Emmett Till Exhibit Opens at Mississippi Valley State University

Itta Bena, Mississippi – A traveling exhibit featuring the life of Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, is now on display at Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) until September 21. The exhibit, titled “Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See,” is located at the James Herbert White Library and is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The exhibit chronicles the tragic story of Till, a 14-year-old Black boy who was lynched in 1955 Mississippi. It highlights his mother’s decision to hold an open-casket funeral, which became a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. Till was wrongfully accused of making advances towards Carolyn Bryant at a local grocery store. Following this accusation, Bryant’s husband and half-brother kidnapped and murdered Till. Over 50 years later, Bryant admitted that Till never touched her.

The two men tried for Till’s murder were acquitted by an all-white jury but later confessed their guilt in a magazine interview. This exhibit is free to the public and was created by the Till family in collaboration with the Emmett Till Interpretive Center and The Children’s Museum Indianapolis.

MVSU’s location holds special significance as it is about 30 miles from the site along the Tallahatchie River where Till’s body was discovered. Dr. Katherine Stromile Golden, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at MVSU, remarked, “This exhibition provides an invaluable educational opportunity for our students, faculty, and the broader community.”

A key piece of the exhibit is a bullet-riddled historical marker that serves as both a remembrance of a tragedy and a stark reminder of ongoing racial issues. Vandalism of Till’s memorials has occurred over the years, including an incident in 2019 involving three students from the University of Mississippi.

Patrick Weems of the Emmett Till Interpretive Center expressed enthusiasm about bringing the exhibit to the Mississippi Delta, stating, “This experience will help people process past pain and imagine new ways of moving forward.” The exhibit is supported by various organizations, including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Park Service.

The last stop of this exhibit in Mississippi was in 2023 at the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson.