Rescued Children Aboard HMS Daphne After Liberation from Slave Traders (1868)
This poignant image captures children moments after their liberation by the British Royal Navy’s HMS Daphne off the coast of Zanzibar in November 1868. The ship intercepted a dhow transporting them to be sold into slavery under the Sultan of Zanzibar’s illicit trade network. Over 200 freed individuals crowded the deck during this mission—part of Britain’s decades-long campaign against the Atlantic and Indian Ocean slave trades, which freed 150,000 Africans but saw many endure disease and dislocation post-rescue
Shopkeepers and Customers Pose in Doorways, Oklahoma (1894)
A rare glimpse into late 19th-century commerce: local shopkeepers and patrons gather in doorways of Oklahoma storefronts, likely in Ardmore or another railroad town.
European Transported in Hammock, Allada (1895)
European man carried in hammock by African porters, Allada, Benin (1895). Colonial-era photo showing unequal power dynamics and adapted local transport methods.
Geronimo and His Nieces, Oklahoma City (1900)
A rare personal moment with the legendary Apache leader: Geronimo poses with his two nieces during his later years in Oklahoma City (1900).
Matchbox Maker & Sleeping Child (1900)
A powerful historical photograph showing an exhausted mother hand-making matchboxes in the early 1900s while her young child sleeps on the floor beneath the worktable.
Soldiers in Trench, World War I (1914)
A stark depiction of trench warfare’s early days: exhausted soldiers huddle together in a narrow, muddy trench during World War I (1914). Their uniforms and equipment reflect the first year of the conflict, before the full horrors of prolonged trench warfare became apparent.
Austro-Hungarian and Russian Soldiers Fraternizing (1917)
Austro-Hungarian and Russian soldiers mingling during temporary truce on Eastern Front, 1917
German Officers Celebrating Kaiser Wilhelm II’s Birthday in Rauscedo, Italy (1918)
A rare wartime moment: German officers stationed in Rauscedo, Italy, pause to celebrate Kaiser Wilhelm II’s 59th birthday on January 27, 1918—just ten months before his abdication. The image captures the contrast between frontline realities and maintained military traditions, as troops honored their emperor while fighting a losing war. Notably, this would be the last birthday Wilhelm celebrated as ruler; by November 1918, he would flee to exile in the Netherlands following Germany’s defeat
Passengers Boarding a Zeppelin Airship (1930s)
Elegantly dressed passengers ascend the gangway to board a luxurious Zeppelin airship, likely the Hindenburg or Graf Zeppelin. These hydrogen-filled giants offered transatlantic travel with gourmet dining and panoramic views, epitomizing 1930s aviation glamour before the Hindenburg disaster ended the era.
Krystyna Trześniewska, Auschwitz Prisoner (1942-1943)
Krystyna Trześniewska (1929-1943), a Polish Catholic child victim of Nazi Germany, was deported to Auschwitz during the ethnic cleansing of Zamość region. Registered as political prisoner #27129, she perished within five months at age 13. This photo, taken during forced registration, reflects the systematic extermination of 200,000+ Polish children under Generalplan Ost
Soviet Soldiers in Berlin with Youngest Red Army Veteran (1945)
Victorious but weary Soviet soldiers stand in the ruins of Berlin, May 1945. Among them is Sergei ‘Seryozha’ Aleshkov (far left, age 9)—the youngest soldier of WWII, who fought at Stalingrad aged 6 after Germans killed his family. Adopted by the 142nd Guards Rifle Regiment, he earned the ‘For Combat Merit’ medal for rescuing his commander during shelling. By war’s end, Marshal Chuikov personally sent him to military school, gifting him a Browning pistol.
USS Missouri Passes Under Brooklyn Bridge (1945)
The iconic USS Missouri (BB-63), fresh from hosting Japan’s surrender in Tokyo Bay two months prior, passes beneath the Brooklyn Bridge on November 19, 1945. This triumphant homecoming showcased the battleship’s towering mast barely clearing the bridge—a feat requiring precise tidal timing. The ‘Mighty Mo,’ then the Navy’s newest Iowa-class battleship, was en route to a hero’s welcome in New York Harbor for Navy Day celebrations, where she would host President Truman and thousands of visitors
Japanese-American Family Returns to Vandalized Home (1945)
A Japanese-American family surveys their vandalized California home after being released from incarceration in WWII internment camps. The racial slurs painted on their house reveal the persistent prejudice they faced despite their loyalty as U.S. citizens.
Otto Frank Revisits the Secret Annex (1960)
Otto Frank, the only family survivor, revisits the Secret Annex where they hid from Nazis. This 1960 photo shows him in the soon-to-be museum that would share Anne’s diary with the world.
Gigli’s ‘Girls in the Windows’, New York (1960)
Ormond Gigli’s spontaneous masterpiece captures 43 women—including models, his wife, and the demolition supervisor’s wife—perched in the windows of a doomed Manhattan brownstone. Shot in just two hours during the workers’ lunch break, the image immortalized the building hours before its demolition.
Children’s March Arrests in Birmingham (1963)
Hundreds of children were arrested during peaceful civil rights protests in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 4, 1963. Their courageous stand against segregation helped push for landmark civil rights legislation.
I AM A MAN Protest on Beale Street (1968)
Tensions escalate in Memphis days before MLK’s assassination: National Guard troops form a barricade as sanitation workers march with iconic ‘I AM A MAN’ placards on Beale Street, March 29, 1968. The protest, part of the 65-day sanitation workers’ strike, became a defining moment of the civil rights movement. Dr. King would return to Memphis to support the strikers on April 3, delivering his ‘I’ve Been to the Mountaintop’ speech before his murder the following day.
Niagara Falls Dewatered for Geological Study (1969)
Niagara Falls ran dry in 1969 when engineers diverted water to study erosion. The 5-month project exposed the rocky cliff and drew 100,000 curious visitors.
