Executive Summary

The Emmett Till Interpretive Center (ETIC) fosters a sense of hope and restorative justice in the historically racially-segregated Mississippi Delta. In 2006, after 50 years of silence about the Emmett Till murder, a multiracial group of 18 community members from across Tallahatchie County united to break that silence. A year of intensive cross-racial dialogue resulted in the formation of the ETIC and the first public apology to the Till family.

ETIC presently engages in historical preservation that has sparked revitalization and social justice in the county. We restored the Tallahatchie County Courthouse where the murder trial took place as a site of remembrance and opened a museum in 2015. As a result of this work, the community witnessed the revitalization of their downtown with the opening of the first Black businesses on the Sumner square, which historically excluded Black business owners.

ETIC’s board is predominantly African American, and 83% live within 15 miles of the ETIC. Half of our staff were born and raised in the Mississippi Delta with our executive director living and working in the community we serve.

Our work leverages shared stories and history to prompt change and justice. We honor Emmett Till's legacy, fostering understanding of the past to shape a more equitable future. Our work testifies to our role as a catalyst in the community's journey towards healing. We strive to preserve historic sites and establish memorials that heal the land, people, and visitors, leading us towards a more just future.

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