The
murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the ...
of
George Floyd
George Perry Floyd Jr. (October 14, 1973 – May 25, 2020) was an African-American man who was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest made after a store clerk suspected Floyd may have used a counterfeit tw ...
, a
Black American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
man, by a white police officer,
Derek Chauvin
Derek Michael Chauvin ( ; born March 19, 1976) is an American former police officer who was convicted for the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Chauvin was a member of the Minneapolis Police ...
, during an arrest in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origin ...
,
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...
on May 25, 2020, sparked
large-scale protests against
systemic racism
Institutional racism, also known as systemic racism, is a form of racism that is embedded in the laws and regulations of a society or an organization. It manifests as discrimination in areas such as criminal justice, employment, housing, healt ...
, both
in the United States and
elsewhere. As a result of the protests, numerous controversial forms of symbolism were either changed or removed.
In the United States, changes focused on removing and prohibiting
displays
A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form (the latter used for example in tactile electronic displays for blind people). When the input information that is supplied has an electrical signal the ...
of the
Confederate battle flag
The flags of the Confederate States of America have a history of three successive designs during the American Civil War. The flags were known as the "Stars and Bars", used from 1861 to 1863; the "Stainless Banner", used from 1863 to 1865; and ...
; the
flag of Mississippi was changed to remove a Confederate battle insignia. Around the world,
numerous name changes occurred in response to the protests, while in Canada, the U.S. and New Zealand
several police reforms were enacted, primarily in relation to the policing of ethnic minority communities.
Several sports teams that used
mascots featuring Native Americans, both inside and outside the United States, announced plans to change them; the
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but it ...
voted to
shorten its name to the 'State of Rhode Island'.
In the film and television industry, numerous casting changes occurred in relation to white voice actors for non-white characters, while several films and television shows were edited, rewritten, canceled, or pulled from streaming services as a result of the protests. The video game industry also got into the numerous casting changes.
Key:
:
:
:
Employment practices
Flags
Design changes
Prohibition of Confederate flag emblems
Removal of physical flags
Heraldry
Notable proposed changes:
* The coat of arms of Massachusetts, displayed in the
Seal of Massachusetts
The Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts contains the coat of arms of Massachusetts. The coat of arms is encircled by the Latin text "Sigillum Reipublicæ Massachusettensis" (literally, ''The Seal of the Republic of Massachusetts'') ...
and
Flag of Massachusetts contains a colonist's sword held over the image of a Native American, both of which were criticized by activists. A state commission created by law to examine the issue voted in 2022 to replace the flag.
Museums and other displays
Police reforms
School mascots and logos
Technology
Television, gaming and streaming
Cancellations
Voice acting changes in television and streaming
Voice acting changes in video games
Removals from or additions to streaming services
Other changes
Other changes
Games
Other products
Non-products
See also
*
Weinstein effect
The Weinstein effect is a global trend in which allegations of sexual misconduct by famous or powerful men are disclosed. The first of a worldwide wave of allegations were made in the United States in October 2017, when media outlets reported on ...
*
List of name changes due to the George Floyd protests
After George Floyd, an unarmed African American man, was murdered by a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25, 2020, many people protested against systemic racism
Institutional racis ...
Notes
References
Further reading
* Turman, Katherine. (June 30, 2020)
Radio Pulled Violent Songs Off Air After 9/11 — But It Won’t Reckon With Race ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
.''
{{George Floyd protests
Aftermath of the George Floyd protests
Lists of events
Self-censorship