A Few Days Full of Trouble: Revelations on the Journey to Justice for My Cousin and Best Friend, Emmett Till

by Wheeler Parker Jr., Christopher Benson

The last surviving witness to the lynching of Emmett Till tells his story, with moving recollections of Emmett as a boy, critical insights into the recent investigation, and powerful lessons for racial reckoning, both then and now.

In 1955, Emmett Till was lynched when he was fourteen years old. That remains an undisputed fact of the case that ignited a flame within the Civil Rights Movement that has yet to be extinguished. Yet the rest of the details surrounding the event remain distorted by time and too many tellings. What does justice mean in the resolution of a cold case spanning nearly seven decades? In A Few Days Full of Trouble, this question drives a new perspective on the story of Emmett Till, relayed by his cousin and best friend—the Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr., a survivor of the night of terror when young Emmett was taken from his family’s rural Mississippi Delta home in the dead of night.

In a hypnotic interplay between uncovered facts and vivid recall, Rev. Parker offers an emotional and suspenseful page-turner, set against a backdrop of reporting errors and manipulations, racial reckoning, and political pushback—and he does so accompanied by never-before-seen findings in the investigation, the soft resurrection of memory, and the battle-tested courage of faith. A Few Days Full of Trouble is a powerful work of truth-telling, a gift to readers looking to reconcile the weight of the past with a hope for the future.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Memoir, True Crime, Race, Biography, Crime

416 pages, Hardcover

First published January 10, 2023

Reviews

[Catharine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special thanks to Random House/One World for reaching out to me with this book in exchange for an honest review!! I think this is going to be a long review, so if you don't want to read the whole thing, here's the important piece: READ THIS BOOK!!

I think like most people nowadays in America, I have heard the horrendous story of what happened to 14 year old Emmett Till back in 1955 and the court case that followed that let the men who murdered him go. This book however tempered my thoughts and feelings about the lynching, changing a story i thought was sad into a story that is absolutely terrifyingly tragic. This is because it is written by someone who was there. someone who felt the severe pain of the experience, and not only that, but someone who was Emmett's best friend and cousin, Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr.

Reverend Wheeler is an eloquent writer. From page one you feel entranced by the words he pens. It is almost like he is sitting next to you, discussing all this over lunch, making sure you are understanding everything he is saying. He writes patiently, and I am thankful for that because this book has a lot of names in it!! Reverend Wheeler makes sure you know who everyone is in this piece, and will repeat titles and familial correlations throughout the book to ensure the reader's full understanding.

This story starts at the beginning, long before the terrible murder, when Reverend Wheeler and Emmett were even younger boys, and this book ends in 2021. He takes you through the full journey of being best buddies with his cousin, experiencing the night of terror when they took Emmett from the house, and the long slog for justice that continues even now that the book has been written. It is a painful journey, but a very important one to learn about! I cannot express how imperative I feel this piece will be for the future of our country, and the world really, because of how raw and unfiltered everything Reverend Wheeler discusses.

You feel his fear that terrible night, you learn about his survivor's guilt, you see the joy he felt being with Emmett before the terrible lynching, and you feel the frustration of being a black person in the 50's, and a black person in the 2020's. Throughout the piece you think about how things have progressed, but also how things need to keep going. Reverend Wheeler does an amazing job of sharing his insights into the issues of race and white supremacy's hold on the world while also citing facts and making sure nothing he says is misinterpreted the wrong way.

As you might assume, there are many other books out there (and shows, movies, etc etc) that try and show the story of Emmett Till, and although most of them attempt to bring the most accurate interpretation of what happened to the readers, they all fall flat. THIS book does not fall flat, in fact I would dare say it is one of the only pieces out there that could be seen as an accurate interpretation of what transpired, not just because Reverend Wheeler cites and proves the research he's done, but because ***he was there***. And as of this date in 2022, he is the only surviving member that is still alive, the last of the survivors.

I am so thankful to have read this book. It has given me such a deeper understanding of the cruelty that was shown to not only Emmett, but to black Americans back then AND today. It will anger you to read, but hopefully will inspire each of us to learn to be better people to each other and ignite the flame in everyone's hearts to strive for justice and equality for all. This piece will change you, but I promise it's for the better.

[Deborah Cleaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uneven

The book isn’t what’s reflected in its title. The title leads you to believe it’s an eyewitness account of events over ‘a few days’, but it isn’t. Instead it reflects a journey of 66 years to the unfortunate conclusion that justice is forever blind and flailing in the dark seeking to hold someone accountable for atrocities and failing. It is in particular an indictment of 3 people, all authors, who pervert truth to enhance their lives with no apologies to those they have harmed. It is the last shout of anguish from the last eyewitness to the lynching of Bobo, Emmett Till.

