Emmett Till's Murder Trial

Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American boy who was murdered in 1955 while visiting relatives in Mississippi, allegedly for whistling at a white woman, Carolyn Bryant. His brutal killing sparked national outrage when his mother insisted on an open-casket funeral, revealing his horrific injuries. The trial of the two accused men, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, took place in a segregated courtroom. Despite clear evidence of their guilt, an all-white jury acquitted them. This case highlighted racial injustice and galvanized the Civil Rights Movement, serving as a poignant reminder of the systemic racism in America.