When Emmett Till was brutally murdered in a racially-motivated hate crime in 1955, his mother overcame her grief to send the world a message. Mamie Till Mobley decided to allow mourners to view her 14-year-old son’s body in an open casket, ignoring those who advised her to bury him quickly, unseen. The sight of the young boy’s body, beaten beyond recognition, was deeply affecting, and many now see Mamie’s courageous act as reigniting a spark that led to the eventual passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Thanks for writing this Kathy. It's not easy to be a witness for change, but that's exactly what we have to do, for all the Lexi's of this world.