Emmett Till

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Profession :

other

Birthday :

July 25, 1941

Star Sign :

Leo

Death Date:

August 28, 1955

Age :

14

Birthplace :

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Emmett Till was an African American teenager who was brutally murdered in 1955 at the age of 14 for allegedly flirting with a white woman. This tragic event helped spark the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Till’s mother chose to have an open casket funeral to show the world the brutality of her son’s murder. This iconic image of his mutilated face was widely circulated and brought attention to the horrors of racism in America. Other notable works include documentaries such as “The Murder of Emmett Till” and books like “Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement”.

Emmett Till was named after his father, Louis Till, a World War II army veteran, who was executed by the U.S. Army for the rape and murder of an Italian woman. Emmett Till’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, chose the name Emmett in honor of her late husband.

Emmett Till was interested in airplanes and attended McCosh Grammar School in Chicago, which had a Junior Air-Squad program where students were taught basic aviation skills. Till had dreams of becoming a pilot and was known to tinker with machines and engines.