[Ma'Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

You might be surprised that I'd give this new memoir, told from the lips of Emmett "Bobo" Till's cousin, who was there the night Emmett was abducted and brutally murdered. It certainly made me weep at times, and I learned a lot about the family's decades-long efforts at investigating and responding to new potential revelations. I also found it to be excessively repetitive, evangelical, and patriotic. Somehow, in 14 hours of poring over various details, this memoir never addresses what many other sources have said to be the most critical wave-making bomb in the aftermath of Till's death: his mother's choice to have an open casket funeral, forcing much of the world to look at what white supremacist violence produces. Perhaps Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr. and his editor decided that topic had been covered sufficiently elsewhere? That seems unlikely to me, but how am I to know what motives this man, who has been plagued by tearful nightmares for nearly 70 years, has for focusing more on the procedural aspects of injustice in the case than on the gruesomeness and its impact. He does bring up comparisons to the recent murders of Black people by police, quoting the late Sen. John Lewis, who said "Emmet Till was my George Floyd."

Parker tells his story at age 83-84, and with admirable sharpness, recall, and, at times, righteous fury. What I can't really get behind is his belief that indicting the white bitch (my words, not his) who callously sentenced his cousin to an early, torturous death at the hands of white men, would bring about some kind of resolution. Nor do I agree with his belief that this nation is, or ever has been, "united," democratic, or just. I can't really hold it against him that Parker leans so heavily on his Christian faith - whatever offers him peace and loving guidance, right? - but as powerful memoirs go, this was just not one of the better examples I've read.

[Michelle Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of A FEW DAYS FULL OF TROUBLE by Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr. and Christopher Benson. I was really intrigued to read about the firsthand witness account of Rev. Parker as the cousin and best friend of Emmet Till. I did enjoy his personal stories about his cousin and his experience of the horrible night of his death and the survivor's guilt he's experienced ever since. His message about making sure justice could happen for future Black people of America even if they couldn't get it for his cousin is so important and inspiring. Unfortunately, a lot of this got bogged down by a whole lot of detail about FBI investigations, movie rights, monuments, etc., that would have been more interesting if they'd been honed down quite a bit. Instead, these parts of the book got repetitive and tedious. I'm rounding up my rating for generosity and for the sake of the important perspective this book provides—I just wish there had been more focus on the personal, emotional center of this story.

[Wafflepirates · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*

The lynching of Emmett Till is a well-known event. For decades, the events that took place that night have been discussed, debated, and reviewed over and over by all parties involved. This memoir, written by Till's cousin who was a primary witness and life long advocate seeking justice for Emmett, discussed what Parker recalls of that night in 1955, as well as the recent re-opening of the case. The book goes into a lot of detail about the processes the family had to go through to get the case looked at, and how they felt about how it unfolded. The narrative is easy to read and follow, though I did get bogged down in some parts. This was an illuminating read, and one I recommend to anyone wanting to learn more.

[Marty Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was not easy reading for a number of reasons. I found the minutiae of research, reports of meetings, and court appearances to be a little stodgy. It was also difficult to read because of the horror of the crime which was committed against Emmett Till. I wanted more of Parker's recollections about the person Emmett Till was and the life he lived. There is no justice for Emmett Till, because there is no accountability. I agree with the author that justice would mean Emmett was still alive and thriving.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating.

The lynching of Emmett "Bobo" Till is an extremely well known event. This book takes you inside the event from the eyes of his cousin, Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr. We relive the events of that day as well as the next 66 years of what Rev Parker and his family went through trying to obtain justice for Bobo. You experience the pain of survivor's guilt that haunts Rev. Parker daily. You learn of the strength Mrs. Till held over the family in keeping them together and how her passing left a hole.

This is a long story that will definitely not be for everyone. It can be long winded and drag at times. I wish there were more memories from his childhood with Bobo, as I know my childhood memories with my cousins are some of my favorite, but I also have to remember that they didn't live in the same city year round.

I highly recommend this book for those who want a different perspective.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narration is excellent. So much admiration for Rev. Wheeler Parker, Jr. and Chris Bensen. Basically everything and anything you could want to know about the Emmett Till case, straight from the horse's mouth.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr. carries the intergenerational and direct trauma of Emmett Till's lynching. His cousin and best friend, the Parker Jr. was one of the people in the house that night around 2:30 in the morning when the murderers Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam came to find 'that boy' who had whistled at Bryant's wife, Carolyn--although the version she told them was full of complete fabrications designed to inflame their already hostile white supremacist urges to harm African-Americans. Parker Jr. has tried for so many years to set the record straight--to fight against the misinformation and disinformation that has circulated about Emmett Till's murder in August 1955. It made me want to scream reading about people who accused this innocent child and insisted he had done something to 'deserve' his brutal fate (Till was 14 when he was murdered). It infuriates me to say there are still people out there who hold this unconscionable view. Parker Jr. reminds readers that all of Carolyn Bryant's bold-faced lies were absolutely false--especially the ones she told the court in Mississippi during her husband and his half-brother's trial. She insisted that Emmett Till had grabbed her hand, and her waist, had propositioned her, and worse. Parker Jr. states that Till had a severe stutter and could not have said most of what Bryant accused him of (the stutter was one of the side effects that lingered from his having contracted polio as a child before a vaccine was available).

