"The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till" DVD Review

"The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till" is an important, conversation-provoking documentary providing the intimate details into the vicious killing of young Emmett Till back in August 1955. Till's murder has gone down in history as one of the primary catalysts for the American Civil Rights Movement. This film shows why the case remains a vital chapter in the history of race relations in America.

Back in 1955, 14 year-old Emmett Louis Till paid a visit his mother's relatives during which he performed an innocent act most boys/men have committed more than once in their lives - he whistled at a woman. This single act had dire consequences.

In the deep South in the 1950s, African-American men did not whistle at white women. Emmett did and paid for the act with his life. Ripped from his great-uncle's home, Emmett was brutally beaten and murdered. The men who took his life so viciously went on trial and were found innocent by an all-male, all-white jury which was par for the course during that era in American history.

However Till's story didn't end there. His death helped unite those who sought equality and justice for citizens of all races. "The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till" provides detailed accounts of the events from eye-witnesses as well as family members. More importantly, filmmaker Keith Beauchamp's 10 year journey to re-examine Till's murder led to the reopening of the case by the US Department of Justice almost 50 years after Till's death.