New book ‘The Barn’ delves into the lasting impact of Emmett Till’s murder in Mississippi

“The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi” shines a light on a story that Black families have been sharing with their children ever since the death of Chicago teenager Emmett Till was featured in the September 15, 1955 issue of Jet magazine. Photos of Till’s ravaged body still haunt memories till this day. And at the same time, the murder was also a major moment in the Civil Rights Movement. Having been born 22 years after Till’s murder in Money, Mississippi, and growing up some thousands of miles away in Brooklyn, New York, I had my opinion on Mississippi set in stone because of it. My first visit to the Magnolia State was this summer when I took my family on a visit to Jackson, the state capitol. During my interview with Thompson, who hails from Mississippi and felt this story needed a Mississippi Delta native to tell it in its proper context, called the book a, “historical math problem.” Wright Thompson’s latest book, “The Barn” (Penguin Press), will hit bookstores around the country on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Thompson talked to The Atlanta Voice about his inspiration for the book. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta VoiceThe Atlanta...