It was Confucius who said, “Study the past if you would define the future”. Historical pictures allow us to do just that. They depict some of the most important moments of the days gone by, which we can turn back to and analyze one image at a time. And learn something new with each one of them, whether it’s an old photo from a family album or a snapshot that made it to the history books.

The Facebook page “World Historical Pictures” presents an abundance of such noteworthy images. Their posts range from covering everyday people to events of great historical significance, which allows the roughly 37 thousand followers to get acquainted with different aspects of our past. We have gathered some of the most impressive shots here for you to enjoy. Scroll down for the pictures, and make sure to check here and here for more.

#1 World War One Memorial

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The history of photography itself dates back to the 1820s when the French scientist Joseph Nicéphore Niépce captured what is now known as the first picture ever. Titled ‘View from the Window at Le Gras’, it was created using heliography (the process of drawing with sunlight) and a pewter plate. 

Nowadays, photography is way more advanced—you can choose from numerous types of cameras, all producing images of exceptional definition. A common choice for those interested in taking pictures is mirrorless or DSLR ones; those who want to capture their active lifestyle might go for an action or a 360-degree camera.

#2 A Photo Of An Engineer Wiring An Early Ibm Computer, 1958. (Photo By Berenice Abbott)

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#3 A Picture Of Dr. Religa Monitoring His Patient’s Vitals After Completing A 23-Hour-Long Heart Transplant. His Assistant Is Asleep In The Corner. 1987

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Digital single-lens reflex—or a DSLR—a camera is a popular option among professionals and amateurs likewise. The principle behind it is based on light entering a single lens and reaching the mirror, which then reflects it to the viewfinder; that allows the photographer to see the same view the lens ‘sees’.

As the name suggests, a mirrorless camera lacks one of the parts a DSLR has. Comparing it to the latter, the mirrorless option is usually more compact, yet it can provide high-quality images, nevertheless. In a camera as such, instead of reflecting on a mirror, the light goes directly to the sensor.

#4 The Full Tiananmen Square Massacre ‘Tank Man’ Photo, Is More Powerful Than The Cropped Version

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#5 The Sioux Nation Of Native Americans Teepees Spread Across The Great Plains In 1800s

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For something even more compact than a mirrorless one, people often go for action cameras that are lightweight and convenient for all kinds of active pursuits. They might also choose a 360-degree camera, which can be mounted on different objects, such as helmets, cars, or drones, to name a few. Both of these options are durable and in most cases waterproof, which makes them the perfect choice for adventure time.

#6 Unknown Soldier In 1965

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#7 This Young Boy Was Born In 1924 And He Is 2 Years Old In This Photo. He Died In 1944 In France On A Us Tanker. His Name Is Lonzo Hudgins And He Received A Purple Heart In Ww2. He Was My Mom’s 1st Cousin. I Love This Vintage Photo Of My Cousin

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In addition to different kinds of cameras, there are also different types of photography itself. Some examples include photojournalism as well as editorial, wedding, portrait, still life, architecture, sports, and fashion photography, among others. Each of them usually requires a specific skill set in addition to the basic know-how of photography; it helps the professionals to deal with the different challenges each environment presents.

#8 An American Mother And Daughter Hold The American Flag In The Early 1900’s

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#9 Silent Film Actress, Delores Costello, Drew Barrymore’s Grandmother, 1928

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Even though all types of photography allow us to immortalize certain moments, photojournalism specializes in capturing real life and the significant events of our timeline. It usually entails taking candid shots depicting reality as it is instead of trying to adorn it before taking the picture. Often published in various news outlets, photojournalists aim to be as objective as possible.

#10 Over 3,000 Workers Who Build The Chase Manhattan Bank In New York City Pose For A Photo Near The End Of Constructional Work, August, 1964

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#11 Ladder 118 Fire Truck Crossing The Brooklyn Bridge To The World Trade Center On September 11, 2001. Every Firefighter On The Truck Died Shortly After

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An excellent example of unadorned reality captured on film, titled “Lunch Atop A Skyscraper”, is now arguably one of the most famous historical pictures there are. The image of construction workers side by side, hanging high above the city, is number two on Inkifi’s list of the most recognizable pictures in history. The list has been compiled by analyzing data from using reverse image search: “To assess the importance of each photo, we used a reverse image search to show the significance and reach, by looking at how often each photo appeared on the internet,” they explained.

#12 David Isom, 19, Broke The Color Line In A Segregated Pool In Florida On June 8, 1958, Which Resulted In Officials Closing The Facility

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#13 Kids These Days Don’t Know The Struggle (1990s)

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The lunch scene was surpassed only by NASA’s “Man on a moon”, depicting Neil Armstrong taking his first steps on the moon in 1968. Third on the list was the “Flag Raising On Iwo Jima”, showing United States Marines raising their flag on Mount Suribachi in 1945.

