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“Understand The Past” With These 50 Incredible Historical Photos, Courtesy Of This IG Page
HistoryNOV 21, 2024

“Understand The Past” With These 50 Incredible Historical Photos, Courtesy Of This IG Page

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Traveling back to the distant past isn’t possible and likely won’t be anytime soon. The closest thing we have to turning back the clock are vintage photographs that give us a glimpse of how life was back in the day. 
The “Historical Snapshots” Instagram account is one of the many excellent resources for these pictures. It’s an homage to those who’ve lived their lives without many of the luxuries and societal changes we get to enjoy and experience today. The concise profile bio sums it up nicely: “Honor people. Understand the past.” 
These are some of the standout images from the page. Enjoy today’s travel back in time!

#1 "Love Came To Me, And I Was Not Afraid To Marry The Man I Loved Because Of His Color." - Helen Pitts Douglass

"Love Came To Me, And I Was Not Afraid To Marry The Man I Loved Because Of His Color."  - Helen Pitts Douglass
153points

#2 Portrait Of A Navajo Native American. Taken By Carl Moon, Circa 1906

Portrait Of A Navajo Native American. Taken By Carl Moon, Circa 1906
145points

#3 American Soldiers Pay Tribute To The Fallen Animals, 1918

American Soldiers Pay Tribute To The Fallen Animals, 1918
Horses, mules and donkeys were used during WWI to transport ammunition and supplies to the front. They did so through the horrors of shellfire and appalling conditions. Eight million of them died during the war.
145points

The invention of photography in 1839 changed the way people lived. All of a sudden, humans had the ability to capture a single moment through a still image and immortalize it for future generations. 

As the Modern Museum of Art points out, photographs can help shape our understanding of different cultures, their history, and, most importantly, the people who appear in them.

#4 Marine Sergeant Frank Praytor Feeds A Two Week Old Orphan Kitten

Marine Sergeant Frank Praytor Feeds A Two Week Old Orphan Kitten
Frank, a marine during the Korean War, found the kitten and named her Miss Hap because “she was born at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
145points

#5 Portrait Of A Woman And Baby, Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico In 1914

Portrait Of A Woman And Baby, Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico In 1914
143points

#6 Ah-Weh-Eyu (Pretty Flower), From The Seneca Nation, 190

Ah-Weh-Eyu (Pretty Flower), From The Seneca Nation, 190
141points

Since we’re on the topic of attention-grabbing vintage photographs, the iconic “Migrant Mother” is a stellar example. Taken in 1936 during the Great Depression, it features an impoverished woman in a pea-pickers camp in California, alongside her children hiding their faces. 

It was such a moving photograph that it urged the federal government to send 20,000 pounds of food to the camp.

#7 Frances Green, Margaret (Peg) Kirchner, Ann Waldner And Blanche Osborn, Women Airforce Service Pilots During Wwii, Pictured Here As They Leave Their Airplane,

Frances Green, Margaret (Peg) Kirchner, Ann Waldner And Blanche Osborn, Women Airforce Service Pilots During Wwii, Pictured Here As They Leave Their Airplane,
140points

#8 Before She Became Famous As An Actress In All In The Family, Maude, And Golden Girls, Bea Arthur Worked As A Truck Driver And Typist In The United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve During Wwii

Before She Became Famous As An Actress In All In The Family, Maude, And Golden Girls, Bea Arthur Worked As A Truck Driver And Typist In The United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve During Wwii
133points

#9 O-O-Be, A Kiowa Native American, Circa 1895

O-O-Be, A Kiowa Native American, Circa 1895
132points

Man on the Moon” is another well-known snapshot that captures one of the most significant human accomplishments in history. It’s a photograph of astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s first steps on the moon’s surface by the great Neil Armstrong. 

This 1969 picture shows the lone Aldrin standing with the vast expanse of space as his backdrop. Unfortunately, this photo doesn’t deter today’s skeptics who doubt that the event ever happened.

#10 Portrait Of Two Women. Zanzibar, Circa 1900

Portrait Of Two Women. Zanzibar, Circa 1900
131points

#11 Red Cross Nurse And Rescue Dog, Wwi

Red Cross Nurse And Rescue Dog, Wwi
131points

#12 Portrait Of An Inuit Woman And Child, Circa 1912

Portrait Of An Inuit Woman And Child, Circa 1912
130points

The 1945 flag-raising photo on Iwo Jima will always be legendary, especially for military veterans, historians, and loyal Americans. Photographed by Joe Rosenthal, it shows a group of US Marines planting the American flag on top of Mount Suribachi to mark its capture and signify America’s victory in World War II. 

Despite doubts about its authenticity, the picture never fails to spark feelings of patriotism, especially among those who served during the war. 

#13 Edward Bouchet Became The First African American To Earn A Phd In The U.S. When He Completed His Dissertation In Physics At Yale In 1876

Edward Bouchet Became The First African American To Earn A Phd In The U.S. When He Completed His Dissertation In Physics At Yale In 1876
123points

#14 A Snapshot Of Life From Nebraska, 1910

A Snapshot Of Life From Nebraska, 1910
123points

#15 Liberated Survivors Of Auschwitz, 1945

Liberated Survivors Of Auschwitz, 1945
120points

We’d also like to hear from you, readers. Which of these photos stood out to you the most? How do they make you feel? Let us know in the comments below!

#16 Portrait Of Selika Lazevski, Believed To Be A Horsewoman Who Rode At Nouveau Cirque In Paris

Portrait Of Selika Lazevski, Believed To Be A Horsewoman Who Rode At Nouveau Cirque In Paris
118points

#17 Portrait Of A Navajo Woman, Circa 1904

Portrait Of A Navajo Woman, Circa 1904
117points

#18 London, 1899. Photo By Leonard Misonne

London, 1899. Photo By Leonard Misonne
116points

#19 Portrait Of Flora Stewart. She Was Said To Be Vivacious With A “Remarkably Retentive Memory.”

Portrait Of Flora Stewart. She Was Said To Be Vivacious With A “Remarkably Retentive Memory.”
114points

#20 Elizabeth L. Gardner Of Rockford, Illinois, A Wasp (Women's Airforce Service Pilot) Pilot, Circa 1940s

Elizabeth L. Gardner Of Rockford, Illinois, A Wasp (Women's Airforce Service Pilot) Pilot, Circa 1940s
114points
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