Jesse Williams responds to backlash after using Nike meme to promote his Emmett Till movie
Actor Jesse Williams was surprised by the backlash he faced after using a meme to promote his upcoming directional debut, “Till.”
Monday, Williams posted photos of Emmett Till’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley modeled after memes imitating the Colin Kaepernick Nike ads.
One particularly jarring photo shows Till-Mobley at Till’s casket behind the Kaepernick quote, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” Till was only 14 years old when he was lynched after being accused of flirting with a white woman in Jim Crow-era Mississippi in 1955.
The actor-turned-activist’s upcoming movie, which will focus on Till’s mother and her quest for justice, is based on filmmaker Keith A. Beauchamp‘s notable 2005 documentary, “The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till.”
Unfortunately, Williams good intentions fell flat as fans took offense with the way he chose to use the emotionally stirring pictures on social media, and criticized him so harshly he deleted them from both Twitter and Instagram.
After a full day of silence, he returned to the internet to issue his official response, which reads like an apology, of sorts.
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Jesse Williams turned pictures of Emmett Till’s mom into a Nike meme…to promote the movie he’s directing.
I can’t lie this makes me question how he’s going to do with the movie pic.twitter.com/eDD38e9KZW
— DrmCatchr (@JaleelSpeaQs) September 24, 2018
“Peace family,” he wrote. “I posted a few images as art in support of the announcement of my upcoming film TiLL, that provoked a strong reaction. While some clearly understood my intention and it’s [sic] connection to Mamie’s real life, many didn’t.
As much as I’d like to address what my intentions were and the meaning of those images, it’s more important that I first acknowledge that I seem to have offended and possibly hurt some of the very people I aim to uplift,” Williams continued.
I would absolutely never make light of the tremendous tragedy that foisted Mamie Till Mobley into her life of activism and could never pretend her child being brutally tortured and executed was her ‘sacrifice.’ That doesn’t even kinda make sense, never mind being absurd and ahistorical.
READ MORE: Attorneys for Botham Jean’s family say witnesses heard woman’s voice say ‘Let me in!’
I adopted an iconic contemporary visual framework to connect past to present and contextualize our language around loss, leadership and sacrifice. My intent aside, I take responsibility for how they were received.
My heart is always with my people and this includes my artistic commitment to telling our stories. Always have, always will. And while I stand for creative expression, every swing ain’t gonna be a home run. (And y’all know I swing a lot.) Those who are sincere in this work and concern, I thank you,” he concluded.”
While the statement has received mixed reactions, you can check it out in its entirety below.
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— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) September 25, 2018
Jesse Williams posted that photo of Mamie Till with the Kaepernick quote like she made a choice to sacrifice her son to uh… murder.
Let's think about things before we slap a meme over it.
— Happenstance the Rapper (@BeezHunny) September 24, 2018
Jesse Williams just made Emmett Till into a Nike meme. Bruh…..
— I tweet (@c__suave) September 24, 2018
Me, looking at that Jesse Williams #TiLLtheMovie tweet: pic.twitter.com/s5ohw2tiut
— Forgiveness? Nah. Ask Permission? Way Past That. (@madphenixrising) September 24, 2018
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