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Photographs have this incredible ability to preserve the present and allow their future viewers to continue accessing the past. We’re truly fortunate to be able to get a glimpse of trillions of captured real moments that happened between this instance and the invention of photography.
We shouldn’t take that ever for granted, that’s why we are featuring a list full of historical pictures from the Instagram account ‘The History House.’ Scroll down to find them, and don’t forget to upvote those images that mesmerized you the most.
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#1
Bessie Coleman, The First Black Aviatrix, Was Denied Access To Flight School In The Us, So She Moved To France, Learned French And Got Her Flight Certificate There, 1922
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#2
King Island Inuit Woman And Child, King Island, Alaska, Taken Between 1915 And 1925
#3
Young French Girl Showing Off Her Cat, 1959
Previously, we were lucky enough to have a chat with Margot Note, an expert archival consultant and founder of Margot Note Consulting LLC. She believes that photography is one of the best ways to record history due to its unparalleled accuracy and immediacy.
"Unlike oral traditions or written records, which are subject to interpretation, memory loss, or bias, photographs provide a direct and detailed representation of a moment in time. This allows future generations to see historical events, people, and places as they truly appeared, offering a level of authenticity and emotional connection that earlier methods may lack," she explained.
#4
Two Girls Galloping On Sheep, Cornwall, England, 1969
#5
Chicago’s Southside. In Their Sunday Best, 1941
#6
A Soldier Of The Us 535th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion With A Dog On The Ardennes Front, Belgium, January 1945
She even went as far as to say that the invention of photography, democratized documentation of history. "Previously, recording history often required specialized skills like writing or artistry, which were limited to certain classes or institutions. Photography, especially with modern technology, enables a broader range of people to document their lives and environments, creating a more inclusive and diverse historical record."
#7
Soldiers (Who Were Interrupted During Rehearsals For A Drag Show By An Air Raid) Manning Anti-Aircraft Guns At The Royal Artillery Coastal Defence Battery At Shornemead Fort, Kent, England, 1940
#8
Freddie Mercury On A Bullet Train (Shinkansen) Leaving For Nagoya During The Hot Space Japan Tour, Nishinomiya, Japan, 25 October 1982
#9
“They Buried Him Among The Kings Because He Had Done Good Toward God And Toward His House.” The Coffin Of The Unknown Warrior Before His Internment In Westminster Abbey, A Memorial To All British And Commonwealth Troops K****d During Ww1 With No Known Grave. 11th November 1920
Of course, like with anything, using photography to record the past also has its limitations. “Like earlier methods, it can be selective and influenced by the perspective of the photographer. Despite this, its immediacy, accessibility, and ability to preserve fleeting moments make it a uniquely powerful tool for recording history, complementing rather than entirely replacing earlier methods," Margot said.
#10
A British Soldier With His 8-Month Old Daughter As He Arrives At The Docks From Overseas, 1945
#11
Australian Soldier, Private George "D**k" Whittington, Being Aided By Papuan Orderly Raphael Oimbari Near Buna On 25 December 1942
#12
“Wait For Me, Daddy” - October 1, 1940
The photos of historical events that Margot feels are very important to humanity are the “Migrant Mother” by Dorothea Lange, which depicts the cost of the Great Depression, "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" by Joe, which embodies the resilience people showed during World War II, and “Earthrise” by William Anders, which revealed how Earth looks from space, inspiring environmental awareness.
#13
French Soldier With A Wild Eagle Owl In The Trenches, 1916
#14
Union Blue And Confederate Gray Veterans Reunite At Gettysburg In The Year 1913 — Standing By “The Bloody Angle” Where Pickett’s Charge Took Place 50 Years Earlier And Over 3,000 Soldiers On Both Sides Lost Their Lives — Now They Clasp Hands Over The Stone Wall As Brothers
#15
A Milkman Continues His Duties Following A German Bombing Raid In London, 1940. Original Photo By Fred Morley
Meanwhile, her personal favorite photo capturing a historical moment is the first selfie taken by Robert Cornelius in 1839. "This image fascinates me not only for its pioneering technique in photography but also for its deeply human quality—a quiet moment of self-reflection captured in the dawn of photographic history. It’s remarkable to consider that the instinct to document ourselves, our lives, and our essence transcends time and technology. This photograph reminds me that archival work isn’t just about preserving the past; it’s about safeguarding humanity's ongoing story for the future," she told us.
