Say Their Names

Say Their Names
Say Their Names
Artist	Whitney Holbourn
Year	2020
Location	Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
	38°15′29″N 85°46′05″W / 38.25811°N 85.76819°WCoordinates: 38°15′29″N 85°46′05″W / 38.25811°N 85.76819°W

Say Their Names is a mural in Louisville, Kentucky.

Description and history[]

Unveiled in July 2020, the artwork depicts the faces of Sandra Bland, George Floyd, David McAtee, Elijah McClain, and Breonna Taylor.^[1] It was vandalized in June 2021.^[2] Artist Whitney Holbourn repaired the mural and added the face of Travis Nagdy.^[3]

The phrase "Say Their Names" was coined to bring attention to victims of systemic racism and racial injustice in the United States. The movement stems from the 2014 movement "say her name" in response to the death of Sandra Bland, and has since gained significant traction when discussing racial injustice in the United States of America.^[4] This movement often goes hand in hand with the Black Lives Matter movement, which also works to address systemic racism and how it affects People of Color.

The Black Lives Matter movement gained more traction after the death of George Floyd in May 2020. After this tragedy, more people began to awaken to the injustices that the black community faces. One major proponent of this was the use of social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram to bring these injustices to light. When Floyd died, social media was used to spread information and resources in order to bring about change. Outrage spread all over social media, and conversations about race were on the forefront of many people's minds. Support for the movement increased in June 2020, but later decreased in light of violent protests.^[5]