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The Death of Emmett Till: A Northern Boy in a Southern Town_LP1


Ashley Moody


Impact of the Youth on the Civil Rights Movement


This lesson addresses the Civil Rights movement and certain events that helped accelerate the movement.  The death of Emmett Till forced many Americans to realize that action was needed in order to prevent outrageous acts of violence from continuing.  Emmett Till’s death encouraged people from the North and the South to make a stand for civil rights.  People took notice because of his age, the severity of his murder, and the lack of conviction and punishment for the two men accused of his murder.

Included is an interview activity that needs to be assigned one week prior to the teaching date of this lesson.  See Instructional Activity in bold print.



1.5 - 2 Days


1


How can tragedy positively impact social consciousness?

(What positive impact did the tragedy of Emmett Till have on the Civil Rights movement?)


Put the following on the board:

Assess the validity of this statement:

   "Contemporary music reflects values of a culture."

Have students respond by writing a paragraph refuting or defending this statement and be prepared to share their opinion.  Lead students in a discussion of contemporary music lyrics and how they either reflect or impact society.   

  


Students may access lyrics to Bob Dylan's "The Death of Emmett Till" at www.bobdylan.com/songs/emmetttill.html to read while listening to a recording of this song.  Ask students to discuss how this song reflected American climate during the Civil Rights movement.     

 OR Have students list protest songs have been written about events in American history? What songs protested government or public actions?  Allow students to bring in songs and share. 


Distribute LOA article (See attachment "Reporting Civil Rights Part 1 Excerpts Richardson"), "The lynching of Emmett Till: September 1955, Charge Two with Lynch Death of 14-Year-Old" to students.  Have them read the article, write the  "5 Ws" (Who, What, When, Where, and Why), and a personal response to the article.  Ask students to share with the class.  

(If available have students watch a clip from the video “Eyes on the Prize” showing the highlights of the Emmett Till murder.) 

Distribute LOA article (See attachment "Reporting Civil Rights Kempton Excerpts"), "Moses Wright testified: September 1955, He Went All the Way" to students and ask them to read.  Then they will discuss why people looked at Wright as being brave for testifying.  Then students should read Look Magazine article, "The Shocking Story of Approved Killing in Mississippi  (See attachment "Reporting Civil Rights Part 1 Excerpts Huie").  Discuss:  students' feelings about the trial and the fairness of the verdict.  Students will then be asked questions such as: Why do you think Emmett Till's death hit so close to home for many people? Do you feel Till was involved in the Civil Rights movement by choice or by chance?  The teacher will then explain that while many people were involved in the Civil Rights movement by choice, some were indirectly involved by mere chance.

Ask students to share information gathered from their interviews concerning local events of the Civil Rights movement.  The teacher may desire to refer back to the concept of "choice or chance" as various events are discussed.


Using "Think it, Ink it, Speak it", have students respond to the following questions:  How would the events that happened with Emmett Till's incident be alike and different if they occurred in modern society?  How has society changed from 1955 to today?   How did this tragedy positively impact social consciousness?  ("Think it, Ink it, Speak it"  means  to allow students time to simply think about the questions, then pen their thoughts, and verbally communicate with a partner.  Discuss with whole class.)

Assign the following a week prior to this lesson:  Have students interview a grandparent, neighbor, family friend, or church member concerning their recollections about local events during the Civil Rights era.  (See attachment "Handout #6: Conducting the Interview" 

 


 Supplemental Notes:  This is also a good time to maybe take the students to the computer lab to further research the Emmett Till incident and another incident to compare and contrast. Students could also at this point research news articles and the web to learn about the reopening of the Till case in 2005, due to new technology and ways of testing DNA to be sure that the body was indeed the body of Emmett Till.   

Suggested Readings:  --“A Heavy Burden” 1949, When I Was a Child. By Lillian Smith Reporting Civil Rights, Part One, 2003, pp 98-111.--“ Coming of Age in Mississippi,” by Anne Moody The Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights reader,1991, pp 41-44.--“Articles on the Emmett Till Case,” articles in the Chicago Defender, The Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights reader,1991, pp37-41.--PBS interview on the Murder of Emmett Till: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/jan-june03/till_1-20.html--“The Shocking Story of the Approved Killing in Mississippi” by William Bradford Huie, Reporting Civil Rights, Part One, 2003, pg. 232-240. 


Handout 6: Conducting the Interview_Moody LP1


Reporting Civil Rights_Part I Excerpts Richardson_
Reporting Civil Rights_Part I Excerpts Huie_HO4 Mo
Reporting Civil Rights_Kempton Excerpts_HO 3 Moody

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