George Floyd Square Explained
George Floyd Square |
Alternate Name: | George Perry Floyd Square 38th and Chicago |
Coordinates: | 44.9343°N -93.2624°W |
Former Names: | George Perry Floyd Jr. Place |
Part Of: | Powderhorn community |
Namesake: | George Floyd |
Type: | Commemorative street |
Owner: | City of Minneapolis |
Length: | Two city blocks |
Addresses: | Chicago Avenue |
Location: | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States |
Postal Code: | 55407 |
Terminus A: | East 37th Street (north) |
Junction: | East 38th Street |
Terminus B: | East 39th Street (south) |
Inauguration Date: | May 25, 2022 |
Website: | minneapolismn.gov |
George Floyd Square, officially George Perry Floyd Square, is a memorialized streetway in Minneapolis for the section of Chicago Avenue that intersects East 38th Street. It is named after George Floyd, a black man who was murdered there by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020. The commemorative street name is signed along Chicago Avenue between East 37th Street to East 39th Street and includes the 38th and Chicago intersection.
Public outrage over Floyd's murder resulted in the largest mass protest movement since the civil rights movement, largely over issues of systemic racism and police brutality. In the following weeks, racial justice activists and some community members erected barricades to keep 38th and Chicago street intersection closed to vehicular traffic for over a year during 2020 and 2021. Artists and demonstrators installed several exhibits, paintings, sculptures, and other works of art to memorialize Floyd and visualize racial justice themes.
The City of Minneapolis officially designated the streetway in Floyd's honor in 2022,[1] and has been planning for an official, permanent memorial to Floyd at the site.
Geography
Chicago Avenue is a major north–south thoroughfare in Minneapolis. It was named Ames Street in an 1855 city plat map. Sometime in the late 1880s, the Minneapolis City Council changed the name of Ames Street to Chicago Avenue, but historians are unsure exactly when or why the street was renamed.[2] Chicago Avenue intersects East 38th Street in the city's Powderhorn community. The 38th and Chicago street intersection is a border for several city neighborhoods: Bancroft, Bryant, Central, and Powderhorn Park.[3] [4]
History
Murder of George Floyd
See main article: Murder of George Floyd and George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul.
The East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue intersection was the location of the murder of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin, an officer with the Minneapolis Police Department. Chauvin, a White man, knelt on the neck of Floyd, an unarmed Black man, for about 9 minutes and 29 seconds while Floyd begged for help, said he could not breathe, lost consciousness, and died on May 25, 2020. The incident, which occurred in the street outside the Cup Foods store, was filmed by bystanders and circulated widely in the media.[5] [6] In reaction to Floyd's murder, protests began locally on May 26, 2020, and gave way to local and nationwide movements. After several days, the Black Lives Matter movement protests spread throughout the United States and to many other countries.
"Autonomous" zone
See main article: George Floyd Square occupied protest. Soon after Floyd's murder, people left memorials to him near the Cup Foods store. The street intersection soon transitioned to an occupation protest referred to as George Floyd Square, as racial justice activists and some community members erected barricades to block vehicular traffic .[7] [8] The physical occupation of the street intersection after Floyd's murder persisted for over a year, but it was not without controversy.[9] [10] Some local businesses objected to the street closure and some neighbors felt perceptions that the area was "autonomous" or police-free led to an increase in violent crime.[11] [12] Vehicular traffic resumed through the street intersection on June 20, 2021.[13] [14]
Official designation and planning
In September 2020, the city named the two-block section of Chicago Avenue from East 37th Street (northern end) to East 39th Street (southern end) as "George Perry Floyd Jr. Place". The city again renamed the street way as "George Perry Floyd Square", with an inauguration ceremony taking place on May 25, 2022, the second anniversary of Floyd's murder.[15] [16]
Minneapolis officials designated the broader East 38th Street corridor as one of seven city cultural districts in late 2020. As part of the cultural district's long-term design plan, officials sought to preserve public art installments at the 38th and Chicago intersection that emerged in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder.[17] The City of Minneapolis stated in mid 2021 that it would work with the local community to establish a permanent memorial at the street intersection.[18] In 2022, the City of Minneapolis began a process to "re-envision" the streets of 38th Street East and Chicago Avenue to permanently incorporate memorials to George Floyd and make transportation improvements.[19] [20] The regional Metro Transit authority removed a previously planned rapid bus stop on the METRO D Line at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, but said they would engage with the community on future plans for the area.[21]
