In an interview with NBC News, Dr. Whittington says that when she "saw a picture of Mamie Till receiving the body of her son at an Illinois terminal after his murder,"[3] she was inspired to create the painting.

The left side of the painting uses bright colors and clean lines to display Emmett Till's face before he was found lynched.

The right side of the painting uses dark colors and texture to display Emmett Till's face after he was found lynched.

[5] When a similar painting by Dana Shutz, Open Casket (2016), was shown at the 2017 Whitney Biennial, and sparked public debate,[6] comparison in the media between the two pieces began.

Harlem Baby: My Lord What A Morning (2015), I Am A Man (2016), Mamie Till: Grace Under Fire (2018), Emmett, Until (2018), Except As A Punishment For Crime (2019)