Explore the New Emmett Till National Monument: Visitor Guide and Insights

1. Establishment of the National Monument

A new national monument has been established to honor Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley. The national monument, stretching from Till’s birthplace in Chicago to the site of his lynching in Mississippi, was established as the country’s 425th national park on what would have been Till’s 82nd birthday, according to a White House proclamation. This significant event commemorates Till, who was lynched in 1955 while visiting Mississippi for allegedly whistling at a white woman.

2. Significant Sites Included

The national monument encompasses several notable locations that contribute to Till’s legacy:

• Graball Landing in Glendora, MS: Believed to be the site where Till’s body was recovered from the Tallahatchie River.
• Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Chicago: The location where Mamie Till-Mobley held his open casket visitation and funeral service.
• Tallahatchie County Second District Courthouse in Sumner, MS: Where Till’s murderers were tried and ultimately acquitted.

Moreover, the National Park Service will provide visitor services at the Pullman National Historical Park in Chicago in partnership with the Emmett Till Interpretive Center in Mississippi.

3. Visitor Information

“When we ended lynching as a matter of law, we talked about wanting to do this. But the support from the community has been so overwhelming,” President Joe Biden told reporters on Tuesday. “We can’t just choose to learn what we want to know… We should know everything: the good, the bad, the truth of who we are as a nation. That’s what great nations do, and we are a great nation.”

He emphasized, “For only with truth comes healing, justice, repair, and another step forward toward forming a more perfect union… That’s what’s happening. That’s what’s going to happen with visitors of all backgrounds [learning] the history of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley through our national monument.”

Visitor information is available at the Emmett Till Interpretive Center in Mississippi from Tuesday through Saturday. In Illinois, you can visit the Pullman National Historical Park, about 11 miles south of the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ. However, please note that visitors can access only the exterior of the church, as it remains an active place of worship.