Dayton Hosting Weekend Events for Centennial Celebration of "The Scopes Trial"

Dayton hosting weekend events for centennial celebration of "The Scopes Trial"

Discover the historical events surrounding the Scopes Trial at the Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, including plays, museum exhibits, and walking tours. Join the commemorative weekend tribute to this pivotal moment in history.

A century later, Scopes trial still resonates amid classroom culture clashes in Tennessee

A statue of William Jennings Bryan, who prosecuted John Scopes, stands in front of the Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee.(Jacqui Sieber / WUOT )In July 1925, the historic Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee, hosted what was dubbed the “trial of the century” against teacher John Scopes for violating a state law that prohibited teaching evolution in public schools.The three-story brick courthouse is flanked by statues of Clarence…

100 years after the Scopes ‘Monkey’ Trial – Part 1

The following is part one of a four-part series going over the 100th anniversary of the Scopes “Monkey” Trial, courtesy of the Nashville Banner. To read the full story, visit the Nashville Banner’s website, and sign up for the Nashville…

The surprising impact of the Scopes trial

As discussed in the last three posts, as a purely legal matter, the Scopes trial was inconsequential, setting no legal precedent whatsoever. While the Dayton civic leaders achieved their goal of creating huge publicity around the trial, like all publicity stunts, the hoopla eventually died away, the crowds disappeared, and life went largely back to normal. The Butler Act that triggered the trial was quietly repealed only four decades later. The …

‘Trial of the Century’ reenactment underscores impact of Scopes case • Biblical Recorder

DAYTON, Tenn. — Austin Peay profoundly misjudged the moment when he, with the swoop of a pen and the authority vested in him as Tennessee’s governor, signed the Butler Act into law on March 21, 1925. His motivation to court favor with rural legislators and their electorate was shortsighted. None of the hundreds of bills [...]Read More...