We’ve come a long way in the last couple of centuries and our lives have improved significantly. But the path to get to where we are now was not always easy. It was a constant battle for survival, while trying to improve our living conditions – wars, famine, diseases, but also triumph of human ingenuity and compassion. Priorities in life changed too as we progressed, so many things from the past might look strange to us today. Here are some significant moments from our history that will completely change the way you look at the present!
The First Selfie Ever
Today’s life can hardly be imagined without people snapping selfies all the time. You might think it is a rather recent invention, but the first selfie was taken a long time ago, we are talking about the 1800s, believe it or not. This photo dates back to 1837 when Robert Cornelius probably took the first selfie ever. And no, it was not taken by a smartphone nor posted on any social media websites.
The bulletproof vest testing
The Protective Garment Corporation of New York must have had a lot of faith in not only their product, the bulletproof vest, but also in the abilities of this man shooting the gun. A live demonstration of their state-of-the-art lightweight police vest was held in 1923, where they shot at the salesman wearing one. We don’t know if they made a pair of bulletproof pants as well, but it wouldn’t be shocking if the assistant needed a new pair after each demonstration.
The seal on Tutankhamen’s Tomb
The tombs of ancient Egyptian pharaohs are amazing wonders that intrigue scientists even today. It is almost unbelievable how ancient civilizations managed to build them, as well as mummify the pharaohs with such limited technology. One of the most famous ones is surely the tomb of Tutankhamen, which was opened on February 17, 1923. Scientists estimate that the tomb had remained intact for 3,245 years before the seal on the door was broken and the archeologists entered the gravesite of the famous pharaoh.
A 106-year-old warrior
You witness the strangest things in war. People have to fight for their bare lives, so no wonder this 106-years-old Armenian granny was holding an assault rifle. Certainly not what she was hoping to do at that age nor your typical grandma watching the TV or cooking your favorite food. It’s hard to believe that she was actually capable of using it, but would you take that chance?
Funny scientist
Albert Einstein was surely one of the greatest scientists ever, but he obviously had a funny side, too. Arthur Sasse got to capture this legendary photo of the Nobel prize winner at his birthday party in 1951. It portrays Einstein’s response after he was told to smile for a photo. Also, he might have had one too many beers, as well, but no one is judging, it was his birthday, after all.
Dream of flying
Ever since the legend of Icarus and possibly even before that, man dreamed of flying. And it finally happened in 1903, when the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, flew their wooden plane, the Wright Flyer, in North Carolina. It was the first sustained flight of a heavier-than-air object using its own power. They also engineered and built the plane themselves so that makes the feat even more admirable.
Cow shoes
During prohibition, the moonshiners used to smuggle the liquor. In order to avoid the authorities, they used all the tricks they could think of. One of the most famous tricks they used to hide from the cops included wearing “cow shoes”. The moonshiners made metal strips with carved wooden blocks to resemble cow hooves, and they attached them under their shoes to cover up their footprints. Human ingenuity really knows no boundaries...
The first subway ride
Not much after the first flight in 1903, the US got its first subway in New York in 1904. George McClellan, the City’s mayor, opened it and even drove the first passengers on a track that was 9.1 miles long and had 28 stations. At the time, people saw it more as a circus act than a means of transportation. Talk about how times have changed.
Billy the Kid
When you are one of the most famous outlaws, you do anything to stay hidden. That is why there are only a couple of photos of the legendary Henry McCarthy, also known as William H. Bonney and most widely referred to as Billy the Kid. Not to mention that he was only 21 when Sheriff Pat Garret shot him in 1881, so it makes sense why Billy the Kid didn’t live a life long enough to have that many photos. Who would’ve thought that he liked to play croquet?
James Dean and his Porsche
He was the Rebel Without a Cause, one of the first Hollywood hunks that became a cultural icon. James Dean may have played only in 3 movies, but his legacy is huge. This is his last photo before he went on a drive that eventually ended his life at the age of only 24. You could see in his smile that he had the lust for life, especially fast cars, like his beloved "Little Bastard", a Porsche 550 Spyder.
Famous lion form the MGM opening credits
It is highly unlikely that there is a single person who’s ever watched a movie that is not familiar with the famous roaring lion in the MGM’s opening credits. In fact, there were many lions during the years used for the MGM logo. The one in the photo is Jackie, pictured during the sound recording in his cage, while the sound stage was built around it. Not sure how those two guys felt like in a cage with a wild Nubian lion.
The first photo ever
You might not think that this blurry image is a photo, but it is considered to be the oldest surviving photograph in existence. It was made by famous French photography pioneer Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826. It might not be what we call a photograph today, since it’s what you get when you remove the areas of a non-hardened asphalt from a pewter plate exposed to sunlight for eight hours. No wonder he did not take selfies.
