In the last 24 hours, national and regional media outlets have reported on an
image depicting three young men holding guns in front of a bullet-riddled sign
that commemorates the place in the Mississippi Delta where Emmett Till’s
body was found. In 1955, Emmett Till was abducted, tortured, and brutally
killed at the age of 14 after being accused of offending a white woman in a
grocery store. His death was a major catalyst of the civil rights movement.
Based on what the photo implies and the pleasure these men seem to take in
the denigration of this commemorative sign, this image is offensive and hurtful.
The university learned of this image in March through a report to its Bias
Incident Response Team and referred the matter to the University Police
Department. At that time, the university did not know the identities of all three
men, or that they were all affiliated with the same fraternity. UPD reported the
image to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which reported back to UPD that
it declined to investigate further because the photo did not pose a specific
threat.
The incident occurred off campus, did not rise to the level of a threat per
federal authorities, and was not part of any university-affiliated event. As a
community of learning and a state institution, we have limits on the tools
available to remedy this offensive behavior. Leadership of the Kappa Alpha
Order, the fraternity with which these men are affiliated, has decided to
suspend the students from the fraternity. We are aware that this decision is
backed by its National Administrative Offices. We support this action and stand
ready to assist the fraternity with educational opportunities for those members
and the chapter.
These are not things we take lightly. In light of our history, our University of
Mississippi community of more than 25,000 people needs to come together to
make it clear that these students and their actions do not represent the values

 of our institution. They do not speak for our institution, and they do not define
us. What makes this different than other offensive, hurtful, and disgusting
things we see on social media each day is that, at the very least, it belittles the
price that a 14-year-old paid for being black. Race and ethnicity are not
choices; they are not political affiliations, decisions, or attitudes. They are
fundamental aspects of our dignity, and who we are as individuals. We are a
community of scholars committed to creating an academic experience that
teaches racial equity, and we unequivocally reject attitudes that do not respect
the dignity of each individual.
Larry D. Sparks
Interim Chancellor

The University of Mississippi