Congress finally passed legislation for lynching to be listed as a hate crime under federal law, 65 years after the murder of Emmett Till.
NBC News reports the bill was first introduced by Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush and was approved Wednesday after a 410 to 4 vote in the House. Last year, the legislation was passed by the Senate meaning if one commits the act, it will charged as a federal hate crime leading to a life sentence in prison or a fine. Rush said in a statement that the bill will spread the message that bigotry will not be tolerated within the nation:
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“The importance of this bill cannot be overstated. From Charlottesville to El Paso, we are still being confronted with the same violent racism and hatred that took the life of Emmett and so many others. The passage of this bill will send a strong and clear message to the nation that we will not tolerate this bigotry.”
Emmett Till,14, was kidnapped, tortured and murdered in 1955 after a white woman accused him of whistling at her at a grocery store in Mississippi. The teen was visiting family around time and lived in Chicago with his mother. A open casket funeral was held by Mamie Till so she could show the world what happened to her son.
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For 120 years, Congress refused to pass the law as a hate crime starting in 1900 when the bill was first introduced by North Carolina Rep. George Henry White. Since then it was rejected 200 times despite multiple efforts from legislators and representatives