In-Person and Online Events | August 28 through 31, 2025 

What: In honor of Emmett Louis Till’s life and legacy, the 70th Anniversary Commemoration events are hosted by the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation (ETLF) in partnership with the Emmett Till Justice for Families and Till Legacy Family members.

Jackson, MS, and surrounding areas – This powerful weekend of remembrance will honor the life and legacy of Emmett Louis Till, a 14-year-old boy whose death in 1955 ignited a global civil rights movement. The commemoration also marks the 20th anniversary of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation, which was founded by family members of Mamie Till Mobley to preserve his memory, demand truth, justice, accountability, and empower future generations.

“This is more than a remembrance, it is honoring a promise made to Mamie Till Mobley,” said Deborah Watts, Co-Founder of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation and cousin of Emmett Till. “We are committed to ensuring that the truth is never erased, the legacy lives on, and that Emmett’s death was not in vain.”

“We will not forget. We will not be silent. We will not allow history to be rewritten,” said Priscilla Williams (Till), leader of Emmett Till Justice for Families. “This is a sacred time for all who believe in truth, justice, and legacy.”

This gathering is an urgent call for reflection, resistance, and renewal, especially as racial injustice continues to affect lives today. Attendees are encouraged to bring youth and future leaders, as this commemoration aims to educate, uplift, and activate.

#ETLF20yearAnniversary

Thursday, August 28
A National Day of Remembrance for Emmett Louis Till’s 70th Anniversary. All are asked to wear black and white attire on August 28.

• 10:30 AM CST
  Press Conference
  Mississippi State Capitol
  Jackson, MS

• 5:30 pm CST
  Community Dialogue and featured Speakers for Hear My Voice: Are You Listening (Location: online via Zoom)

• 8:30 pm CST
  Candlelight Vigil and Balloon Release led by Emmett Till Justice for Families at Jackson State University
  Jackson, MS

Friday, August 29

• 11:00 AM CST
  Till Movie Screening and Talk Back for STUDENTS with Award Winning Film Producers, Till Family, advocates, and Special guests (Location: Tougaloo College Bennie G. Thompson Auditorium )

TILL movie Official Trailer https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rkQi6GBwmSA

• 5:00 PM CST
  Till Movie Screening and Talk Back for the GENERAL PUBLIC with Award Winning Film Producers, Till Family, advocates, and Special guests (Locatio:n Tougaloo College Bennie G. Thompson Auditorium )

TILL Movie Official Trailer 2 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MjYw3NNmhBQ&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD

Saturday, August 30

• 10:00 am CST
  Emmett Till Memorial Parade led by City of Jackson and Councilman Kenneth Stokes, in collaboration with Emmett Till Justice For Families

• Afternoon (approx 12:00 pm)
  Till Trail of Tears and Terror Historical Guided Bus Tour from Jackson, Mississippi to key sites and museums, including the Emmett Till and Mamie Till Mobley National Monuments and more in the Mississippi Delta (Pre-registration and Tickets via Eventbrite). Click HERE

Sunday, August 31

• 10:30 am CST
  Worship in White Church Service: Worship in White: Our Smith Family COGIC Roots Church Service. Join us and wear white attire. Join the Emmett Till Family and experience the source of Mamie Till Mobley’s and our ancestors’ unwavering strength and resilience. A Special presentation by MADDRAMA (Location TBA)

• 2:30-4:30 pm CST
  Community Roots Reunion at the Till Family’s original homeplace in Hazelhurst, Mississippi, Breaking Bread together for Unity and Strength Send Off. (location subject to change)

Background:

At only fourteen years old, Emmett was kidnapped, brutally tortured, lynched and killed during a racially-motivated hate crime that ultimately helped launch the modern-day civil rights movement.

Mamie Till Mobley, the mother of Emmett Louis Till, made an unselfish and bold decision to have an open casket funeral for her 14-year-old son, who was brutally murdered. Her courageous act sparked the civil rights movement, igniting a global outcry against racial injustice and white supremacy. The specter of the devastating crime against Emmett remains ever-present through modern-day racially motivated violence and murders.