Dates with Death Penalty Significance
The following dates are great opportunities for you to organize death penalty-related events. Such anniversary events typically attract media attention, as well as new members. You may also consider organizing events around the anniversary dates of executions in your state, or the anniversary date of the reinstatement of the death penalty in your state.January 1
Texas re-legalizes death penalty post-Furman, 1974
January 11
Joseph Shaw becomes 1st state inmate to be executed in modern era – 1985 South Carolina.
January 17
Anniversary of the resumption of executions in the United States, in 1977. Gary
Gilmore was executed by the State of Utah after giving up his appeals. He had
been convicted of the murder of Ben Bushnell and Max Jenson. Visit www.abolition.org
for information and activities relating to this anniversary.
February 27
Tennessee re-legalizes death penalty, post-Furman, 1974.
March 1
International Death Penalty Abolition Day. This marks the date when Michigan
became the first English-speaking territory in the world to abolish the death
penalty (1847).
March 5
Alabama re-legalizes death penalty, post-Furman, 1976.
March 16
James Hutchins becomes 1st state inmate to be executed in modern era – 1984 North Carolina.
March 23
Arkansas re-legalizes death penalty, post-Furman, 1973.
March 28
Georgia re-legalizes death penalty, post-Furman, 1973.
April 8-10
Annual General Meeting of Amnesty International USA – Austin, Texas; Friday, April 8, 3:30-5 pm, anti-death penalty rally at Texas State Capitol building
April 19
Robert Glen Coe becomes 1st state inmate to be executed in modern era, 2000 – Tennessee.
April 22
John Evans becomes 1st state inmate executed in modern era, 1983 – Alabama
April 23
Mississippi re-legalizes death penalty, post-Furman, 1974.
May 17
Oklahoma re-legalizes death penalty, post-Furman, 1973.
May 25
John Spenkelink becomes 1st state inmate to be executed in modern era, 1979 – Florida
June 1
North Carolina re-legalizes death penalty, post-Furman, 1977.
June 18
John Swindler becomes 1st state inmate to be executed in modern era, 1990 – Arkansas
June 26
International Day of Survivors of Torture – includes innocent persons released from USA death rows.
June 29 – July 2
Annual Fast & Vigil to Abolish the Death Penalty at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Visit www.cuadp.org for details.
June 29
Anniversary of the Furman v. Georgia decision in 1972, in which the
U.S. Supreme Court found the death penalty to be arbitrary and capricious. More
than 600 condemned inmates had their death sentences reduced to life. All states
were required to rewrite their death penalty laws.
July 2
Anniversary of the Gregg v. Georgia decision in 1976, which allowed
the resumption of executions in the United States.
Louisiana re-legalizes death penalty, post-Furman, 1973.
South Carolina re-legalizes death penalty, post-Furman, 1974.
September 2
Jimmy Lee Gray becomes 1st state inmate to be executed in modern era – 1983 Mississippi.
September 10
Charles Coleman becomes 1st state inmate to be executed in modern era – 1990 Oklahoma.
October 10
World Day Against the Death Penalty, organized by the World Coalition Against
the Death Penalty (WCADP). The World Day is the Coalition’s primary annual
campaigning event against the death penalty and consists of local actions around
the world. For more information, visit www.worldcoalition.org.
October 14-30
Journey Of Hope: From Violence to Healing march throughout Texas
October 20-22
Amnesty International USA’s annual National Weekend of Faith in Action
on the Death Penalty.
October 28-30
Annual meeting, National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP), Austin, Texas
November 20
Universal Children’s Day (UN). This is a good opportunity to call for
the worldwide abolition of the death penalty for juvenile offenders.
December 7
23rd Anniversiary of the first use of Lethal Injection
in the U.S. that occurred in Texas (1982); Charles
Brooks becomes 1st state inmate to be executed in
modern era – 1982 Texas.
December 10
International Human Rights Day, commemorating the anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. Contact your local Amnesty International chapter
to get involved, call 800-AMNESTY, or visit www.amnestyusa.org.
Annual death row holiday card letter writing action, Dallas....call 214-768-3284 for more information.
December 14
Robert Williams becomes 1st state inmate to be executed in
modern era – 1983 Louisiana.
December 15
John Smith becomes 1st state inmate to be executed in
modern era – 1983 Georgia
