‘They Were Us’: New York Times Front Page Honours COVID-19 Victims

“US deaths near 100,000, an incalculable loss” was the headline of The New York Times’ Sunday newspaper.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@nytimes)

The New York Times, on Sunday, 24 May, dedicated its front page to those who died of COVID-19 in the United States as the number of cases in the country neared the 100,000 mark.

“They Were Not Simply Names on a List. They Were Us” read the emotional subheading of the front-page article that comprised obituaries and death notices pertaining to coronavirus deaths in the US.

The newspaper explained its decision, highlighting that Simone Landon, assistant editor of the Graphics desk, wanted to "represent the number in a way that conveyed both the vastness and the variety of lives lost."

'More Than a Number': Netizens Applaud NYT Front Page

The move was widely applauded on social media. "Brava... a front page that mourns those lost but also celebrates their lives," said one Twitter user.

The list was compiled by a researcher, Alain Delaquérière, who, according to The New York Times, combed through nearly a thousand names from hundreds of newspapers.

(With inputs from The New York Times)