George Floyd was an African American man who was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, 2020. He was memorialized via events, protests, artwork installations, organizations, official designations, and campaigns.

Funeral services

Floyd's casket on display in Houston, Texas, June 9, 2020

A public memorial, with Al Sharpton delivering the eulogy, was held June 4, 2020, at North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[1] Many state and local officials attended, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo. The service also drew national officials and civil rights leaders, such as Martin Luther King III, Reverend Jesse Jackson, as well as several celebrity figures.[2][3][4]

A public viewing and a family memorial was held in Raeford, North Carolina, on June 6, near Floyd's hometown.[5]

Floyd's family held a public memorial in Houston, Texas, on June 8 that was livestreamed globally, and a private service on June 9. Professional boxer Floyd Mayweather paid for the services.[6][7] Floyd's body was on public view on June 8 in his hometown of Houston. Former Vice President and the 2020 presumptive and eventual Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, met with the Floyd family privately and gave a video message at the funeral.[8][9][10]

Floyd is buried next to his mother at Houston Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Pearland, Texas.[8][9][10]

Official declarations

George Floyd's family with Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey, October 14, 2022

On June 9, 2020, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued a statewide proclamation declaring 8 minutes 46 seconds of silence at 11:00 a.m. CDT to coincide with the beginning of Floyd's funeral in Houston.[4] On May 24, 2021, on the one-year anniversary of Floyd's murder, Walz declared a statewide moment of silence for 9 minutes and 29 seconds for 1:00 p.m. On October 14, 2022, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey declared it George Floyd Day on the date of what would have been Floyd's 49th birthday.[11]

Organizations

George Floyd Global Memorial is a 501(c)3 organization in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with a headquarters office on the 3500 block of Chicago Avenue. The organization acts as a curator of the demonstrator-installed art exhibits at George Floyd Square. Its mission is to inventory, collect, and preserve the public art installations and the approximately 5,000 offerings that were left by visitors.[12][13][14]

The George Floyd Memorial Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by George Floyd's sister, Bridgett Floyd, in Mooresville, North Carolina.[15]

The George Floyd Community Benevolence Fund, later renamed the Ward 8 Community Benevolence Fund, is a non-profit organization of Floyd's family and estate. The fund was seeded from $500,000 of the $27 million wrongful death settlement between the City of Minneapolis and George Floyd's family. The fund has awarded grants of between $5,000 and $25,000 to organizations and businesses to the neighborhood surrounding the East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue South in Minneapolis where Floyd was murdered.[16]

Protests and campaigns

A sign at the George Floyd Square occupied protest in Minneapolis, Minnesota

The George Floyd protests began in Minneapolis on May 26, 2020. Protests were held in the United States and in other countries in reaction to Floyd's murder and in his memory. The street intersection where Floyd was murdered was held by demonstrators during the George Floyd Square occupied protest.

"Justice for George Floyd”, a Change.org petition, as launched on May 30, 2020. As of early July 2020, the petition had nearly 19 million signatures, making it the most signed petition in the history of the platform.[17]

Official George Floyd Memorial Fund was established by Philonise Floyd, George Floyd's brother, in the aftermath of the murder to cover funeral expenses and education expenses for Floyd's children. One week after the tragedy and only four days after the start of the fund, it raised $7 million, putting it in ranking as one of the most highly funded GoFundMe campaigns at the time.[18]

Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks was an event held in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 2020.[19][20] The march was organized by the National Action Network, and was led by Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III.[19] The march's speakers included relatives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor,[21] Jacob Blake,[22] and others.[23]

Scholarships

Colleges and universities which have created scholarships in Floyd's name included North Central University,[24][25] Alabama State, Oakwood University,[26][27] Missouri State University, Southeast Missouri State, Ohio University,[28][29][30] Buffalo State College, Copper Mountain College,[31][32] and others.[33]

Slogans

Eight minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time that Derek Chauvin was originally reported to have had his knee on Floyd's neck, was widely commemorated as a "moment of silence" to honor Floyd.[34][35] It was also used in chants, protest signs, and messages.[36]

Slogans and phrases such as "Justice for George", "I can't breathe",[37] "Black Lives Matter",[38] and "No justice, no streets",[39] among others, were also used in protests and campaigns about Floyd's murder.

