Tyre Nichols’ family and friends gathered for a funeral that blended celebration of his life with outrage over his brutal beating at the hands of Memphis police. The service featured impassioned speeches from Reverend Al Sharpton and Vice President Kamala Harris, urging Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Harris emphasized the importance of public safety, stating that “Tyre Nichols should have been safe.” Sharpton recognized family members of others killed by police, including George Floyd, and said the officers who beat Nichols might have acted differently if there was real accountability for their actions.
Sharpton also believed that if Nichols had been white, “you wouldn’t have beat him like that.” The Reverend Lawrence Turner described Nichols as “a good person, a beautiful soul” who was gone too soon, denied his rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Tiffany Rachal, the mother of Jalen Randle, fatally shot by a Houston police officer, sang a rendition of Total Praise, urging mothers to come together to stop police brutality.
Tyre Nichols
Tyre Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, fought back tears as she spoke about her son, saying “The only thing that’s keeping me going is that I truly believe that my son was sent here on assignment from God.” She urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Act, warning that if they don’t, “that blood – the next child that dies, that blood is going to be on their hands.” Civil rights attorney Ben Crump questioned why the officers couldn’t see the humanity in Nichols.
In the three weeks since Nichols’ death, five police officers were fired and charged with murder, their specialized unit was disbanded, and two more officers have been suspended. The funeral was a celebration of Nichols’ life, highlighting his passions for skateboarding, photography, and being a devoted father. For four years, he worked hard to better himself as a father, and his loved ones remembered him as joyful, kind, and quick with a smile.
