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Learning about history is a continuously interesting, never-ending adventure. What makes it even more exciting is exploring the past through authentic photographs. These historical photos, coupled with the fascinating stories behind them, allow us to take an intimate glimpse into the lives of people long gone. They provide a tangible link that connects us to these unfamiliar faces and teaches us about their dreams, fears, and brave decisions that changed the course of history.
Our team here at Bored Panda absolutely adores discovering golden nuggets about the old days, and we’re thrilled to bring you plenty of vintage photos that correspond with them. Today’s post will serve as a captivating archive of some rarely seen photos filled with unstaged and genuine scenarios from the past.
So, let’s take a look at some historical moments—both big and small—that may just help us see the world in a different light. Continue scrolling, upvote your favorite rare pictures, and tell us in the comments which ones you love the most and why. Then, if you’re interested in broadening your mental horizons even further, check out our earlier piece about historical photos that might change your perspective.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
In 1969, When Black Americans Were Still Prevented From Swimming Alongside Whites, Mr. Rogers Decided To Invite Officer Clemmons To Join Him And Cool His Feet In A Pool
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#2
On February 8th, 1943, Nazis Hung 17-Year-Old Lepa Radić For Being A Yugoslavian Partisan During World War II. When They Asked Her The Names Of Her Companions, She Replied: “You Will Know Them When They Come To Avenge Me."
UpQuarkDownQuark 3 years ago
How the f*** do you hang a 17-year-old girl and think to yourself, “I am on the right side, and history will remember me well.”
Guido Diegoli 3 years ago
They also executed a 14-years-old that did nothing but speak his mind: Helmut Hübener. War is atrocious and the violence that comes with it is repelling. Still, the human race seems to struggle to understand it.
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Louise B 3 years ago (edited)
I hope they learnt those names very well. I wonder if he felt like a big man after murdering that pior brave girl.
norabest321 3 years ago
Those soldiers were so brainwashed. They did what they were told regardless of whether it made them monsters. Kind of like being told to go storm a country's capitol building bc some charismatic would be despot told them it was their duty....
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Zitronella 3 years ago
What I can't believe at all is how calmly she's standing there. I would scream, cry, tremble, thrash about. but she stands there and knows that she is dying now and stays calm. incomprehensible.
Paul Ellis 3 years ago
I think the Slav partisans were amongst the fighters most feared by the Nazis. Not only brave and resourceful but also equally brutal when the needed to be.
Martin John 3 years ago
Portraits, stockings and horses are all hung. People (sadly, Lepa) are hanged.
Potato 3 years ago
Sorry you got downvoted for being educational. For those who don't know, 'Hanged' means 'executed by suspension from the neck.' 'Hung' means 'suspended from above.'
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Pamela Blue 3 years ago
You're only a child at 17 in peacetime. The young ones in those countries then were grown up and full adults by the time they hit 16. Most of them were already soldiers and had killed people defending their own families and country. You don't stay a child for long at times like those.
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Oshioriamhe 3 years ago
Braver than the b.....ds who murdered her. I hope indeed she was avenged.
Karin Hultstrand 3 years ago
Lepa Radic is fierce! Braver than most humans at the tender age of 17, she opposed the Nazi ‘s and ultimately an evil regime and Hitler. She lives on as an eternal example to do what’s right.
Annnnd We’re Officially In Reverse 3 years ago
It's so crazy that 1943 wasn't even that long ago
Fora Nakit 2 years ago
My grandmother was one of the leaders of the resistance during WW2 in my town. She was organizing medical supplies, and fake documents so that people could escape Italian ( later German)occupation. The main smugglers were her younger sister (16 in 1940), her cousin ( 14 in 1940), and her grandma ( around 80 in 1940). So yes, everybody who could participate did participate. All four of them survived the war and lived long ages. Unfortunately non of the male members survived ( 2 brothers, her father, and her first husband)
Debra Newell 2 years ago
War is horrible! Unfortunately we have crazy world leader's who haven't learned anything about history.
Dorothy Cloud 3 years ago
Bless her heart and ALL the innocents that died in that horrible war.
Glenn Hawley 3 years ago
Her belt doesn't go through one of the belt loops, front right side (her right). That suggests someone else pulled her pants back up after they finished with her.
Elaine Delvecchio 3 years ago
She is so brave that she doesn't show any fear on her face and her answer was brilliant and courageous. What a waste of such a valuable life. Somebody like her could have surely made a difference in the world.
Amanda Robbins 3 years ago
Hanged not hung. Brave girl and lets hope the people who did this got theirs.
