Abstract
The murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, and the ensuing trial of Derek Chauvin almost a year later rubbed raw the bloodiest stain on the United States’ history and its world reputation. The 9 minutes and 29 seconds during which Chauvin’s knee crushed the spark of life out of Floyd was not unusual in the history of the United States. Before the U.S. Civil War, disobedient slaves were routinely beaten to death for evading orders or for running away, then lynched.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agents will pull out of Portland, a Governor says. (2020, July 30). New York Times, p. A-1.
‘Antithetical’ to the teachings of Jesus: D.C. Bishop ‘Outraged’ by Trump address and use of Church as ‘Prop’. (2020, June 1). Washington Examiner. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/antithetical-to-the-teachings-of-jesus-dc-bishop-outraged-by-trump-address-and-use-of-church-as-prop
Arango, T., & Benner, K. (2021, February 24). New federal grand jury for case against officer in death of George Floyd. New York Times, p. A-15.
Asher, J., Horwitz, B., & Monkovic, T. (2021, February 15). Why does Louisiana lead the nation in murders? New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/15/upshot/why-does-louisiana-consistently-lead-the-nation-in-murders.html
Associated Press. (2020, September 2). https://apnews.com/861957b3727a6bd444627454981332ca?utm_source=piano&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=morningwire&pnespid=kOpu9KVIGhyNR2cti_j9SdJB7WZUw0LK6XEDMJ1H
Associated Press. (2021, May 28). Three officers face arraignment in Black man’s restraint death. https://apnews.com/article/wa-state-wire-george-floyd-death-of-george-floyd-police-reform-6c9fc0fdcf36fe519eac9b0a30ddff2c
At least 100 Seattle police officers clearing CHOP. (2020, July 1). “Morning Brief” Seattle Times. https://outlook.office.com
Aviv, R. (2020, June 22). Punishment by pandemic. The New Yorker, pp. 56–65.
Baker, M. (2020a, June 23). No-police experiment goes awry in Seattle. New York Times, p. A-17.
Baker, M. (2020b, October 13). Latest statues to fall: Lincoln and Roosevelt. New York Times, p. A-21.
Baker, P. (2020c, September 7). Trump makes White grievance a pillar of his campaign. New York Times, p. A-13.
Baker, P., & Cooper, H. (2020, June 11). Pentagon weighs erasing confederate names from bases. Trump scoffs. New York Times, p. A-22.
Baker, M., & Kanno-Youngs, Z. (2020, July 30). Federal agencies agree to withdraw from Portland. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-17.
Baker, P., Kanno-Youngs, Z., & Davey, M. (2020, July 21). Trump threatens to use force in major cities. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-17.
Ball, E. (2020). Life of a Klansman. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
Bhambra, G. K. (2020, June 12). Good riddance to a Slaver’s statue. New York Times, p. A-25.
Blow, C. (2020, June 19). Yes, even George Washington. New York Times, p. A-21.
Blow, C. M. (2021, April 5). Lessons from lynchings. New York Times, p. A-19.
Bogel-Burroughs, N. (2020, December 30). Louisville plans to fire two officers over botched raid that killed Taylor. New York Times, p. A-17.
Bogel-Burroughs, N. (2021, April 23). In Minneapolis, a day to mourn the ‘Prince of Brooklyn Center’. New York Times, p. A-19.
Bosman, J. (2020, August 26). Anger rises as Kenosha grapples with response to police shooting. New York Times, p. A-23.
Bosman, J., & Mervosh, S. (2020, August 27). Further troops sent to Kenosha as unrest grows. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-18.
Boyette, C. (2017, August 17). Actually, Robert E. Lee was against erecting confederate memorials. CNN (Cable News Network). https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/16/us/robert-e-lee-statues-letters-trnd/index.html
Bragg, N. Y., Hauck, G., McCoy, K., Abdollah, T., & Ferkenoff, E. (2021, April 2). Police supervisor tells court that officers ‘could have ended’ restraint of George Floyd. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/04/01/chauvin-trial-live-day-4-body-camera-video-george-floyd/7019204002/
Brenner, K., & Bogel-Burroughs, N. (2021, May 7). Former police officers indicted on civil rights charges in George Floyd’s death. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/07/us/politics/george-floyd-death-minneapolis-officers-civil-rights-charges.html
Brown, D. L. (2021, June). Tulsa race massacre. National Geographic, pp. 62–81.
