‘Women of the Movement,’ an ABC historical series created by Marissa Jo Cerar, follows the kidnapping of Emmett Till, a fourteen-year-old African American child from Chicago.
Emmett’s visit to his relatives in East Money, Mississippi, where racial tensions are high between African American and white populations, kicks off the limited series.
The first two episodes of the historical drama focus on Emmett’s kidnapping and the horrible events that ensue.
The episodes also follow Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, as she tries to make sense of what has happened.
We’ve got you covered if you’re looking for a full breakdown of the episodes and the conclusion!
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.
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Recap of ‘Women of the Movement’ Episodes 1 and 2
The first episode of ‘Women of the Movement,’ titled ‘Mother and Son,’ premiered in July 1941 and depicted Mamie Till-arduous Mobley’s pregnancy and delivery.
Mamie gives birth to Emmett Till, but the doctor advises her that because of problems during the pregnancy, her son may never walk.
Emmett, on the other hand, grows up to be a healthy child who has no problems walking. In 1955, Emmett expressed his desire to visit Mamie’s uncle Mose Wright in Mississippi for a few days.
After some hesitation, Mamie grants Emmett’s request and lets him go. Emmett comes in East Money with Wright, where Wright’s family has landed.
He begins to spend time with the other lads in the house and takes advantage of his vacation by going to the market on occasion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QJw19B-GqY
After being provoked by other boys during one of these visits, he approaches a White girl named Carolyn.
He returns to the boys and bids goodbye to her when she dismisses him. However, she pulls out a gun from her car and scares the lads, including Emmett, who flees.
The community is abuzz with whispers about Emmett’s deeds. Finally, Carolyn’s husband, Roy Bryant, confronts her about the incident and questions why she didn’t tell him about it.
Roy and his relative Milam offended that his wife was contacted by an African American boy, traveled to Wright’s house late at night and kidnapped Emmett.
I need y'all to understand the attention to detail in this series is the most exquisite thing I have ever seen a historical drama. #WomenOfTheMovement pic.twitter.com/IIiZjStPbq
— Rebel Becca M.S. (@beccasbwayshop) January 7, 2022
Mamie receives a phone call the next day informing her that Emmett has been taken away.
‘Only Skin,’ the second episode, begins with Mamie’s attempts to draw attention to Emmett’s kidnapping.
She meets with a representative of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, who arranges for the incident to be covered by press reporters. She receives reports of possible Emmett sightings in Mississippi, which turn out to be bogus.
When the reporters arrive at Mamie’s mother’s house, Mamie asks that they cover the tragedy thoroughly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bet6S1QFeeg
Meanwhile, Wright reports the kidnapping to the authorities. When the sheriff interrogates Roy, he admits that he let Emmett go since Carolyn claimed he wasn’t the boy who approached her.
Carolyn is contacted by a lawyer who requests a detailed account of the occurrence. Emmett approached her when she was in her store and asked her out on a date, she tells him.
She goes on to say that when she fired him, he waved farewell and whistled at her as she proceeded to get a gun from her car. She concludes her statement by stating that when the lads noticed the pistol, they drove away.
Is Emmett Dead in ‘Women of the Movement’ Episode 2?
Emmett Till is no longer alive. While the inquiry into his kidnapping and eventual disappearance in East Money continues, a body is discovered in the Tallahatchie River.
The body is recovered by the police when they arrive on the site. Wright is summoned to identify the body, which he successfully does.
Mamie learns about the body and her son’s death while attempting to raise awareness about the case with the help of reporters. As she mourns Emmett’s death, she learns that his body is being buried by the police in Money.
In Chicago, she meets a funeral director who assures her that he would make every effort to get the body to her.
ADRIENNE WARREN
Who Was Responsible for Emmett’s Death?
The cops attempt to conceal Emmett’s death. Instead of investigating Roy Bryant and J. W. Milam after identifying the body as Emmett’s, the police rush to bury the body shortly after the autopsy.
A bullet is discovered in Emmett’s head by the autopsy doctor. The sheriff in charge directs the undertaker to carry out his orders and denies Mamie’s plea to have the body sent to her in Chicago.
Despite the fact that Wright is aware of the sheriff’s attempt to conceal the deceased, his impotence causes him to follow the orders and bury Emmett.
Though after realising Roy and Milam are likely culprits in Emmett’s murder, the sheriff focuses on covering up the crime by burying the body quietly.
Even when Roy admits to the authorities that he kidnapped Emmett, nothing happens. The police also attempt to remove news reporters from various parts of the country that arrive in Mississippi.
Because the murder suspects, Roy and Milam, are both white, the authorities do everything they can to keep them out of the spotlight by arranging Emmett’s burial in Mississippi.
Mamie’s Reaction When She Sees Emmett’s Body
Mamie and Gene contact a funeral director in Chicago after learning about the police’s attempts to cover up her son’s murder.
The director tells them he knows someone in Money who can assist them in getting the body to Mamie. With the help of the funeral director in Money, Wright is able to move the body to Chicago after convincing the police that it is buried.
In the midst of the press, Mamie, her relatives, and other acquaintances receive the body in Chicago.
She sees Emmett’s body in the funeral home. When she sees the slits in Emmett’s torso, she breaks down.
When she sees her son’s death, she requests an open funeral so that everyone can see what happened to him. She feels that the only way to obtain justice is to make the world aware of Emmett’s heinous state.
Rather than drowning in her feelings, Mamie strives to summon all of her strength to fight for the justice her son deserves.
To the woman who started it all. #WomenoftheMovement pic.twitter.com/48AdPiaYJG
— Women of the Movement (@WomenOfMovement) January 7, 2022
