39 Incredible Historical Photographs That Will Astonish You

When was the last time you browsed through old photographs? It’s fascinating to rediscover images you haven’t seen in years. It’s equally intriguing to encounter photos that are new to you but still evoke a sense of familiarity. This collection of historical photos provides such an experience.

Each image here speaks volumes and offers a deep dive into history, potentially revealing something about yourself as well.

Flour Sack Fashion (1939) During the 1930s, flour mills noticed that women were using flour sacks to create clothing for their children. In response, they began producing sacks with floral designs.

New York Cat Crossing (Circa 1925) A police officer in New York pauses traffic to help a mother cat escort her kitten safely across the street.

Einstein at Lincoln University Albert Einstein visited Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, the first Black college in the US to offer degrees, to teach a class, challenging the racial norms of the time.

Iranian Women Protest (1979) A powerful image of 100,000 Iranian women protesting against the hijab law in Tehran.

Desegregation at Public School No. 27 (1954) Charles Thompson meets his classmates at Public School No. 27 in September 1954, just months after the Supreme Court ruled racial segregation unconstitutional. He was the sole African-American student there.

Berlin Wall Assistance (1961) A German soldier defies orders to help a young boy cross the newly built Berlin Wall, who had been separated from his family.

Princess Diana and AIDS Patient (1991) Princess Diana, known as the “people’s princess,” shakes hands with an AIDS patient without gloves, breaking stigma and showing compassion.

Night Witches of Russia (1941) The “Night Witches,” courageous female pilots from Russia, conducting nighttime bombing missions during World War II.

Profile Picture Perfection This photo has a timeless quality that could easily outshine modern social media profiles.

Happiest Man in China (1901) A playful photograph of a man in China, titled “Happiest Man in China,” taken by British anthropologists. The man, unaware of the seriousness of photography, smiles for the camera.

Somber Historical Moment A poignant historical image that serves as a reminder of the past.

Italian Soldier in Mogadishu (1993) An Italian soldier offers food to an orphan in Mogadishu.

Caring Soldiers on Orote Peninsula (1944) American soldiers tend to a wounded dog during World War II on Orote Peninsula.

Breaking Barriers Demonstrating how barriers were being challenged even in earlier times.

Margaret Hamilton and Apollo Software (1969) Margaret Hamilton with the handwritten navigation software her team at MIT developed for the Apollo Project.

Anti-Apartheid Bus Ride (1986) A man defies apartheid by riding a bus in Durban reserved for white passengers only.

Celebration of Stalin’s Death (1953) A Ukrainian immigrant’s reaction to the death of Stalin.

Guide Samson Beaver and Family (1907) Samson Beaver of the Stoney First Nation with his wife Leah and daughter Frances Louise, captured by Mary Schäffer.

Iranian Beach Before Revolution (1979) A snapshot of an Iranian beach just before the Islamic Revolution.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Supports Disabled Athletes (1983) Bodybuilding icon and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger shows his support for disabled athletes.

Mourning Hachiko in Tokyo (1935) Tokyo residents pay tribute to Hachiko, the loyal dog who waited daily for his owner at Shibuya Station for nine years, even after the owner’s death.

Arrest for Cross-Dressing (1939) A man in New York is shown emerging from a police van after being arrested for cross-dressing.

Ruby Bridges at School (1960) Ruby Bridges, the first African-American child to attend a white elementary school in the Deep South, captured in color.

Austrian Boy Receives Shoes (1946) Six-year-old Werfel from Austria receives new shoes from the Junior Red Cross at the Am Himmel Orphanage, as published in Life magazine.

Otto Frank Revisits Attic (1960) Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father, revisits the attic where the family hid during World War II. He was the only member of the family to survive.

Keshia Thomas Protects Man (1996) Eighteen-year-old Keshia Thomas shields a man, believed to be connected to the Ku Klux Klan, from a mob of anti-Klan protesters in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Fashionable Kabul Women (1972) Stylish women walking through Kabul, Afghanistan.

Queen Elizabeth as Mechanic (1939) Young Queen Elizabeth working as a mechanic during World War II.

Protection During Madras Famine (1877) A man guards his family from cannibals during the Madras Famine in British-ruled India.

Einstein Becomes U.S. Citizen (1940) Albert Einstein, with his secretary Helen and daughter Margaret, becomes a U.S. citizen to avoid returning to Germany.

Nakano Takeko in Samurai Armor (Circa 1860-1868) Nakano Takeko, an Onna-Musha from Japan, in full samurai armor during the Battle of Aizu in 1868.

Soldier Comforts Japanese Boy (1944) During the Battle of Saipan, an American soldier comforts a wounded Japanese boy in an airplane cockpit, shielding him from the rain.

Easter Celebration in Chicago (1941) African-American boys enjoying Easter morning in Southside, Chicago, Illinois.

San Francisco Policeman and Mask (1918) A San Francisco policeman reprimanding a man for not wearing a mask during the 1918 influenza pandemic.

Accusing Guard in Buchenwald (Colorized) A Russian inmate points out a particularly cruel guard in Buchenwald camp.

British Soldiers and Drag Show (1940) British soldiers at Shornemead Fort, England, interrupted during drag show rehearsals by a German raid.

German Soldier Returns Home (1946) A German soldier returns to his Frankfurt home in 1946 to find his family gone.

Liberation of Auschwitz (1945) The Red Army discovers and liberates Auschwitz.

Berlin Wall Interaction (1989) In November 1989, as East Germany’s communist regime collapses, West German schoolchildren converse with East German border guards at a newly opened section of the Berlin Wall.