THIS BLACK MOTHER UNDERSTANDS THE FIRE' | TIME UNVEILS MAGAZINE COVER FOLLOWING GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH

The cover is painted by artist Titus Kaphar and shows an African-American mother holding her missing child.

 

Author: TEGNA

Published: 1:49 PM EDT June 6, 2020

NEW YORK — TIME has released their magazine cover for their special report examining the aftermath of George Floyd's death and the systemic racism that exists in the U.S. 

The cover is painted by artist Titus Kaphar and shows an African-American mother holding her child. In the painting, the child is cut out to represent a mother's loss. It's called, "Say their names."

“This black mother understands the fire. Black mothers understand despair. I can change nothing in this world, but in paint, I can realize her. That brings me solace … not hope, but solace," Kaphar writes in a piece accompanying his painting. "She walks me through the flames of rage. My black mother rescues me yet again. I want to be sure that she is seen. I want to be certain that her story is told. And so this time, America must hear her voice.”

In addition to the unique cover painting, the border of the magazine will include the names of 35 black men and women whose deaths "were the result of systematic racism and helped fuel the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement," TIME magazine says.