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Why This Book Matters:
The Blood of Emmett Till discusses what happened in the lynching of a teenage black boy in 1955.
The Big Takeaways:
- Pro-segregationists killed to defend their racist beliefs without fear.
- If Being black meant that any kind of tension between you and another person could get you killed.
- Bigotry is a learned behavior, not something people are born with.
- Black people were cautious about the way they acted in public as not to cross any lines that would land them in serious trouble.
- After Emmett’s abduction, his family demanded justice for him even though they were aware of the risks this posed.
- Emmett’s mother, Mamie Bradley, knew Mississippi officials wouldn’t help, so she contacted the press in Chicago, including black newspapers.
- After Emmett Till’s lynching, the power of media reached people and prompted them to seek justice for the boy.
- Although some people took action, white supremacist groups continued their terror attacks against blacks.
- Till received no justice, which only added fuel to the civil rights movement.
- The all-white jury showed explicit prejudice in the murder case, as did the biased evidence from the prosecution’s side.
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