John Lennon’s last photo
John Lennon signed an autograph to Mark David Chapman the same day that he later shot him in front of his New York residence. It was captured by an amateur photographer Paul Goresh. Chapman planned to murder Lennon for a long time and he finally did it on December 8, 1980. Apparently, he was angry with Lennon for claiming that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, as well as for the lyrics to the songs “God” and “Imagine”. Chapman is still alive, serving his 20 years to life sentence.
Helmet testing
Although it is widely thought that this is the photo of a football helmet testing, it is in fact a safety demonstration by a British inventor W.T. Warren of a Protective Flight Helmet he invented. At the time, head injuries were the leading cause of pilot deaths in flight accidents, so he patented a leather-covered, spring-equipped pilot safety helmet, padded well with horsehair to spread the shock over a large area. If only he had a different testing method…
Popeye or Pablo Picasso
This photo of Pablo Picasso as Popeye was shot by famous photographer André Villers, who did portrays of many great artists. He spent almost a decade following Picasso, recording his work, but also moments like this, where he was obviously fooling around. Most ingenious artists were quite eccentric and Picasso was no exception. His look might seem random, but it is actually quite elaborate, since he was wearing a beard, a fake nose, a hat and a rather interesting looking pipe.
Fidel Castro and the kids
He might have been considered a dictator by some, but in this photo El Comandante shows off his soft side. All the kids are wearing fake beards to resemble him and he seems to be enjoying it. And it all would’ve not been strange if those kids were Cuban, but they were not, they were actually American. Hard to imagine today, but it happened in 1959 during his visit to New York, just after he took charge of Cuba and before the US sanctions. Times they are a changing…
Lumberjacks
This photo from the early 1900s shows lumberjacks cutting down humongous redwoods in the costal area of northern California. Considering they used only saws and axes, it was impressive how they managed to bring down those giant trees. Furthermore, it is even more impressive how they managed to transport them using just horses and oxen, as well as further process them. But, it was the peak time for logging and nothing could stop the progress in the expanding America.
Sport and smoking
This photo from 1978 showing Johan Cruyff smoking during the half-time shows how things change in time. He might have been the greatest football player at the time, but his habits were not what would be considered exemplary today. But, things were different then, people were much more down to earth and devoted to what they were doing, not for money, but because they enjoyed it. And they might not sacrifice everything to be successful, but rather enjoy the life as well.
Jewish photographer
Alfred Eisenstaedt took this photo of Joseph Goebbels, the Third Reich's propaganda minister, during the League of Nations conference in 1933. The look and posture of the high-ranking Nazi is due to realization that the photographer was Jewish. The hatred in his stare is pulpable. Because Nazis were on the rise in Germany, as well as antisemitism that they proclaimed, Eisenstaedt emigrated to US, where he spent the rest of his life as a successful photographer for Life magazine.
Left or right?
On 3rd September 1967, Sweden changed from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right-hand side. Needless to say, it did not go smoothly, as can be seen in this photo. It even became known as the right-hand traffic diversion day, since quite a few people were late to work that day. It might seem simple enough, but habits are hard to change. Wonder how long did it take them?
The first McDonald’s store
You wish the price of the burger was ¢15 as it was when the first McDonald’s store opened in San Bernardino, California. Most of the successful companies started small, so did the McDonald’s. They’ve come a long way since then, with many restaurants world-wide, drive-throughs and birthday parties with the clown. Their first restaurant serves as McDonald’s #1 Store Museum now.
Salvador Dali’s pet
Another eccentric Spanish artist doing his eccentric thing – walking his pet which is, wait for it – an anteater. Always elegant Dali, all dressed up with a cane in one hand and an anteater in another was a sight to be seen in Paris in 1969. Not sure was it a Spanish thing or an eccentric artist thing, but he could surely cause a stir and drew as much attention with his lifestyle as with his surrealistic artwork.
Baby photography
In the 19th century, photography became popular and many people wanted to take one, especially of their baby children. But, it was easier said than done. Babies don’t like to stand still, if they can sit on their own at all, so photographers came up with a clever solution. What you see in the photo is a baby wearing a rather long frock, but what you don’t see is its mother hiding underneath it, holding it still. The lengths they had to go for a photo then.
Snowball fight
This photo looks more like a mug shot than the one with the students of Princeton University in it. But, believe it or not, they were, only just after an annual freshman-sophomore snowball fight of 1893. You might have expected more from the students of one of the more prestigious universities in the US, but certain traditions have to be honored. Why they took this photo is still debated, though.
Landing craft from the inside
War is a terrible thing and it is way better to observe it from the photos than partake. If you were wondering what did it look like getting to the beaches of Normandy on the D-Day, here is one view from the landing craft getting soldiers there. Believe you me, the photos of what came after you do not want to see, even wearing bathrobe and slippers in the comfort of the armchair in your warm study and the scotch in your hand.
