Ruby mccollums landmark case haunted jurors for decades. Ruby put whites on notice that maybe blacks werent going to stand for this any more. The strange case of ruby mccollum chicago defender. In 1952, mccollum, a mother of four, was convicted of firstdegree murder and sentenced to the electric chair for the murder of white senator and dr. Sex, race and murder in the south is a 2015 american documentary film produced by hilary saltzman, kitty potapow, and jude hagin and directed by john cork. New documentary revisits jim crowera shooting ruby. Ruby mccollum trail was railroaded by the failure to allow her testimony to.
On a sticky hot sunday in august 1952, a wealthy black woman named ruby mccollum walked through the colored entrance of a doctors office in the small north florida town. It tells the story of a back woman named ruby mccollum, who killed her family doctor who had been sexually abusing her. The sad story of ruby mccollum persephone magazine. Information on the ruby mccollum story, including current news. New documentary you belong to me revisits jim crowera. Tammy evans, author, the silencing of ruby mccollum february 9 th, 2015. Melanie cunningham holds a bachelors of arts in sociology and african and africanamerican studies from the university of virginia. With anita davenport, denise durette, reggie brooks, george jacobsen. Adams had been shot three times in the back and once in the arm. He is known for his work on pirates of the caribbean. Was ruby mccollum driven crazy by the white doctor she. She attended a segregated school until her parents recognized her academic prowess and transferred her to fessenden academy, a private school for black students. Clifford leroy adams and shot him four times with a revolver.
New documentary you belong to me revisits jim crowera shooting. Mccollum hall builder relatives killing of white doctor scandalized the segregated south. Ruby mccollum lived the rest of her life in florida and died from a stroke on may 23, 1992 in the new horizons rehabilitation center. On a sunday morning, august 3, 1952, ruby mccollum, who was the richest africanamerican woman in suwannee county and had grown up in marion county, walked into the office of sainted white physician dr. Posted by penny dickerson on january 15, 2018 in bold and bodacious blogs, creative writing, enc 1102, journalism, penny posts there are few historical treasures unearthed by mankind that rival the intrigue conjured by the discovery of king tuts tomb or pure diamonds excavated from. I had the pleasure of attending a womens history month screening of the documentary you belong to me. This movie gives you a look at what happened, the trial, and the aftermath. Clifford adams the 1952 fatal shooting of a prominent white doctor by a wealthy black woman in rural north florida still puzzles many to this day.
Jan 02, 2015 new documentary revisits jim crowera shooting you belong to me investigates the mysterious case of ruby mccollum and the 1952 fatal shooting that stirred up racial tensions in rural north florida. The documentary film about the ruby mccollum story. Originating in georgias okeefenoke national wildlife refuge and coursing 235 miles due south, the majestic suwannee river with its meandering limestone banks flows unabated through the state of florida down to the gulf of mexico. Oh, that ruby mccollum girls, i thought i knew all the cases, but the episode on tuesday of a crime to remember, entitled the shot doctor, took me by surprise. Over sixty years ago, a murder rocked live oak, florida, and awakened the nation. The curse of the black pearl 2003 and metal gear solid v. Ruby mccollum story recounted by zora neale hurston. Confirmation and presentist biases in continuing accounts of the ruby mccollum story, which analyzes the story and its various treatments in books and film against the facts of the case, and publishes, for the first time, ruby mccollums letters from prison and from the. Marshall 2015 posited that an increase in racism should be placed in. Exactly 40 years prior, in 1952, she was at the center of one of the most intriguing, and threatening, stories to hit the serene, sleepy towns of rural northern florida. Ruby mccollum, an african american businesswoman, changed the history of. In 1931, ruby married sam mccollum, also known as bolita sam, and moved to nyack. The painful troubling story of ruby mccollum occurred during a very.
Apr 20, 2015 in live oak, in the 50s everybody knew their role dr. Jun 23, 2014 the true story of ruby mccollum and the trial that shook the foundations of the segregationist south. You belong to me is a compelling documentary film that examined the. In august 1952, ruby mccollum, a wealthy black woman, walked through the colored entrance of clifford leeroy adams surgery in live oak, florida, and gunned him down. Mccollum, the richest african american woman in suwannee county, florida, shot white physician and politician clifford leroy adams four times. The film was produced by hilary saltzman, kitty potapow, and jude hagin former state film commissioner through hummingbird film productions, llc. Was ruby, as the story goes, arguing over an unpaid medical bill. This is a beautifully produced film, with wellresearched material.
September 8, 1971 contact info view agent, publicist, legal on imdbpro. It is produced by the art institute at jacksonville, florida and is directed by ramona ramdeen, who interviews dr. Belong to me has its southwest florida premiere friday at the fort myers film festival. Leroy adams, a prominent white doctor and state senatorelect. Bolita sam was what most black people called him, because he was the kingpin of bolita in suwannee county. New documentary revisits live oak 50s shooting by ruby. On a sticky hot sunday in august 1952, a wealthy black woman named ruby mccollum walked through the colored entrance of. Ruby mccollum was born ruby jackson in 1909 in zuber, florida, to gertrude and william jackson. On a sticky hot sunday in august 1952, a wealthy black woman named ruby mccollum walked through the colored entrance of a doctors office in the small north florida town of live. Ruby mccollum was the richest black woman in live oak, florida, in the 1940s. Tell the runners and the sellers to write down your numbers on their pad. The sad story of ruby mccollum posted by crystal coleman on august 3, 1952, ruby mccollum walked into the colored waiting room of dr. New documentary revisits live oak 50s shooting by ruby mccollum. You belong to me, a film following murder, sex, and race in the life story of ruby mccollum, recently began production.