Reading the passages in which Parker Jr. believed that he was going to die as Bryant and Milam forced their way into the home where Emmett Till was staying while visiting family in Mississippi is beyond haunting. I cannot begin to imagine the trauma that Parker Jr. lives with--a direct witness to all that unfolded, willing himself to move forward, to take action, to do something, to stop what was happening to his cousin and best friend, unable to move, paralyzed by fear. Parker Jr. was staying at the home of his uncle, Moses Wright. Both Parker Jr. and Emmett were Wright's nephews. In the cover of night, Wright saw what more men in a pickup truck waiting--a posse that were there to take away Emmett and murder him. Of that Wright had no doubt. He had seen enough violence in his lifetime to count for a hundred lifetimes in the Deep South of the Mississippi Delta. He also saw--and this is even more painful--two Black men in this posse who were ready to participate in what would be Emmett Till's brutal lynching. The two Black men are believed to have been Henry Lee Loggins, and Levi 'Too Tight' Collins, who an undercover reporter found at a bar nearby. Although family members, scholars, activists, and community members have raised questions about whether these Black men were forced to go along with the beating as well as murder of Till, one family member rightly pointed out that none of them came forward, even though they had information that could have brought some form of justice or some shred of accountability to Bryant and Milam. It remains one of the most painful chapters in this history.

Parker Jr. also describes the incredible guilt he felt in his friendship with Emmett, or Bobo as he was known to friends. The Reverend had grown up in the Mississippi Delta, picking cotton and sharecropping, born in a place called Slaughter. He had a difficult life of catching one's own food, like hogs, and then the process of making sausages and hams to be stored for winters when food was more difficult to come by. He had to prepare peaches for canning and do homesteading tasks in addition to his field work. The separation between his ancestors who were enslaved and toiling on cotton fields and the link between what he and his family were now doing while he was growing up was not lost on him. The family had a relative in Argo Illinois, now Summit, and as millions of other African-Americans had done, moved to the North, to Chicago, for chances of a better life during one of the Great Migrations.

The Reverend describes Emmett's joys as well -- that even though he had grown up in Chicago, far away from the Mississippi Delta and the Deep South with all its harsh realities, that he hadn't done fieldwork and his food came packaged and ready, for instance, that he shared his toys and money and was a vibrant, fun person to be around. The love that the Reverend has for his cousin shines bright and punctuates the moments of sorrow, and of all of the many difficult battles he and other family members have fought to try to get justice for their slain cousin. He also talks about the impact of the murders of more recent times, of people like Eric Garner, of Tamir Rice, of Breonna Taylor, and how justice is still made to be out of reach for countless Black Americans across the nation.

One of the things Parker Jr. blames himself for is the fact that he was going back to Mississippi that summer, 1955, to visit with relatives there, and family. Emmett Till loved his cousin and wanted to go too. So of course, he blames himself for Emmett having gone to Mississippi in the first place and for what happened to his beloved cousin. That is a very difficult part to read, because the reader understands why he would blame himself, and wants to assure him that he couldn't have known. No one could have known, even though the elders, like Emmett's mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, warned the boys that this was not such a good idea. Eventually, it was decided that as long as Emmett was warned with a talk about how not to behave down South vis-a-vis white people, that it should be sufficient. Unfortunately, as readers know painfully too well, things did not unfold that way.

There is still some dispute as to whether Till whistled at Carolyn Bryant outside of the grocery store that she was working at that day, Bryant's Grocery & Meat Market. They had a number of Black customers, something that the white family were known to resent. They even grazed the head of another Black customer with a bullet based on a previous occasion and although the book doesn't chronicle other racially-motivated killings that Byrant and his half-brother may have participated in, the Reverend clarifies that Carolyn grew up in the daughter of a plantation manager and nurse in a place in Mississippi known for particularly vindictive white supremacist activity. In every single interview Carolyn has given, she has tried to cover for herself. She has painted herself as an innocent little lamb who got mixed up with a husband with a 'temper,' and then she spends most interviews defending him as well.

Part of the Reverend's book discusses the modern-day fights to get justice for Till, which have included the FBI interviews with Carolyn Bryant and her sister-in-law, Juanita, circa 2004 to 2006, as well as the troubling evidence surrounding her discussions with book author Timothy or Tim Tyson. Around a similar timeframe, Tyson, who is a white historian, gained access to the Bryant family--Carolyn, and her daughter-in-law, Marsha, for what he told them would be a book. Now, there's still some debate about whether he was talking about her memoir, I Am More Than a Wolf Whistle (to her subtitle I would like to add I am the lying, conniving, heartless white supremacist who got an innocent child killed and I don't feel bad about it even decades later but that would be a little too on the nose. Sales and marketing teams might have had a harder time selling that...)