Amongst the protest occupation and permanent memorial planning, incidents of violent crime at the square area led to broader public discussion about public safety and policing.[22] By August 14, 2022, six people had been killed by gun violence at the square since Floyd's murder,[23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] and one person had died there as the result of a drug overdose.[29] The city purchased the abandoned Speedway gas station at the intersection that had been used as an informal community gathering space. In late 2023, city officials announced a timeline to gather community input on a permanent memorial and redesign of the area with implementation and construction taking place in 2026 and beyond.[30]
Visitors
George Floyd Square has hosted thousands of visitors from around the world.[31] Caretakers for the memorial do not view the site as a tourist destination, but as a place for reflection about issues of racism and injustice.[32] The site has been likened to other monuments of historic trauma, such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.[33] [34]
Other notable features
Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center
The Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center occupies the space of the historic Nokomis Theater on the 3700 block of Chicago Avenue. The building was originally constructed in 1915 and designed by architect Joseph E. Nason. The theater was expanded in 1928 and remained for several decades until it closed in 1952 along with the Chicago Avenue streetcar line.[35] The structure was significantly altered and was later used as an automobile repair shop until the building and many original architectural details were restored in the 2000s.[36] The arts center was founded in 2007 by residents in the Central and Bryant neighborhoods with the goal to increase equity in public art. By 2020, the center was serving 800 artists per year.[37] [38]
Cup Foods
Cup Foods, located on the 3700 block of Chicago Avenue, opened in 1989 as a combination grocery store, convenience store, and restaurant in the Powderhorn community in Minneapolis.[39] Cup Foods was founded by Samir Abumayyaleh, who was born in Palestine and emigrated to the United States as a child.[40] The name of the store was originally Chicago Unbeatable Prices, but later shortened to CUP. The area around the store had also been the location of violent crime, illicit drug dealing, loitering, and undercover police surveillance since the 1990s.[41] In 2000, the city temporarily shut the store down for several months after recovering stolen electronics, ammunition, and materials for illicit drugs inside Cup Foods–leading to a constant police presence around the property.[42]
On May 25, 2020, a 9-1-1 call from an employee at Cup Foods led to the fatal encounter between George Floyd and the Minneapolis police. The employee reported that Floyd had paid using a suspected counterfeit $20 bill. Derek Chauvin and three other police officers arrived in response, and they arrested and detained Floyd. During the arrest, Chauvin pinned Floyd by his neck on the ground for 9 minutes and 29 seconds as he struggled to breathe and died.[43] [44] Several bystanders attempted to intervene unsuccessfully, but several captured video footage on their cellphones.[45] [46] Cup Foods closed temporarily during the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul and unrest in mid 2020, but re-opened in August 2020. The store changed its name to Unity Foods in 2023.[47]
Notes and References
- Web site: RCA-2022-00460 - Commemorative street name change: Council President Andrea Jenkins, Chicago Ave between 37th St E and 39th St E . 2022-05-23 . lims.minneapolismn.gov . June 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220611152138/https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/RCA/9638 . live .
- Web site: Seavert . Lindsey . 2017-02-15 . Ask KARE: How did Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis get its name? . 2022-05-23 . . en-US.
- Web site: About 38th & Chicago – South Minneapolis – We know you like family . 2021-04-22 . en-US . May 20, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220520195320/http://www.38thchicago.com/about/ . live .
- Web site: 38th Street and Chicago Avenue Small Area / Corridor Framework Plan . 2021-04-22 . minneapolis2040.com . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612213822/https://minneapolis2040.com/small-area-plans/38th-street-and-chicago-avenue-small-area-corridor-framework-plan/ . live .
- News: Levenson . Eric . 2021-03-29 . Former officer knelt on George Floyd for 9 minutes and 29 seconds -- not the infamous 8:46 . CNN . 2021-03-29 . December 30, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211230160743/https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/29/us/george-floyd-timing-929-846/index.html . live .
- News: Hill . Evan . Tiefenthäler . Ainara . Triebert . Christiaan . Jordan . Drew . Willis . Haley . Stein . Robin . 2020-06-01 . How George Floyd Was Killed in Police Custody . en-US . The New York Times . 2021-04-22 . 0362-4331 . June 5, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200605164644/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-investigation.html . live .
