Houston ISD's Board Votes To Rename Jack Yates Field After Alumnus George Floyd

HOUSTON, TX — George Floyd's name will grace the field where he played football in high school.

The Houston ISD Board of Education voted unanimously to change the name of Jack Yates Field to the George Perry Floyd Jr. Athletic Community Field during its meeting Thursday night.

Floyd, who was murdered by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020, is from the Third Ward and graduated from Jack Yates High School in 1993. Floyd, who played receiver, helped lead the Lions to the 1992 Class 5A Division II state championship game, where they lost to Temple.

Floyd's death sparked protests around the country and gave wider attention to the Black Lives Matter movement, police brutality against people of color and modern race relations. It's this reason that several people at the meeting spoke in favor of the measure.

"The tragic death of George Floyd has elevated the fight for social justice in our community and the world," one woman said. "We believe this designation will help the community and students in Third Ward process the tragedy and its importance to the worldwide social justice movement sparked by his death."

There also were people in opposition to renaming the field, including a former player and member of the alumni association.

“Don’t matter what you vote tonight," the man said. "It ain’t going to be that name when it’s all said and done. Don’t disrespect my legacy.”

The name was recommended to the board by a committee made up of Jack Yates students, parents, alumni and community members.