Disney Studio
We are all very much familiar with Disney cartoons and the genius of Walt Disney, who started it all. Nowadays, Disney owns many studios and produce feature films, not just cartoons. They have come a long way since their inception, but this photo was taken on the day they were opened. Who would’ve thought then that it will grow into such an empire, but it seems that commitment and dedication go a long way.
Store within a store
This photo was taken in London in 1900 and shows what was probably the smallest store in the world ever. It was more like a storefront without the store behind it. But, though times require ingenuity and this man surely did not lack any. He opened a shoe shop in the window of a beverage store. After all, you might need a refreshing lemonade or soda water after trying on some shoes.
Mummies for sale
After the Napoleon’s conquest of Egypt, Egyptian historic artifacts were made available to European market. Mummies could be purchased from the street vendors and European elite used to often throw “The Mummy Unwrapping Parties”. If that wasn’t disgusting enough, the well-preserved remains of the ancient Egyptians were ground into powder and consumed as a medicinal remedy. Demand was so high that it started the counterfeit trade in which the flesh of beggars was passed off as that of Egyptian mummies.
Casualties of war
Apart from the apparent damage a war does in human casualties and destroying everything in its path, the aftermath is just as bad. It takes a while for countries to recover and in the meantime, people have to manage to survive. The woman in the photo could not feed her 4 children and the fifth one was on the way, so she put them up for sale. If sources could be trusted, she actually sold them during the period of two years, including the new born baby.
Flight attendant
Flight attendant is a dream job for many ladies and they often look glamorous in their uniforms. But, in the early days of commercial jet airliners, certain outfits were done in a way that would not necessarily be acceptable by today’s standards. In 1959, SAS Airlines started using interesting rather short uniform, as can be seen in this photo. The good old days.
Can women compete in Boston Marathon?
This question might seem strange today, but until 1972, women were not allowed to race in Boston Marathon. It all started in 1967, when Kathrine Switzer enrolled for the marathon, but the race official, the notorious Jock Semple, tried to take her number away during the race, as can be seen in the photo. Her boyfriend, who was racing too, stopped him and she managed to finish the race. It still took another 5 years to finally allow women to race officially.
Eton college during the war
Hitler was planning for a long time to occupy Great Britain, but since it was an island, many things had to happen in order to start the attack. Main problems were Britain’s anti-aircraft defense and naval fleet, so it took a while. But, Britain did not just sit and wait, they were preparing for the attack, too. Even the prestigious college like Eton did regular military drills, as can be seen in this photo. British being British, they were perfect gentlemen even when carrying rifles.
Terrorist on vacation
You surely cannot recognize him in this photo at young age and without the beard, but it is Osama Bin Laden, once world’s most wanted terrorist. The photo was taken during the family vacation in Sweden in 1970. Can’t say for sure what was going on in his head then, but don’t think it was terrorist attacks. Just don’t understand how do you get from smiling in front of a pink limousine on a vacation to killing innocent people?
East vs West Germany
It is always hard when the same nations are artificially separated by border, like in case of North and South Korea or Germany in the days after the II World War. Many families were split by the border and their lives changed forever. This photo shows a German soldier risking his life in order to get the young boy across the barbed wire fence in hope to find his family. Thankfully, human compassion knows no boundaries.
Phone booth stuffing
It all started in South Africa, where students in Durban fitted 25 people in a phone booth in order to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. The craze soon traversed to England, where it was called ‘telephone booth squash’, but they managed to fit only 19 students. And then it spread to US and Canada and even got so popular that they had to invent the rules, since some cheated. Just as fast as it took off, it quickly disappeared, with South African record intact.
USS Oregon Boxing matches
When you spend all your time onboard the navy ship, you need to find something to keep you sane. And sailors on USS Oregon, better known as the Bulldog of the Navy, found just the right thing to shake them up – boxing. You could blow off some steam and the spectators could enjoy themselves just the same and relieve some stress. Just not sure if the superior officers allowed a sick leave to the ones who got badly beaten.
Entertaining the troops
As imagined, war can be rather demoralizing, especially for the troops engaged in a close combat, like many US soldiers in Vietnam were. US government tried to find the ways to increase the morale and one of the most efficient ones was to invite the movie stars to visit the troops. Chris Noel, a Hollywood sex symbol, visited the troops many times and even hosted a popular radio show ‘A date with Chris’. Many Vietnam vets have fond memories of her.
Diaper Derby
Not sure how would it be treated today, but baby racing used to be rather popular in the 1940s and 1950s. There was even a Diaper Derby, an annual baby racing competition sponsored by the National Institute of Diaper Services. It usually included stuffed animals at the finish line to draw babies attention and serve as a prize. Not that it always worked, since babies might decide to stand up (which meant disqualification) and go in the opposite direction, or just fall asleep midway. Like babies cared for rules.
