During the mid 1950s, there was a viral epidemic in Mississippi Money , Mississippi Mississippi
In the south, segregation laws were very strict (Pitock). The Jim Crow laws were laws that segregated the blacks from the whites in ever day activities involving each other. These laws were extremely strict to the point where whites and blacks were segregated from working in the same buildings, to even drinking from the same water fountains. Intermarriage, for example a black male marrying a white woman, weren’t acceptable in the south. Voting rights were also one of the many things banned from African-Americans during the Jim Crow Law era. If these laws were broken, one of the most famous ways of punishment was lynching. In almost every case that the Jim Crow Laws were broken, the victim was usually executed (Jim Crow movement).
Since Emmett had whistled at Mrs. Bryant, the whites “had to serve justice”. Mrs. Bryant’s husband Roy, and J.W. Milam, Bryant's half brother went to go find Emmett two days after the incident when they were informed. To the two half-brothers and apart of the Jim Crow laws, “wolf-whistling” is considered a way of flirting. It was not tolerated in any way, type, or form of flirting while the Jim Crow laws were in effect. Now, for the two half brothers, it didn’t take them long to find where Emmett had been hiding. The morning of August 28, 1955, sometime around 2 A.M., Emmett had been kidnapped by Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam from his uncle’s cabin. It wasn’t soon after those others had found out to what had actually happened to Emmett. Emmett was found dead on August 31, 1955 (Beauchamp).
On August 31, 1955, Emmett was found lying in the Tallahatchie River carrying a massively heavy cotton gin around his neck. His face and his body were in bad shape. There was really no way of regaining Emmett back to his original looks. Considering there was a 75 lb Cotton Gin tied around his neck, there was probably no chance of him ever surviving the horrendous attack.
