On August 28, 1955, fourteen-year old Emmett Till was kidnapped from his great uncle’s home, when he was then lynched by two white men. The two men, Roy Bryant and J. W. Milam, were sent to trail and were acquitted by the all white, 12 man jury. In this lesson students will examine the murder of Till and explore how the lynching served as a catalyst for the modern Civil Rights Movement. The students will also interpret a protest flyer for the trial, by identifying the purpose and the audience of the flyer. This lesson is recommended for grades 8 or 9 and addresses Mississippi Studies standards, as well as, English I standards.
The Lynching of Emmett Till: The Response
