In the last two weeks, following the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after an officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes, the country has been steeped in conversations and protests to demand justice for Floyd and call attention to police brutality and systemic racism.
In addition to Floyd, people are calling attention to other police killings, such as Tony McDade and Dion Johnson. McDade, a black trans man, was killed by police in Tallahassee, Florida on May 27. Johnson, a black man, was shot by a state trooper who wasn't wearing a body camera, the Root reported. He died the same day as Floyd.
Time magazine's June 15 cover continues this conversation about police violence, featuring a black mother, with her eyes closed, holding the blank outline of a child. It's particularly apt given that Floyd called for his deceased mother while pinned down.
Artist Titus Kaphar's work "examines the history of representation." He explains the meaning behind the portrait, titled Analogous Colors, in a piece accompanying his painting: “As I listlessly wade through another cycle of violence against black people, I paint a black mother … eyes closed, furrowed brow, holding the contour of her loss.” Surrounding Kaphar's painting are the names of 35 black men and women, whose deaths were a result of systemic racism, says Time. Most of these deaths were by police.
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The full list of names are: Trayvon Martin, Yvette Smith, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Laquan McDonald, Tanisha Anderson, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, Jerame Reid, Natasha McKenna, Eric Harris, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, William Chapman, Sandra Bland, Darrius Stewart, Samuel DuBose, Janet Wilson, Calin Roquemore, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Joseph Mann, Terence Crutcher, Chad Robertson, Jordan Edwards, Aaron Bailey, Stephon Clark, Danny Ray Thomas, Antwon Rose, Botham Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, Michael Dean, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.
Time recognizes the people included only make up a small number of black people who have died "because of the racist violence that has been part of this nation from its start."
Though Kaphar acknowledges his hopelessness as the country memorializes yet another black person lost to police violence, he writes:
"I can change NOTHING in this world, but in paint, I can realize her….This brings me solace… not hope, but solace."
Topics Activism Social Good
