Cold cases
Below are capsule summaries of cases that have been authorized for release by the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board. Clicking on a case will bring you to a more extensive synopsis of that incident, as well as to a link that will take you to the National Archives’ Civil Rights Cold Case Records Portal, where the case file may be viewed.
The Board takes into account many factors in determining which cases it wants to examine for potential release. Given its statutory time constraints, the Board is focused on prioritizing cases that are representative of the diverse nature of civil rights cold cases. Currently, the Board is required to terminate its work no later than January, 2027.
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Henry G. Andrews, the son of Emanuel Andrews and Mary S. Valentine, was a 24-year-old North Carolina native and World War II veteran. He had 10 siblings and worked as a farmer in Warren County, North Carolina before enlisting in the military.
Willie Pim Lockwood was a farmer in Tuskegee, Macon County, Alabama. Lockwood and his wife of 33 years, Mary Young, had 12 children.
Esau Copeland was a 38-year-old farmer from Harris County, Georgia. Copeland lived in Shiloh with his wife, Mattie Estell, and stepson, James.
Emmett Louis Till was a 14-year-old resident of Chicago, Illinois. He was raised by his mother, Mamie Till Bradley.
George Miller was a 35-year-old World War II veteran and Louisiana native who was living in Chicot County, Arkansas.
Timothy Hood was a 23-year-old native of Bessemer, Alabama. He was a Marine veteran of World War II.