Darnella Frazier facts for kids

Darnella Frazier was born on March 23, 2003. She is an American woman who bravely recorded a video of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. She shared her video on Facebook and Instagram. This video was very important because it showed what really happened, which was different from the first report by the Minneapolis Police Department. Her video helped lead to legal actions against four police officers.

Darnella testified during the court case. One officer, Derek Chauvin, was found guilty of murder. The other three officers were also found guilty of other charges. In 2021, Darnella Frazier received a special award from the Pulitzer Prize board for her courage.

Darnella Frazier's Early Life

Darnella Frazier grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She went to Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. She has several brothers and sisters. At the time of George Floyd's death, Darnella was a high school junior. Her lawyer described her as a regular teenager who had a boyfriend and a job at the mall.

The Video of George Floyd

What Happened on May 25, 2020

Cup Foods in Minneapolis the day after Floyd's death, May 26, 2020

On May 25, 2020, Darnella Frazier walked to the Cup Foods grocery store. Her nine-year-old cousin was with her and wanted to buy snacks. Before they could go inside, they saw police officers holding George Floyd on the ground. Darnella sent her cousin into the store. Then, she started recording the event with her phone.

About 20 seconds after she began filming, George Floyd said, "I can't breathe." This phrase was later repeated by people protesting all over the world. Darnella's video showed officer Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck until he died. The video also recorded Floyd's sad comments. He said things like, "My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts. I need some water or something, please. Please." He also said, "They're going to kill me, man," and then, "Don't kill me." He called out for his "Mama" and said, "I'm through." Her video lasted for ten minutes and nine seconds. It ended when Floyd's body was carried away on a stretcher.

How the Video Sparked Protests

Street art of Floyd and the words "I can't breathe" in Berlin, Germany

At 1:46 AM on May 26, Darnella posted her video online. She shared it on Facebook and Instagram. She wrote, "They killed him right in front of cup foods over south on 38th and Chicago!! No type of sympathy </3 </3 #POLICEBRUTALITY." Her video quickly became very popular.

The Minneapolis Police Department first released a statement about Floyd's death. They called it a "Medical Incident During Police Interaction." Darnella responded at 3:10 AM, saying, "Medical incident??? Watch outtt they killed him and the proof is clearlyyyy there!!"

Darnella's lawyer shared a statement from her. She said, "I opened my phone and I started recording because I knew if I didn't, no one would believe me."

The next day, Darnella went back to where the event happened. People saw her crying and hugging protesters. She said, "I posted the video last night and it just went viral." She also said, "Everybody's asking me how do I feel? I don't know how to feel, 'cause it's so sad, bro. This man was literally right here at 8:00 pm yesterday. I was walking my cousin to the store, and I just see him on the ground and I'm like 'What is going on?'" She ended by saying, "It is so traumatizing."

In the weeks that followed, Darnella's video helped start large protests. These protests happened in hundreds of cities across the U.S. and in many other countries. Most of the protests were peaceful. However, some cities, including Minneapolis, saw rioting and looting. Between 15 million and 25 million people may have joined the protests. Daniel Q. Gillion, a professor, called Darnella's video a "powerful catalyst" for the protests. He added, "If you aren't moved by the George Floyd video, you have nothing in you."

Darnella's Role in the Trial

Darnella Frazier's video was one of the most important pieces of evidence. It was used in the court case against Derek Chauvin. She testified and said, "It's been nights I stayed up apologizing and apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more and not physically interacting and not saving his life."

She also explained why this event was so personal to her. She said, "When I look at George Floyd, I look at my dad, I look at my brothers, I look at my cousins, my uncles, because they're all Black." She added, "I have a Black father. I have a Black brother. I have Black friends." She concluded, "I look at how that could have been one of them."

When Chauvin was found guilty, experts agreed that Darnella's video and testimony were very important. They helped show the truth, changing the story first told by police. Darnella celebrated Chauvin's conviction on Facebook and Instagram. She wrote, "This last hour my heart was beating so fast, I was so anxious, anxiety bussing through the roof. But to know GUILTY ON ALL 3 CHARGES !!! THANK YOU GOD THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU." She ended with another statement: "justice has been served."

One Year Later

On the first anniversary of George Floyd's death, Darnella Frazier shared a long message. She described the difficult experience of seeing Floyd's death. She also talked about how her life and her cousin's life had changed. She spoke about unfair treatment and police brutality that often affects Black people.

She mentioned having trouble sleeping for weeks. She also talked about moving from hotel to hotel to avoid unwanted attention. She felt anxious whenever she saw a police car. She thanked her mother for her support. Darnella also expressed pride that her video helped bring justice in the Floyd case. However, she still felt sad that she could not save him. She ended her message by speaking directly to George Floyd: "I can't express enough how I wish things could have went different, but I want you to know you will always be in my heart. I'll always remember this day because of you. May your soul rest in peace. May you rest in the most beautiful roses."

Testimony in Another Trial

In February 2022, Darnella Frazier was asked to testify again. This time, it was for the trial of the three other officers involved in George Floyd's death. Soon after she started answering questions, Darnella became upset. She was unable to continue, so the judge called a short break. She finished her testimony after the break.

Awards and Recognition

In December 2020, a group called PEN America gave Darnella Frazier an award. It was called the Benenson Courage Award. Director Spike Lee presented the award in an online ceremony. The group's CEO, Suzanne Nossel, said, "With nothing more than a cell phone and sheer guts, Darnella changed the course of history in this country." She added that Darnella sparked a movement asking for an end to unfair treatment and violence by police. Nossel also said, "Without Darnella's presence of mind and readiness to risk her own safety and wellbeing, we may never have known the truth about George Floyd's murder."

On December 31, 2020, The Daily Dot website wrote about Darnella. They said, "On that day, Frazier became both a citizen journalist and an activist. She also became an American hero, and for that reason, she's the Daily Dot's Internet Person of the Year."

Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, thanked Darnella. He said, "Taking that video, I think many folks know, is maybe the only reason that Derek Chauvin will go to prison."

Pete Souza, who used to be a White House photographer, wrote about Darnella. He said she "demonstrated courage and perseverance in filming what she knew was wrong." He added, "This verdict does not happen without her," and "Thank you Darnella; you have changed our country forever."

Roy Peter Clark, who has been a Pulitzer Prize juror, suggested Darnella for a Pulitzer Prize in May 2021. He wrote that her video had an important purpose. It helped give a voice to those who are not heard. It also helped show the truth and reveal secrets. On June 11, 2021, the Pulitzer Prize board gave Darnella Frazier a special award and citation. They recognized her for "courageously reporting the murder of George Floyd." Her video started protests against police brutality around the world. It showed how important regular people are in finding truth and justice.

Darnella's Personal Life

Darnella Frazier's uncle, Leneal Frazier, died on July 6, 2021. A Minneapolis Police Department vehicle crashed into his car. This happened during a high-speed police chase of a carjacking suspect. Leneal Frazier was not involved in the police chase.

See also

• George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul