I’m something of a history buff. And whenever January 24th rolls around, I find myself feeling that this is one of the eeriest days of the year—and certainly one of the creepiest days in the history of journalism. This is the day when the Confessions of the Killing of Emmett Till hit the news stands. To put it briefly: The year was 1955. Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam tortured and killed 14 year old Emmett Till for daring to speak to a white woman. It was clear that they murdered him, but they were found “Not Guilty” in their Mississippi trial with an all white male jury. Then, some months later, using the power of “Double Jeopardy” (the legal principal which states that you cannot be tried for the same crime twice), they sold their story to LOOK Magazine for four thousand bucks—just about enough money at the time for a shiny new red pick-up truck.
The article is graphic, disgusting, enraging. Also not to be missed are the LOOK Magazine Letters to the Editor. Some will make your blood run cold. They are unforgettable; they are haunting. Perhaps worst of all—they bear an eerie resemblance to the forums comments you would see today, if a similarly bloodthirsty and racist article were to be published on a major website.
EMMETT TILL’S STORY IN ITS IN ENTIRETY CAN BE FOUND UNDER "THE LITTLE BOOK OF LYNCHING" TAB ABOVE. IT IS EXCERPTED FROM PICKFORD’S STUDIOS’ UPCOMING BOOK, “THE LITTLE BOOK OF LYNCHING, PART TWO.” Then, following Emmett Till’s story, you will find links to the reprint of the “Look” article in its entirety, along with the Letters to the Editor.
Please keep watching for additional excerpts from "THE LITTLE BOOK OF LYNCHING" during February, "Black History Month".
The article is graphic, disgusting, enraging. Also not to be missed are the LOOK Magazine Letters to the Editor. Some will make your blood run cold. They are unforgettable; they are haunting. Perhaps worst of all—they bear an eerie resemblance to the forums comments you would see today, if a similarly bloodthirsty and racist article were to be published on a major website.
EMMETT TILL’S STORY IN ITS IN ENTIRETY CAN BE FOUND UNDER "THE LITTLE BOOK OF LYNCHING" TAB ABOVE. IT IS EXCERPTED FROM PICKFORD’S STUDIOS’ UPCOMING BOOK, “THE LITTLE BOOK OF LYNCHING, PART TWO.” Then, following Emmett Till’s story, you will find links to the reprint of the “Look” article in its entirety, along with the Letters to the Editor.
Please keep watching for additional excerpts from "THE LITTLE BOOK OF LYNCHING" during February, "Black History Month".
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