Twitter has exploded with reactions following the Trayvon Martin verdict, with images of Emmett Till alongside the slain Florida teen one of the site’s most shared this evening.
As Trayvon Martin’s killer walked free, most of Twitter expressed outrage in reaction to the verdict — with “first Casey Anthony” among top trending topics on the service tonight.
But quickly, comparisons to the murder of Emmett Till — whose death and the subsequent release of images of his mutilated corpse sparked the civil rights movement — began to follow the Trayvon Martin verdict.
A picture of the two boys alongside one another was widely shared, and one top tweet from @AfricanaCarr read:
Not guilty. No surprise. Another line in the indictment of America. From Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin, never forget.
@iBennyTruise tweeted:
Emmett Till whistled and Trayvon Martin had a hoodie on. They were both killed by white men. Different centuries same problem.
?@AngryBlackLady said:
I wasn’t crying until I read this tweet. RT @MartinOtis4: @Toure Emmett Till please give Trayvon Martin a hug tonight… No justice today
@AlyssaxChandler said:
“Emmett Till all over again.Can’t believe this is where we are as a country. Florida has dragged America back 60 years.”
Another commonly retweeted tweet read:
Emmett Till amd Trayvon Martin!! pic.twitter.com/04lXqrGUrO
— FMOI: _????Dr???? (@_OBEYDrewww) July 14, 2013
Vintage newspaper articles were also shared:
RT @RussContreras : How Emmett Till slaying was covered back in the day pic.twitter.com/PdZlkc8NwF
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) July 14, 2013
Not everyone agreed with the parallels between Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till, and @RealWillBrooks tweeted:
“Emmett Till is trending if you start comparing him to Trayvon Martin then please remove yourself from this world.”
Do you see any similarities between the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till?
