Who are Roy Bryant and J.w. Milam? Who murdered Emmet Till?
by Swetha P | Updated Mar 23, 2023
Who are Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam?
The brutal murder of Emmett Till, which helped spark the Civil Rights movement, was carried out by Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam. In 1955, while visiting family in Money, Mississippi, 14-year-old African-American Emmett Till was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by two white men, Roy Bryant and John William Milam.
This heinous, racially-motivated crime caused a national outcry and brought attention to the harsh reality of Jim Crow segregation in the South. It served as a significant turning point in the Civil Rights Movement, galvanizing activists and sparking a push for change across the country.
Who murdered Emmet Till?
Who killed Emmet Till? Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, the white men responsible for the murder of Emmett Till, were arrestedon August 29, 1955 and stood trial the following month. Despite the overwhelming evidence against them, an all-white, all-male jury acquitted them of all charges in just one hour. The case was reopened by the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI in 2004 to investigate potential co-conspirators, but no new charges were filed. In 2017, Carolyn Bryant Donham, the ex-wife of Roy Bryant and the catalyst for Till's murder, recanted her testimony that Till had made advances on her but later denied recanting when questioned by the FBI. In 2021, the case was again closed without any new charges being filed.
Why was Emmet Till murdered?
Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago who was brutally murdered in Mississippi in 1955. The reason for his murder was racially motivated.
Emmett Till had been visiting relatives in Mississippi and was accused of whistling at a white woman in a grocery store. Four days later, two white men, Roy Bryant, and J.W. Milam, kidnapped Till from his relatives' home, beat him, shot him, and then dumped his body in the Tallahatchie River.
The murder trial of Bryant and Milam became a national story and was a key moment in the Civil Rights Movement. Despite the overwhelming evidence against them, including a confession, an all-white jury acquitted the two men.
The murder of Emmett Till is considered a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, as it drew national attention to the violence and discrimination faced by African Americans in the Jim Crow South.
Where was Emmet Till killed?
Emmett Till was a Chicago native who spent his summer vacation in Mississippi. While visiting, he encountered Carolyn Bryant, a white woman who owned a small grocery store in Money, Mississippi. It is unclear what exactly transpired during their interaction, but it resulted in Till being accused of breaking social norms by flirting with or touching Bryant. This went against the unwritten rules for black men interacting with white women in the Jim Crow-era South. A few nights later, Bryant's husband Roy and his half-brother J.W. Milam, armed with a weapon, went to Till's great-uncle's home, abducted him, beat him, shot him in the head, and disposed of his body in the Tallahatchie River. Till's mutilated and swollen body was found three days later.
In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till was murdered in Mississippi, bringing national attention to the racial violence and discrimination present in the state. While visiting family, Till may have whistled at a white woman in a store, leading to his kidnapping and brutal killing by Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam. The trial and media coverage of the case inspired many young African Americans to join the Civil Rights Movement, fearing that they or their loved ones could be similarly targeted. This case had a profound impact on the lives of many interviewed for the Civil Rights History Project.
Emmett till’s murderers
Following the brutal murder of Emmett Till, Roy Bryant, and J.W. Milam were indicted on charges of kidnapping and murder, and their trial took place in the small Mississippi town of Sumner. Mose Wright, Emmett's late great-uncle, was the star witness who bravely testified against the accused in the courtroom, identifying them as the ones who had come to his home and abducted the child at gunpoint.
Shockingly, the all-white jury took just one hour and seven minutes to return a verdict of not guilty. Adding insult to injury, Bryant and Milam later admitted to torturing and murdering Emmett Till in an interview with Look magazine. Despite this confession, the double jeopardy law prevented them from being tried again. Roy Bryant died of cancer in 1994, while J.W. Milam passed away in 1980, both having escaped full accountability for their heinous crime. The failure to bring Till's murderers to justice highlights the deep-seated racism and injustice that characterized the Jim Crow era in the American South.
Who are Roy Bryant and J.w. Milam- FAQs
Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam were responsible for the murder of Emmett Till.
Emmett Till was murdered because of racial prejudice after he was accused of whistling at a white woman in a store.
Emmett Till was killed in Mississippi while visiting family.
The murder of Emmett Till galvanized many young African Americans to join the Civil Rights Movement, as it drew national attention to the violence and discrimination faced by African Americans in the Jim Crow South.
The case was reopened by the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI in 2004 to investigate potential co-conspirators, but no new charges were filed. The case was again closed in 2021 without any new charges being filed.