Стеван Радоичић 3 years ago
Her name means "Beautiful" (feminine) in all ex-Yugoslav languages.
Charles Flynn 2 years ago
what a terrible shame, but the body language of the soldier in the back ground shows he isnt comfortable what he is witnessing, God rest her soul such a brave young girl
catherine todd 3 years ago
THIS WAS 7 years before I was born. Hard to believe - yet the Nazis are still "alive and well" and have infiltrated the United States. Beware, beware beware and please VOTE BLUE!
Randy BluntRandyo5 3 years ago
That- should NEVER have happened. This stuff is like midevil ignorance. VickilsdBlunt
Lisa Johannesson 3 years ago
Wtf is going through that man's head, he looks old enough to be her father. Despicable
Thundercuss 3 years ago
Outstanding bravery. On a grammatical note, it's "hanged" not "hung" when speaking of the method of execution in the past tense.
Stefan Popovic 3 years ago
Just a note that she was Serbian. It helped this Nazi bastard do his job more easily.
Zitronella 3 years ago
I am German. Your comment is ... not better as they was...sorry
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#3
One Of The Earliest Photos Showing A Native American With A Wolf - Unlike The Myths Created About Wolves By Settlers, Indians Maintained A Close And Respectful Relationship With Wolves
The best thing about stumbling across historical pictures like these is how much they spark our interest. Many of us immediately feel the urge to do a few Google searches, quickly click on hyperlinks, and dive headfirst into the world of knowledge, all to learn more about these past eras, long-gone events, and people who created something out of them.
It’s amazing how old photos can lead to hours of research about something you might not even have known existed before. By exploring historical events through old photographs, you have a chance to interpret and enhance your perception of the world in a visual way. You’re suddenly presented with new information about how individuals lived back then and how their actions molded our society.
#4
Harlem Grocer Standing In Front Of His Store, 1937
Eastendbird 3 years ago (edited)
I don't know why I like this picture so much, maybe it's the casual pride of ownership in his stance.
#5
Three Lads Play To The Camera, Jamaica
#6
Jewish Prisoners After Being Liberated From A Death Train, 1945
“Photography can definitely be a powerful tool in understanding history,” Jo Romero, a writer, sketcher, and founder of the blog Love British History, previously 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.”
#7
The Boy And His Car, 1930s. Little Man's Got Style
#8
Japanese Couple Taking A Mirror Selfie, 1920s
Artsy Bookworm 3 years ago
Seen this photo before on BP. I love this picture so sweet and adorable
#9
Mother And Daughter Taking A Walk In New York City, 1970
“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!”
And we can’t help but agree. Of course, oral traditions, artifact collection, and volumes of manuscripts and documents are essential sources of information for historical periods. But there’s something about old photographs that enhances our understanding of history. With each and every closing of the camera shutter, a moment is recorded and frozen in the past, and uncovering these gems makes them seem even more real.
#10
Bobbi Gibb, First Woman To Run The Boston Marathon In 1966, She Ran Without A Number Because Women Were Not Allowed Into The Race
#11
" Please, God, Please, Don't Let Me Be Normal". Sigourney Weaver's High School Yearbook Picture.1967
#12
22-Year-Old Wasp Pilot Shirley Slade In Her Flying Helmet, Goggles, And Gloves, 1943
“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,” the blogger pointed out that history is an extremely varied topic. Jo added that visual media helps make the past seem more accessible and that we can see old photos like we see historical artifacts. “They add interest and give us context.”
According to Jo, it’s one thing to read about your great-great-grandfather on a page, but seeing a photograph of him and looking into his eyes is completely different. She believes that “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.”
#13
Photograph Showing Inventor Charles S.l Baker And His Assistant Demonstrating Heating/Radiator System. 1906
M O'Connell 3 years ago
The actual heat source was mechanical friction inside the cylinder. The concept was that any mechanical power could be used to generate heat (waterwheel, windmill, compressed air, anything) as opposed to just burning fuel.
#14
A Jewish Hanukkah Menorah Defies The Nazi Swastika, 1931
On Hanukkah 1932, just one month before Hitler came to power, Rachel Posner, wife of Rabbi Dr. Akiva Posner, took this photo of the family Hanukkah menorah from the window ledge of the family home looking out on to the building across the road decorated with Nazi flags.
On the back of the photograph, Rachel Posner wrote in German (translated here): Chanukah 5692 (1932)
"Death to Judah"
So the flag says
"Judah will live forever"
So the light answers. -.
