At a chiropractic convention in Chicago in 1956, this photo was taken at the beauty contest portion. These were the winners of the ‘best posture’ segment.
Perfect Posture
Break Time
This photo from the filming of Cleopatra in 1963 shows a group of extras resting between film sessions. This iconic movie was one of the most expensive made at the time.
The Bravery of a Ballerina
This Polish-Jewish ballerina, Franceska Mann, was taken to Auschwitz in 1943 and led a revolt among the women in the camp. It started when they were taken to the gas chambers and told to undress. Mann realized there was little chance of survival so she and the other women attempted to seduce their way out of the situation. In the end, she was able to take a gun from one of the guards and kill him and wound another but the prisoners were executed and she took her own life with a gun.
Woman with a Gun
The first black woman on the Oakland police force, Saundra Brown is seen here training in 1970. She is now the Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
Marilyn Monroe in a Potato Sack
After a nasty comment from a columnist that she would have looked “better in a potato sack” than a low-cut red dress at a party, Marilyn had a great comeback by posing for this photo. This photo is iconic and telling of Monroe’s great sense of humor.
Animals of War
This picture shows a woman taking care of a bird from the Berlin Zoo during WWII. After the Soviet troops came into Berlin in 1945, the animals ended up in civilian care.
Last Goodbye
Private Robert Maye kisses his wife, Gloria, one last time before leaving for the Korean War in 1950. He is held by his friends Harvey Wilson and Frank Harvey.
Smugglers
American police inspect a truck used for smuggling alcohol during the prohibition. Disguised as a stack of lumber, the truck’s secret window was convenient for stowing highly concentrated alcohol.
Dali and Surrealism
Here, Salvador Dalí works on his painting The Face of War in 1941.
Mad Rush
Black Friday was also popular 60 years ago. However, it’s not what we think of today: people in this photo were rushing to get sweets, eggs, milk, sugar and other commodities which were rationed during WWII.
Future Lawnmower
A luxury lawnmower from a 1950s magazine isn’t exactly what we have today. But imagine how groundbreaking this would have been 70 years ago!
50s Catwalk
What does look similar is fashion shows from 70 years ago. This photo was taken from a show in Germany but other catwalks looked similar during this time when designers like Dior and Chanel became influential.
Breaking News
This boy is watching TV for the first time in 1948. The magical box must have been a shocking spectacle for him.
Hunting Day
This picture shows Ernest Hemingway hunting with his family in 1941 in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Old Timey Photo Booth
In Victorian times, photo booths didn’t exist but it was quite exciting to have a photo taken. The giggles in this photo are what make these photos so charming.
Lounging
Though her face may not be familiar, Susan Kare is a noteworthy graphic designer. Here she is in the 1980s working for IBM.
Roosevelt and John Muir
This photo from 1903 features President Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir at Yosemite National Park on a camping trip. This meeting became a pivotal time in American conservationism and the term “conservation” came into use as a result of this meeting.
Japanese Archery
This photo, taken in the 1860s, shows Japanese Zen archers practicing. It was originally in black and white and later colorized.
Curiosity
This photo shows an Italian woman quite interested in the kilt of a Scottish soldier near the coliseum in 1944. Hitler had just relieved Rome of troops and people were around the city celebrating the liberation.
Serenade
Here, Louis Armstrong serenades his wife in front of the great Sphynx in Engypt, 1961. He is a jazz legend and was recently inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
Seeking Shelter
This harrowing photo shows London civilianz hiding underground in 1940 during the German blitz. People stayed underground for days and suffered great distress and even physical injury from the chaos.
On Relativity
This 1946 photo shows Albert Einstein speaking at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. During this speech, he spoke out about the “disease” of racism and in support of the University’s inclusion of grants to black students.
Biggest Horse
This photo taken in 1930 is of Brooklyn Supreme, the largest horse to ever have lived. Supreme was a red road Belgian stallion, standing 199 cm in heigh and 1450 kg in weight, more than 16 times heavier than the average man, about the size of a car.
1966 Blizzard
This photo shows the results of the 1966 Blizzard which cam across the United States. It had the heaviest snowfall and lowest temperatures ever recorded and 31 people froze to death in the cold. 201 people lost their lives to the storm in total.
Happy Wedding Day
This photo is of a bride leaving her home to attend her wedding in 1940. London was bombed every day for about two months and clearly her home was destroyed by a blast. Still, she is happily donned in white and heading off to say her vows.
Christmas Truce
During the Western Front in 1914 at Christmas, soldiers of French, German and British forces agreed to a truce. As you can see, the soldiers played soccer together in no-man’s land.
Anthony Bourdain
In this photo, Bourdain prepares a meal in his NYC apartment in 1986 before his fame.
Resignation
This photo shows President Nixon resigning in 1974 after the Watergate Scandal. Looking on is Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein who brought the scandal to public attention.
American Tribute
This photo from 1918 shows American Soldiers paying tribute to the lost horses, donkeys and mules lost in the First World War. Over 8 million animals were killed during the war and their sacrifice was not forgotten.
Before the Iranian Revolution
In 1973, a woman in Tehran, Iran cuts her birthday cake. Comparing this woman’s attire and stature with Iranian women today is a harrowing reminder of how much can change over 40 years.