Swimming lessons
Being an island, it was important for England to teach their children to swim in timely manner. But, in the 1920s, not every school had a swimming pool, so they had to be resourceful. It is hard to learn the moves laying flat on the ground, so the teacher came up with an ingenious solution – place your tummy across another kid’s back – and you are floating. Now you can learn the breaststroke, no problem.
Track and field and hairdos
Sport has changed a lot since the 1960s, just like the fashion trends. Nowadays, athletes use any means necessary to improve their results and the looks are reserved for off court. But in the 1960s, it was not necessarily so – the ladies in the photo seem to care more about their hairdos, than the result they’re going to achieve. Wonder what did they look like after the race?
Submarine armor
When Harry L. Bowdoin applied for the patent for his submarine armor in 1914, diving was not much developed. Perhaps he was counting on that and not having much competition, since the reality was rather cruel – it did not have the success that he had hoped for. Perhaps because he was ahead of time and hindered by technology not being up to the task, like lightweight materials, lighting, breathing apparatus and everything else needed for a successful dive. Typical destiny of an inventor.
Moving swimming pool
A rather nice gesture by New York city authorities in 1967, who created a Swim-Mobile, a swimming pool on wheels. It was towed by a truck to various locations around the city, so the kids could cool down and enjoy themselves. It used water from the hydrants and stayed in one place for a day. Really nice way to bring the community together – kids would relax in a pool and parents had a chance to meet their neighbors and enjoy each other’s company.
Human chess
Chess is a popular board game, usually played in enclosed spaces. But not in Russia in the mid 1920s. They played it outside, with real people as figures, like in this photo showing a match in St. Petersburg’s Palace Square, with Red Army representing the black pieces and Soviet Navy the white ones. Knights were riding real horses and rooks had miniature cannons. The match was actually played between the two Russian grandmasters who called their moves by telephone.
Fishing at night in Hawaii
Traditional spear fishing in Hawaii was done in shallow waters and at night. Might sound easy now, but in 1940s they did not have flashlights to attract the fish, so they had to make their own torches. Traditionally, they were kukui-nut torches made of kukui nuts wrapped in leaves or larger lamaku torches, made of coconut leaf midrib with kukui kernels tied to it. If they needed more light, they would light roasted kukui nuts in a hollow piece of bamboo.
Spy execution
In this photo taken in Rukajärvi (Finland) in November 1942, a Soviet spy is laughing at his executioner. It was the act of final defiance, knowing there is nothing he can do to avoid his faith. Such photos were not published at the time, fearing they might be used for propaganda purposes by pro-Soviet elements. The Ministry of Defense of Finland declassified this photo, named “Unknown Soviet intelligence officer before being shot”, in 2006.
Fascist Headquarters In Rome
The infamous Mussolini façade of the Palazzo Braschi in Rome, showing the leader’s face and the "SI" (Italian for "yes"), referring to the 1934 Italian general elections with a simple yes/no vote on the Fascist Party list. Mussolini saw Rome as the capital of the fascist empire and wanted to transform the Eternal City in stages of urban development with grandiose buildings whose look would project his achievements and fascist objectives. His execution at the end of WWII ended his dream.
Capturing of John McCain
During a bombing mission over Hanoi as part of Operation Rolling Thunder in October 1967, John McCain was shot down, seriously injured, and captured by the North Vietnamese, as shown in this photo. He was a prisoner of war until 1973, where he was tortured, but refused an out-of-sequence early release, before all the American POWs captured before him. After the war, he turned to politics, until his death in 2018.
Michael Jackson 2000
In 1985, Ebony Magazine published the article “Portraits of the stars – What they may look like in the year 2000’, featuring many celebrities popular at the time. For Michael Jackson, they predicted that he’d age gracefully and increase his fan base tenfold. It is hard to judge the number of fans, but it did keep increasing over time. As for the looks, whether it was due to a skin condition or plastic surgery, it is safe to say they were wrong. Though, you can’t really blame them.
I have a dream
One of the most famous speeches ever held was by Martin Luther King, the leader of the Civil Rights Movement, in front of more than 250,000 civil rights supporters during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on 28. August 1963. The main subject of the speech, which was considered to be the greatest call to end racism in America, were the freedom rights of the black people. He continued the fight for the rights of black people until his assassination in 1968.
Yalta conference
Pictured in this photo are the Prime Minister Winston Churchill form the United Kingdom, President Franklin D. Roosevelt from the United States, and Premier Joseph Stalin from the Soviet Union, during the famous Yalta Conference. It was held 4-11. February 1945 near Yalta in Crimea, Soviet Union, to discuss the postwar reorganization of Germany and Europe. As always, it is the winners who write the history.
