At the age of five, Emmett was stricken with polio. He recovered but was left with a slight stutter. Despite his childhood illness, he grew up a happy boy.
Why did Emmett Till’s face look like that?
On August 31, 1955, Till’s corpse was discovered in the river. His face was unrecognizable as a result of the assault, and positive identification was possible only because Till was wearing a monogrammed ring that had belonged to his father.
How did Emmett Till’s mother react to his death?
Horrified by the mutilation of her son’s body yet determined that it would not happen again, Mamie made a stunning decision — Emmett would have an open casket funeral. “I think everybody needed to know what had happened to Emmett Till,” she said.
When was Emmett Till’s funeral?
For many, Till’s death and the funeral services that followed at Roberts Temple in early September 1955, which were widely covered by the Black press, reflected a turning point in the civil rights movement.
What are 3 interesting facts about Emmett Till?
Three days after Emmett was kidnapped his body was discovered in the Tallahatchie River. Evidence showed he had been beaten, hung, shot, and weighed down to sink in the river. Emmett’s mother had an open casket funeral to draw attention to the crimes that were being committed against African Americans.
