Gavin Newsom

Gavin Newsom Instagram – Last April in Jackson, Mississippi, I was able to visit the Emmett Till exhibit with the Mayor and his family.

Nothing would prepare me for the faces of my children as we walked through the exhibit: passing images of Emmett’s horrific mutilation, photographs of his mother weeping over his unrecognizable body, and seeing the bullet-ridden sign that once stood to mark where his body was found.

As my 7, 10, 12, and 13-year-olds learned about what happened to 14-year-old Emmett, I learned why every child must learn this history, too. Children like mine will never have to experience the depths of dehumanization and racial violence that Emmett, his family, and Black Americans continue to experience today. 

There are too many leaders in our country right now who want to brush this — and so many other horrific pieces of our history — under the rug.

@POTUS’ establishment of this national monument is an important step toward healing and a visual reminder to us all that we cannot turn our backs and deny or rewrite our past. 

Our nation must fully understand the impacts of our history on the present day to be able to heal and progress. Today is a step toward that. The truth stands tall — just as the life and legacy of Emmett Till always will. | Posted on 26/Jul/2023 03:41:47