RMS Titanic
Titanic was one of the most famous ships in history, although she sank on her maiden voyage. Being one of the most luxurious liners of the time, she tried to set the benchmark for other ships. In an effort to break the speed record for crossing the Atlantic ocean, she hit the iceberg on a foggy night of 14. April 1912 and sank several hours later, taking around 1,500 lives. We have to thank her for having way better regulations when it comes to passenger safety today.
Moon landing
Russia may have been the first in space (Yuri Gagarin on 12 April 1961) and on the moon (unmanned Luna 2 on 13 September 1959), but the US Apollo 11 mission was the first manned mission to land on the moon on 20 July 1969. Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon, saying the famous words: “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind”. Quite the achievement, since it hasn’t been repeated since.
Nikola Tesla
Most likely one of the most under-appreciated inventors of all time, Nikola Tesla was responsible for many inventions that we could not imagine our lives without today. He was way ahead of his time and often misunderstood, devoting his whole life to science and invention. He didn’t even mind when others used his patents for their inventions, all in favor of science and progress. Often mistreated by his patrons, he died a poor man in New York hotel room, leaving all his inventions to humanity.
Ali vs Liston
Mohamad Ali often repeated “I am the greatest!” and many will agree that he was the greatest boxer who ever lived. He was known for many legendary fights against famous opponents – Joe Frazier, George Foreman to name the few, but the second fight against Sony Liston on 25. May 1965 produced this iconic photo. Neil Leifer, who took the photo, said it was all about being in the right spot at the right time and not missing the shot. Just like in life…
Iwo Jima
The famous photo taken by Joe Rosenthal in 1945 depicts US Marines hoisting an American flag on Mount Suribachi after the hard-won battle for Iwo Jima island in Japan. That was the second hoisting of the flag, since initially they used a smaller one, which could not be seen from far. Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer was accused of staging this, but he denied the accusations and was backed up by witnesses.
The Posture Queens, 1956
Presently, beauty pageants are focused on finding beauty with brains and that is fair enough. The participants are put through some tough tasks and tests and history is no different in this field except for one test that was conducted and had a separate title.
This title was associated with Chiropractic as it had just begun to be a profession during the 1950s and 1960s. This picture is straight out of a chiropractic convention held in Chicago in May of 1956.
These three ladies had the best standing posture as reflected through their X-rays. The task involved standing on a pair of scales with one foot on each. Clearly, these trophy holders balanced themselves perfectly.
Epitome Of Strength, 1970
This is Saundra Brown, the first black woman on the Oakland police force who got official training in gun shooting. She served as a police officer for seven years from 1970 to 1977. This powerful history needs to find a spot in the textbooks too.
This great moment carries importance in African-American history and for Officer Saundra Brown, this is a page in her book that would be remembered for a long time.
There was no stopping for this woman as she became the deputy district attorney of Alameda County after she received a J.D. at the University Of San Francisco School Of Law. Her achievements didn’t end there as she soon rose to the position of Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
Animals Seek Shelter, 1945
Everyone had to endure the worst during World War II and animals had to face all the consequences of the war too. Before the war displayed the destructive aspect, the animals were transferred to Europe.
This image has captured the scene that existed during those years. That animal made its way from the Berlin zoo to escape the terror. A German woman can be seen offering the creature a treat and it is heartwarming!
As the Soviet troops entered Berlin in 1945, the people and animals had to flee from the panic and land at a safer place. This animal found its spot in a washroom.
Moonshiners In Action, 1926
During the 1920s, some rules regarding drinking were implemented by the US federal government. They aimed at urging people to give up the drinking habit. The rules and regulations put forward did not see much success leading to a firm decision of adding more quantity of methanol in alcohol.
This step gave an opportunity to bootleggers as the demand suddenly increased and they expected a rise in their sales. However, they could not escape the police checking. This photo is proof!
The lumber truck is undergoing inspection as it carried alcohol that was hidden behind a stack of wood. The smugglers might have done it smartly but they can’t take off so easily when the rules are strict.
Hit By Snowstorm, 1966
This photo shows the effects of the snowstorm and how the snow just covered everything rising to an unexpected level.
A destructive blizzard struck the United States and the east side of the Rockies in 1966 taking the lives of almost 200 people. Out of these, 31 just froze in the snow and died. The temperature dropped to an unbelievable low and heavy snowfall just ruined the situation.
Many people died in fire accidents during those days. They attempted to create some warmth at their homes but that fire took their lives.
Birthday In Iran, 1973
This picture is significant as it tells a different story about Iran and the women living there. This kind of set-up and outfit is not what we expect from the country presently.
