This is not a sponsored post. I just enjoy this show. Last week the show Women of the Movement premiered on ABC. This season is focused on the life and death of Emmett Till. Emmett Till was killed at the age of 14 after he was accused of offending a white woman in a market that belonged to her family. This occurred while he was visiting relatives in Mississippi.
I didn’t get a chance to watch the show until Monday. I was actually excited to learn more about his story. I was happy to get to know more about him and to get to know him beyond his death. In the first episode we are introduced to Emmett’s mother Mamie Till-Mobley (Adrienne Warren). We learn she had difficult birth with Emmett. I don’t want to give away too much of the show. But we do get to learn a few things about Emmett that we didn’t know before. Like his mother was told to put him in an institution because doctor’s didn’t think he would walk or talk. Emmett was really protective over his mother. He also could hold his breath under water for a long time. He was really smart too. We also learn that Mamie didn’t want to let her son go to Mississippi at first but he convinced her. You get to see the exchange or shall I say the perceived exchange between Emmett and Carolyn Bryant. No matter what was the exchange one thing was made clear this young boy did nothing that should have cost him his life. We also see Roy Bryant and his brother-in-law come kidnap Emmett. I really appreciate learning more about Emmett and Mamie. I have always felt like this story needed to be told and I’m glad that it’s finally being told. Mamie and Emmett had a really close relationship. Which isn’t surprising since they really only had each other. I can’t even come close to knowing what it is like to send your child so far away in that time period. I can only understand her struggle to certain extent. In time period the least little thing could cause your child his/her life. As is clearly present in this story.
The second episode is centered around Mamie doing everything she can to find her son and how she handles everything after she learns that he has been murdered. I felt so bad for her cause she was in another state and had very limited help. You could feel her pain and how helpless she felt. After seeing what she went through I appreciate the contact I have with my kids cause back in those days people would only hear from love ones days at a time by letter and not everyone had a phone. The fact that everyone was scared to even talk to her made finding Emmett even more difficult for her as well. People were scared of being killed and everything so I can understand why people didn’t help. I admire those who were brave enough to help her though. I’m glad the NAACP stepped in to help her. She did everything to find her baby. I admire the coroner who went against the sheriff and sent her, her baby back. I’m also glad she showed the world what happened to her child.
I’m really enjoying this story. It’s a story that has never been told. I think it’s great that it is getting a platform. My favorite thing is the story isn’t being rushed. I think the way it is being told will help people understand what life was like back then. Might even give some perspective into life now. There are still young and older people of color losing their lives for no reason. If it is this way now imagine not being able to even look at a white person in the eyes. You can watch Women of the Movement Thursdays at 8 on ABC. It can be a great show to watch with your children so you can explain race and answer any questions that they have.
