EMMETT TILL. I should recognize that name, right? But, up until watching a limited ABC television series, “Women of the Movement,” I hadn’t heard of this 14-year-old African American murdered in August 1955. Two white men were charged with the crime, and then found not guilty by a Mississippi jury. Till’s death led his mother, Mamie Till Mobley, to take action. And that sparked the Civil Rights Movement.
I should haven known all of this. And the reality that I didn’t weighs on me as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day today.
Eight years to the date after Emmett died, 250,000 people gathered in DC for the March on Washington for jobs and freedom. During this event, King gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
I expect young Emmett, who lived in Chicago with his mother, but was visiting family in Mississippi when he died, had dreams. He had his entire life ahead of him. His mother warned him, before he headed south on the train, that attitudes toward African Americans differed from those in the north. She advised him to be careful. Cautious around white people. He was reportedly killed after flirting with a married white woman in a shop.
His death is tragic beyond words. His grieving mother determined to carry on, to reveal the truth, to raise awareness. Mamie Till Mobley spent the rest of her life speaking about racial injustice. And that began with her decision to have an open casket. She wanted the world to see her son—how he had been beaten, shot, his eyes gouged out before his body was tossed into the river.
As I watched this real-life story unfold in the television drama, I sobbed. At the unfathomable cruelty. At the senselessness. At the grief of a mother who endured the unthinkable.
Just months after Emmett’s death, Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white person in Montgomery, Alabama. Soon thereafter, a 26-year-old pastor, Martin Luther King Jr., called for a city-wide bus boycott.
And here we are today, decades later, with racial injustice issues still existing. Certainly, progress has been made. But in recent years, it feels like we’ve regressed. Discrimination. Efforts to squelch voting rights. Murder. Hatred flaring.
I admire Mamie Till Mobley for her courage and tenacity. Her strength. Now it’s up to each of us to honor her son by doing our part. Love. Respect. Speak up. Care. Do what we can to assure that no other mother—although there have been many since—loses a child to hatred.
Thoughts?
© Copyright 2022 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
I want to express my condolences to you and your family on the loss of your mother. I saw her obituary in the online New Ulm Journal.
I noticed that she was born in Three Lakes Township in Redwood County. My mother’s family came from that area. She was an Engel, and her mother was a Zamzow.
We will keep you in our prayers and thoughts as you go through this difficult time. Covid has put a real strain on all of our lives. I wish we could all be closer to families in difficult times, like in days past. And winter weather does not help.
I offer this virtual hug ( ) to you.
Mark Winter Hixson, Tennessee
On Mon, Jan 17, 2022, 5:00 AM Minnesota Prairie Roots wrote:
> Audrey Kletscher Helbling posted: ” My community is marking MLK Day, not > with a breakfast as planned and promoted in this poster, but rather > virtually, due to COVID. (Source: Faribault Diversity Coalition Facebook) > EMMETT TILL. I should recognize that name, right? But, up until watching” >
Mark, thank you for your condolences, prayers and kind thoughts on the passing of my dear mother. Yes, these are difficult times to lose a loved one. You and other readers know how I feel about COVID so I won’t rehash that right now. But I will say that facing another funeral during COVID is beyond difficult and stressful. Just a year ago, my father-in-law died. I will do as I did then: clamp on my N95 face mask, refuse to hug or shake hands, social distance as much as possible and try to center myself to a place of peace during the service. That worked with Tom’s funeral and I know God will give me the strength to repeat that process with my mom. Prayers for a shield of protection, not only for me, but for others, are needed.
Question, Mark: Was Joe Engel, who ran Engel’s hardware store in Vesta, a relative? I used to love going there, to get caps for my cap gun.
Thank you for the history lesson today. I have so many gaps in my knowledge when it comes to things like this and I am grateful that my children and grandchild are learning more about the real history of the world than I did.
I understand what you’re saying. And I’m thankful also that our young people are growing up not only learning more history, but digging into the reasons behind the history.
I appreciate this posting Audrey. Thank you.
We’re come so far but have so much farther to go…
I’m glad you appreciated it, Valerie. And, yes, we’ve made progress, but still have a long ways to go.