2020

George Floyd, 46, died after Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds during an arrest. Bystander Darnella Frazier, 17, filmed the encounter; Floyd repeatedly said 'I can't breathe.' Officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane were also present. Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in April 2021. All four officers were convicted on federal civil rights charges in 2021. Frazier received a Pulitzer Prize special citation. Floyd's killing triggered the largest protest movement in U.S. history.

Following George Floyd's killing, protests erupted in all 50 states and over 60 countries. Estimated 15–26 million Americans participated, making it potentially the largest movement in U.S. history. Protests occurred in small towns including Vidor, TX — a former 'sundown town.' Over 14,000 people were arrested in the first two weeks. Police responses included tear gas, rubber bullets, and baton charges at peaceful protesters. Minneapolis pledged to dismantle its police department; the proposal ultimately failed. The phrase 'defund the police' entered mainstream debate.

CDC data consistently shows Black women die from pregnancy-related complications at 2.6–3 times the rate of white women in the U.S. — a gap that persists across income and education levels. Studies show Black patients receive less pain medication, are less likely to be believed when reporting symptoms, and are more likely to be discharged prematurely. Serena Williams' widely publicized near-death experience in 2017 following childbirth — when nurses dismissed her concerns about blood clots — brought national attention. The maternal mortality rate for Black women was 69.9 per 100,000 live births in 2021 versus 26.6 for white women.

CDC data shows Black women die from pregnancy-related complications at 2.6-3 times the rate of white women, a gap that persists across income and education levels. Serena Williams' near-death experience in 2017 — when nurses dismissed her concerns about blood clots following childbirth — brought national attention. The maternal mortality rate for Black women was 69.9 per 100,000 live births in 2021 versus 26.6 for white women.

Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was jogging near his home in Brunswick, GA, when Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan pursued him in pickup trucks. Travis McMichael shot Arbery three times with a shotgun at close range. The McMichaels claimed citizen's arrest; local prosecutors initially declined to charge them. Video of the killing shot by Bryan was leaked on May 5, 2020, provoking national outrage. All three men were arrested May 7, 2020 — 74 days after the killing. They were convicted of murder in November 2021 and sentenced to life in prison. Federal hate crime convictions followed in 2022.

Breonna Taylor, 26, an emergency medical technician, was shot six times and killed by Louisville Metro Police officers executing a no-knock warrant at her apartment in the early morning hours. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired one shot in self-defense believing intruders had broken in. Officer Brett Hankison fired blindly into the apartment and adjacent units; he was indicted only for wanton endangerment of Taylor's neighbors, not for her death. No officer was charged with her killing. Louisville settled with Taylor's family for $12 million. Federal charges against several officers were later filed.

CDC data showed Black Americans were dying from COVID-19 at approximately 2.4 times the rate of white Americans through 2020–2021. Structural factors included higher rates of essential worker employment with no remote-work option (food service, transit, health aides, meatpacking), lower rates of health insurance, higher prevalence of underlying conditions rooted in poverty and environmental racism, residential crowding, and reduced access to quality healthcare. Early vaccine rollouts in some states prioritized age, disadvantaging younger Black essential workers. Black Americans constituted roughly 13% of the U.S. population but 23% of early COVID deaths.

Police union contracts include provisions that obstruct accountability: mandatory delays before officer interrogation, expungement of disciplinary records, and arbitration that reinstates fired officers. University of Chicago research found that in cities where police unions negotiated stronger contracts, use of force complaints rose. A Reuters investigation found hundreds of officers fired for misconduct who were reinstated through union arbitration.

By 2020, the Black homeownership rate (44%) was nearly the same as in 1968 when the Fair Housing Act passed, compared to 74% for white Americans — a gap wider than before the Civil Rights Act. Research published by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition showed that 74% of neighborhoods graded 'hazardous' (redlined) in the 1930s by the HOLC remained lower-income by 2010, and 64% were majority-minority. Banks continued to be found denying mortgage applications at higher rates to Black applicants with identical financial profiles. Cities including Chicago, Baltimore, and Detroit saw persistent geographic segregation traceable to mid-20th-century redlining maps.