- Web site: Burks . Megan . Nguyen . Christine T. . Frost . Evan . 2020-11-25 . The call for justice at 38th and Chicago persists . 2020-11-25 . . December 1, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201201005617/https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/11/25/timeline-building-george-floyd-square . live .
- News: Nebehay . Stephanie . 2020-11-09 . U.S. criticized for police brutality, racism at U.N. rights review . en . Reuters . 2020-11-25 . November 29, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201129013206/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-un-rights-idUSKBN27P2W2 . live .
- News: Griswold . David . 2021-06-20 . Traffic resumes at George Floyd Square . . 2021-06-21 . July 11, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210711093220/https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/george-floyd/traffic-resumes-at-george-floyd-square/89-8c7d1e73-b8a7-422d-b459-027659f36a9b . live .
- News: 2021-06-20 . George Floyd Square, Uptown Intersection Reopen To Traffic . . 2021-06-21 . June 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210621001610/https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2021/06/20/george-floyd-square-and-minneapolis-uptown-intersection-at-center-of-protests-reopen-to-traffic/ . live .
- News: Du . Susan . 2021-03-15 . In Minneapolis, business owners in George Floyd Square plead for safety . Star Tribune . live . 2021-03-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210315221908/https://www.startribune.com/in-minneapolis-business-owners-in-george-floyd-square-plead-for-safety/600034338/ . March 15, 2021.
- Web site: Burks . Megan . 2020-12-11 . George Floyd's Square offers an alternative to police — though not all neighbors want one . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210105143344/https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/12/11/george-floyds-square-offers-an-alternative-to-police-though-not-all-neighbors-want-one . January 5, 2021 . 2020-12-14 . MPR News.
- News: Griswold . David . 2021-06-20 . Traffic resumes at George Floyd Square . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210711093220/https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/george-floyd/traffic-resumes-at-george-floyd-square/89-8c7d1e73-b8a7-422d-b459-027659f36a9b . July 11, 2021 . 2021-06-21 . KARE-TV.
- News: 2021-06-20 . George Floyd Square, Uptown Intersection Reopen To Traffic . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210621001610/https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2021/06/20/george-floyd-square-and-minneapolis-uptown-intersection-at-center-of-protests-reopen-to-traffic/ . June 21, 2021 . 2021-06-21 . WCCO-TV.
- News: Otárola . Miguel . 4 August 2020 . Cup Foods, site where George Floyd was killed, reopens in south Minneapolis . Star Tribune . May 23, 2022 . January 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210119151013/https://www.startribune.com/cup-foods-site-where-george-floyd-was-killed-reopens-in-south-minneapolis/571999102/ . live .
- Web site: Shortal . Jana . May 12, 2022 . 'Transform our reputation': Twin Cities leaders launch effort to address racial disparities . 2022-05-23 . . en-US.
- Web site: 2020-11-12 . 38th Street and Chicago Avenue . 2020-11-25 . . en . October 20, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201020231147/http://www2.minneapolismn.gov/minneapolisforward/38thandChicago . live .
- News: Jokich . Alex . 2021-10-21 . Hundreds gather for tribute on George Floyd's 48th birthday . . 2021-10-21 . October 29, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211029154640/https://kstp.com/news/hundreds-gather-for-tribute-on-george-floyd-48th-birthday/6270088/ . dead .
- News: Bornhoft . William . 2022-04-18 . Minneapolis Seeks To 'Re-Envision' Site Of George Floyd Killing . . 2022-04-18 . May 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220512054359/https://patch.com/minnesota/southwestminneapolis/minneapolis-seeks-re-envision-site-george-floyd-killing . live .
- News: Du . Susan . 2022-04-23 . What's next for George Floyd Square? City cautiously undertakes public engagement process . . 2022-04-23 . April 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220424210424/https://www.startribune.com/whats-next-for-george-floyd-square-city-cautiously-undertakes-public-engagement-process/600167409/ . live .
- METRO D Line Update- December 2020 . Metropolitan Council . 11 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201202164701/https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNORGMETC/bulletins/2aee83a . December 2, 2020 . en . December 2, 2020.
- News: Du . Susan . 2021-05-25 . The Cossroads of Minneapolis . . live . 2021-05-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210524222306/https://www.startribune.com/george-floyd-square-minneapolis-killing-murder-photos-memorial-worldwide-racial-reckoning/600055562/ . May 24, 2021.
