The teenager who filmed the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police was awarded a 2021 Pulitzer Prize Special Citation on Friday.
According to the Pulitzer Price Board, Frazier won the citation “for courageously recording the murder of George Floyd, a video that spurred protests against police brutality around the world, highlighting the crucial role of citizens in journalists’ quest for truth and justice.”
Frazier’s video and courtroom testimony played key roles in the conviction of former police officer, Derek Chauvin, for causing Floyd’s death outside of Cup Foods on May 25, 2020.
Frazier, then 17-years-old, was visiting the store that Memorial Day with her 9-year-old cousin when she saw Chauvin and several other officers restraining Floyd on the ground. She recorded the incident on her cell phone as she and other bystanders pleaded with them to get off Floyd, who repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe.
Following Chauvin’s conviction, Frazier took to Instagram on the first anniversary of Floyd’s death to reflect on her role in the defining moment of the Black Lives Matter movement.
“If it weren’t for my video, the world wouldn’t have known the truth about the killing,” she wrote in a post. “My video didn’t save George Floyd, but it put his murderer away and off the streets.”
“It’s a little easier now, but I’m not who I used to be,” Frazier continued. “A part of my childhood was taken from me.”
To see all the Pulitzer Prize winners, click here.
