The crossroads where George Floyd dead at the hands of Minneapolis police officers was renamed in his honor Wednesdayamong a series of events to remember a man whose murder forced America to face racial injustice.
Floyd’s brother Terrence was among family members to attend a memorial sign marking the corner of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue as ‘George Perry Floyd Square’ on the second anniversary of his death.
Floyd thanked hundreds of people who turned out to honor his brother, singing songs as they walked the lengthy block to finish at the intersection.
The name change was followed by a candlelight vigil at a nearby ceremony.
The intersection quickly became known informally as George Floyd Square shortly after Floyd’s death, with a large sculpture of a clenched fist as the centerpiece of the memorials.
“Today we honor two years since George Floyd was murdered by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a statement Wednesday. “Every day since, we remember the life and legacy of George Floyd as a friend, father, brother and loved one. His name has been heard in every corner of our world.”
Colten Muth, 32, visited the intersection on Wednesday ahead of the vigil to “make sure I pay my respects because his sacrifice had a huge impact on the world.”
A bleak Wednesday evening may reflect the grim reality that what began as Floyd’s arrest and ended in his murder two years ago, according to CBS affiliate WCCO in Minneapolis.
But what happened to his death gives hope to visitors to the crossroads. Many stopped just to reflect. Other flowers left at the roundabout of the artwork in the center of the intersection, WCCO reported.
“Two years ago we said we were going to get justice for George Floyd. We put boots on the ground, thousands of people,” said Elizer Darris, an activist who has given many impassioned speeches at the intersection in the days following Floyd’s murder. “Hundreds of thousands literally flooded the world at a time when we had a pandemic that locked everyone in. But what we saw dictated that we had to come out and demand justice.”
This story was originally posted by CBS News May 26, 2022.
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