There was a young Chicago kid
His name was Emmett Till
Went down south to see his kin,
but instead he got killed.

Young Emmett had a stutter
He whistled a lot instead
And according to his mother,
that’s how he ended dead.

A lady in a grocery store
Accused him of offense,
A black man in Jim Crow
Didn’t stand a chance.

They murdered Emmett Till,
Roy Bryant and his friends.
The jury said they didn’t kill
and no one made amends.

Emmett’s death was a racist deed
And shameful to the nation.
His memory reminds us of the need
to fight hate and segregation.