The 13th Amendment abolishes slavery 'except as a punishment for crime.' In 2020, approximately 2.3 million people — 38% Black — were incarcerated in the U.S. Prison labor is paid $0.13 to $0.52 per hour on average; in some states, prisoners are paid nothing. Corporations including McDonald's, Walmart, Starbucks, and Victoria's Secret have used prison labor through government contracts. Alabama and South Carolina state prisons were found by federal courts to have unconstitutional conditions including inmate-on-inmate violence due to understaffing. The 13th Amendment exception has been used to criminalize behaviors disproportionately associated with poverty and Blackness.

By 2020, the Black homeownership rate (44%) was nearly the same as in 1968 when the Fair Housing Act passed, compared to 74% for white Americans. Research showed 74% of neighborhoods graded hazardous by HOLC in the 1930s remained lower-income by 2010, and 64% were majority-minority. Banks continued denying mortgage applications at higher rates to Black applicants with identical financial profiles to approved white applicants.

Police union contracts across the U.S. include provisions that obstruct accountability: mandatory delays before officer interrogation (the 'Garrity rule'), expungement of disciplinary records, arbitration that reinstates fired officers, and access to witness statements before giving testimony. Research by the University of Chicago found that in cities where police unions negotiated stronger contracts, civilian complaints fell and use of force complaints rose. A Reuters investigation found hundreds of officers fired for misconduct who were reinstated through union arbitration. Officers involved in high-profile killings including those in Tamir Rice's case were previously flagged for misconduct. Union political contributions flowed heavily to candidates opposing reform.

The U.S. education finance system relies heavily on local property taxes, creating a direct link between neighborhood wealth and school quality. Districts serving predominantly Black students receive an average of $1,800 less per pupil annually than predominantly white districts. In states including Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, the gap exceeds $3,000 per pupil. A 2019 EdBuild report found that racially concentrated poverty districts (majority non-white, high poverty) received $1,500 less per student than racially concentrated privilege districts (majority white, low poverty). The system translates the legacy of residential segregation — itself a product of redlining — directly into unequal educational opportunity.

The 13th Amendment abolishes slavery 'except as a punishment for crime.' In 2020, approximately 2.3 million people — 38% Black — were incarcerated. Prison labor is paid $0.13 to $0.52 per hour; in some states, nothing. Corporations including McDonald's, Walmart, and Starbucks have used prison labor through government contracts. Alabama and South Carolina state prisons were found by federal courts to have unconstitutional conditions.

U.S. schools rely heavily on local property taxes, creating a direct link between neighborhood wealth and school quality. Districts serving predominantly Black students receive an average of $1,800 less per pupil than predominantly white districts. In states including Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, the gap exceeds $3,000 per pupil. The system translates the legacy of residential segregation — itself a product of redlining — directly into unequal educational opportunity.

U.S. prisons became COVID-19 hotspots in 2020. The Cook County Jail in Chicago, with a majority-Black population, was among the nation's earliest and largest clusters. San Quentin State Prison in California saw over 2,200 infections and 28 deaths after transferring infected inmates from another facility. Courts largely denied emergency release petitions. The Marshall Project estimated more than 2,800 incarcerated people died of COVID-19 by mid-2021. Black and Latino people were overrepresented in prison populations — roughly 38% and 30% respectively — and thus bore disproportionate COVID mortality risk.

On June 1, 2020, federal law enforcement officers used tear gas, pepper balls, and mounted police to forcibly clear peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C., minutes before the lawful curfew. The action allowed President Trump to walk to St. John's Church for a photo opportunity holding a Bible. The chair of the Joint Chiefs later apologized for his presence. A federal judge ruled in 2021 that the clearing violated protesters' First Amendment rights. The incident was condemned by former Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Jacob Blake, 29, was shot seven times in the back by Kenosha, WI officer Rusten Sheskey on August 23, 2020, as Blake walked to his car where his children were seated. Blake was partially paralyzed from the shooting. No criminal charges were filed against Sheskey. The shooting occurred during an ongoing period of protests following Breonna Taylor's death. Kenosha erupted in protests; two nights later, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse shot and killed two protesters and wounded one. Rittenhouse was acquitted in 2021.

CDC data shows Black Americans are killed by gun homicides at approximately 13 times the rate of white Americans. In 2020, gun violence was the leading cause of death for Black children and teens. The NRA and Congressional Republicans blocked universal background checks, red flag laws, and assault weapons restrictions that polled at 70-80% support. The Gun Lobby spent $5.1 million in Congressional lobbying in 2020.

