Emmett Till's Open Casket Summary

Dana Schultz’ painting of Emmett Till’s open casket has caused quite the stir. Ms. Schultz’ piece brings to light a devastating time in America’s history. Civil rights have been an ongoing struggle for every American outside of the white man. With the recent election of President Donald Trump and the increase of police of brutality of people of color, tensions have risen to an unfortunate high. Ms. Schultz painting, while reminding people of America’s past, brought to light new issues. There has been an influx in people’s identification with their personal heritage. This influx has put Ms. Schultz under scrutiny for being a white woman taking advantage of a history she could never fully understand. Issues that arose by her interpretation have revolved around her exploitation of people of color, barely touching on the initial meaning of the artwork. The …show more content…
If a person can see a mutilated child and not be affected by the suffering they faced, then what's the point of compassion? The connections people have with one another goes well beyond their outer appearance. There is no difference between a person of color and a white person. The work is challenging people to see beyond the color of Emmit’s skin. She’s challenging the viewer to see their loved ones in such a desperate position. While some may say her art is lacking, it's not about the quality of the piece. The meaning and feelings invoked by her work are the things that make this painting and other similar works transient. Ms. Schultz interpretation of Emmett Till has achieved a greater impact than could ever be imagined. She created a work that connected the trials of Americans fighting for civil rights and Americans today, pushing for their ultimate goal of complete social and economic