The murder of Emmett Till, an innocent fourteen year old African American male lynched by two Caucasian men sparked an outcry from both races during a period of time where racial tension was at its highest in the south. Thanks to his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley and her courageous determination to bring Emmett’s murder to light, even in a time where this could have been an instant death sentence for Mamie, Dewan (2005) states “this became the first great media event of the civil rights movement.”
Social Tension
Emmett Till
Chicago in the 1940-50’s was not like Mississippi regarding racial tensions. Growing up Emmett often heard of his mother’s stories of her childhood along the Mississippi Delta and desperately wanted to visit his family there. This was a visit Mamie was not too keen on and kept postponing since she knew that Emmett may not understand how to behave in front of Southern Whites, even though he often stated he understood the difference between the two cultures. While Emmett was away, Mamie was constantly worried and unable to get herself out of bed due to the fear associated with what could happen to Emmett if he made the wrong move in South Mississippi.
Emmett in Chicago was an adored child by many; he was educated, bold and charismatic. Emmett was sheltered from life outside his small suburb in Chicago, named the Promised Land during this period of time for the many who were escaping Mississippi to find a better life free from inequality and social injustice. Emmett had many family and friend supporters during his upbringing and did not experience much social tension until reaching Money, Mississippi. This was the fateful journey that changed the civil rights movement, at least for Mississippi forever.
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The Civil Rights Movement refers to the political, social, and economical struggle of African Americans to gain full citizenship and racial equality. Although African Americans began to fight for equal rights as early as during the days of slavery, the quest for equality continues today. Historians generally agree that Civil Rights Movement began with the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 and ended with the passing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Despite the 14th and 15th constitutional amendments
ongoing topic in the media. It started with the Trayvon Martin case, then went on to recent cases such as the Michael Brown case or the Eric Garner case. However, the truth is that racism in the law has been a popular topic for many decades. Before social media and the news were common sources of information, these issues were read about