George Floyd

In honor of Black History Month, The Cardinal will feature prominent and/or historical Black Americans, living or dead, who have worked toward change, advancement, and/or world peace. Some of them are heroes, and some are unsung heroes who deserve recognition, but all have made contributions to make society a better place.

Kim Nhi Truong, Staff Writer

February 20, 2026

George Floyd was born on October 14, 1973 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Floyd sadly passed away on May 25, 2020, when he was shot by police officer Derek Chauvin.

Floyd was pinned down while a middle aged police officer knelt down on Floyd’s neck when he was being handcuffed while lying face down. The police officer, Derek Chauvin suffocated him on 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This led to Floyd’s last words of “I can’t breathe.” After the video of the incident was published, many communities in America were frustrated by the police brutality and this spread throughout the world.

Floyd’s death has made the Black Community and other races fight for justice from racism and discrimination. Chauvin was convicted and an investigation for other police officers involved was conducted after Floyd’s death.

This caused widespread protests in America, but also globally around the world. Although no one knew the idea of Floyd’s accomplishment, his death made a huge impact on society. Many people around the globe did massive protests and awareness of racial inequality and justices around the world. This protest also expanded far from the United States up to at least 60 countries and moreover 90 territories.

George Floyd inspired and impacted massive numbers of people to stand up for human rights and against the ideal of the racial inequality and police brutalities against colored people. The protest is known widely as Black Lives Matter. Many businesses, companies, schools, etc., supported the protest to insure that justice is served for his death. Floyd’s legacy made huge history on impacted global movement and police reform to prohibit on the certain restrainment methods onto people and always having a body camera on them. His legacy continues to benefit the communities after his death.

About the Contributor

Kim Nhi Truong, Staff Writer

Kim is a junior at Hoover High School and in the AHHC Academy. Her favorite sport is archery and has been doing this since freshman year. She went to Utah for the NASP Archery National and won with her team. Her favorite season is winter and fall. She loves the movie White Chicks since it’s the best humorous movie she has ever watched. She also loves horror movies and horror games and she’s an ambivert person but once you get to know her fully, she’s very friendly. Moreover, she loves to make new friends and make people feel welcomed. She loves to explore different places. She loves to try new recipes for baking and cooking. This year, she hopes she can spend her high school years carefully since her years are almost up, and then it’s senior year and then into her young adulthood. She wants her high school year to be fun before situations become serious and more responsible. She hopes she can pursue her dream job as a veterinarian or a nurse. Kim is the type to always understand and try to help out as she can. She’s the type of person that loves to hang out with friends and family to go to places such as the mall, park, restaurant, beach, and the arcade. She loves to record or take pictures where she travels or going to places. Her favorite type of animals is a British short hair cat and dachshund dog that is a mix.