Studies show people experiencing mental health crises are 16 times more likely to be killed during police encounters than others. Between 2018 and 2020, police killed at least 1,400 people with identified mental illness, disproportionately Black. Cities including Denver and Eugene piloted unarmed mental health crisis response teams (CAHOOTS, STAR programs); evaluations showed reductions in arrests with no increase in safety incidents.

CDC data shows Black Americans are killed by gun homicides at approximately 13 times the rate of white Americans. In 2020, gun violence was the leading cause of death for Black children and teens, surpassing car accidents. Gun violence spikes followed COVID's displacement of social services and community organizations. The NRA and Congressional Republicans blocked universal background checks, red flag laws, and assault weapons restrictions that polled at 70-80% support. The Gun Lobby spent $5.1 million in Congressional lobbying in 2020. Black community organizations including Moms Demand Action's Black leadership forums organized against urban gun violence while also opposing over-policing.

Studies show that people experiencing mental health crises are 16 times more likely to be killed during encounters with police than others. Black Americans with mental illness face compounded risk from both racial bias and inadequate mental health crisis response. Between 2018 and 2020, police killed at least 1,400 people who were identified as having a mental illness; Black people were disproportionately represented. Cities including Denver, Eugene (OR), and Olympia (WA) piloted unarmed mental health crisis response teams (CAHOOTS, STAR programs); evaluations showed reductions in arrests and no increase in safety incidents. Advocates pushed to divert 911 mental health calls to these programs rather than armed officers.

The Human Rights Campaign documented at least 44 violent deaths of transgender and gender non-conforming people in 2020 — the highest number recorded since HRC began tracking in 2013. The majority were Black transgender women. Victims included Dominique 'Rem'mie' Fells (Philadelphia, June 2020), Riah Milton (Liberty Township, OH, June 2020), and Brayla Stone (Sherwood, AR, June 2020). Black trans women face compounded risks from anti-trans violence, anti-Black violence, economic marginalization, and homelessness. Many cases received limited media coverage and some misgendered victims. Advocates pointed to housing discrimination, employment discrimination, and criminalization of survival sex work as structural drivers.

Legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw's 1989 framework of intersectionality — coined to describe how Black women faced discrimination not captured by race-only or gender-only legal theories — gained widespread policy and cultural currency in the 2020s. Crenshaw, who also leads the African American Policy Forum, launched the #SayHerName campaign in 2015 to center Black women killed by police in the BLM movement. Intersectionality became widely taught, applied in policy analysis, and simultaneously attacked by critics who caricatured it. The framework influenced data collection, hiring practices, and legal strategies across civil rights, feminist, and LGBTQ+ advocacy.

Studies show people experiencing mental health crises are 16 times more likely to be killed during police encounters than others. Between 2018 and 2020, police killed at least 1,400 people with identified mental illness, disproportionately Black. Cities including Denver and Eugene piloted unarmed mental health crisis response teams; evaluations showed reductions in arrests with no increase in safety incidents.

Daniel Prude, 41, a Black man experiencing a mental health crisis, was naked in the street when Rochester, NY police placed a 'spit hood' over his head and held his head to the pavement for two minutes. He stopped breathing and died March 30 after being taken off life support. The incident occurred March 23, 2020, but the family did not receive body camera footage until August 2020, six months later. The video's release sparked protests. A grand jury declined to indict any officer. The case highlighted both police responses to mental illness and delayed transparency around police violence.

Between December 2019 and February 2020, at least 29 people died in Mississippi state prisons — 13 in the first three weeks of 2020 alone — in facilities with Black majority populations. The DOJ opened a civil rights investigation in April 2020. Parchman Farm has a history rooted in convict leasing designed to exploit Black prisoners for labor after the Civil War. A federal consent agreement was reached in 2022 requiring reforms.

Between December 2019 and February 2020, at least 29 people died in Mississippi state prisons — 13 of them in the first three weeks of 2020 alone. Most were in facilities with Black majority populations. Mississippi Delta Correctional Facility, Parchman Farm (Mississippi State Penitentiary), and South Mississippi Correctional Institution were sites of extreme violence enabled by severe understaffing and gang activity. The DOJ opened a civil rights investigation in April 2020. Parchman Farm has a history rooted in convict leasing and was designed to exploit Black prisoners for labor after the Civil War. A federal consent agreement was reached in 2022 requiring reforms.

