by Barry S. Wolfe & Shawn Block, Western Illinois Corrrectional Center
On the night of August 28, 1955, Emmett Till, a young Black man from Chicago, was abducted from his cousin’s home in Mississippi. He was brutally tortured and murdered by at least two men because of the allegation that he whistled towards a white woman. When Emmett’s body was found it was unrecognizable. He had been beaten so badly that he no longer looked human. Emmett’s mother, Mamie, was adamant that the casket displaying her son remained open so that the whole world could see the barbarity inflicted upon him. Emmett’s murderers would eventually be acquitted of their racist crimes.
Nearly 70 years later, a National Monument was created to honor Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley att three separate sites – the Tallahatchie River where his body was found, the Tallahatchie County Second District Courthouse where his murderers were acquitted, and Robert’s Temple Church in Chicago where the funeral was held for all the world to see.
Inspired by the creation of the National Monument and to help further preserve the legacy of Emmett Till, Castaway Management Group, LLC, whose mission is to uplift and empower incarcerated artists and poets, commissioned the above portraits. They presented Leo Bobadilla’s work to the President of the United States. The Governor of Illinois received Brandon Kellum’s art, and Juan Herrera’s work was presented to the Natioal Monument sites as well as to the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation. The award winning poem “The Face of Emmett Till” by Shawn Block was also presented along with all three portraits.
If you would like to learn more about the inspiring story behind these portraits or to learn more about Castaway’s mission and view more artwork from our talented community, please visit our website or contact us.
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