A Huge Hard Drive
This box is a 1956 hard drive. It contains 5MB and made by IBM. This machine was worth $30,000 and could hold about 6 images.
Upright Statue
This photo is from Delphi in 1894 which shows the excavation of the Statue of Antinuous. It is in remarkably good shape for having been buried for millenium.
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building looked like this in 1941. Compare this to New York’s skyline today and you will have a shocking reminder of how much growth has occurred since then.
College Life in the 70s
This female dormitory in the 1970s shows what life is like. Could you imagine gathering and waiting in line to speak with your family?
En Vogue
This photo from the 60s shows a stylish woman passing by a group of nuns. What is interesting is the looks of admiration of the woman from the nuns, not a look of admonishment or judgment.
Einstein and Chapman
Shot at the City of Lights premier at the start of 1931, Einstein is seen with Charlie Chaplin. It is said Einstein’s first words to Chaplin were “What I most admire about your art, is your universality. You don’t say a word, yet the world understands you!” to which Chaplin reported, “It’s true, but your fameis even greater: the world admires you, when nobody understands what you say.”.
Arctic Exploration
This photo shows Soviet soldiers feeding polar bears in 1950 during exploration ofhigh altitudes of the Arctic Ocean. It’s amazing these bears werent too terrified to come in for a treat and a ‘hello’!
Royal Wedding
This photo shows Queen Elizabeth II when she was still Princess Elizabeth next to Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh, then Liutenant Philip Mountbatten. They wed in Westminster Abbey in 1947.
Freddie and the Cats
Freddie Mercury is seen here lounging with his cat, Tiffany, in 1988. The Queen frontman had a well-documented love for cats.
Tourists in Cairo
In the 1920s, there was quite a contrast between European and American tourists in Cairo and its locals. Nevertheless, it became a tourist hotspot.
Arriving to NYC
Hundreds of Jewish refugees arrived in America in the wake of WWII. This photo from 1946 shows a group of children eager to begin their new life in the States.
Nikola Tesla
This photo shows inventor Nikola Tesla in 1890 at work in his shop. As an electrical and mechanical enigneer, he made a number of scientific and technological breakthroughs during his time including the lightbulb, which Edison took credit for.
Robert Kennedy at Disneyland
This photo shows Kennedy on a ride in Disneyland with his kids in 1968. Better known is his brother, John F. Kennedy who served as President of the United States.
Climbing the Ladder
This photo from a 1961 publication of Life magazine shows NASA scientists beside a blackboard full of spacecraft trajectories. We have to say, it is perfectly posed!
Paris Under Water
This photo from 1924 is in Paris when the Seine flooded the city. As you can see, people had to use chairs to cross the city.
Teen Spirit
In the past, this was how teenagers passed their time. Without the distraction of the internet, young people clearly went to creative lengths to entertain themselves.
Selfie Before Selfies
Speaking of differences in young people between generations, this photo shows a sort of mirror selfie before selfies were a thing. What could make this better? This photo is of Frank Sinatra at 17 years old.
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
This photo shows the sketch of the recycling logo we know today. This was the winner, conjured up by designer and architect, Gary Anderson, who was only 23 years old at the time, on the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970.
Three Women
These three ladies make an iconic photo during their attendance of the Women’s Medical College of Philadelphia in 1885. These women from three different cultures came together to train to become doctors despite sexist and racist barriers of their society.
Three Stooges
A Reddit user recently posted this 1969 photo which was passed down from a grandpa who worked as a park ranger in Yellowstone when The Three Stooges visited.
Posing with a Twister
This young daredevil took a photo this close to a real tornado in 1989. It’s safe to say she got the perfect shot long before Facebook and Instagram even existed.
Dolly Parton and Carl Dean
Dolly Parton is posed here with her husband Carl Dean in 1966. When the couple renewed their vows on their 50th anniversary, Dean said “”My first thought was I’m gonna marry that girl. My second thought was, ‘Lord she’s good lookin.’ And that was the day my life began.”
Veterans Returning Home
Another heartwrenching photo from WWII shows a boat full of veterans returning to America in 1945 after the fighting ended. It’s safe to say this is one of the happiest days of the war.
The Best of the Best 
This iconic picture is from 1965 and stars some of the most influential pop musicians in history including the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles all posing i front of the Marble Arch in London. This was taken before the tour of the United Kingdom for the Tamla Motown concert.
Jamie Lee Curtis
This nostalgic 80s photo is of Jamie Lee Curtis during the filming of Perfect where she starred alongside John Travolta. Take away the big hair and shoulderpads and she is still fabulous.
Battle of the Network Stars
A series of TV competitions where stars competed in different sporting events, Battle of the Network Stars aired on BBC from 1976 to 1988. Here, Olympic champion Mark Spitz and original Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter are shown at a competition in 1976.
Titanic’ Anchor Chain
One of the biggest steam liners ever produced, the Titanic is renowned, despite its tragic end, for being quite before its time. This photo shows the making of its anchor chain at Hingley and Sons. We can’t imagine how large the entire chain and anchor would have been.