‘Women of the Movement’ on ABC: How and When to Watch Mamie and Emmett Till’s Story
Instead of Station 19 and Grey’s Anatomy, ABC tells the story of Mamie and Emmett Till with Women of the Movement on Jan. 6, 2022. While many viewers are upset that the crossover event does not return until Feb. 23, the series in its place is worth the watch. The six-episode historical drama features Adrienne Warren as Mamie Till-Mobley and Cedric Joe as Emmett Till. Tonya Pinkins also joins the Women of the Movement cast as Emmett’s grandmother, Alma Carthan. Jay-Z and Will Smith serve as executive producers on the ABC series.
What is ‘Women of the Movement’ about?
ABC’s Women of the Movement is based on the true story of Emmett Till‘s murder in 1955. It is based on the book Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement by Devery S. Anderson. The ABC series details his mother’s fight for justice, which helped begin the civil rights movement.
Although the story begins with Emmett, it centers around Mamie’s life, which she devoted to seeking justice for her son’s death. The Women of the Movement trailer gives background information about how the 14-year-old Black boy from Chicago ended up in Mississippi. While there, he innocently flirted with a white woman in a country store, which led to his lynching by a group of white men.
“Remember that place is not like Chicago,” Mamie told her son in the trailer before he left for Winona, Mississippi. “White folks are going to treat you different now.”
After Emmett Till’s murder, Mamie insisted on an open casket so that the world could see what his killers did to him. She continued her fight for a trial; however, the killers were acquitted by an all-white jury. That verdict set in motion a movement for social change throughout the world.
How and when to watch ‘Women of the Movement’ on ABC
According to ABC, viewers can watch Women of the Movement Episode 1 on ABC on Jan. 6, 2022, at 8 p.m. EST. The series airs in place of Station 19 and Grey’s Anatomy. Episode 2 airs immediately after the first episode on Thursday. Below is the complete Women of the Movement ABC schedule. All episodes are available on Hulu the day after they air on ABC.
Women of the Movement Episode 1, “Mother and Son” — Jan. 6, 2022
Women of the Movement Episode 2, “Only Skin” — Jan. 6, 2022
Women of the Movement Episode 3, “Let the People See” — Jan. 13, 2022
Women of the Movement Episode 4, “Manhunt” — Jan. 13, 2022
Women of the Movement Episode 5, “Mothers and Sons” — Jan. 20, 2022
Women of the Movement Episode 6, “The Last Word” — Jan. 20, 2022
‘Women of the Movement’ cast
In addition to Warren, Joe, and Pinkins, the Women of the Movement ABC cast includes Glynn Turman as Emmett Till’s great uncle, Mose Wright. Viewers might recognize Turman from various film and television roles, including How to Get Away with Murder, portraying Nate Lahey, Sr.
Justice League’s Ray Fisher portrays Mamie’s husband, Gene Mobley. Chris Coy from HBO’s Treme and True Blood plays J. W. Milam. Julia McDermott and Carter Jenkins portray Carolyn and Roy Bryant, respectively. Notable recurring roles include Alex Désert as Dr. Howard, Leslie Silva as Ruby Hurley, and Tongayi Chirisa as Medgar Evers. Désert appeared in one episode each of Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19, Shameless, and How to Get Away with Murder.
Women of the Movement airs on ABC on Jan. 6, Jan. 13, and Jan. 20. The 6-episode historical limited series is also available the next day on Hulu.
