Emmett Till Interpretive Center

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Emmett Till Interpretive Center Tell the story. Change the future.

On this date in 2019, the Emmett Till Interpretive Center installed a bulletproof marker at Graball Landing. The first s...
10/19/2026

On this date in 2019, the Emmett Till Interpretive Center installed a bulletproof marker at Graball Landing. The first sign installed in 2007 was stolen and thrown into the river. The second and third signs were both riddled in bullet holes. Jerome Little, one of the founding members of the Emmett Till Memorial Commission, said in response to earlier vandalism, “Every time they take it down, we’re going to put it back up.”

This bulletproof sign, the fourth at the site, was donated by Lite Brite Neon Studio LLC. Weighing over 500 pounds and made of steel, the new sign is intended to serve as a vandalism-proof memorial. The sign still stands on what is now a part of the Emmet Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument.

See coverage in The New York Times at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/20/us/emmett-till-bulletproof-sign.html

There’s still time to give to our annual fund. The more unrestricted funds we raise, the more we can allocate that money...
10/16/2026

There’s still time to give to our annual fund. The more unrestricted funds we raise, the more we can allocate that money to where it’s needed in this work. If you can’t donate, please share! Thank you for your commitment to this history. emmett-till.org/annualfund

In his Pulitzer Prize-winning chronicle of the 1950s, historian David Halberstam calls the trial for the murder of Emmet...
10/14/2026

In his Pulitzer Prize-winning chronicle of the 1950s, historian David Halberstam calls the trial for the murder of Emmett Till “the first great media event of the civil rights movement.” Journalists from across the country flocked to Sumner to cover the event following the publication of the horrific photos of Emmett’s brutalized body in ‘Jet’ magazine. The subsequent coverage of the trial aroused more public sentiment toward the civil rights cause.

Dr. Joyce Ladner was born on this day in 1943. She coined the term “the Emmett Till Generation” to describe youth who, l...
10/12/2026

Dr. Joyce Ladner was born on this day in 1943. She coined the term “the Emmett Till Generation” to describe youth who, like her, were motivated to join the cause for civil rights after the death of Emmett Till. Her activism continued through her work as a scholar and author.

SAVE THE DATE! The square in Sumner, MS, will be busy on Nov. 14. The new courthouse grand opening will be from 10-11 AM...
10/09/2026

SAVE THE DATE! The square in Sumner, MS, will be busy on Nov. 14. The new courthouse grand opening will be from 10-11 AM with remarks from dignitaries and a tour of the facility. Then it’s the Book Walk from 12-3 PM for family-friendly fun—music, read-alouds, and more. Please join us!

A few years ago, a teacher from Kansas visited ETIC as part of touring sites in the Till story, and the experience so mo...
10/07/2026

A few years ago, a teacher from Kansas visited ETIC as part of touring sites in the Till story, and the experience so moved her that she has since tried to convey it to her students. This year, she felt compelled to do more to honor and remember Emmett. She sent a heartfelt letter along with wreaths made by the students, doing their part to keep the story alive.

We are humbly grateful to be part of that educational journey.

We’re in the home stretch of our annual fund campaign. We have raised over $135K toward our $150K target, with just less...
10/05/2026

We’re in the home stretch of our annual fund campaign. We have raised over $135K toward our $150K target, with just less than four weeks left. Help us reach that goal by giving today or spreading the word. We are deeply grateful for your support of this work. emmett-till.org/annualfund

On this day in 2007, the first public apology to the Till family for Emmett’s murder was delivered from the steps of the...
10/02/2026

On this day in 2007, the first public apology to the Till family for Emmett’s murder was delivered from the steps of the Tallahatchie County Courthouse, where the trial was held. The apology was the first public act taken by the Emmett Till Memorial Commission, a biracial group of Tallahatchie citizens who sought to break the silence around the story of Emmett Till. The ETMC eventually became the Emmett Till Interpretive Center, with the same commitment to telling the truth.

You can read the text of the apology on our website: emmett-till.org/community-apology

Author Wright Thompson, our annual fund chair, donated because he “believe[s] in the work ETIC is doing.” If you support...
09/30/2026

Author Wright Thompson, our annual fund chair, donated because he “believe[s] in the work ETIC is doing.” If you support this work too, please give today to help us reach our $150,000 goal by Oct. 31. Thank you for helping us preserve Emmett and Mamie’s legacies. emmett-till.org/annualfund

On Sept. 17, Florida State University—home of the Emmett Till Archives—hosted a discussion with ETIC’s Patrick Weems and...
09/28/2026

On Sept. 17, Florida State University—home of the Emmett Till Archives—hosted a discussion with ETIC’s Patrick Weems and We2Gether Creating Change’s Gloria Dickerson on preserving the Till story. The talk was part of FSU’s Emmett Till Lecture Series. Check out coverage on the event from WCTV.tv: https://bit.ly/3UYoTS2

Address

158 N Court St
Sumner, MS
38957

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+16628498142

Website

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