Houston to Hold 6-Hour Public Viewing of Floyd’s Casket

Houston to Hold 6-Hour Public Viewing of Floyd’s Casket
Church members conduct an intercessory prayer as they walk around The Fountain of Praise church, in Houston, on June 7, 2020. (David J. Phillip/AP Photo)

HOUSTON—Mourners will be able to view George Floyd’s casket on June 8 in his hometown of Houston, the final stop of a series of memorials in his honor.

A six-hour viewing will be held at The Fountain of Praise church in southwest Houston. The viewing is open to the public, though visitors will be required to wear a mask and gloves to comply with CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus-related guidelines.

Floyd’s funeral will be Tuesday, followed by burial at the Houston Memorial Gardens cemetery in suburban Pearland, where he will be laid to rest next to his mother, Larcenia Floyd.

George Floyd-Memorials (2)
Protesters pray in the rain for a rally at Union Square, in the Manhattan borough of New York, on June 5, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo)

George Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes. His death has inspired international protests and drawn new attention to the treatment of African Americans by police and the criminal justice system.

George Floyd-Memorials (5)
Church members conduct an intercessory prayer as they walk around The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, on June 7, 2020. (David J. Phillip/AP Photo)

Former Vice President Joe Biden plans to travel to Houston to meet with Floyd’s family and will provide a video message for Floyd’s funeral service.

George Floyd-Memorials (3)
Bryan Smart plants American flags along Hillcroft Ave. as he walks toward The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, on June 7, 2020. (David J. Phillip/AP Photo)

Previous memorials have taken place in Minneapolis and Raeford, North Carolina, near where Floyd was born. At the Minneapolis tribute Thursday, those in attendance stood in silence for 8 minutes, 46 seconds, the length of time prosecutors say Floyd was pinned to the ground under the officer’s knee.

Floyd was raised in Houston’s Third Ward and was a well-known former high school football player who rapped with local legend DJ Screw. He moved to Minneapolis several years ago to seek work and a fresh start. His face now appears on a mural in his old neighborhood, and his name was chanted by tens of thousands last week at a protest and march in downtown Houston.

NTD staff contributed to this report. 

ntd newsletter icon
Sign up for NTD Daily
What you need to know, summarized in one email.
Stay informed with accurate news you can trust.
By registering for the newsletter, you agree to the Privacy Policy.
Comments