George Floyd changed the world after US kept its ‘knee on our neck,’ Sharpton says

The Rev. Al Sharpton denounced racism and called for accountability in the criminal justice system as he delivered an eulogy Thursday for George Floyd.

“The reason we could never be who we wanted to be and dreamed of being is you kept your knee on our neck,” said Sharpton, the founder of the National Action Network.

Sharpton spoke near a casket carrying Floyd’s body at the North Central University in Minneapolis. The event was the first in a series of memorial services honoring Floyd.

Floyd’s family was joined by dozens of guests, including civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, Martin Luther King III and actor Kevin Hart.

It was a time for Floyd’s family to mourn a man who in his 46 years of life “touched many hearts” and whose death sparked momentum toward change within days.

The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks at a memorial service for, George Floyd at North Central University Thursday, June 4, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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“What happened to Floyd happens every day in this country, in education, in health services, and in every area of American life,” Sharpton said. “It is time for us to stand up in George’s name and say get your knee of our necks.”

Following his eulogy, Sharpton directed attendees to join him in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds – the same amount of time than an officer held his knee on Floyd’s neck while he was in custody.

“That’s a long time, Sharpton said. “That’s how long he was laying there.”

‘We don’t want two justice systems in America,’ family attorney says

Benjamin Crump, an attorney representing the Floyd family, called for equality, especially in the way black people are treated in the criminal justice system.

“We don’t want two justice systems in America. One for black and one for white,” Crump said.

“What we endeavor to achieve is equal gestures for the United States of America and George Floyd is the moment to give us the best opportunity I’ve seen in a long time of reaching that high idea that this country was founded on,” he added.

Pallbearers bring George Floyd's casket into the Fountain of Praise church in Houston on Tuesday, June 9. Floyd will be buried next to his mother, according to the?Fort Bend Memorial Planning Center.

A man carries a child while paying respects at Houston Memorial Gardens in Pearland, Texas, Floyd's final resting place.

A horse-drawn carriage carries Floyd's casket to Houston Memorial Gardens.

People watch the funeral procession pass by after Floyd's service on Tuesday.

People lined up to watch the procession and yelled "George Floyd" and "say his name."

LaTonya Floyd gets emotional while speaking during her brother's funeral on Tuesday.

The Rev. Al Sharpton delivers a eulogy on Tuesday. "Your family's going to miss you, George, but your nation is going to always remember your name," Sharpton said. "Because your neck was one that represented all of us."

Floyd's family is wearing white at the funeral.

R&B artist Ne-Yo sings at the service. He performed a rendition of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday."

Actors Channing Tatum, left, and Jamie Foxx attend the funeral.

Pastor Kim Burrell sings "God Will Take Care of You" during Tuesday's service.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner hands Floyd's family a proclamation during Tuesday's funeral. Turner proclaimed that June 9 will be "George Perry Floyd Day" in the city of Houston.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic Party's presumptive presidential nominee, speaks at the funeral via video. "We cannot leave this moment thinking we can again turn away from racism that stings at our very soul, from systematic abuse that still plagues American life," Biden said.

Mourners react as Floyd's extended family walks into his funeral service on Tuesday.

Members of the Texas Southern University Police Department pause during Floyd's funeral.

A young girl attends Floyd's funeral.

People pay their respects at a Floyd memorial in Houston on Tuesday.

Mourners arrive at the Fountain of Praise church for Floyd's public visitation on Monday.

People visit Floyd's casket on Monday.

People line up to attend Floyd's public viewing in Houston. To comply with social-distancing rules, only 15 masked guests were allowed inside the church at a time.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pays his respects at Floyd's casket. "Today is a sad day. Ever since his death has been a sad day," Abbott told reporters outside the church. "This is the most horrific tragedy I have ever personally observed. But George Floyd is going to change the arc of the future of the United States. George Floyd has not died in vain. His life will be a living legacy about the way that America and Texas respond to this tragedy."

People grieve near Floyd's casket on Monday.

A woman holds flowers as she waits in line in Houston.

A man in Houston wears a mask honoring Floyd.

Ushers guide mourners into the church for Floyd's public visitation in Houston.

Children pose in front of a bus depicting abolitionist Harriet Tubman.

A hearse carries Floyd's casket on Monday.

Members of a local Black Cowboys club ride their horses through the parking lot outside a Floyd memorial service in Raeford, North Carolina, on Saturday.

Mourners pray as they hold up their arms during the service in Raeford.

Nakia Almond hugs Erin Corner after praying together outside of Floyd's memorial service in Raeford.

Flowers surround Floyd's casket at his public viewing in Raeford.

Mourners arrive for Floyd's public viewing in Raeford.

Floyd's casket is brought into a church ahead of his memorial service in Raeford.

Floyd's sisters Zsa-Zsa, left, and LaTonya walk away after addressing the media in Raeford.

A hearse carrying Floyd's casket departs after his memorial service in Minneapolis on Thursday.

Floyd's relatives attend his memorial service in Minneapolis.

People at the Minneapolis memorial stood in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds -— the length of time that Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with killing Floyd, had his knee on Floyd's neck. At center here is Floyd's cousin Shareeduh Tate, who grew up with him and spoke during the service.

Thursday's service took place inside a sanctuary at North Central University.

The Rev. Al Sharpton delivers a eulogy at Thursday's memorial. "George Floyd should not be among the deceased," Sharpton said. "He did not die of common health conditions. He died of a common American criminal-justice malfunction."

