Emmett Till Family Honors Legacy with Historic Train Reenactment
The family of Emmett Till has commemorated the 70th anniversary of his lynching by re-creating the train journey he made from Chicago to Mississippi in 1955. This event not only honors Till’s memory but also highlights ongoing discussions about racism and civil rights in the United States.
On the evening of August 24, 2023, the family departed from Chicago’s Union Station, arriving in Greenwood, Mississippi, on the morning of August 25, the anniversary of Till’s death. The train ride mirrors the trip taken by the 14-year-old boy who traveled to visit relatives, a visit that would end in tragedy. This initiative was organized by the Emmett Till Interpretive Center and the National Parks Conservation Association.
Among the passengers was Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr., Till’s cousin and the last living eyewitness to his abduction. He was joined by his wife, Dr. Marvel Parker, and Juliet Louis, the widow of sharecropper Willie Reed, who bravely reported Till’s murder and testified at the subsequent trial. Reflecting on their journey, Rev. Parker stated, “We’re not here to stir up animosity or hate, but to remind people of how far we’ve come and how much progress we’ve made.”
In 1955, Till was lynched after Carolyn Bryant Donham, a white woman, accused him of making advances towards her, despite conflicting witness accounts claiming he merely whistled at her. Following the accusation, Bryant and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, abducted Till, brutally murdered him, and disposed of his body in the Tallahatchie River. An all-white jury acquitted the two men, despite their later confession to the crime in a magazine interview.
The case of Emmett Till drew international attention to the deep-seated racism and injustices within the U.S. legal system, issues that many argue persist today. In 2008, Donham reportedly recanted her allegations but later denied doing so, and she passed away in 2023. The U.S. Department of Justice concluded its second investigation into Till’s murder in 2021.
The commemoration continues with a series of events organized by the Emmett Till Interpretive Center, running from August 24 to 26 at Mississippi Valley State University and the barn where Till was murdered in Drew, Mississippi. Activities include a theatrical performance, multiple panel discussions, and a memorial service with a wreath-laying ceremony.
Additionally, the Chicago History Museum is hosting an exhibit titled “Injustice: The Trial for the Murder of Emmett Till.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson emphasized the importance of remembering Till’s legacy, stating, “We will continue to use this horrific tragedy as a constant reminder of how we have to continue to fight for justice.”
In a related development, former President Joe Biden signed the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act into law in March 2022, officially designating lynching as a federal hate crime for the first time in U.S. history. This legislative action followed more than 200 previous attempts to establish such laws.
The events surrounding Emmett Till’s death and the ongoing fight for racial justice underscore the need for continued awareness and education about the country’s history of racial violence and the importance of civil rights.
