Woman Whose Accusations Caused Emmett Till Murder Dies | Roland Martin

The white woman whose accusations led to the murder of Emmett Till has died.

According to the Calcasieu Parish Coroner's Office in Louisiana, Carolyn Bryant Donham passed away at 88.

In 1955, Carolyn Bryant Donham said 14-year-old Emmett Till whistled at her and made sexual advances toward her. Those accusations led to Till's kidnapping and lynching.

Bryant Donham's husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother J.W. Milam were later tried and acquitted of Till's murder.

Last year advocates pushed for her arrest after an unserved arrest warrant for kidnapping, an attached affidavit from Till's uncle, and court minutes from 1955 were found in the basement of a Leflore County, Mississippi, courthouse.

However, a grand jury declined to indict Bryant Donham on any charges.

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[cortezriley]

She cannot escape GOD's Judgement!

[christhornycroft]

I'm white and Canadian, but I have a picture of Emmett and his mom on my wall in my living room, to always remind me of what animals we can be as human beings. Whether the kid whistled at a woman or not, he's a kid. Sure, it led to the start of the Civil Rights era because Emmett's mom had an open casket and people were forced to confront their worst demons. But a 14 year old boy shouldn't have had to die for it. I have no stomach for prejudice of any kind. I don't care what your excuse is. This woman's story is all too familiar. Bill Burr mentioned the history of white women hooking up with black guys and then if they got caught, claiming it wasn't consensual, so all the white guys go and Lynch the black guy who did nothing wrong. I grew up with a lot of racial slurs uttered in my family, and they never get easier to hear. I'm also disabled, so I get slurs myself. Obviously, the history isn't the same and nobody wants to murder my crippled ass because I have spina bifida, but I know what it's like to feel like an outcast in your own country. RIP Emmett Till.

[jackiehenry]

They were so concerned about her age, but they go and arrested, an 80 yr old black woman hadn't paid a trash bill and they took her to jail.

[edvh]

And yet there are still so many people who deny that the US is racist. It’s infuriating. May she never rest, may her family never rest. They should be speaking out against her.

[TyroneNorwood]

The fact that she lived a full life compared to the blood on her hands for the life of a 14 year old child gives me no solice. The fact that a white man that is the same age as her, recently killed another child close to the age of Emmitt Till and he also will never face justice. America has so much blood on her hands.

[alisharo]

Good f*cking riddance. How she lived with herself this whole time is an enigma in and of itself. And never made an effort to correct her wrongdoing. Some people are just truly the devil.

[lencicollier]

"May she BURN in Hell"... Amen 🙏🏽

[pearlsaremybestfriend]

In all those years she had opportunities to call Mamie Till to say she was sorry. She never did. When interviewed about it, she said when asked if she was going to say something to Mrs. Till . She said something like, "they all are gone what difference does it make ?" It's also why we need to vote in our numbers. That DA or sheriff today wouldn't get away with something like that if they knew we were watching them. Elections matter lets make sure this doesn't happen again

[moniquewest]

We need to hold those accountable who had that arrest warrant and never acted on it.

[ngafsher]

Dying is the only thing she did worth talking about.

[pamelahurt]

What they did was the worse you could do to a human being 😢I hope they all rot in hell.

[gsjejhdheh]

I always think about Emmett and what his life would have been and the sad part is this is still happening to our young black boys

[sherrymayberry]

I’m a true believer when God says “ Vengeance is mine”
I don’t have to be a witness, I just believe God will always have his way🙏🏾🙏🏾

[johnnypool]

I am 75 years in age now. I was 8 years in age and I remember this happening so well back then, with me being a child. Since we lived in a very racist small town in Central Texas, my mom, my grandad and grand mother kept a very close watch on me. My grand parents were full blood Cherokee indians. He knew back then that black masculinity would come under fire, because he always talked about it. What he did was to prepare me for what could possibly happen when it comes to the so called white race. He was right!!! He has yet to tell a lie, and I remember what he told me extremely well. The things he related to me HAS surely came to pass. He passed away @ age 90 in 1985 and it is still happening today...5/2/2023. Thank You.

[BetterMe]

So now is her son going to write a book and profit off of his evil ass mother, or rather profit off of Emmett's vicious murder? And clearly he's been raised to be evil if we haven't heard a thing from him on all this.

[anniesizemore]

I cried when I saw his picture after they found his body. Emmet Till's story caused a lot of upheaval in my view of my own region. It was the first time I realized there were 2 different South's. The South had this whole other side to its history that is violent. i love my region and it has many good things. But it does have this violent and repulsive other past. The Lost Cause Mythology is responsible for tragedies like Emmet Till and prevented healing. She never saw really saw peace since he died. I mean, I have seen videos here on YouTube of people standing outside her house shouting at her. They found her everywhere she went. Just recently a Christmas parade in Bowling Green had to be cancelled because of protests against her. Emmet Till is in heaven. I agree Carolyn Bryant is not where he is. Obscene to even suggest she is. I feel so bad for that poor baby.

[kelleyhawk]

I so many times have been ashamed of being a white woman in 🇺🇸, but this whole horrible horrible act is the worst of the worst. I’ve been also so infuriated with this woman and ALL those who hurt that child! Carolyn is the entire reason that beautiful boy was murdered. I have prayed that she, her husband, brother in law and that fat sheriff have a very “special “ judgment face to face with our lord. I’m sorry that they didn’t face a brutal punishment here on earth. I AM SO SORRY that anyone has been judged based on color and I am sorry for all the hurt and hate. May God OUR father heal our hearts. 🙏❤️

[kiwiidelight]

She finally haS to answer for what she did

[lindadunkerson]

He never scratched the palm of her hand nor did he whistle at her ugly behind.

[patriciajohnson]

Dr. Greg Carr's words were spoken with pure empathy. I felt your words, Dr. Greg Carr.