A Murder That Lit a Spark For Social Change The case of Emmett Till and its historical significance
The murder of Emmett Till and the subsequent trial of two white men from Mississippi was a catalyst to the Civil Rights movement. He was not the first African American to be brutally beaten and lynched, and certainly not the last. What made Till's case significant is that images of his mutilated body in Jet magazine. This was the first time that the public saw the horrors of the institutionalized racism in the media.
Through analysis of primary and secondary sources, students will demonstrate their mastery of the content and historical thinking skills by writing an argumentative essay in response to the question: To what extent was this event a pivotal moment in the history of the civil rights movement?
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Prerequisites
-Historical context surrounding the Emmett Till’s murder in 1955
-Civil Rights Movement
Get to know the characters
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Louis Law
You are a passionate freshman in college studying law. Although your mother is a history teacher, and your father is a businessman, you have always had a desire to go to law school and maybe one day become a district attorney.
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Jessica Justice
The story of Emmett Till is close to your heart because it reminds you a lot of Trayvon Martin, the Florida native that was fatally shot in 2012. Ever since Black Lives Matter had a rally in your hometown last year, you have been an avid participant in similar protests and an advocate for all people, whether they are Hispanic, African American, Caucasian, Asian, etc.
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Sally Civil
You're the editor of your high school's newspaper and you have always dreamed to study journalism and public diplomacy in college.
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Ray Rights
Social studies speak to you. Not only is it interesting, but you feel that understanding the significance of historical events has a critical impact on the future of mankind.
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Parker Principium
Politics to you is like candy to a 7 year old on Halloween. College life has been difficult to adjust to but your academic career is just starting to take off.
Resources
- “Do You Remember?: Testimonials of Seeing Photographs of Emmett Till’s Mutilated Corpse in Jet Magazine
- Jet Magazine Emmett Till September 29, 1955
- A Pivotal Moment in the Civil Rights Movement: The Murder of Emmett Till
- Till, Emmett Louis (1941-1955)
- Emmett Till and the Impact of Images: Photos of Murdered Youth Spurred Civil Rights Activism
- Narrative of the Offense: Synopsis
- Bob Dylan - The Death of Emmett Till (song and lyrics)
- Emmett Till Murder FBI - White House - State of Mississippi Files
- Primary Sources: Reactions in Writing
- Primary Source - What The People Say
- How Emmett Till Changed The World
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