Browne, M., Singhvi, A., Reneau, N., & Jordan, D. (2020, December 31). How the police killed Breonna Taylor. New York Times, pp. A-11,-A-13.
Brumback, K. (2021, June 15). Echoes of Breonna Taylor in shooting of Black man in Georgia. Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/breonna-taylor-george-floyd-georgia-shootings-2b47ffa9db88b3848799e97b94417086?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=June15_MorningWire&utm_
Buchanan, L., Bul, Q., & Patel, J. K. (2020, July 8). Black lives matter puts another stamp on history. New York Times.
Burch, A. D. S., & Eligon, J. (2020, May 27). Video and police reports differ in string of deadly encounters. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-23.
Charles, S. (2020, December 16). ‘I want accountability,’ says woman seen in video of botched CPD raid. Chicago Sun-Times. https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2020/12/16/22178628/chicago-police-raid-video-social-worker-anjanette-young-black-caucus-calls-investigation
Cohen, S. (2020, July 2). As FedEx requests the Redskins to change their name, will Dan Snyder cave to critics? Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/sethcohen/2020/07/02/the-racist-redskins-why-critics-say-its-time-to-boycott-the-nfl-team/#df0e04ce35a1
Cole, K. (2020, May 29). Omaha protest of Floyd’s death draws 40. Omaha World-Herald, p. A-3.
Cooper, L. (2020, June 3). George Floyd: Thousands of protesters join Sydney Black lives matter protest. Channel 9 News (Sydney, Australia). https://www.9news.com.au/national/george-floyd-black-lives-matter-protest-rally-sydney-cbd-1000-people-streets-nsw-police/ab840cd1-9d56-4aec-88f0-49f2a9e083f2
Cordes, H. (2020, July 18). Mutual [of Omaha] drops logo with Native American Chief. Omaha World-Herald, pp. A-1, A-2.
Cotter, H. (2020, June 26). Seeing monuments in a new day’s light. New York Times, pp. C-1, C-11.
Crowley, M. (2020, September 18). Trump seeks program to provide children a ‘patriotic’ education. New York Times, p. A-19.
Cummings, W. (2020, June 11). ‘Go back to your bunker’: Seattle Mayor, Washington Governor fire back at Trump threat to handle protests. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/06/11/trump-demands-gov-jay-inslee-mayor-jenny-durkans-take-back-seattle/5340870002/
Donaghue, E. (2021a, March 30). Off-duty firefighter says she was desperate to help George Floyd. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/derek-chauvin-trial-george-floyd-death-day-2-2021-03-30/
Donaghue, E. (2021b, May 7). Federal civil rights charges against ex-cops in George Floyd’s death. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/george-floyd-death-derek-chauvin-minneapolis-officers-civil-rights-violations/
Eligon, J. (2020, September 4). In Kenosha, effort to turn outrage into votes hits resistance. New York Times, p. A-11.
Eligon, J., & Hubler, S. (2021, April 17). Throughout trial over George Floyd’s death, killings by police mount. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/17/us/police-shootings-killings.html?
Eligon, J., Arango, T., & Bogel-Burrouoghs, N. (2021a, March 31). Teen recalls seeing Floyd ‘terrified’ and ‘suffering.’ New York Times, pp. A-1, A-17.
Eligon, J., Arango, T., Dewan, S., & Bogel-Burroughs, N. (2021b, March 30). As Floyd murder trial starts, 9-minute video is focus for both sides. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-16.
Fausset, R. (2021a, March 12). A year later, mourning the killing of a Black jogger in Georgia. New York Times, p. A-12.
Fausset, R. (2021b, April 28). Deputies shot North Carolina man five times, private autopsy shows. New York Times, p. A-14.
Fausset, R. (2021c, May 19). North Carolina officers will not face charges in killing of Black man. New York Times, p. A-16.
Finnegan, W. (2020, August 3 and 10). The Blue wall. The New Yorker, pp. 48–57.
Floyd’s girlfriend recalls addiction. (2021, April 2). Associated Press in Omaha World-Herald, p. A-5.
Forliti, A., & Karnowski, S. (2021, June 26). Chauvin is sentenced to 22½ years in prison. Associated Press in Omaha World-Herald, p. A-1.
