History of Breonna Taylor in Timeline

Breonna Taylor was an African-American woman killed in her home by Louisville police officers executing a no-knock warrant. The incident sparked national outrage and became a focal point in protests against police brutality and racial injustice. While one officer, Brett Hankison, was acquitted on state charges of endangering Taylor's neighbors, the Department of Justice pursued federal charges against him for violating Taylor's civil rights through excessive force. He was later found guilty and sentenced to 33 months in prison. Three other officers were federally charged with conspiracy related to falsifying evidence to obtain the search warrant and subsequent cover-up.

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Full Timeline Legacy & Impact

June 5, 1993: Breonna Taylor's Birth

On June 5, 1993, Breonna Taylor was born in Louisville, Kentucky. She was an African-American woman who was shot and killed while unarmed in her home during a police raid.

1994: Milestone for Black Women in Country Music

In 2022, Mickey Guyton became the first Black woman to compete in the Best Country Song category since 1994, highlighting a significant milestone in country music.

1998: Father's Prison Sentence

In 1998, Breonna Taylor's father, Everette Taylor, was sentenced to at least 45 years in prison for second-degree murder. Breonna was five years old at the time.

2008: Move to Louisville

In 2008, Breonna Taylor moved to Louisville, Kentucky, with her mother and younger sister, Ju'Niyah. Prior to this, she was living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she was born.

2011: University of Kentucky Attendance

In 2011, Breonna Taylor attended the University of Kentucky in Lexington. After a year there, she would return to Louisville in 2012.

2012: Return to Louisville

In 2012, Breonna Taylor returned to Louisville after attending the University of Kentucky for a year. She subsequently focused on improving her credit score and saving to purchase a car and home.

November 2016: EMT Work

From January to November 2016, Breonna Taylor worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). By 2018, her certification had expired.

2018: EMT Certification Expiration

By 2018, Breonna Taylor's Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification had expired, marking the end of her active work as a certified EMT.

February 23, 2020: Murder of Ahmaud Arbery

On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery was murdered. Breonna Taylor's death followed Arbery's and preceded George Floyd's, and all three deaths spurred protests and became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement in the summer of 2020.

March 12, 2020: Night Before Death

On the evening of March 12, 2020, Breonna Taylor invited her aunt, Bianca Austin, out for drinks, but she declined. Breonna and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker III, stayed home and watched movies instead. The next day, she would be killed.

March 13, 2020: Breonna Taylor's Death

On March 13, 2020, Breonna Taylor was fatally shot in her Louisville, Kentucky home by police officers executing a "no-knock" search warrant. The incident occurred when officers entered her apartment and her boyfriend, believing they were intruders, fired at them, leading to a barrage of return fire that killed Taylor.

May 25, 2020: Murder of George Floyd

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered. His death, along with those of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, ignited widespread protests and fueled the Black Lives Matter movement during the summer of 2020.

June 11, 2020: Louisville Metro Council Bans No-Knock Warrants

On June 11, 2020, the Louisville Metro Council officially banned no-knock search warrants in response to Breonna Taylor's death.

September 2020: Tributes in Sports

During the fall 2020 playoffs, NBA player Jamal Murray wore custom-designed Adidas sneakers featuring images of Taylor and George Floyd. Also, British racing driver Lewis Hamilton wore a t-shirt bearing Taylor's face on the back after he won the Formula 1 Tuscan Grand Prix.

September 2020: University of Kentucky Addresses Systemic Racism

In September 2020, Eli Capilouto, president of the University of Kentucky, charged the UK community to address "systemic racism." Later, the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law hosted a day-long symposium about Breonna Taylor.

September 2020: $12 Million Settlement

In September 2020, Tamika Palmer and the Taylor family received a $12 million settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit related to Breonna Taylor's death.

November 2020: Online Discussion at UK

In November 2020, the University of Kentucky College of Education hosted "Navigating Your Teens in Breonna Taylor's America", an online discussion aimed at youth leaders in response to Breonna Taylor's death.

2020: Breonna Taylor shared an apartment with her sister

In 2020, Breonna Taylor shared an apartment in south end Louisville with her sister, Ju'Niyah Palmer.

