[Michlib-l] Presenter Recommendation--The Memory and Legacy of Emmett Till

[Katharyn Haas]

Good Morning,

I would like to recommend Jim Herm, a Southwest Michigan resident and retired public school teacher, as a presenter.

Last night, he gave a marvelous presentation entitled "The Memory and Legacy of Emmett Till: A Story of Geography, History and Racism" at my library. Jim spent the past several years researching the topic and visiting recently opened historical sites. He mentioned that he would be interested in giving this presentation at other libraries. He is very responsive to inquiries, and you can reach him via phone or email: 269-303-1808 (cell/text number) or Jimherm at hotmail.com

Here is an excerpt from one of his handouts where he explains his background with the topic:

"I am honored and humbled to present tonight’s program on behalf of the Emmett Till family, the Emmett Till Memorial Commission, (ETMC), and to the many lives lost in the sixty-six years since the civil rights struggle began. This story was quiet for over fifty years and it is only recently that three new books, an upcoming film, and current news about Emmett Till have been published. I spent the past three years accumulating information about the Emmett Till case after reading Timothy Tyson’s book, The Blood of Emmett Till. After Tyson’s book, I read Devery Anderson’s book, Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement, and the 2019 book, Remembering Emmett Till, by Dave Tell. I am indebted to Steve Whitaker, who wrote his master's degree thesis in 1963 about the Emmett Till case entitled, A Case for Southern Justice. Steve and I met in Tallahassee, Florida and spent several hours together reviewing his 194-page thesis. He gave me special permission to access a digital copy of his work, made available by Florida State University Library’s Digital Repository: DigiNole. FSU holds all the archived materials from the Emmett Till trial and other historical records. I am also indebted to Professor Davis Houck, from Florida State University, and Professor Dave Tell, from the University of Kansas. Both professors were very gracious in answering my many questions about the history of what really happened throughout the Emmett Till case from the beginning to the present. And finally, I would like to thank all the members of the Dawn Patrol, who have strengthened my awareness of systemic racism through our weekly meetings, readings and discussions, and Interfaith Strategy for Advocacy and Action in the Community (ISAAC) for allowing me to serve on their antiracism task group (ARTG)."

All the best,

Katharyn Haas
Adult Services Librarian
Adult Programming Coordinator
Portage District Library
she/her/hers

5528 Portage Road
Portage, MI 49002
(269) 585-8711
portagelibrary.info

"We read to know we're not alone." ~William Nicholson, Shadowlands
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