Furber, M., Eligon, J., & Burch, A. D. S. (2020, May 29). National guard deployed as Minneapolis erupts. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-23.
Goldmacher, S. (2020, June 15). Inspired by a moment, donors flood coffers to fund a movement. New York Times, p. A-14.
Haberman, M. (2020, September 7). Cohen book describes Trump as a mobster. New York Times, p. A-13.
Haberman, M., & Martin, J. (2020, June 24). New push to divide Americans by race, via tweets, videos, and rhetoric. New York Times, p. A-21.
Hammond, E. (2021, May 25). If the U.S. protects the bald eagle, it can make laws to protect people of color. Cable News Network (CNN). https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-remembered-05-25-21/h_63d46a773fe4b2cf074efd7b3dbf6be4
Harper’s Index. (2020, December). Harper’s Magazine, p. 11.
Healy, J., & Barker, K. (2020, June 8). Other movements have faded. This one ‘feels like home’. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-21.
Hubler, S., & Hill, E. (2021, April 29). In video, California officer[s] pin down man, who dies. New York Times, p. A-19.
Johansen, B. E. (2020). Seattle’s El Centro de la Raza: Dr. King’a living laboratory. Lexington Books.
Jones, A. (2019, June 18). Cruel and unusual punishment: When states don’t provide air conditioning in prison; 13 states in the hottest parts of the country lack universal A/C in their prisons. We explain the consequences. Prison Policy Initiative. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2019/06/18/air-conditioning/
Kanno-Youngs., Zoland, B., Peter, B., & Monica, D. (2020, July 21). “Trump Threatens to Use Force in Major Cities.” New York Times, A-1, A-17.
Karnowsky, S., & Forliti, A. (2021a, March 31). Cold stare recounted at trial. Associated Press in Omaha World-Herald, p. A-4.
Karnowsky, S., & Forliti, A. (2021b, March 30). Witness describes seeing Floyd ‘slowly fade away’. Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/us-news-minneapolis-death-of-george-floyd-racial-injustice-bba19d0f75c2cd71c135eed69f5e8200?utm_source=Sailthru&utm
Kimball, R. (2020, July 2). “Rename Yale now.” (advertisement) Center for American greatness. New York Times, p. A-5.
Kristof, N. (2020, July 25). In Portland’s so-called war zone, it’s the troops who provide the menace. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/25/opinion/sunday/portland-protest-federal-troops.html
Krugman, P. (2020, June 12). Reactionaries are having a bad month. New York Times, p. A-24.
Kunzru, H. (2020). “Another World is Possible.” Harper’s Magazine, March, 2021. https://harpers.org/archive/2021/03/another-world-is-possible-criminal-justice-reform/.
Lee, R. E. IV. (2020, June 7). Robert E. Lee is my ancestor; take down his statue. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com
Leonard, D., & Serkev, Y. (2020, July 5). The U.S. is lagging behind many rich countries; these charts show why. New York Times.
Lepore, J. (2020, June 22). The riot report. The New Yorker, pp. 24–41.
Ley, A., Martin S., & Jones, M. (2020, June 11). Norfolk, VA. Virginian Pilot. https://www.pilotonline.com/news/vp-nw-portsmouth-confederate-monument-20200610-65p7wr3nkvcrneaotwycjygcqu-story.html
A look at what’s next for Seattle protesters’ ‘autonomous zone’. (2020, June 13). Associated Press in Omaha World-Herald, p. 5-A.
Lucas, J. (2020, June). New books. Harper’s Magazine, pp. 73–74.
MacFarquhar, N. (2020a, August 28). Teen suspect glorified police and weapons. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-19.
MacFarquhar, N. (2020b, July 8). Two injured by driver in the latest car attack that targeted protesters. New York Times, p. A-15.
