Mamie Till: Mother and Educator Turned Civil Rights Activist

Mamie Till was more than just a wife, mother and educator. She was a civil rights activist who fought for justice and equality for members of the black community after the tragic murder of her son.

Mamie, was born an only child to John and Alma Carthan on Nov. 23, 1921. She was extremely intelligent, as she was one of four blacks to graduate from her predominately white high school and the first to graduate with A-honor roll.

When she turned 18, she met and married Louis Till. Nine months after the marriage, she gave birth to a baby boy, whom she named Emmett.

A few years after Emmett’s birth, in 1945, his father, Louis Till, was executed by the United States military in 1945 after being convicted of murdering a woman and raping two others. 10 years later, Emmett was murdered as well. He was kidnapped, shot, beaten, and his body was drown by two white men after a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, alleged that he had whistled at her, asked her on a date and attempted to grab her waist.

After the death of her son, Mamie turned to the federal government for help with the case, but received nothing, however, this didn’t stop her. She continued to fight for justice by touring with the NAACP and gave numerous speeches along the way. Millions were moved and inspired by Mamie’s story. The story of Emmett Till is one of the instances that ignited the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement.

In 2017, Bryant admitted her accusations about Emmett were false.

At the age of 81, Mamie passed away due to heart failure. She may have lost her husband and her son, but she never lost her fight for justice.

Photo from: Everett Collection Inc.