On September 2, the Emmett Till Center uncovered that the historical marker dedicated to him in the Mississippi Delta would have to be repaired or replaced after it was knocked off the pole supporting it.
Allan Hammons, president of the agency who created the sign, told The Associated Press, “It was not defaced in any way.”
The historical marker, which is part of the Mississippi Freedom Trail toppled over this week, stood outside the former Bryant’s Grocery & Meat Market in the city of Money.
Today, we found out that the Emmett Till historical marker in front of Bryant’s Grocery in Money, MS, is missing. It appears to have been hit by a vehicle and removed. pic.twitter.com/VfA6RP2s3c
— TillNationalPark.org (@EmmeTillcenter) September 2, 2021
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Hammons also mentioned that railroad construction has been taking place in the area and may be a possible cause of the incident.
He believes that the heavy equipment used by workers may have hit the pole and toppled the sign late Monday or early Tuesday. After finding it on the ground Tuesday, the Leflore County road crew stored the sign into storage.
Hammons who’s firm, Hammons & Associates, is responsible for creating metal signs in honor of significant civil rights makers and music, said that the sign would be fixed or replaced.
Despite another version of this metal sign being vandalized in the past and another Till historical marker in the area having been shot multiple times, Hammons doesn’t believe there was malicious intent in the damage to the sign.
As previously reported, Till was a 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago, who was abducted, found beaten, and mutilated after being accused of allegedly whistling at a white woman working at a store in 1955.
Till’s tragic death became a pivotal point of the civil rights movement.
