Who Was George Floyd?
George Perry Floyd Jr. was an African American man born on October 14, 1973, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was raised in Houston, Texas, in a historically black neighborhood. Floyd then attended Texas A&M University-Kingsville and got involved in the rapping scenes. He faced several legal troubles, including arrest for theft and drug possession while living in Texas. In search of a fresh start for himself and his five children, Floyd moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2014. He became a truck driver and also worked at a nightclub. He was often described as a “gentle giant” by friends and family because of his 6’6″ stature and his eagerness to inspire those around him to improve their lives. His very average life took a turn for the worse on May 25, 2020.
George Floyd was detained by police officers when a gas station clerk in Minnesota suspected that Floyd used a counterfeit $20 bill. Former Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on George Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds while Floyd repeatedly stated, “I can’t breathe.” George Floyd was murdered after being suffocated by Derek Chauvin. His murder was recorded and captured by bystanders and went viral, which sparked the start of another small fire.
“Richmond, Va / USA – August 8th, 2020: A painted mural left at the vandalized Robert E. Lee statue sits on Monument Avenue after protests at the new Marcus David Peters Circle. Mural reads “Say Their Names” and shows the faces of three individuals killed by police brutality.” “BLM – 012.” by i threw a guitar at him. is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
For The History Books
Instead of becoming just another tally on the board in the war against African Americans and American police, Floyd’s murder ignited a worldwide outrage. During the political and global turmoil in 2020, the murder of George Floyd could be described as the straw that broke the camel’s back. This incident created another echo of the global cry against police brutality. The Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum, with millions participating in protests. Protests in response to the murder of George Floyd happened in all 50 U.S. States and approximately 60 countries. The protests drew participants from a variety of people in terms of ethnic, socioeconomic backgrounds, and, most importantly, racial differences.
Vandalism of statues and monuments commemorating white supremacists were defaced, vandalized, and taken down by force by protestors. This happened on a global level in response to the murder of George Floyd. “The statue’s body and plinth were covered in graffiti: “Genocidal colonist,” “Fuck cops,” “Big Floyd” (a reference to George Floyd), “You’re on native land.” and “1619 the date African slaves were first brought to the American colonies. Once the fire was out, ropes were tied around its neck and body, and it was hauled down-bringing much of its plinth with it.On smartphone videos, the crowd can be heard screaming with excitement.The statue was draped in the Stars and Stripes, which was also burned.The graffiti on Washington’s statue combined three issues, two of which were historical: the colonization of Native American lands, African slavery, and contemporary concerns about police violence. During the protests of 2020, these apparently separate issues combined because they were all focused on the same targets: injustice and white supremacy.” (Tunzellmann pg.185)
“BLM – 012.” by i threw a guitar at him. is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
A statue of George Floyd was unveiled in Newark, New Jersey, in 2021, which was a year after his murder. The statue depicts Floyd sitting on a park bench with his arm along the bench, inviting visitors to see next to the embodiment of him. The bronze statue weighs approximately 700 lbs and was sculpted by Stanley J. Watts. The commission to create the statue came from actor and director Leon Pinkney. Pinkney stated that on the night of Floyd’s murder, he felt the need to commission the statue to “honor his humanity.”
Derek Chauvin, the police officer mainly responsible for the murder of George Floyd, was fired the day after the incident, along with Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao Chauvin’s trial did not begin until March 29, 2021. The final verdict of his trial was released on April 20, 2021. Derek Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 22.5 years in federal prison. This is one of the longest sentences for a police officer being convicted of killing a civilian.
What Now?
“BLM – 012.” by i threw a guitar at him. is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
The small victories regarding the striving towards the end of injustice do not get talked about enough. Much of this is caused by the media’s ability to manipulate the narrative, as has been seen on numerous occasions. After the murder of George Floyd, some concrete changes were made regarding legislation.
- Colorado passed legislation that requires body cameras and ends hierarchy-based immunity for police officers.
- The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act was introduced to Congress and proposed police reforms but was stalled in the Senate.
- Limited the use of “qualified immunity,” which protects police officers from personal liabilities in civil lawsuits for misconduct when performing professional duties.
- Required training of officers on racial, discriminatory profiling, and religious bias to collect data and correct problematic behavior.
- grants the Department of Justice (DOJ) more authority to investigate police departments with patterns of misconduct.
References
CBS News. ‘700-pound bronze statue of George Floyd unveiled in New Jersey’ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/700-pound-bronze-statue-of-george-floyd-unveiled-in-newark Updated on June 18, 2021.
Fox News.’New Jersey city unveiles 700-pound statue of George Floyd’ https://www.foxnews.com/us/new-jersey-city-unveils-700-pound-statue-of-george-floyd Published by Paul Best. Updated on June 18, 2021.
Palgrave Macmillan.’World Protests – A Study of Key Protests in the 21st Century’ https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/51476/9783030885137.pdf;jsessionid=196CE4D719C5A7E80D1C5077ED4C829F?sequence=1 Isabel Ortiz
Office of Public Affairs. U.S. Department of Justice. ‘Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for Depriving George Floyd and a Minor Victim of their Constitutional Rights’https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-minneapolis-police-officer-derek-chauvin-sentenced-more-20-years-prison-depriving Published July 7, 2022.
Alex von Tunzelmann. ‘Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Made History https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55200406-fallen-idols
