a statue of Robert E Lee with George Floyd's face projected onto the side

10 unforgettable images from our Year in Pictures issue

National Geographic photographers document a year that tested, isolated, empowered, and brought hope to the world.

As Black Lives Matter protesters took to the streets to protest police brutality, the movement sparked a broader racial reckoning that led many to push for the removal of monuments to Confederate soldiers who fought to preserve slavery. In Richmond, Virginia, photographer Kris Graves captured the scene as activists transformed a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee into a memorial to Floyd. “It so completely summarizes the political tumult of this year and how deeply rooted these beliefs are on both sides,” Johnson says.

Through our standard image toning processes, Nat Geo de-emphasized 10 instances of the f-word that were visible in the photograph. “It’s an extremely rare step for us to take,” writes Editor in Chief Susan Goldberg in the January issue. “We believe that prominently sharing the photo is more important than de-emphasizing a certain swear word; the toning does not diminish its message or impact.”

Photograph by Kris Graves, National Geographic

After all the tumult of 2020—an extraordinary year that brought a deadly pandemic, political turmoil, racial reckonings, and record-breaking wildfires—it’s fitting that National Geographic is publishing its first-ever Year in Pictures issue.



Rather than simply covering the year’s most pivotal events, the January issue aims to capture the many ways in which this year tested us, isolated us, empowered us—and even gave us hope. Our photographers reflect on our collective longing for safety, why it was important to document these times of social upheaval and the moments of discovery they experienced while stuck at home. (How photography helps us make sense of this unforgettable year.)



Whitney Johnson, vice president of visuals and immersive experiences, says this

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