The Emmett Till Story - The Emmett Till anti-lynching Bill was Passed Today!! 3.7.2022

[mysteryowl]

Everyone should know what happened 67 years ago to this child.

This was an amazing mini-series on ABC just a few months ago called: Women of the Movement
Emmett's mother's actions were the beginning of the civil rights movement.

[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R! Thanks so much for posting!

[no_hypocrisy]

2. IMO, Emmett Till is neglected in American History lessons.

I passed out reading materials on Emmett Till to an urban charter school eighth grade. Only three paragraphs and sketchy facts. The students were expected to write a few paragraphs about what they read.

I thought it was deplorable. And I did an impromptu lecture on Emmett Till. At least 15 minutes. Impassioned. Each student, esp. the boys were quiet and listening to me carefully. Each of them understood that save for time and place, any of them could have been Emmett Till.

And they picked up their pencils and they wrote and wrote and wrote. Two pages, some more.

That's how you honor Emmett Till by keeping his name and legacy alive.

[mysteryowl]

3. Thank you for what you did with your students,

and thank you for sharing it with us.


When you said "passed out" I thought you literally passed out. I have to re-read it a few times.
It would have made sense.

The ABC series was how I learned about this horrific tragedy.

How were the essays?

[no_hypocrisy]

4. The essays showed great insight and detail.

They got it. They understood that they were given the gift of youth and life but on conditional terms. They understood they were the same age as Emmett Till. And they understood that he didn't get his justice until way too long after.

BTW, I did describe the open casket. I told them to do a google search in the library or on their phones to see what I was talking about.

And these students were NOT into writing as a rule.

[mysteryowl]

5. Wow, clearly you don't teach in the red south.

You even told them to look at the pictures online and you don't have parents pounding down your door. Impressive, and the way it should be.

Good work Teacher!

[no_hypocrisy]

6. I'm white and they were black.

They were entitled to the truth, even if they mistakenly hated me for telling them about Emmett Till.

It was well worth it.

BTW, I WAS fired after that. Seems that the truth is not altogether a good thing in education. (School was in Paterson, NJ)

[mysteryowl]

7. OMG!!

What a story! What an experience. I have so many questions.

Have you ever thought about telling your story at "the moth"? Do you know what the Moth is?
People stand up and tell a true story live before an audience, no notes. They record them and post the best.
I listen every Saturday the "The Moth Radio Hour" on NPR.

Your story would be timely.

[mysteryowl]

8. Did you ever teach again?

[no_hypocrisy]

9. Yes. As a matter of fact I WAS teaching until 5 weeks ago

when a six year old boy falsely accused me of strangling him. That's right. Choked, strangled, etc.

Every single kid in the first grade class was asked what they saw and they stood up for me. Said I was nice, even when this kid made trouble.

[mysteryowl]

10. Wow! That sounds really hard.

So sorry.
I hope it all turns out well.

[no_hypocrisy]

11. I was literally cleared today.

Thanks.

[mysteryowl]

12. Terrific!