Those We Lost
Those We Lost — May 25
May
Honoring those we lost on May 25 — remembered for what they gave, and for what they left behind.
Madam C. J. Walker
Born December 23, 1867 — Died May 25, 1919
Field: Business / Beauty Industry / Black Women Entrepreneurs / Philanthropy
Madam C. J. Walker was a beauty entrepreneur, philanthropist, employer, and one of the most famous Black businesswomen in American history.
Why it matters: Walker’s life connects Black women’s entrepreneurship, hair care, self-presentation, wealth-building, job creation, and civic giving.
George Floyd
Born October 14, 1973 — Died May 25, 2020
Field: Police Violence / Racial Justice / Modern Civil Rights Memory
George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, when a police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck as Floyd was handcuffed and pleading that he could not breathe.
Why it matters: Floyd’s death belongs in the modern Black American history archive because it became part of a long line of Black communities demanding accountability for state violence.
