Minneapolis Uprising: The Murder of George Floyd

About these images

This ongoing photo series from the Minneapolis Uprising documents the events surrounding and following the May 25, 2020 murder of George Floyd. I continue to add both new and archival photographs to expand this visual record of this moment in Minneapolis history.

These photographs—arranged in chronological order—are intended to provide historical and cultural context to the Minneapolis Uprising. They are not a comprehensive history or any single viewpoint, but rather firsthand documentation of what I witnessed through my lens.

How it began

I began photographing Minneapolis in early 2020, working almost daily to document the COVID-19 shutdowns and their impact on the community. On May 25th, 2020, Minneapolis police officers Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng were involved in the murder of George Floyd outside of Cup Foods on Chicago Avenue in South Minneapolis. The city—and soon the world—responded with protests demanding justice.

Before George Floyd

To understand the Minneapolis Uprising, it’s important to consider the long-standing tension between residents and the city’s police department. In the years before George Floyd’s death, several high-profile police killings had already eroded public trust:

  • 2015 – Jamar Clark: Clark was shot and killed by Minneapolis police during an arrest. Conflicting reports about whether he was handcuffed led to an 18-day protest outside the Fourth Precinct police station. No officers were charged.
  • 2016 – Philando Castile: Castile was shot and killed during a traffic stop in nearby St. Anthony. The Facebook live-streamed aftermath brought national attention to police violence. The officer was charged but acquitted.
  • 2017 – Justine Damond: Former officer Mohamed Noor was convicted of killing Damond, an Australian native who called 911 to report a potential assault. The case drew international attention and marked the first conviction of a Minnesota police officer for killing a civilian. Noor’s conviction was later reduced, and he was released in 2022.

The Uprising and Ongoing Coverage

In the months after George Floyd’s murder, Minneapolis became a center of protest, activism, and community rebuilding. This series documents not only demonstrations but also murals, memorials, vigils, and community efforts that emerged across the Twin Cities.

The project continues beyond 2020, tracing how the city has confronted issues of policing, accountability, and justice in the wake of later killings, including:

  • Dolal Idd (Minneapolis, December 2020)
  • Daunte Wright (Brooklyn Center, April 2021)
  • Winston Smith (Minneapolis, June 2021)
  • Amir Locke (Minneapolis, February 2022)
  • Tekle Sundberg (Minneapolis, July 2022)

Together, these images form a multi-year chronicle of protests, daily life, and reflection in the Minneapolis area.

This work represents my personal experience of Minneapolis during a period of profound change—an attempt to document both the intensity of protest and the community that emerged in response.

— Chad Davis  ()
May 2023