No matter who you are, it can be, for the most part, unanimously agreed upon that 2017 was a tumultuous year. There was an abundance of ups, downs, and… more downs. Despite some of the devastating moments that occurred in the past year, it cannot be doubted that 2017 shaped the country and transformed the world in a way that will always be remembered. But now that we are safely settled into the fresh start offered by the new year, we can reflect back over the most memorable moments of 2017.
January 20 – A landmark event that distinguished 2017 as a historical year was Donald Trump’s inauguration into the White House as the 45th President of the United States, marking the first time a candidate with no military or political experience won the election.
January 21 – Following Trump’s induction into the White House, more than 5 million people in 20 different countries assembled in solidarity to protest Trump’s presidency. The march also advocated for women’s rights and took a stand on social justice and human rights issues, including race, gender, immigration, healthcare, and religion.
January 27 – The Trump administration signed an executive order travel ban on all refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.
February 4 – Tom Brady led the Patriots to the ultimate comeback from a poor start of 28-3 to beating the Falcons in the first overtime game in Super Bowl history.
July 4 – North Korea conducts the first of a series of tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles.
August 12 – A “Unite the Right” white nationalist rally, accompanied by peaceful counter protests, broke out in Charlottesville, Virginia. One person was killed and several were injured when neo-Nazi James Fields Jr. drove a car into a crowd of demonstrators.
August 21 – Over the summer, many witnessed the first solar eclipse in 99 years to cross the United States from coast to coast.
August 25 – Hurricane Harvey, the first Category 4 hurricane to reach the United States since 2004, made landfall in Texas. Five days later, Harvey moved northeast and hit Louisiana, setting the record for the most rainfall ever received from a tropical cyclone in the continental US.
September 6 – One of the most powerful Atlantic storms in history, Hurricane Irma, made landfall in the Caribbean Islands as a Category 5 storm. A few days later, Florida took a direct hit as Irma traveled up the Gulf of Mexico.
September 14 – The Confederate monument of Robert E. Lee was removed from Dallas Park in Texas. Despite the sparked controversy, many more statues continued to be taken down across the United States.
September 20 – Hurricane Maria became the strongest storm to hit Puerto Rico in 85 years, wreaking devastation on the infrastructure, natural landscape, and energy grid.
October 1 – The deadliest mass shooting in modern US history occurred in Las Vegas when Stephen Paddock opened fire on a crowd of 22,000 people, killing 58 and injuring over 500.
October 5 – Actress Ashley Judd accuses Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault in a breaking story by the New York Times. Dozens more allegations follow from actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie, including instances dating back to the 1980s. This moment sparks the beginning of the anti-sexual harassment movement as a wave of more accusations follow, leading to the rebirth of “Me Too” through a tweet by Alyssa Milano. The term coined by Tarana Burke in 2006 to help survivors of sexual violence has since grown into rapidly growing movement to spread the message that “Time’s Up.”
December 5: Governor Jerry Brown of California declared a state of emergency due to the outbreak of wildfires in Southern California. A series of 29 wildfires erupted in December across South California, resulting in evacuations and property losses, dangerous air conditions, and power outages. Over 300,000 acres were destroyed.
There can be no doubt that the past year brought many frightening and disturbing events—but emerging from the hardship came incredible unification and inspirational strength. Our perseverance and fortitude as a nation and community only continues to grow as we join together to look towards 2018.
And, hey, on the bright side: at least 2017 gave us fidget spinners.
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