In April, I was proud to introduce the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act in the Senate. Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
In 1955, Emmett Till, a 14 year old African American teenager from Chicago, was brutally murdered while visiting relatives in Mississippi. The perpetrators of this horrific crime were acquitted, with the jury deliberating for less than an hour. Yet the next year, the murderers of Emmett Till admitted to committing this crime to a reporter.
Unfortunately, there are many cases like Emmett Till’s. Over a decade ago, a cold case researcher named Alvin Sykes convinced Congress to pass the Emmett Till Act in 2008 to enable the Justice Department and the FBI to reopen these cases so that the truth about what happened to these Americans could come to light. That law unfortunately expires next year, and Mr. Sykes asked me to help him in his effort to continue it.
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| WATCH: Sen. Burr delivers floor speech on the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act |
There are many evils of our past that we cannot right, but we can make sure that we finally uncover the truth about these injustices. The families of the victims and America deserve no less. My legislation will make it possible for the FBI and the Justice Department to continue their important work to investigate these cold cases and to pursue convictions when possible.
Uncovering and confronting the truth about these crimes is essential to ensuring that no one is above the law and that all Americans are worthy of the protection of our laws.