Emory University Students Research Civil Rights Cold Cases

Students at Emory University in Atlanta are undertaking their own investigation of deaths during the civil-rights era.

The course and project recently launched a website featuring the results of three 'civil rights cold case' investigations. The professors and students involved hope the site will give a voice to victims decades after their deaths.

The students use FBI files, other records and interviews to research the crimes and report on common themes in race-related deaths during the time period. They say the focus isn't on forcing criminal charges but on studying Jim Crow society and how it contributed to the killings.

Their work took on more relevance last year as people across the country protested police killings of unarmed citizens in other states.

Tags: civil rights cold cases, Emory University, emory university students civil rights project