Set in 1955, Women of the Movement is based on the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley. The limited series follows the mother of Emmet Till as she fights to ensure his name and the truth about his murder is widely known and not soon forgotten.
The murder of Emmet Till galvanized the civil rights movement in the United States so much so that Till became a symbol in the pursuit for Black liberation. Telling the story of Emmet Till responsibly, however, demands that we see Till and his family not as symbols or icons, but as human. Women of the Movement aims to do just that.
While Mamie Till-Mobley continues to be a hero to many, and a symbol of pure strength, it was important for the creators of the series to showcase her as real.
Series creator Marissa Jo Cerar describes the work as being “humanity first.” Adrienne Warren, who plays Mamie Till-Mobley, echoes this sentiment, describing the process of “erasing myself from the story, and putting them first.” Warren’s dedication to portraying Mamie Till-Mobley with honesty and free of tropes is evident in the series. “You want people to see the humanity,” says Warren.
Courtesy of Global TV
In a 2021 press conference promoting Women of the Movement, Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr, cousin of Emmett Till, said his cousin's story has many times been “mistold” and “misrepresented.”
Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr, who was a witness to Till’s abduction, served as a consultant for this series, allowing for Women of the Movement to reach a depth of authenticity that has perhaps been lacking in other recounts.
Courtesy of Global TV
Despite the pain and darkness of this moment in history and the ongoing legacies of the Jim Crow South, the cast of Women of the Movement describe the filming environment as full of love and camaraderie.
Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins plays Alma Carthan, mother of Mamie Till-Mobley, and describes the relationships between castmates offscreen as being “nothing but love.”
“You have to bring a lot of joy when you tell a story this deep and this dark,” said Pinkins.
Adrienne Warren also speaks to the love that’s so deeply ingrained in the story, and as a result, permeated the environment offscreen.
“[Mamie’s] pain is all rooted in love,” says Warren. “Because of that, I felt so much love the entire time.”
Women of the Movement premieres Thursday, January 6 at 8 p.m. ET on Global TV.