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Mar 6, 2005

Conference on the Murder of Emmett Till




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CALL FOR PAPERS

The Murder of Emmett Till and the Struggle for Civil Rights, Stillman College, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, September 15-17, 2005

The murder of Emmett Till and the trial of his accused killers were turning points in the history of the civil rights movement. These events have fascinated historians as well as filmmakers, journalists, literary critics, song writers, and novelists. Most recently, the federal government has reopened the case.

This conference will be held at Stillman College, a historical black college founded in 1876. It will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the murder, investigation, and trial and will also explore their broader effects on American society. The last day of the conference will feature an optional guided tour of key sites in Mississippi including Money (where Till was kidnapped), Sumner (where the accused killers were tried), and Mound Bayou (where Till's family members and the black media stayed during the trial).

Invited speakers include journalist Juan Williams; Stanley Nelson, producer of the film"The Murder of Emmett Till"; Charles Payne, author of I've Got the Light of Freedom; Christopher Benson, co-author (with Mamie Till-Mobley) of The Death of Innocence: The Hate Crime that Changed America; and Christopher Metress, author of The Lynching of Emmett Till.

Possible topics for papers and panels include some aspect of the murder, trial, and investigation as well as their impact on the civil rights movement, literature, film, journalism, and criminal justice. The conference organizers welcome submissions from academics, public historians, journalists, students, filmmakers, and creative artists.

Each paper or panel proposal should include a summary of the topic and the vita of each participant. Please submit three (3) copies of your proposal, postmarked by March 31, 2005, to

Linda Royster Beito, Chair, Social Sciences, Stillman College, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, Email: lbeito_at_stillman.edu, Phone: 205-366-8984

Accepted papers and panels will be notified by May 15, 2005.



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