72 Years Ago, Ruby McCollum Murdered the White Doctor Who Raped Her. Now Her Story is Being Retold
By Jeremy Allen, Executive Editor
Few stories are as gripping and notorious as the tale of Ruby McCollum and Dr. Clifford Leroy Adams Jr., a physician and senator-elect who never made it to take his elected seat. He never took office in Florida because he was shot dead by McCollum, a Black woman who pleaded to a jury that she killed Adams because he had been raping her and forced her to have his child.
And it’s hard to believe, especially considering the notoriety of the 1952 trial, that so little of McCollum’s story has been retold over the years, despite being extensively chronicled by one of the most prominent Black media outlets in the country.
But the silencing of Ruby McCollum is over. Real Times Media – the parent company of Michigan Chronicle, New Pittsburgh Courier, Atlanta Daily World, and Chicago Defender – in partnership with the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, is bringing the story to Detroit with the premiere of “Ruby,” a powerful musical retelling of the true story McCollum. This groundbreaking production, set to debut in February 2025, aligns with Real Times Media’s mission to amplify important Black stories that might otherwise go untold.
Ruby’s journey to stage is unconventional. It began with an email from a loyal supporter of the Sarasota, Fla.-based Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe 15 years ago, and it sparked a journey that has now culminated in a groundbreaking production.
Brothers Nate and Michael Jacobs recall how a simple message led them down the path to tell the complex, layered story of McCollum, whose life and trial revealed deep-seated racial and social injustices of the Jim Crow South.
Nate Jacobs, the founder and artistic director of the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, reflected on how it all began – with that email from a longtime patron suggesting he explore the story of Ruby. Initially, it didn’t seem like much.
“I get a lot of ideas and pitches being an artistic director of a theater company. People say, ‘Hey, why don’t you think about doing this show?’ So that is pretty common. It was sort of like that when I got this email,” he shared.
At first, the email sat unread. But persistence from his executive director eventually led him to take a closer look. One evening, Nate opened the email, stretched across his bed, laptop in hand, and began diving into the material. “She had a video in there of the story as well as some newspaper articles or something. I ended up looking through this stuff for 30, 40 minutes or so. I emailed it, forwarded it to my brother Michael while he and I were on the phone. And I said, this is real interesting.”
The story of Ruby McCollum is not one easily told. Ruby was a prosperous Black woman accused of murdering Dr. Adams, a white doctor, in Live Oak, Florida, in 1952. Her trial became a national spectacle, with layers of untold truths and systemic oppression underlying her case. Michael Jacobs explained, “This story is about revealing truth. Ruby McCollum was a mystery. Even now, the community of Live Oak is reticent about speaking about that history. It was important for us, if we’re going to tell this story, to be truthful about what we believe happened.”
Michael Jacobs, Nate’s brother, who had also built a career around storytelling and the arts, was immediately intrigued. Together, they embarked on a years-long journey of research, collaboration, and creative exploration.
Michael recalled, “We learned that our cousin Hiram (E. Jackson, CEO of Real Times Media), who owns other Black newspapers across the nation, had the actual writings of Zora Neale Hurston, who covered the case. He said he would look into it, and it turns out he did have them. That became a foundation for building our story.”
The brothers began developing the production, navigating challenges that would have stopped others in their tracks. The process spanned years and included setbacks like the pandemic of 2020, which delayed the show’s initial debut. However, the delay allowed them to refine the production, assemble a stronger team, and bring in experts who elevated the work to new heights. From hiring a dramaturge to working with multitalented composer Nehemiah Luckett, the team meticulously crafted the music and narrative to ensure Ruby’s story was told authentically and powerfully.
The research process involved digging into historical records, including the writings of Zora Neale Hurston, who covered Ruby’s trial for the Pittsburgh Courier, a Real Times Media newspaper. Michael Jacobs highlighted Hurston’s unique perspective: “She wrote about Ruby McCollum—who she was, what her history was—and pondered how she got herself into this situation. She didn’t just report on the trial; she humanized Ruby in a way that challenged the narrative.”
When the production finally reached the stage in Florida, the response was overwhelming. Nate described the audience’s reaction: “I can’t even explain to you the experience that went on in that theater. White people received that story, sat through it, and at intermission, they almost filed out of the theater like they were at a funeral. Quiet and reverent. No hate. No meanness. Just reverence.”
