CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Roberts Temple Church of Christ in Bronzeville — where thousands came to mourn Emmett Till’s death — is now a landmark.
President Joe Biden signed a proclamation establishing the South Side church as part of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument.
Local, state and federal leaders gathered at the church Tuesday afternoon to unveil a new temporary sign.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said the designation helps ensure that Emmett Till’s story and the bravery of his mother Mamie are not forgotten.
“The courage of one woman, one family, made all the difference in the world,” Durbin said. “She wanted to make sure no one could deny what happened to her boy.”
The 14-year-old from Chicago was murdered in 1955 after he was accused of whistling at a white woman in Mississippi.
Till-Mobley made the decision to hold an open casket funeral at Roberts Temple Church of Christ, which made national headlines and sparked the civil rights movement.
“The world saw the reality of hate, and the reality of fear, and the reality of prejudice had taken its toll on this beautiful little boy, who gave his life in Money, Mississippi,” added Durbin.
While elected officials applauded the monument and its historical significance, many noted their work isn’t done.
“Today we celebrate, but we know that our work doesn’t end with one proclamation or one national monument,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “The entire Biden-Harris Administration is committed to seeing that this work continues with communities like this one leading the way.”
Along with its national monument designation, the church will also get funding toward its preservation, and have a visitor center built.
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