Today (July 23), Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, along with several other members of the Illinois General Assembly, gathered at Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ with members of the Till family as he signed into Illinois law declaring July 25 as Emmett Till Day. The day is intended to educate, remember and honor the life of Emmett Till - a 14-year-old Chicago boy who was lynched in the Mississippi Delta in 1955.
"Emmett was born right here in the city of Chicago on July 25, 1941. Just 14 years later, he became the victim of one of the most horrific acts of racist violence in our nation's history," Gov. Pritzker said during the press conference. "We cannot build a more just future if we are unwilling to confront the injustices that have been committed in our past. While we are here today to reflect, we also understand that our reflection is only as useful as the action it inspires. [Emmett and his mother Mami Till-Mobley]'s legacy will continue to challenge us to be better. We need to be better."
