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Reading about history helps us better understand ourselves and the world around us, but exploring it through visual examples can make our past seem even more real. Like looking at old photographs that let us in on the undoubtedly captivating moments that we may have forgotten or weren't even aware of. However, the color palette we usually associate with these images is a narrow one — black and white. While faded and scratched monochrome photos do have their charm, they can make it difficult for us to relate to the past.

We live in a digital age, after all, and our minds think and remember past events in color, so a colorful photograph should be much easier to identify with, right? Let us introduce you to the aptly titled 'History in Color' subreddit, an online community "dedicated to high-quality colorizations of historical black and white images, and discussions of a historical nature."

To bring bygone days back to life, we have wrapped up a collection of some of the most stunning vintage images from the group. So enjoy scrolling through these multicolored treasures and upvote your favorite ones! Keep reading to also find in-depth interviews with writer and lover of early modern history Jo Romero and professional photo colorization artist Sanna Dullaway. And if you're interested in even more historical photos and the stories behind them, be sure to check out our earlier piece right over here.

#1

Samson Beaver, His Wife Leah, And Their Daughter Frances Louise, In Canada In The Year 1907

Samson Beaver, His Wife Leah, And Their Daughter Frances Louise, In Canada In The Year 1907

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#2

Sophie Scholl, Founder Of The White Rose Student Resistance Group During The Nazi Regime, Arrested For Distributing Anti-Nazi Leaflets With Her Brother, Executed By Guillotine At Age 22 For High Treason. She Would've Been 100 This Year

Sophie Scholl, Founder Of The White Rose Student Resistance Group During The Nazi Regime, Arrested For Distributing Anti-Nazi Leaflets With Her Brother, Executed By Guillotine At Age 22 For High Treason. She Would've Been 100 This Year

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Caro Caro
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For a bit more info: The White Rose was founded in 1942 by several students at the University of Munich, including Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans.

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Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've wanted to get a White Rose tattoo for years. Fascism should never be allowed to rise again.

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Alexandru Bucur
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tell that to the Russians, they've been great at adopting it as a state ideology all while accusing pretty much everyone else of being fascists... :/

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Rose Button 🇺🇦
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's a great book in verse called White Rose about her! I really reccomed it!

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Gary Sansom
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Such bravery. I hope there's a suitable monument to her memory. We should not forget her sacrifice..

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Chris Rü
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

there is. On top a couple of stamps and coins and at least 188 schools named after her or her and her brother Hans.

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Mark Karol-Chik
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We need voices like hers to stand up the the 45 regime and the propaganda network known as FAUX news.

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Bailey
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember reading an interview a while back with another member of the group who was not caught, and survived the war. She talked about how she didn't like all this celebration of the White Rose, as the public as a whole is no different to what it was then, this mass of people saying how great they were and how terrible people were back then for betraying them would be just as likely your betray them under the same circumstances.

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J
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

RIP Sophie, you were braver than the regime you fought against.

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James Twong
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I recommend 'Alone in Berlin' by Hans Fallada which is based on another true story of German resistance to Nazism.

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UncleRussian
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thought she was executed by a firing squad, I vaguely remember seeing that in a documentary about the White Rose group I watched

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Alice
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

According to different sources she was executed by guillotine with her brother Hans and an other student, member of the White Rose, Christoph Probst. After a trial of only 3 hours.

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edgar
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The book about the Letters from Sophie and Hans Scholl must be read by everybody.

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Melissa
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This young woman lost her life fighting against fascism and all you can think of is to misgender her? Sorry I guess doing her makeup wasn't a priority for her when dealing with nazis.

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"Photography can definitely be a powerful tool in understanding history," Jo Romero, a writer, sketcher, and founder of the blog called Love British History told Bored Panda. "It gives us that link between us and people in the past — we can look into the person's eyes in a photograph and it creates that human connection between us."

After all, exploring historical events is far more than just memorizing a string of names and dates. It is about how people lived back then, and how they molded our society. It is about understanding their dreams, hopes, and fears, and what pushed them to take action and create inventions that they did. "From a photograph too, we can see body languages and poses within a group of people or the way a scene is laid out and this is much more than we could ascertain from reading a book," Jo added. "Photographs help make history seem more real. They're like a viewfinder into the past!"

