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unread_shelves 's review for:
Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement
by Devery S. Anderson, Julian Bond
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
With the library open again, I enjoy going every couple of weeks to return a few books and browse the nonfiction shelves to find new topics and books to dive into. This book is a product of a library browse, and I am so glad that I found it.
A heavy read, it is well worth the time. We follow the lead up to the brutal murder of Emmett Till, and both the immediate and long term aftermath. Anderson did a remarkable job of viewing all of the historical sources, including many interviews and conversations, to build a timeline and narrative of as much fact as possible. I appreciate the speculation and various points of views that were included and that so much information was provided in a language that is accessible to many readers.
The one thing that keep brewing in my mind the entire time I was reading this is that Emmett Till was murdered August 28, 1955. This is within our parents / grandparents lifetimes (depending on our age). While my parents weren't alive, my grandparents most certainly were, and I can't help but wonder what they thought at the time.
Emmett Till deserved better. All Black people (and all people of color) deserve better. We may never know for sure the events that led up to his murder, but we do know that Emmett did not deserve to die.
There are several trigger warnings with this book, but most notably, racially motivated murder.
A heavy read, it is well worth the time. We follow the lead up to the brutal murder of Emmett Till, and both the immediate and long term aftermath. Anderson did a remarkable job of viewing all of the historical sources, including many interviews and conversations, to build a timeline and narrative of as much fact as possible. I appreciate the speculation and various points of views that were included and that so much information was provided in a language that is accessible to many readers.
The one thing that keep brewing in my mind the entire time I was reading this is that Emmett Till was murdered August 28, 1955. This is within our parents / grandparents lifetimes (depending on our age). While my parents weren't alive, my grandparents most certainly were, and I can't help but wonder what they thought at the time.
Emmett Till deserved better. All Black people (and all people of color) deserve better. We may never know for sure the events that led up to his murder, but we do know that Emmett did not deserve to die.
There are several trigger warnings with this book, but most notably, racially motivated murder.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Kidnapping