Oprah Compares George Floyd Death to ‘The Days of Jim Crow When Black Men Would Be Lynched’

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey weighed in on the death of George Floyd on Tuesday, comparing his death to the days of Jim Crow and racial segregation where African-Americans would often be lynched.

Hosting a virtual town hall with black activists and Hollywood figures, the billionaire talk show host argued this could be a “tipping point” for race relations in America as violent protests, largely associated with the Black Lives Matter, continue to rock the country.

“Over the years of the Oprah show, I did over 100 shows about racism. In all of those experiences, though, I don’t recall a moment quite like this one. Because we find our nation on a precipice, a true tipping point, I believe,” Oprah said. “And just like all of you for the past few weeks, I’ve been talking and Zooming with friends, and the same question keeps popping up over and over. Is this the moment that will finally change our country, where people will recognize systemic racism for the problem and the evil that it is?”

Watch below:

During the conversation, which included interviews with film director Ava DuVernay and Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams, the 66-year-old compared what happened to Floyd to the days of racial segregation and Jim Crow.

“We can’t move forward without calling out that pain,” Oprah said. “Watching the life seep from George Floyd’s body caused a kind of universal shock and pain. For black people everywhere, we recognized that knee on the neck.”