Here at the Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center our mission is to provide a penetrable, thought-provoking, and educational experience to preserve and promote the historical and cultural heritage of the Town of Glendora, Tallahatchie County, and the State of Mississippi in the continued struggle against civil and human wrongs.
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The River Site sign in this photo was the second sign that has been destroyed by vandalism. The sign has been replaced multiple times due to being shot. Since then the sign has been replaced again and it has a new design that is bulletproof.
The Black Bayou Bridge is the infamous bridge where Emmett Till's body was disposed of located in Glendora, MS. This bridge once connected the town of Glendora to every plantation north, south, east, and west of Glendora, MS and was considered the Las Vegas for the plantations surrounding the town because it's purpose at that time was to connect sharecroppers to Glendora, MS so that they could go and relieve themselves of their harsh living conditions by venting their frustrations. The bridge has been designated as a historic structure but lacks the designation civilly due to being the bridge where Emmett's body was dumped from into the Black Bayou.
Just beyond these branches located in the mouth of the Black Bayou is where 14-year old Emmett Till's body was found and removed from the infamous Black Bayou, just three days after his abduction.
Johnny B. Thomas is not only the founder of the Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center (E.T.H.I.C. Museum), but he is also the Mayor of the Town of Glendora Mississippi and has been for the past three decades. He is also a native of Glendora, Ms. One day this man made his vision become a reality by utilizing the historic significance of his father Henry Lee Loggins as it relates to other African-Americans all under the duress of the Jim Crow south. His father was one of the 5 African-American men listed as an accomplice to the kidnapping and brutal murdering of Emmett Till who was only 14 years old at the time. From there his dream became not to pursue justice but to begin the healing on the site of the cotton gin grounds, which is now the site of the museum. He was the first African American elected to public office in this 1833 county, first as constable, and second as county supervisor. His newest accomplishment is becoming an author publishing his first book A Stone of Hope which can be purchased on Amazon using the following link https://www.amazon.com/Stone-Hope-Slavery-Glendora-Mississippi-ebook/dp/B079KHC5C7/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1543009141&sr=8-21&keywords=stone+of+hope
Photo taken by: Isabelle Armand