Final answer:
The open casket at Emmett Till's funeral revealed the brutality of racial violence and spurred the Civil Rights Movement, inspiring activists like Rosa Parks and mobilizing support from both Black and white communities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Emmett Till's mother, Mamie Till-Bradley, chose to have an open casket during his funeral to expose the brutality of racial violence and southern racism. This decision had a profound impact on the world and particularly on the Civil Rights Movement. The horrifying images of Till's mutilated body, published in newspapers and magazines, brought the stark reality of racial violence to a wide audience. They evoked a powerful emotional response and increased the momentum of the civil rights movement. Mamie's actions also redefined the image of Black womanhood in the midst of oppression, signifying a shifting attitude among both Black and white communities.
Rosa Parks was among those inspired by Till's death, leading her to take her historic stand against segregation on a Montgomery bus. This act of defiance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement. The brutal murder of a young boy over an alleged minor offense, and the subsequent miscarriage of justice with the acquittal of his murderers, symbolized the systemic racism in the Deep South and galvanized Black Americans and some whites to support and advance the Civil Rights Movement.