- News: Ibrahim . Mohamed . 2021-03-05 . Officer's trial could reopen intersection where Floyd died . . live . 2021-03-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210307013503/https://apnews.com/article/trials-coronavirus-pandemic-minneapolis-racial-injustice-derek-chauvin-43e0ec34e2e817a9f2b4d9ae09905390 . March 7, 2021.
- News: Staff . 2020-08-06 . Minneapolis Police: Infant Dies One Month After Pregnant Woman Is Fatally Shot; Father Charged In Both Deaths . . live . 2020-08-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210308051850/https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/08/06/minneapolis-police-infant-dies-one-month-after-pregnant-woman-is-fatally-shot/ . March 8, 2021.
- News: Hyatt . Kim . Furst . Randy . 2021-03-08 . Two people injured, one killed in rash of weekend shootings in Minneapolis . Star Tribune . live . 2021-03-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210311124053/https://www.startribune.com/two-people-injured-one-killed-in-rash-of-weekend-shootings-in-minneapolis/600031467/ . March 11, 2021.
- News: Walsh . Paul . 2022-03-19 . Authorities ID man who was shot to death in his home near George Floyd Square in south Minneapolis . . 2022-03-19 . April 1, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220401184439/https://www.startribune.com/authorities-id-man-who-was-shot-to-death-in-his-home-near-george-floyd-square-in-south-minneapolis/600160367/ . live .
- News: Wermus . Katie . 2022-08-07 . Minneapolis police investigating fatal shooting near George Floyd Square . . 2022-08-07 . August 7, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220807152305/https://www.fox9.com/news/minneapolis-police-investigating-fatal-shooting-near-george-floyd-square . live .
- News: 2022-08-14 . One dead, another injured in shooting near George Floyd Square in Minneapolis . . 2022-08-14 . August 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220814230407/https://www.startribune.com/one-dead-another-injured-in-shooting-near-38th-and-chicago/600198298/ . live .
- News: Blume . Paul . 2022-06-23 . Questions remain after federal authorities dismiss charges in 'carjacking' case . . 2022-06-23 . July 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220709184856/https://www.fox9.com/news/questions-remain-after-authorities-decline-charges-in-carjacking-case . live .
- News: Orrick . Dave . October 17, 2023 . Redevelopment of George Floyd Square won't happen until 2026 or later . . October 30, 2023 . October 30, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231030142625/https://www.startribune.com/george-floyd-square-to-be-developed-by-2026-minneapolis/600312912/ . live .
- Web site: People from all over the world have visited George Floyd Square . 2022-05-26 . spectrumnews1.com . en . May 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220526135222/https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2021/05/25/people-from-all-over-the-world-have-visited-george-floyd-square . live .
- Ross . Janell . Bates . Josiah . The Uncertain Future of George Floyd Square . 2022-05-26 . . en . May 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220526135222/https://time.com/6181463/george-floyd-square-memorial-future/ . live .
- Web site: Getting things right at George Floyd Square . 2022-04-29 . Star Tribune . April 29, 2022. May 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220526135222/https://www.startribune.com/getting-things-right-at-george-floyd-square/600169246/ . live .
- Web site: Medcalf . Myron . 2021-07-21 . Changes to George Floyd Square threaten to minimize memory, scrub history . 2022-05-26 . . May 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220526135223/https://www.startribune.com/medcalf-changes-to-george-floyd-square-threaten-to-minimize-memory-scrub-history/600065077/ . live .
- Web site: Evening Exploration: Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center . 2022-05-25 . Preserve Minneapolis . en-US . January 4, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230104104455/https://www.preserveminneapolis.org/blog-about-town/evening-exploration-chicago-avenue-fire-arts-center . dead .
- Web site: Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center . 2020 . 3749 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210125113319/https://www.cafac.org/building-history . January 25, 2021 . 2021-04-28 . www.cafac.org/ . en-US.
- News: Alicia Eler . Alicia Eler . 2021-01-22 . Steps from George Floyd Square, this arts center was forged in community . Star Tribune . 2021-01-22 . January 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210123063459/https://www.startribune.com/steps-from-george-floyd-square-this-arts-center-was-forged-in-community/600013313/ . live .
- Web site: Sabrowsky . Helen . 2020-03-08 . Playing with fire . 2021-04-28 . Southwest Journal . en-US . November 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221111164432/https://www.southwestjournal.com/focus/camp-guide/2020/03/playing-with-fire/ . dead .
