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 refers to the trial and subsequent lynching of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory owner in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1913.
The people involved in the event included Leo Frank himself, as the defendant, as well as Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old girl who worked at Frank's factory and was found murdered. The prosecution included Hugh Dorsey, the district attorney, and the defense included Luther Rosser and Reuben Arnold. The jury that convicted Frank was composed entirely of white men, many of whom held strong anti-Semitic views.
The event took place at the National Pencil Factory, where Leo Frank was the superintendent. Mary Phagan was found dead in the factory with evidence of sexual assault. Frank was arrested and charged with her murder. The trial was highly controversial, with the prosecution presenting questionable evidence and relying on testimonies from unreliable witnesses. Despite the lack of concrete evidence, Frank was convicted and sentenced to death.
The event occurred in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Leo Frank case took place in the northern region of Georgia.
The event took place in 1913, with Frank's trial starting on July 28 and his lynching on August 17.
This event is important to Georgia's history for several reasons. Firstly, it highlighted the pervasive anti-Semitism and prejudice that existed in the state at the time. The case sparked nationwide outrage and led to the formation of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an organization dedicated to fighting anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination. Secondly, the case exposed flaws in the criminal justice system, with Frank being falsely convicted based on prejudice rather than evidence. Lastly, the lynching of Leo Frank is a dark chapter in Georgia's history, representing a breakdown of law and order and the dangers of mob justice.