Mamie Till was an American educator and civil rights activist, best known as the mother of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy who was lynched in 1955. Her decision to have an open-casket funeral for her son highlighted the brutality of racial violence in the United States and drew national attention to the civil rights movement. After Emmett's death, Mamie became a prominent figure in advocating for justice and equality. She worked with organizations like the NAACP and traveled to speak about her experiences, emphasizing the need for social change and the importance of confronting racism in America.