Washington, D.C. — The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) issued the following statement on the passing of Airickca Gordon Taylor, cousin of Emmett Till.
“It is with great sadness that the Congressional Black Caucus learns of the passing of Airickca Gordon Taylor, cousin of Emmett Till. Mrs. Gordon Taylor was known for her work speaking out against racial violence, her work with families also impacted by hate crimes, and her work with young people. In her role as executive director of the Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation, she worked relentlessly to preserve Emmett Till’s legacy through enrichment programs for youth that focused on black history, creative arts, health and education. This is a tremendous loss to the entire CBC family. Consistent with Mrs. Gordon Taylor’s life’s work, we will also redouble our efforts to ensure that Emmett Till, who was lynched 65 years ago, is never forgotten. We extend our sincerest condolences to Mrs. Gordon Taylor’s husband, her mother, her family and all those impacted by her remarkable life and work.
Less than a month ago, the CBC along with an overwhelming majority of House members passed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act to fulfill our nation’s long overdue promise of declaring lynchings a federal crime. We will continue our efforts to ensure that this critical bill is finally signed into law.”
