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Five Years Since George Floyd’s Murder: A Reflection on Change, Resistance, and the Road Ahead

  On May 25, 2020, the world watched in terror as George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, was murdered by white Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd's neck for nine and a half minutes while Floyd pleaded, "I can't breathe." Cellphone video of this horrific crime, taken by a teenager, triggered a global uprising against systemic racism and police brutality that led to the largest U.S. protest wave since the Civil Rights movement. Five years later, May 27, 2025, the date of Floyd's murder remains a bitter-sweet reminder of both the progress and the harsh challenges still ahead. This article considers policing developments, societal attitudes, and policy change since Floyd's murder, as well as examining the backlash and ongoing struggle for racial justice. The Quick Response: An Outpouring of Activism and Vows Floyd's death came at a time when there was rising social tension, and the COVID-19 pandemic was disproportionately affecting Bl...