Over the weekend, Mamie Till-Mobley and her son, Emmett Till, were honored just outside their hometown of Chicago, Illinois. In 1955, the 14-year-old’s open-casket funeral catapulted the Civil Rights Movement to new levels.
“I think everybody needed to know what had happened to Emmett Till,” Till-Mobley famously said after denying the mortician’s offer to touch up her son’s body. The teen was savagely murdered in Mississippi after allegedly whistling at a white woman as he visited family for the summer. His accuser, Carolyn Bryant Donham, died of cancer last week at the age of 88. Although an arrest warrant was issued, she nor his killers ever received jail time.
Today I attended a unveiling of a statue of Mamie Till-Mobley ( Emmett Till's mother ) at Argo community highschool
The sacrifices she's made and work that she has done will forever be appreciated 🙏🏾 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/ggvADAkupj
— Afro Elite (@TheAfroElite) April 29, 2023
On Saturday (April 29), Argo Community High School, which the late Till-Mobley attended, showed its appreciation for the mother and her son. The institution unveiled an 850-pound sculpture done by Sonja Henderson. The artist began the project in 2021. Emmett Till Memorial Walkway was also revealed, according to an article published by The Hill yesterday (April 30). Illinois state Sen. Kimberly Lightford spoke at the ceremony about what the coveted commemoration meant for the community.
“Mamie Till-Mobley’s bravery was felt and is still felt across the nation. She personalized strength and action and showed up,” Lightford shared. The sculpture shows the revered parent standing gracefully at a podium. Her son’s photo was thoughtfully included where she stands. Her quote, “We are only given a certain amount of time to do what we were sent here to do. You don’t have to be around a long time to share the wisdom of a lifetime. There is no time to waste,” is engraved into the monument. Though nearly 70 years have passed since Till’s death, supporters still fight for his name to never be forgotten. Last year, he and his mother were posthumously awarded Congressional Gold Medals. Earlier this year, Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth began work to have the church where his funeral was held declared a national monument.
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This Beautiful statue of Mamie Till Mobley was unveiled on Saturday. It stands on the front walkway of Argo Community High School in Summitt Illinois. My mentor pic.twitter.com/kLXrWU1IJ6
— Tam G Bryant (@TamGBryant) May 1, 2023
Just an amazing honor to meet Emmet Till's cousin (and former babysitter!) Thelma Edwards today as we unveiled Mamie Till's statue at Argo High School. pic.twitter.com/lWpivtLQK9
— Sean Casten (@SeanCasten) April 30, 2023
One of the schools in our Local, Argo High School, is set to honor Mamie Till this Saturday https://t.co/9V62E6l95w https://t.co/wYVc7zOnFX
— Kyle Stern (@kstern571) April 28, 2023
2 days before the Mamie Till statue gets unveiled at my high school IKTR! https://t.co/r3iCihrn8V
— ice spice’s cabinet (@hennyonmylips) April 27, 2023