At least 160 Confederate monuments were removed across the U.S. between June and December 2020. Richmond, Virginia removed its prominent Monument Avenue statues. Mississippi removed the Confederate emblem from its state flag in July 2020. The SPLC counted over 700 removals of Confederate symbols in 2020.

During the 2020 George Floyd protests, federal law enforcement agencies including the FBI, DHS, DEA, and CBP conducted surveillance of protest activity. The DEA was temporarily given authority to conduct covert surveillance of protesters — authority it is not normally granted for domestic activities. CBP flew Predator drones over Minneapolis. The Army National Guard and surveillance aircraft tracked protesters in multiple cities. ACLU lawsuits documented fusion center intelligence sharing on protesters. Internal documents obtained via FOIA showed agents monitoring individuals' social media and physical movements at Black Lives Matter demonstrations.

Following George Floyd's killing, at least 160 Confederate monuments were removed across the U.S. between June and December 2020, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Richmond, Virginia removed its prominent Monument Avenue statues of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson, and J.E.B. Stuart. Mississippi removed the Confederate emblem from its state flag in July 2020. In total the SPLC counted over 700 removals of Confederate symbols in 2020. Virginia transported the state-owned Lee statue to a Black history museum. Some cities faced legal battles over removal from private groups.

During the 2020 George Floyd protests, the FBI, DHS, DEA, and CBP conducted surveillance of protest activity. The DEA was temporarily given authority to conduct covert surveillance of protesters. CBP flew Predator drones over Minneapolis. ACLU lawsuits documented fusion center intelligence sharing on protesters. Internal FOIA documents showed agents monitoring individuals' social media and physical movements at Black Lives Matter demonstrations.

Rayshard Brooks, 27, was shot twice in the back by Atlanta officer Garrett Rolfe on June 12, 2020, in a Wendy's parking lot. Brooks had fallen asleep in the drive-through; a 41-minute non-confrontational conversation with officers preceded the struggle. Brooks grabbed a Taser and ran; Rolfe shot him as he ran away. Rolfe was charged with felony murder; charges were later dropped by a new DA citing self-defense. The Wendy's where Brooks died was burned down. His death came amid ongoing Floyd protests, renewing debate about whether running away, possessing a Taser, or DUI constituted a capital offense.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed legislation replacing the state flag, which had incorporated the Confederate battle emblem since 1894. Mississippi was the last state with a Confederate emblem on its flag. The change came after decades of failed attempts and was precipitated by the George Floyd protests and pressure from the SEC and NCAA threatening to withdraw events.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed legislation on June 30, 2020, replacing the state flag, which had incorporated the Confederate battle emblem since 1894. Mississippi was the last state with a Confederate emblem on its flag. The change came after decades of failed attempts and was precipitated by the George Floyd protests and pressure from business groups, the SEC, and the NCAA threatening to withdraw events. The new flag features a magnolia. The change was significant symbolically but critics noted Mississippi continued to have among the highest rates of poverty, incarceration, and infant mortality for Black residents of any state.

On August 26, 2020, three days after Jacob Blake was shot in the back seven times by Kenosha police, the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court for a playoff game, sparking a wildcat strike across the NBA. Games across the NBA, WNBA, MLS, and MLB were postponed. The WNBA and NBA players negotiated commitments from team owners including use of arenas as polling places, commitments to social justice funds, and creation of a social justice coalition. The action was the largest sports work stoppage over racial justice since Muhammad Ali refused military induction in 1967.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Black renters faced eviction at significantly higher rates than white renters. Princeton Eviction Lab data showed Black renters were filed against at 2–4 times the rate of white renters in major cities during 2020–2021. The CDC eviction moratorium was challenged in courts and ultimately struck down by the Supreme Court in August 2021 (Alabama Association of Realtors v. HHS). An estimated 1.55 million households faced eviction in the month after the moratorium ended. Emergency rental assistance programs reached Black renters at lower rates due to bureaucratic barriers.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Black renters faced eviction at significantly higher rates than white renters. Princeton Eviction Lab data showed Black renters were filed against at 2-4 times the rate of white renters in major cities. The CDC eviction moratorium was struck down by the Supreme Court in August 2021. Emergency rental assistance programs reached Black renters at lower rates due to bureaucratic barriers.

