President Biden Establishes Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument
On July 25, 2023, President Joe Biden signed a proclamation establishing the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Mississippi and Illinois. This significant move, on what would have been Emmett Till’s 82nd birthday, commemorates the life of Till and his mother’s activism in the face of racial injustice during the Jim Crow era. The national monument will consist of three historic sites in Chicago, Illinois; Sumner, Mississippi; and Glendora, Mississippi, central to the events surrounding Till’s racially motivated murder in 1955.
Remembering Emmett Till: A Story of Injustice and Bravery
Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago, was visiting family in the Mississippi Delta when he was accused of making advances towards a white female grocery clerk. Just days after this alleged incident, Till was kidnapped, brutally murdered, and his body was later discovered in the Tallahatchie River. The trial that followed ended with an unjust acquittal of Till’s killers, leaving no legal accountability for his death.
The nationwide coverage of Emmett Till’s lynching, along with Mamie Till-Mobley’s determined efforts to honor her son’s story through education and activism, shed light on the injustices and inequality experienced by Black people during the era. Rosa Parks, the iconic civil rights activist, cited Till’s murder as her inspiration for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery city bus. Till’s death became a catalyst for the civil rights movement, highlighting the urgent need for racial justice and equality in America.
Preserving History: The New National Monument Sites
The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument will be managed by the National Park Service and spans 5.70 acres across three separate historic sites in Illinois and Mississippi. Each site plays a crucial role in telling the story of Till’s life, his murder, and the activism of his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley.
The first site is Graball Landing, located just outside of Glendora, Mississippi, believed to be where Till’s body was discovered in the Tallahatchie River. In recognition of the significance of this location, a bulletproof memorial sign was erected in 2019 to resist acts of vandalism and ensure Till’s memory endures.
The second site is the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Bronzeville, a historically Black neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. It was at this church that Mamie Till-Mobley held an open-casket funeral service for her son, defying Mississippi authorities’ directives to bury Till quickly. The funeral attracted as many as 125,000 mourners and witnesses who sought to honor Till’s life and stand against racism.
The third site is the Tallahatchie County Second District Courthouse in Sumner, Mississippi, where the trial of Till’s murderers took place in a segregated courtroom. Despite overwhelming evidence, an all-white jury wrongfully acquitted the two killers in just over an hour of deliberation. The courthouse stands as a symbol of the deeply entrenched racism and miscarriage of justice that prevailed during that time.
Expanding the Story: Partnerships and Preservation
President Biden’s designation of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument not only ensures the conservation and interpretation of these three significant sites but also encourages collaboration between the Department of the Interior, the National Park Service, and local communities and organizations. This partnership aims to preserve and interpret a broader network of historic sites related to Till and his mother’s experiences.
Potential additional sites that may be included in the monument’s preservation plan are the Glendora Cotton Gin, known as the Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center, Mound Bayou, the Tutwiler Funeral Home, and the Emmett Till Boyhood Home. By expanding the narrative and preserving these sites, the full story of Till and Mamie Till-Mobley’s impact on American history can be appropriately acknowledged and understood.
An Ongoing Commitment to Civil Rights
The establishment of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument adds to the Biden-Harris Administration’s dedication to advancing civil rights and promoting racial justice. Earlier this year, President Biden signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law, making lynching a federal hate crime.
President Biden’s invocation of the Antiquities Act to designate this national monument aligns with the rich history of using this authority to protect America’s unique natural and historic features. The creation of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument signifies the President’s recognition of the importance of preserving and sharing the stories that have shaped the nation’s history.
Remembering Emmett Till: A Call to Action
As we commemorate the establishment of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, it is important to reflect on the lessons it teaches us. The story of Emmett Till serves as a stark reminder of the deep-rooted racism and injustice that have plagued our society, and the courage and resilience demonstrated by individuals like Mamie Till-Mobley.
This national monument should inspire us all to continue the fight for racial equality and justice. It is a call to examine the progress we have made as a nation and to address the persistent inequities that still exist. By preserving and understanding the history of Till and his mother, we can work towards a more inclusive and just future for all Canadians.
Through education, activism, and a commitment to upholding the principles of equality, we can honor the memory of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley and ensure that their story is never forgotten.
<< photo by Elizeu Dias >>
The image is for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual situation.
