The Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication is honored to present Documenting a Reckoning: The Murder of George Floyd, a photography exhibit on display through March 4, 2022, at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, located on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus.

The death of George Floyd at the knee of a police officer brought demonstrations and protests that swept the Twin Cities—and the world—at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. People who had never before protested took to the streets, and photojournalists and other photographers took images that created lasting impact. The events even motivated some to pick up a camera for the first time. While the story is not over, this time period in particular had a profound effect on the region. This juried exhibit brings together 54 of those images to create a broader sense of the influence of these events on our lives.

The exhibit examines that long year in the Twin Cities, from Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, to the culmination of the Chauvin trial with a guilty verdict on April 20, 2021. Chosen by a jury of three professional photojournalists during the summer of 2021, the photos in this exhibit were created by professional, community and student photographers who are as diverse as our community. The goal is to highlight the people and events that changed the region and showcase some of the powerful images created during that time.

“It was a sad, heartbreaking, crazy, hopeful year after George Floyd was murdered, and the photos that were taken throughout the year mirror that,” said Regina McCombs, Hubbard School Senior Fellow and exhibition judge and organizer. “It’s wonderful to give those images a chance to be seen again in a way that helps us all reflect on what has happened in our community.”

Three jurors reviewed the more than 500 photos submitted by 81 photographers and narrowed it down to 54 for display. Along with McCombs, the jurors were Brent Lewis, photo editor at The New York Times and co-founder of Diversify Photo, and Nina Robinson, an award-winning documentary photographer and educator based in Minneapolis. In addition, nine student images were selected for display.

“Outstanding photojournalism uses images to tell a story and document significant cultural events. As we enter our 100-year anniversary as a unit within the University of Minnesota, we want to celebrate our photojournalism roots with this exhibit,” said Hubbard School Director Elisia Cohen. “The important work created by the photojournalists in our community deserves to be recognized, and we’re honored to showcase it over several months throughout the Twin Cities. We extend our gratitude to the photographers who submitted their work, to the jurors who chose the final pieces, and to the Hubbard School’s Senior Fellow, Regina McCombs, for using her talent and connections to pull this all together.”

Documenting a Reckoning will be on display at the Elmer L. Andersen Library until March 4, 2022, when it will then move to the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis and be on display through May.

Exhibit details

What: Documenting a Reckoning
When: October 22, 2021 through March 4, 2022
Where: Elmer Andersen Library on the west bank of the U of M Twin Cities campus

Exhibit open during Andersen Library open hours (Mon/Tues/Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wed/Thurs 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.). No appointment is necessary.