Alabama began drastic revision today of the southern legal system which has barred Negroes from jury service since reconstruction days…
Governor Bibb Graves, in letters to every trial judge in the state, said: "Holdings of the U.S. Supreme Court are the supreme law of the land. Whether we like it or not, it is the patriotic duty of very citizen and the sworn duty of every public officials to accept and uphold them in letter and spirit…."
Names to compose jury venires are drawn by judges from boxes containing names of eligible jurors, compiled by a Jury Commission. The lists are usually revised every two years. Names of Negroes are not found in these boxes because jury commissioners feel too few can meet the qualifications to bother with examining them. There is no law barring Negroes from jury duty.
"This decision," Graves said, "confronts Alabama with the most serious situation it has faced in its affairs since the war between the states. It means that we must put the names of Negroes in jury boxes in every county in the state…"
"However, I have a duty to perform and an oath to abide by, and I and they are equally bound to enforce the supreme law of the land…"
Excerpted from: United Press Association, April 5, 1933, CHS Claude Barnett Collection