Let’s travel back to 1973 Iran and this is one example of what it looked like back then. A woman is celebrating her birthday in Tehran by cutting a cake wearing a beautiful dress.
If we consider the current rules, women are instructed to wear the hijab. The outfit worn here can lead to punishment as its illegal considering the current rules. Iran has witnessed a drastic change since then.
But First, Selfie, 1938
While selfies have become a crucial part of our generation, there was a time when they were non-existent. No one used the term “selfie” before 2002. However, Frank Sinatra, an iconic singer took one in 1938 and it’s a cool one!
So, we can’t take the credit for being the “inventors” of the selfie as they trended way before we were born. Sinatra was only 17 when he took this picture of himself in a mirror.
Green Symbol In The Making, 1970
The recycling logo that you encounter every day has a history associated with it too. It happened when the Container Corporation of America organized a design competition in 1970 to mark Earth Day on April 22.
Gary Anderson, an engineering student went ahead to participate in it without any experience in graphic designing and came up with this symbol.
Anderson later revealed, “It didn’t take me long to come up with my design: a day or two. I almost hate to admit that now." But I’d already done a presentation on recycling waste water and I’d come up with a graphic that described the flow of water: from reservoirs through to consumption, so I already had arrows and arcs and angles in my mind.”
We all know the popularity that his design gained over the years.
Women In Medicine, 1885
This photo stands as a symbol of women’s power and strength.
We might want to look back at this shot taken on October 10, 1885, of three genius women at the Woman’s Medical College of Philadelphia and remember that they are capable of achieving great heights.
Another aspect of this photo is the diversity it depicts. These women belong to three different countries - India, Japan, and Syria and are dressed up in their traditional outfits.
All of them came to study medicine and become doctors despite the boundaries set for them. It wasn’t easy for women to step out of the four walls of their house but these women broke the stereotypes and landed in a new country to gain knowledge and earn respect!
A Private Celeb Couple, 1966
This good-looking couple has set an example for people who are in love and are looking forward to getting married to their partners.
Dolly Parton and Carl Dean share a beautiful relationship and not many are aware of their love story. They have managed to keep it out of all the glitz and lights of the industry.
Here, in this “unexplored” picture, they can be seen smiling and posing for the camera after they got married in a secret ceremony in 1966.
Dolly revealed in an interview, “I always joke and laugh when people ask me whats the key to my long marriage and lasting love. I always say 'Stay gone!' and there’s a lot of truth to that. I travel a lot, but we really enjoy each other when we’re together and the little things we do.”
5 MB Storage, 1956
This huge box is not any big machine or computer that is being transported from one place to another with the strength of over 4 people involved.
It’s a hard drive with a storage of 5 megabytes. That amount of storage and such enormous size of the hard drive! This storage was leased for $3,000 a month by the company that is equivalent to $30,000 today.
In contrast to this, we can carry more than 32 gigabytes on our phones daily. While 5 MB of IBM storage could only hold around 6 photos, that would not be quite helpful in the present generation of unlimited selfies at one time.
A Private Jazz Concert, 1961
This photo is iconic in every way as the people and the place in the picture carry significance!
Louis Armstrong is pictured with his wife, Lucille in 1961 at the Great Sphinx of Giza. She is fortunate to see her husband perform for her at one of the most amazing places in the world.
Armstrong made a big name for himself during the 1920s and became one of the greatest jazz musicians. He continued to be a star till the 1960s and “Satchmo” is still alive in our hearts.
That picture from the exclusive concert for his wife is just bringing back his tunes!
Freedom On Sugar, 1953
People had to face a ration on sugar, eggs, and milk at the onset of World War II. When this rationing ended, candy stores earned unbelievably huge and the sales rose by an amount of £100 million ($278.5 million).
Here you see kids (and even adults) attacking a candy store. This happened in 1953 when sugar rationing ended in England. Of course, people craved some candy and when they finally got unlimited access to it, they had to run and grab the opportunity.
These kids had to buy candy or two that day!
The Face Of War, 1941
Salvador Dali, a 20th-century surrealist painter can be seen deeply engaged in his painting here. This painting is called “The Face of War” and this picture was taken in 1941.
The artwork of this creative artist always had an eccentric touch that sometimes, got a little too dark for the people viewing it. Some of his work includes the melting clocks in “The Persistence of Memory” and “The Elephants”.
This artist had many tags thrown at him like being called a psychedelic or hallucinogenic drug user just because his paintings had an element that picked up something grave. He had an answer to all those comments, “I don’t do drugs, I am drugs.”
His paintings are now valued and kept in museums and the Museum of Modern Art in New York is one of them.
Bride Amidst “The Blitz”, 1940
The bombings in London in 1940 were given the name “The Blitz” and the destruction it caused is clearly visible in the picture. This is just one side of the whole devastation that occurred during the two months of terror.
