Marking the 100th Anniversary of the Scopes Trial - Articles

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Marking the 100th Anniversary of the Scopes Trial

Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Jul 10, 2025

One hundred years ago today, the trial in The State of Tennessee v. John T. Scopes began with jury selection in Dayton, putting the tiny town between Knoxville and Chattanooga in the national spotlight. From July 10 until July 21, the "Scopes Monkey Trial," as it came to be known, tested the constitutionality of the state's Butler Act, which prohibited teaching evolution in public school science classes. Reflections on the trial include Russell Fowler's "History's Verdict" column in the July/August issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal, which looks back on the trial and its aftermath. A joint reporting project from the Nashville Banner and Nashville Scene considers how the case still resonates in today's legal and political landscape. Knox News takes a tour of the historic Rhea County courthouse and its Scopes museum, which preserves the historical facts of the trial. And the Tennessee State Museum presents "Eight Days in Dayton: 100 Years of the Scopes Trial" through Oct. 12, an exhibit featuring significant artifacts related to the trial.