Randi GoneyThe Power of One - Emmett TillThe Civil Rights Era was about eliminating discrimination from African Americans and gaining respect from them. In 1896, the Plessy v. Ferguson case made African Americans equal, but they were segregated in everything they did. In the North, discrimination is not as serious a problem, but it persists. In the South, African Americans were treated very poorly and black people were lynched almost daily. The death of fourteen-year-old Emmett Till sparked a massive civil rights movement across the country. Emmett Till was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 25, 1941. He lived his entire life in the North with his mother, Mamie Till. When Emmett was four years old, his father died fighting in World War II. Mamie then raised Emmett as a single mother in a middle-class black neighborhood. With only one parent at home, Grandma worked long days to earn money for her and Emmett. Emmett then took on responsibilities at home, which included cleaning and cooking every day. In 1955, Mamie's uncle, who lived in Mississippi, came to visit his many relatives in Chicago. During his visit, Emmett heard about his southern cousins ​​and wanted to return with his great-uncle to visit them. Granny was completely against the idea, but then relented and allowed Emmett to leave. His decision would soon affect many people and cause a large movement. Emmett and his great-uncle, Moses Wright, arrived on August 21, 1955, in Money, Mississippi. Emmett and his cousins ​​bonded very well and one day after working in the sun, they decided to go to the local store to buy something to drink. They walked into Bryant's grocery store and meat market, bought middle of paper......friend Till never forgot the pain of her son's death, but she was very proud of wake up the country and show what was in fact, the way African Americans were treated. Emmett's death changed history forever by surprising the country about what was happening and sparking many other civil rights movements and protests. Today, African Americans are equal to everyone and are treated with the same respect. No one at the time could believe that such harsh things could happen, but his death proved many wrong. Racial discrimination and segregation should never have happened, nor should it have reached the point where the lynching of humans was acceptable. What happened to Emmett Till helped open Americans' eyes to the racial disgust that reigns across the country and, in doing so, ignited a massive civil rights movement for equality and justice for all..