A Few Days Full of Trouble: A Memoir of the Lynching of Emmett Till

A Few Days Full of Trouble: A Memoir of the Lynching of Emmett Till

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  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2023-01-13 17:21:29
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Wheeler Parker
  • ISBN:0593134265
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Summary

The last surviving witness to the lynching of Emmett Till tells his story, with moving recollections of Emmett as a boy, critical insights into the recent investigation, and powerful lessons for racial reckoning, both then and now。

In 1955, Emmett Till was lynched when he was fourteen years old。 That remains an undisputed fact of the case that ignited a flame within the Civil Rights Movement that has yet to be extinguished。 Yet the rest of the details surrounding the event remain distorted by time and too many tellings。 What does justice mean in the resolution of a cold case spanning nearly seven decades? In A Few Days Full of Trouble, this question drives a new perspective on the story of Emmett Till, relayed by his cousin and best friend—the Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr。, a survivor of the night of terror when young Emmett was taken from his family’s rural Mississippi Delta home in the dead of night。

In a hypnotic interplay between uncovered facts and vivid recall, Rev。 Parker offers an emotional and suspenseful page-turner, set against a backdrop of reporting errors and manipulations, racial reckoning, and political pushback—and he does so accompanied by never-before-seen findings in the investigation, the soft resurrection of memory, and the battle-tested courage of faith。 A Few Days Full of Trouble is a powerful work of truth-telling, a gift to readers looking to reconcile the weight of the past with a hope for the future。

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Reviews

Jacqueline

I was privileged to receive an advance copy of this book from @OneWorldBooks。 A Few Days Full of Trouble is a tough read as it is brutally and appropriately honest about the nearly impossible task of getting justice for the murder of Emmett Till。 However, it provides a strong message of hope that some good can come from that unspeakable crime。 Reading the sections that focused on the investigative process was challenging but highlighted the sheer tenacity it took his family to stay focused on ac I was privileged to receive an advance copy of this book from @OneWorldBooks。 A Few Days Full of Trouble is a tough read as it is brutally and appropriately honest about the nearly impossible task of getting justice for the murder of Emmett Till。 However, it provides a strong message of hope that some good can come from that unspeakable crime。 Reading the sections that focused on the investigative process was challenging but highlighted the sheer tenacity it took his family to stay focused on achieving justice。 The book also gives us a glimpse into the life of Reverend Parker, an elder statesman and cousin of Emmett Till。 As a white woman who has lived most of my life four miles from Emmett Till's birthplace, a large part of what this book taught me is the importance of sharing the stories of all our community members。 Only by learning about others' lived experiences can we ever have restorative justice in the United States。 I rate books on how they touch my soul; this book deserves five stars。 。。。more

Tara Rounds

While I feel for the author and those affected by the brutal murder of Emmett Till I would not recommend this book。 I went back and forth on trying to finish the book and just wanting to give up on it。 The writing is repetitive, long winded, and at times I got bored and distracted while reading。 The book is very thorough in telling the journey taken over the years to seek justice for Emmett Till。 While I can understand the hurt, pain, trauma, and struggle of the civil rights movement the writing While I feel for the author and those affected by the brutal murder of Emmett Till I would not recommend this book。 I went back and forth on trying to finish the book and just wanting to give up on it。 The writing is repetitive, long winded, and at times I got bored and distracted while reading。 The book is very thorough in telling the journey taken over the years to seek justice for Emmett Till。 While I can understand the hurt, pain, trauma, and struggle of the civil rights movement the writing in the book is predominantely one sided and slanted toward hatred and inequality toward the white race even in the current years。 This one sided view of the white race in my opinion contradicts the main point of seeking equality for all races and showing that every person no matter their race or status should be valued。 I did feel that the author had some heartfelt and honest points for forgiveness and equality toward all races in the Epilogue。 I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest review。 All opinions expressed in this review are my own。 。。。more

