Jenny Holen
UNK Office of Multicultural Affairs, 308.865.8127
UNK- “The Whistle That changed America,” the story of the murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till, is the focus of an African American Heritage Month presentation on the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus Monday, Feb. 8,
Telling the story of the incident will be former professional baseball player Byron Embry, who will give his presentation beginning at 7 p.m. in the Nebraskan Student Union Ponderosa Room. His presentation, which is sponsored by the UNK Office of Multicultural Affairs and TCADS (Tribunal Council of African Descent Students), is free and open to the public.
Till, an African American, was murdered Aug. 28, 1955, in Mississippi after whistling at a white woman. The murder played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement. According to Embry, between 1882 and 1968, 573 men of African decent were hanged in Mississippi.
Embry, who played professional baseball for 12 years for the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals and the Seattle Mariners, retired from baseball in 2008, and is now a motivational speaker for his company, Closing Remarks.
“I started this company, because of my passion for speaking to people about living their dreams,” Embry said. “Closing Remarks’ mission is to impact, encourage, inspire and empower individuals to be who they desire to be.”
