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2020 Year in Photos

1/7/2021, 6 p.m.
Who knew when Richmonders rang in the year 2020 that it would be such a year of tumult?
More than 2,000 people bring in the 2020 new year early at the stroke of noon on Dec. 31 at the Science Museum of Virginia during a celebration geared toward youngsters and their families.

Who knew when Richmonders rang in the year 2020 that it would be such a year of tumult?

The year that began on the usual course of hope and promise swerved suddenly with a novel coronavirus pandemic that generated fear and caused panic buying of everything from bread and milk to toilet paper, hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray and wipes.

Schools, parks, churches and businesses were shut down, with many people losing their jobs and paychecks, others working remotely and front line workers keeping groceries, health care, transportation and other essential services available even as normal family and social interaction was disrupted.

Students, parents and teachers sought to adjust to online classes. People were urged to wear a mask, wash their hands frequently and practice social distancing, all in an effort to try to stem the continuing spread of COVID-19.

Meanwhile the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of the police spawned daily protests in Richmond against police brutality and racial injustice.

Richmond’s Confederate statues, long symbols of racial oppression, came down — first by the efforts of protesters and then by emergency order of Mayor Levar M. Stoney and ratified by City Council.

People clamoring for change also made their voices heard at the ballot box as Virginia launched early voting for the first time. Voters began lin- inguponthefirstday—Sept.18—45days before the Nov. 3 presidential election.

The year ended in a flood of hope with a Biden-Harris victory and the rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Richmond Free Press photographers Sandra Sellars and Regina H. Boone captured the twists and turns of 2020 through their work. Here are some of the highlights.

January

Thousands of people — many carrying high-powered weapons and waving or wearing Confederate symbols — flood Downtown for a gun rights rally at the State Capitol on the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday as the General Assembly considers gun control measures.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Thousands of people — many carrying high-powered weapons and waving or wearing Confederate symbols — flood Downtown for a gun rights rally at the State Capitol on the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday as the General Assembly considers gun control measures.

February

Shaniqua Allen embraces her 14-year-old daughter, Ni’Aveya Allen, during a prayer vigil Feb. 8 for Mrs. Allen’s 3-year-old son, Sharmar L. Hill Jr., who was shot and killed by gunfire while playing outside the family’s home in the Hillside Court public housing community on Feb. 1.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Shaniqua Allen embraces her 14-year-old daughter, Ni’Aveya Allen, during a prayer vigil Feb. 8 for Mrs. Allen’s 3-year-old son, Sharmar L. Hill Jr., who was shot and killed by gunfire while playing outside the family’s home in the Hillside Court public housing community on Feb. 1.

Antoine Ransom and his 4-year-old son, Mason, attend the Feb. 29 dedication of the expansion of the Shrine of Memory and grand opening of the C. Kenneth Wright Pavilion at the Virginia War Memorial in Downtown that pays tribute to Virginians who died in various wars. Mr. Ransom’s cousin, Air Force Maj. Charles A. Ransom of Midlothian, was killed in Kabul, Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2011.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Antoine Ransom and his 4-year-old son, Mason, attend the Feb. 29 dedication of the expansion of the Shrine of Memory and grand opening of the C. Kenneth Wright Pavilion at the Virginia War Memorial in Downtown that pays tribute to Virginians who died in various wars. Mr. Ransom’s cousin, Air Force Maj. Charles A. Ransom of Midlothian, was killed in Kabul, Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2011.

March

Hundreds of women and their supporters, including First Lady Pam Northam, center, celebrate Virginia becoming the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The celebration included a rally, speakers and a march from Monroe Park to the Capitol on March 8, International Women’s Day.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

Hundreds of women and their supporters, including First Lady Pam Northam, center, celebrate Virginia becoming the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The celebration included a rally, speakers and a march from Monroe Park to the Capitol on March 8, International Women’s Day.

