Be it the courtroom, social space and everything in between, 2022 had its fair share of moments that sparked much conversation. We said goodbye to icons of sports and entertainment, searched for answers as institutions of education were once again targets of violent attacks and celebrated historic achievements by Black Women.
As we look toward to a new year and beginnings, here’s a brief glance back at the events, people and stories that captured the world’s attention in 2022.
2022 Year in Review: The Stories We’ll Never Forget was originally published on theboxhouston.com
1. Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade To Make Abortion Unconstitutional
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The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Americans’ constitutional right to abortion in a landmark ruling that polling shows goes against the will of more than two-thirds of the country’s citizens. The 6-3 decision — which was led by Justice Samuel Alito, who was accompanied by the five other conservative-leaning Supreme Court Justices — ends the legal right to an abortion after the nearly 50 years since Roe v. Wade determined in 1973 that American women had the constitutional right to make their own decisions about terminating pregnancies.
2. Ahmaud Arbery’s Killers Get Life
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A jury has reached a verdict in the federal hate crimes trial for the three men convicted of murdering 25-year-old Black man Ahmaud Arbery while he was jogging in a Brunswick, GA neighborhood in Feb. 2020. Travis and Gregory McMichael and neighbor William Bryan have been found guilty on all charges. The jury found that Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan violated Arbery’s rights because of his race. Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley ruled that all three men will serve life in prison.
3. Ketanji Brown Jackson Makes History
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4. Will Smith’s Oscar Slap
No one saw it coming. Not even Chris Rock when, during the Oscars, Will Smith calmly walked onstage and bestowed upon the legendary comedian a Slap Heard ‘Round The World. Since then, Will has cried, apologized and done the work to learn and grow from the situation. Chris is still doing comedy and remains a favorite for fans worldwide, but this moment may go down in history as one of the most jaw-dropping moments in the history of live television.
5. #RIPTwitter Trends Worldwide
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Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter was anything but smooth. But things came to a head after the company’s remaining employees appeared to reject owner’s ultimatum to work “extremely hardcore,” which sent the timeline into a frenzy with predictions that the social media platform was nearing its end.
6. NBA Legend Bill Russell Passes Away
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Bill Russell, one of the iconic figures in American history and the greatest winner in North American team sports, died peacefully on July 31st. He was 88. Russell remains one of the greatest basketball players ever, winning an astounding 11 championships, 5 MVP awards and 12 All-Star appearances in his 13-year career.
Along with his various accolades and still-prominent stature in the game, Russell also holds the honorable distinction of being the first African-American coach in the NBA.
7. The Tragic Killing of Takeoff
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On November 1st, Takeoff, real name Kirshnik Khari Ball, was fatally shot in Houston, Texas. Two other people, 24-year-old Joshua “Wash” Washington and a 23-year-old woman, suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the shooting. 33-year-old Patrick Xavier Clark was arrested and charged with Takeoff’s murder. Detectives allege Clark had a gun in one hand and a wine bottle in another when he was caught on camera firing his weapon. Those bullets allegedly struck Takeoff.
8. Brittney Griner’s Sentencing and Release
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WNBA star Brittney Griner was found guilty on drug charges in a Moscow-area court in August and was sentenced to nine years in prison. Russian officials accused the 31-year-old of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in the country.
On December 8th, Griner was freed after a prisoner swap with convicted Russian arms dealer Victor Bout who was found guilty of conspiring to sell weapons to a terrorist organization in 2011.
9. University of Virginia Campus Shooting
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On Nov 13th, a mass shooting was reported on the campus of The University of Virginia. The deadly incident took place aboard a bus with approximately 25 students who were returning from a class trip to the nation’s capital. Three students were killed during the shooting and two others were wounded. Of the wounded, one is said to be in good condition while the other victim’s status is listed as “critical.”
10. The Tragic Story of Shanquella Robinson
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A North Carolina family is still searching for answers after their loved one, Shanquella Robinson, died while vacationing in Mexico with friends.
According to WBTV.com, Shanquella Robinson’s parents Bernard and Salamondra Robinson said that their 25-year-old daughter left Charlotte on a trip to Cabo, Mexico with a group of friends on Oct. 28, and sadly, they would never see their daughter alive again.
11. The Loss of Stephen “tWitch” Boss
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On December 13th, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, beloved dancer and longtime DJ on Ellen DeGeneres’ long-running talk show, died by suicide at the age of 40. His wife, fellow dancer Allison Holker, confirmed his death via a statement to PEOPLE:
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us. Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans.
Law enforcement officials say that Holker ran into an LAPD station on Tuesday, December 13 in a frantic state. She told police that Boss left without his car, which was unlike him. A short time later, LAPD received a call about a shooting at a local hotel. It was there that cops found Boss dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
