The Pulitzer Prize Board honored Darnella Frazier, the young woman who recorded the killing of George Floyd with a video that would go on to help convict police officer Derek Chauvin and spark national protests. Frazier was given a special citation on Friday during the award ceremony.
Pulitzer Prize co-chair Mindy Marqués said that “The Floyd story in particular highlighted not only the essential role of journalists, but the increasing importance of ordinary citizens in the quest for truth and justice.”
She added, “We want to note that the board has awarded a special citation to Darnella Frazier, the teenage witness who filmed and posted the transformative video that jolted viewers and spurred protests against police brutality around the world.”
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Chauvin was found guilty on all three counts of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter during his trial in April.
Frazier reflected on the decision to film Floyd’s murder with an Instagram post on the one-year anniversary of his death last month: “Even though this was a traumatic life-changing experience for me, I’m proud of myself. If it weren’t for my video, the world wouldn’t have known the truth. I own that. My video didn’t save George Floyd, but it put his murderer away and off the streets.”
[Via]