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 people involved in the Leo Frank case were Leo Frank himself, a Jewish factory manager; Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old girl who worked at the factory; Jim Conley, a factory worker who became a key witness; and various individuals from the community, including the jury members and lawyers involved in the trial.
The event revolves around the murder of Mary Phagan in April 1913 at the factory where Leo Frank was the superintendent. Frank was accused and eventually convicted of the crime, largely based on the testimony of Jim Conley. However, there were many questions about the legitimacy of the trial, with some suggesting anti-Semitism played a role in the conviction.
The event took place in Atlanta, Georgia.
The event took place in the state of Georgia.
The Leo Frank case took place in 1913.
This event is important to Georgia's history because it highlights issues of racism, anti-Semitism, and the flawed criminal justice system of the time. The trial and subsequent events surrounding the Leo Frank case further entrenched racial and religious tensions in the state and had long-lasting effects on the perception of Georgia's legal system. Additionally, it brought attention to the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and the injustices faced by minority groups in the South, contributing to the civil rights movement later on.