Emmett Till Memorial Tree

The signature ornamental feature of this huge tree is its brown bark which exfoliates in irregular pieces to reveal creamy white inner bark.

During the ceremony, Senator Collins noted, "the American sycamore that we dedicate to Emmett Till would have been familiar to him in the parks and tree-lined streets of Chicago." 

Plaque Text

U.S. Capitol Grounds
Memorial Tree

Platanus occidentalis
(American Sycamore)

Sponsored by
Maine Senator Susan M. Collins

To Honor Emmett Louis Till,
A Young African-American Man Whose
Brutal Killing in 1955 Raised Public Awareness
That Led to Civil Rights Reforms

November 17, 2014