Art

Thousands of works of street art were created in the aftermath of Floyd's murder. George Floyd and Anti-Racist Street Art database was created by researchers at the University of St. Thomas as a free virtual art library for the works of art created around the world.[40] Each artwork is identified with the artist, the story behind its creation, and where it is located.[41][42][43] Save the Boards, a nonprofit organization based in Minneapolis, was formed to collect and preserve street and murals on boards.[44]

Murals

Artists created several murals of George Floyd in the aftermath of his murder.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota, two George Floyd murals were painted at the street intersection in Minneapolis where he was murdered. A blue and yellow mural of George Floyd on the side of the Cup Foods grocery store became one of the most recognizable images of the global protest movement that was sparked by his murder, and a digital rendering of it served as a backdrop to his casket at his funeral in Houston, Texas.[45][46][47] Created by community artists Cadex Herrera, Greta McLain, and Xena Goldman, the iconic mural was one of the first public artworks to emerge in Minneapolis that honored Floyd's memory in Minneapolis.[48][49] Peyton Scott Russell, a Minneapolis native and street artist, created a 12-by-12-foot (3.7 by 3.7 m) black-and-white mural of Floyd's face in June 2020. Pictures of the mural were shared worldwide.[47]

The George Floyd mural in Portland, Oregon, was painted by Emma Berger and installed outside Apple Pioneer Place in downtown Portland, on June 1, 2020 (since removed). She completed the mural, which depicted Floyd and the phrase "I can't breathe", in approximately two hours and without seeking permission.[50][51] Berger later added the faces of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor,[52][53] as well as the phrases "black lives matter" and "say their names". The image of Floyd was 8-foot (2.4 m) tall.[54]

Sculpture

A bust of George Floyd is situated in Union Square in New York City.[55][56] The sculpture sits on a marble base, with the 6-foot (1.8 m) bust being made of layers of plywood.[57] It was created by artist Chris Carnabuci and unveiled by Floyd's brother Terrence, as part of the 2021 Juneteenth federal holiday.[55][58]

A statue of George Floyd is situated in Newark, New Jersey. It was completed by Stanley Watts and unveiled in 2021.[59] Located outside Newark's City Hall,[60] it weighs 700 pounds (320 kg),[61] and is sculpted larger than life. The statue is of Floyd sitting relaxed on a bench.[62]

Street

George Perry Floyd Square street sign in Minneapolis, Minnesota

George Floyd Square, officially designated as George Perry Floyd Square, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the commemorative name of the intersection at East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue where Floyd was murdered.[63][64]

