August 28 marked the anniversary of the murder of Emmett Till. As we stand on the cusp of Till’s tragic death almost 60 years ago, I reflect on how far we as African Americans have come and how far we still have to go to become equal in society.
The circumstances of Till’s and Michael Brown’s deaths are similar and yet different. Till was murdered by private citizens who decided to act on their feelings of hate and racism, while Brown was killed by a policeman who was sworn to protect and serve the community in which he worked.
So far, none of the aforementioned killers have been punished for their crimes. Till’s killers were acquitted and Officer Darren Wilson was placed on paid administrative leave, awaiting a grand jury to determine his fate.
There are many issues in Ferguson that will be studied for years to come. Why were there only 3 black police officers out of 53, a white police chief and a white mayor in a city that is 67 percent black? Why did only 6 percent of Ferguson’s African-American population vote in the last municipal election? Why was Michael Brown’s body allowed to lay on the street over four hours? Where do we go from here?
As you can see, there are many questions that are left unanswered, but now it is time for answers.
First and foremost: It is crucial that Michael Brown’s family receives justice in the killing of their son and that the case against Wilson is tried with integrity, fairness and equity. The eyes of the world are on Ferguson and what we will do in our moment of crisis. It is up to all of us to remain focused to ensure that justice is served in this case.
Ferguson must become the place where police brutality and the killing of our young black men are no longer tolerated. I commend Attorney General Eric Holder for conducting a separate federal investigation to ensure that justice is served.
Secondly, it is imperative that African Americans throughout the St. Louis metro region get out and vote on the issues that are affecting our community and hold the leaders accountable for their actions. Registering to vote is one step, but we must participate on election day. Vote for people who are serving your interests and not just because you recognize their name on the ballot.
Now is a crucial time for residents of Ferguson and beyond to organize block units and participate in the political process and demand fairness, equity and shared resources.
The time is now for the St. Louis metropolitan area to take a stand against police homicide, brutality and racial profiling. Our young black men should not be afraid to drive in their cars or walk in their own neighborhoods for fear of police abuse. It is only through a united, multicultural movement that our city can rise above this tragic set of events and our racially segregated reputation to become the city that we are meant to be.
Michael McMillan is president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.
