Girl who witnessed George Floyd's murder shares story in new children's book
Girl who witnessed George Floyd's murder shares story in new children's book
On May 25th, 2020, a crowd of people in south Minneapolis watched as George Floyd took his last breath. Among the witnesses was a 9-year-old girl. On Friday, Judeah Reynolds will share her story through a children's picture book. FOX 9 caught up with the young author before her big debut.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - On May 25th, 2020, a crowd of people in south Minneapolis watched as George Floyd took his last breath. Among the witnesses was a 9-year-old girl. On Friday, Judeah Reynolds will share her story through a children's picture book. FOX 9 caught up with the young author before her big debut.
Reading from the pages of her new children's book "A Walk to the Store," 11-year-old Reynolds shares a story of fear, tragedy, and strength.
"We yelled at them to stop, other people yelled too. We yelled for a very long time, we watched a man get killed," said Reynolds.
Her story begins in south Minneapolis on the evening of May 25, 2020. She and her cousin, Darnella Frazier are headed to a store on 38th and Chicago when they encounter George Floyd and Minneapolis police.
"I just thought that I was going to the store to get some candy as a normal little girl," said Reynolds.
"A Walk to the Store" by Judeah Reynolds. (FOX 9)
The illustrations in the book depict the moments leading up to Floyd's death. Frazier's cell phone video captured it all. In images seen around the world, there stands 9-year-old Judeah, wearing a teal T-shirt with the word "Love."
"Sometimes when I don't want to talk I can hear someone say, you've got this," she said.
On the day before the book's release, Reynolds stopped by Jenny Bonde and Marsha D Carter's salon in south Minneapolis for an appointment. "It feels exciting and good because I always wanted to write a book myself," says Reynolds.
A witness to a dark moment in history, this young author hopes to be a light.
"You don't have to be scared of stuff all the time, y'all can be brave and strong and fight for it because sometimes you have to fight for stuff and be brave for stuff," says Reynolds.
"A Walk to the Store" was co-written by Sheletta Brundidge and Lilly Coyle.
Reynolds will be holding a book giveaway event on Friday in north Minneapolis. October 14th would have been George Floyd's 49th birthday (details below).
For more info on the book, you can click here.