, trile -- trial, sun -- son, seam -- seem)


2

will come to you wont
you please have mursey
on my Sun and the
rest of the Boy you
no the Boys ant Guilty
of nothing But hobo.
listen I am Negro Woman
But god made me for some
cause I dont no all I no
I am here and I love my
sun just like your
mother love you and I
will say this I []
from the love of sin
and I ant a friad to die
because I have died one time
I ant gonta die no more


3

so I will ask you plese
have mursey on our Boys
I wish I could see you
and talce to you corse I
no you wood not listen
at me But they are a day
or coming we are gonta
be sarrie and we dont
make Frind and get in
union we are all gonta
be destroid Bleve it or
not for they are to much
sin going on now days
well I will close from
one of the ScottsBoro
Boys motha Viola Montgomery

(notes: plese -- please, mursey -- mercy, talce -- talk, corse -- course, no -- know,
wood -- would, gonta -- gonna, sorrie -- sorry, frind -- friend, destroid --
destroyed, bleve -- believe, motha -- mother)


4
Olen Montgomery motha
70 1/2 me Waugh
Blvd
so atlanta Ga-

plese anser my letter

(notes: motha -- mother, plese -- please, anser -- answer)