Searching for Emmett Till

There has been a lot of mention of Emmett Till in the news lately. A few months ago, a national news network ran a story on a sign marking the place where Emmett Till’s body was found. Most recently, actor and director Jesse Williams was dragged on Twitter for posting a meme of Till. Even Snoop Dogg got in the mix after the recent sentencing of 81-year old Bill Cosby saying perhaps it's time to revisit the case of Emmett Till.

In 1955, Till, a 14-year old kid was beaten, shot and drowned for whistling at a woman as he his cousins were leaving a store.

Till, a Chicago native, was spending a summer in Mississippi with family. His mother thought it would be a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of the busy city. One afternoon as Till and his cousins were leaving a small grocery store, Till whistled at a young lady. A few night’s later Till was abducted from his great uncle’s home and later killed. His crime, Till was Black… the young lady was White.

Earlier this week my cousin posted a link to a story about the sign marking the site where Till's lifeless body was found.  The sign was being replaced after being shot up.  It was then I knew I had to share my search of Emmett Till.

I saw a story on the internet showing the barn where Till was tortured.  63 years later... the barn was still intact.  I couldn't believe it.  As macabre as it may seem, I had to see that barn for myself.  I didn't have an address.  I didn't know where I was going but I was drawn to Mississippi.

Wikipedia said Till was abducted from his great uncle's home in Money, Mississippi.  That's where I had to go.  That's where the story begins.

My cousin agreed to join me and on Saturday, September 1st, we were Mississippi bound.

Our first stop was the Emmett Till Interpretive Center in Sumner, Mississippi.  

We arrived just a few minutes before closing time and were greeted by a young man named Benjamin who worked at the center.  

The center was full of poster size pictures, letters and memorabilia related to the trial.  

Not a single picture of Till lying in state.  The iconic photo that gripped a nation.  It wasn't anywhere to be found. 

My cousin walked around looking at the exhibits scattered throughout but I was empty.  Drawn to this large glass window at the front of the center, I looked out and saw a building.

"Benjamin", I asked, "is that the courthouse..."

I didn't even finish my statement before he said "Yes ma'am". 

I walked outside.  My cousin followed and we stood in front of that county courthouse.  

The Center sits right in front of the very courthouse where the men who murdered Till were tried and received a "Not Guilty" verdict.

A dusty pickup truck slowly drove past us as my cousin and I snapped pics.

"Did that truck slow down?" 

"Yeah, seemed like it", my cousin responded.

We returned to the safety of the Interpretive Center.

As I walked inside this time, my eyes were drawn to a large, metal, purple sign riddled with bullet holes.

"Benjamin, is that the sign?"

"Yes ma'am" he replied.

There it was.  The sign I'd seen on the news.  The sign that had been shot up so many times it was being replaced.  

RIVER SITE.

That's where I needed to go. What I was looking for wasn't here in the Interpretive Center, it was across the Tallahatchie Bridge.  Despite the pain, I felt compelled to keep searching. 


Click HERE for Directions to the River Site...