The Georgia General Assembly has passed a resolution declaring Feb 23 “Ahmaud Arbery Day” in Georgia.
The bipartisan resolution calls for Georgians to honor and remember Arbery, “one of its most distinguished citizens.”
The 25-year-old Arbery was shot and killed on this day in 2020 while on a jog in Glynn County, Ga. — all three individuals involved in Arbery’s death have been convicted of murder and were sentenced to life in prison by the state of Georgia.
Arbery, who was Black, was attacked by three white men: Greg and Travis McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan. The killers were also recently found guilty in a separate case in federal court for targeting Arbery due to his race.
The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Sandra Scott, Rep. Gloria Frazier, Rep. William Boddie, Rep. Don Hogan and Rep. Calvin Smyre, refers to Arbery as a loving son, brother, uncle, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend “who left an impact on countless Georgians and Americans.”
Every Feb. 23 going forward will be known as “Ahmaud Arbery Day” — not just this year.
The resolution also encourages people to run 2.23 miles on that day, a reference to the date of his death, to advocate for racial equality.
Shortly after Arbery’s killers were found guilty in federal court, Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, said, “Ahmaud will continue to rest in peace. But he will now begin to rest in power.”