What Tyson may or may not have mentioned is that he was recording interviews with this woman for the purposes of his own book, The Blood of Emmett Till which came out circa 2017. The details begin to get murky and confusing because both Carolyn Bryant and Tyson have wrapped themselves in cocoons of lies to protect themselves. Of course, Carolyn more-so, and because she likely still cannot face the guilt of knowing her crime which is something that I do hope haunts her for the rest of her life. In Timothy's case, his duplicity was more when he was asked by Parker Jr. and Emmett Till's living relatives to provide recordings and documentation--drafts of manuscripts--in which he was working with Carolyn Bryant to extrapolate exactly where she had dropped the bombshell on him that he claimed was the main revelation--the new information--and selling point of his book. Tyson stated firmly that Carolyn Bryant admitted to him that she lied and that she exaggerated about what Emmett Till had done and said to her, and that she accepted responsibility for his brutal murder. Now, here's the other tricky part. Tyson had to prove okay, where do you have her on tape saying that exactly? And then he gave a sort of 'well, the dog ate my computer' excuse. The transcriber he was working with who took the hours and hours of recordings and typed them up also said the dog ate her hard drive. The FBI obtained both of their machines and were able to restore the so-called deleted data. 1) Why would Timothy delete the single most important bombshell interview evidence he had ever collected? And then hide behind how 'well, historians don't really discuss unpublished materials...'; 2) The other main problem was that nowhere on the recordings does Carolyn Bryant ever say a confession or what Timothy so assertively insists that she confessed. So, Timothy sent the FBI team a facsimile a post-it note he had taken a scribble on and written something, but it wasn't her confession. So... what happened?

Readers need to read this book to find out themselves. The layers upon layers of duplicity and lies are staggering and will make most readers' heads spin. There was also the matter of fighting to keep the Emmett Till case an active investigation, for lack of a better term, so as having the resources to keep trying to get to reparations for the family members, and to see if it would still be possible to get Carolyn Bryant charged, and specifically indicted. Unfortunately, the statute of limitations was always on her side in many of the evidence and documents that existed and still exist. Parker Jr. rightly questions why, if this Timothy author had this bombshell information, did he not go to law enforcement or do something to give the 'reasonable doubt' needed to get some kind of legal action against Bryant?

One of the more painful aspects of the context around Timothy's book is that he did not speak to a single member of the Till family or their relatives. He said he didn't "need" their viewpoints and that their voices were 'not necessary' because he had 'everything he needed' from interviews and past statements. That's like something ... I just don't even know if I can convey both the ethical and moral problems with his mindset, the disrespect of his mindset, and most of all the "I will make money off of your family's suffering and profit for myself" mindset that he possessed and still possesses. He can try to talk as high a game as he wants about how he was doing this for 'justice' but when that false version of what he calls 'justice' involves not speaking to the people most directly impacted by this murder, that is highly suspect. By the way, this unethical and highly questionable historian who played dumb, or really is that dumb, when speaking to the FBI, covered up his lies with more lies so it's hard to believe anything he said. He won the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award and wrote 410 words, "not a single one of them was about how his work might have contributed to the pursuit of 'justice,' as recognized by the award. He wrote 410 words, and not a single one of them was about Emmett Till." I personally think he should be stripped of the award after the revelations that have come out about his murky role in interviewing Carolyn Bryant, claiming she confessed to lying and to getting Emmett Till murdered, and then backtracking and just talking in circles to the FBI investigators, casting shadows over his entire role in everything.

To say this book is a harrowing read would not do it justice. It is a necessary book, now more than ever. Too many people take for granted "Oh, everyone knows about Emmett Till." That is patently untrue. There are still so many groups, people today, or older children and teens who do not know about Emmett Till, or know a very simplified and "fits into a neat little box" version that doesn't expand on the true story.

The Reverend also speaks about the years of advocacy and the role that Mamie Till-Mobley played in dedicated her life to education and her heart-wrenching decision that did not allow white America in particular to ignore the brutality of what Black people in this country have suffered for centuries, and are still suffering. George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Sandra Bland. Tyre Nichols.

When Parker Jr. and his wife, Marvel, were able to review the manuscript and Tyson's notes of his interviews with Carolyn Bryant, they saw indications that he was highly doubtful and questioning of the veracity of what she was saying -- basically, in many parts, even he admitted he thought she was stretching the truth and lying or that something she was saying could not have been credible. Everything they thought could be used or might be an answer turned out to be a dead end.

Parker Jr. describes having worked with multiple investigators over the years, including Killinger, and a Special Agent Henry circa 2017 and on. He talks about the documentaries and films that have been made over the years. I'm curious why there was no mention of the film Till (2022) directed by Chinonye Chukwu and starring Danielle Deadwyler in a searing, and memorable performance as Mamie-Till Mobley. I had wondered if the Reverend was a consultant on the film, or other members of the Till family, because the details that Chukwu shows in that film are chilling in their accuracy, which readers will one hundred percent see when they read the Reverend's book. They will see, for instance, that when Milam and Bryant burst into the room where Emmett was sleeping with the other children, including the then 16-year-old Parker Jr., that the murderers were harassing him to hurry up and put on his shoes. He insisted on putting on his socks because he didn't want to put on shoes without socks. All of those things made their way into the brutal, and crucial film.

There was hope in the 2022 case when an old arrest warrant for Carolyn Bryant had been discovered that charged her with kidnapping of Till... but of course, the white sheriff at the time said you know what? She's a white woman with two kids to take care of. I'm not going to follow through on this. So the warrants for Roy Bryant and JW Milam were executed in 1955, but not Carolyn. And for that particular warrant to have had any kind of lasting impact of justice, it had a 2-year limitation on it so she would have had to face some kind of consequences between 1955 and 1957. Trying to do so in 2022 just was not legally possible, unfortunately.