#3

“The Blanket Weaver” - A Navajo Woman Weaving Under A Cottonwood Tree In Canyon De Chelly, Arizona. Photographed By Edward S. Curtis In Ca. 1905

“The Blanket Weaver” - A Navajo Woman Weaving Under A Cottonwood Tree In Canyon De Chelly, Arizona. Photographed By Edward S. Curtis In Ca. 1905

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#4

Portrait Of Joseph Two Bulls, Dakota Sioux, Ca 1900

Portrait Of Joseph Two Bulls, Dakota Sioux, Ca 1900

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#5

Mailman N. Sorenson Poses With His Heavy Load Of Christmas Mail And Parcels, Chicago, 1929

Mailman N. Sorenson Poses With His Heavy Load Of Christmas Mail And Parcels, Chicago, 1929

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Firstname Lastname
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know if I respect him more for being able to sort and carry it all, or that he doesn't look the least bit cold in winter.

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The blogger pointed out that history is an extremely varied topic. "We have so much we can learn from the visual evidence that we have, whether that's a portrait of a person or a snapshot captured of a group or scene," she said, adding that visual media helps make the past seem more accessible and that we can see photos like we see historical artifacts. "They add interest and give us context."

"It's one thing to read about your great-great grandfather on a page but then to see a colorized photograph of him and look into his eyes, it's completely different," Jo told us. "I think that colored photos of people or scenes evoke a much stronger emotional reaction, and it's great that they can be used alongside written sources for context. Not everyone wants to learn just by reading, and using different visual sources can help keep our interest and curiosity up and make the topic a lot more engaging."

#6

Two American Soldiers Proudly Show Off Their Personalized "Easter Eggs" (155mm Artillery Shells) Made Especially For Adolf Hitler, 1945

Two American Soldiers Proudly Show Off Their Personalized "Easter Eggs" (155mm Artillery Shells) Made Especially For Adolf Hitler, 1945

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Shane S
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fighting for a country that still made them sit at the back of the bus and use a separate bathroom.

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#7

The O’halloran Sisters — Armed With Poles And Boiling Water, They Fended Off The Officers Evicting Their Family During The Irish Land War, In The Year 1887

The O’halloran Sisters — Armed With Poles And Boiling Water, They Fended Off The Officers Evicting Their Family During The Irish Land War, In The Year 1887

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theswallowii
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The second lady from the left has a sassy attitude, better not mess with her I reckon!

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#8

The Monumental Love Story Of Richard And Mildred Loving LED To The Historic Supreme Court Case Sweeping Away The Latest Segregation Laws In America.

The Monumental Love Story Of Richard And Mildred Loving LED To The Historic Supreme Court Case Sweeping Away The Latest Segregation Laws In America.

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Jo personally loves to see old photos restored in color. "There's just something about seeing a black and white photo and then looking at the colored version that brings it almost to life," she explained. "We establish a connection with not only the subject but also the photographer, so we see exactly what they saw through their lens that day as if we're seeing it now and are part of the scene in a way." The history lover added that discovering the past through high-quality colorized historical photographs simply makes it seem "much more relatable to us and we want to discover more."

#9

Portrait Of John Smith, Also Known As The White Wolf, Elderly Native American Chippewa Of Cass Lake, Minnesota, In Traditional Dress, 1914. (Probably Born Between 1822 And 1826, Although Presumably As Early As 1784; Died In February 6, 1922)

Portrait Of John Smith, Also Known As The White Wolf, Elderly Native American Chippewa Of Cass Lake, Minnesota, In Traditional Dress, 1914. (Probably Born Between 1822 And 1826, Although Presumably As Early As 1784; Died In February 6, 1922)

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#10

Granny Winning First Prize For Her Marijuana Plant At The California City County Fair Back In 1973.

Granny Winning First Prize For Her Marijuana Plant At The California City County Fair Back In 1973.

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#11

Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart

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HarriMissesScotland
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My 9th cousin. I have always admired her adventurous spirit. At least she died doing what she loved.

