Leo Frank Case
Who was involved? Think about the people or groups who were involved and affected by this event.
What happened? Summarize the event!
Where did the event take place?
What region(s) of Georgia did the event take place in?
When did the event take place?
Why is this event important to Georgia’s history?
The Leo Frank case involved several people and groups. Leo Frank, a Jewish factory manager, was accused of the murder of Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old factory worker. The event took place at the National Pencil Company factory in Atlanta, Georgia. The case was highly controversial and attracted widespread attention both within and outside of Georgia.
The event took place in 1913, when Frank was arrested and subsequently tried for the murder. Frank was initially found guilty by a jury and sentenced to death. However, the verdict and the subsequent legal proceedings were marred by anti-Semitism and a rush to judgment. In 1915, Frank's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, but he was later kidnapped from prison by a mob and lynched.
The Leo Frank case is important to Georgia's history because it highlighted the deep-seated anti-Semitism and racial tensions that existed in the state during that time. The case has been widely seen as a miscarriage of justice and a tragic example of prejudice and mob rule. It also had significant implications for the Jewish community in Georgia, leading to the establishment of civil rights organizations and greater awareness of the need for justice and equal treatment for all residents of the state.