The bride smiles brightly as she exits her home in London to get married on November 4, 1940. Despite all the wreck and ravage, she is all set to walk down the aisle in a white dress and take the vows.
The bridesmaid is also pictured in the scene as she wishes her friend a beautiful married life. Amidst all the chaos, this photo reminds us of the positivity that love carries.
Meal Before Fame, 1986
“Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one's life.” Anthony Bourdain, celebrity chef and author believed this and he stuck to it throughout his life.
This picture was taken in his New York apartment in 1986 way before he rose to fame for his culinary skills. We bet that the fish dish turned out to be delicious!
He is considered to be one of the most talented chefs out there. His works include a book titled “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (2000)” and a show called Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and The Layover. He achieved quite a lot throughout his career.
Thanking The Animals, 1918
The history textbooks are filled with the photos showing the effects of World War I and the destruction following it. Not only humans but animals too had to bear the consequences.
So many innocent creatures including donkeys, mules, and horses lost their lives and it’s heartbreaking. The soldiers decided to get together for dedication to their sacrifice.
You probably missed the picture depicting the tribute paid by American soldiers to those animals in 1913. This photo is revealing that instance where the troops stood together to form a shape resembling a horse’s head and it couldn’t be better.
The Empire State Building, 1941
In 1941, the Empire State Building attracted many people to New York City as it was the only building that stood taller than the other structures around. There were no skyscrapers other than this one during those days, hence, leading to all the attention towards this.
This photo is bringing out a different side of the Empire State Building that we missed as more and more skyscrapers were built over the years and covered the entire city.
When this was the only skyscraper to exist In New York, people traveled from far to have a look at this high-rise building.
A Fashion Statement, 1960s
This photo has captured a clear contrast in what fashion meant to women in the 1960s. A group of nuns standing close to a stylish woman shows the varied sense of fashion that existed.
The nuns seem quite impressed by the fashionista as revealed by their smiles. No heavy opinions or judgments were being thrown for dressing a certain way in those times.
The outfit of that woman is quite different from the traditional gowns worn by the nuns. They are reflecting simplicity while that lady has her style on point with perfect accessories. One thing that’s similar is the elegance and confidence!
Connecting With Family, 1970s
There were no mobile phones in the 1970s, the devices that make it extremely convenient to get updates on your family and friends in the present times.
This is a 1970s night scene from a women's dormitory who are queueing to make a call to their family and friends. The communal phone was surrounded by many people at one time as there was no other source of connecting with your loved ones when living far from home.
This is how the women waited near the phone to just have one conversation back home. The smiles reflect the happiness of finally being able to hear their family.
Two Popular Faces, 1931
Here’s a lesser-known fact – Charlie Chaplin and Albert Einstein admired each other’s work and always wanted to have a “fan moment”. Their wish was fulfilled in January of 1931 when they ran into each other at the City of Lights premiere.
Einstein had once expressed his desire to meet Chaplin one day revealing that he was the only celebrity that he wished to see in person. Einstein told Chaplin, “What I most admire about your art, is your universality. You don’t say a word, yet the world understands you!”
Chaplin responded with another wonderful complement to Einstein, “It’s true, but your fame is even greater: the world admires you, when nobody understands what you say.”
Freddie Mercury’s Feline Friend, 1988
There are not many photos of celebrities from the past with their pets and so, when we spot one, it gives us much-needed insight into the life of famous personalities of that era. For instance, this picture from 1988 of Freddie Mercury with his cat, Tiffany gives a refreshing view of history.
The singer of the rock band “Queen” is nailing that look and pose. Tiffany’s expression is all of us when someone clicks our picture without taking permission.
This photo is enough for telling tales of “pet love” among the stars.
Competitive NASA Scientists, 1961
This picture was published in “Life” magazine in 1961 to give a hint of what the NASA’s Race for Space looked like at that time. The blackboard was huge to fit in all the lengthy calculations revolving around spacecraft trajectories. Hence, the ladders!
The computers have replaced the massive chalkboards now. This photo is not revealing any “voila” moments as the scientists would never want their successful computations to go public especially when there’s a competition.
Home For Jewish Refugees, 1946
This picture is full of emotions as the survivors of World War II caught the first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty in 1946 on arriving in the United States.
World War II displaced many people and the refugees needed a place to go. That’s when the United States opened doors for the Jewish refugees and all those who got through the Holocaust. The country gave them a chance to begin a new journey.
The statue welcomed them with the words, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free!”
Sight-Seeing In Cairo, 1920s
Cairo is one of the most popular tourist spots in the world presently but things were different in the 1920s. The Sahara Desert has views that are stunning and this picture depicts the beautiful sunset that has mesmerized a group of tourists there.
