The death of George Floyd launched a summer of protests, during which activists chanted that Black Lives Matter. Meanwhile, Floyd’s funeral allowed his family to remember him and to celebrate his humanity. Burials, funerals, and commemorations have long served as an important opportunity for the Black community to reassert the value of Black lives, strengthen community bonds and make political statements.
The Siegal Lifelong Learning Program will host a remote lecture titled “Black Burials Matter” to examine this history from the late 18th century to the present. The talk will discuss slave cemeteries, African-American funeral homes, and the significance of the public funerals of Emmett Till, Martin Luther King Jr., and victims of police violence like George Floyd.
Vicki Daniel, SAGES teaching fellow and instructor of history, will lead the lecture Monday, Feb. 8, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.