The show doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable truths of the era. One scene includes members of the Ku Klux Klan, an addition that initially caused discomfort among the production team. Nate shared, “Even the costumer, a white woman, burst into tears. She said, ‘I feel so awkward making these masks.’”
However, the Jacobs brothers felt it was essential to include this imagery to authentically depict the environment Ruby lived in. Michael elaborated, “This story, when you talk about the times and the people, is multilayered. Ruby and her husband were extraordinary. They owned businesses, drove fine cars, and were respected by the Black community. But they also lived in a world of unspoken truths and systemic manipulation.”
The Pittsburgh Courier and other Black press outlets played a pivotal role in bringing Ruby’s story to national attention. That’s when the Courier enlisted Hurston – a famous, yet down-on-her-luck-at-the-time author, who used her deep connection with Black communities to uncover what others could not. “Much of what the country knew about Ruby McCollum came from Zora’s series of articles,” Michael noted. “She gave the story a voice at a time when Ruby herself wasn’t allowed to speak in her own defense.”
The brothers also reflected on the broader importance of storytelling in theater. Michael noted, “There are so many stories about Black people that you won’t ever get to know about until you start to look for them. It’s our job to reveal those truths, to preserve those stories.”
Nate added, “This is about the strength of Black people. Although we are beaten down and snatched away from opportunities, we still rise. When I started my theater company, there were people who didn’t want to see a Black theater in Sarasota. But we’re here, 25 years later, telling our stories our way.”
Here in Detroit, telling these untold stories is exactly why Vince Paul, President and Artistic Director of the Music Hall, is excited to partner to bring Ruby’s story to the people.
“We place a large emphasis on community impact and we are beholden to the concept of being a reflection of what we program. Ruby could easily be a Broadway show. I can name a lot of celebrities today who got their start at the Music Hall because Music Hall gave them a gig, and Ruby fits right into that slot because this is a really deserving show that we hope to elevate because it’s really a high-quality show with really important content,” Paul said.
“I was immediately struck by this story. It’s interesting, it’s heart-wrenching, and it’s intriguing. The music is excellent and the story is even better. It’s almost in the vein of a Rosa Parks – this is a woman who is not going to stand down. She ultimately survives this tragedy, but the power and the celebration of her strength only exists if people know her story. There’s no power if her story is kept in the closet, so that’s my mission with Ruby. We need to broadcast this and people need to know this because then her story is not for nothing. There’s power in people knowing her story.”
The resilience of Ruby McCollum echoes the resilience of the Jacobs brothers and the communities they represent. By telling Ruby’s story, they are not only honoring her legacy but also challenging the dominant narratives that have historically erased Black voices. “This is a story of survival,” Michael said. “Ruby McCollum’s life and trial speak to the resilience of a people who have endured unimaginable hardships and still find ways to rise.”
Hiram E. Jackson, CEO of Real Times Media and Publisher of Michigan Chronicle, explained, “When we saw the production in Sarasota, we knew Detroit needed to experience this. Black History Month is the perfect time to share Ruby’s story with a broader audience. Through the Michigan Chronicle and our partnership with the Music Hall, we are ensuring that Ruby’s voice is heard.”
The Detroit premiere of Ruby is more than a theatrical event; it is undoubtedly a movement. It’s a call to action to uncover the truths of our past, honor the resilience of those who came before us, and ensure that stories like Ruby’s are never forgotten. As Michael so poignantly stated, “We are not the one-dimensional folk others want to cast us as. We are complex, brilliant, and resilient, and it’s our job to tell those stories.”
Nate Jacobs is thrilled to bring Ruby’s story to Detroit. “This collaboration allows us to reach a broader audience. Ruby’s voice, silenced in her time, can now be amplified.”
As the curtains prepare to rise on Ruby in Detroit, the Jacobs brothers hope audiences walk away with a deeper understanding of Black resilience and truth. “There are so many lies about Ruby McCollum, but there’s also so much truth,” Michael said. “It’s up to us to dig for that truth and share it, because Black stories matter, and they deserve to be told with integrity and care.”
The Detroit premiere of Ruby marks a significant moment, not just for the Jacobs brothers but for all who believe in the power of storytelling to inspire change.
For more information about “Ruby” and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Tanisha Leonard at [email protected].
About Post Author
