By: Winter Roberts
Recy Taylor was a 24-year-old black mother who was gang raped in 1944 in Alabama. She was abducted and held at knife and gun point by six white "boys." At this time in the South, it was not common for women to speak up about sexual assault, not just because it was hard to talk about, but because it could cost them their lives. Recy Taylor was not one of those women. She bravely identified her rapists, knowing the consequences that she could have faced. It was not surprising that her rapists didn't get arrested, even after confessions from the attackers, however, Taylor's rape made headlines across the country. The NAACP sent its chief rape investigator Rosa Parks--yes, THE Rosa Parks--who rallied support and helped Recy try to get justice. After Rosa Parks herself was almost raped, it inspired her to continue working to find justice for many more women after Taylor. More and more women started speaking up about rape after the Recy Taylor case.
I created a video that captures some pictures and newspaper articles from this case. I highlighted words that stood out to me in these articles. No matter how many times I read stories about a sexual assault, especially from this time period, it still shocks me every time. When I found this case I thought it was powerful and wanted to research it more. This was one of the few situations where something good came out of it; more women coming forward about rape.