Customers flock to the pallets of toilet paper at Costco on March 14 as the initial threat of coronavirus and a statewide shutdown causes consumers to make a run on paper products, cleaning supplies and food staples at area stores.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

Customers flock to the pallets of toilet paper at Costco on March 14 as the initial threat of coronavirus and a statewide shutdown causes consumers to make a run on paper products, cleaning supplies and food staples at area stores.

Dozens of tents house the homeless at “Cathy’s Camp,” a tent city that sprang up adjacent to the city’s winter overflow shelter and across the street from the Richmond Justice Center on Oliver Hill Way. The city razed the encampment in late March, moving people to area hotels during the COVID-19 crisis.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Dozens of tents house the homeless at “Cathy’s Camp,” a tent city that sprang up adjacent to the city’s winter overflow shelter and across the street from the Richmond Justice Center on Oliver Hill Way. The city razed the encampment in late March, moving people to area hotels during the COVID-19 crisis.

April

Dr. Shantelle L. Brown, a pharmacist and owner-operator of HOPE Pharmacy inside The Market @ 25th in Church Hill, shows the hand sanitizer the pharmacy is producing for free distribution to first responders and for sale to other patrons during the COVID-19 crisis.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Dr. Shantelle L. Brown, a pharmacist and owner-operator of HOPE Pharmacy inside The Market @ 25th in Church Hill, shows the hand sanitizer the pharmacy is producing for free distribution to first responders and for sale to other patrons during the COVID-19 crisis.

Lamire Balde is tested for the coronavirus by health care professionals at a Richmond Health District walk-up community testing event April 22 at the Southwood Apartments in South Side. Free COVID-19 tests have continued throughout the area.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

Lamire Balde is tested for the coronavirus by health care professionals at a Richmond Health District walk-up community testing event April 22 at the Southwood Apartments in South Side. Free COVID-19 tests have continued throughout the area.

May

Thomas Jefferson High School valedictorian Amia Graham, who graduated with a 4.9677 GPA, poses outside her home for a Free Press series of “Front Porch Portraits” featuring top Richmond high school graduates, other individuals and families during the pandemic. With schools across the state closed in mid-March and classes continuing online, Amia said the pandemic taught her to “value the little things in life and appreciate all of my blessings and the people in my life.”

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Thomas Jefferson High School valedictorian Amia Graham, who graduated with a 4.9677 GPA, poses outside her home for a Free Press series of “Front Porch Portraits” featuring top Richmond high school graduates, other individuals and families during the pandemic. With schools across the state closed in mid-March and classes continuing online, Amia said the pandemic taught her to “value the little things in life and appreciate all of my blessings and the people in my life.”

June

A Black Lives Matter tribute to the late George Floyd is projected onto the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on the evening of June 6 by local artist Dustin Klein, a striking signal of change. The statue and grounds on Monument Avenue became a central point for demonstrators and others seeking a metamorphosis in the city.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

A Black Lives Matter tribute to the late George Floyd is projected onto the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on the evening of June 6 by local artist Dustin Klein, a striking signal of change. The statue and grounds on Monument Avenue became a central point for demonstrators and others seeking a metamorphosis in the city.

Cyclists participating in the Black Lives Matter Father’s Day Bike Ride on June 21 organized by the Urban Cycling Group and R&B singer Trey Songz of Petersburg stop at the graffiti-covered statue for a photo.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Cyclists participating in the Black Lives Matter Father’s Day Bike Ride on June 21 organized by the Urban Cycling Group and R&B singer Trey Songz of Petersburg stop at the graffiti-covered statue for a photo.

Nasiah Morris, 4, carries a sign with a powerful message during a peaceful grassroots march May 31 from Brown’s Island to the 17th Street Market in Shockoe Bottom. The youngster, kneeling at 9th and Grace streets across from the State Capitol, attended the rally with her mother, Toya Morris, and 15-year-old brother, Tye.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

Nasiah Morris, 4, carries a sign with a powerful message during a peaceful grassroots march May 31 from Brown’s Island to the 17th Street Market in Shockoe Bottom. The youngster, kneeling at 9th and Grace streets across from the State Capitol, attended the rally with her mother, Toya Morris, and 15-year-old brother, Tye.

