The Scopes Trial

The 1925 trial of John Scopes in tiny Dayton, Tennessee, remains a defining moment in American history. This “trial of the century”—a “media event” before the term was coined—addressed issues that still affect our society today, such as control of the school curriculum, the ongoing tensions between science and faith in public schools, and the ramifications of teaching evolution and human origins.
This book is the first encyclopedic treatment of the Scopes Trial. The text draws on media reports, family interviews, and Scopes’ personal correspondence, providing new information and perspectives. The book includes previously unseen photos and information about Scopes and his relatives, as well as insights about the trial’s instigators, participants, and issues, all organized in a concise and easily accessible format.

Randy Moore is a biology professor at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, where he teaches courses about the evolution-creationism controversy. His articles have appeared in publications ranging from The American Biology Teacher to The Dayton Herald-News.

Susan Brooks is an employee and Ph.D. student at Mississippi State University and the great-grandniece of John Thomas Scopes. Her research explores the creation of identity, cultural boundaries, and scientific expertise. She has published in the Journal of Mississippi History and lives in Starkville, Mississippi.

Randy Moore and Susan E. Brooks
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 219
Bibliographic Info: 47 photos, appendix, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2023
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8544-1
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4819-4
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments viii
Chronology ix
Preface 1
Introduction: What Happened in Dayton? 3
The Encyclopedia 9
Appendix: The Scopes Family 197
Notes 199
Bibliography 202
Index 203

• Winner, ALA Outstanding Reference Source

• Choice Outstanding Academic Title

• “An excellent compendium…a comprehensive study of different aspects of the trial. … The book discusses issues relevant today, such as control of school curricula, the conflict between fundamentalist religion and science, and the right to teach evolution and human origins in US public schools. The text draws on press coverage and archival materials, including Scopes’s personal correspondence and previously unpublished family and other photographs. …highly recommended”—Choice

• “Clearly organized, copiously illustrated, and lucidly written…“Moore and Brooks have provided valuable contributions to a literature that, as the centenary of the Scopes trial approaches, will only continue to swell.”—Skeptical Inquirer