Say Their Names Cemetery, Minneapolis

The "Say Their Names Cemetery" is an outdoor memorial located in South Minneapolis, near George Floyd Square. Established in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests, the cemetery serves as a tribute to victims of police violence. Each headstone bears the name of an individual who died as a result of police brutality, with the central marker dedicated to George Floyd himself. The memorial aims to honor these lives and raise awareness about systemic injustice. On May 25, 2020, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered 46-year-old George Floyd during an arrest outside Cup Foods at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in south Minneapolis. Video recorded by bystanders showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes while Floyd repeatedly said he could not breathe. Three other Minneapolis police officers - J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao — were also present during the arrest and later faced criminal charges for their roles in Floyd’s death. Floyd’s murder sparked protests and civil unrest across Minneapolis and around the world, leading to widespread demonstrations against police violence, major policy debates on policing, and the conviction of Chauvin on murder and manslaughter charges in 2021.

Photo taken in June 2021.