The International Civil Rights Center & Museum in downtown Greensboro marked the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s death with a public statement that called for reflection, renewed resolve, and continued action in pursuit of racial justice.
John Swaine, the museum’s CEO, said the anniversary “marks five years since the murder of George Floyd on a public street in Minneapolis – an extended moment that stunned the world and ignited a fresh global demand for social justice, official accountability, and human dignity.”
In the statement, Swaine honored Floyd not just as a symbol but also as a person – “a father, a brother, a friend, and a man whose life mattered.”
Swaine drew a direct line from Floyd’s final words – “I can’t breathe” – to the struggle against systemic racism, comparing the impact of Floyd’s death to the infamous Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama, in 1965.
On May 25, 2020, 46-year-old Floyd, a Black man, was killed in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old White police officer who was later found guilty of murder. Floyd was arrested after a store clerk accused him of buying something with a counterfeit $20 bill. Floyd was in handcuffs when Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes and pressed Floyd’s face into the street. Before losing consciousness, Floyd called out for his mother and began repeating the now famous phrase, “I can’t breathe.”
The Memorial Day weekend statement from the civil rights museum reads, “May 25, 2025, marks five years since the murder of George Floyd on a public street in Minneapolis – an extended moment that stunned the world and ignited a fresh global demand for social justice, official accountability, and human dignity. On this solemn anniversary, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum stands in remembrance, reflection, and renewed resolve.”
It adds later, “George Floyd’s unjust and tragic death laid bare the enduring realities of systemic racism and police brutality that Black persons have faced for far too long. What positive picture could counter this recorded nightmare? …. Well-intentioned communities have been spurred finally to commit to bringing about lasting affirmative change in the civic lives of all persons, where none are excluded from full and equal respect, or common fairness. As of today, after the most recent five years of on-and-off endeavor, a significant amount of work remains to be done, and we need to take a closer, more critical look at our progress.”
Swaine wrote that the museum was built on “the legacy of inventive resistance and sustained resilience” and that civil rights leaders see the anniversary not just as a time to mourn and reflect on Floyd and on peaceful struggle, but also as “a call to action.”
Swaine also wrote that the anniversary should be used to encourage strategic attempts to end racism in this country and he also spoke of the courage of the Greensboro Four who sat at the F.W. Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro on Feb. 1, 1960.
That responsibility, he said, “demands that we continue the visionary work of civil and human rights in the present day.”
Swaine added, “In the five years since that devastating day in Minneapolis, we have witnessed both progress and disappointment, along with further pain. We have seen communities come together to do the tough work, to change policies and to open doors for all of their members and, as true builders and sustainers of the social compact, to encourage the people to engage in conversations about race and justice — carefully cultivating the beloved community that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. yearned for. Yet, we know that constructive change is fragile to achieve and to maintain, and that the arc of history does not bend toward justice on its own. It requires our hands and feet, our minds and voices, along with the earnest efforts and persistent commitment to build America better than ever. Thus, each step forward may advance what we might imagine can come next, confirming and enhancing what has been gained, thereby lifting us to the next stage.”
In the statement, Swaine and other museum officials said that the museum is a place of truthfulness, education and empowerment.
“We are committed to honoring the stories of the past while equipping new generations of young people with essential tools of understanding civil rights values as we meet the challenges of today and beyond. We invite you to join us — not only in a significant observance of remembering George Floyd, but also in honoring him and his legacy by striving to build a future where the cruel indifference to life that he suffered is never repeated.”
The museum is hosting in-person programs to commemorate Floyd’s legacy. Details are available at www.sitinmovement.org.
One event, on Friday, June 6, will be “George Floyd: Five Years Later – Documentary & Public Forum.”
George, the patron saint of fentanyl, died of complications of a drug overdose while resisting arrest. His unfortunate demise was capitalized by communist marxist organizations to influence useful idiots to disrupt life in the USA and sponsor domestic terrorism.
The court of law strongly disagree.
All those drugs that he ingested is what killed him, not “murder”.
A lifetime petty criminal who was resisting arrest after trying to cheat the convenience store clerk by passing a counterfeit $20 bill.
But… but…. “It’s Waycism!”
I won’t lose any sleep.
Are you one of those that says something like this but then defends the woman shot during the capitol riot? Most conservative are hypocritical so wouldn’t be shocked.
What..???
You need psychiatric help, buddy.
Are you equating George Floyd’s life with Ashley Babbitt’s life? Seriously?
George Floyd wasn’t fit to kiss Ashli Babbit’s shoes.
Hypocritical is wanting to align yourself with anything to do with George Floyd, the woman beater criminal drug addict. He is not representative of the African American Community that anyone wants to be a part of. Not the fake media George, the real George. Take 5 minutes and you can unwind from these lies.
The entire thing was driven by media and so many lies are spoken as truth.
These lies damage Democracy.
Chris are you shocked that George floyd was a career criminal with over 20 arrests, convictions and multiple jail sentences he was a habitual drug user, lived his life as a thug.
Live like a thug Die like a thug.
Ashley Babbit was none of those things.
