Carolyn Bryant Donham, the white woman whose accusation against Emmett Till led to his brutal lynching in 1955, passed away at the age of 88 in hospice care in Louisiana.
Background of Carolyn Bryant Donham
Carolyn Bryant Donham was a central figure in one of the most infamous and racially charged events in American history. In August 1955, while working at a general store in Money, Mississippi, she accused 14-year-old Emmett Till, a Black teenager visiting from Chicago, of making improper advances toward her. This accusation ignited a chain of events that culminated in Till's abduction, torture, and murder by Donham's husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam.
Her Later Life and Death
Following the horrific murder of Emmett Till, which served as a significant catalyst for the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, Carolyn Bryant Donham largely lived out of the public spotlight. Despite later admissions (though never in court) that parts of her testimony against Till were fabricated, she was never criminally charged in connection with Till's death.
Key Details of Her Passing:
- Name: Carolyn Bryant Donham
- Age at Death: 88
- Date of Death: April 25, 2023
- Location of Death: Hospice care in Louisiana
- Cause of Death: Not specified, but confirmed by a coroner's report.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Carolyn Bryant Donham |
| Role in Till Case | Accused Emmett Till in 1955 |
| Age at Passing | 88 |
| Year of Passing | 2023 |
| Location of Death | Louisiana (in hospice care) |
Her death closed a chapter on a case that continues to resonate deeply in discussions of racial injustice and the struggle for civil rights in the United States.
