60 pages • 2 hours read
The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi (2024) is a work of nonfiction by Wright Thompson. Thompson exposes the details of Emmett Till’s brutal murder in 1955. He traces the root causes of the murder to the Mississippi Delta’s history of racism, corruption, and economic exploitation. Arguing that this legacy must be confronted to bring about change, he explains how discussion of this crime has been suppressed in the region for decades. Having grown up in the Mississippi Delta, Thompson brings both his personal background and his historical expertise to detailing the crime and its legacy. The book has received very favorable reviews.
This guide refers to the 2024 Penguin Press hardback edition.
Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of graphic violence, death, child death, and racism. In particular, they discuss enslavement, the Jim Crow era, and racist violence.
Summary
The book is named for the location of Emmett Till’s torture and murder in Drew, Mississippi. For decades, the barn was written out of the narrative. Those who grew up after the murder, especially white people, had no idea of the barn’s significance. In the 2010s, the barn’s owner, Unlock all 60 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