U.S. laws

Several bills were introduced in the United States Congress following Floyd's murder:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Yeung, Jessie; George, Steve; Macaya, Melissa; Wagner, Meg; Hayes, Mike; Diaz, Daniella (June 2, 2020). "George Floyd will be remembered at Minneapolis memorial Thursday". CNN. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  2. ↑ Louwagie, Pam (5 June 2020). "You changed the world, George': George Floyd remembered in rousing, poignant memorial service". Star Tribune. Retrieved on 6 July 2020.
  3. ↑ Morrison, Aaron and Sullivan, Tim (4 June 2020). "`Get your knee off our necks!': Floyd mourned in Minneapolis". Star Tribune. Retrieved on 6 July 2020.
  4. 1 2 Walsh, Paul (9 June 2020). "Gov. Tim Walz calls for 8 minutes, 46 seconds of silence today in honor of George Floyd". Star Tribune. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  5. ↑ Burke, Minyvonne (June 6, 2020). "Don't let George Floyd's death 'be in vain,' speakers say at N. Carolina memorial service". NBC News. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  6. ↑ Lemos, Gregory (June 2, 2020). "Floyd family says public memorial service will be held in Houston on Monday". CNN. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  7. ↑ Folley, Aris (June 1, 2020). "Floyd Mayweather to cover the costs for George Floyd's funeral, rep says". The Hill. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Floyd's casket arrives at Houston church for public viewing". Associated Press News. June 8, 2020. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  9. 1 2 Croft, Jay. "Mourners visit George Floyd's casket in Houston to pay respects". CNN. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  10. 1 2 "George Floyd's Body Returns To Houston For Memorial Service, Funeral". CBS News. June 7, 2020. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  11. ↑ Jacobsen, Jeremiah (2020-05-24). "Statewide moment of silence planned Tuesday on anniversary of George Floyd's death". KARE-11. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  12. ↑ Jokich, Alex (2021-10-21). "Hundreds gather for tribute on George Floyd's 48th birthday". KSTP-TV. Archived from the original on 2021-10-29. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  13. ↑ "GEORGE FLOYD GLOBAL MEMORIAL - About GFGM". www.georgefloydglobalmemorial.org. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  14. ↑ Rao, Maya; Mahamud, Faiza; Du, Susan (2022-05-25). "Two years later, Minnesotans gather to remember George Floyd". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  15. ↑ "Floyd family launches George Floyd Memorial Foundation". MPR News. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  16. ↑ Albertson-Grove, Josie (2023-06-25). "Fund from George Floyd settlement announces grants for 38th and Chicago". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
  17. ↑ Ling, Thomas (2020-06-04). "How to watch the George Floyd memorial online and on TV". Radio Times. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  18. ↑ Nelson, Joe (June 2, 2020). "GoFundMe for George Floyd family one of the biggest of all time". Bring Me the News. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  19. 1 2 "Thousands gather at historic March on Washington". BBC News. 2020-08-28. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  20. ↑ Aretakis. "'We have all had a knee on our neck': Activists are calling for police reform, voting rights at March on Washington". USA Today. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  21. ↑ Burns, Katelyn (August 29, 2020). "The "Get Your Knee Off Our Necks" March on Washington in photos". Vox.
  22. ↑ "Tens of thousands join Get Your Knee Off Our Necks march in Washington DC". the Guardian. August 28, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Kamala Harris serving as Biden's quiet ambassador to Black activists". The Washington Post. 2020-09-02. Retrieved 2022-06-11.
  24. ↑ Nietzel, Michael T. (June 4, 2020). "A University President Challenges Every College In America To Fund A George Floyd Memorial Scholarship". Forbes. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  25. ↑ Torres, Ella (June 4, 2020). "George Floyd memorial updates: Floyd's brother says 'he touched so many people's hearts'". ABC News. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  26. ↑ Russell, Lois G. (June 4, 2020). "ASU Establishes George Floyd/Greg Gunn Memorial Scholarship | Alabama State University". alasu.edu. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  27. ↑ Mullins, Maquisha Ford (June 4, 2020). "Answering the Challenge: Oakwood Establishes George Floyd Scholarship". Oakwood University News. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  28. ↑ Ogle, Nikki (June 5, 2020). "Missouri State University planning scholarship named after George Floyd". ky3.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  29. ↑ "President Nellis and Vice President Secuban announce George Floyd Memorial Scholarship Fund". ohio.edu (Press release). June 5, 2020. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  30. ↑ "George Floyd Memorial Scholarship Established at Southeast". news.semo.edu. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  31. ↑ "Scholarship created in George Floyd's name". wqad.com. June 6, 2020. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Copper Mountain College announces George Floyd Scholarship Fund". z1077fm.com. June 6, 2020. