George Floyd Statue Unveiled in Brooklyn Among City's Juneteenth Celebrations - NBC New York
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A new statue of George Floyd is now on display in Brooklyn.
The 6-foot sculpture was unveiled in Flatbush early Saturday morning as many across the city celebrate Juneteenth, now a federally recognized holiday.
Download our mobile app for iOS or Android to get alerts for local breaking news and weather.
George Floyd's brother, Terrance Floyd was on hand for the unveiling and spoke about the importance of the day and keeping his brother's memory alive.
News
Decision 2021 5 hours ago
Yang and Garcia Team Up on Campaign Trail Days Before NYC Election
Storm Team 4 8 hours ago
Humidity Makes Big Comeback for Father's Day Weekend; Severe T-Storms Possible
"It's a major statement for a major person," Terrance Floyd told NBC. "To see Brooklyn represent him, and honor him on a national holiday, it's all love."
George Floyd's murder at the hands of a police officer last year fueled a global movement for racial justice.
The statue will remain at the Flatbush Junction for several weeks before moving to Union Square in Manhattan.
Saturday's unveiling comes a few days after Newark debuted its own statue of Floyd on Wednesday outside of City Hall.
Elsewhere in Brooklyn, organizers scheduled a rally outside Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza for 10 a.m. And at noon nextdoor, a march gets underway at the Brooklyn Museum.
New York's Empire State Building will dazzle in red, black and green Saturday night in honor of the holiday, as well.
Celebrations of the holiday kicked off in other parts of the city the night before. In Harlem Friday evening, students from Brooklyn High School of the Arts sang the song that many call the "Black National Anthem" at an event at Saint Nicholas Park.
With music, dance and spoken word, young people and community leaders marked what's known as Freedom Day.
Friday night's event kicked off a weekend of celebrations in Harlem, remembering the days 156 years ago when enslaved people in Texas learned they were free, many held for more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Tags
Who is online
398 visitors
Happy June Teenth America! So, down with Nathan Bedford Forrest and up with George Floyd. Booyah!
It is long over due. But, it is finally here, and our nation can fully celebrate.
Putting up a statue of a guy who pointed a gun at the belly of a pregnant woman to Rob her.
[deleted]
The statue should also include his lengthy rap sheet with the following message to children, “kids, do not be like george floyd.”
Yep, now they're erecting monuments honoring career criminals.
[deleted]
I would like to see a statue of Medgar Evers.
I think that would be much more appropriate than what was just put up.
The statue does not commemorate George Floyd the man, it commemorates George Floyd the symbol.
It is "amusing" to watch people who support statues of traitors and racists because they are "history" complain about this one. Don't you think the George Floyd death is historical?
It’s amusing to see someone who complain about John Marshall who essentially created our judicial branch being a great man but supporting a statue for a criminal like George Floyd.
So slavery is ok because George Floyd was a small time hood? Conservative whataboutism at its finest.
I dont "support" a statue of George Floyd by the way. It is not something I would have done.
If you want to put up a monument to make people be mindful of the excesses of police force and honor the memory of those needlessly killed by such force, that’s fine.
But was no one else available?
Was there no one from Brooklyn that they could make a statue for? Was there no one who was maybe . . . I don’t know . . . not a career criminal? I mean she wasn’t from Brooklyn (neither was Floyd) but how about a statue for Breonna Taylor?
Here’s a wacky idea. Clifford Glover . Clifford was 10 years-old when a New York City police officer shot him in the back - twice. The cop claimed Clifford had a gun, but despite hundreds of officers searching streets, sewers, and homes for a gun, none was ever found. The cop testified that he was very scared of the 5 foot, 90 pound boy as he ran away. He was acquitted.
Make a statue of that kid.