Could you imagine a world where people could get away with murder just because the person was black? This was common during the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy from Chicago, Illinois, is just one example of the cruelty and mistreatment of Afro-Americans. -Americans in the United States. His death and the acquittal of his killers were the spark that ignited a movement that changed America forever. The brutal murder of Emmett Till launched the civil rights movement and was an example of how Jim Crow laws affected the treatment of African Americans in the South. For Emmett, growing up in Chicago was a refuge that hid him from the cruel treatment of African Americans. south. Emmett Louis Till was born on July 25, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the only child of Louis and Mamie Till. Emmett never met his father, who was killed while serving in the army in Italy. His family later learned that he had been killed for raping two white women and killing another. Emmett was very close to his mother and took care of her as best he could. Most of his friends and family called him "Bobo" or "Bo". He contracted polio at age 5 but recovered with only a slight stutter. “Those who knew Till best described him as a responsible, funny, and infectiously witty kid.” ("Biography of Emmett Till") Emmett was always planning practical jokes and was very confident. He also worked hard and took on many domestic responsibilities at home. “Emmett had all the responsibilities of the house,” his mother later recalled. "I mean, it really was all on his shoulders, and Emmett took it upon himself. He told me that if I worked and made money, he would take care of everything... middle of paper ..... After being imprisoned, they finally paid for their sins Emmett Till's unfair trial and failure to comply with the South's Jim Crow laws cost him his life and lit the fire of the rights movement. his mother, Mamie Till, describes her son as the "sacrificial lamb" who helped the African-American community achieve equality with other Americans. Although Emmett will be missed, his life and death had a meaning. meaning that even he couldn't understand. American Experience: The Murder of Emmett Till. PBS, 2009. Web. April 22, 2014. Anderson, Devery. “Emmett Till.” Emmett Till. Np, March 4, 2014. Web. April 22, 2014. “Emmett Louis Till.” 2014. Biography.com Website April 22, 2014 Huie, William B. "The Shocking Story of an Approved Murder in MISSISSIPPI." Watch January 24 1956 : 46-50..