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In Mississippi, Struggling for an Emmett Till Memorial That Withstands Gunshots Struggling for an Emmett Till Memorial That Withstands Gunshots
(about 1 hour later)
Along a secluded gravel road that runs between a riverbank and cotton fields in the Mississippi Delta region, a purple sign marks the area where Emmett Till’s mutilated body was pulled from the Tallahatchie River in the summer of 1955.Along a secluded gravel road that runs between a riverbank and cotton fields in the Mississippi Delta region, a purple sign marks the area where Emmett Till’s mutilated body was pulled from the Tallahatchie River in the summer of 1955.
For eight years, the sign has been riddled with bullet holes.For eight years, the sign has been riddled with bullet holes.
The 14-year-old from Chicago was visiting the South when he was accused of whistling at a white woman and murdered. His death became a rallying cry for the civil rights movement, but several signs meant to memorialize the killing — including the one on the riverbank between the towns of Glendora, Miss., and Webb, Miss. — have been vandalized by spray paint and bullet holes. Others have been stolen.The 14-year-old from Chicago was visiting the South when he was accused of whistling at a white woman and murdered. His death became a rallying cry for the civil rights movement, but several signs meant to memorialize the killing — including the one on the riverbank between the towns of Glendora, Miss., and Webb, Miss. — have been vandalized by spray paint and bullet holes. Others have been stolen.
It took a visiting filmmaker, Kevin Wilson Jr., to rally support for replacing the sign by the Tallahatchie River when he shared a photo of it on his Facebook page this month.It took a visiting filmmaker, Kevin Wilson Jr., to rally support for replacing the sign by the Tallahatchie River when he shared a photo of it on his Facebook page this month.
“I’m at the exact site where Emmett Till’s body was found floating in the Tallahatchie River 61 years ago,” Mr. Wilson wrote on Oct. 15. “The site marker is filled with bullet holes. Clear evidence that we’ve still got a long way to go.”“I’m at the exact site where Emmett Till’s body was found floating in the Tallahatchie River 61 years ago,” Mr. Wilson wrote on Oct. 15. “The site marker is filled with bullet holes. Clear evidence that we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Online outrage, and a fund-raising campaign, soon followed. So far, the Emmett Till Memorial Commission has raised more than $18,000 to buy a new sign, and an official with the commission said the group was looking to install a new type of memorial — one that presumably could withstand gunshots.Online outrage, and a fund-raising campaign, soon followed. So far, the Emmett Till Memorial Commission has raised more than $18,000 to buy a new sign, and an official with the commission said the group was looking to install a new type of memorial — one that presumably could withstand gunshots.
Patrick Weems, the project coordinator for the commission, also known as the Emmett Till Interpretive Center, said on Monday that the group hoped to work with the same architect who had restored the Tallahatchie County Courthouse, where Roy Bryant and J. W. Milam were tried and acquitted in the murder of the African-American teenager. (The two later publicly confessed to the killing in a magazine article.)Patrick Weems, the project coordinator for the commission, also known as the Emmett Till Interpretive Center, said on Monday that the group hoped to work with the same architect who had restored the Tallahatchie County Courthouse, where Roy Bryant and J. W. Milam were tried and acquitted in the murder of the African-American teenager. (The two later publicly confessed to the killing in a magazine article.)
Mr. Weems said there were plans to turn the riverbank area into a park with a gazebo, where people could pray or observe a moment of silence. The commission hoped that a larger structure might withstand the periodic acts of vandalism against sites that honor the boy’s life.Mr. Weems said there were plans to turn the riverbank area into a park with a gazebo, where people could pray or observe a moment of silence. The commission hoped that a larger structure might withstand the periodic acts of vandalism against sites that honor the boy’s life.
“How do we replace it in a way where this doesn’t happen?” Mr. Weems said of the sign. “I think it’s a lot less likely for someone to go out of their way to vandalize a gazebo.”“How do we replace it in a way where this doesn’t happen?” Mr. Weems said of the sign. “I think it’s a lot less likely for someone to go out of their way to vandalize a gazebo.”
The plans, he said, would commemorate a killing that laid bare a history of violent attacks against African-Americans at the hands of whites. Back in 1955, Emmett Till’s mother, Mamie Elizabeth Till-Mobley, had insisted on having an open-casket funeral to show the world what had happened to her son, who had been beaten beyond recognition and shot in the head.The plans, he said, would commemorate a killing that laid bare a history of violent attacks against African-Americans at the hands of whites. Back in 1955, Emmett Till’s mother, Mamie Elizabeth Till-Mobley, had insisted on having an open-casket funeral to show the world what had happened to her son, who had been beaten beyond recognition and shot in the head.
