Emmett Till: A Turning Point in Civil Rights
This worksheet explores the tragic story of Emmett Till, a pivotal event that galvanized the Civil Rights Movement, for 8th-grade social studies.
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Emmett Till: A Turning Point in Civil Rights
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Read the information and answer the questions that follow. Use complete sentences for all written responses.
Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American boy who was brutally murdered in Mississippi in August 1955. His death and the subsequent acquittal of his murderers brought national and international attention to the racial injustice and violence prevalent in the American South during the Jim Crow era. His mother's decision to have an open-casket funeral exposed the brutality of the crime and became a catalyst for the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement.
1. In what year was Emmett Till murdered?
1945
1955
1965
1975
2. What was the primary reason for Emmett Till's mother to have an open-casket funeral?
To honor his last wish
To show the world the brutality of his murder
To save money on burial costs
It was a common practice at the time
3. Emmett Till was visiting his relatives in when he was murdered.
4. The legal system in the South during the Jim Crow era was characterized by and a lack of justice for African Americans.
5. The men accused of Emmett Till's murder were found guilty by an all-white jury.
True
False
6. How did Emmett Till's murder contribute to the start of the Civil Rights Movement?
7. What does the term 'Jim Crow era' refer to in the context of American history?