Monday marked the 62nd anniversary of the lynching of Emmett Louis Till, a 14-year-old boy from Chicago visiting relatives in Mississippi who whistled at Carolyn Bryant Donham, a white woman. Till was kidnapped by Donham’s husband Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam and brutally murdered on Aug. 28, 1955. His death, open casket funeral and the acquittal of the murderers, (who later confessed after being paid $4,000), all contributed to outrage across the nation and was the impetus for the civil rights movement. His murder and lack of justice still haunts us today.

Throughout history, certain events have directed, or even redirected, the course of our society. Historians often try to find the focal point of past events for the next generation of humanity.

The kidnapping, torture and murder of Till were unarguably the biggest focal points that changed the course of history within the last 100 years. This cruel, senseless act was the spark that ignited the civil rights movement, which has shaped America into what it is today.

Today the fight carries on — and our fight is for justice. We seek justice for Till.

Bryant Donham, the white woman who claimed Emmett whistled at her and attacked her, has admitted that she lied.

For the past 50 plus years, the Till family have held in their hearts the truth of Emmett’s innocence. His mother Mamie Till-Mobley spoke out for years after the murder of her son, to try to send the message to the world that no matter what her son may have done, he did not deserve his horrible fate. Mamie Till died in 2003. She never knew the truth about what happened to her son. We owe it to her, to Emmett, and to those men and women who history has rendered both faceless and nameless, to seek justice.

Even now in 2017, our society is refusing to render justice to Emmett Till. When does it all stop?

Congressman John Lewis, who himself is a civil rights’ icon, once spoke on his refusal to be silent. He said that his parents pleaded with him to leave things alone: that this is the way things are. They told him don’t make noise. But the congressman, who was then a young man, said that he had to find a way to make some noise for change.

This is what we must do now. We have to get in the way and make some noise. This is the only way to fight injustice.

To make noise, we must use our voices to speak up when we see injustices in our communities, and to not be afraid to stand on the side of history and to do what is right. We must all use our voices and platforms to help us in the battle for justice.

This is not the time for us to tear one another down. This is the time for us to unite with one another.

Justice for Emmett is not a black issue. This fight for justice transcends race.

No longer can we remain silent. I refuse to sit back on the 62nd anniversary of Emmett Till death and be silent. His mother Mamie wanted the world to see what happened to her son. We want the world to never forget it. We must demand that justice be served. I want to challenge you all to take bold steps like his mother Mamie did to speak up and speak out when you see those injustices within your community.
Duvalier J. Malone is the founder of Duvalier Malone Enterprise, LLC and a former resident of Jefferson County.