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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Emmett Till was born in Chicago on July 25, 1941; 
3and
 
4    WHEREAS, In August 1955, at the age of 14, Emmett Till was 
5brutally abducted, tortured, and lynched in Mississippi after 
6being accused of interacting with a white women, an event that 
7shocked the conscience of the nation; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Emmett Till's mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, 
9courageously insisted on an open-casket funeral to expose the 
10brutality of her son's murder, galvanizing national and 
11international outrage; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The acquittal of Emmett Till's killers by an 
13all-white jury highlighted the pervasive racial injustices of 
14the time and served as a catalyst for the Civil Rights 
15Movement; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Emmett Till's tragic death and his mother's 
17activism have left an indelible mark on American history, 
18inspiring generations to fight against racial injustice; 
19therefore, be it
 
20    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL 
 
 
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1ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF 
2REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we declare July 25, 
32025 as Emmett Till Day in the State of Illinois to recognize 
4the life and legacy of Emmett Till and recognize the 
5historical significance of his death in the struggle for civil 
6rights in the United States.