#16
Davide Chislagi, The Italian Inventor, Testing Out His Version Of The 'Monowheel', 1933
#17
"The Old Samurai", Yokohama, Japan, 1865
Jrog 2 days ago
Photo by Italian photographer Felice Beato (interesting name, literally means "Happy Blessed"). From Getty: " He lived and worked in Japan from 1862 until about 1885, and dedicated himself to the comprehensive documentation of every aspect of the country, which had newly opened to the West". His studio was destroyed in the Great Fire of Yokohama in 1866. Three years after this photo, the Meji Restoration abolished the Samurai class.
#18
Albert Einstein Sailing On The Saranac Lake, In The Adirondack Park, New York, 1936
BrunoVI 2 days ago
When many people think of New York they think only of New York City and maybe Niagara Falls, but Adirondack Park is larger than several states, and it contains surprisingly rugged mountains (The 1980s Winter Olympics were held there, at Lake Placid), and crystal-clear lakes.
Continuing the topic on historical events that shouldn’t fade from our memory, in another previous interview we spoke with American history writer and author of Swastika Nation: Fritz Kuhn and the Rise and Fall of the German-American Bund, Arnie Bernstein, and high school history teacher and social media personality Jaclyn Richie, who unanimously agreed that the H*******t and all of its horror should never be forgotten.
#19
Exactly 60 Years Ago (April 12th, 1961) Mankind Reached The Stars As Yuri Gagarin Became The First Human To Travel To Space
#20
Little John F. Kennedy Jr. Waiting For His Dad, President John F. Kennedy To Land At Camp David, Maryland In October 1963. Jfk Was Assassinated The Very Next Month
#21
A Dog Stealing A Postman's Glove, Minneapolis, 1950
LooseSeal's $10 Banana 2 days ago
Alternately, "Hero dog returns postman's lost glove in frigid weather"
In addition, Richie mentioned the Civil Rights Movement. “The H*******t is a reminder of the dangers of hate, prejudice, and unchecked power. The Civil Rights Movement, meanwhile, showed the world the power of collective action in the fight for equality and justice. Both serve as powerful lessons in the need for compassion, vigilance, and courage,” she said.
#22
Abraham Lincoln, Candidate For U.S. President. Half-Length Portrait, Seated, Facing Front, "Without Beard", 1860
David 1 day ago
It was a young girl, Grace Bedell, age 11, who wrote a letter saying he would look more handsome and distinguished if he had a beard, so he grew it. When he was on his victory tour before he was sworn in (back then March 4 was inauguration day) he stopped near her hometown to meet with her in person https://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/sites/bedell.htm
#23
George H.w. Bush Takes A Toboggan Ride With Arnold Schwarzenegger At Camp David. 1991
#24
German Soldier Posing For A Photograph With His Grandfather Wearing His Old Bavarian Uniform, 1913
#25
A French Soldier With Facial Prosthetics, 1918
#26
The Result Of Firefighting In Extreme Winter Conditions. The Remains Of The Eureka Building In Chicago, 1920
#27
A Young Soldier Of The Austro-Hungarian Army Standing On The Bridge Of Sighs, Connecting The Tunnels Inside The Marmolada Glacier, 1917
ƒιѕн 2 days ago
In the deepness of Marmolada’s glacier lay what is called the “Ice City”, a thick web of tunnels 12 km long, including barracks, kitchens, chapels, sanatoriums and stores - all dug by Austro Hungarian soldiers during WW1. It was a key strategic position for Austrian troops during the war due to the warmer temperatures, zero snow storms, and zero avalanches compared to above ground.
