#1 Douglas Bent, A U.S. Navy Petty Officer, Was Captured During The Vietnam War. His Captors Thought Him Unintelligent, Earning Him The Moniker "The Stupid." He Feigned Ignorance, Opting To Hum A Song Instead Of Speaking
#2 Sergeant William Henry “Black Death” Johnson Of The Harlem Hellfighters Wearing His Croix De Guerre Medal Ca. 1918. In Northern France, Johnson Single-Handedly Fought Off A German Raiding Party Receiving 21 Wounds In Order To Save Fellow Soldier Pvt Needham Roberts
With over 150k followers on Instagram, History Defined also has their own website and subreddit. In their own words, they are all about exploring history's most interesting people and events. It’s probably safe to assume that their users are eager to learn more about the past.
With all the demands of living in the present and concerns about the future, why do people care about what happened in the past? Everything we do, every item we use, and all the things we experience in our daily lives are shaped by our past. The foundation for our traditions, technologies, and everything in between was laid by those who came before us.
#5 Gunnar Kaasen And His Team Of 13 Dogs, LED By The Siberian Husky, Balto, Completed The Last Leg Of A 1925 Trip To Deliver 300,000 Units Of Diphtheria Antitoxin To Nome, Alaska To Prevent An Outbreak. They Traveled By Night In Temperatures Of -23 °f (-31 °c)
#6 Pictured Here Is Willemien Rieken. She Was Only 9 Years Old When She First Began Laying Flowers On The Grave Of William Edmond, A British Soldier Who Fought And Died To Liberate Her Dutch Village. From The Day He Died, And For 75 Years, She Looked After His Grave And Kept His Memory Alive
Our understanding and knowledge of topics increases over time due to historical perspectives. Photographs from the past aren’t just about people, they show us how humans lived decades ago and how their actions have impacted our lives.
For instance, the beloved tradition of decorating trees dates back to 16th-century Germany where families would bring these evergreen trees home as a symbol of eternal life. This practice evolved over centuries as people started decking their Christmas trees with ornaments, lights and tree toppers.
#7 Mississippi's First Interracial Couple Recognized By The State, August 3, 1970
#8 Mister Rogers Received A Letter From A Blind Girl Who Was Concerned About His Fish, As She Had Heard Him Mention Them. Worried That They Might Not Be Getting Fed, He Started A Heartwarming Tradition. At The Conclusion Of Each Subsequent Show, He Would Narrate, “I'm Feeding The Fish”
#9 Witold Pilecki, A Member Of The Secret Polish Army, Intentionally Let Himself Be Caught By German Policemen During A Roundup In Warsaw To Get Arrested & Be Sent To Auschwitz To Set Up A Resistance Network There. The Mission Was A Success
Today’s medical advancements were possible due to the pioneering work of historical figures. The first smallpox vaccine was created by Dr. Edward Jenner in 1796. Joseph Lister, a British surgeon in the 19th century, laid the foundation for antiseptic surgery, which has helped save countless lives by minimizing the risk of infection in surgeries.
#10 Little Girl And Her Pet Toad At A Pet Show, Venice Beach, California, 1936
#11 At 3 A.m. One Night In 1988, Hawaiian Singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Called A Local Studio And Said He Needed To Record Something Immediately. He Pleaded With The Engineer: "Please, Can I Come In? I Have An Idea." Kamakawiwo'ole Recorded The Iconic Version Of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" In One Take, Which Would Soon Touch Countless People Across The Globe
#12 Two Boys Show Each Other Different Skills, Kenya, 1962. 9-Year-Old Kevin From New York Had Come To Kenya To Join His Stepfather As Guest Of A Maasai Tribe, Where He And The Chief’s Son Dionni Became Close Companions
The photograph of Rosa Parks refusing to give up her segregated bus seat in Alabama in 1955. Her act of civil disobedience led to a year-long bus boycott in Montgomery. This not only led to the desegregation of public transport but also paved the way for greater equality and civil rights for Americans. Her image became a symbol of courage and dignity and still inspires people globally to stand up against any discrimination.
#13 Anne Frank Photographed With Her Sister Margot At The Beach In Zandvoort, Netherlands, In 1940
#14 In 1902, 18-Year-Old Alice Roosevelt Was Known For Her Rebellious And Independent Spirit. Alice Was Known For Her Unusual Habits, Such As Wearing Pants, Driving Cars, Smoking Cigarettes, Betting With Bookies, And Dancing On Rooftops
#15 Two Brothers From East And West Berlin Reunite At Checkpoint Charlie After The East German Government Agreed To Open The Wall For Christmas, 1963
#16 The Coney Island Sideshow Was Run By Martin Couney, Also Known As "The Incubator Doctor," Who Saved More Than 7,000 Premature Babies Throughout His Lifetime By Exhibiting Them In Incubators And Allowing Visitors To Pay 25 Cents To View Them
#17 A Young Boy Gets A Photo Taken Moments After The First Plane Hit The World Trade Center. Notice The People In The Background Who Have Not Yet Noticed
#18 American Soldier Reunites With His Wife At Train Station Fittingly Named"New Hope." Us, 1945
Images taken after the San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fire in 1906 captured not just the destruction but also the resilience of the people affected.
These images have been used by engineers and architects to plan and implement measures to mitigate future earthquake risks. Later, they were also used in public awareness drives to highlight the need for community preparedness in order to minimize the impact of any future disasters.
#20 British Soldier Retrieving Bandages From The Kit Of A Dog During Wwi, 1915
