As the country's eyes turn to the memorial service for George Floyd today, my heart is heavy. I grieve for and extend my sympathies to George Floyd's family and community—and the far too many whose needless deaths were brought about by unjustified violence.
I am reminded of the day I spent with Mrs. Mamie Till Mobley, mother of Emmett Till, a child who was brutally murdered in 1955 for allegedly teasing a white clerk.
Mrs. Till Mobley decided to allow her son's casket to remain open during his funeral so that "the world could see what they did to my son." The images of Emmett Till published in the press galvanized the Civil Rights movement.
Mrs. Till Mobley spoke to me about how she carried the burden of Emmett's death and the meaning of his loss for 50 years. She asked who would pick up that burden.
At the Smithsonian, we carry the weight of memory and the responsibility to share Till's story—and so many like it.
At the Smithsonian, we carry the weight of memory and the responsibility to share Till's story—and so many like it.
In this heavy time of anguish and grief, I am grateful for those who, like Mrs. Till Mobley, stand up for what they believe. And I am proud of those who speak up to make our country better.
