1955. how many more bodies do we need to see to know that these things happen. right. and so i i'm of weighing with that. i also see that there are differences. and for me, that's what kind of saves that a little bit, that we can speak to the relevant voice of her work and her gesture, but we can also think about what we can do in our own moment, kind of think of our sociopolitical issues today. and with that, i can, you know, distance myself away from, you know, the the mental state of studying horrible event, such as this this this murder. thank you. thank you. it's all the time we have. thank you all so much for coming and making. thank you. thank you go to venture.

good afternoon, everyone. please have a seat. good afternoon. to our president, joe biden, members of congress, the members of the hill family, my fellow americans, today we gather to remember our history. we gather to an act of astonishing violence and hate and to the courage of. those who called upon our nation to look with open eyes at that horror and to act the story of.

emmett till and. the incredible bravery of mamie till-mobley helped fuel the movement. civil rights in america and their stories continue to inspire our collective fight for justice. when i served in the united states senate, i was so honored to sponsor the emmett till anti-lynching act alongside congressman bobby rush, and it was an even greater honor. stand beside our president, joe biden, as he signed law that finally made lynching a federal crime. so many leaders today made that progress. our history as a nation is born of tragedy and triumph of struggle and success. that is who we are. and as people who our country,

as patriots, we know that we must remember and teach our full history, even it is painful, especially when it is painful today. there are those in our nation who would prefer to erase or even rewrite the ugly parts of our those who attempt teach that enslaved people benefited from slavery. those who insult us in an attempt to gaslight us, who tried to divide our nation with debates. let us not be seduced into believing that somehow we will be if we forget, we will be better. if we remember, we will be stronger. if we remember. because we all here it is only

by understanding and learning from our past that we can continue to work together to build a better future. and so now it is my honor to introduce the leader who has dedicated his life to preserving and protecting our history and reverend wheeler parker, jr also shared with me that he and his wife will be celebrating this weekend,. 56 anniversary of marriage rev wheeler parker in their native new.

in fact, we were married 56 years on. my wife say when we get to heaven i'm going to say lord not appear to. i see we have a whole lot of events that. i'm truly humbled by this honor. you see, i was born in mississippi i spent my early years as a sharecropper and was on filling up nine foot sack up on my quota not making history from the outhouse to the house. from a time when we live fear to a time when president and vice president gave us this great hope. kept their promise delivering this is what america means me promises me promises kept.

it has quite a journey for me from the darkness to the light. when i sit with my family on the night of when emmett till wall was taken from us, taken to be tortured, brutally murdered, murdered back then when i was overwhelmed with terror and fear of certain death. in the darkness of a thousand, midnight in a pitch black house on what some have called fear ruled back then in the darkness could never imagine a moment like this standing in the light of wisdom, grace and deliverance. there's something amazing you feel when you meet president biden like i did when he signed the emmett till anti-lynching law into a lynching bill into

law he welcomed me to this place of great power. i the power of his personal devotion, his devotion to justice as to equality, his commitment to keeping the promise of america. this came from his heart, from his soul, god bless you, president biden, for you have done and will do to preserve our history, ladies and please join me in recognizing president biden. and. i'm not going to whisper to me. thank you, reverend parker, and thank all of you for being here.

i want to thank kamala for her not only capacity to do what she does, but the fire with what she brings to the things cares a lot about. to all the members of congress, including representative bennie thompson, senator tammy duckworth, representative danny davis, senator -- durbin, who is a wish, a speedy recovery from covid, just recovered from covid right now. and who have long fought to honor the two family. it's not any of them to the children, really. it's an honor to be with you again. you know, when i was preparing his remarks i. i cried, frankly. and my colleagues understand this i found myself trying to temper my anger as i was ready to. i'm not joking. i can't fathom i can't fathom what it must have been like.

it's hard to believe was 12 years old. and i just you know, i know no matter how much time has passed, how many birthdays, how many events, how many anniversary is it's hard to relive, brings it all back. we're talking about rev as it happened yesterday the images in your head things you remember but it's inspiring to see how many of your family continued as mothers courage to find faith in pain purpose in pain that's that's a remarkable thing seems to me insisting on open casket casket for her murdered and i might add and mutilated son. 14 years old 14 years old she said let the people see what.

i've seen let people see what i have seen. my god, all of have lost children in other ways. how hard it is even to close the casket, keep it open. i didn't want to debate it. it's plain to see the child that had been maimed. the country and the world saw, saw. and i just heard the story of emmett till and his mother has a story of a family's promise and loss. the nation's reckoning with violence over, overwhelming abuse of power and brutality. it's hard to fathom, hard to fathom this even a war for me it's hard to fathom. but today what we've been would

have been at its 82nd birthday, we had another chapter in the story. i remember it's in healing just we joined together when signed lorna's name to make a federal crime i think how long that took that to happen i mean and we screened the movie at the white house today. we joined as i signed a proclamation designating emmett till and mary till mobley national monument in both illinois and. random lynching a matter of law. we talked about wanting do this,

but to from the community it's been so overwhelming i thank the members of congress for their support more than their leadership at a time when there are those who seek to ban books bury history. we're making it clear crystal crystal clear clear. how darkness and denialism can much they nothing you can hide but they erase nothing. we can't just to learn what we want to know we have to learn what we should know. we should know about our country. we should know everything. the good, bad, the truth of who we are as a nation. that's a great nation is do and we are a great nation.

that's what they do. for only with truth comes justice repair and another step forward toward forming a more perfect union. we got a hell of a long way to go. that's. that's what's happening. that's just going to happen with visitors of all backgrounds to learn the history of emmett till and mamie till-mobley through our national monument look, telling the truth and the full history of our nation is important. it's for our children, our grandchildren our great grandchildren, to our nation as a whole. i've it before. what's the lesson i learned coming out of not like real leaders in the civil rights movement? i came out of the civil rights movement a kid the public and i used to you know, i used to say thank you, pass something as good. you make it go away.

hate never goes away. it just hides and hides under the rocks and give me a bit of oxygen. my bad it comes roaring again. it's to all of us to deal that after all of us to stop it up to all of us the best writers with the truth. it's using a different context. but i think it's time applies here side is complicity. i will not be silent, nor will you be silent about how how. there's really critical work ahead to continue the fight for racial justice and equality for all americans. and my administration is committed leading the path forward. and i know the members of congress here are even more than that. i'm going to close this. the reason the world saw what

mrs. till mobley saw was because another hero in this story, the black press press. well, i'm sure. jet magazine, the chicago defender, another newspaper as a radio announcers who told the story, were unflinching. and the bravery, which was they? that story, making sure america saw saw what they saw ought to be. well one said, quote, the way to right wrongs to turn the light of truth upon them, the way to right wrongs is to shine a light of truth on them. well, that's our charge today, by the present day, do you ever think we'd be talking banning books in america? banning. i'm sure, is to tell family to

all of you here today. i thank you for your courage, for never giving, never, never giving up. before. i say, what's more is on my mind. i'm not going to leave this podium. oh, i'm just barbaric. barbaric. what happened. seriously, all you moms there imagine the courage which it took to say, let see the courage. each. is now my honor to sign this proclamation in memory of emmett till and miss mamie till-mobley. and i thank all for being here. and i am. i know i'm considered too much of an optimist, but i believe if

we keep pushing, we're going to continue to progress. we continue to make progress. it's already been made. the idea that we're not year old was buried in this indian treaty room. this many people of color holding powerful office, changed the direction of the country would have been beyond our comprehend. we're just getting started started.

it's about family. i get to be right in front of the rest of. the. community ready. proclamation. i'm signing establishes the emmett till mamie till mobley national monument.