'Women of the Movement' revisits Emmett Till's murder and its civil-rights legacy

A look back that reverberates into the present, "Women of the Movement" chronicles the murder of Emmett Till, and his mother's turn to activism in the wake of that horror. Transformed into an ABC limited series, the project carries the throwback feel of miniseries the way broadcasters used to make them, dealing with important topics and painful chapters in history.

The structure proves somewhat ungainly, with the focus on Mamie Till-Mobley (Adrienne Warren, a Tony winner for "Tina: The Tina Turner Musical") fading in and out, though the project rallies down the stretch, which includes a devastating reenactment of the crime.

Mamie is introduced giving birth to Emmett (played by Cedric Joe, fresh off the "Space Jam" reboot), a difficult experience that leaves her understandably protective of her son.