Racial Movement: 1 month after George Floyd

Do you know what has happened since George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was killed by police last month?

The short answer: A lot.

Here are some of the more positive events that have taken place since May 25.

Protests and riots started the day after George Floyd was killed. They began in the U.S. but quickly spread around the world.

Derek Chauvin, an officer involved in the killing of George Floyd, was arrested on May 29. He’s been charged with second-degree manslaughter and murder.

On June 3 three former Minneapolis police officers who were connected to George Floyd’s death were charged with aiding and abetting.

On June 4 the governor of Virginia ordered that a statue of Robert E. Lee be taken down (Lee was against equal rights for African Americans). The statue is currently still standing; however, it is now covered in graffiti.

Three days later in Bristol, England, a statue of Edward Colston, a slave trader, was thrown into the ocean by protesters.

In Washington, D.C. on June 5, “BLACK LIVES MATTER” was painted on a street near the White House. The painting, which is 11 metres high, was ordered by the mayor of D.C.

That same day, the NFL said that they were wrong for opposing players’ peaceful protests against racism and police brutality (such as kneeling during the national anthem).

On June 10, NASCAR banned the confederate flag, which is a symbol of racism, from all of its facilities.

On June 12, the city council in Minneapolis voted to disband the police department and replace it with a community public safety system.

Colorado removed “qualified immunity” from its police force on June 19. Qualified immunity protects police officers from being punished by the law in some cases.

Police officer Brett Hankison was fired on June 23. He was involved in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was killed by police in her own home.

Here are some things you can do to help the black community in the fight for social justice: 

• Share information (from black sources) on social media
• Donate to an organization that needs funding 
• Sign a petition
• Support black businesses

Whatever you do, don’t stay silent!

Development Racial Movement Comprehension

Start Quiz

Question

Your answer:

Correct answer:

Next

You got {{SCORE_CORRECT}} out of {{SCORE_TOTAL}}

Your Answers

Participate in Speaking Debates about this Lesson

See all