Jul 11, 2025
100 years ago this week, the Scopes Trial began in Dayton, Tennessee. John Scopes, a high school biology teacher, was accused of violating the Butler Act, which prohibited teaching evolution in public schools.
Our current exhibit highlights the "trial of the century," making use of some of our material related to Clarence Darrow, the famous trial attorney who defended Scopes. Following the trial, the two became friends and kept in touch. This 1927 letter was written to Darrow from Scopes, who was in Venezuela as part of a hired oil exploration trip while still studying geology at the University of Chicago. Check out the three photos also enclosed in the envelope!
A full transcript of the letter can be found here!