Protesters participating in a peaceful demonstration react to being hit by Richmond Police with tear gas and pepper spray on Monument Avenue at the Robert E. Lee statue about 30 minutes before the city’s 8 p.m. curfew on June 1.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

Protesters participating in a peaceful demonstration react to being hit by Richmond Police with tear gas and pepper spray on Monument Avenue at the Robert E. Lee statue about 30 minutes before the city’s 8 p.m. curfew on June 1.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

An angry and frustrated crowd of about 1,500 people descend on City Hall, below right, calling for the resignation of Richmond Police Chief Will Smith and Mayor Levar M. Stoney, despite their apologies for the police action. Chief Smith resigned on June 16.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

An angry and frustrated crowd of about 1,500 people descend on City Hall, below right, calling for the resignation of Richmond Police Chief Will Smith and Mayor Levar M. Stoney, despite their apologies for the police action. Chief Smith resigned on June 16.

A protester confronts Virginia State Police troopers, who declared an unlawful assembly before pepper-spraying peaceful protesters and bystanders on June 26.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

A protester confronts Virginia State Police troopers, who declared an unlawful assembly before pepper-spraying peaceful protesters and bystanders on June 26.

July

A cheering crowd watches as a crane hauls away the massive, 100-year-old statue of Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson from its pedestal at Monument Avenue and Arthur Ashe Boulevard during a downpour on July 1. Using an emergency declaration, Mayor Stoney ordered the city-owned Confederate statues to be removed as a public safety measure.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

A cheering crowd watches as a crane hauls away the massive, 100-year-old statue of Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson from its pedestal at Monument Avenue and Arthur Ashe Boulevard during a downpour on July 1. Using an emergency declaration, Mayor Stoney ordered the city-owned Confederate statues to be removed as a public safety measure.

The statue of Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart is turned on its side and lowered onto a flatbed truck on July 7 after being taken from its pedestal at Monument Avenue and Stuart Circle. It was sent to storage as the city worked out a plan for disposal.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

The statue of Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart is turned on its side and lowered onto a flatbed truck on July 7 after being taken from its pedestal at Monument Avenue and Stuart Circle. It was sent to storage as the city worked out a plan for disposal.

About 1,000 protesters march through Richmond to show solidarity with demonstrators in Portland, Ore., where federal officials used questionable force to detain or arrest people.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

About 1,000 protesters march through Richmond to show solidarity with demonstrators in Portland, Ore., where federal officials used questionable force to detain or arrest people.

A huge figure representing gay pride becomes a focal point for the Stonewall Rising: LGBTQ March for Black Lives. Hundreds of members of VA Pride, Minority Vets and other partners flooded the streets of North Side to show their alliance with the cause of racial justice.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

A huge figure representing gay pride becomes a focal point for the Stonewall Rising: LGBTQ March for Black Lives. Hundreds of members of VA Pride, Minority Vets and other partners flooded the streets of North Side to show their alliance with the cause of racial justice.

August

Henry L. Marsh III, a former state senator and Richmond’s first African- American mayor, is greeted on Aug. 27 by School Board member Cheryl L. Burke as he gets his first look at the new $40 million elementary school named for him in Church Hill, located at 813 N. 28th St. The school, which replaces the former George Mason Elementary that Mr. Marsh attended as a child, is one of three new city school buildings that were ready for use but remained closed as Richmond Public Schools students continued with online classes in the fall.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Henry L. Marsh III, a former state senator and Richmond’s first African- American mayor, is greeted on Aug. 27 by School Board member Cheryl L. Burke as he gets his first look at the new $40 million elementary school named for him in Church Hill, located at 813 N. 28th St. The school, which replaces the former George Mason Elementary that Mr. Marsh attended as a child, is one of three new city school buildings that were ready for use but remained closed as Richmond Public Schools students continued with online classes in the fall.

