George Floyd

George Floyd was a working man—a laborer, security guard, and delivery driver in Minneapolis who had recently lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 25, 2020, Minneapolis police officers detained Floyd on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill. During the encounter, Officer Derek Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd's neck for nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds while Floyd repeatedly said "I can't breathe." Floyd died at the scene. A 17-year-old bystander named Darnella Frazier recorded the video of his death, which sparked unprecedented protests against police violence and systemic racism. Frazier later received a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation for her recording.

George Floyd's tragic death accelerated a national reckoning with police violence and systemic racism that continues to reshape American society. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act sought to reform policing practices nationwide.