The Reverend Parker Jr. knows that time is not on his side with Carolyn Bryant giving any kind of confession. She is now 88 or 89 years old, and right after Till's lynching, was moved around from house to house and her whereabouts kept secret so that she could continue to evade law enforcement or any accountability for her crimes. Nonetheless, Parker Jr.'s book is a searing indictment in one of the most important cases in American history of injustice, or murderers getting of scot free and of never being held to account for one of the most heinous, deplorable, and ungodly crimes of the 20th century. Parker Jr's book is essential reading. We must read his words. This is the testimony the same way of a Holocaust survivor's testimony, or someone who survived the Tulsa race massacre. This is America. This is American history, and readers have a duty to honour Emmett Till by remembering him always.

[Laura A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. This book uncovered many facts about Emmett Till that we were not aware of. This was a brutally honest book and is a must read.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems to me that this is a critical part of the problem we are facing in struggling against the weight of historical racism in this country. Too often, the media have been complicit in storytelling that tends to value White over Black…. I have something to say about this story, whether [a white author] relied on my truth or not. After all, I lived through it. There is not a day that has gone by over the past 67 years when I haven’t relived some portion of this experience…

This is the story of Emmett Till’s murder, and of all the different times and ways that story has been re-told—both by those who were complicit in the crime and by Emmett Till’s family in a persistent search for justice. A unique and important perspective from Emmett Till’s cousin and friend, who recounts that fateful day & the terrible night the lynch mob took Emmett Till from his family, as well as Rev. Parker’s own harrowing trip out of Mississippi afterwards and the civil rights movement that followed.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm grateful to Reverend Parker Jr. and Mr. Benson for writing this book. The brutal, appalling act on young Emmett, juxtaposed with the decades of the family and allies showing resilience and the display of their high character is, just, WOW. I read this right after publication and now that Ms. Bryant Donham has died I want to read newer book reviews and advocacy updates.

[Mira]

This is an fascinating book that talks about a very important, but brutal, part of American history that every American should be educated on. It's from a personal viewpoint and it shows more of Emmett Till's life, not just his death, that should be known, as well as giving details about the night when the 14-year-old was lynched.

However, this book paints Carolyn Bryant as the main villain of the Emmett Till story, and I don't believe that's true. Bryant's husband was the one who decided that he should murder Till - not as a "defense" of his wife but just because he wanted to murder a black boy and the whistle was a convenient excuse.

The author admits that Emmett Till actually did wolf-whistle at Carolyn Bryant. He describes it as a prank. I'm bringing this up not to say that Emmett Till in any way brought what happened on himself (he was a child and 100% did not), but just to point out that Carolyn was not lying about a wolf-whistle occurring. She did lie about the story where he put his hands on her and said sexual things to her, but not about the whistle.

The author also says that Carolyn was likely in the car with the men when the lynching began, and may have directed them to Till, but also admits he has no proof of this - just a memory of a voice that likely belonged to a woman.

So it's not true that Emmett Till was falsely accused by Carolyn for no reason, and it's not true that he whistled as a result of his stutter. It's also not true that he said horrible things to Bryant, and he by no means deserved to be lynched, so in a sense that's all irrelevant. But I do think it's important to be entirely factual about these things and not misrepresent anything.

Carolyn Bryant is 100% in the wrong for not defending Emmett Till, for sticking to an almost-entirely fabricated story, and for writing a hideously tone-deaf memoir that was thankfully never published. But was she at fault for his lynching, as I feel this book implies? No, not at all. Her husband, Roy Bryant, and J.W. Milam are the self-admitted murderers of Emmett Till. But hardly anyone knows their names, because blaming women for men's actions is easier.

And no, I'm not saying she's innocent, and I'm 100% not saying Emmett Till deserved to be lynched for a wolf whistle. But why all the hatred towards a woman who didn't even lift a finger against him? Emmett Till will never face justice because racist white men killed him and racist white men refused to prosecute his killers. A racist white woman played a role, but it was by no means the biggest or worst role, and the fact that she's the only one remembered is ridiculous.

Having said all that, this book is definitely worth reading. The story of Emmett Till is tragic, and his mother showing the reality of what a lynching looked like to everyone was an important moment in American history. America should never forget Emmett Till and what we let happen to him.

[Christi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Few Days Full of Trouble is a very important read that everyone needs to hear, as this is as close as you will get to the absolute truth of what happened to Emmitt Till. There are many Till books out there, but none are written by one that was an actual eye-witness to the events that unfolded on August 28, 1955, his cousin and best friend, Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr.

This book spans decades, from the event in 1955 all the way up to our current times and sadly shows that true justice will most likely never be fully attained, another fact that is gut-wrenching and beyond frustrating. All of the names of the disgusting humans that did this make me sick, but the name Carolyn Bryant truly makes my skin crawl. If she wouldn’t have did what she did then Emmitt would most likely be alive, and this nightmare (hopefully) wouldn’t have happened. She’s admitted to lying and should’ve been put to justice decades ago! I hope justice will be served, but sadly time is running out.

