The phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” was coined by American newspaper editor Arthur Brisbane in 1911. It’s a simple notion that applies to many aspects of our lives, but especially to historical photos. Sometimes, one simple picture can tell you more about history than any story you might read or any document you might analyze.
These old time photos all tell stories about the historical figures or events that they represent. Once taken merely to document their present, they now help us witness the past. Many images only become iconic shots years later, once we understand their importance and historical context. From historical landmarks and famous people to the basic daily routines of the past, these old photos portray the history in a way that we can empathize with and understand more intimately.
Perhaps the wars, poverty, fights for freedom and little miracles of the past have lessons for us that we can use today? Scroll through our list of rare historical photos and see if we’ve learned anything.
(via sobadsogood)
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