March 23 …

Darnella Frazier is the young eyewitness whose cellphone recording of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis became a pivotal moment in the modern movement for racial justice and police accountability.

Born March 23, 2003 and raised in Saint Paul, MN, Frazier was a high school student when she decided to film the scene outside Cup Foods on May 25, 2020, instead of looking away. Later attending Roosevelt High School, she has since described the experience as traumatic, noting how it changed her life and sense of safety, while also drawing significant public attention to police violence.

Frazier’s 10-minute video — which documented former officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck — quickly spread online, contradicting initial official accounts. It was presented as crucial evidence during Chauvin’s trial and played a key role in igniting global protests advocating for police reform.

Frazier testified in both state and federal proceedings. Her recording is widely acknowledged as pivotal in achieving accountability for the case.

Frazier has received public recognition for her bravery, including a special citation from the Pulitzer Prize Board in 2021, the PEN/Benenson Courage Award in 2020, and widespread praise from political leaders, journalists, and cultural figures. She has also shared her reflections on the personal toll of witnessing and documenting violence, becoming a symbol of the power of citizen journalism and the emotional weight carried by witnesses of injustice.

The decision of Darnella Frazier to document the event transformed public and legal discussions surrounding policing, evidence, and civic duty. It illustrated how a single civilian recording can shift historical accountability, inspired a global movement for racial justice and police reform, and left a profound cultural impact on how societies document and react to state violence.