Transcript

Topic: Phone Interview with Wheeler Parker

Interviewer: Erick Louis
Respondent: Wheeler Parker Jr.; Cousin of Emmett Till
Date: March 17th, 2015
Duration: 60 Minutes
Background: Wheeler Parker currently resides in Summit Argo, Illinois. Emmett Till was his
cousin and they both were taken by their grandfather Moses Wright for a vacation down south to
Mississippi. Parker and Till were both in the same house at the time of Tills kidnapping.

AUTHOR: Thanks a lot for taking your time for doing this interview, I really do appreciate it. So
to start off could you please give me a little bit of your background?
WHEELER PARKER: Ive been a pastor at Argo Temple Church of God in Christ since 1992. I
am married to my wonderful wife Marvell, we have been married for 38 years. I served in the
United States Army from 1962-1965 as a medical specialist. I was originally born in Mississippi
by my mother Hallie Parker and raised by my father Wheeler Parker Sr. I was the first born out
of 6 other siblings. My family moved us all up north to Summit Argo in search of better living
conditions and not only that but for the deeply rooted racism in the South.
AUTHOR: Great! Now my next question is: What was it like in Mississippi? I understand that
your great-uncle Moses Wright came to visit and wanted to take you guys down to Mississippi to
see your cousins, what was the atmosphere? Was it different from Chicago?
WHEELER PARKER: Definitely, the Jim Crow laws were looser in the North than in the South.
Racism was deeply rooted within the South, especially in Mississippi. You couldnt act the way
you would normally up North in the South.
AUTHOR: I would totally understand that, more than 92% of lynchings in the United States
occurred in the South than in the North. My next question is: What was your cousin Emmett Till
like?
WHEELER PARKER: He was a funny kid. He loved being the center- of attention, there wasnt
at least one time that I spent with him that I did not smile. Bo (his nickname) was a natural born
leader
AUTHOR: Now I want to start asking about the day at the Bryants store. It was August 24,
1955 the sun is hot, you guys stop at this store. Why were you guys there?
WHEELER PARKER: We had finished playing in the fields and picking cotton. It was hot and
me, Emmett and Simeon and a couple of other friends decided to go get a few snacks and drinks.
We drove over there lingered around the store for a bit and then I went in. I remember buying a

drink and then Emmett entered the store. I went up to the counter, paid for my drink and left
Emmett in the store by himself. Then Simeon entered the store to make sure Emmett hadnt said
nothing that wasnt disrespectful. By then it was too late.
AUTHOR: What did you see take place outside the store? What did you hear?
WHEELER PARKER: All I saw was Mrs. Bryant walk out the store, someone had said that she
was going to get a gun. Then Emmett whistled at her. There was a black man playing chess and
when he heard Emmett whistle he got up and he looked worried, he later left the area. But when
Emmett whistled we all got scared and when he saw our reaction, he too got scared. After that
we quickly ran to our car and we sped out of the area.
AUTHOR: So what happened while you guys were driving back?
WHEELER PARKER: Emmett had begged all of us not to tell our uncle because our uncle
wouldnt have been too happy about it. Not only that, but he didnt want to leave Mississippi, so
he kept begging us and we promised we wouldnt tell. We thought that nobody had known of the
incident, but by the next day, everyone in town had known of the incident. One of our friends
Ruth Mae Crawford, had said that we were going to get it.
AUTHOR: So lets jump to the night of the 27th, it is dark. Everyone in the house is asleep and
then you hear somethingyou hear a noise outside. What was it?
WHEELER PARKER: It was around 2:30 A.M. and I heard my uncle Moses talking to some
men. They were asking about what happened at the store and they asked if he had a couple boys
from Chicago. My heart started pounding, I just started praying to myself. My family was very
religious and so we were taught that in these types of situations, we could just pray, so I just kept
praying. They first came to my room and they had shone a flashlight in my face, they moved on
to other parts of the house and then they went down to the 3rd room where Simeon and Emmett
were both sleeping. They had pointed their pistol at him, and they were asking him questions, he
wasnt saying Yes Sir or No Sir it was oh god. It was just so chaotic. My great aunt was
trying to give them money and they didnt want it. They took Emmett and they put him in the car
and drove off.
AUTHOR: WowSo how many days did it take for anyone to find Tills body?
WHEELER PARKER: It took 3 days before anyone would find his body. There was a young
boy fishing in the Tallahatchie River and he saw legs floating upward in the water. They called
my uncle over and he identified the body.
AUTHOR: How was the Funeral?
WHEEELER PARKER: It was the saddest thing ever. I was in such a state of shock , I kept on
telling myself that he wasn't dead, I guess it was because I was in such a state of shock , but I
knew I would see him again someday". Everybody would walk past the casket and just faint. It
was very disappointing.
AUTHOR: What about the case? What did you think about the verdict?

WHEELER PARKER: I wasnt present at the case, by that time I had been taken out of the area.
I saw the verdict in the NewspapersNot Guilty. I knew that they wouldnt convict them.
AUTHOR: My last question is what do you think about Emmett? Do you think he left a legacy?
WHEELER PARKER: Yes indeed. His death was a major turning point and my life and African
American History. He spoke louder in death than he did in life. His Blood still cries out.
AUTHOR: Thank you so much for your time, God Bless you and your Family.