Alexis Coe

You know, she believed him that he didn't do it because I think she realized that this was an innocent man who, if she didn't do something to help him, would most certainly go to jail.

You know, she believed him that he didn't do it because I think she realized that this was an innocent man who, if she didn't do something to help him, would most certainly go to jail.

And by the time he woke up, he woke up because he slipped into a river. It was cold. The woman was gone. And he tried to just go catch a bus home, but instead he found himself in deep shit.

And by the time he woke up, he woke up because he slipped into a river. It was cold. The woman was gone. And he tried to just go catch a bus home, but instead he found himself in deep shit.

At first, Roundtree thought, okay, this is an easy case in some ways to win because he's got an alibi. He was, you know, with a woman, a woman who wasn't his wife, but they were drinking, they were fooling around, they fell asleep. He slipped into the river, he wakes up, she's gone.

At first, Roundtree thought, okay, this is an easy case in some ways to win because he's got an alibi. He was, you know, with a woman, a woman who wasn't his wife, but they were drinking, they were fooling around, they fell asleep. He slipped into the river, he wakes up, she's gone.

And, you know, Vivian completely confirmed all these details, and Roundtree thinks, great. Ray had an alibi. There was a hitch, though. She wouldn't appear in court because she was married. It was the first of many setbacks.

And, you know, Vivian completely confirmed all these details, and Roundtree thinks, great. Ray had an alibi. There was a hitch, though. She wouldn't appear in court because she was married. It was the first of many setbacks.

And so I think that as the case went on, she kept finding these wonderful leads and these things that would discount the evidence that the prosecution had, and then it would all fall apart.

And so I think that as the case went on, she kept finding these wonderful leads and these things that would discount the evidence that the prosecution had, and then it would all fall apart.

There was no preliminary hearing, which is, you know, sort of unheard of. There was no warrant for the clothes they took from him. They cut hair from his head without his lawyer's permission.

There was no preliminary hearing, which is, you know, sort of unheard of. There was no warrant for the clothes they took from him. They cut hair from his head without his lawyer's permission.

She's constantly litigating because she's incredibly talented.

She's constantly litigating because she's incredibly talented.

She experienced white supremacy firsthand as a child. That's historian Alexis Coe. If you think about some of your formative memories of fear, it's really something to consider the Klan being one of them.

She experienced white supremacy firsthand as a child. That's historian Alexis Coe. If you think about some of your formative memories of fear, it's really something to consider the Klan being one of them.

Here's historian Alexis Coe. The Civil Rights Act has just passed, and that abolished segregation. So that means that she has just started to be able to physically walk into these areas that, as a Black person, as a woman, the courtrooms, from libraries, to do research, like every place that you would need access to in order to do the kind of work that she needed to do.

Here's historian Alexis Coe. The Civil Rights Act has just passed, and that abolished segregation. So that means that she has just started to be able to physically walk into these areas that, as a Black person, as a woman, the courtrooms, from libraries, to do research, like every place that you would need access to in order to do the kind of work that she needed to do.

According to Dovey, her mere presence irritated the white judges and lawyers.

According to Dovey, her mere presence irritated the white judges and lawyers.

In the late 50s and early 60s, women were still seen as homemakers. Women couldn't get a credit card without having their husband's approval, their signature. That's Alexis Coe. Men put women on a pedestal, which is a great way to keep women in their place. And that place?

In the late 50s and early 60s, women were still seen as homemakers. Women couldn't get a credit card without having their husband's approval, their signature. That's Alexis Coe. Men put women on a pedestal, which is a great way to keep women in their place. And that place?

Mary Meyer had the sort of background that you would see in the New York Times vows section. She was born into wealth. Her uncle was Teddy Roosevelt's chief forester. Mary had lived a charmed life.

Mary Meyer had the sort of background that you would see in the New York Times vows section. She was born into wealth. Her uncle was Teddy Roosevelt's chief forester. Mary had lived a charmed life.

We tend to think of Vassar because it's produced women like Lee Miller, the artist and photographer, and other women. women who have gone into the arts as a progressive institution that perhaps is launching women in the world. But it wasn't. Vassar was a place women went because they wanted to go to college.

We tend to think of Vassar because it's produced women like Lee Miller, the artist and photographer, and other women. women who have gone into the arts as a progressive institution that perhaps is launching women in the world. But it wasn't. Vassar was a place women went because they wanted to go to college.

It was close to the city, though, so they could date professional men and they could get on their way to becoming homemakers. And I think that that was what she was supposed to be. And that's what she was for a while.

It was close to the city, though, so they could date professional men and they could get on their way to becoming homemakers. And I think that that was what she was supposed to be. And that's what she was for a while.