Simple, yet captivating, The Undisclosed Story of Emmett Louis Till details the insanity of racism in the South during the 1950s. Combining archival photos and interviews with deeply felt narratives, this documentary chronicles the terrifying tale of the moment a mischievous 14-year-old black boy from Chicago, visiting his relatives in Mississippi, audibly addressed a white woman on the street.
The subsequent lynching was so barbaric that a media circus surrounded the trial, what shocked the nation was not only the crime, but the blissful indifference of the citizens of a small Mississippi town towards the brutal murder of a black teenager.
The interviews are suspenseful and reveal the story, first taking the mother’s perspective, then the southern cousins, and finally actual footage of the uncle, who possessed the incredible courage to accuse the killers in court. Till’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, broadcast a nationally televised message in which she pleaded for action that would prevent her son from dying without meaning.
The awkward, un-informed quality of the 1950s interviews may seem alien, but the harsh truth of the situation was still apparent: America’s racial conflicts were still unresolved. A moving, engrossing documentary.
Directed by: Keith Beauchamp
