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1974 – Angela Davis Acquitted

On May 2, 1974, after a high-profile trial, Black activist and scholar Angela Davis was acquitted of all charges related to a 1970 courtroom kidnapping and murder. Davis, a prominent figure in the Black Power and Communist movements, had been accused of supplying weapons used in the incident. Her arrest and trial sparked global protests and brought attention to racial bias in the U.S. legal system. Her defense highlighted systemic injustice, and the jury ultimately found insufficient evidence to convict her. Davis’s acquittal was seen as a major victory for civil liberties and political activism. She went on to become a renowned educator and author, continuing her advocacy for prison abolition and racial justice.