Folks, on August 28th, 1955, Emmett Till’s life was tragically and violently cut short by a lynch mob in Mississippi.

If he were alive today, he would be 80 years old surrounded by grandchildren and loved ones. Instead, his memory serves as a grim reminder of hatred and violence.

The threat of lynching has been used to specifically terrorize the African American community for decades. It has been used to silence us, hold us back from success and progress, and keep us in what racists perceive to be our place.

Even worse, of the thousands of people who were lynched, virtually no one was ever held accountable by authorities. Thousands were murdered. And we were met with silence.

That’s why I’m proud to have supported the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act and to see lynching finally recognized as a federal hate crime.

While this legislation is long overdue, there is no time like the present to address injustices of the past. The millions of Black Americans in this country can feel relief knowing that Congress has finally taken this step toward justice, and we can move forward from this painful chapter in our history and affirm the value of Black lives in America.

President Biden signing this bill into law signifies a new chapter in the history of this nation. As we continue to move toward a brighter future, it’s critical that we ensure hate crimes such as these do not go unpunished.

Sincerely,

Terri Sewell