Emmett Till

Paper Summary:

The paper explains that Emmett Till lived an unassuming life in the north. The paper explains that Emmett went to visit his great-uncle, Mose Wright, who lived in Mississippi. The writer shows that Emmett would not adhere to the notion of inferiority that most blacks in the south adhered to. The paper describes how Emmett flirted with a white clerk in a shop, in order to show his friends that this was allowed in the north. The writer describes how Emmett is accused of physically accosting the clerk, while his friends claim that he only flirted with her verbally. The paper explains that Emmett was murdered by a relative of the store clerk for this alleged crime and that the murderer, Roy Bryant, was acquitted of the murder by a jury within one hour. The writer explains that the outcome of the trial was considered a triumph by white people for the southern way of life and as a major setback by the black community. The writer posits that Rosa Parks, the black woman who refused to give up her seat for a white woman on a bus, was given the strength to do so because of Emmett Till's example. In conclusion, the writer states that the result of the court case resulted in a major triumph for the black community.

From the Paper:

"Some would argue that this event gave Rosa Parks the audacity to do what she did. This was the straw that broke the camel's back as it were. Professor Weems published a book asserting that this was the catalyst of the civil rights movement. Mamie Till Bradley, Emmett's mother, has spoken out in support of such sentiment, "The murder of my son has shown me that what happens to any of us, anywhere in the world, had better be the business of us all." This spoke to national importance of the entire issue. Till's death continues to have an effect on society. There are streets named in his honor, books about his short life, and a society that has gained much through his loss."

More papers on Emmett Till:

• Term Paper # 117172 : "The Murder of Emmett Till"
• Poem Review # 107315 : "Contemporary Poetry about the Old South"
• Book Review # 113396 : "Lewis Nordan's "Wolf Whistle"

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