President Trump signed Executive Order 13950 on September 22, 2020, prohibiting federal agencies and contractors from conducting diversity trainings that include concepts such as 'white privilege,' 'systemic racism,' 'unconscious bias,' or the view that the U.S. is 'fundamentally racist.' The order was described by the White House as fighting 'divisive concepts.' Companies with federal contracts canceled trainings; trainers were blacklisted. A federal judge blocked enforcement for federal contractors in November 2020. Biden revoked the order on his first day in office, January 20, 2021. The order's language directly shaped subsequent state anti-CRT legislation.

President Trump signed Executive Order 13950, prohibiting federal agencies and contractors from conducting diversity trainings that include concepts such as white privilege, systemic racism, or unconscious bias. Companies with federal contracts canceled trainings. A federal judge blocked enforcement for contractors in November 2020. Biden revoked the order on his first day in office. The order's language directly shaped subsequent state anti-CRT legislation.

Tony McDade, a 38-year-old Black transgender man, was shot and killed by a Tallahassee police officer on May 27, 2020 — two days after George Floyd's death. McDade had allegedly stabbed a man in his apartment complex earlier that day. The officer's name was withheld under Florida law, and surveillance footage was not released. McDade's death received significantly less media attention than other killings occurring simultaneously, a disparity advocates attributed to his transgender identity. His killing was cited in calls to center Black trans lives in the Black Lives Matter movement.

David McAtee, 53, known as 'YaYa,' a beloved Louisville BBQ cook who regularly fed police officers for free, was shot and killed by Kentucky National Guard soldiers on June 1, 2020, as they dispersed a crowd after a midnight curfew. McAtee allegedly fired first; his attorney disputed this. Louisville's police chief was fired after it emerged that officers did not have their body cameras on. McAtee's death occurred in Louisville three months after Breonna Taylor's killing, reinforcing a sense of ongoing state violence against the city's Black community.

Despite the NYPD's ban on chokeholds since 1993 (strengthened after Eric Garner's 2014 death), officers were documented on video using chokeholds against protesters during the 2020 George Floyd demonstrations. Videos circulated widely on social media. On June 4, 2020, an officer was filmed placing a protester in a chokehold in Brooklyn. The Civilian Complaint Review Board received 65 chokehold complaints between June 1 and June 7, 2020 alone. New York enacted the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act in June 2020, making chokeholds a criminal offense; critics noted similar bans had not been enforced previously.

During the 2020 protests, demonstrators pulled down or damaged statues of Christopher Columbus, Confederate leaders, and other historical figures associated with slavery and colonialism across the U.S. A Columbus statue in Richmond, VA was torn down and thrown into a lake. The Francis Scott Key statue in San Francisco was pulled down. Protesters in Boston, Baltimore, and Camden, NJ removed Columbus statues. The actions prompted debate about public memory, historical accountability, and the difference between erasure and reckoning. Cities including Baltimore and Richmond moved quickly to officially remove remaining Confederate monuments.

Walter Wallace Jr., 27, was shot and killed by Philadelphia police on October 26, 2020. His family had called 911 for help with his mental health crisis. Officers shot Wallace as he approached them with a knife; his mother was seen pleading with officers as shots were fired. The two officers involved, Mark McCadden and Sean Matarazzo, were charged with voluntary manslaughter in 2021. The city settled with Wallace's family for $2.5 million. His death occurred days before the 2020 presidential election and sparked protests in West Philadelphia.

Walter Wallace Jr., 27, was shot and killed by Philadelphia police on October 26, 2020. His family had called 911 for help with his mental health crisis. Officers shot Wallace as he approached them with a knife; his mother was seen pleading with officers as shots were fired. The two officers involved were charged with voluntary manslaughter in 2021. The city settled with Wallace's family for $2.5 million.

Robert Fuller, 24, was found hanging from a tree near Palmdale, CA City Hall on June 10, 2020; Malcolm Harsch, 38, was found hanging in Victorville, CA on May 31. Both deaths were initially ruled suicide by local officials without autopsies. Community pressure in Los Angeles County forced investigations. The medical examiner ultimately confirmed suicide for both men. The cases occurred amid heightened attention to racial violence and a history of lynching in Antelope Valley. Activists pointed to the inadequacy of initial investigations that did not consider evidence of possible foul play.

A Minneapolis officer kills George Floyd on video, igniting the largest protests in US history.

Arbery is chased and murdered while jogging in Georgia.

Taylor is killed by police in a botched raid in Louisville.