Degree Date
1-19-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Dr. Jana Hennen-Burr
Second Advisor
Dr. Tyrone Brookins
Third Advisor
Dr. Gwendolyn Peyton
Abstract
This study's objective investigates the viewpoints held by Black women in two urban areas of Minnesota about the social upheaval that followed the murder of George Floyd in 2020 for using a counterfeit $20 bill. In the last decade, police killings of innocent Black people in the United States have received more attention, and Floyd's death is only one example of this phenomenon. In the U.S., the likelihood of a police officer taking the life of a Black man is higher than that of a White man. Between 2013-2019 there have been 1,641 fatal shootings of defenseless Black men by police officers. Video of Floyd's murder and the demonstrations that followed was extensively disseminated by many news organizations and other media sites (Ladyzhinskaya, 2021). It has been demonstrated that widespread coverage of killings on social media is also easy to access and harms the psychological well-being of the Black community. This is especially true when viewed in the context of the historical framework of institutional and cultural racism and discrimination in the U.S.
This research ascertains the extent to which several Black women residing in the metroplex of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, were prompted to respond and act as a direct result of Floyd's death due to police misconduct. All the participants were selected based on their well known presence in the Black community. Each spoke intimately about their personal and communal experiences, which have shaped their activism and commitment to social justice. Based on these participants' narratives, recommendations are provided for professional practices which will provide invaluable information to regulatory systems, such as policing and the judicial system.
Recommended Citation
Gates-Mahmoud, E. (2023). The Murder of George Floyd: A Case Study Examining How the Policing of Black Men and Grassroots Activism Influence the Will of Black Women to Lead (Dissertation, Concordia University, St. Paul). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/edd/36Included in
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