Inkifi also turned to social media to see which of the images the future generations might consider historical. Research revealed that it’s likely going to be a picture of an egg. Yes, you read it right. Based on the number of Instagram likes, the most popular photograph on the platform is an image of a solitary egg against a white backdrop. It was uploaded with the sole purpose of becoming the most liked picture on Instagram-a title it holds to this day.

With over 56 million likes, the image conquered Ronaldo’s announcement about an upcoming addition to the family (nearly 33 million likes) and a picture uploaded by the artist XXXTentacion (nearly 30 million likes).

#14 An Immigrant Family At New York’s Ellis Island Is About To Embark On The Chase Of Their Dreams. The 1900s

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#15 The Huffy Radio Bicycle From The 1950s

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When it comes to renowned photographers, the list can be a rather long one. There are lots of people, whose pictures are now treasured as some of the most impressive or historically significant works of photography.

For instance, Dorothea Lange and her portrait of the “Migrant Mother”, or Steve McCurry, who captured the striking gaze of the “Afghan Girl”. Jeff Widener and Malcolm Browne, photographers of “Tank Man” and “Burning Monk” should also likely be on the list, together with many others.

If you’re interested in viewing the works of some of the most famous photographers in history, don’t miss the chance to browse them on Bored Panda’s previous piece here. 

#16 Homecoming Prisoner Of War – 1946

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#17 Lt. Col. Robert Stirm, Is Greeted By His Family, Returning Home After More Than Five Years As A Prisoner Of War In North Vietnam

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It might be difficult to find out the exact number of photographers out there, but according to Ibis, now in 2023, there are roughly 255 thousand photography businesses in the US. The data also revealed that the industry has been steadily growing for the last five years, which means there shouldn’t be a shortage of people who can document our world for future generations to see.

#18 Remember That Photo Of The Construction Workers Having Lunch On An Unfinished New York Skyscraper? Well Here’s The Photographer Charles Ebbets. 9/20/1932

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#19 New York. 1957

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If you would like to see more of such historical pictures or get better acquainted with the history of photography itself, open Bored Panda’s article about 50 must-see historical images that may make you want to open a history book once again here.

#20 1984 New York City Subway Ride

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#21 American Athlete Jesse Owens Fills Up A Car At A Petrol Station In His A Uniform Of Cap, Shirt And Bow Tie. Owens Worked As A Petrol Pump Attendant To Help Finance His Studies At Ohio State University. (United States, 1935)

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#22 Blackfoot Native Americans On The Roof Of The Mcalpin Hotel, Refusing To Sleep In Their Rooms, New York City

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#23 Men In Suspenders Posing On The Brooklyn Bridge

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#24 Marilyn Monroe Photographed By Sam Shaw In Amagansett, New York, 1957

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#25 Sophia Loren Gives Jayne Mansfield The Side-Eye. 1957

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#26 In 1938 1800 Veterans Of The Civil War Attended An 75th Anniversary Reunion At Gettysburg, Pa. The Youngest Was 88 Years Old, And The Oldest Claimed To Be 112 Years Old

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#27 The Teenage Daughter Of A An Impoverished Arkansas Farmer Cooking On An Old Stove While Her Mother Was In A Tuberculosis Sanitarium During The Great Depression. Red Cross Photo From Ca. 1930

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#28 An Italian Child Arriving At Ellis Island, Early 1900s. (Us)

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#29 Telephone Tower, Before They Figured Out Bundling Lines Into Cables. There Are 5000 Lines In This Tower (1890)

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#30 A Man Recording A Cassette Tape At A Music Festival In The 1980s

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#31 Mount St. Helens Eruption, 1980. (Photo By R. Lasher)

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#32 Madison Square, New York City Ca.1900

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#33 This Is George W. Mclaurin In 1948 Being Segregated From The Rest Of His University Class

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#34 Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens) And His Long-Time Friend John T. Lewis (Probably Twain’s Inspiration For The Character “Jim” In “Huckleberry Finn”), Standing Together At Quarry Farm, Elmira, New York – 1903

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#35 A 16-Year-Old Arnold Schwarzenegger At His First Body-Building Competition

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#36 One Of The First Traffic Signals In New York City, 1922

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#37 Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Photographed In New York City By Richard Avedon, 1963

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#38 “People Decorating A Saguaro Like A Christmas Tree In Southern Arizona, Circa 1930s.” Arizona Historical Society

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#39 A Dangerous Playground From The 1970s

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#40 A Woman Stands In Her Summer Undergarments In The 1940’s

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#41 A Well-Dressed Young Lady In The 1930s. Almost Looks Like It Could Have Been Taken Yesterday

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#42 An Immigrant Family On The Dock At Ellis Island After Having Just Passed The Rigid Examination For Entry Into The Country, Looking Hopefully At New York’s Skyline While Awaiting The Government Ferry On August 13, 1925

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#43 A Victorian Home Being Moved On Steiner Street Via Horse Power, 1908, San Francisco

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#44 Michael Jordan’s Iconic ‘Free Throw Line’ Dunk, 1988

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#45 Traveling Knife Sharpener With A Customer. United States, Early 1910s

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#46 Stop When Pedestrians Are In The Crosswalk!

