* They chose to have an open casket funeral for Emmett Till. This allowed the public to see the extent of his injuries and helped to galvanize support for justice.
* They worked with the NAACP to publicize the murder. The NAACP issued press releases, held press conferences, and organized protests.
* They lobbied Congress to pass a federal anti-lynching law. This effort was ultimately unsuccessful, but it helped to keep the issue of lynching in the public eye.
* They filed a lawsuit against the white men who murdered Emmett Till. This lawsuit was unsuccessful, but it helped to establish legal precedent and set the stage for future civil rights lawsuits.
How These Choices Shaped Public Reaction to the Murder
The choices made by the Till family and their supporters helped to shape public reaction to the murder in several ways.
* They helped to create a sense of outrage and sympathy for Emmett Till. The public was shocked and horrified by the brutality of his murder, and they were sympathetic to his family's grief.
* They helped to put the issue of lynching in the national spotlight. Lynching was a common occurrence in the Jim Crow South, but it was often ignored by the mainstream media. The Till case helped to bring this issue to the forefront of national consciousness.
* They helped to galvanize support for the civil rights movement. The Till murder was a wake-up call for many Americans, and it helped to inspire a new generation of civil rights activists.
The Till case was a defining moment in the civil rights movement, and the choices made by the Till family and their supporters played a crucial role in shaping public reaction to the murder.