Emmett+Till

Emmett Till was a fourteen year-old African American male visiting Mississippi from Chicago, subject to racism and unfair punishment. On August 25th, 1955, Emmett was with a group of friends when they went to Bryant’s Grocery and Meat Market, owned by Carolyn and Roy Bryant. He was dared to go into the store and talk to the white woman at the register, Carolyn Bryant. He reportedly made a flirtatious remark towards her, followed by a wolf-whistle and the words (varying depending on the account) “bye, baby” on the way out.

In the middle of the night on August 28th, Roy Byrant and his brother-in-law showed up at the residence where Till was staying and dragged him away. He was then tortured (and refused to beg for mercy) until he was shot in the head. Bryant and his accomplice then put Till’s body in the river, crushing his skull and tying his a cotton gin fan.

Had this event stayed quiet, his murder would not have changed United States history. Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till Mobley, demanded that his body be shipped back to Chicago for the funeral. After seeing the injuries on her son’s body, she rejected the court order that the casket be closed at the funeral. Thousands of Chicago residents attended the funeral, where they saw his mangled body. This and the publication of photos of his body sparked national outcry, protests, and even a civil rights movement, making the death of Emmett Till unforgettable. [|(1)] [|(2)]

Emmett Till

Mamie Till Mobley mourning for her son.

Emma Bailey