I am not a vindictive person by nature but I can’t help but wish the same fate that befell on Emmitt would’ve been bestowed on those that had any part of the torture and lynching of this wonderful child. He didn’t deserve anything that happened to him and my heart will never not ache when I think about him. I remember the first time I heard Emmitt Till’s story in school when I was in elementary school and it left an imprint on my heart that has only grown as I’ve gotten older. The injustice paired with how young and innocent Emmitt was makes this whole ordeal even worse.

If I had one complaint about the book I would say the repetitive nature did wear on me at times. From the introduction I could see this writer was going to be fairly repetitive, which being Emmitt Till’s cousin, and having been there in 1955, I can understand, as his writings come from a deeply emotional place. Still, repetitive writing can quickly become rote, causing the impact of the statements to not hit as hard as they could otherwise, which is a shame. Regardless, this is still a story that needs to be told and more importantly needs to be heard, and I am so thankful to Reverend Parker for speaking the truth since Emmitt can’t be here to speak it himself.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher through NetGalley. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.

[Wanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

In reading about the lynching of Emmett Till and his family's 66-year search for justice, it is almost easy to believe that this happened at a time closer to the beginning of the 20th century, instead of in 1955.

1955, the year after I was born, the year after Civil Rights Legislation was making headway, and the landmark Brown v Board of Education passed with unanimous approval of the Supreme Court on May 17, 1954 throwing out racial segregation in schools. To know that this happened to a 14 year old child, and no justice was given, the murderers exonerated, is to come face to face with our darkest history. A history that is even now being swept under the rug, the shutting down of teaching our true history so we can pretend we are that shining example of liberty and justice for all that we pretend to be.

Emmett Till's family continued to search for justice, to no avail. Although in 2022, the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act was passed, making this crime a hate crime and adding financial penalties and federal prison time of 30 years. This would apply to anyone who conspires to kidnap, kill, or commit aggravated sexual abuse liable to these punishments. This law would have applied to Carolyn Bryant, the woman who lied on the stand about what transpired and whose words and actions set into motion this heinous crime.

In this telling of the struggle to bring anyone to justice, the FBI opines this is the most famous "unsolved" crime. The crime WAS solved, and the murders found not guilty, and the woman who committed perjury got off scott free. These people even made money off their stories.
This statement should change "unsolved" to "unadjudicated"

There is no justice for Emmett Till or his family. This crime helped Kickstart the drive for justice for all...and that is all that can be said.

[Deryn Tang · Rating 4 out of 5]

A FEW DAYS FULL OF TROUBLE by Rev Wheeler Parker and Christopher Benson

This book is all about getting justice for the abduction, torture, and lynching of Emmett Till, back in 1955, by his family. A 14-year-old African American boy who was accused of offending a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, in her family's grocery store. This horrific story was sadly bungled in the initial investigation by racial biases, attitudes, and behavior, with no one being found guilty of the crime.
The long fight to get justice is portrayed by the author; it was a long and tedious journey through all the different law enforcement agencies and the Department of Justice, taking most of his lifetime. He had the help of Alvin Sykes and others who persisted until he had laws changed that could bring the perpetrators to justice. At the end of the day, the author had to come to terms with what justice would look like. How could he feel that justice had been served? What meaning and purpose did the life of Emmett Till have concerning racial justice and the country’s attitudes and systems? Has anything changed because of Emmett Till’s Lynching?
This book was challenging; people could be so cruel to another human being, a child at that, but also how hard it is to get justice when you have a system that is biased by racism. I certainly hope that the authors achieve their goal of bringing awareness, reconciliation, and hope for the future through education regarding these practices and a system that supports them. For anyone wanting to understand the true nature of this evil, this book will open your eyes.

[Alicia (PrettyBrownEyeReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued when I was contacted by the publisher to consider reading this book. I previously read Mamie Till Mobley’s book, Death of Innocence which was co-written by Christopher Benson. When I saw that Benson was co-writing this book, I wanted to see another aspect of the Emmett Till story and trust the work of Benson from my previous read.

This book is the account of Rev. Wheeler Parker, Jr. He is the last survivor of the horrendous night Emmett Till was kidnapped and murdered. Parker was the best friend and cousin of Till. I expected this to be an emotional read like I experienced with Death of Innocence. Instead this was a critique of works that have been written about Emmett Till and analysis of the legal proceedings and investigations over the years. It was refreshing to have an open account to the many pieces of the Emmett till story.

Since Parker is a minister he uses Job 14:1 as the title of the book, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.” There are quite a few references to Wheeler’s religious journey and how it has been a part of his journey with telling the truth of Emmett Till and seeking justice for the Till family.

This book would be ideal for readers who are interested in nonfiction, investigations, civil rights, literary critique and religious studies.

I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.

