On August 15, 1975, Joanne Little was acquitted of murder charges after being accused of killing a North Carolina jailer. Little, a 20-year-old African American woman, had been arrested for the theft of a purse and was held in jail in Washington, North Carolina. While in custody, she claimed that the jailer, Clarence Alligood, attempted to sexually assault her. Little fought back and, in the struggle, killed Alligood with an ice pick.

Her defense was that she acted in self-defense, fearing for her life. The case gained national attention, as Little’s acquittal became a significant symbol in the feminist movement and the African American struggle against racial and gender violence. The case was seen as a landmark victory, particularly in the context of the legal system’s treatment of Black women.