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Emmett Louis "Bobo" Till (July 25, 1941 – August 28, 1955) The murder of 14-year old Emmett Till was noted as one of the leading events that motivated the American Civil Rights Movement. The main suspects were acquitted, but later admitted to committing the crime. Till's mother insisted on a public funeral service, with an open casket to show the world the brutality of the killing: Till had been beaten and his eye had been gouged out, before he was shot through the head and thrown into the Tallahatchie River with a 75-pound cotton gin fan tied to his neck with barbed wire. His body was in the river for three days before it was discovered and retrieved by two fishermen. |
Other events are planned throughout the month, including the showing of the film, "The Untold Story of Emmett Till" on Feb. 4, and a panel discussion on how the murder of a 14-year old spurred the Civil Rights Movement in America.
Composed of newspaper headlines, articles, personal correspondences, family photographs, oral histories and other primary source materials, the exhibit takes visitors back to the Mississippi of 1955 during the trial.
Sponsors are Daniel A. Reed Library, the Fredonia Faculty Student Association, and the Carnahan Jackson Humanities Fund of the Fredonia College Foundation.
Events:
February 1-28: Emmett Till Traveling Exhibit, Reed Library
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 4 to 5 p.m.: Opening Reception in Reed Library, with remarks by Dr. Saundra Liggins, Associate Professor, English, SUNY Fredonia. Refreshments served.
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m.: Multicultural Affairs/Black Student Union to show Keith Beauchamp’s documentary film, The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till, Fenton Hall 105. Free. Beauchamp's research eventually led to the reopening of the case by the United States Department of Justice in May 2004.
Thursday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m.: Panel discussion: “Emmett Till and the Civil Rights Movement in America”, moderated by Dr. James Hurtgen, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Political Science. Japanese Garden area of Reed Library.
Friday, Feb. 13: Campus hosts will welcome students from Dunkirk High School who will tour the exhibit and the campus, and have lunch with students in the English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta.February 11, 12, & 23: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.: Boys’ & Girls’ Club guided tour.
Visitors are welcome to view this exhibit during Reed Library hours, which are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m., Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.). For guided tours, contact Librarian Darryl Coleman at 716-673-3182.
The Till exhibit was developed by Delta State University Archives & Museum and funded through the Mississippi Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