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We also got in touch with Sanna Dullaway, a Swedish colorization artist living in Belgium, who was kind enough to have a little chat with us about photo colorizing and the whole process behind it. Sanna revealed to Bored Panda that she has been coloring both public and private photographs and turning black and white memories into vivid colors for over a decade now.

"When I started, I was not aware of anyone else doing this online. It's something I figured out for myself by playing around in Photoshop,” Sanna told us. The idea came to her while she was listening to Rage Against the Machine one day and saw the album cover of a song — it was a photo of the Buddhist monk Thích Quảng Đức who set himself on fire in protest of the South Vietnamese government persecuting other Buddhists.

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#12

The Art Painter Claude Monet Is Photographed In His Garden In Giverny, 1899

The Art Painter Claude Monet Is Photographed In His Garden In Giverny, 1899

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L Venn
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1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

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#13

Portrait Of Three Horses, Photographed By Edward S. Curtis In Ca. 1905

Portrait Of Three Horses, Photographed By Edward S. Curtis In Ca. 1905

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#14

Elvis Presley And His Parents, 1937

Elvis Presley And His Parents, 1937

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Nathaniel
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is it just me or does baby Elvis already have the beginnings of the upper lip curl?

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"The photo was in black and white, and I remember thinking the fire and the rest of the photo would have much more impact if it was in color," the artist mentioned. "I had a big interest in Photoshop at the time and loved playing around with the software so I simply tried coloring the fire by selecting it, and then applied a gradient to the fire within 'Color blending mode'."

"The result looked so amazing that I realized I could probably do the rest of the photo using the same technique, and I posted the result on Reddit," she told us, adding that it immediately hit the front page and stayed on there for nearly two days. After her work went viral, people all over the world started reaching out to her, asking if she could color their photos too. "I realized this was something I had a talent for and loved to do, so I simply continued! Now, ten years later, I still work with this full-time, coloring photos for magazines, museums, and people's own family album photos."

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#15

Photo Of Charlie Chaplin As A Young Man Without Makeup On In Circa, 1916.

Photo Of Charlie Chaplin As A Young Man Without Makeup On In Circa, 1916.

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#16

A Funny Photograph Of The First World War, German Soldier In The Snow With Only A Helmet, Boots And A Tank Top With A Cat On His Head. 1916.

A Funny Photograph Of The First World War, German Soldier In The Snow With Only A Helmet, Boots And A Tank Top With A Cat On His Head. 1916.

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#17

Ron Stallworth (Pictured Here In 1975) Was The First Black Detective In The History Of The Colorado Springs Police Department. He Infiltrated The Ranks Of The Ku Klux Klan In Colorado Springs, Colorado, Becoming A Member Too In The Late 1970s.

Ron Stallworth (Pictured Here In 1975) Was The First Black Detective In The History Of The Colorado Springs Police Department. He Infiltrated The Ranks Of The Ku Klux Klan In Colorado Springs, Colorado, Becoming A Member Too In The Late 1970s.

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We were curious to learn more about the process of colorizing black and white photos itself. Sanna revealed she always starts by restoring the original image if it has any damage like scratches, spots, or the wrong exposure.

"Next, I mask and layer every single object in the photo, starting from the foreground working my way back in the background," the artist continued. "Locking these layers allows me to precisely color them without any bleeding issues. They are all set in Color blending mode — this mode allows the luminosity of the photo to stay intact as you give it color. This technique is easily available to anyone and hasn't changed since the day I started coloring."

#18

Ukrainian Bride In Traditional Folk Costume, In The Year 1875

Ukrainian Bride In Traditional Folk Costume, In The Year 1875

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Amanda
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think that it wasn't common to smile in photographs in 19th-century Ukraine. A smiling person would have been seen as frivolous or insincere.

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#19

Group Of Women With Their Automobile Outside The White House, In The Year 1922

Group Of Women With Their Automobile Outside The White House, In The Year 1922

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One key characteristic that sets her colors apart from others is her many years of experience that allow her to make educated guesses, Sanna pointed out. "Natural colors are easy to guess the color of, trees, sky, earth, skin — these things looked the same 100 years ago as they do today, so are easy to reference."