[J.L. Neyhart]

A Few Days Full of Trouble is a powerful and personal account of one of the most tragic and influential events in the history of the civil rights movement. Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr. was the last living witness to the kidnapping of his cousin and best friend, Emmett Till, in 1955. The book recounts Parker's harrowing journey from Chicago to Mississippi, where he and Till spent a few days with their relatives before Till was brutally murdered for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Parker vividly describes the fear, anger, and grief he felt as a 16-year-old boy who witnessed the horror of racism and injustice in the Jim Crow South. He also shares how his faith in God helped him cope with the trauma and find his calling as a minister and activist.

The book is co-written by Christopher Benson, a journalist and professor who has extensively researched and written about the Till case. Benson provides historical and legal context to Parker's personal story, as well as insights into the ongoing quest for justice for Till and his family. The book is not only a testimony of a survivor, but also a tribute to a martyr whose death sparked the civil rights movement. A Few Days Full of Trouble is a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about the history and legacy of Emmett Till, and the courage and resilience of his cousin, Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first response is I can't imagine...

This is a very well told story, it manages not to be a tear jerker, much more factual than explaining the emotions of that time and this. But it does in fact, convey the emotions of the remaining family and the family at the time quite eloquently. It evokes even more thought on the part of the reader about how they might feel in the same circumstance, soul searching as to how it would feel to be involved in any way, on any side of the issue.

I feel it is shameful that the Till family was led to believe that Carolyn Bryant had taken back her statement, and I think she lied and should have come forward with the truth. It's true that she will have to confess her sins to God and be judged by him alone, but she most certainly did some sort of wrong on Earth.

The reenactment by the high schoolers must have been incredibly emotional and impactful for all involved, that was a big WOW moment for me.

I continue to say that I'm not a fan of reading nonfiction, but this was very "readable" for me, and I will certainly recommend it to others.

[Tara Rounds · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I feel for the author and those affected by the brutal murder of Emmett Till I would not recommend this book. I went back and forth on trying to finish the book and just wanting to give up on it. The writing is repetitive, long winded, and at times I got bored and distracted while reading. The book is very thorough in telling the journey taken over the years to seek justice for Emmett Till. While I can understand the hurt, pain, trauma, and struggle of the civil rights movement the writing in the book is predominantely one sided and slanted toward hatred and inequality toward the white race even in the current years. This one sided view of the white race in my opinion contradicts the main point of seeking equality for all races and showing that every person no matter their race or status should be valued. I did feel that the author had some heartfelt and honest points for forgiveness and equality toward all races in the Epilogue. I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was privileged to receive an advance copy of this book from @OneWorldBooks. A Few Days Full of Trouble is a tough read as it is brutally and appropriately honest about the nearly impossible task of getting justice for the murder of Emmett Till.
However, it provides a strong message of hope that some good can come from that unspeakable crime. Reading the sections that focused on the investigative process was challenging but highlighted the sheer tenacity it took his family to stay focused on achieving justice. The book also gives us a glimpse into the life of Reverend Parker, an elder statesman and cousin of Emmett Till. As a white woman who has lived most of my life four miles from Emmett Till's birthplace, a large part of what this book taught me is the importance of sharing the stories of all our community members. Only by learning about others' lived experiences can we ever have restorative justice in the United States. I rate books on how they touch my soul; this book deserves five stars.

[Susan O'Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emmett Till. Say the name and immediately be taken back to 1955 and the murder of a 14-year-old Black boy who supposedly spoke roughly to a White woman in Money, Miss.

Emmett Till. Say the name and feel the pain of a family who spent decades trying to get justice for the loss of a son, cousin, best friend. A young man who died for doing nothing wrong, yet being judged for the color of his skin.

Both are the memories that have haunted the Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr. since the night his cousin was taken and murdered. In his memoir, Parker sets the story straight about his family’s search for justice---and to spread the truth---about a senseless murder that spurred the civil rights movement across much of America.

It’s a story that’s hard to read, but Parker’s voice is one to be heard. He’s the last family member to see Till alive. That memory, along with survivor’s guilt, haunt him still, driving his quest to honor his cousin. Together with longtime friend and attorney Christopher Benson, the two have followed a long, long road to find the truth about the past---and the presence of continued racism.

Parker knew his cousin Emmett, known as Bobo to his family, wasn’t familiar with the South’s racial discriminations. Till was from Chicago, where Black wasn’t a bad word. Where he felt free to live his young life. When he came to visit his relatives in Mississippi, he wasn’t prepared for the restrictions imposed by many White residents in the rural South Delta.

The young man was abducted and murdered after a White woman claimed he spoke improperly to her and grabbed her wrist in a store. It was a incident that never happened, according to Parker who was there with his cousin.

If you’re familiar with civil rights and history, you know the outcome. Two White men were acquitted in the beating, lynching and murder. Emmett’s mother Mamie had an open-casket service for her son, showing all the horrible brutality of racism. That was the beginning of a quest to find justice for Till and show the world that he wasn’t a “Black beast,” but rather a victim of lies, cover-ups and injustices.

What sets Parker’s memoir apart from all the books, documentaries, etc., about Till is that he was was there. He laughed with his cousin before that horrible night, and he cried with his family when Till’s body was recovered. And he’s still crying.

