Emmett Till’s mother should not have allowed Emmett to travel to Mississippi.

Mamie Till surely did not want Emmett to leave home, but like any other young persistent child, Emmett insisted. And of course, any mother who thinks of her child as her pride and joy would want to give him the world. That is exactly what happened in this case.

With what was supposed to be a wonderful trip for Emmett, who knew that this trip to Mississippi would be Emmett’s last? Emmett was said to be a child who needed structure in his life; a child who took on a majority of the responsibilities around the house to help his mother after his father died.

Mind you, issues with racism were heavy in the South during the time Emmett went there. Emmett Till was killed during his stay in Mississippi. One could only imagine the guilt and pain Mamie Till felt during that time; wishing she could undo what happened just to be able to lay eyes on her little boy again.

Had Mamie stuck to her guns with not letting Emmett leave home, he would possibly be alive today. He would be 73-years-old.

May Emmett Till rest in peace.