Armed members of private militia groups advocate for gun rights near the State Capitol on Aug. 18 before marching to the Siegel Center on Broad Street where the House of Delegates was meeting during a special General Assembly session to take up police reform, criminal justice reform and budget measures.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Armed members of private militia groups advocate for gun rights near the State Capitol on Aug. 18 before marching to the Siegel Center on Broad Street where the House of Delegates was meeting during a special General Assembly session to take up police reform, criminal justice reform and budget measures.

Dr. Johnny Mickens III, right, the great-grandson of Maggie L. Walker, and his daughter, Liza Mickens, survey the damage discovered Aug. 3 at Mrs. Walker’s gravesite in historic Evergreen Cemetery. Her headstone, entrances to the gravesite and the entrance to Sir Moses Montefiore Cemetery, a historic Jewish cemetery, were spraypainted with “777,” numbers that are linked to white supremacist groups.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Dr. Johnny Mickens III, right, the great-grandson of Maggie L. Walker, and his daughter, Liza Mickens, survey the damage discovered Aug. 3 at Mrs. Walker’s gravesite in historic Evergreen Cemetery. Her headstone, entrances to the gravesite and the entrance to Sir Moses Montefiore Cemetery, a historic Jewish cemetery, were spraypainted with “777,” numbers that are linked to white supremacist groups.

September

A giant mask adorns the façade of the Science Museum of Virginia at 2500 W. Broad St. as it prepared to reopen to the public on Sept. 5 after being closed for months because of COVID-19. The mask also was a visual reminder that visitors are required to wear masks to enter. The museum is one of many cultural spaces incorporating new requirements because of the pandemic.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

A giant mask adorns the façade of the Science Museum of Virginia at 2500 W. Broad St. as it prepared to reopen to the public on Sept. 5 after being closed for months because of COVID-19. The mask also was a visual reminder that visitors are required to wear masks to enter. The museum is one of many cultural spaces incorporating new requirements because of the pandemic.

Chimborazo Elementary School students Kyle, 6, left, and Kevin Wilson, 8, connect with their teachers and classmates on Sept. 8, the first day of school, using Chromebooks provided by Richmond Public Schools. Kitchen tables have become virtual classrooms for many students, with parents monitoring schoolwork.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Chimborazo Elementary School students Kyle, 6, left, and Kevin Wilson, 8, connect with their teachers and classmates on Sept. 8, the first day of school, using Chromebooks provided by Richmond Public Schools. Kitchen tables have become virtual classrooms for many students, with parents monitoring schoolwork.

Treasure Daily, 10, is bundled up in the outfield of The Diamond listening as her mother, Shanna Latia, conducts sound therapy during Project Yoga Richmond’s Saturday Salutations on Sept. 19. The nonprofit organization has worked to make yoga affordable and accessible to Richmonders, particularly during the current high- stress times.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

Treasure Daily, 10, is bundled up in the outfield of The Diamond listening as her mother, Shanna Latia, conducts sound therapy during Project Yoga Richmond’s Saturday Salutations on Sept. 19. The nonprofit organization has worked to make yoga affordable and accessible to Richmonders, particularly during the current high- stress times.

Charlotte and Frank Strayhorn celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary with a parade of well wishes from family and friends who drove by their North Side home honking their car horns, leaving gifts and waving. The socially distanced celebration was set up by cousins living in the area after the couple’s sons, who live out of state, had to scrap their plans to travel home for an anniversary party.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Charlotte and Frank Strayhorn celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary with a parade of well wishes from family and friends who drove by their North Side home honking their car horns, leaving gifts and waving. The socially distanced celebration was set up by cousins living in the area after the couple’s sons, who live out of state, had to scrap their plans to travel home for an anniversary party.

