NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Millions of people across the nation, and around the world, have taken part in demonstrations that demand justice in the barbaric killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, while in Minneapolis police custody, and racial justice for Black Americans. The rallying cry is loud and clear, Black Lives Matter and the inhumane treatment of Black people must stop. As the country continues to mourn the passing of George Floyd, BET will commemorate his life by broadcasting his funeral service in its entirety from The Fountain of Praise Church in Houston, TX. The commercial-free live coverage of “BET Remembers: George Floyd” will air Tuesday, June 9 at Noon ET on BET, BET HER, BET.com, BET’s YouTube Channel and Facebook page. Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Rev. Al Sharpton, Attorney Benjamin Crump, Slim Thug, Leela James, Paul Wall, Floyd Mayweather, Congressman Al Green, and Bishop James Dixon are a few of the confirmed guests slated to attend the private memorial. The Floyd family will confirm additional guests.
“We send our deepest condolences to George Floyd’s family. It is heartbreaking, infuriating, and devastating to witness the scourge of racism in America claim lives in our community. We must use this moment to galvanize our collective power to eradicate systemic racism, violence and injustice. It is our responsibility,” said President of BET, Scott Mills. “We are committed to working closely with community leaders, organizations and our like-minded corporate partners to create a more just society. We stand in solidarity with and look to empower every member of our community who is working towards this change.”
BET has dedicated a comprehensive array of programming addressing systemic racism, the violence faced by Black people in America and the solutions to help move the country forward. From primetime specials to round-the-clock coverage on BET.com, BET continues to drive the conversation and empower viewers. “Justice Now: A BET News Special,” and “Justice Now: A BET Town Hall,” hosted by Marc Lamont Hill, assembled a diverse panel of leading African American voices in activism, politics and entertainment, including George Floyd’s family, Fair Fight’s Stacey Abrams, activist and cofounder of Campaign Zero Brittany Packnett, Color of Change President Rashad Robinson, Princeton University Hughes-Rogers Professor of African American studies Imani Perry, Rutgers University scholar and activist Brittney Cooper, Senator Cory Booker, singer John Legend, rapper Tip “T.I.” Harris, Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, activist Tamika Mallory, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, former NBA player Stephen Jackson, Princeton University Department of African American Studies Chairperson Eddie Glaude, Scholar Peniel E. Joseph, Emerald Garner (daughter of Eric Garner), youth activists Michael McDowell and Luis Hernandez, and others to reflect on the killing of George Floyd, the protests that have ensued and the systemic racism that has led us to where are today.
For up-to-the-minute details on George Floyd’s services including, video and editorial content, please visit BET.com and follow @BET & @BETNews for the latest news and developments.
About BET
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.