Memphis, TN, Dec. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On December 15, the National Civil Rights Museum will host a special virtual screening of the anticipated ABC limited series, “Women of the Movement” based on the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till. The museum is one of the select sites across the country to premiere the series before its January 6 network debut.
Mamie Till-Mobley, who in 1955 risked her life to find justice after her son Emmett was brutally murdered in Jim Crow Mississippi, chose to bear her pain on the world’s stage, emerging as an activist for justice and igniting the Civil Rights movement as we know it today. The three-week limited series stars Adrienne Warren as Mamie Till-Mobley, Tonya Pinkins as Alma Spearman, Cedric Joe as Emmett Till, Ray Fisher as Gene Mobley, Glynn Turman as Mose Wright, Chris Coy as J.W. Milam, Carter Jenkins as Roy Bryant, and Julia McDermott as Carolyn Bryant.
“We know that young Emmett Till was murdered in Mississippi while he while visiting with his uncle and cousin during the summer of 1955. There are mixed facts and emotions about what actually happened. What this series does is tell the story of Emmett through his mother Mamie Till-Mobley’s story and her fight for his justice. The series is brilliantly done. You’ll want to see all episodes,” said Faith Morris, NCRM Chief Marketing & External Affairs Officer. “I have to add, the timing of the Department of Justice’s decision to close the case was not lost on any of us as I discussed the ‘Women the Movement’ series and the DOJ’s action with the series creator, cast, and especially the family.”
The panel will discuss a wide range of questions including the recent U.S. Department of Justice’s decision to close the 2018 cold case after failing to secure proof that an important person, Carolyn Bryant Donham, in the case lied, according to case officials. The federal law under the 2006 FBI investigation of cold cases named the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act after the young civil rights martyr. The suspects Bryant and Milam admitted to the murder but were never brought to trial before they died.
The museum screening includes the first two episodes and a panel of actors, contributors, filmmakers, and family members with:
- Marissa Jo Cerar, creator and executive producer
- Adrienne Warren as Mamie Till-Mobley
- Cedric Joe acting as Emmett Till
- Tonya Pinkins as Alma Spearman, Mamie Till-Mobley’s mother
- Ray Fisher as Gene Mobley, Till-Mobley’s husband and her partner during her son’s murder
- Glynn Turman as Mose Wright, Emmett Till’s uncle
- Rev. Wheeler Parker & Dr. Marvel Parker – Rev. Wheeler is Till’s cousin who traveled from Chicago to Mississippi with him that fateful summer of 1955. He and his wife established the Summit (IL) Community Task Force and Emmett Till Memorial Center.
- Ms. Ollie Gordon, cousin of Emmett Till who was the goddaughter of Till-Mobley
- Christopher Benson, co-author of the book Death of Innocence with Till-Mobley a book about Emmett Till
Faith Morris is the panel moderator.
The series trailer and a three-minute behind-the-scenes video is on ABC’s website. The free museum screening is open to the public but registration is required by December 13. Visit the museum’s website for more information.
About the National Civil Rights Museum
The NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of visitors from around the world have come, including more than 90,000 students annually. Serving as the new public square, the Museum is steadfast in its mission to honor and preserve the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. It chronicles the American civil rights movement and tells the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights, serving as a catalyst to inspire action to create positive social change. A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and libraries. It is a TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Top 5% U.S. Museum, USA Today's Top 10 Best American Iconic Attractions; Top 10 Best Historical Spots in the U.S. by TLC's Family Travel; Must See by the Age of 15 by Budget Travel and Kids; Top 10, American Treasures by USA Today; and Best Memphis Attraction by The Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Business Journal.
About Smithsonian Affiliations
Established in 1996, Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative partnerships with museums and educational and cultural organizations to enrich communities with Smithsonian resources. The long-term goal of Smithsonian Affiliations is to facilitate a two-way relationship among the Affiliate organizations and the Smithsonian Institution to increase discovery and inspire lifelong learning in communities across America. More information about the Smithsonian Affiliations program and Affiliate activity is available at www.affiliations.si.edu.
