George Floyd
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George Perry Floyd Jr. (October 14, 1973 – May 25, 2020) was an African American man who died during a police arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25, 2020. Protests in response to both Floyd’s death, and more broadly to police violence against other black Americans, quickly spread across the United States and internationally.
Biography
Floyd was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and raised in Cuney Homes[2] in the Third Ward[3] of Houston, Texas.[4][5] Friends and family called him Perry[6] and characterized him as a “gentle giant”.[7] According to his autopsy report Floyd was 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and 223 lbs.[8]
Floyd played on the basketball and football teams at Yates High School,[5][2] where he made “acrobatic catches in the end zone” with the football team and helped lead them to the 1992 5A state championships.[9] He graduated from Yates in 1993.[9] He attended South Florida Community College for two years and played on its basketball team.[10][11] He transferred to Texas A&M University–Kingsville, where he also played basketball, but subsequently dropped out.[9]
Floyd returned to Houston where he became an automotive customizer[12] and played club basketball.[9] Beginning in 1994 he also performed as a rapper using the stage name “Big Floyd” in the hip hop group Screwed Up Click.[9][13][14][15] Floyd has been credited as being an early contributor to the development of Houston’s hip-hop scene.[9] He also acted as an informal community leader and mentor to young men.[16]
Following a string of arrests for theft and drug possession,[2] Floyd was charged in 2007 for armed robbery in a home invasion; he took a plea deal in 2009 and was sentenced to five years in prison.[17][18] He was paroled in 2013 after spending four years at the Diboll Unit.[9] After his release, he became involved with Resurrection Houston, a local ministry.[2]
In 2014, he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota,[19] where he took jobs driving a truck and providing security at a restaurant[3] and lived in St. Louis Park.[9] In 2017, he filmed an anti-gun violence video.[2][7] In 2020, he lost the security job due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[20]
He had five children,[21][22][23] including two daughters who reside in Houston, ages 6 and 22, and an adult son in Bryan, Texas.[24][25]
Death
Main article: Killing of George Floyd
On May 25, 2020, Floyd was arrested for passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery store in Minneapolis.[26] He died after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, pressed his knee to Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes during the arrest. Floyd was handcuffed face down in the street,[27][28][29] while two other officers further restrained Floyd and a fourth prevented onlookers from intervening.[30]:6:24[31][32] For the last three of those minutes Floyd was motionless and had no pulse,[27][29] but officers made no attempt to revive him.[33]:6:46 Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck as arriving emergency medical technicians attempted to treat him.[33]:7:21 The official autopsy found Floyd died of cardiac arrest caused by being restrained.[8][34] At the time of his death, he was under the influence of fentanyl and had methamphetamine in his system.[8][35] A second autopsy, commissioned by Floyd’s family, found that the “evidence is consistent with mechanical asphyxia as the cause” of death, with neck compression restricting blood flow to the brain, and back compression restricting breathing.[36]
Protests
Main article: George Floyd protests
After Floyd’s death, demonstrations and protests were held globally against use of excessive force by police officers and lack of police accountability. Accounts of looting, violence and aggressive police activity were shared at many of these protests.[37][38][39] Protests developed in over 400 cities throughout all 50 American states and internationally.[4][40]
Memorials and legacy
Various memorial services are being held across the world. On June 4, 2020, a memorial service for Floyd took place in Minneapolis with the Rev. Al Sharpton delivering the eulogy.[6][42]
North Central University in Minneapolis announced a memorial scholarship in Floyd’s name and challenged other colleges and universities to follow suit.[43][44] University president Scott Hagen announced that as of June 4, the scholarship fund had received US$53,000 in donations.[44] Alabama State announced a scholarship honoring Floyd and Greg Gunn in response hours later, challenging other historically black colleges and universities to follow suit; HBCU Oakwood University announced a scholarship that same day.[45][46] Missouri State University, Southeast Missouri State and Ohio University announced June 5 that the schools would offer George Floyd scholarships.[47][48][49] On June 6 SUNY Buffalo State announced a scholarship in Floyd’s name.[50]
Street artists globally have created murals honoring Floyd. Depictions include Floyd as a ghost in Minneapolis, as an angel in Houston and as a saint weeping blood in Naples. A mural on the International Wall in Belfast commissioned by Festival of the People (Féile an Phobail) depicts Floyd looming large over the four police officers detaining him.