SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Porfirio welcomed relatives of Emmett Till to the Illinois Capitol in honor of the declaration of Emmett Till Day.

“On Emmett Till Day, we mourn the loss of Emmett and recognize the significance his death played in the struggle for civil rights in the United States,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township).

Senate Joint Resolution 37, introduced by Senator Lakesia Collins declares July 25, Till’s birthday, as Emmett Till Day. It honors the life of Emmett Till, who was brutally abducted, tortured and lynched in Mississippi in 1955. Emmett Till’s mother, Mamie Till Mobley, courageously insisted on an open-casket funeral to expose the nation to the brutality her son faced.

“There is a statue of Mamie Till Mobley at Argo Community High School in the 11^th District. My wife and I took our kids to see the statue and explain the story and history of Emmett and the Till family,” said Porfirio. “We must pass down these important moments in history to our children so they may learn from them and carry on the stories.”

Senator Porfirio welcomed Reverend Dr. Wheeler Parker Jr., the cousin of Emmett Till and the last living witness of his kidnapping. Parker Jr. and his wife, Dr. Marvel McCain Parker, are longtime residents of the Village of Summit and organized the Summit Community Task Force, Inc., which provides alternatives to at-risk youth. Theresa Anderson, who serves on the Summit Library Board, and her husband Dallas Anderson, president of the Summit Park District, joined the Parkers in their visit to the Capitol.

“Reverend Wheeler Parker, Dr. Marvel McCain Parker, and Theresa and Dallas Anderson are the best of the 11th Senate District, the best of Illinois and the very best of America,” said Porfirio. “I am honored to welcome them to the Illinois Senate and to have them as graceful, influential constituents. They are all great examples of lives led with purpose.”

The Illinois Senate adopted Senate Joint Resolution 37 on Wednesday.