The Murder of Emmett Till

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. Emmett Till was born on July 25, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois. At the time of the murder, he was a healthy fourteen year-old with a stocky build, but as a child he had suffered from a serious and debilitating illness; what was it? Polio Meningitis Leukemia Tuberculosis

2. Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till, was reluctant to allow Emmett to go to Mississippi to stay with some of her relatives, but Emmett’s persistence eventually won out and she sent him to stay with her cousin, Moses (Preacher) Wright. Before sending him to Mississippi, Mamie advised Emmett to be himself and not to be intimidated by whites. True False

3. The incident that triggered Emmett’s murder occurred in the town of Money, Mississippi, at Bryant’s Grocery, run by Roy Bryant and his wife Carolyn. Emmett is alleged to have flirted quite brazenly with Carolyn, who was alone in the store at the time, although accounts differ as to exactly how brazen he was. Which of the following was Emmett NOT said to have done during his visit to the store? Put his arms around Carolyn Kissed Carolyn Whistled at Carolyn Said “Bye, Baby” as he was leaving the store

4. When her husband Roy Bryant returned home five days after the incident at the store, Carolyn immediately told him that she had been insulted by a black youth. True False

5. Emmett was abducted from the home where he was staying early in the morning of August 28, 1955 by Roy Bryant and his half-brother, J.W. Miliam. Which family member answered the door, spoke to the two men, and later identified them in court? Elizabeth Wright Curtis Jones, Emmett’s cousin Simeon Wright, Emmett's cousin Moses Wright

6. On August 31, a young boy fishing in the Tallahatchie River noticed Emmett’s body in the water, caught on a low-hanging tree branch. Emmett had been forced to strip naked and was horribly brutalized before being weighted and thrown into the river. What had been the cause of death? Severe beating Strangulation Drowning Gunshot to the head

7. Emmett's body was in a severe state of decomposition when it was found, apart from the damage to the face, making identification difficult, however a certain item found on the corpse helped to identify it as Emmett. What was it? A ring An ID bracelet A watch An earring

8. At Mamie Till’s insistence, Emmett’s body was sent by train back to Chicago for burial. Although Mamie fainted when she saw the horribly battered and water-logged remains of her son, she ultimately made the brave (and, no doubt, wrenching) decision to have an open casket at the funeral. By this time, the Till murder had become a cause-celebre throughout the country and, indeed, the world. Which of these magazines originally published unedited photos of Till’s body laid out in the casket? Look Time Ebony Jet

9. Emmett’s father had been executed for murder in Italy while serving in the army during WWII. True False

10. Incredibly, despite a mountain of evidence, circumstantial and otherwise, the two killers were acquitted of both murder and kidnapping on September 23, 1955. What reason did the jury members offer as an excuse for this verdict? They couldn't convict without an eyewitness to the crime. That the testimony of a black witness was inadmissable. They felt that Bryant and Miliam had acted in Carolyn's defense. They weren't convinced that Emmett's body had been found.

11. Widespread outrage over the Till verdict became even more intense when the two killers gave an interview for "Look" magazine in which they boldly admitted to having murdered the boy. How long after the trial did this take place? One year later Ten months later The following week About four months later

12. Which of the following key events in the history of the civil rights movement took place just over three months after Emmett Till's murder and was, in fact, prompted by it? Rosa Park's refusal to give up her seat on a bus. The "Brown vs. Board of Education" ruling. Martin Luther King Jr.'s march on Washington. The formation of the Black Panther party.

13. The Emmett Till case has inspired many writers, poets, and songwriters. Which of the following was NOT created to memorialize the Till case? A play by Toni Morrison A play by Tennessee Williams A poem by Langston Hughes A song by Bob Dylan

14. After their fifteen minutes of fame were over, Bryant and Miliam returned to their respective businesses in Money, Mississippi (Miliam took up farming, Bryant returned to his store), but each found himself dogged by failure. What was the principal reason for their respective failures? They were pestered by the press and public. Both men had become alcoholics while in prison. They were repeatedly picketed by civil-rights advocates. Blacks refused to work for Miliam or patronize Bryant's store.

15. In 2002, the PBS (Public Broadcasting System) aired a documentary on the Till murder. Till's mother Mamie was interviewed for this program; did she live to see it air on television? Yes No