#15
Bride Leaving Her Recently Bombed Home To Get Married, London, Nov 4, 1940
Sarah Stalder 3 years ago
So, I looked it up, since, as an American, I primarily was taught that America ended the war in 1945. This woman was incredibly brave, and must have married during a brief lull in bombing. The Blitzkreig started on September 7th, 1940, with the Nazis bombed London for 57 days in a row. That means on November 3rd, it was still happening. The bombing continued until May, 1941. Yes, I looked it up because I was curious.
As Anna Pegler-Gordon, an associate professor at the University of Michigan, explained in a piece called Seeing Images in History, we rarely spend time exploring pictures that illustrate history. Most of the time, we focus on the written content “because of the way that images are presented in many historical texts and also because of the way that historians are trained to view images—as illustrations of written history rather than sources of history themselves.”
But this seems to be changing, as Pegler-Gordon mentioned evidence of a “visual turn” in learning and teaching the subject in the last few years. It looks like more academics and historians now give more attention to visual images.
By using history pictures to teach, the professor noticed that students often see media as more accessible than written records. “Students themselves mention that images make the past seem more accessible, giving concrete shape to a world that sometimes seems intangible,” she added.
#16
The Real Meaning Of "Keep Calm And Carry On." Milkman During The London Blitz 1940
#17
Hippie Dad Walking With His Daughter. Amsterdam, 1968
#18
Luzon Woman, 1875
“The learners who arrive in our classrooms today are not only immersed in technology, but also in visual ways of learning. They appreciate the immediacy of the image, which often conveys information more quickly than a primary document written in an unfamiliar, or even a foreign, language.” Another benefit is that this immediacy leads to a shared experience of viewing a picture together that can contribute to a lively group discussion.
Moreover, students are often advanced readers of graphic media, and with proper guidance and support from their teachers, they can truly enjoy the process of looking at and analyzing historical visual representations.
#19
Inuk Man Teaching A Boy How To Shoot. Circa 1920
#20
Kiss Band With Their Parents, 1976
#21
Showgirls Playing Chess Before A Show , 1958
“However, visual images are also inaccessible for the same reasons that they are accessible. The apparent legibility of the image hides its historical construction, the ways in which the image was made, distributed, and read at the time it was produced and since.” Pegler-Gordon added that to become better at reading images, we must become informed about the history and the theory of images.
#22
"Easter Eggs For Hitler" Two African American Gi's Pose At Easter Time With Personalised Infantry Shells. Ww2, 1940s
#23
David Isom, 19, Broke The Color Line In A Segregated Pool In Florida On June 8, 1958, Which Resulted In Officials Closing The Facility
Ange Marsden 3 years ago
This is really brave - less than a decade after the Anacostia Pool Riot
#24
Susan Kare, Famous Apple Artist Who Designed Many Of The Fonts, Icons, And Images For Apple, Next, Microsoft, And Ibm. (1980s)
Once we arm ourselves with knowledge, historical photos can be a great tool to expand our mental horizons even further. “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,” blogger Jo Romero added. She concluded by saying that discovering the past through historical photographs simply makes it seem “much more relatable to us and we want to discover more.”
#25
Couples In A Bar, 1959 Pittsburgh
#26
The Two Kashmir Giants Posing With The American Photographer James Ricalton, 1903
#27
Father And Son Bonding Time 1980s
What is the Oldest Historical Photo?
The oldest photograph takes us back to a time around 1826 or 1827. A French inventor named Joseph Nicéphore Niépce captured an image titled “View from the Window at Le Gras” at his country estate in Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, France. This photo required an exposure time of about eight hours.
It stands as a legendary moment in the history of humanity, marking the first successful attempt to permanently capture a scene from nature. This image paved the way for modern photography and also serves as a reminder of the lengths to which pioneers went to capture a moment in time.
#28
Shooting The Original MGM Logo, 1928
#29
That’s A Genuinely Happy Looking Family, USA, 1959
#30
Marina Ginestà, A 17-Year-Old Social Activist, Journalist, And Translator, On The Rooftop Of The Hotel Colón In Barcelona In 1936
What is the Most-Seen Picture of All Time?
The title of the most-seen picture of all time might surprise you—it’s not a work of art, a historical event, or even a celebrity snapshot but rather an image of a green hill and blue sky dotted with clouds.
“Bliss,” photographed by National Geographic photographer Charles O’Rear in 1996, gained its fame as the default desktop background for Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system. This iconic image has ended up on the screens of computers around the world, becoming an inadvertent yet pervasive piece of visual culture. It’s estimated that billions of people have seen the historical photo.
