Simeon's Story

February 1, 2010
Gr 6-10-Simeon Wright was 12 years old when his cousin Emmett "Bobo" Till came from Chicago to visit relatives in Mississippi. Spunky and bold, Till amused everyone with his comedic timing. It was his desire to get a laugh that led to his demise. One hot August night in 1955, Till whistled at a white female store clerk, setting off a chain of events that left an indelible mark not only on our nation's history, but also on the cousin who witnessed Till's gaffe and eventual kidnapping. Wright's story is chilling, and his honest account will hook readers from the beginning. His description of growing up in Mississippi under Jim Crow laws provides the necessary background for teens to understand what transpired in the time between Till's deadly mistake and the discovery of his body days later. Wright also details the toll the murder took on his family, his eventual move to Chicago, and his unsuccessful search for justice for Emmett Till. An appendix entitled "Lies, Myths, and Distortions" serves to discredit many of the misconceptions surrounding Till's death. It ends, "If you want an accurate account of any story, go to the primary sources. They know what really happened." Truer words were never spoken."Kelly McGorray, Glenbard South High School, Glen Ellyn, IL"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2010
Grades 6-10 Units on the civil rights movement would be remiss not to include this powerful firsthand account. Wright was there when his cousin Till whistled at white cashier Carolyn Bryant; he shared the same bed as Till when two white men burst into the house to drag him away; and he was witness to the decades of scrutiny the case has wrought. Wright focuses on the crime with clarity and passion. His memoir is short and focused, with just enough context about living in Jim Crow Mississippi and, later, about how the incident colored his reactions to Dr. King and Malcolm X. His ground-level insights into the character of 14-year-old Bobo (We didnt know that Bobos first name was Emmett until after he was killed) are invaluable. In many ways, this is a book about the value of primary sources; Wright (along with coauthor Boyd) spends many pages sifting through erroneous stories. The 2005 exhumation, the 2005 documentary The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till, and the 2008 Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act are also given consideration.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)