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#47 Christmas Early 1900’s

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#48 United Airlines Stewardess In 1970

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#49 Rita Hayworth, 1941. This Was One Of The Most Popular Pinup Photos Among American Soldiers And Sailors During World War II

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#50 May 1922: 78-Year-Old Robert T. Lincoln (Son Of Abraham Lincoln) Is Helped Up The Steps At The Dedication Of The Lincoln Memorial In Washington D.c

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#51 Jodie Foster And Robert Deniro At The Cannes Film Festival In France In 1976, Likely Promoting Taxi Driver

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#52 Kitchen Retro. Combo Sink/Stove/Fridge

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#53 Somewhere Along The Pacific Coast Highway Between Malibu And Palisades, Ca. 1910

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#54 The Right Day To Hang Laundry In New York City (Lower Manhattan). 1902

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#55 The Arrival Of The Statue Of Liberty On June 17th 1885. The Statue Of Liberty Was A Gift Of Friendship From The People Of France To The People Of America

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#56 Thirteen Sisters In The Brooks Family View Their Only Brother Leslie Benjamin, Following His Birth At Home In Pittsfield, Massachusetts (1954)

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#57 New York Subway, 1984

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#58 Kids Playing Lower East Side, NYC 1963. Photo By William Carter

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#59 In March 1888, A Massive Blizzard Hit The East Coast Of The United States, Stretching From Chesapeake Bay To Canada

The photograph shows an unidentified young man standing in a shoveled area on Madison Avenue and 40th Street in New York City.

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#60 In The Victorian Era, A Woman’s Hair Was Often Thought To Be One Of Her Most Valuable Assets. Hair Was Long In The Victorian Age. Haircuts Weren’t Exactly A Thing Yet For Women

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#61 Fixing The Antenna On The World Trade Center, New York City, 1979. Photo By Peter B. Kaplan

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#62 Participants In The Beautiful Leg Contest Wear Pillow Cases Over Their Heads So That The Judges Can See Only Their Legs. New Jersey, Us, 1951

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#63 A Stewardess From 1972 (Southwest Airlines Of Texas)

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#64 A Construction Worker Making Preparations For The Removal Of The Original Statue Of Liberty Torch In 1985

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#65 Boys With Boom Box, 14th Street, New York, 1983

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#66 A Santa Monica Beach In 1898

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#67 The FBI Finger Print Files, 1944

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#68 Coca-Cola Delivery. Note The Three And Four Digit Phone Numbers On The Side

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#69 Marilyn Monroe Approximately Four Months Pregnant In July 1960

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#70 Spring Break In California, 1947

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#71 Elvis Plays Catch In 1959

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#72 Miss America 1924, Ruth Malcomson, Ms. Philadelphia

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#73 21,000 Us Soldiers In The Shape Of Then-President Woodrow Wilson, September 1918

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#74 Broadway And Fifth Ave, New York City 1905

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#75 A Taxi In New York City In 1901

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#76 Christmas On The Beach!

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#77 Jeanne Bauer Walks With A Dynatac Mobile Phone On 6th Avenue In New York, Accompanied By John Mitchell, The Motorola Engineer Behind The Phone. (1983)

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#78 Federal Reserve Bank, New York, 1959. Photo Ormond Gigli

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#79 New York City, Easter 1956

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#80 Pinball Machines Being Destroyed During The Pinball Prohibition. They Were Banned In NYC As Well As Other Major Us Cities Like Chicago And Los Angeles Between The 1940s And 1970s

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#81 Broadway And Hotel Victoria, New York City Ca.1905

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#82 Fifth Avenue And Central Park At Fifty-Ninth Street, New York City Ca.1910

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#83 The Washington Monument

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#84 A Woman Lights The Candles On Her Christmas Tree In The 1920’s In Us

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#85 Metropolitan Opera, New York City 1905

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#86 A Knife Grinder In New York City, 1896

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#87 Superman In The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. New York City, November 21, 1940

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#88 Riverside Drive New York City Ca.1910

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#89 Mike Tyson Before His Professional Boxing Debut In 1985. Behind Him: Coach Cus D’amato Who Saw The Troubled Young Heavyweight As His Greatest Prospect

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#90 The New York Theater, Time Square, New York City 1908

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#91 Columbus Circle, New York City Ca.1905

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#92 Beautiful Abandoned Church In Us

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#93 New York City 1917

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#94 The Flatiron Under Construction, New York City Ca.1902

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#95 Elvis And His Entourage Arrive In Las Vegas, Date Unknown. Look How Dashing He Looks!

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Source: boredpanda.com