The Emmett Till Interpretive Center in Sumner on Wednesday afternoon issued the following statement about the recent police-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Dear friends,
For the past week, our nation has faced a lot of turbulence. Cities in our country find themselves dealing with public unrest while parents find themselves engaging in candid conversations with their little ones about race and racism—none of which is made any easier by a pandemic that is still very much a present danger.
We at the Emmett Till Interpretive Center mourn the loss of the life of George Floyd and the lives of other black people lost due to fear and hate.
The Emmett Till Memorial Commission was founded in 2006 by a biracial group of citizens in Tallahatchie County "for the purpose of fostering racial harmony and reconciliation." In 2015, the ETMC opened the Emmett Till Interpretive Center to "tell the story of the Emmett Till tragedy and to point a way towards racial healing." We know that moving forward as a community and as a nation requires a diverse group of people working together to understand how we got here and how we can move forward together.
The system that precipitated Emmett Till's murder and allowed for the acquittal of his murderers is still alive and well. We must seek not only justice for George Floyd but also a better understanding of the system of racism that led to his death. Only through acknowledging and understanding that system can we begin to dismantle it.
We support those of you protesting for justice for George Floyd and for justice in your own communities. Despite the challenges our country faces, we are not without hope. Things could get worse before they get better, but let us resolve to meet the call so many before us have undertaken: a call for justice, a call for truth, a call for the pursuit of purpose and equity for all men, and a call to the realization of our better selves.
Sincerely,
The Emmett Till Interpretive Center staff
