If Emmett Till Lived: Freedom on American Ground

There are exhibitions one is grateful to be a part of, and then there are those that reach into the heart and stay with you—especially for an artist who is also a mother of sons. Endia Beal is deeply honored to have her work included in the exhibition If Emmett Till Lived: Freedom on American Ground at the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago.

Curated by Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Lewis in collaboration with Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr., Emmett Till’s cousin, best friend, and last surviving witness to his kidnapping, this powerful exhibition asks us to imagine a question that should never have had to be asked: What if Emmett Till had lived?

Rather than centering the violence that took his life at just 14 years old, the exhibition invites viewers to imagine the life he was denied—the childhood, friendships, love, family, celebrations, work, travel, and countless ordinary and extraordinary moments that could have shaped his 85 years.

Featuring the work of more than 110 photographers and artists, If Emmett Till Lived creates a visual space for remembrance, possibility, and reflection. It reminds us that honoring Emmett Till means not only remembering how his life was taken, but also imagining and making room for the life he should have been allowed to live.

Endia is grateful to have her work included in this important collective act of remembrance and imagination. It is an honor for her to contribute to a project that asks us to look, to witness, and to consider what freedom on American ground can and should mean.

She extends her deepest gratitude to Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Lewis, Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr., the Museum of Contemporary Photography, and everyone who brought this extraordinary exhibition to life. Click here to learn more!