- News: Sidner . Sara . 2021-04-10 . Inside Cup Foods, where it seems George Floyd never left . CNN . 2021-04-10 . May 20, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220520195234/https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/10/us/minneapolis-george-floyd-cup-foods-sidner/index.html . live .
- Web site: Ismail . Aymann . 2020-10-06 . The Store That Called the Cops on George Floyd Is Facing a Painful Reckoning . 2021-04-24 . Slate Magazine . en . May 20, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220520195229/https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/10/cup-foods-george-floyd-store-911-history.html . live .
- News: Bogel-Burroughs . Nicholas . Healy . Jack . 15 June 2020 . Cup Foods, a Minneapolis Corner Store Forever Tied to the Death of George Floyd . The New York Times . 17 June 2020 . June 17, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200617001915/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/15/us/cup-foods-minneapolis-george-floyd.html . live .
- News: Pruni . Analise . 12 August 2020 . CUP Foods: Good neighbor or bad? . Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder . May 23, 2022 . January 13, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210113150826/https://spokesman-recorder.com/2020/08/12/cup-foods-good-neighbor-or-bad/ . live .
- News: Forliti . Amy . Karnowski . Steve . Webber . Tammy . April 5, 2021 . Police chief: Kneeling on Floyd's neck violated policy . Star Tribune . Associated Press . dead . April 8, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210410114811/https://www.startribune.com/police-chief-kneeling-on-floyds-neck-violated-policy/600042283/ . April 10, 2021.
- News: Levenson . Eric . March 29, 2021 . Former officer knelt on George Floyd for 9 minutes and 29 seconds -- not the infamous 8:46 . CNN . live . March 29, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210329194620/https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/29/us/george-floyd-timing-929-846/index.html . March 29, 2021.
- Web site: McGreal . Chris . April 20, 2021 . Derek Chauvin found guilty of George Floyd's murder . April 20, 2021 . . April 20, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210420210846/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/20/derek-chauvin-verdict-guilty-murder-george-floyd . live .
- News: May 30, 2020 . George Floyd: What happened in the final moments of his life . . live . June 1, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200605073814/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52861726 . June 5, 2020.
- News: Forgrave . Reid . Contracted with the city, community group Agape Movement made the call on reopening George Floyd Square . 16 March 2024 . The Star Tribune . June 4, 2021 . March 16, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240316143241/https://www.startribune.com/contracted-with-the-city-community-group-agape-movement-made-the-call-on-reopening-george-floyd-squa/600064336/?refresh=true . live .
- Web site: GEORGE FLOYD GLOBAL MEMORIAL - About GFGM . 2022-05-25 . www.georgefloydglobalmemorial.org . en-US . May 20, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220520112225/https://www.georgefloydglobalmemorial.org/about-gfgm . dead .
- News: Rao . Maya . Mahamud . Faiza . Du . Susan . 2022-05-25 . Two years later, Minnesotans gather to remember George Floyd . . 2022-05-26 . May 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220526125840/https://www.startribune.com/two-years-later-minnesotans-gather-to-remember-george-floyd/600176411/ . live .
- News: Ermon . Brittney . 2023-03-15 . City of Minneapolis aims to give George Floyd Square businesses more support amid hardships . KSTP-TV |url=https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/businesses-on-george-floyd-square-work-to-rebuild/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |archive-date=March 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316203715/https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/businesses-on-george-floyd-square-work-to-rebuild/ |url-status=live }}
Minnesota Agape Movement
Minnesota Agape Movement is a non-profit in Minneapolis with a headquarters office on the 3700 block of Chicago Avenue. The organization has contracts with the city to improve health and safety and build community in the area, often taking over functions that police might otherwise handle. The organization was formed shortly after the murder of George Floyd by members including Steve Floyd (no relation to George Floyd), a longtime street outreach worker for the area. Members of Agape were involved with putting up the barricades around George Floyd Square in May 2020 and Agape led the effort to reopen the square in June 2021.[47]
George Floyd Global Memorial
George Floyd Global Memorial is a 501(c)3 organization in Minneapolis with a headquarters' office on the 3500 block of Chicago Avenue. The organization acts as a curator of the demonstrator-installed art exhibits at George Floyd Square. Its mission is to inventory, collect, and preserve the public art installations and the approximately 5,000 offerings that were left by visitors at the square.[48] [49]
See also
External links
.