#28
Addie Card, A 12 Year-Old Spinner In North Pownal Cotton Mill. August, 1910
#29
American Wwi Veterans At A Reunion, 1978
#30
Pele And President Gerald Ford Play With A Soccer Ball In The Rose Guard, White House, 1975
Mark Wilson 2 days ago
Ford was an athlete and in his college years a star player for the Michigan Wolverines (American) football team. He's exactly the right president for this photo
#31
Finnish Soldiers In Nbc (Nuclear, Biological & Chemical) Gear, During An Exercise, 1961
#32
Long Beach, California, In The Year 1910
#33
Private First Class Margerum, Of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Walks The Road Through A Forest In The Bastogne Area, Returning From The Front Lines, 1944
#34
"The Father Of Basketball", James Naismith, 1927
#35
A Student Protester Gives The V For Victory Sign In Front Of Chinese Soldiers Of The Pla. Tiananmen Square, 1 June 1989. Photo Taken By Peter Charlesworth
#36
A Babushka Keeps The Ears Of Her Grandson Warm As He Takes An Oath Of Enlistment For The Russian Army. Volgograd, 1994. Photo Taken By Nikolai Ignatiev
#37
"Flat Spare Tires Are Numerous Around Washington These Days Due To The Youthful Football Players Who Have Found An Easier Way To Inflate The Pigskin Than Using Their Lungs" Washington, Dc, 1924
#38
Yeoman Warders Outside The Gates Of The Tower Of London, 1898
Kira Okah 2 days ago (edited)
All Yeoman Warders are retired military, requiring at least 22 years of service, the Long Service and Good Conduct medal, and held the rank of Warrant Officer. They are, in effect, palace guards, as the Tower was a royal palace and fortress. Yes, there have been female Warders.
#39
Prince Philip, The Duke Of Edinburgh, Aged 37, Posing For A Portrait At Buckingham Palace, London, 1958. He Died Today 9th April 2021 At The Age Of 99
#40
Maud Wagner - The First Known Female Tattoo Artist In The United States. 1907
#41
The Mlb All-Star Game In San Diego, 1992
GreatWhiteNorth 2 days ago (edited)
With the cost of sports and concert tickets these days this pic could be 2025
#42
Salvador Dalì And His Wife Gala In A Photo Booth, Around The 1930s
#43
U.S. Air Force Bombers Fly Over Ploiești, Romania, Following A Raid On August 1, 1943. Of The 16 Cameramen Accompanying This Mission, The One Who Took This Photo Was The Only One To Survive
#44
Workers Assemble President Abraham Lincoln’s Statue At The Lincoln Memorial In Washington, Dc, 1920. Originally Designed To Be 10 Feet Tall, The Likeness Was 19 Feet High When Completed, So That The Cavernous Chamber Would Not Dwarf The Statue
#45
Bar Patrons Outside The “The Squirrel”, Sweden, Stockholm, Götgatan, 1895
#46
Actor Christian Bale In His Bedroom, At Home In Bournemouth, Dorset (United Kingdom 1987)
#47
Pablo Picasso Wearing A Hat And Holding A Revolver & Holster Given To Him By Gary Cooper, Cannes, France, 1958
#48
The Oldest Austrian Soldier Of Ww1, 79-Year-Old Gaspar Wallnöfer, Veteran Of The Habsburg Campaigns In Italy In 1848 And 1966, September, 1917
Brittania Kelli 2 days ago
Pretty sure that should read 1848 and 1866, not 1966... Unless he also built a time machine out a phone booth that was most excellent, dude.
#49
George Armstrong Custer, In West Point Cadet Uniform, 1859
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What do you think ?
Mike F 1 day ago
Sadly, that was a sign of the times. The world wars were, bar none, the most important events to people in Europe of their lives. I can't imagine living through something of that sort.
Load More Replies... Mike F 1 day ago
Sadly, that was a sign of the times. The world wars were, bar none, the most important events to people in Europe of their lives. I can't imagine living through something of that sort.
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