Cold cases
Below are capsule summaries of cases that have been authorized for release by the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board. Clicking on a case will bring you to a more extensive synopsis of that incident, as well as to a link that will take you to the National Archives’ cold cases portal, where the case file may be viewed.
The Board takes into account many factors in determining which cases it wants to examine for potential release. Given its statutory time constraints, the Board is focused on prioritizing cases that are representative of the diverse nature of civil rights cold cases. Currently, the Board is required to terminate its work no later than January, 2027.
-
Leonard McCowin was a 21-year-old veteran of World War II. He worked on a farm and at a cafe in Center, Texas.
John Wesley Jones was 23 and lived in Crawfordville, Georgia.
Rev. Samuel Earl Sawyer, Sr. was approximately 39 years old. He was the father of five children and lived in Atlanta, Georgia.
Leroy Bradwell was a 26-year-old veteran of World War II. He lived in Gadsden County, Florida, near the border with Georgia.
Hattie DeBardelaben was a 46-year-old farmer and mother of eight children. She lived in Autauga County, Alabama, between Selma and Montgomery.