Alabama House Passes Apology for Recy Taylor's Jim Crow-Era Gang Rape

A huge milestone in the campaign for justice for Recy Taylor today: the Alabama State House passed an apology for authorities' mishandling of the African-American woman's 1944 gang-rape. This comes after over 16,000 Change.org members signed a petition run by Taylor's brother, Robert Corbitt, asking for an official apology from the city of Abbeville and state of Alabama. And we're closing in on our goals. "Change[.org] really made a change," Corbitt said.

The resolution (HJR194), introduced by Democratic State Rep. Dexter Grimsley, an Abbeville native himself, offered now 91-year-old Taylor "deepest sympathies and solemn regrets" from the state for the travesty of justice that occurred when she was a young woman. The strongly-worded legislation further denounces the fact that the admitted perpetrators got off without even having to face trial as "morally abhorrent and repugnant." In addition to covering up the assault, law enforcement at the time smeared Taylor's reputation and were caught blatantly lying in order to discredit her.

Rep. Grimsley has credited both Corbitt's Change.org's petition and the excellent book by Danielle McGuire, "At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance," with spurring his interest in the case and his decision to introduce legislation on her behalf. McGuire's book tells Taylor's story as well as those of other African-American women victims of sexual violence, and also chronicled the resistance black women put up to a segregationist, racist system -- revealing, for instance, Rosa Parks' largely forgotten role as an anti-rape crusader who mobilized around Recy Taylor's fight for justice and even drew international attention. Parks' organizing role is recognized in the House resolution, which relates the story of Taylor's assault and describes the failure of the Alabama justice system.

Grimsley, who offered a personal apology to Recy Taylor in front of her family members last week, now vows to take the official House resolution to her Florida doorstep. “I'm excited for the family," Grimsley told Change.org following the apparently unanimous voice vote to pass the apology resolution. "I’m excited that I could have the resolution introduced and at least get it through the House, that I had the opportunity to do something for a resident of my district and a former resident of my district."

The resolution is now headed to the State Senate for debate, so the battle isn't over yet. But if it passed unanimously in the House, how can the Senate vote otherwise? The House's overwhelming support makes a statement that Alabama believes in the importance of demonstrating how far the state has come since that dark time, that it takes responsibility for its history, and that it wants to make whatever amends are possible today through apology and recognition. The Senate needs to send the same message. [Update: The resolution will go to a senate committee on March 31, when the body is back in session.]

And who would deny a 91-year-old gang-rape survivor who faced such racism and injustice at the hands of law enforcement her express wish for an official apology?

If you haven't already taken action to demand justice for Recy Taylor, please join the 16,000-strong who have signed the petition so far and ask Alabama senators to follow the House's lead. If you have already signed, thank you -- you are a part of this success.