Susan O'Bryan

Emmett Till。 Say the name and immediately be taken back to 1955 and the murder of a 14-year-old Black boy who supposedly spoke roughly to a White woman in Money, Miss。Emmett Till。 Say the name and feel the pain of a family who spent decades trying to get justice for the loss of a son, cousin, best friend。 A young man who died for doing nothing wrong, yet being judged for the color of his skin。Both are the memories that have haunted the Rev。 Wheeler Parker Jr。 since the night his cousin was taken Emmett Till。 Say the name and immediately be taken back to 1955 and the murder of a 14-year-old Black boy who supposedly spoke roughly to a White woman in Money, Miss。Emmett Till。 Say the name and feel the pain of a family who spent decades trying to get justice for the loss of a son, cousin, best friend。 A young man who died for doing nothing wrong, yet being judged for the color of his skin。Both are the memories that have haunted the Rev。 Wheeler Parker Jr。 since the night his cousin was taken and murdered。 In his memoir, Parker sets the story straight about his family’s search for justice---and to spread the truth---about a senseless murder that spurred the civil rights movement across much of America。 It’s a story that’s hard to read, but Parker’s voice is one to be heard。 He’s the last family member to see Till alive。 That memory, along with survivor’s guilt, haunt him still, driving his quest to honor his cousin。 Together with longtime friend and attorney Christopher Benson, the two have followed a long, long road to find the truth about the past---and the presence of continued racism。Parker knew his cousin Emmett, known as Bobo to his family, wasn’t familiar with the South’s racial discriminations。 Till was from Chicago, where Black wasn’t a bad word。 Where he felt free to live his young life。 When he came to visit his relatives in Mississippi, he wasn’t prepared for the restrictions imposed by many White residents in the rural South Delta。 The young man was abducted and murdered after a White woman claimed he spoke improperly to her and grabbed her wrist in a store。 It was a incident that never happened, according to Parker who was there with his cousin。If you’re familiar with civil rights and history, you know the outcome。 Two White men were acquitted in the beating, lynching and murder。 Emmett’s mother Mamie had an open-casket service for her son, showing all the horrible brutality of racism。 That was the beginning of a quest to find justice for Till and show the world that he wasn’t a “Black beast,” but rather a victim of lies, cover-ups and injustices。What sets Parker’s memoir apart from all the books, documentaries, etc。, about Till is that he was was there。 He laughed with his cousin before that horrible night, and he cried with his family when Till’s body was recovered。 And he’s still crying。Parker’s story is a sad, complicated struggle against bureaucracy, lies and misperceptions。 It’s a personal story about the end of youth and the start of a lifelong pursuit。 It’s heavy, yet tender。 Determined, yet open。 This heartfelt memoir is a blend of youthful memories, grown-up struggles and the outcome of what many consider the birth of something akin to Black Lives Matter。 FBI investigations were revived, interviews were uncovered, and politicians reacted for better or worse。 Between its pages, Parker lays bare inconsistencies in reports, files and documentaries, all cited and researched in detail。 Did the White woman recant, or didn’t she? Did a writer lie, or where the facts misconstrued? It’s all that---and more, according to the last surviving witness to Till’s abduction。 Parker doesn’t write with anger。 It’s more a sense of what’s right and wrong。 Till’s murder, and racism in general, were wrong。 It’s only right that his memory be preserved。Now, nearly 70 years later, there are still questions that will never be answered。 Too much time has passed。 Too many witnesses have died。 But thanks to the Parker, his cousin---and what his death represents---lives on。Thanks to the author and Netgalley for an advanced copy。 。。。more

Sue May

I finished this book this morning at about 5am。 Have been reading it for quite some time。 At least a week or more。 That is a long time for me to spend on one book。 But it is a hard one to read and absorb。 I think it will be with me for some time。 Rev。Wheeler Parker Jr。 is one amazing man。 And a haunted one I think。 Being familiar with this tragic story I wasn't sure what to expect。 But it will read the same to anyone who has or has not heard of Emmett Till。 Horrifying, to say the least。 And to o I finished this book this morning at about 5am。 Have been reading it for quite some time。 At least a week or more。 That is a long time for me to spend on one book。 But it is a hard one to read and absorb。 I think it will be with me for some time。 Rev。Wheeler Parker Jr。 is one amazing man。 And a haunted one I think。 Being familiar with this tragic story I wasn't sure what to expect。 But it will read the same to anyone who has or has not heard of Emmett Till。 Horrifying, to say the least。 And to our shame still a huge problem in this great country of ours。 I cannot review as much as say how we all need to do better。 As it is the first of a new year let us all try to be kinder and gentler with each other。 We have a lot of work to do but it needs to be done。 。。。more

