“Is It 1807 Or 2007?” Jena, Louisiana 2007

“Is It 1807 Or 2007?” Jena, Louisiana 2007

This exhibit features a powerful photograph from the Jena Six protest that took place in Jena, Louisiana, on September 20, 2007. The image captures a moment of raw moral clarity, showing thousands of people unified by a demand for justice. The entire spirit of the event is distilled into the central, heartbreaking question on a sign: “Is It 1807 Or 2007?” This wasn't an academic debate; it was an angry, emotional challenge, asking the country how its legal system could feel like a nightmare from the 1800s—the era of the slave trade—rather than a guarantee of modern equality.

Case Background: Disproportionate Punishment

The roots of the Jena Six controversy began with a simple act of defiance at Jena High School. Racial segregation was enforced not by law, but by custom: Black students sat in one area; white students occupied the space under a large oak, called the “white tree.” When a few Black students broke this unwritten rule and sat under the tree, the response was terrifying. White students quickly hung three nooses from the branches.

Nooses are an unmistakable, violent reference to lynching and racial terrorism. Yet, the school superintendent minimized the act as a mere “prank,” giving the students responsible only a brief suspension.

The imbalance became a crisis when, following weeks of rising tension, a school fight broke out. Six young Black students—the Jena Six—were immediately charged with severe felonies, including attempted murder. A horrifying threat of racist violence was called a “prank,” while a schoolyard fight was met with charges that could lead to decades in prison. The perceived racial bias was undeniable and devastating.

The Response: A Movement Reborn

The outrage over the unequal treatment resonated nationwide. This wasn't just a local court case; it was seen as proof of a deep, systemic failure.

On that pivotal day in September 2007, an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people—parents, college students, veteran activists, and clergy—converged on the small Louisiana town. This mobilization was historic. It drew directly on the mass protest tactics of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, but its energy was fueled by modern tools like blogs and early social media, showcasing a new era of grassroots organizing.

The thousands marching were there to protect the six young men and to demand fundamental fairness. This collective pressure worked: the excessive charges were eventually reduced and some convictions were overturned. The march proved that when people rise up and ask that uncomfortable question—“Is It 1807 Or 2007?”—they can force the American legal system to finally face the truth about its own history.