However, she stressed that when it comes to man-made items, the process can become a bit more complicated. "[Objects] that change through time like textiles, building materials, cars, are all things that vary greatly from decade to decade and even year by year," Sanna explained. "You will have to research these as best you can using sources such as online collections from museums to more accurately pinpoint the correct color of the era."

Moreover, there are always moments when Sanna can’t find the needed information about the specific item or place she’s trying to restore, "and that's where you have to make your best guess."

#21

Leon Trotsky, Frida Kahlo, Natalya Sedova, Mexico, 1937

Leon Trotsky, Frida Kahlo, Natalya Sedova, Mexico, 1937

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#22

Benito Mussolini Is Arrested, 1915

Benito Mussolini Is Arrested, 1915

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#23

“Titanic Orphans” Michel & Edmond Navratil, Named So When They Turned Out To Be The Only Children Who Remained Unclaimed By An Adult After Being Rescued From The Titanic, In 1912

“Titanic Orphans” Michel & Edmond Navratil, Named So When They Turned Out To Be The Only Children Who Remained Unclaimed By An Adult After Being Rescued From The Titanic, In 1912

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Jubum
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Michel Navratil was the eldest of two children born to Michel Navratil Sr. and his wife Marcelle. Using the alias "Louis M. Hoffman", borrowed from a friend of his father's, his father boarded the Titanic on April 10, 1912 at Southampton with him and his brother Roger (born March 5, 1910) as passengers . The reason was a bitter custody battle in France with Marcelle, in which Michel Navratil senior kidnapped the children. On the night of April 15, 1912, the boys were asleep when their father burst into their F-2 cabin, waking them and carrying another passenger through barriers and corridors to the boat deck. Here he took the children into the folding boat D, the last lifeboat to leave the port, and told them to say hello to their mother. Michel Navratil Sr. died that night. After the sinking, first-class passenger Margaret Hays agreed to look after the boys upon their arrival in New York City, as they were the only children to survive without parents or guardians.

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The photo colorization artist stressed that the most important thing you need is knowledge and understanding of how color and light interact with one another. "How light bounces off reflective surfaces, changing the color depending on the scene — is the photo taken in bright sunlight? Overcast weather? Indoors with a single lightbulb illuminating the subject from a specific angle?" Sanna noted that these are all factors she has to consider before colorizing an old photo.

#24

Vincent Van Gogh At The Age Of 19, 1872.

Vincent Van Gogh At The Age Of 19, 1872.

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#25

Hakone, Japan, A Tree-Lined Avenue Ending In A Flight Of Stairs To A Temple, Photographed By Felice Beato In Ca. 1868

Hakone, Japan, A Tree-Lined Avenue Ending In A Flight Of Stairs To A Temple, Photographed By Felice Beato In Ca. 1868

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#26

The Bin Ladens In Sweden, 1971

The Bin Ladens In Sweden, 1971

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Mohammad Ammar
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Islamic terrorism was a tool manafactured to achieve certain political objectives. It wasn't some random Muslims gone rogue as many believe. Binladen is a good example of that.

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When asked about her own opinion about old colorized photographs, Sanna thinks that her generation has a difficult time relating to the content of these images. "We see black and white photos as something distant belonging to another era, something that happened so very long ago. Looking back at those pictures almost gives you an 'us and them' feeling. We perceive the black and white world differently from the colored world we're accustomed to."

"But today, most of us grew up with photos being in color, and we all see life in color — it is the most natural thing to us. So when we add color to black and white photos, it makes us think, 'Hey, they were just like us!'" she said, adding that colors bring us closer to the past.

#27

Sorrento, On The Amalfian Coast, Italy In The Year 1888

Sorrento, On The Amalfian Coast, Italy In The Year 1888

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#28

The Peaky Blinders Were A Criminal Gang Active In Birmingham In The 19th Century

The Peaky Blinders Were A Criminal Gang Active In Birmingham In The 19th Century

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Amanda
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just Dr. Phil chilling in a waistcoat, second from the right.

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#29

Frida Kahlo Keeps A Sugar Skull, 1951.

Frida Kahlo Keeps A Sugar Skull, 1951.

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#30

Boxing Aboard The U.s.s. New York In The Year 1899

Boxing Aboard The U.s.s. New York In The Year 1899

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Note: this post originally had 120 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.