Maslin-Nir, S. (2021, March 5). Furor in Rochester after police pepper-spray mother with toddler. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/05/nyregion/rochester-police-woman-pepper-sprayed.html
McKay, R., & Gorman, S. (2021, April 21). Sixteen year-old fatally shot in Columbus, Ohio. Reuters. https://www.yahoo.com/news/ohio-police-kill-teenaged-black-032254909.html
Memorials, and a lawsuit mark anniversary of Arbery’s shooting. (2021, February 24). Associated Press. https://outlook.office.com/mail/inbox/id/AAMkADVmNGE2MGU2LWQ0MDItNDkyNS04YTg2LTY4YmUzZDAwZDA3YwBGAAAAAAA%2FRhKKKmMvQYnCF4rsc4kTBwC5ivxYey%2BbS4%2F0UJnRtHAFAAAA8tYkAADdlfbKMp2hTbjKlxLFP60vAAcSnvpkAAA%3D
Miller, R. W. (2020, July 20). ‘Wall of moms’ at Portland protest formed to protect demonstrators. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/20/portland-protests-wall-moms-formed-protect-demonstrators/5470348002/
Morales, C. (2021, May 14). Andre Hill’s family reaches $10 million settlement with city of Columbus. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/andre-hill-columbus-settlement.html
Mustian, J. (2021a, February 27). AP: Trooper kicked, dragged Black man who died in custody. Associated Press.
Mustian, J. (2021b, June 9). AP: Louisiana police unit probed over Black driver arrests. Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/la-state-wire-louisiana-death-of-ronald-greene-arrests-4a47c5e0ef720019d15818cf32eb2a2a?utm_
Officer who killed Black man in Atlanta faces murder charge. (2020, June 18). Associated Press in Omaha World-Herald, p. 7-A.
Olmos, S., Baker, M., & Kanno-Youngs, Z. (2020a, July 18). Federal agents unleash militarized crackdown on Portland. New York Times, p. A-1.
Olmos, S., Rojas, R., & Baker, M. (2020b, July 20). ‘We’re not leaving:’ Protesters keep going. New York Times, p. A-19.
Olsen, H. (2020, June 22). The anti-statue movement has taken a turn into absurdity. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/22/anti-statue-movement-has-taken-turn-into-absurdity/
Oppel, R. A. (2020, August 24). Portland’s new D.A. lets off 300 protesters as police fume. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-13.
Oppel, R. A., & Barker, K. (2020, July 8). ‘They’ll kill me,’ Floyd pleaded, records reveal. New York Times, pp. A-1, A18.
Oppel, R. A., Jr., & Gamio, L. (2020, June 4). In Minneapolis, police numbers tell a stark story. New York Times, p. A-14.
Osaka withdraws in protest; Tennis event on hold. (2020, August 27). Associated Press in Omaha World-Herald, p. 2-B.
Phillips, M. (2020, June 23). Trump Jr. suggests torn-down statues [to] be replaced with ‘sturdy statue’ of his father. Fox & Friends, FOX News.
Players from four leagues make statement with boycott. (2020, August 27). Associated Press in Omaha World-Herald, pp. 1-B, 2-B.
Pogrebin, R. (2020, June 22). New York museum to remove Roosevelt statue. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-19.
Prison Policy Project. (2018). https://www.prisonpolicy.org/global/2018.html
Pronczuk, M., & Zaveri, M. (2020, June 10). Statue of king is defaced, then removed, as Belgium confronts horrors of colonial rule. New York Times, p. A-16.
Protest erupts after Wisconsin as police shoot man from behind. (2020, August 24). Associated Press. https://apnews.com/0cbc14762c89304f9f052fd33a1f4445?utm_source=piano&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=morningwire&pnespid=iuQ0s.lZWFeNnlHikUyzqPXVRR2oJvHs_vZqtK46
Protests erupt in Minneapolis over the shooting death of Winston Boogie Smith, Jr. (2021, June 5). CBS News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/protest-erupts-minneapolis-over-shooting-death-winston-boogie-smith-jr-n1269729
A real life, modern day, ‘Mad Max’ scenario. (2020, June 15). Blabber Buzz, n.p.
Reinhart, E. (2020, July 6). Stop needless arrests to slow the coronavirus. New York Times, p. A-19.
Remnick, D. (2020, July 21). Redeeming America. The New Yorker, p. 8.
Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. (2020a, May 22). Prison Policy Initiative. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2014/05/28/3briefings/
Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. (2020b, July). Prison Policy Project. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/virus/virusresponse.html#releases
Robertson, C. (2021, June 10). 27 coffins found in Tulsa race massacre search. New York Times, p. A-18.
Robinson, C. L. (2020, June 9). White supremacy is a societal cancer. Omaha World-Herald, p. 5-B.
Rojas, R. (2020, June 29). Mississippi lawmakers vote to retire state flag rooted in the confederacy. New York Times, p. A-17.