She was unarmed when she was Murdered
I see the call is not for justice, but for “racial” justice, which is NOT justice. We should be calling for unwed girls to keep their legs together and for stable, two-parent homes in the black community (which was mostly the norm before the not-so-great society replaced fathers with welfare).
With George Floyd’s record, he should have been in jail, where he would have been less likely to be on drugs, wouldn’t have been passing counterfeit bills, wouldn’t have been resisting arrest, and might still be alive. Floyd wasn’t murdered. His death was due to a massive overdose of stupidity and drugs. Every life matters and is important to G0d, but Floyd didn’t value his own life. He COULD have chosen to be a decent, responsible adult, but he chose to live his life as a thug. His death was his own doing. No amount of rioting, looting and burning buildings will bring him back.
Weird you talk about controlling women having sex but don’t say a word about man’s role in unwed pregnancy. Kinda of creepy really.
Wayne, accurately stated and spot on.
George Floyd’s death had nothing to do with his skin color. There is no evidence that he was treated more harshly because he was black. None.
He did steal from a store, then fight cops for over 10 minutes while they asked him to get in their squad car, and he did so with enough hard drugs in his system to kill a horse.
What a friend you have in Jesus lol. I see a lot of photos with the knee to the neck, the toe of his boot at a 90-degree angle. But seldom do they show Chauvin’s facial expression as he killed this man knowing he was being filmed. That’s the face of the devil a demon.
Another opportunity for the little town of Greensboro and city leaders to Stoke racism and fuel anti-police sentiment.
No person should be held down for this period of time especially with breathing issues brought on by ingesting drugs and fighting police officers….no person with Floyd’s reputation should be hailed as a hero…ever…period!
You are a Monday morning quarterback, are you not? Floyd was a huge, overweight, strong man who would not cooperate with police and follow commands. Police officers are not medical personnel or social workers. Officers are trained to deal with a situation at hand. Floyd placed himself in the position to be restrained, otherwise this incident would not have happened. The same restraining technique has been used thousands of times before and after Floyd. Floyd is the only person that I have read about that has died during the restraining technique. Anyone using Floyd as a raison de justice is misguided.
Wayne said:
“With George Floyd’s record, he should have been in jail, where he would have been less likely to be on drugs, wouldn’t have been passing counterfeit bills, wouldn’t have been resisting arrest, and might still be alive.”
The system failed Mr. Floyd by not incarcerating him. SHAME on the system.
The truth is that George Floyd, a habitual offender and well-known to resist when being confronted by police, played the biggest role in his demise. Every time you have a negative interaction and struggle with the police, there is a risk that bad things might happen. You have just spun the wheel of risk. Being surrounded by police, all hyped up on adrenaline, armed and concerned about themselves going home safely….then insisting on fighting even though you know you are guilty and caught is just spinning that wheel of risk again and again. Each interaction just increases the odds that bad things will happen. With a rap sheet a mile long, ol’George was addicted to spinning the wheel of risk as much as any drug. Ol’ George just had to spin that wheel one mo’time…..and finally hit the jackpot. Everyone else was just one of hundreds of participants in a lifelong pursuit of that jackpot.
The Woolworth Museum has officially announced that they are undeserving of future tax dollars. Spinning a web of deceit is unseemly especially from a “museum” that has so few visitors and so little interest by the public at large to keep its doors open without tax dollars directly, or indirectly through nonprofit status. George Floyd died because of the manner in which he lived as a serious drug user and a criminal. Floyd resisted arrest for another criminal act causing the police to use a technique used routinely under such circumstances. Floyd could not breathe because his lungs were filled with fluid from drug use. A death brings about a reflection and memory of the deceased’s life. Floyd is known for his death with no mention of the kind of life he lived. Why would the museum’s CEO use Floyd’s death to recognize the concept of justice?
It is stories just like this that continue to be repeated by the mainstream news media and other publications that continues to cause a riff which leads to more trouble in this country. These kinds of stories just give left wing loons an excuse to riot and cause more problems. The mainstream news media just won’t let some things remain in the past. They have to continue to stir up trouble. By the way, Floyd initiated his own death when he violated the law, got arrested and resisted arrest. He did die while in police custody but was not murdered. The case became “murder” because of political ramifications.
And this tells you all you need to know about this museum. It is not for civil rights for all but injustice for a single race. George Floyd broke the law. Was he mistreated at his arrest? Yes. That does not take away from his original crime, nor should he be honored or set up on some type of pedestal because he was mistreated. I don`t see any annual observations or honor being given to the white person who was mentally disturbed a few years ago and ran around his years with a knife and killed by police, nor do I see any observances in memory of the Native Americans who have been mistreated and discriminated against for the last 300 years.
What other injustices do you want to include? The civil rights movement was very much specifically about discrimination against the black community.
Native Americans, what a travesty! The White man stole their land and massacred them! If anybody deserves reparations in this country, it is our Native Americans! I sleep good at night knowing the Native Americans are finally getting the White Man back by taking his money at their casinos and selling them marijuana legally, provided they have a paid consultation with their medicine men! Poetic Justice?
Life is full of choices, Felon Floyd made his and is now gone.
Yawn