News Coverage

You may never have heard of Elbert Williams. We aim to fix that. Because Elbert Williams deserves to be remembered. He was the very first member of the NAACP to be killed for his efforts in the modern civil rights movement. No one even knows where he’s buried. Retired Tennessee trial attorney Jim Emison has devoted years to finding Elbert and telling his story. Join us for a poignant and inspiring tale. Click this link to listen.

Justice Delayed, but not Denied

CNN 8-10-18
"Before civil rights activist Medgar Evers was killed for his work there was Elbert Williams. His Case is being re-opened." Emanuella Grinsberg & Jameil Lynch
https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/09 /us/elbert-williams-homicide-c ase-reopened/index.html

USA TODAY.COM 8-9-18
"Nearly 80-year-old civil rights murder case reopened in Tennessee"
Trenee' Truex , The Jackson (Tenn.) Sun
https://www.usatoday.com/story /news/nation-now/2018/08/09/el bert-williams-civil-rights-mur der-case-reopened/945320002/

NPR 8-10-18
"Tennessee Reopens 78-year-old Case of Murdered Black Advocate"
Rachel Martin Host interviewing Leslie Elaine McGraw Relative & DNA Donor
https://www.npr.org/2018/08/10 /637390585/tennessee-reopens-7 8-year-old-case-of-murdered-bl ack-activist

DailyMail.com London 8-8-18
"Tennessee DA reopens investigation into 1940 killing of civil rights worker dubbed the 'First Martyr of the NAACP"
Associated Press & DAILYMAIL.COM Reporter
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new s/article-6040163/1940-civil-r ights-worker-slaying-case-reop ened.htm

Associated Press 8-8-18
"AP NewsBreak: 1940 civil rights worker slaying case reopened"
Adrian Sainz
https://apnews.com/017121a5feb440939892840354e637cb

Emison-Hullverson LLP Attorneys at Law
"Quest for Justice: One Lawyer's Journey to Solve a Cold Murder Case and Honor a Civil Rights Pioneer"
John Hullverson
https://emisonhullverson.com/q uest-for-justice-one-lawyers-j ourney-to-solve-a-cold-murder- case-and-honor-a-civil-rights- pioneer/

The Jackson Sun 8-10-18
"Researcher hopes case reopening leads to truth of Elbert Williams' death"
Brandon Shields
https://www.jacksonsun.com/sto ry/news/local/2018/08/10/resea rcher-hopes-case-re-opening-le ads-truth-elbert-williams-deat h/951547002/

Atlanta Daily World 8- -18
"Civil Rights Worker Slaying Case from 1940s Reopened"
Stephan Broadus
originally published by newpittsburghcourier online
https://atlantadailyworld.com/ 2018/08/08/apnewsbreak-1940-ci vil-rights-worker-slaying-case -reopened/

The Philadelphia Tribune 8-11-18
"Tennessee reopens civil rights case from 1940"
Emanuella Grinsberg & Jameil Lynch
http://www.phillytrib.com/news /tennessee-reopens-civil-right s-cold-case-from/article_ff753 e58-c605-5159-b54c-c55053b9453 a.html

BlAckamerica.com 8- -18
" Littlle Known Black History Fact: Elbert Williams"
D L Chandler
https://blackamericaweb.com/20 18/08/13/little-known-black-hi story-fact-elbert-williams/

Tennessee Bar Association 8-8-18
"1940 Murder of Cold Case Activist Reopened in Tennessee"
Katherine Heriges
http://www.tba.org/news/1940-c old-case-murder-of-naacp-activ ist-to-be-reopened

NRIS.com 8-10-18
Source USA Today
"Nearly 80 year-old civil rights murder case reopened in Tennessee"
http://minnesota.nris.com/news /Nearly-80-year-old-civil-righ ts-murder-case-reopened-in-Ten nessee-19139

Pinterest
"11 best Elbert Williams First to Die Images on Pinterest"
https://www.pinterest.com/Auth orJimEmison/elbert-williams-fi rst-to-die/?lp=true

TELEVISON

Fox News 13--Memphis 8- 8-18
"Cold Murder Case of 1940s civil rights activist reopened."
Jeremy Pierre
https://www.fox13memphis.com/ video?videoId=809260996& videoVersion=2.0

MSN NEWS, ABC 24-- Memphis 8-8-18
"Advocate Hopes Reopening of Elbert Williams Murder Case Leads to Justice"
Mary Jo Ola
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news /us/advocate-hopes-reopening- elbert-williams-murder-case- leads-to-justice/vi-BBLLT53

WMC Action News 5 8-8-18
"80-year-old West Tennessee Cold Case Homicide Reopened"
Staff
http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/38845655/80-year-old-west-tn-cold-case-homicide-reopened

Uplift Memphis, Uplift the Nation: The Blog for Community Engagement 10-24-17
"Tennesseans Seek Justice, Reconciliation Through Civil Rights Cold Case Initiative"
Jasmine P. Stansberry
http://blogs.memphis.edu/benhooksinstitute/2017/10/24/tennesseans-seek-justice-reconciliation-through-civil-rights-cold-case-initiative/

EJI 6-22-16
"Remembering Elbert Williams Activist Lynched in 1940"
https://eji.org/news/eji-joint-remembrance-lynching-elbert-williams

A June 22, 2015, Associated Press story by Lucas L. Johnson has been published internationally. Click the links below for each version of the story. The London Daily Mail article is especially good.

Vanderbilt Magazine

Cold Case: Jim Emison, BA’65, Is Determined to Solve a 75-Year-Old Hate Crime and Bring Justice to Tragedy

Catherine Arnold

https://news.vanderbilt.edu/vanderbiltmagazine/cold-case-jim-emison-ba65-is-determined-to-solve-a-75-year-old-hate-crime-and-bring-justice-to-tragedy/

Daily Mail, London

White attorney calls on feds to reopen 1940 unsolved murder case of NAACP member who was shot dead and thrown in river for registering black voters in Tennessee

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3134774/White-attorney-calls-feds-reopen-1940-unsolved-murder-case-NAACP-member-shot-dead-thrown-river-registering-black-voters-Tennessee.html

Philadelphia Tribune

Attorney feels driven to solve 1940 slaying of NAACP member

http://www.phillytrib.com/ap/national/attorney-feels-driven-to-solve-slaying-of-naacp-member/article_226d8bd8-4f5d-5e5a-ab96-87e0ae25a7a8.html

Voice of America

Attorney Driven to Solve 1940 Slaying of NAACP Member

https://www.voanews.com/a/ap-attorney-feels-driven-to-solve-1940-slaying-of-naacp-member/2832593.html

CBS News

Tennessee lawyer seeks justice in 1940 slaying of NAACP member

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tennessee-lawyer-trying-to-solve-1940-slaying-of-naacp-member/

US News & World Report

Attorney driven to solve 1940 slaying of NAACP activist; 'It was just like he was discarded'