GLENDORA, Miss. (AP) — A new bulletproof memorial to Emmett Tillwas dedicated Saturday in Mississippi after previous historical markers wererepeatedly vandalized.
The brutal slaying of the 14-year-old black teenager helped spurthe civil rights movement more than 60 years ago.
The 14-year-old African American teen was kidnapped, beaten andkilled in 1955, hours after he was accused of whistling at a white woman. Hisbody was found in a river days later. An all-white jury in Mississippiacquitted two white men of murder charges.
Patrick Weems, executive director of the Emmett Till MemorialCommission, said the new marker was dedicated Saturday.
Members of Till’s family, including two of Till’s cousins,attended the ceremony at the site where the teen’s body was pulled from theTallahatchie River.
This is the fourth historical marker at the site. Previous onesbecame a target for vandals.
The first historical marker was placed in 2008. Someone tossed it in the river. The secondand third signs were shot at and left riddled with bullet holes.
The new 500-pound (225-kilogram) steel sign has a glassbulletproof front, Weems said.
Weems said the markers were placed as an attempt to acknowledgethe truth of what happened there and hopefully spark “newconversations.”
“For 50 years nobody talked about Emmett Till,” Weemssaid.
“I think we just have to be resilient and know there arefolks out there that don’t want to know this history or who want to erase thehistory. We are just going to be resilient in continuing to put them back upand be truthful in making make sure that Emmett didn’t die in vain.”
Two of Till’s cousins, the Rev. Wheeler Parker and Ollie Gordon,attended Saturday’s ceremony, Weems said.
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Information from: The Greenwood Commonwealth, http://www.gwcommonwealth.com