Emmett Till



I watched the documentary "The Untold Story of Emmett Till" last night, and am planning to watch the other Emmett Till documentary "The Murder of Emmett Till: An American Experience" later during this week.

My first real experience with the Emmett Till story occurred this past summer. There was a radio play based on (Chicago Legend) Studs Terkel's works performed by members of the Steppenwolf theater company and Ira Glass at the Millenium Park Ampitheater. The event itself was stunningly well-done, with just enough good humor (and music! the music was incredible) to take a little of the edge off of an incredibly powerful emotional experience. The best of the monologues/dialogues involved Emmett Till's mother and her recollections of finding out what happened to Emmett and her decision to insist upon an open casket, so that the world could see the kind of horror that the boy was put through.

Human beings have an extraordinary capacity to ignore or diminish or distance themselves from statements of fact. To say to a stranger that "a boy was killed brutally" doesn't create any real expectation of understanding, doesn't on its own reach out for compassion, doesn't motivate any drive for justice. As great as this capacity to justify inaction, to hole ourselves up in our fortresses of solitude, to be blind to tragedy when it is presented on any grand scale... so great looms the capacity for selflessness and righteousness and the willingness to risk ourselves for others when confronted with the inescapable corporeal facts of a matter. Mama Till Mobley's decision to keep the casket open and share her brutalized boy with millions made the question of America's commitment to justice in questions of race relevant to millions who would have otherwise shrugged their shoulders at the mention of a 14 year-old boy being killed brutally.

I work with the school that Emmett Till attended in Chicago before traveling to Mississippi. James McCosh Elementary. 67th & Champlaign on the South Side. Two weeks ago, I attended a ceremony renaming James McCosh Elementary to the Emmett Till Math & Science Academy (photos). It is the first school in Chicago (and reportedly America) named after a child. The ceremony had some powerful moments, most notably a community-activist (Mama D) who has worked for years to bring the Emmett Till story to the attention of America... she very passionately and clearly reminded us that Emmett Till was an inspiration for Rosa Parks and that his killing happened in the shadow of the Brown decision. I believe she said something like 'before we could get to the Dream of Dr. King we had to live through the horror that Emmett Till experienced'.

I have paced the sidelines as I've watched teachers explain the Emmett Till story to youngsters who want to know who their school is being named after. I have cringed at the sight of bulletin boards that proclaim that Emmett Till's experience was "american". I have nodded my head hesitantly when a student concludes that it was a different world 50 years ago. In my professional life, I am trying my best to help the school compile and reflect upon it's experience teaching and learning about the emmett till story. I'm hopeful that these experiences can have an extension beyond the here and now and can impact others as they try to navigate the gaps between our ideals and our histories.

Posted: Sun - March 5, 2006 at 11:40 PM      

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