The top of the Pyramid of Cheops looks so peaceful in this photograph but again, this is almost 100 years old and such serenity is hard to find now.
This is a rare capture and it will be cherished for a long time.
Seine’s Threat, 1924
When the water levels of river Seine rose to threatening levels in 1924, such scenes came to existence. The roads were flooded with cold water leading to the people having trouble crossing streets.
As the situation worsened, the residents around decided to take action to ease the conveyance from one side of the road to another. This is when they came up with the chair queue. People brought chairs from the neighborhood and created this bridge.
It was a very thoughtful step indeed to deal with the floods.
Overloaded Phone Booth, 1950s
All sorts of challenges exist on the internet and the weirdest ones go viral. The bottle cap challenge is just one example. Several videos with thousands of views are keeping us entertained in the present.
This wasn’t the case in the 1950s as things were just done for fun without any intention of going “viral”. This photo from those times is a phone booth challenge with the originality intact.
This group of teenagers managed to fit in the tiny phone booth and the satisfaction of completing the game can be seen on their faces. It would have taken them a lot of time to accomplish this task with so many to squeeze in the tiny space. Nevertheless, it is fun when everyone wants to be involved!
A Roaring Backdrop, 1989
The cyclone of 1989 caused destruction as the intensity was quite high. Even though, people needed to stay safe during the unpredictable weather conditions, this woman shared the frame with a tornado.
The photos showing the aftermath of the cyclone are common on the internet but this daring stunt during those scary times is rare.
The vigor of the cyclone can be imagined with the way her hair is blowing. We hope the person behind the camera warned her about the approaching horror in time.
A Part Of Titanic, 1910
Titanic had the world’s biggest anchor during that time and we can only imagine the time and manpower that would have made its construction possible.
The anchor came all the way from Noah Hingley and Son in 1910 and the owners placed an order for 603 meters of chain from Hingley's Anchor Works. This photo is explaining how the making of the anchor chain began.
Link by link, the makers made a solid chain that would match up to the size of the enormous vessel.
Awestruck By TV, 1948
The latest technology has always something unexpected in store for us and this boy’s reaction to witnessing a television for the first time is all of us when we find that there’s another new app to ease our lives.
This moment was captured in 1948 when televisions were not placed in everyone’s living rooms. This little boy is amazed at those black and white moving objects and humans on the screen.
That expression is telling us the impact of TV on people and how the creation surprised everyone.
Susan Kare’s Habitat, 1984
Here’s one of the most talented graphic designers, Susan Kare who creatively added life to a computer with her designing skills. She is rightly given the title of the “woman who gave the Macintosh a smile”. This shot is taken in her office as she relaxes after putting her skill at work for a long time.
She has contributed to Apple and Microsoft with some innovative ideas to enhance a computer including creating fonts, images, and icons.
This creative director of NeXT expressed about her work being appreciated, “It’s fun to read that, before there was social media, countless people spent hours with Microsoft Windows Solitaire using the cards I designed.”
Brooklyn Supreme, 1930s
A horse weighing 16 times an average human is expected to have a few fans. Brooklyn Supreme is the star here as this red roan Belgian stallion weighed 3,197 pounds and measure six and a half feet.
Whether this horse is the largest one to exist is a moot point but its enormous size made it popular. Its owners Charles Grant Good and Ralph M. Fogleman entered a partnership with Good and exhibited this horse around the US charging ten cents from the “viewers”.
Treat For Polar Bears, 1950
Travel back to the 1950s and instead of remembering all the war panic that existed, let us focus on this adorable picture where troops can be seen feeding polar bears.
The Soviet soldiers traveled to high altitudes of the Arctic Ocean and had their stations there. They stayed in those harsh conditions with no trace of mankind. So, they made friends with polar bears and treated them well.
Polar bears seem excited to have a bite to eat from those troops who are equally happy to give the friendly creatures some snacks.
Exploring An Outfit, 1944
The Scottish soldiers wore a kilt as a part of their uniform and their outfit seems to grab some attention. This Italian woman is curious to know what all those pleats are about.
This picture was captured in 1944 after the liberation of Rome. This news of liberation led to an exciting environment with celebrations around the city. When Hitler passed the orders regarding the military forces to leave Rome, people headed to the streets to throw flowers on vehicles on the roads.
The celebratory photos might be common, but this picture depicting a keen interest in a soldier’s dress is rare.
Mowing With Comfort, 1950s
This spaceship-like thing is an invention from the 1950s. Here’s a lawnmower that has every comfort available. Even lawnmowers can be luxurious!
This lawnmower’s design got published in a magazine with all its features highlighted including a proper air conditioning system installed inside.
The people seemed to spend a lot of time and money on such inventions in the past and it all points towards the comfortable life they wished to lead.
