ThekillingofEmmettTilliswidelyrememberedtodayasoneofthemostfamousexamplesoflynchingsinAmerica.AfricanAmericanchildrenin1955personallyfelttheterrorofhismurder.Thesechildren,however,wouldriseupagainsttheculturethatmadeTill’sdeathpossible.FromtheviolentWoolworth’slunch-countersit-insinJacksontotheschoolwalkoutsofMcComb,theyoungpeopleofMississippipicketed,boycotted,organized,spokeout,andmarched,workingtorevealthevulnerabilityofblackbodiesandtheuglynatureoftheworldtheylivedin.Thesechildrenchangedthatworld.IntheNameofEmmettTill:HowtheChildrenoftheMississippiFreedomStruggleToreDownYesterdayandShowedUsTomorrowweavestogethertherivetingtalesofthoseyoungwomenandmenofMississippi,figureslikeBrendaTravis,theLadnersisters,andSamBlockwhoriskedtheirlivestofacedownviciousJimCrowsegregation.Readersalsodiscovertheadultswhoguidedtheyoungpeople,eldersincludingMedgarEvers,RobertMoses,andFannieLouHamer.Thisinspiringnewbookofhistoryforyoungadultsfromaward-winningauthorRobertH.MayerisanunflinchingportrayaloflifeinthesegregatedSouthandthebraveryofyoungpeoplewhofoughtthatsystem.AstheUnitedStatesstillreckonswithracismandinequality,theactivistsworkingIntheNameofEmmettTillcanserveasmodelsofactivismforyoungpeopletoday.
