9 4 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁often ▁migr ating ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁Coast ▁for ▁defense ▁industry ▁jobs . ▁ ▁As ▁with ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁majority - black ▁D elta , ▁Le fl ore ▁County ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁site ▁of ▁activ ism ▁and ▁white ▁violence ▁during ▁the ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Mov ement . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁the ▁events ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁l yn ch ing ▁of ▁ 1 4 - year - old ▁Em m ett ▁Till ▁unfold ed ▁in ▁the ▁un in cor por ated ▁community ▁of ▁M oney , ▁Mississippi . ▁Till , ▁a ▁te en age ▁African - American , ▁was ▁visit ing ▁from ▁Chicago ▁and ▁stay ing ▁with ▁relatives ▁in ▁M oney ▁where ▁Bry ant ' s ▁Gro c ery ▁and ▁Me at ▁Market ▁was ▁located . ▁At ▁this ▁store , ▁Till ▁encountered ▁Carol yn ▁Bry ant ▁and ▁was ▁accused ▁of ▁fl irt ati ous ▁behavior . ▁Bry ant ' s ▁husband , ▁Roy ▁Bry ant , ▁and ▁another ▁white ▁man , ▁J . W . ▁Mil am , ▁ab duct ed ▁Till ▁later ▁that ▁evening ▁from ▁M oney ▁and ▁beat ▁and ▁tort ured ▁him ▁at ▁several ▁locations ▁in ▁Le fl ore ▁and ▁neighbor ing ▁count ies ▁before ▁shooting ▁him ▁and ▁dump ing ▁his ▁body ▁in ▁the ▁river ▁in ▁Tal lah atch ie ▁County , ▁Mississippi . ▁Bry ant ▁and ▁Mil am ▁were ▁acqu itted ▁by ▁an ▁all - white ▁j ury ▁of ▁Till ' s ▁murder ▁at ▁the ▁Tal lah