October

A “Black Lives Matter” banner hangs in October on the wall in front of a Monument Avenue residence near Allen Avenue, the epicenter of protests over racial injustice and police brutality since May. Signs like this one and logos with BLM have become commonplace on businesses and other buildings in and near Downtown and the Lee monument following an early spate of damage. The signs often were posted as a signal to spare the place from any damage.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

A “Black Lives Matter” banner hangs in October on the wall in front of a Monument Avenue residence near Allen Avenue, the epicenter of protests over racial injustice and police brutality since May. Signs like this one and logos with BLM have become commonplace on businesses and other buildings in and near Downtown and the Lee monument following an early spate of damage. The signs often were posted as a signal to spare the place from any damage.

James Green, left, the custodian crew leader at Chimborazo Elementary School, receives a hug from his grandson, Mykhi Davis, 9, after being surprised Oct. 2 by Richmond Public Schools officials honoring him for 43 years of service to RPS students and families. The occasion was National Custodial Workers Day.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

James Green, left, the custodian crew leader at Chimborazo Elementary School, receives a hug from his grandson, Mykhi Davis, 9, after being surprised Oct. 2 by Richmond Public Schools officials honoring him for 43 years of service to RPS students and families. The occasion was National Custodial Workers Day.

Kindal and George White give their 4-month-old son, Greyson, his first taste of voting as hundreds turned out at the Eastern Henrico Government Center on Nine Mile Road for early, in-person voting on Oct. 24. Lines were common at many early- voting sites throughout Metro Richmond.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

Kindal and George White give their 4-month-old son, Greyson, his first taste of voting as hundreds turned out at the Eastern Henrico Government Center on Nine Mile Road for early, in-person voting on Oct. 24. Lines were common at many early- voting sites throughout Metro Richmond.

November

Aiden Porter holds up a Biden-Harris campaign sign Nov. 7 in celebration of the Democrats’ victory in the presidential election. The 4-year-old stood at the base of the Lee statue on Monument Avenue, where he was celebrating with his mother, Jasmine Howell.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

Aiden Porter holds up a Biden-Harris campaign sign Nov. 7 in celebration of the Democrats’ victory in the presidential election. The 4-year-old stood at the base of the Lee statue on Monument Avenue, where he was celebrating with his mother, Jasmine Howell.

The James River, swollen and roaring after two days of heavy rain in mid-November, rolls through Richmond. The river reached its highest levels in two decades, cresting near 18 feet on Nov. 13 and 14 in Downtown. Two of the gates in the city’s floodwall were closed for the first time since 1999 to protect Shockoe Bottom.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

The James River, swollen and roaring after two days of heavy rain in mid-November, rolls through Richmond. The river reached its highest levels in two decades, cresting near 18 feet on Nov. 13 and 14 in Downtown. Two of the gates in the city’s floodwall were closed for the first time since 1999 to protect Shockoe Bottom.

December

Tracey Avery-Geter, 47, of Chesterfield, a nurse practitioner supervisor, gets a dose of the new Moderna vaccine against COVID-19 on Dec. 23 from Sara Noble, a clinical nurse manager, at the Richmond Health District Office in Downtown. As a health care worker, Ms. Avery-Geter is in the top priority group designated by the state to receive the vaccine. Also in the top group: Residents and staff at long-term care facilities.

Photo by Regina H. Boone

Tracey Avery-Geter, 47, of Chesterfield, a nurse practitioner supervisor, gets a dose of the new Moderna vaccine against COVID-19 on Dec. 23 from Sara Noble, a clinical nurse manager, at the Richmond Health District Office in Downtown. As a health care worker, Ms. Avery-Geter is in the top priority group designated by the state to receive the vaccine. Also in the top group: Residents and staff at long-term care facilities.

Richmond’s skyline comes to life during the holiday season, with the glow of lights embracing Downtown and the riverfront. The seasonal lighting officially got underway Dec. 4, with RVA Illuminates. This photograph of the Downtown skyline was taken from Brown’s Island.

Photo by Sandra Sellars

Richmond’s skyline comes to life during the holiday season, with the glow of lights embracing Downtown and the riverfront. The seasonal lighting officially got underway Dec. 4, with RVA Illuminates. This photograph of the Downtown skyline was taken from Brown’s Island.