A turbulent year in photos
2020:A year that will be seared into our collective memories for generations. It’s a number that, standing alone, will reference one of the strangest and most transformative times of our lives. The year has brought us a once-in-a-century global pandemic, world-wide societal unrest that boiled into lasting local protests, and the strength through it all to reach the polls in record numbers for a pivotal American election.
Though global in scope, each change in the world’s landscape was felt uniquely here in Memphis.
The photo staff at the Commercial Appeal has borne witness in the MidSouth each step of the way. We’ve attempted to share with you, the reader, spaces you might not have otherwise seen. From inside ICUS treating COVID-19 positive patients, to the front lines of mass protests, our goal is to bring you there with us.
It has been a difficult year for us all. These are the numbers, and the photos, that help to tell that story.
300 homicides
On Dec. 4, Memphis reached a bleak milestone surpassing 300 homicides — more than any year in the city’s history. The list of lives ended continues to grow. Dozens have been teens, or younger.
“Nine months. Two years old. Three years old. Five. Six. I can go on... seven years old. Nine. Ten. Twelve. Fifteen years old. Seventeen years old.”
“These are not random numbers, these are the ages of the 18 children that have lost their life,” said Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings during a press conference only halfway into this deadly year.
Violent crime has surged the country over, seemingly fueled from deep economic anxiety and pent-up frustration from life amid a pandemic. We continue to search for answers.
41,806,845 meals
Many families struggled to put food on the table this year. That heavy load has led to a bigger lift. The Mid-south Food Bank alone distributed more than 41 million meals — nearly tripling efforts from a year ago — helping hungry mouths and empty stomachs. As the economy has faltered, Memphians have propped each other up.
“We must remember that this is not a time when we are just missing our favorite meals at our favorite restaurants. This is a time when livelihoods have been sacrificed. This is a time when tuition and mortgage payments have been missed,” Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said. “This is a time when thousands more are in poverty and when food insecurity has grown.
12 consecutive days of protest
The killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor set off a national social justice movement and protests against racial inequality. Memphians marched the streets for 12 straight days and continued protesting for more than a month. From the National Civil Rights Museum and I AM A MAN Plaza, hundreds gathered and collectively demanded a more just country starting right here in a region that can encompass the worst in the widening gap of inequality — the world-wide movement struck a very local chord.
Chants of “no justice, no peace” sprang from the movement ringing through Downtown, along East Parkway, through Cooper-young and in Collierville, joining a chorus of voices the world over.
826 Covid-19-related deaths
Shelby County has seen 826 deaths linked to the novel coronavirus at the time of this writing and, much like the homicide rate, that number will be higher as you, the reader, are viewing this. Tennessee is currently seeing some of the highest transmission of cases per capita in the world.
“My colleagues and I have just seen entirely too many people die of this infection,” said Dr. Stephen Threlkeld infectious disease specialist at Baptist Memorial where we have followed the story from inside of the COVID-19 unit. “We’re at a crossroads of both great hope and a lot of cause for concern.”
0 fans
Sports have attempted to play on — for many, a simple pleasure and needed distraction. Leagues have been canceled, restarted, played without fans in empty stadiums, or with a socially distant few. The city’s beloved Tigers, Grizzlies and local high school teams have attempted, with varying success, to take the field.
Public health officials have urged teams and schools to halt all contact sports, describing it as a key activity in spreading the virus among youth. A public yearning for normalcy and athletic departments grasping at revenue to sustain, have balanced the other side of the coin. What’s left for fans falls somewhere in between.
384,280 votes
Voters braved the pandemic to let their voice be heard on Election Day. More individuals voted in Shelby County than any vote in the last 12 years, with nearly 65 percent of registered voters hitting the polls — the highest percentage since 1984.
BELOW: People wait in line to vote at Mt. Zion Baptist Church during the first day of early voting in Memphis on Oct. 14.
1.3 million of us
Every one of us in the Memphis metro area who join the rest of the world in being affected by the pandemic and this previously unimaginable year. The loss of family, loss of business, the loss of normalcy; no one has been left untouched.
Though we are struggling, there is optimism on the horizon. A vaccine promises to help curb the spread of COVID-19, and inequitable systems are receiving scrutiny, allowing us to put in place a structure that can bring real reform.
So as we pause to reflect, let us keep our focus on the promise that lies ahead. Whatever it brings, we will be there as witness to bring to you.