Note From The Author
My journey began when I was 25 years old, separated from my husband, and caring for three toddlers. I went back to school and worked while raising my children. In 1976, my 4 year-old first born child was killed in a major snow storm. This was indeed, my life altering event. I returned to school I threw myself into my studies; determined to make a better life for my children. I was a broadcasting major and wanted to create an African American history radio program for our college radio station. This program would re-enact little know African American historical events in the same vein as Masterpiece Theater. At that time, I had never heard of Emmett Till. A classmate told me of the story of Emmett Till, showed me the microfiche picture of Emmett in his coffin, and I was hooked. I couldn't believe no one had written any books on it or mentioned it in history class. Since that time, it has become an obsession for me. I was, what some would call, a sickly young woman. I had been battling a life threatening condition since I was very young. Hospitals were no stranger to me. I was hospitalized so often that I would always have my research with me and would work in my hospital beds. When I would wake up in intensive care units I would check on my children and pull out my back pack and attempt to work. During the early years, the nurses at the University of Chicago Hospitals would know to find me in the university's Frank Billings Library when it was time for a treatment. Yes, there I was, working at a desk, in two hospital gowns (one to cover my backside), with my glass IV bottle hanging from the pole. This was my life, my children first, work, hospitals and now, Emmett Till. People always ask why it's taken so long to complete this book. I never quit. I do not believe in doing anything halfway. I do not believe in shortcuts. I refuse to work from newspaper article. I believe in uncovering the truth that has been hidden. I believe in true justice even if the legal system sometimes misses the mark. I believe in doing your absolute best with what you have and I believe in keeping promises. I do not listen to neah sayers and excuses are, for me, unacceptable. I made a promise to Emmett's mother and grandmother that I would not stop until I found out what really happened to him. I felt a kinship with her. She lost her only child to the hands of evil, and I lost my first born in the snow storm. The circumstances were drastically different, but the pain of losing a child was the bond for us.I did all of my research out of my own meager pockets, I had challenging health issues that I battled daily, I had my children to raise and lived through all of the other hills valleys, highs and lows of this wonderful journey that we call life. Every character, sentence, paragraph, scene, and emotion was dissected examined and molded by me alone. The more emotional scenes were created, in of all places, my bathroom. I would light a couple of candles, turn off the lights, sit on the floor and let the characters write their story. Some was done at the lake front and at time, I would take the city bus to get a more in depth feel of the characters that I knew at a distance. During the time that I was conducting many interviews, no one was interested in the story. There was no promise of money or fame. Some of the individuals in Mississippi were still uncomfortable talking about the lynching in public but since they were under the impression that I was a young White woman they were comfortable and in some cases relieved to have a chance to unload their emotions to an anonymous person for a place far away. The lynching was also recent enough for the individuals memory to be sharp and they were able to give in depth details relaying, not only facts but background information and antidotes of their lives and culture. Most of these individuals have since passed on. As a young woman, I was out to change the world. It was my mission to right the wrongs in this society. Youth does give one a turbo adrenalin boost. I was, (now I say foolishly) strong and brave. I was a super snoop; following any and every lead to get to the people that had an unvarnished segment of this story to tell. I did this alone and there were people that could have made me disappear at any time. But of course, youth tells you to keep going. I have asked myself that if I, at 61 years-old, was given the opportunity to talk to my 25 year old self, what would I say. Knowing that I have missed out on a great deal of normalcy that the overwhelming majority of Americans enjoy I would still tell her to follow her passion. I tell her that God gives us all a job to do and that none of us are here because our parents had a fun night. There is a reason and path that were are here to follow and this is yours. Enjoy the journey!
