Another project about Mamie Till Mobley is in the works. On the heels of the announcement that Chinonye Chukwu is directing a feature about Emmett Till, his death, and Mobley’s galvanization of the civil rights movement, word has come that ABC has given “Women of the Movement” the green light. Deadline reports Gina Prince-Bythewood is directing the first installment of the six-episode limited series, which will spotlight Mobley.
Created, written, and executive produced by Marissa Jo Cerar (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), “Women of the Movement” is an anthology series focusing on the role women played in the fight for civil rights. The original vision for the project included a second season following Rosa Parks. No word on whether that is still the plan.
The first season of “Women of the Movement” is based on Devery S. Anderson’s book “Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement” and is expected to premiere next year.
“I am thrilled to bring this project to television. It is unfortunately very timely, and my hope is to give the audience a chance to learn who Emmett Till really was – the boy, rather than the victim or the martyr – while also showcasing Mamie’s astonishing strength in the face of a mother’s worst nightmare,” said Cerar. “Telling Emmett and Mamie’s story is a responsibility I have not taken lightly since I began this journey last year, because this is more than a tragedy; it’s a story about a mother’s unwavering love of her son and her commitment to bettering the lives of all Black people. I can’t wait to start filming. With the brilliant Gina Prince-Bythewood as our director, we could not be in better hands.”
Prince-Bythewood added, “The story of Emmett Till and Mamie Till is not one I want to tell. It is a story I need to tell. I am grateful to be on this journey with incredible collaborators who are determined to honor this mother and son with truth, authenticity, and humanity.”
Till, was brutally murdered by two white men in 1955. The 14-year-old Chicago native was visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi, when he was abducted, tortured, and shot in the back of the head by Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam. His body was then thrown into the Tallahatchie River. Emmett’s killers believed he had flirted with Bryant’s wife. They were acquitted by an all-white jury and later admitted to the murder, knowing that double jeopardy would shield them from punishment.
Mobley helped revitalize the civil rights movement by demanding an open-casket funeral for her son — she wanted “the world to see what they did to [her] baby.” Tens of thousands of people viewed Emmett’s body, and pictures of his casket and funeral were circulated across the country. Mobley shared the story of her son on a successful NAACP tour.
Along with “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Cerar has written for and produced “13 Reasons Why” and “Shots Fired.” The latter was co-created and co-directed by Prince-Bythewood. Cerar also served as a writer and story editor on “The Fosters.”
Most recently, Prince-Bythewood directed the hit Netflix superhero pic “The Old Guard.” Her other features include “Love & Basketball” and “Beyond the Lights.” Next, she’s helming “The Woman King,” an epic tale about The Kingdom of Dahomey’s all-female military unit. Viola Davis is set to star.