#31
Learning To Ride A Bicycle, 1961
#32
An Ojibwe Native American Spearfishing, Minnesota, 1908
#33
No Dog Biscuits Today, London, 1939
#34
Dad: Let's Take A Picture That Will Make Mom Angry. 1970
#35
Oasis In Giza, 1917
#36
A Chippewa Indian Named John Smith Who Lived In The Woods Near Cass Lake, Minnesota Claimed To Be 137 Years Old Before He Died In 1922. Photo Taken In 1915
#37
Not Everyone Likes Bikini, Miami Beach, 1980s
#38
Paris - 1950
David Wheater 3 years ago
Hollywood has been lying to us, the Eiffel tower can't be seen in the background of every picture of Paris.
#39
Central Park, New York City, 1973
#40
New York Children Sleeping On The Fire Escape To Keep Cool At Night. Early 1900 ‘S
#41
Zuya Hiyaya (Goes To War) And His Daughter, Sicangu, 1905
Autistic Raven 3 years ago
People. Stop commenting on their lack of smiles. 1) photo technology did not allow for smiling much back then, when it was meant to hold your face features for much longer than the instant we do now. 2) indigenous peoples had by this time been destroyed by colonial genocide and had no reason to give you what you want from them: assimilation.
#42
A Dude Gets Arrested For Growing Marijuana In The Mid 70s
#43
Couple Viewing The Apollo 8 Spacecraft Launch, 1968
#44
New York City, September 11th, 2001
#45
Bushy Ladies Of The 70s
#46
A Teenager At An Elvis Presley Concert At The Philadelphia Arena In Philadelphia (Pa), April 6, 1957
#47
French Riviera, 1974
#48
New York City’s Subway System, 1980
Corey Smith 3 years ago
BP had a whole gallery of NYC subway photos: https://www.boredpanda.com/hell-on-wheels-new-york-underground-photography-80s/?page_numb=1
#49
Cleaning Women Washing A Crucifix, 1938
#50
Teenagers At A Party In 1947, Tulsa , Oklahoma.photo By Nina Leen
Where Can You Get Other Historical Photos?
If your appetite for the past hasn’t been satiated yet, you’re in luck! We’ve put together collections that are nothing short of a time traveler’s dream.
Check out our dedicated pieces on the history of photography and get up close and personal with some of history’s most iconic personalities. These collections are your gateway to understanding not just the people and places of yesteryears but also the remarkable journey of photography itself.
#51
Apache Brothers, 1880
#52
Girls On Bikes Enjoying The Sun, 1950s
#53
Budapest Marketplace, 1987
#54
Punks In London, 1980
#55
Dozens Of Children And Adults Are Pictured Above Crowded In And Around What Was Called A ‘Swimmobile’ In New York City, Ca. 1970
#56
Shoe Shiners Taking A Lunch Break, New York City, (1947)
#57
1920
#58
This Is The Statue Of Liberty Under Construction In Paris In 1884
#59
The Grand Canal Is Drained In Order To Allow It To Be Cleared Of Silt And Mud. Venice, 1956
#60
New Year's Eve, Grand Central Station, New York City 1969
#61
A Mom Uses A Trash Can To Contain Her Baby While She Crochets In The Park, 1969
#62
A Family Of Migratory Fruit Workers From Texas During Cherry-Picking Season. Berrien County, Michigan, July 1940
Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
No kids should have to work like they did. Most people shouldn't. It's inhumane.
#63
Logging Family With A 1300 Year Old Tree, 1892
#64
Admiral Byrd’s Snow Cruiser Passes Through Traffic And Onlookers Before Halting For The Night In Framingham, Massachusetts, On November 12, 1939
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What do you think ?
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
I love this sort of article. Lots of photos I had never seen before too.
Will Cable 3 years ago
Ok some were colourised but hey, this shows you don't need fancy filters for good images.
Yusri Hussin 2 years ago
I love this article. The photos reminds me of myself. Most people would throw away old photos. I saved some which was in my late father's safekeeping into my computer. Hopefully one of my children would continue to safeguarding it for future generations.
Norman Zeb 3 years ago (edited)
Proof, you can't complain about your gear!.... moment and time rules, even with a toy camera!
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
I love this sort of article. Lots of photos I had never seen before too.
Will Cable 3 years ago
Ok some were colourised but hey, this shows you don't need fancy filters for good images.
Yusri Hussin 2 years ago
I love this article. The photos reminds me of myself. Most people would throw away old photos. I saved some which was in my late father's safekeeping into my computer. Hopefully one of my children would continue to safeguarding it for future generations.
Norman Zeb 3 years ago (edited)
Proof, you can't complain about your gear!.... moment and time rules, even with a toy camera!
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