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A review of The Washington Post’s Metro section has renewed concerns about how often Black residents appear in its photographs as the newspaper undergoes major newsroom cuts and leadership changes.

The examination covered the 41 days from Jan. 1 through Feb. 10, 2026. It reported that 10 editions contained no photographs of Black people outside the obituary pages, producing a rate of about 24 percent—or nearly one in every four days.

However, the published list identifies only nine dates: Jan. 3, 6, 11, 16, 18, 22 and 26, along with Feb. 2 and 6.

The count follows an earlier review conducted around the 2024 election. That examination found no Black faces in Metro photographs on Oct. 4, 10, 14, 16, 24, 28, 29 and 31.

The findings raise questions about whether the section’s photography reflects the population of Washington, where Census data indicate roughly 40 percent of residents are Black and the city has long been associated with the name “Chocolate City.”

The renewed scrutiny comes during upheaval at the newspaper. Will Lewis, who became chief executive in 2024 after previously serving as publisher of The Wall Street Journal, stepped down days after the Post announced it would eliminate one-third of its workforce and sharply reduce its sports and international coverage.

Executive editor Matt Murray said the reductions would bring stability, while journalists criticized the cuts and owner Jeff Bezos. Lewis had faced opposition from subscribers and employees during his effort to reverse the newspaper’s financial losses, and numerous prominent reporters had already departed or accepted buyouts.

The Metro section, which covers the District and surrounding communities, also reportedly faces possible elimination. Its uncertain future adds urgency to concerns about whose lives and experiences receive visual representation in local coverage.

Bezos has owned the Post since acquiring it in 2013. His stewardship has drawn additional criticism over the newspaper’s decision not to publish its editorial board’s prepared endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris before the Nov. 5, 2024, election. Bezos and Lewis confirmed that decision on Oct. 25, when national polls were close.

Critics have also faulted Bezos for offering no notable public response after President Donald Trump posted a racist image depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as primates on Feb. 7, 2026.

Together, the photo counts, newsroom reductions and editorial decisions have intensified debate over the Post’s direction—and whether its local coverage adequately represents the Black community at the heart of the nation’s capital.