Lutz, fl prweb january 05, 2011 springtree studios announcement of plans for filming the ruby mccollum story based on the account by william bradford huie and not the work of zora neale hurston, who first covered the story and contributed her work to huie, underscores the need for black history month. There have been numerous books about her story some banned in florida and a few documentaries as well. Documentary reopens old wounds from jim crowera killing. Oct 31, 2016 in 1992, ruby mccollum died of a stroke at new horizon rehabilitation center. Sex, race and murder in the south 2015, a featurelength documentary about ruby mccollum and her case, was released on video on demand and dvd, in conjunction with black history month and womens history month. You belong to me sex, race and murder on the suwannee river. This is the story of an africanamerican woman who killed a prominent white doctor senatorelect in live oak, florida, after being subjected to years of sexual abuse. You belong to me sex, race and murder on the suwannee. Ap on a sticky hot sunday in august 1952, a wealthy black woman named ruby mccollum walked through the colored entrance of a doctors office in the small north florida town. The remarkable secrets and terrible truths revealed during her trial and incarceration haunted jurors and prosecutors for decades. This compelling and compassionate film follows pulitzer prize nominee claudia johnsons nineteenyear quest to penetrate the mysterious silence surrounding the story of ruby mccollum. New floridabased movie on ruby mccollum story underscores. Wealthy black woman convicted of murdering a white.
Psychiatrists report woman slayer insane, daytona beach morning journal, september 24, 1954. You wouldnt get a ticket, you would have a pad with your numbers on them. New documentary revisits jim crowera shooting you belong to me investigates the mysterious case of ruby mccollum and the 1952 fatal shooting. Sex, race and murder on the suwannee river in the 50s. Sam mccollum is a 64, 273pound offensive guard from dublin, oh. Shouts out the san fernando valley chapters of alpha kappa alpha sorority, inc. On a sticky hot sunday in august 1952, a wealthy black woman named ruby mccollum walked through the colored entrance of a doctors. Documentary explores jim crow murder the newspress. Ruby mccollum, born ruby jackson august 31, 1909 may 23, 1992, was a wealthy married africanamerican woman in live oak, florida, who is known for being arrested and convicted in 1952 for killing dr.
What happened to loretta mccollum who is loretta mccollum. The judge restricted her testimony, but she did testify as to their. Her case haunted jurors and prosecutors for decades. The documentary you belong to me is the latest exploration into the decadesold case that centered on one particular question.
In 1952, ruby mccollum, a prominent black woman, killed a white doctor in florida after suffering years of sexual abuse tied to. Originating in georgias okeefenoke national wildlife. Produced by the art institute of jacksonville and direc. Curtain of secrecy, a featurelength documentary about ruby mccollum, opened at the san marco theatre in jacksonville, florida in july, 2014. An allwhite jury convicted her, but she was not given the death penalty for reasons of insanity.
Production begins on you belong to me, feature of ruby. Sign up to for a 14day free trial to watch the full film and many other urban movies. In live oak, in the 50s everybody knew their role dr. Ruby mccollum was the wealthiest black woman in suwannee county, florida. Jan 28, 2015 on a sunday morning, august 3, 1952, ruby mccollum, who was the richest africanamerican woman in suwannee county and had grown up in marion county, walked into the office of sainted white physician dr. Mccollum, the richest african american woman in suwannee county, florida. This compelling and compassionate film follows pulitzer prize nominee claudia johnsons nineteenyear quest to penetrate the mysterious silence surrounding the story of ruby mccollum, welleducated wife of numbers racketeer bolita sam and the richest africanamerican woman in live oak, florida, convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to the electric chair for the 1952 murder of her. The strange case of ruby mccollum atlanta daily world. There was even a discovery channel special last year.
Johnsons documentary extends an implicit promise in the subtitle, the untold story of ruby mccollum, which certainly intrigues followers of this famous 1952 north florida murder case in which a wealthy colored woman, ruby mccollum, murdered her white paramour, dr. You have probably never heard of ruby mccollum but you should have. Bobbie anderson rated it it was amazing dec 31, 2014. The true story of ruby mccollum and the trial that shook the foundations of the segregationist south. Robert mccollum was born on september 8, 1971 in the usa as robert howard mccollum. The truecrime story that shook the foundations of the segregationist south. In 1952 ruby mccollum, a black woman, killed her white doctor in live oak, fla after years of sexual abuse. The article focuses on a court case involving ruby mccollum, who killed state senateelect clifford leroy adams alleging that she was forced into a long sexual relationship that resulted in an unwanted child which is the subject of a new documentary film you. Ruby mccollum, age 42, shoots state senatorelect, dr. The film works to uncover the hidden truths of the ruby mccollum case of 1952.
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