The brutal murder of Emmett Till, a Black teenager from Chicago -- and the acquittal of the two white men who killed him -- was a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. But almost as fast as Emmett’s name became known around the world, it began to fade. How did it happen? How could people forget the torture of a 14-year-old boy?
Investigative journalist Marion Brooks details the events surrounding the case to unveil the context behind the lost story of Emmett Till.
"This heinous crime happened 66 years ago, and the story is still relevant today," Brooks said. "The world’s shock of Emmett Till’s open casket photograph is a parallel to the world’s shock of the George Floyd video. It’s important to understand our history as we look to heal and grow."
"The Lost Story of Emmett Till: The Universal Child," part one of NBC Chicago's three-part Emmett Till docuseries, can be viewed below, followed by parts two and three in subsequent players on this page.
Part 1: "The Lost Story of Emmett Till: The Universal Child"
In the second installment of the docuseries, NBC Chicago partnered with Chicago-based Collaboraction Theatre Company to bring Emmett's murder trial to life in a staged theatrical adaptation.
Based on the official 1955 trial transcripts, the reenactment gives viewers a front-row seat to the monumental injustices that happened over five days in a Mississippi courtroom.
“When I discovered this transcript, I was blown away," said Brooks. "The words really take you back to what America was like in 1955. It was important for me to bring that lost history to life so our viewers can really see, hear and feel what happened during the murder trial of the men who killed Emmett Till."
"The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Trial in the Delta" can be viewed in the player below.
Part 2: "The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Trial in the Delta"
In the third and final installment of the docuseries, Brooks travels to Mississippi and uncovers the most startling, previously unknown facts in the case that provide the biggest updates to Emmett’s story in recent memory.
Brooks reveals how officials in 1955 manufactured the murder trial of Emmett’s killers, to make sure defendants Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam were acquitted.
Brooks also uncovered that despite every effort to rig the jury, the decision was not initially unanimous. Three jurors voted to find Bryant and Milam guilty.
"The Lost Story of Emmett Till: Then & Now" can be viewed in the player below.
