Well that was fun, my computer just obliterated the two paragraphs I had written, so now I am in remember mode.
I asked, did the book you read, have any additional information that proves what has been said in this thread. Was the story of his father being hanged for rape in WWII corroborated by the book.
It appears that the entire tragedy was precipitated by a young visitor’s inexperience with the state of mind in 1955 MS regarding race relations. I was living in AL at the time and remember how things were.
I remember as much as any fifteen year old might remember from way back when.
Mrs. Till (I think her name was Mamie, could be wrong) does briefly mention that her husband got in bad trouble in the army. I think she goes on to say that black men were often blamed for trouble caused by white soldiers. While I don’t think this was always the case, I imagine in the army of that time, it did happen. I knew Harold Nicholas of the famed dance team, The Nicholas Brothers, and Harold had a horrible time in the army. So, who knows what the truth is?
According to Emmitt’s cousins, he did whistle at the owner of the store. It was a dare that didn’t pay off. I still wonder why that stupid woman thought it was necessary to call out her husband and others to avenge her “honor.” If you see film of the trial, the murderers laughed, chewed gum, and ate food as people were testifying. They look like men of sub-normal intelligence.