Devery Anderson, author of “Emmett Till: The Murder that Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement,” will speak at a program at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the Central Kansas City, Mo., Public Library, 14 W. 10th St., Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City, Kan., human rights activist Alvin Sykes also will appear on the program along with library director Crosby Kemper III to discuss the 1955 civil rights case and its effects on society today.
Sykes served as one of the sources for Anderson’s book and led an effort to get the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act passed in 2008, and is working on passage of an extension of the Till act. Sykes, the scholar in residence at the library, will introduce Anderson. The original Till Bill passed the House in 2007 and the Senate in 2008. It provides for the investigation of unsolved civil rights cases, and it will sunset in 2017 unless the extension is passed.
Anderson’s book is being made into a television mini-series to be broadcast on HBO, according to Sykes. Will Smith and Jay Z are two of the producers for the mini-series.
Sykes plans to give an update on the Till Bill II in his introductory remarks at the program. The bill was passed through the Senate in July, he said. It bogged down with requested language changes in the House. There was concern that the election might hamper its passage, but Sykes believes now that there is a good chance the bill will pass during the lame-duck period. If the clock runs out, he would still be optimistic that it would pass in the next session, he said.
“We’re now getting down to the nitty-gritty on these changes,” Sykes said. “I think we’re going to reach consensus on the changes. I feel optimistic that we’re going to get it passed during lame duck session in the next couple weeks.”
Sykes said he is very excited about Devery Anderson coming to Kansas City to discuss his book. Anderson also may talk about the upcoming mini-series.
Sykes said reservations are needed for the free library program on Tuesday, to determine the size of the meeting room and the number of seats required. Reservations may be made to 816-701-3407 or to https://www.kclibrary.org/node/20617/register.
For an earlier story, see https://wyandotteonline.com/human-rights-activist-calls-for-expansion-of-emmett-till-act/.