In 1958, the world turned its eyes to Alabama when an African American man named Jimmy Wilson was sentenced to death for stealing $1.95. Yes—less than two dollars.

Jimmy Wilson, a 55-year-old laborer, was accused of robbing an elderly white woman in her home. The amount? Just $1.95. Despite no one being physically harmed during the incident, Wilson was quickly arrested, tried, and sentenced to die in the electric chair.

What shocked many wasn’t just the punishment—it was the racial injustice behind it. In the segregated South, where Black people were treated as second-class citizens, the courts too often delivered harsh, unforgiving sentences to Black defendants. Wilson’s case was no exception.

The news of his sentence spread beyond Alabama. International headlines criticized the U.S., calling out its hypocrisy on civil rights. Newspapers in Europe and Asia blasted the injustice. Even the U.S. State Department felt the pressure, as the case became an embarrassment during the Cold War when America claimed to stand for freedom and justice.

The outrage worked. After massive public pressure and international embarrassment, Alabama’s governor commuted Wilson’s death sentence to life imprisonment. Eventually, Wilson was paroled and released. But the damage had been done—his name forever tied to a justice system that nearly took his life over spare change.

Jimmy Wilson’s story is a chilling reminder: sometimes, injustice costs less than a cup of coffee—but the price paid can be a life.