Senate Concurrent Resolution 521

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION APOLOGIZING FOR THE ROLE MISSISSIPPI PLAYED IN THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL AND THE ACQUITTAL OF HIS KILLERS.

WHEREAS, on August 28, 1955, Emmett Till, a fourteen-year old African-American teenager from Argo, Illinois, who was visiting his great-uncle in Money, Mississippi, found himself the target of false implications, which ultimately resulted in his kidnapping, bludgeoning, and brutal murder; and

WHEREAS, after Till's beaten, broken, disfigured and drenched body was recovered from the Tallahatchie River, it was returned to Illinois, where his mother, Mamie Till Bradley, insisted on an open casket so that the world could witness the horrendous nature of her son's killing; and

WHEREAS, in light of Carolyn Bryant's recent confession that her inflammatory story, which led to the death of young Emmett Till, was fabricated, Mississippi must now apologize for creating an environment conducive to the torture and murder of Emmett Till, the crime's defense by many Mississippi citizens and leaders, and the shameful acquittal of the murderers; and

WHEREAS, the principles espoused by the founding fathers would be affirmed, and great strides toward unifying all Mississippians and inspiring the nation would be accomplished, if our state acknowledged its role in the murder of Emmett Till and the acquittal of his killers:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we express our profound regret for the State of Mississippi's role in providing an environment of hostile beliefs and ideologies that led to the horrific, unnecessary murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till and offer our apologies for the part Mississippi played in acquitting his murderers, and we express deepest sympathy and solemn regrets to Emmett Till's family for depriving him of his life, human dignity, and those constitutional protections meant to be accorded to all citizens of the United States, and we encourage the remembrance and teachings about the history of the Civil Rights Movement, particularly that of Emmett Till's cruel death and legacy of injustice, to ensure such tragedies will neither be forgotten nor repeated.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That it is the intent of the Senate and House of Representatives that this resolution shall not be used in, or be the basis of, any type of litigation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be furnished to each state-elected official of Mississippi; the Commissioner of Institutions of Higher Learning; the President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Mississippi Chapter; and the Director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Mississippi Chapter, requesting that they further disseminate copies of this resolution to their respective constituents so as to apprise them of the sense of regret the Mississippi Legislature feels in this matter; and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.