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  33. ↑ "12 other universities join North Central in creating a George Floyd Memorial Scholarship". FOX 9. June 11, 2020. Archived from the original on June 11, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  34. ↑ Cummings, William; Ledyard King; Christal Hayes (June 8, 2020). "Democrats unveil sweeping police reform bill, honor George Floyd with 8 minutes, 46 seconds of silence". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  35. ↑ DeCambre, Mark (June 9, 2020). "New York Stock Exchange observe 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence in honor of George Floyd's memory". Market Watch. Archived from the original on June 11, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  36. ↑ "8:46: A Number Becomes a Potent Symbol of Police Brutality". The New York Times. Associated Press. June 4, 2020. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  37. ↑ Long, Colleen; Hajeela, Deepti (May 29, 2020). "'I Can't Breathe': A Rallying Cry For Protests". WBUR. Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  38. ↑ "In pictures: Protesting the death of George Floyd". CNN. Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  39. ↑ Hughes, Trevor (2021-04-04). "'No justice, no streets': Still grieving, Minneapolis residents wonder how city will move forward after Derek Chauvin trial". USA Today. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  40. ↑ "This Digital Archive Allows You To See George Floyd Street Art". mymodernmet.com. August 31, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  41. ↑ "This Digital Archive Allows You To See George Floyd Street Art". mymodernmet.com. August 31, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  42. ↑ CBS News (May 21, 2021), George Floyd's death sparks street art movement, retrieved May 23, 2021
  43. ↑ Uwagwu, Chioma; Daniels; Lawrence (August 26, 2020). "Art and Uprising: The George Floyd and Anti-Racist Street Art Database". National Museum of American History. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  44. ↑ "They All Have A Different Story': Save The Boards Reminds Mpls. Of Impact Of George Floyd's Murder". CBS News. 2022-05-24. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  45. ↑ Heyward, Giulia L. (15 June 2020). "The Righteous Power of the George Floyd Mural". The New Republic. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  46. ↑ Pellerin, Ananda (12 June 2020). "'My emotions were so raw': The people creating art to remember George Floyd". CNN. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  47. 1 2 Belcamino, Kristi (2020-06-08). "Street art honored George Floyd. Now advocates want to preserve it for history". Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on December 18, 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  48. ↑ Sayej, Nadja (June 4, 2020). "The Story Behind The Mural At The George Floyd Memorial". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
  49. ↑ Du, Susan (2021-02-12). "Minneapolis plans to reopen 38th and Chicago after Chauvin trial". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  50. ↑ Montero, Jordan (September 2, 2020). "Emma Berger's Mural of George Floyd Sparked a Massive Community Art Project Downtown". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  51. ↑ "Mural honors George Floyd in downtown Portland". KATU. June 3, 2020. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  52. ↑ Haskins, Devon (June 4, 2020). "Artist paints George Floyd mural on boarded up windows of Apple Store". KGW. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  53. ↑ "Portland artist memorializes Breonna Taylor with mural". WDRB. June 5, 2020. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  54. ↑ Gallivan, Joseph (July 1, 2020). "George Floyd mural at Portland Apple Store goes viral". The Times. Pamplin Media Group. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  55. 1 2 Hauck, Grace (2021-06-19). "'Larger than life' George Floyd statues unveiled to mark Juneteenth in US cities". USA Today. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  56. ↑ Morales, Mark; Watts, Lila (2021-06-25). "NYPD investigating vandalism of the George Floyd statue in Brooklyn as a hate crime". CNN. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  57. ↑ "Home". Confront Art. Archived from the original on 2021-08-04. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
  58. ↑ Peiser, Jayclin (4 October 2021). "A man threw paint on a sculpture of George Floyd. It's the second time the statue has been vandalized". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  59. ↑ O'Kane, Caitlin (2021-06-18). "700-pound bronze statue of George Floyd unveiled in New Jersey". CBS News. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  60. ↑ "700-pound bronze statue of George Floyd unveiled in New Jersey". WFMZ-TV. 2021-06-18. Archived from the original on 2021-06-19. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  61. ↑ "700-pound bronze statue of George Floyd unveiled in New Jersey". WFMZ-TV. 2021-06-18. Archived from the original on 2021-06-19. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  62. ↑ Spocchia, Gino (2021-06-18). "George Floyd statue unveiled at Newark City Hall in New Jersey weighs 700 pounds". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 18, 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  63. ↑ Otárola, Miguel (4 August 2020). "Cup Foods, site where George Floyd was killed, reopens in south Minneapolis". Star Tribune.
  64. ↑ Shortal, Jana (May 12, 2022). "'Transform our reputation': Twin Cities leaders launch effort to address racial disparities". KARE-TV. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
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