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From Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin: A Century of Racial Injustice

Miguel Nelson

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In the annals of American history, the names Emmett Till and Trayvon Martin stand as tragic symbols of the enduring legacy of racial injustice. Till, a 14-year-old black boy from Chicago, was brutally murdered in Mississippi in 1955 for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Martin, a 17-year-old African American teenager from Florida, was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer in 2012 while walking home from a convenience store.

Of Poetry and Protest: From Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin

by Michael Warr

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	62808 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	220 pages

The murders of Till and Martin, separated by nearly six decades, are not isolated incidents. They are part of a larger pattern of violence and discrimination against black people in the United States that has persisted for centuries.

In his book From Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin: A Century of Racial Injustice, author Bryan Stevenson explores the historical roots of this violence and its devastating impact on black communities. Stevenson, a civil rights lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, has represented numerous victims of racial injustice, including Till's family and Martin's parents.

Stevenson's book is a powerful indictment of the American criminal justice system, which he argues is biased against black people. He cites statistics showing that black people are more likely to be arrested, convicted, and sentenced to prison than white people for the same crimes. He also discusses the disproportionate use of force by police against black people, which has led to the deaths of countless unarmed black men and women.

Stevenson's book is not just a condemnation of the status quo, however. It is also a call to action. He argues that we must all work together to create a more just and equitable society. He calls for reforms to the criminal justice system, an end to racial profiling, and increased investment in black communities.

From Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the history of racial injustice in America and its continuing legacy today. It is a powerful and moving book that will challenge your assumptions and inspire you to action.

Reviews

"A powerful indictment of the American criminal justice system and a call to action for all of us to work together to create a more just and equitable society." - The New York Times

"A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the history of racial injustice in America and its continuing legacy today." - The Washington Post

"A powerful and moving book that will challenge your assumptions and inspire you to action." - The Guardian

About the Author

Bryan Stevenson is a civil rights lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit organization that provides legal representation to poor, marginalized, and wrongly condemned people. He has won numerous awards for his work, including the MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Grant and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.