Romero, S. (2020, June 16). New Mexico removes statue of conquistador known for atrocities. New York Times, p. A-18.
Romero, S., Nieto del Rio, G. M., & Bogel-Burroughs, N. (2020, June 26). Another video, another death; Tucson Latinos aren’t surprised. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-21.
Sakala, L. (2010a). Breaking down mass incarceration in the 2010 census: State-by-State incarceration rates by race/ethnicity. Prison Policy Initiative. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2014/05/28/3briefings/
Sakala, L. (2010b). Some medical conditions make people especially vulnerable to high temperatures. Prison Policy Initiative, n.p.
Salman, J., Le Coz, E., & Johnson, E. (2016, December 12). Florida’s broken sentencing system: Designed for fairness, it fails to account for prejudice. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. http://projects.heraldtribune.com/bias/sentencing/
Sanchez, R., & Cooper, A. (2021, April 2). Top homicide detective says Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd was ‘totally unnecessary’. Cable News Network. https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/02/us/george-floyd-derek-chauvin-trial-day-5/index.html
Schmitt, E., Cooper, H., Gibbons-Neff, T., & Haberman, M. (2020, June 4). Esper at odds with President on army’s use. New York Times, pp. A-1, A-20.
Senior, J. (2020, June 8). Dare I say it? Is this the Trump tipping point? New York Times, p. A-25.
Sharpton, A. (2021, May 3). NBC Evening News.
South Omaha mob wars on Greeks. (1909, February 21). New York Times, n.p.
Sticker Shock. (2020, July). Bringing you the latest in empirical research about mass incarceration. Prison Policy Initiative. https://outlook.office.com/mail/inbox/id/AAMkADVmNGE2MGU2LWQ0MDItNDkyNS04YTg2LTY4YmUzZDAwZDA3YwBGAAAAAAA%2FRhKKKmMvQYnCF4rsc4kTBwC5ivxYey%2BbS4%2F0UJnRtHAFAAAA8tYkAADdlfbKMp2hTbjKlxLFP60vAAaWfBSyAAA%3D
Stillman, S. (2020, May 25). Compassionate release: Will the pandemic make us rethink mass incarceration? The New Yorker, pp. 16–20.
Sweeney, D. (2020, June 28). Rename John Wayne airport because of actor’s racist comments, California democrats say. Sacramento Bee. https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article243855452.html
Trump says that ‘thugs’ are taking airplanes. (2020, September 3). Associated Press in Omaha World-Herald, p. A-6.
Truscott, L. K. IV. (2020, July 7). Take down the Jefferson memorial. New York Times, p. A-19.
Twitter puts a warning on another Trump tweet. (2020, June 24). New York Times, p. B-2.
Wade, J. (2020, November 21). Police say man was reaching for a gun. Omaha World-Herald, pp. B-1, B-2.
Wade, J., & Machan, C. (2020, November 20). Omaha police shoot man in traffic stop. Omaha World-Herald, pp. B-1, B-2.
Wagner, P., & Sakala, L. (2014, May 28). Three massive new briefings from the responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prison Policy Initiative. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2014/05/28/3briefings/
Walinchus, L., & Oppel, R. A. (2020, December 14). Conflicting accounts swirl on shooting of Black man in Ohio, inciting protests. New York Times, p. A-16.
Where two weeks of protests swept the nation. (2020, June 16). New York Times, pp. F-4-F-5.
Why does the U.S. military celebrate White supremacy? It is time to rename bases for American heroes—Not racist traitors. (2020, May 23). New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/23/opinion/sunday/army-base-names-confederacy-racism.html
Will, W., Dewan, S., Bogel-Burroughs, N., & Eligon, J. (2021, April 6). Key moments of day 6 of the Derek Chauvin trial. New York Times.
Williams, J. (2020, June 29). Calls to rename John Wayne Airport resurface [with] his remarks on white supremacy. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/john-wayne-racist-airport-statue-1514152
Williams, C. E., Chief Judge. (n.d.). Bias on the bench? The Florida Bar News, Vol. 44:12, n.p.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Johansen, B.E. (2022). “I Can’t Breathe:” Dying While Black in America: Today’s Lynchings and Ending the Heritage of Slavery. In: Johansen, B.E., Akande, A. (eds) Get Your Knee Off Our Necks. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85155-2_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85155-2_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-85154-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-85155-2
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)