On August 28, 1955, as 14-year-old Emmett Till was visiting family in Mississippi from Chicago, he was brutally murdered after being accused of allegedly flirting with a white woman. Till’s murder, and the subsequent acquittals of his killers, marked a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. At Emmett’s funeral, his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, insisted on an open-casket funeral to show the world what was done to her son’s mutilated body.
A touring exhibit, “Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See,” now comes to Atlanta. “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes spoke with Tim Frilingos, Director of Exhibitions at the Atlanta History Center, about this riveting exhibit.
“This exhibit really allows families to come and make sure that this is not a footnote but a really important event for when they think about that time in America,” said Frilingos. He continued, “The only justice in this situation is that this story will continue to be told and will inspire others to seek justice in other instances.
