For many participants, the fourth day of the workshop is the most emotionally-taxing. They relive an incredibly difficult moment in Delta history, tracing the abominable kidnapping and murder of fourteen-year-old Emmett Till. The workshop stops at the site where Emmett allegedly wolf-whistled at a white woman, leading to his vicious murder by two white men. They also stop at the courthouse where Till's murder trial was held to hear a first-hand account of the atrocity from Emmett's cousin, Rev. Wheeler Parker.
Early in the morning, participants returned to where the workshop ended the day prior. This time, they toured a few notable locations in Mound Bayou, which was the first town in the United States established by African Americans.
Taborian Hospital
T.R.M Howard Freedom Trail Marker
Chief Surgeon of the Taborian Hospital for a time, T.R.M Howard was a prominent figure in his hometown of Mound Bayou. Howard organized the first civil rights advocacy group in Mound Bayou, resulting in successful boycotts and rallies.
Po' Monkey's Juke Joint
Until his passing in 2016, Po’ Monkey’s juke joint was a buzzing and storied hall for Blues musicians and fans looking for a good time. Now vacant, the building retains its mystery and its energy. It is now adorned with bottles, beads and plush animals, paying homage to the man who breathed life into the joint and turned it into the monument it is.
Charles McLaurin
Upon returning to campus from the morning activities in Mound Bayou, participants continued expanding their knowledge about Fannie Lou Hamer with a lecture delivered by Charles McLaurin. McLaurin knew Hamer well. In fact, he was her chauffeur, her confidante and even her campaign manager when she ran for Congress. McLaurin shared unique insights into Fannie Lou’s legacy by sharing personal anecdotes and by recounting a chapter of the civil rights struggle in which he helped her campaign to register black voters.
Not only did McLaurin provide a passionate first-hand account of his involvement with Fannie Lou Hamer’s campaign, he also discussed the role of Emmett Till’s murder in igniting the civil rights movement and galvanizing people like Hamer to organize the massive unification of African Americans and allies.
Emmett Till Panel
The courthouse where Emmett Till’s murderers were tried (and eventually acquitted) is in Sumner County, Mississippi. During the commute to Sumner, with McLaurin’s heavy words still hanging on their minds, participants watched a documentary to remind them of the atrocious series of events that occurred during and subsequent to Till’s kidnapping. Till’s cousin Wheeler Parker, who would soon speak in front of them, appears in the film to relay the details he experienced preceding Emmett’s death.
Though it has been modernized since the trial, the courtroom retains an eerily similar appearance to how it looked in the 1950’s. On one side of the original railing sat the audience, consisting of workshop participants, community members and interested travelers from around the country; the panel sat on the other side. Mr. Wheeler took the middle seat, while author Devery Anderson and Rev. Willie Williams sat on his left and his right, respectively.
Money Store
After an emotional and powerful panel at the courthouse, participants travelled to the nearby ‘Money Store’ where teenage Emmett allegedly wolf-whistled at a white woman. Though the actual building is closed and overgrown with vines, one could easily imagine the store being open with trucks waiting out front.
To facilitate this immersion, participants were served “Koolickles” (pickles marinated in Kool-aid), in order to mimic the type of snack that Emmett and his cousins might have bought and eaten while at the store.