Teenager wins Pulitzer prize for filming George Floyd’s last moments

In a history-making event, an 18-year-old teenager, Darnella Frazer, was awarded the Pulitzer special citation for filming the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis last year.

The video went viral following the death of George Floyd sparked off protests across and beyond America. The protesters called for police reforms, respect for human rights and an end to racial discrimination against people of African origin.

Pulitzer Prize Board co-chair, Aminda Marqués González, announced Darnella’s special citation on Friday.

Darnella was honoured “for courageously recording the murder of George Floyd, a video that spurred protests against police brutality around the world, highlighting the crucial role of citizens in journalists’ quest for truth and justice.”

Aminda Marqués González

The Pulitzer Prizes recognize some of the year’s most important American journalism. Darnella isn’t a professional journalist. However, her journalistic action has had as much impact as any.

The COVID-19 pandemic, the protests over racial injustice sparked by the George Floyd murder, and the presidential election dominated America’s 2020 news cycle.

And unsurprisingly, Pulitzer honoured coverage surrounding these three topics on Friday afternoon.