As an absolute nerd who admittedly misses going to school, there’s nothing more fascinating to me than historical images. Sure, I could sit and read a book, but a picture speaks a thousand words…and contains the unique power to transport you straight back to the past.
And if you don’t agree that historical images can blow your mind, hold your horses, because I’ve compiled some that very well might make your head explode. Strap in…here we go!
1.
This photo looks like it’s a man and woman on their wedding day, but it’s actually Violet Jones and Joan Lee, two gay women in 1954 who falsified their statements in order to legally get married (AKA, lying about being the same gender). They were later fined £25 each.
2.
The last public execution in the US happened in 1936 in Owensboro, Kentucky. In this photo, we can see the shockingly large crowd on that day, estimated over 15,000 people.
3.
Drive-through food chains have been around since the 1940s, but that period had some drive-through grocery stores, too. This particular one is in Los Angeles in 1949. Sadly, they’re no longer a thing, which means this photo totally broke my brain.
4.
In this photo, likely from the mid-20th century, we can see hypnotist W. J. Ousby literally standing on his patient…and it honestly looks like they’re defying gravity. Supposedly, his goal of hypnosis was to complete psychological evaluations to “cure them of psychological complexes.”
5.
I guess it was totally acceptable to use female waiters as “human menus” in the ’60s, but this is the first I’ve ever heard of it happening. And after looking at this photo from a New York restaurant in 1968, it’s hard to believe this kind of thing was ever normal. If I wasn’t seeing this with my own two eyes, I wouldn’t believe this ever happened.
6.
“Foot binding” was a cultural process that was popular in China until the mid-20th century. Basically, it involves tying your feet extremely tightly for aesthetic reasons. But, of course, it had dire medical consequences, sometimes leading to paralysis and occasionally even death. Here’s what people’s feet often looked like after foot binding:
7.
If you’ve ever wondered what kinds of topics schools taught in the 1900s, look no further than this photo. Although they appear to be engaged in a math lesson, on the chalkboard, we can see the phrases “The world is round” and “A noun is a name” on the chalkboard. Plus, on the righthand side, a student is wearing a dunce cap (an old punishment for misbehaviour).
8.
This seems like just an ordinary photo of a man, but it’s actually the very first selfie ever taken. At the time, merely taking a photo was an extremely mind-blowing concept. But a photo of oneself? Well, that was pretty much considered impossible…until this man, Robert Cornelius, did it in 1839.
9.
Here’s what an average operating room looked like in 1870. You’ll notice there’s a disturbingly small amount of tools or machinery — just a knife in the leftmost man’s hand — and absolutely no gloves, masks, or any other kind of protective gear. The surgeons here are using carbolic acid, which we now know is, um, literally poison.
10.
As you might know, cars were invented in the late 19th century. This photo from Feb. 25, 1890 follows the very first fatal car accident in Britain, where the driver and passenger were both killed. It’s truly fascinating to look closely at this scene, especially the seemingly intact nature of the car.
11.
The Godfather is one of the greatest movies of all time — but I bet you’ve never seen a behind-the-scenes photo from the making of the film. We can see a producer named Albert S. Ruddy here, talking to star Marlon Brando during shooting in Little Italy, Manhattan.
12.
John F. Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963. This is a close-up of the actual bullet that went through him on that day, as well as Governor John Connally, who survived the attack.
13.
I’m not sure why this image scares me so much, but perhaps you’ll get it once you take a close look. This photo advertises “ornaments of human hair,” and it’s exactly what it sounds like: accessories that are literally made out of hair. Believe it or not, this was actually a thing in 1895.
14.
We all know Babe Ruth as the greatest baseball player of all time. This photo shows a boy standing over Babe Ruth’s open coffin at his funeral in 1948, sobbing. In his right hand, you’ll notice he’s holding a baseball.
15.
This photo is from 1916, the very middle of World War I. In it, workers are manufacturing a ton of prosthetic legs to be used for soldiers with amputations. It’s equally sad and shocking to see the sheer volume of this job.
16.
In 1922, the first-ever tanning machine was invented in London, and the woman in this image is using it. The machine was advertised as having “all the properties of the strongest seaside sun,” which also meant risk of sunburn if you used it for longer than around 5 minutes.
17.
This image is from the literal trenches of World War I. In it, we can see a British soldier, and if you look closely, you’ll be able to tell that he’s actually eating dinner as this picture was taken.
18.
In the years leading up to the Holocaust, people all over the world protested against the Nazis and their horrific treatment of the Jewish people. This particular protest was from fur workers in New York, and it happened in Nov. 1938. Highly recommend reading what’s written on each of these signs, because it’s fascinating.
19.
One of the first and most famous transgender Americans to have gender reassignment surgery was Christine Jorgensen. She was an army veteran from 1944–1946, and in 1952, she had her sixth gender affirming surgery. Here’s the front page of the newspaper following Christine’s operation:
20.
Back in the day, kids were often in charge of newspaper delivery (“newsboys,” if you will). In this picture, the two kids standing in front of the pool hall are holding papers — but they’re also smoking cigarettes, oh-so-casually. They look like they could be fully grown men, only they’re little kids. It’s petrifying.
21.
This picture gives us the chance to understand what it was *actually* like to witness the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Taken in Trafalgar Square in London, the massive crowd in the photo is gathered around a big screen, on which the moon landing is playing live.
22.
I know you know who Harry Houdini is. Well, in this picture from 1900 in Germany, Houdini is all chained up, and he’s about to dive into the water for a trick. I don’t mean to be weird when I say this, but oh my god, look at the guy’s leg muscles. And I can’t take my eyes off the lady’s hat in the background, either.
23.
I’m warning you, this one is a LOT, so definitely skip it if you’re sensitive to graphic images. The pictures below show the reconstruction of a soldier’s face after it was severely damaged in battle during World War I. Considering all of this happened over 100 years ago now, it’s pretty impressive how well it turned out.
24.
It’s hard to imagine Albert Einstein anywhere but the science lab, but turns out he was a skilled violinist, too. He performed on ocean liners, at benefits…you name it. The guy was busy. Here’s a photo of him playing violin in 1932:
25.
The first-ever international tennis match was between England and the US, and it took place at Wimbledon in 1883. This historical photo captures that event. But the real question is, who won? Sorry Americans, but brother duo William and Ernest Renshaw won this match, making England victorious on their own turf.
26.
Dare I say, Dorothy’s dress from the original Wizard of Oz movie is one of the most famous costumes of all time. In this photo from the studio, we can see a worker adding a tag to the dress to be auctioned off, along with many other authentic pieces from the movie.
27.
The CN Tower in Toronto was once the tallest structure of all time, so working on it in the ’70s must’ve been quite the feat…and this photo totally proves it. The workers here are (totally fearlessly) constructing the tower, hundreds of meters above the ground. Shudder. Could never be me.
Which one of these shocked you the most? Any other historical events you’d love to see images from? Tell me in the comments below!
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