More than 100,000 people filed past the coffin to view his body, which was displayed unembalmed for four days. In 2005, 50 years after the murder, federal officials opened a new investigation into the killing. Till’s body, which had never undergone an autopsy, was exhumed and reburied in a new coffin.More than 100,000 people filed past the coffin to view his body, which was displayed unembalmed for four days. In 2005, 50 years after the murder, federal officials opened a new investigation into the killing. Till’s body, which had never undergone an autopsy, was exhumed and reburied in a new coffin.
Mr. Weems said the group has raised the idea of asking the National Park Service to designate the land a historic site, where any case of vandalism would prompt a federal investigation.Mr. Weems said the group has raised the idea of asking the National Park Service to designate the land a historic site, where any case of vandalism would prompt a federal investigation.
Vandals have hit several Till memorials in the area over the past decade, according to Dave Tell, an associate professor at the University of Kansas, who is working on a book about the effort to commemorate the teenager’s death.Vandals have hit several Till memorials in the area over the past decade, according to Dave Tell, an associate professor at the University of Kansas, who is working on a book about the effort to commemorate the teenager’s death.
“For 49 years and 11 months there was not a single marker in the entire state of Mississippi to the memory of Emmett Till” after Till was murdered, Professor Tell said in an interview on Monday. That changed in 2005, when two memorial signs were placed along a 30-mile stretch of highway.“For 49 years and 11 months there was not a single marker in the entire state of Mississippi to the memory of Emmett Till” after Till was murdered, Professor Tell said in an interview on Monday. That changed in 2005, when two memorial signs were placed along a 30-mile stretch of highway.
Professor Tell said the signs were vandalized within months with black spray paint, and the letters “KKK” were scrawled on them.Professor Tell said the signs were vandalized within months with black spray paint, and the letters “KKK” were scrawled on them.
Three years later, the Emmett Till Memorial Commission installed eight signs about the murder, including the one on the riverbank. Two were stolen, including one in Sumner, Miss., where the trial was held. The sign sat on land owned by the son of John W. Whitten Jr., one of several lawyers who defended Mr. Bryant and Mr. Milam.Three years later, the Emmett Till Memorial Commission installed eight signs about the murder, including the one on the riverbank. Two were stolen, including one in Sumner, Miss., where the trial was held. The sign sat on land owned by the son of John W. Whitten Jr., one of several lawyers who defended Mr. Bryant and Mr. Milam.
“The local community is very suspicious that the sign was removed from the property,” Mr. Tell said.“The local community is very suspicious that the sign was removed from the property,” Mr. Tell said.
Mr. Weems said the commission was looking at options to replace that sign.Mr. Weems said the commission was looking at options to replace that sign.
The one along the riverbank was replaced once before, after it was shot and then stolen within months, Mr. Tell said. Local officials had vowed to replace the sign every time it was vandalized, but the new sign was “immediately shot up again,” Professor Tell said. He added, “And it’s been sitting there now for eight years with bullet holes in it.” Mr. Weems said that the commission had decided to dedicate its resources to developing a virtual tour of the sites rather than restoring the damaged signs.The one along the riverbank was replaced once before, after it was shot and then stolen within months, Mr. Tell said. Local officials had vowed to replace the sign every time it was vandalized, but the new sign was “immediately shot up again,” Professor Tell said. He added, “And it’s been sitting there now for eight years with bullet holes in it.” Mr. Weems said that the commission had decided to dedicate its resources to developing a virtual tour of the sites rather than restoring the damaged signs.
The vandalism has divided residents in a part of the country where “it doesn’t take too much scratching beneath the surface to see that race is still an issue,” Mr. Weems said.The vandalism has divided residents in a part of the country where “it doesn’t take too much scratching beneath the surface to see that race is still an issue,” Mr. Weems said.
“I think there was some people who said, ‘Oh, it’s another sign that got shot; this happens all the time,’ ” he added. “And others said, ‘No, this is absolutely what it looks like: This is a racist act and we need to stand together.’ ”“I think there was some people who said, ‘Oh, it’s another sign that got shot; this happens all the time,’ ” he added. “And others said, ‘No, this is absolutely what it looks like: This is a racist act and we need to stand together.’ ”