25 Jul Emmett Till and Mamie-Till Mobley Monument is a “Ray of Hope, Symbol of Progress,” says Mississippi Center for Justice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 25, 2023

Press Contact: Nik Sibley, comms-mcj@rabengroup.com

Emmett Till and Mamie-Till Mobley Monument is a “Ray of Hope, Symbol of Progress,” says Mississippi Center for Justice

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order today, federally protecting three sites associated with Emmett Till’s murder and his mother Mamie Till-Mobley’s activism. Those sites include the Tallahatchie County Courthouse and Graball Landing in Mississippi and the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Chicago, Illinois. 

At the Presidential signing ceremony was Vangela M. Wade, President and CEO of the Mississippi Center for Justice, along with Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr., cousin and last-living witness of Emmett Till’s kidnapping, Emmett Till Interpretive Center, and others. In response, Vangela M. Wade issued the following statement: 

“Addressing the deep-rooted issues of inequity in Mississippi and beyond can only be achieved by confronting the darkest moments of our past. The tragedy of Emmett Till and the bravery of Mamie Till-Mobley are integral parts of our history as Americans – and today’s announcement only further cements this fact. This new national monument is a ray of hope and a symbol of progress in the face of a national movement to whitewash history. Justice is a constant struggle, and this significant step marks a critical milestone. The Mississippi Center for Justice honors the memory of Emmett Till and the activism of Mamie Till-Mobley, and applauds the Biden Administration for enshrining their story in American history.” 

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The Mississippi Center for Justice is dedicated to dismantling the state’s culture of inequity and injustice. Supported and staffed by attorneys and other professionals, the Center develops and pursues strategies to combat discrimination and poverty statewide.