Six Years Later, Black Churches Refuse to Forget Floyd

by Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware, Word in Black

As Black churches across the country gather this weekend for prayer vigils, memorial sermons and racial justice commemorations marking six years since George Floyd’s murder, many clergy say the observances are rooted in a simple warning from Leslie Redmond, former Minneapolis NAACP president: What we don’t remember, we repeat.

Yet it comes at a perilous moment. During the era of President Donald Trump — when civil rights laws are being dismantled, white grievances are given priority and Black history is under attack — pastors and activists see growing political pressure to soften, rewrite or move past the racial reckoning of 2020. 

LEARN MORE: George Floyd Square Remains a Sacred Site for Healing, Justice, and Joy

But faith leaders say the racial reckoning that began May 25, 2020, when Floyd died beneath the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer, isn’t over. They believe the church has become one of the nation’s last institutions guarding Floyd’s legacy, keeping alive the spiritual, political, and moral questions raised by his death.

Mourning and Activism

Leading up to the anniversary of Floyd’s death, churches and faith communities nationwide are marking the date with worship services, prayer vigils, gospel concerts and racial justice gatherings that blend mourning with renewed activism. 

In Minneapolis, events centered around George Floyd Square include a Sunday worship service, gospel performances, a candlelight vigil and the Rise and Remember Festival. Organizers of the event say the focus this year is healing, community joy and resisting what activists describe as a national backlash against racial justice efforts.

Learn more about these events and the organizations hosting them.

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