The Afro-American Heritage Center concluded its’ calendar year of History at the Library with the presentation of The Murder of Emmett Till Wednesday, August 25 at the Rock Island Public Library.
Since the end of the Civil War, lynching had been a part of life in the American South. Ida B. Wells, and later the NAACP, had launched a campaign against lynching as far back as 1899. In the pamphlet, Lynch Law in Georgia, Wells writes, “The real purpose of these savage demonstrations is to teach the Negro that in the South he has no rights that the law will enforce.” After the Till murder in 1955, the then head of the NAACP, Roy Wilkins stated, “It would appear from this lynching that the State of Mississippi has decided to maintain white supremacy by murdering children.” The lynching of Emmett Till, a fourteen-year-old boy, contributed to Rosa Parks refusing to go to the back of the bus. If you missed any of our 2010 presentations, consider joining our e-mail list .
Our next presentation is tentatively scheduled for January 2011.
For the remainder of the calendar year, board members of the AAHC have the task of planning programs or events for 2011. Would you like to participate in the planning process? Sign up today!
As with most small not-for-profit organizations, funding is a major factor on the ability to provide quality programs. However, AAHC’s mission, to inspire the community, especially our youth, to develop a broadened understanding of the historical identity and experiences of Afro‑Americans as it relates to American History, continues unabated.
Please submit to board members any suggestions you may have for programs or events you would be willing to support by attending.
The AAHC extends its’ sincere gratitude to all those who continued to support our mission in 2010 and hope this support will continue in 2011 as your support is our success.