George Floyd Five Years Later

Was it a Moment or a Movement?

Justice, Power, and the Promise of Equity

America stood still when the world witnessed George Floyd’s final breath—and then it moved. Millions marched. Institutions pledged change. A new generation rose up. But five years later, what began as a reckoning has turned into a battle for the very soul of our democracy.

This report captures the seismic shifts since 2020:

How movements forced policing and criminal justice reform into the national conversation
How corporations pledged billions—and how many are quietly walking it back
How the Biden administration invested in equity—and how those gains are under attack
How the Urban League movement mobilized to create a national response and held our government and institutions accountable

Through all of it, the Urban League has been at the forefront—advocating, organizing, and demanding real justice through policy, partnerships, and people-powered change.

To capture the breadth of the racial justice movement, we compiled an appendix which includes primary sources, legal documents, research, and reports relevant to the themes discussed in the National Urban League’s 2025 “George Floyd: Five Years Later” report. Resources are organized by topic with source titles and links for further reading.

Explore the Appendix

This report does more than make time; it captures history.

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