George Stinney, Age 14, Executed

On June 16, 1944, 14-year-old George Stinney, Jr. of South Carolina became the youngest person executed in the U.S. in the 20th century. Stinney, an African-American, was charged with the murder of two young white girls he had spoken to the day before. He faced trial alone, no African-Americans were allowed in the courthouse. His lawyer failed to call a single witness; he was convicted in less than three hours.