TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

Past TBA President Focuses on Solving Civil Rights-Era Cold Case (Approved)

Posted by: Julia Wilburn on May 27, 2025
News Type: Legal News

Summary:

Past TBA President and University of Tennessee College of Law (now Winston College of Law) graduate Jim Emison has devoted much of his retirement to finding justice for Elbert Williams, the first known NAACP member to be racially terrorized and slain. In 1939, Williams helped found the Brownsville chapter of the NAACP, which sought to regain voting rights for Haywood County African Americans. The next year, police and one civilian forcibly removed Williams from his home. Williams’ body was pulled out of the Hatchie River three days later with two bullet holes in his chest. Emison says, “Pursuing justice for Williams’ murder has taught me so much. I’m grateful to Vanderbilt because what perhaps is even better than good grades is a yearning to keep learning. My professors certainly instilled that in me.” Read more about Emison's work in this profile in Vanderbilt Magazine. Emison received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt.

Body:

Past TBA President and University of Tennessee College of Law (now Winston College of Law) graduate Jim Emison has devoted much of his retirement to finding justice for Elbert Williams, the first known NAACP member to be racially terrorized and slain. In 1939, Williams helped found the Brownsville chapter of the NAACP, which sought to regain voting rights for Haywood County African Americans. The next year, police and one civilian forcibly removed Williams from his home. Williams’ body was pulled out of the Hatchie River three days later with two bullet holes in his chest. Emison says, “Pursuing justice for Williams’ murder has taught me so much. I’m grateful to Vanderbilt because what perhaps is even better than good grades is a yearning to keep learning. My professors certainly instilled that in me.” Read more about Emison's work in this profile in Vanderbilt Magazine. Emison received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt.

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