| HOUSTON – Today, the Houston Public Library (HPL) marked the occasion of George Floyd Remembrance Day with a commemorative lecture delivered by Honorable Mayor Sylvester Turner. Following the speech, Mayor Turner declared May 25th as George Floyd Remembrance Day in the city of Houston and presented an official proclamation to members of the Floyd family who were present for the event.
“George Floyd’s tragic murder galvanized a worldwide movement for policing reform and discussions about race and social justice, especially in Houston,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “It is vital that we continue to talk about the shared history and trauma we experience as a society due to violent events, no matter how difficult those conversations may be, so that we can effectuate change. Today, we honor George Floyd’s spirit by renewing our commitment to continuing the conversation around systematic change, racism, policing reform and ways to make our community and world more loving and accepting of all differences.”
Dr. Melanye Price, endowed professor of African American studies and political science and inaugural director of the Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Social Justice at Prairie View A&M University, offered opening remarks. The Ridge Point High School Choir and composer Dr. John Cornelius were on hand for musical tributes.
In memory of Houston native George Floyd, whose murder by a Minneapolis police officer ignited worldwide protests, the event highlighted the City of Houston and HPL’s efforts to chronicle race and social justice movements and capture the accounts of witnesses to history.
“The Houston Public Library answers the call to not only document and share the significant and tumultuous events that impact our local and national communities, but also provide community space needed for ongoing civic engagement” said Houston Public Library Director Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson. “With this annual lecture, HPL will help fulfill the critical need for collective reflection on the George Floyd tragedy and the growing number of catastrophic events that have inspired a national reckoning with the issue of race.”
Two years after Mr. Floyd’s death, events relating to the crime—the arrest, trial, guilty verdict and sentencing of one of the police officers responsible—and the community’s response have been recorded by HPL librarians and archivists for a digital archive and physical collection on display at the African American Library at the Gregory School.
About Houston Public Library
The Houston Public Library (HPL) operates 38 neighborhood libraries, three HPL Express Libraries, a Central Library, the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, The African American Library at the Gregory School, and the Parent Resource Library located in the Children’s Museum of Houston. With more than eight million visits per year in person and online, HPL is committed to excellent customer service and equitable access to information and programs by providing library customers with free use of a diverse collection of printed materials and electronic resources, Internet, laptop and computer use, and a variety of database and reference resources with live assistance online 24/7. For more information, visit the Houston Public Library at www.houstonlibrary.org, on Twitter @houstonlibrary, on Instagram @houstonlibrary, on Facebook – houstonlibrary or call 832-393-1313.
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