Emmett Till’s casket is among the most sacred items that are held at the African-American museum. It once held the body of the little Black boy that was brutality murdered during the civil rights era.

Lonnie Bunch III, a director and founder of the National Museum of African American History and Culture says bringing and displaying the casket in the museum was one of the hardest decisions he had to make.

As a leader of the museum, one of his roles is to use artifacts, images and other objects to enlighten, inspire and motivate people.

At times, it’s necessary to use objects that may trigger emotions and remorse and may have the negative-effects. A good case is Emmett Till’s which once housed the body of a black boy that was murdered because of whistling at a white woman.

Even after accepting the Till’s casket from the murdered boy’s family, Bunch struggled with the idea of putting it on display.

Though he knew the story behind it was vital in educating the modern society about the civil rights struggle, he also knew that it seemed too ghoulish.

Bunch goes on further to say that it’s vital to strike a fragile balance to avoid sending the wrong message or rubbing people the wrong way.

What happened during the civil rights era and the slavery period have shaped the modern society and can never be forgotten; however, considering that millions of visitors come to the museum, it’s necessary to understand that people will be affected by the sights differently and there is need to have help nearby to deal with the overwhelming emotions.

Source: