His Name Is George Floyd: One Man’s Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice by Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa is a remembrance of George Floyd’s life. This story talks about a tragic incident when a police officer murdered a black American man, holding down his neck until he died. This incident ignited protests across the country.
This book goes further into depth on Floyd’s personal life and background, such as: his home, roots, and family. It tells about the history of Floyd’s family going back to Floyd’s great-great-grandfather, who was born an enslaved person in 1857. It also shows what kind of person Floyd was. Floyd wanted people in the world to know his name and to ensure that someday he will make a lasting impact. He told his sister Zsa Zsa at the age of thirteen, “I don’t want to rule the world; I don’t want to run the world.” Then mentioned, “I just want to touch the world.” Therefore, he wanted people to see him as a good guy that wouldn’t harm anyone in the world.
The beginning chapter shows that the day George Floyd died started as an ordinary day with his family. This chapter also shows that the Covid-19 pandemic left Floyd jobless and listless, and he was trying to avoid drugs from a friend he was hanging with. He didn’t want drugs to be part of his life.
Floyd’s life and his upbringing came to people’s attention because of the murder that happened on Memorial Day in 2020 in Minneapolis. George Floyd’s death changed everything and everyone in town. This made citizens feel outrage, despair, and mostly grief.
In conclusion, the book gives hope by letting its readers know that George Floyd didn’t die for nothing. Nobody knew his name. However, after this tragedy everybody worldwide not only knew his name, but they knew it meant changing the law, it meant right from wrong, and new hope for America.
Get the book! Check out His Name Is George Floyd by Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa at BMCC’s Library, the New York Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, or the Queens Public Library.
About the author Fall is in her third semester at BMCC and will graduate this year. She plans to get her AA degree in Early Childhood. During her spare time, she enjoys books, outdoors, sketching, exercise, taking photos, and swimming. As for her personality, she’s friendly, funny, and respectful. She hopes you enjoy some of the books she writes about at BMCC Reads.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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