Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago who was visiting family in Mississippi in 1955. While in a store, he allegedly whistled at and made comments towards a white woman, the store owner's wife. Later that night, the store owner and his half-brother kidnapped Emmett from his home, beat him severely, shot him, and threw his body in a river after tying it to a heavy object. When his body was found, it was badly disfigured. The two white men were acquitted by an all-white jury despite clear evidence of their guilt. Emmett's mother held an open casket funeral to show the world what was done to her son, fueling the

1. Melissa CampbellEDU 290 11amEmmett Till

2. Who was Emmett Till?An African American 14 year old boyBorn July 25th 1951 in Chicago Illinois Was visiting Mississippi in 1955 for the summerOverall lived an average teenage boy life.

3. Emmett

4. Emmett’s StoryWhile Emmett was visiting Mississippi he visited a store.In the store he made a comment to a woman worker.The woman and her husband did not like this commentLater on that day he walked by the house of this coupleThis is where he was abducted.When Emmett was found his whole body was severely beaten and bloated from the water.

5. The White Men’s StoryAn African American walked into their store and made a ‘fresh’ comment to the lady worker and whistled at her.The store owner who was this woman’s husband was upset with this comment.Told Emmett to leave the store.Later that night, Emmett was trespassing

6. How this incident was Viewed by WhitesDuring these days, African Americans were not even supposed to look at white women.For Emmett to make a comment and whistle at this white woman was a huge dealThe comment and whistle were seen as more than disrespectfulWhites saw the husband and the woman as right and had every right to be upset.

7. How the Incident was Viewed by African AmericansAfrican Americans did not believe that Emmett had made this remark to the woman.They saw him as a young boy who just caused some mischief every once and awhileBelieved the couple had no reason to be upset with what the boy had supposedly done.

8. The Story According to TextStories printed in text now, say that it is unclear if Emmett did or did not make a comment and whistle to the white woman.Printed text does say that there was a misunderstanding and that in the long run, Emmett paid greatly for it.

9. Emmett’s DeathEmmett’s death was horrid in the time period it took place in and in today’s society.He was beat and shot by two white men, one man being the husband of the woman from the store and the other being his half brother.Once they had done this they tied a rope with a weight around his body and threw him in the river.

10. The Court CaseThe jury was all whiteThe judge was all whiteRare for a case of white men lynching an African American to even be brought to trialThe two white men, where acquitted of all charges and set free.

11. The White Men After the CaseThey were set free with no restrictions put in place and not even a slap on the wrist.Immune to any further prosecution The two men sold the actual true story of what happened to Emmett to the news for moneyThis story was how they brutally killed Emmett and could not be re-tried for this case.

12. The African American’s View of the CaseWhat was done to Emmett and his family was seen as unfairAfrican Americans realized how much of a real accomplishment it was just to get these two men to trialAfrican Americans saw this as an opening for them in the Civil Rights Movement.

13. The White’s View of the CaseThe whites saw these men as some sort of hero to their race.Felt they had accomplished something to push back the Civil Rights Movement.The whites believed these men should have never even seen the inside of a court room.

14. Emmett’s Mother

15. Emmett’s MotherEmmett’s Mother decided she wanted to let the world know what happened to her son.So, to accomplish this she held an open casket funeral for Emmett.There was not anyone who was not invited.She wanted everyone to see him so she could show people what a gruesome death was put upon her child.

16. How the Case Affected the Civil Rights MovementThis case brought the generation of this time to make a social change.Emmett’s death helped get the Civil Rights Movement off the ground and brought it to a new level.Emmett’s story was used by many activists to show people what was wrong with the way society was.

17. Emmett’s Story TodayEmmett’s story does not stop in 195550 years after the case, police reopened Emmett’s death.The FBI re-examined Emmett’s body In 2006 the FBI decided that there would not be any charges brought.When Emmett’s Mother died in 2003 she was still holding out hope for her son’s case to be re-opened.After Emmett’s body was exhumed, Emmett’s Mother published a book titled,Death of Innocence: The story of a hate crime that Changed America.Emmett’s headstone has been vandalized many times throughout the years.

18. Work CitedPicture of Emmett Till’s Mother http://www.flickr.com/photos/whsimages/4194826329/Picture of Emmett Tillhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/11304375@N07/2534273093/?reg=1&src=shareThe History of Jim Crowhttp://www.jimcrowhistory.org/resources/lessonplans/hs_es_emmett_till.htmAnswers.com Reference Answershttp://www.answers.com/topic/emmett-till qFacing History and ourselveshttp://www.facinghistory.org/resources/units/a-pivotal-moment-civil-rights-move?_kk=emmett%20till&_kt=60234d61-d597-4980-8193-ede6f2b39e71&gclid=CP-JtO7IrqcCFcfe4AodEysnVg