Briana Lavery Leah Carten-Crandell Taylor Molesworth Alex Maltsev
Clarence Darrow
Written Text Analysis
Photograph of Darrow in 1926
The following passage stated by Clarence Darrow was used to inform the American Civil Liberties Union how he was never compensated for his services in the Scopes "Monkey" Trial:
"I don't want you to think about my expenses. I could afford it and I never got more for any money. If you had not got into the case it would have gone by default, and whatever may happen in the Supreme Court, I believe your entrance into the case has made it a public trial and has awakened the people so that no more anti-evolution laws will be passed, and that is wonderful work. I believe it has stimulated a discussion on religion that will be still more enlightening."
Background Information
Clarence Darrow was an American Lawyer who worked on the case The State of Tennessee vs. John Thomas Scopes. Darrow was the defense attorney for John Scopes. The trial had made public the controversy between modernism and fundamentalism. Darrow had stated this after the Scopes Trial to inform the American Civil Liberties Union that he hadn't received any money for his work on the trial. Originally, Darrow volunteered to fulfill the position; however, later he argued that without his help on the Scopes "Monkey" Trial, the case would've been default and the Supreme Court's ruling may have been changed (Scopes was convicted). He brings up the fact that the case brought up discussion on religion verse modernism. Additionally, he claims that because of this case, no more anti-evolution laws are passed. Although Darrow tried to get money for working as defense on the case, he was never compensated for his work.