The choices made by Roy Bryant and J.W. Millam, the men who murdered Emmett Till in 1955, are usually the ones people ponder when they examine the case. But other individuals made choices that contributed to the event and its subsequent attention on the national scene. Learners examine these choices in the context of Emmett Till's murder with an in-depth lesson plan and historical articles.

Concepts

civil rights, human rights, emmett till, discrimination, racism, lynching

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Pair with a lesson on the connection between McCarthyism and 20th century racial discrimination

Classroom Considerations

• The second of four lessons in a unit on Emmett Till 
• Based on the documentary The Murder of Emmett Till

Pros

• Encourages a historical eye when examining the event in the context of discrimination in 20th century America as well as the Cold War

Cons

• Some links are broken