Posted in: AMC, Fear The Walking Dead, TV, Walking Dead | Tagged: aaron, Alexandria, alpha, amc, andrew lincoln, Angel Theory, beta, bleeding cool, cable, Cailey Fleming, carol, Cassady McClincy, Christian Serratos, Connie, dan fogler, danai gurira, Daryl, Eleanor Matsura, Eugene, ezekiel, fear the walking dead, Hilltop, horror, jeffrey dean morgan, jesus, Josh McDermitt, Judith, Judith Grimes, kelly, Khary Payton, Lauren Ridloff, luke, Magna, Melissa McBride, michonne, midseason, Nadia Hilker, negan, norman reedus, Review, Rick Grimes, robert kirkman, Rosita, Ross Marquand, ryan hurst, Samantha Morton, season 9, season 9b, skybound, streaming, television, terror, The Walking Dead, the walking dead world beyond, Tom Payne, tv, TWD, walkers, whisperers, Yumiko, zombies
The Walking Dead Universe Goes Dark as Skybound Joins BlackOut Tuesday
Skybound Entertainment (home to the Walking Dead universe as well as other properties) has added its name to the growing list of entertainment entities taking part in "BlackOut Tuesday" on June 2. The day is meant to honor the late George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police officers last week during an encounter that's lead to protests across the country and around the world over the past week. It's also a day to honor those who are protesting, and for society to take the time to educate itself on the inequalities the Black community has faced for generations.
In some instances (like with Spotify), a moment of silence lasting 8 minutes and 46 seconds will air to reflect the amount of time police officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd's neck (nearly three minutes of that time taking place after Floyd became unresponsive). As you'll see in the post below, the company is having all of its social accounts go dark and polling its staff to come up with three organizations created to fight social injustice they can donate to. Announced across its social media platforms, Skybound is also urging its followers to suggest organizations deserving support, and to share what music, movies, television shows, books, etc. they're into that celebrates diverse voices.
On Monday, May 25, Floyd, an African-American Minneapolis man, was confronted by police officers over an accusation of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a local market. While details on what happened next are still being pieced together, what we do know is that Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down as police officer Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd's neck for the reported 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas K. Lane were the other three officers involved, with Kueng and Lane assisting Chauvin in holding Floyd to the ground and Thao looking on from nearby.
In the week since, protests in cities across the country and around the world have grown as more and more call out the United States' long history of racist violence towards the black community by law enforcement as well as President Trump's threatening, adversarial response to the protests. Familiar faces from across the pop culture landscape have been taking to social media to voice their support, to donate to protest funding and support organizations, and to use their influence to share resources.