A new bronze statue of Emmett Till has been unveiled at Rail Spike Park in Greenwood, forever memorializing the historical lynching of the 14-year-old in 1955.
Till, an African American male from Chicago, was staying with relatives in Money, Mississippi when he allegedly whistled at Donham at a grocery store. When told of Till’s purported actions, Donham’s husband and his half-brother beat and tortured Till until he died from a gunshot to the head.
Since then, the young man’s death has fueled a civil rights movement that has lasted for decades, inspiring the city of Greenville to honor Till’s impact on the area with a 9-foot bronze statue.
The statue is around 10 miles from the grocery store where Till first came into contact with the Bryants. In total, the project—which was commissioned by Utah-based company Big Statues—will cost approximately $115,000, featuring Till in a dress shirt, trousers, tie, and hat.
