US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris were officially the joint winners of TIME’s “Person of the Year” in 2020.
Everyone knows that TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year awards is one of the most sought-after awards given around the world…
Since 1927, the American news publication gives the prestigious award to any influential person who made the news during the particular year.
One of the most notable people who earned the recognition includes former UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1940. He was given the title after the Battle of Britain and the Dunkirk evacuation during that year. Until this day, he remains credited for leading his country to survive the Second World War.
Another important figure also won the award in 1952. At that time, Queen Elizabeth II earned the distinction. The announcement came months after the Archbishop of Canterbury crowned her the new monarch of the UK and its Commonwealth territories following the death of King George VI, her father.
By 1961, the publication awarded the former US President John F. Kennedy the title. After his inauguration at the White House, he ordered the thwarted invasion of Cuba attempted by Cuban exiles trained in the US. He is still considered one of the most notable presidents in history.
The list of the most popular Person of the Year awardees includes Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King in 1963, former US President Bill Clinton in 1992, AIDS researcher David Ho in 1996, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2001, controversial Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2007, and former US President Barack Obama, who won the recognition in 2008 and 2012.
In the previous decade, the Person of the Year awardees includes Pope Francis in 2013. In 2014, the health care workers, nurses, scientists, and all other medical practitioners who fought Ebola received the prestigious award. In 2016, US President Donald Trump earned the honor, despite the public’s disbelief.
Young activist Greta Thunberg made history when she earned recognition as the youngest Person of the Year in 2019.
Since 2020 has been a very tumultuous year, some people are interested who will be singled out as the person who made the most difference.
Last week, the publication announced that Denver, Colorado’s 15-year-old scientist Gitanjali Rao as the “Kid of the Year” 2020.
As for the Person of the Year, TIME split the recognition between the incoming leaders of the US.
Democratic bets Biden and Harris earned the title this year after winning the highly controversial 2020 US Presidential election.
The publication’s editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal revealed that Biden and Harris got the recognition due to their ability to change the US story and for proving that empathy is still better than the pain of division.
The public was extremely happy with the announcement. However, some people believe that recognition should belong to the health workers currently fighting the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic.
You may read more about Biden and Harris’ new accomplishment on TIME’s website.
