Alvin Sykes, Activist

Portrait of a civil rights activist: The late Alvin Sykes.

Alvin devoted his life to investigating racially-motivated murders, and helping those wronged by the United States justice system.

He became nationally known when he was the impetus for the Emmett Till Civil Rights Crimes Act, which created a cold-case component within the United States Justice Department.

Alvin dropped out of school in the tenth grade. He used the public library system to educate himself, and began sitting in on courtroom trials to learn the law.

Photograph © 2018 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

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