Deryn Tang

A FEW DAYS FULL OF TROUBLE by Rev Wheeler Parker and Christopher BensonThis book is all about getting justice for the abduction, torture, and lynching of Emmett Till, back in 1955, by his family。 A 14-year-old African American boy who was accused of offending a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, in her family's grocery store。 This horrific story was sadly bungled in the initial investigation by racial biases, attitudes, and behavior, with no one being found guilty of the crime。 The long fight to get j A FEW DAYS FULL OF TROUBLE by Rev Wheeler Parker and Christopher BensonThis book is all about getting justice for the abduction, torture, and lynching of Emmett Till, back in 1955, by his family。 A 14-year-old African American boy who was accused of offending a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, in her family's grocery store。 This horrific story was sadly bungled in the initial investigation by racial biases, attitudes, and behavior, with no one being found guilty of the crime。 The long fight to get justice is portrayed by the author; it was a long and tedious journey through all the different law enforcement agencies and the Department of Justice, taking most of his lifetime。 He had the help of Alvin Sykes and others who persisted until he had laws changed that could bring the perpetrators to justice。 At the end of the day, the author had to come to terms with what justice would look like。 How could he feel that justice had been served? What meaning and purpose did the life of Emmett Till have concerning racial justice and the country’s attitudes and systems? Has anything changed because of Emmett Till’s Lynching?This book was challenging; people could be so cruel to another human being, a child at that, but also how hard it is to get justice when you have a system that is biased by racism。 I certainly hope that the authors achieve their goal of bringing awareness, reconciliation, and hope for the future through education regarding these practices and a system that supports them。 For anyone wanting to understand the true nature of this evil, this book will open your eyes。 。。。more

Laura A

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book。 This book uncovered many facts about Emmett Till that we were not aware of。 This was a brutally honest book and is a must read。

Michelle Garrett

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of A FEW DAYS FULL OF TROUBLE by Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr。 and Christopher Benson。 I was really intrigued to read about the firsthand witness account of Rev。 Parker as the cousin and best friend of Emmet Till。 I did enjoy his personal stories about his cousin and his experience of the horrible night of his death and the survivor's guilt he's experienced ever since。 His message about making sure justice could happen for future Black people of America ev Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of A FEW DAYS FULL OF TROUBLE by Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr。 and Christopher Benson。 I was really intrigued to read about the firsthand witness account of Rev。 Parker as the cousin and best friend of Emmet Till。 I did enjoy his personal stories about his cousin and his experience of the horrible night of his death and the survivor's guilt he's experienced ever since。 His message about making sure justice could happen for future Black people of America even if they couldn't get it for his cousin is so important and inspiring。 Unfortunately, a lot of this got bogged down by a whole lot of detail about FBI investigations, movie rights, monuments, etc。, that would have been more interesting if they'd been honed down quite a bit。 Instead, these parts of the book got repetitive and tedious。 I'm rounding up my rating for generosity and for the sake of the important perspective this book provides—I just wish there had been more focus on the personal, emotional center of this story。 。。。more

Kim

What a difficult yet important and necessary work involving mountains of research and family accounts。 Emotions swirl, twist and frequently overwhelm in this powerful narrative by Reverend Wheeler Parker, Emmett Till's close cousin, friend, eyewitness and advocate。 Armed with the truth, Parker corrects previous misinformation from many sources。I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation。 This review is my opinion。 What a difficult yet important and necessary work involving mountains of research and family accounts。 Emotions swirl, twist and frequently overwhelm in this powerful narrative by Reverend Wheeler Parker, Emmett Till's close cousin, friend, eyewitness and advocate。 Armed with the truth, Parker corrects previous misinformation from many sources。I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation。 This review is my opinion。 。。。more

Wafflepirates

*Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*The lynching of Emmett Till is a well-known event。 For decades, the events that took place that night have been discussed, debated, and reviewed over and over by all parties involved。 This memoir, written by Till's cousin who was a primary witness and life long advocate seeking justice for Emmett, discussed what Parker recalls of that night in 1955, as well as the recent re-opening of the case。 *Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*The lynching of Emmett Till is a well-known event。 For decades, the events that took place that night have been discussed, debated, and reviewed over and over by all parties involved。 This memoir, written by Till's cousin who was a primary witness and life long advocate seeking justice for Emmett, discussed what Parker recalls of that night in 1955, as well as the recent re-opening of the case。 The book goes into a lot of detail about the processes the family had to go through to get the case looked at, and how they felt about how it unfolded。 The narrative is easy to read and follow, though I did get bogged down in some parts。 This was an illuminating read, and one I recommend to anyone wanting to learn more。 。。。more