More than the story of one 14-year-old African-American boy who lost his life for saying a few unwelcome words to a white woman, this exhaustively researched tale takes us from Emmitt Till to the civil rights movement and up to today. Yet with such a wide breadth of coverage it is also very personal.
Emmett Till was a 14-year-old from Chicago who was excited about staying with his uncle in Mississippi for the summer. He wasn't there long, though, before he made the mistake that led to his death. In a little family-owned store he made some remark to the young woman at the counter and she was insulted by it. We can't say for certain what he said, as she later admitted that much of what she testified to in court was not true. Much later, though.
Carolyn Bryant waited until she was advanced in age before speaking publicly about what happened and what she had told others. Even then, as far as she could go was to say that what happened to Emmett should not have happened.
Carolyn, the young woman, told her family what the young black boy had said to her and suggested that he had touched her as well. Two men then took it upon themselves to find the boy and teach him some manners. They took it much farther than that, beating him with such viciousness that his body, when found, was not easy to identify.
And here is where the story really begins. For in Mississippi in the early 1950s it was still common for African-Americans to be "lynched" for supposed crimes, many of them not crimes at all. "Lynched" in this case is a generic term for a killing done in vengeance, usually an African-American killed by a European-American.
It was common but Till's mother was determined that it not be swept under any rugs, not ever forgotten. She insisted that her boy's body be brought back to Chicago rather than buried in Mississippi, and she insisted on an open-casket at the funeral. She went further, notifying people she knew would spread the word, and spread the word they did. Without her actions we would likely never have heard of Emmett Tlll.
Thus he takes his place among the early cases that spurred the civil rights movement. Tyson takes us through many of the others and up to today, placing them all in context. It is more than a simple history, though. It is emotionally charged and inspiring. A must-read.
Emmett Till was a 14-year-old from Chicago who was excited about staying with his uncle in Mississippi for the summer. He wasn't there long, though, before he made the mistake that led to his death. In a little family-owned store he made some remark to the young woman at the counter and she was insulted by it. We can't say for certain what he said, as she later admitted that much of what she testified to in court was not true. Much later, though.
Carolyn Bryant waited until she was advanced in age before speaking publicly about what happened and what she had told others. Even then, as far as she could go was to say that what happened to Emmett should not have happened.
Carolyn, the young woman, told her family what the young black boy had said to her and suggested that he had touched her as well. Two men then took it upon themselves to find the boy and teach him some manners. They took it much farther than that, beating him with such viciousness that his body, when found, was not easy to identify.
And here is where the story really begins. For in Mississippi in the early 1950s it was still common for African-Americans to be "lynched" for supposed crimes, many of them not crimes at all. "Lynched" in this case is a generic term for a killing done in vengeance, usually an African-American killed by a European-American.
It was common but Till's mother was determined that it not be swept under any rugs, not ever forgotten. She insisted that her boy's body be brought back to Chicago rather than buried in Mississippi, and she insisted on an open-casket at the funeral. She went further, notifying people she knew would spread the word, and spread the word they did. Without her actions we would likely never have heard of Emmett Tlll.
Thus he takes his place among the early cases that spurred the civil rights movement. Tyson takes us through many of the others and up to today, placing them all in context. It is more than a simple history, though. It is emotionally charged and inspiring. A must-read.
Very sad story, but a great primer for the catalyst that started the real push for civil rights in this country. I was not old enough to appreciate any of the battles, but Mr. Tyson brought them to life for me. It was a bit dry, but I wasn't expecting entertainment, just enlightenment.
