2024 has been an unprecedented and historic year. The year began with two assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump, who was running for the White House for a third time. After a disastrous debate performance and calls from his own party to drop out, President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, making way for Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the Democratic Party against Trump.
Photographers traveling with each candidate captured some of the year’s most iconic imagery, from the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was shot in his right ear, to scenes across the nation of Harris, the first Black woman and Asian American to lead a major-party ticket, captivating supporters on the campaign trail.
On November 5, a country yearning for change and direction voted to reelect Trump, a convicted felon who was twice impeached.
As the US election took center stage, photographers continued to capture scenes of people who are hurt, displaced, dead or dying as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza rage on, revealing no progress of peace or resolution. As of November 26, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported that at least 137 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel and Lebanon since Israel’s war against Hamas began last year. Still, hundreds of photographers continue to put themselves in harm’s way to help the public see and understand the crippling consequences of war on innocent lives.
Not all of the news this year has been grim. For three weeks in July and August, we witnessed exhilarating performances by the world’s top athletes at the Summer Olympics. The awe-inspiring images out of Paris showcased grit, grace and incredible athleticism.
The CNN Photo Team has pulled out the most visually powerful and important stories of the year, presenting them as individual sections. The images are presented to inform, educate, and even inspire, as well as to light up your day. Some of these images may be graphic, and viewer discretion is advised.
