Emmett Till: A Civil Rights Hero

Emmett Till: A Civil Rights HeroEmmett Till is a famous civil rights leader, along with Martin Luther King, Jr. He was kidnapped, brutally murdered, and his body found on a Mississippi river bank. His image became iconic in the Civil Rights Movement and his killing set in motion a series of actions to make things better for African-Americans. His mother, Mamie Till, was not well off but she raised her son and supported him financially throughout his life. The biggest challenge, however, was finding an attorney who was competent enough to represent her as her son's killer.The death of a famous civil rights leader was taken up as one of the focal points of the whole civil rights movement. It was no longer a local matter for a community, but a matter that needed national attention. With this, the emotional impact of the case grew to an unprecedented degree.Emmett Till's death and the responses to it caused many political and social changes. People began to recognize how much racial disc rimination there was in the country. As time went by, those changes also led to legal reforms. Today, in the United States, anyone who is murdered is protected under the civil rights act. The laws in this country have been amended to protect all races and not just certain groups of people.Emmett Till's father, Roy Till, was incensed over the death of his son. He said that they were finally getting rid of the 'niggers' when he had to live through the death of his son. His vision was to take up the case himself. Emmett's parents sent him to the police department in Jackson, MS, where he went on to become a lawyer.Roy Till wanted his son's murder to be a lesson for the younger generation. The worse thing he could think of, he said, is that his son would go around 'stealing and killing other nigger boys.' Roy Till went on to become a civil rights activist and led the campaign to have Emmett Till's name placed on the memorial to the victims of lynching in Washington, DC.As time went by, the civil rights movement expanded. African-Americans fought for their rights as well. Their biggest challenge, however, was to bring about positive change within the family.This research paper is for the readers who want to know more about the tragedy of Emmett Till. This tragic story of a civil rights icon has touched the hearts of many Americans. Although his parents were not well off, they supported their son financially. It took a few lawyers to help them through the process of taking their son's name off the memorial.This research paper aims to tell you more about the civil rights movement. You can use this information to get a better understanding of the actions and reactions of the civil rights leaders in the past and how these have affected the present.