Remembering Emmett Till & His Mother, Mamie Till-Mobley
CHICAGO (WLS) — A luncheon was held on International Women’s Day Wednesday in honor of Mamie Till-Mobley. She was celebrated for her courage in forcing America to confront racism after her son, Emmett Till’s, brutal murder in 1955. Mobley’s relatives were in attendance at the program presented by the Cliff Dwellers, an organization for artists.
“It is a moment where we can smile about the work that Mamie has done and to think about all that can be done in the future with her spirit in mind,” Mobley’s cousin, Amberly Carter.
Actor Jaylyn Hall in “Till” (1922)
Carter, her mother and aunt were invited to share their memories of Mobley and said she was a loving woman who enjoyed cooking, but still struggled with the loss of her son. The family said the recent movie “Till” is a fitting tribute to a woman who helped lead the Civil Rights Movement.
Ollie Gordon, President Mamie Till-Mobley Foundation
“I’m very proud that — 67, 68 years later, the public still remembers her and her resilience,” said Ollie Gordon, another of Mobley’s cousin.
Future generations are learning firsthand about Mobley. Art students at Argo High School, Mobley’s alma mater, created pieces inspired by stories they heard from Mobley’s relatives. “Being able to have them come in and our students having those first hand stories told to them has been unbelievable,” said Alexa Edwards, with Argo High School. Soon, a sculpture honoring Mobley and Till will be installed in front of Argo High School. “A lot of the inspiration came from straight from Mamie Till’s courage and her demeanor, her grace and her intelligence,” said Sonja Henderson, a visual artist.