Parker’s story is a sad, complicated struggle against bureaucracy, lies and misperceptions. It’s a personal story about the end of youth and the start of a lifelong pursuit. It’s heavy, yet tender. Determined, yet open.

This heartfelt memoir is a blend of youthful memories, grown-up struggles and the outcome of what many consider the birth of something akin to Black Lives Matter. FBI investigations were revived, interviews were uncovered, and politicians reacted for better or worse.

Between its pages, Parker lays bare inconsistencies in reports, files and documentaries, all cited and researched in detail. Did the White woman recant, or didn’t she? Did a writer lie, or where the facts misconstrued? It’s all that---and more, according to the last surviving witness to Till’s abduction.
Parker doesn’t write with anger. It’s more a sense of what’s right and wrong. Till’s murder, and racism in general, were wrong. It’s only right that his memory be preserved.

Now, nearly 70 years later, there are still questions that will never be answered. Too much time has passed. Too many witnesses have died. But thanks to the Parker, his cousin---and what his death represents---lives on.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for an advanced copy.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

UPDATE!
“In the end, there have been no consequences for those who tortured and lynched Emmett Till.” This book told of the fight to explain the truth. The truth has never been told by the accused. It was a constant change of story. Parker has found forgiveness, but states Carolyn Bryant Donham , although the court of law doesn’t find her guilty, Parker and Donham and God know the truth. “ In the end, the truth will come out. She will have to ask God for forgiveness. But before she can be forgiven, she will have to confess her sins.” Although the case is closed, and still has unanswered questions( stemmed from FBI investigations and another popular book about Emmett Till), Parker and his wife Marvel will continue to keep the Till’s memory alive “through positive activism, promoting cultural awareness and education. “

[Kelsey Kerton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reverend did such a great job telling this story for himself, and a bit for his surviving family as well. I haven't read Mamie's account of Emmett Till, but I plan to someday. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has the slightest interest in the ongoing history of civil rights in this country, or who was ever upset about Emmett Till/Bobo's murder. It is upsetting to hear about what his family went through after his murder, about all the lies and story spinning that happened, but it's somewhat hopeful that people in his family continued to pursue justice for literally decades, and that law enforcement has recently been fairly supportive. It was also upsetting to see how many people have profited from the tragedy without having to pay a price on their own, any I appreciated how this book frankly called them out.

[Mary Cummins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful book that tells the story of Emmett Till and describes what really happened in Mississippi during that terrible period that led to his death.This book is written by his cousin Reverend Wheeler Parker who was in Ms with Till during that summer of 1955.Parker delivers eyewitness accounts but most of all bears witness to his memories and pursues his fight for justice and to find the people accountable for his young cousin’s murder.At times he is met with unbearable frustration through the years but he does not give up.Parker relies on his faith to get him through .A haunting read.

[Kelley Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly appreciate the thought and time that went into writing this narrative of Emmet Till and the legacy he has left behind. There’s so many versions and iterations it’s hard to figure out what’s truth or not. Reading Reverend Wheeler’s recounting of his truth and breaking down the lies and misinformation, taking ‘control of the narrative’ is much to be admired. His bravery in overcoming his own victimization and being the voice not only of his family but of all African Americans and the fight for civil justice is amazing.

This is an honest review in exchange for a copy from a Goodreads giveaway.

[Amanda Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading Reverend Wheeler's book about the tragic death of Emmett L. Till; it was superbly written. The book presented a stark analysis of our fragmented, unequal criminal justice system in the United States. Justice for black and brown people has always proven to be elusive since the founding of our country. The acquittal of Emmett's killers was no exception. Reverend Wheeler's love and respect for Emmett are palpable throughout the book. Emmett's tragic murder was the primary catalyst of the Civil Rights Movement. The U.S. criminal justice system needs a major overhaul to achieve equality.

[Princess Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emmett Till story is pretty famous moment in history however beyond the basics I really did not know about the life or the events surrounding his life being cut short. This book is a real eye opener about what went on in the south during segregation and why so many lived in fear. Mr. Parker did an excellent job portraying his story not only with facts but emotions of someone who has been there. This telling of the Emmett Till events helps the reader put their feet in the shoes and see the raw emotions for those have been there. Typically books of this type I do not tend to read as often they don't flow however Mr. Parker has a gift of telling his story.

[Jordan Douglass · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were chapters and chapters where I felt like every paragraph I read talked about Carolyn Bryant Donham and Timothy Tyson. I thought this book would be more about Emmett Till. There wasn't a lot of of information of Emmett as a child. The pages contained a lot of important names of current people in offices, but it was lost on me. This book seemed to be mostly about who Wheeler Parker Jr met with and the meetings had. Then more discussions of "did Carolyn lie or tell the truth." #GoodreadsGiveaway

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a difficult yet important and necessary work involving mountains of research and family accounts. Emotions swirl, twist and frequently overwhelm in this powerful narrative by Reverend Wheeler Parker, Emmett Till's close cousin, friend, eyewitness and advocate. Armed with the truth, Parker corrects previous misinformation from many sources.

I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation. This review is my opinion.