Demonstrators, all wearing masks to guard against infection, knelt in a moment of silence for Floyd for nearly nine minutes – the same length of time that Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was videotaped kneeling on the handcuffed Floyd’s neck before Floyd died. The brutal circumstances of Floyd’s death have led to sustained nationwide protests; Chauvin is now charged with second-degree murder, and three of his fellow officers on the scene have also been charged with abetting Floyd’s death.
The new Memorial to Enslaved Laborers was completed this spring. A large, in-person dedication ceremony was planned for April, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the memorial remains open to the public for reflection and education.
Read more about the memorial and some of the people behind its creation here.