2020: Work as an Essential Worker

In 2020, Breonna Taylor was working as a PRN at Norton Hospital and as an Emergency Room Technician at UofL Health (Jewish Hospital). She was considered an essential worker during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Breonna Taylor worked as a dialysis technician

In 2020, Breonna Taylor worked as a dialysis technician, furthering her career in the healthcare field.

2020: Release of "I Want You To (Breonna Taylor)"

In 2020, Houston-based rapper Tobe Nwigwe released the 44-second tribute, "I Want You To (Breonna Taylor)", inspired by God. The accompanying video gained hundreds of thousands of views.

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2020: Establishment of the Diversity in Nursing Scholarship

In 2020, Jasmine Garrett Ellington, then a nursing student at Mercer University, established the Diversity in Nursing Scholarship in Breonna Taylor's honor to diversify the nursing field.

2020: Firing of Steve Conrad

In 2020, former police chief Steve Conrad was fired, leading to a series of short-term leaders at the helm of the LMPD during the aftermath of Breonna Taylor's death.

2020: Portrait Commissioned

In 2020, visual artist Amy Sherald was commissioned to create a portrait of Breonna Taylor for the September issue of Vanity Fair magazine.

April 2021: Breonna's Law Signed

In April 2021, Governor Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 4, known as "Breonna's Law," which limits the "no knock" policy statewide in Kentucky. This law was enacted in response to the circumstances surrounding Breonna Taylor's death.

2021: Inaugural Race for Justice

Beginning in the summer of 2021, the Future Ancestors, a group of students from Waggener High School, hosted the first Race for Justice as a tribute to Breonna Taylor's memory.

2021: "Remember Her Name" Release

In 2021, country singer Mickey Guyton co-wrote "Remember Her Name" and also dedicated her debut album of the same name in Breonna Taylor's memory.

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2021: Tribute through Music

In 2021, country singer Mickey Guyton co-wrote "Remember Her Name" and dedicated her debut album of the same name in Breonna Taylor's memory.

February 2022: Other Cities and States Implement Restrictions

By February 2022, following Breonna Taylor's case, other cities and states, including Oregon, Connecticut, Virginia and Florida, implemented similar restrictions on no-knock warrants.

2022: Best Country Song Nomination

In 2022, Mickey Guyton's "Remember Her Name" was nominated for Best Country Song, making Guyton the first Black woman to compete in the category since 1994.

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2022: Establishment of the Breonna Taylor Lecture on Structural Inequality

In 2022, the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law established an annual lecture series, The Breonna Taylor Lecture on Structural Inequality.

June 2023: Sherald Portrait Displayed at Speed Art Museum

Beginning June 2023, Amy Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor was moved to the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, as per Sherald's request to have the work accessible to Louisville residents.

July 2023: Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel Named Police Chief

In July 2023, Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel was named the city's first permanent Black female police chief, following a series of short-term leaders after Breonna Taylor's death.

2023: UCSB Partnership to Address Racial Trauma

In 2023, the University of California at Santa Barbara partnered with the Santa Barbara Unified School District to open a physical space used to address racial trauma, responding to the deaths of Taylor and Floyd.

March 2024: Justice for Breonna Taylor Act Re-introduced

In March 2024, U.S. senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and Congressman Morgan McGarvey (D-KY) re-introduced the Justice for Breonna Taylor Act, a bill prohibiting no-knock warrants on a national scale.

August 2024: Felony Charges Dismissed

In August 2024, U.S. District Judge Charles Simpson dismissed felony charges against former officers Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany, attributing Breonna Taylor's death to Walker's actions during the police entry into the apartment.

November 2024: Hankison Found Guilty

In November 2024, Brett Hankison was found guilty of using unconstitutional excessive force, violating Breonna Taylor's civil rights.

2024: Release of Power of the Dream

In 2024, the documentary "Power of the Dream" directed by Dawn Porter, highlighting the tensions WNBA players faced while protesting Breonna Taylor's death in 2020, was released.

July 2025: Hankison Sentenced

In July 2025, Brett Hankison was sentenced to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release for violating Breonna Taylor's civil rights. This sentence followed his conviction on federal civil rights charges.

July 2025: Sentencing of Hankison

In July 2025, Hankison was sentenced to 33 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The conviction and sentencing relate to the unconstitutional use of excessive force in the Breonna Taylor case.