The era of 1950s reached its summit in the tensions in the acrimonious relationships of African-Americans and whites. The story of Emmett Till is one of them. While some consider the gruesome and painful story of the murder a spark that started the Civil Rights movement, it is not known by many- overlooked or written in meagre details by in textbooks as insignificant. The story of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, both which started a hundred days after the murder, are well-known; it is possible that the gory details and deep substance to it may have made the editors of textbooks shy away. Indeed, the details are hard to swallow. The aftermath of the beating by his two white assailants, left the fourteen year old Emmett Till drowned
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Emmett’s mother, Mainie Till, made a decision to have an open casket for her son for a reason: to show the world the sheer brutalities and oppressions that African-American people had been facing. The Civil Rights Movement is a crucial part of America’s history; leaving one of the most symbolic and tragic story is an offense to the people who have suffered during this period. Moreover, one of the details that could be mentioned - also one of the major points found missing in many textbooks- is the partial jury that served during the case when Mainie Till and her supporters tried to prosecute the two murderers. The all-white jury took an hour to decide, and as one of them quote, “we only took time to make it seem sincere.” As expected, the kidnappers were found ‘not guilty.’ Students need to learn that the same Constitution that had protected the two men (who later sold the true story on a magazine) from facing double jeopardy, could not protect the rights of African-Americans that demand for an impartial jury. Pictures speak a thousand words, and it is understandable to remove the picture, but the basic details must be brought to light. It is too significant; the fight for Civil Rights Movement started when Emmett Till’s life was tragically
Emmett’s mother, Mainie Till, made a decision to have an open casket for her son for a reason: to show the world the sheer brutalities and oppressions that African-American people had been facing. The Civil Rights Movement is a crucial part of America’s history; leaving one of the most symbolic and tragic story is an offense to the people who have suffered during this period. Moreover, one of the details that could be mentioned - also one of the major points found missing in many textbooks- is the partial jury that served during the case when Mainie Till and her supporters tried to prosecute the two murderers. The all-white jury took an hour to decide, and as one of them quote, “we only took time to make it seem sincere.” As expected, the kidnappers were found ‘not guilty.’ Students need to learn that the same Constitution that had protected the two men (who later sold the true story on a magazine) from facing double jeopardy, could not protect the rights of African-Americans that demand for an impartial jury. Pictures speak a thousand words, and it is understandable to remove the picture, but the basic details must be brought to light. It is too significant; the fight for Civil Rights Movement started when Emmett Till’s life was tragically