The Federal Bureau of Investigation has recently canvassed its field offices for the first time, compiling a list of 51 victims in 39 civil rights cases of the 1950s and 60s, most of which were never investigated by the bureau. And the reason for this is that time is running out because potential witnesses and suspects are dying off.
"Alvin Sykes, a civil rights advocate who has urged the federal government to pass the Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Bill, which would provide $11.5 million per year to investigate these cases, said part of that money would be used to encourage people scared into silence at the time to come forward. “We have absolutely no idea how many of them are out there,” Mr. Sykes said.
Sykes, president of the Emmett Till Justice Campaign based in Kansas City was also instrumental in helping to reopen the Emmett Till case (JET, May 31, 2004).
Read more about Alvin Sykes.who's gettin' it done.
theteach :)
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