Floyd's brother Philonise speaks at the memorial service in Minneapolis. He said George had "touched many hearts" and that the audience was a testament of that. "Everybody wants justice, we want justice for George," Philonise said. "He's going to get it."

A woman reacts during Thursday's service.

Actor Kevin Hart, left, and rapper Chris "Ludacris" Bridges were among those in attendance.

People stand outside to show their support during Floyd's service in Minneapolis.

Scott Hagan, the president of North Central University, announced the creation of the George Floyd memorial scholarship. He said that he's already received over $52,000 in contributions. "It is time to invest like never before in a new generation of young black Americans who are poised and ready to take leadership of our nation," Hagan said.

Mourners spend a moment at Floyd's casket ahead of the service.

US Rep. Ilhan Omar was at the service in Minneapolis.

US Sen. Amy Klobuchar talks with the Rev. Jesse Jackson at the service.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey attends the service. He kneeled at Floyd's casket before the service started, breaking out into tears.

People gather outside the service.

Martin Luther King III, right, arrives with his family.

Floyd's casket is wiped down in the sanctuary hours before the service.

Floyd's casket is moved ahead of the service.

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, right, kneels with another officer as Floyd's body passes by.

In pictures: Remembering George Floyd

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Although the final results of Floyd’s autopsy revealed he had tested positive for coronavirus in April, Crump made clear that the virus had no role in Floyd’s death.

“It was the other pandemic that we are way too familiar with in America, a pandemic of racism and discrimination that killed George Floyd,” Crump said.

Most attendees were seen wearing masks, including some of Floyd’s relatives, whose masks had his photo on them.

Earlier in the service, Scott Hagan, president of North Central University in Minneapolis, announced the creation a memorial scholarship in Floyd’s name, and called for universities around the country to create similar funds.

‘Everyone wants justice for George,’ his brother says

Anyone who met Floyd couldn’t miss seeing him. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall, a “gentle giant” who made everyone feel welcome.

Some of Floyd’s siblings and other relatives shared moments of their life in Houston together.

They would make banana and mayonnaise sandwiches, play football, and welcome other kids into their home, his brother Philonise Floyd said.

Floyd's cousin Shareeduh Tate along with Floyd's brothers and a newpher spoke about him during Thursday's memorial.

“We didn’t have a whole lot, but we always had each other,” Floyd’s cousin Shareeduh Tate said. “And we were taught that we could always bring people into the fold. No one should ever go home without having a meal or having food.”

Since the 46-year-old died while in police custody in Minneapolis, Floyd’s relatives have been part of massive protests in Texas. His children heard crowds far way from home chant their father’s name. His brother led a prayer vigil at the site of Floyd’s death.

“Everyone wants justice for George, we want justice for George,” Philonise Floyd said. “He’s going to get it.”

Floyd was born in North Carolina but called Houston, Texas, home because he moved there at a young age with his family.

He grew up in the city’s Third Ward – a historically black neighborhood – and it was there where he played basketball, went to church and met many friends, including the mother of his 6-year-old daughter and former NBA player Stephen Jackson.

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“He didn’t abuse our friendship, he cherished it,” Jackson told CNN. “Floyd was one person I knew that was supporting me genuinely.”

As a teenager, Floyd was known as a star athlete. He was a tight end on the football team and played basketball at Jack Yates High School.

“Mr. Floyd was a ’93 Yates graduate, an amazing athlete, and a dear friend to many,” Tiffany Guillory, the school’s principal tweeted last week.

He left home for a few years to play basketball at South Florida State College in Avon Park, Florida, the team’s head basketball coach George Walker told CNN.

“He didn’t give me too much trouble as a basketball coach,” Walker said. “He was a pretty good athlete, averaged 12 to 14 points a game.”

Floyd moved to Minneapolis several years ago looking for a better life. He worked as a truck driver and more recently as a bouncer at a club.

He wanted to be a better father, Jackson said, and would often talk about taking care of his daughters.

Floyd will be honored in North Carolina and Houston

People in two other cities will be able to pay their respects in the next five days.

A public viewing and a private memorial service will be held in Raeford, North Carolina, on Saturday – the state where he was born.

Floyd’s sister lives in Hoke County, according to CNN affiliate WRAL.

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The public viewing will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cape Fear Conference B Headquarters, followed by a private service for family at 3 p.m., said Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin.

Next Monday, Floyd’s body will return to Houston for a public memorial and private service on Tuesday.

The memorial will take place from noon to 6 p.m. at The Fountain of Praise Church at 13950 Hillcroft Ave. in Houston, the Fort Bend Memorial Planning Center said.

The private service will be held at an undisclosed location.

All four ex-police officers charged

The four fired Minneapolis police officers who had been arresting Floyd are now in jail.

New charges were filed Wednesday against the officers. Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 minutes, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter last week and authorities added a charge of second-degree murder.

Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder of George Floyd. Kueng, Lane and Thao have been charged with aiding and abetting.

Related article All four former officers involved in George Floyd's killing now face charges

The other former officers – J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao – face charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

If convicted, all officers could spend up to 40 years in prison.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the new charges were not influenced by the public outcry in the case nor the fact that a public memorial is scheduled for Floyd on Thursday.

After learning the officers had been charged, Floyd’s son Quincy Mason told CNN’s Sara Sidner that his family wants justice.

“I’m here with my family. We demand justice. My father shouldn’t have been killed like this,” he said.