In the spring of 2020, the world watched in horror as George Floyd's life ended under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. His death sparked one of the largest protest movements in American history and reignited conversations about racial justice across the globe. But who was George Floyd beyond those tragic final moments? What experiences shaped his life? And how does his story connect to the broader struggle for racial equality in America?
This powerful biography, winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction, takes us beyond the headlines and viral videos to reveal the full humanity of George Floyd. Through meticulous research and interviews with those who knew him best, Washington Post journalists Samuels and Olorunnipa craft a narrative that is both deeply personal and broadly illuminating.
Over the next fifteen minutes, we'll explore Floyd's journey from the tobacco fields of North Carolina where his ancestors worked as tenant farmers, to the housing projects of Houston where he grew up, through his personal triumphs and struggles, and ultimately to that fateful day in Minneapolis. We'll examine how systemic racism shaped every aspect of his life and how his death became a catalyst for a movement.
This isn't just the story of one man's life and death—it's a lens through which we can better understand America's ongoing struggle with its legacy of racism and the continued fight for justice and equality.
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