Martin Luther King Jr. was one of history’s iconic role models. In this photo, the late civil rights leader is seen with his son on the front lawn of his home, taking a burnt cross out of his grass. Being the calm and loving person that he was, he took the cross off his lawn after it was burnt there by white supremacist individuals trying to make a statement.
He removed the cross while his son watched him, hoping to teach his future generation a lesson or two in life. These kinds of photos are not seen too often of great leaders in such intimate situations.
Spray Tanning
This was taken in 1956 in France when the quickest and most efficient way to get a tan was to get a fake one. Going down to the beach would have been too much of a hassle, so when these tanning machines were introduced, it was a complete game changer. Since then, the machinery has improved, and the opportunities are endless.
This Parisien woman is having her body spared in a darker shade. It was done using an infrared gun, which apparently didn't burn the skin. The fact that people could darken their skin in a matter of minutes was a surprising innovation that still goes on to this day.
The 1920s Beach Authority
Back in the 1920s, there was a specific person appointed at every beach that had the authority to measure every woman’s bathing suit to make sure that it was long enough and not considered indecent. If you really think about it, people back then were very strict with women’s attire at the beach. If it was considered too short, she would be fined a hefty fee.
The inner feminist in us rejects this idea, and this for sure would not be accepted these days. The 20th century delivered the most change, especially in women's rights, than any other century before then, and this photo shows the progress humanity has made.
1890s Prosthetics
The earliest documentation of prosthetics goes back to 1579. A French doctor, Ambroise Paré, described in writing the prosthetics he used on some of his amputees. The artificial LED was only thought of in 1846, almost 300 years later, and since then, the science behind prosthetic limbs has constantly evolved.
In this photo, we see an 1890s version of the prosthetic legs given to a young child. As you can see, this girl is steadily standing with her two legs to give her support to stand. Back then, prosthetic legs had to be connected to your body to make sure that it would move properly with the designated limb.
A 1941 Christmas Feast
The first colored photograph was invented in 1890; however, it was not until the mid-20th century that colored images became more popular and eventually became the default. This photo is one of the few that dates back to the 1940s. This photograph is chilling and almost surreal. It is of a Christmas Party hosted by the then-German chancellor in 1941.
This photo, alongside others that were taken during that same dinner, was buried at the end of the war in a glass jar and was found only in 1955, almost ten years later. The German Christmas dinner was much more than just a holiday feast; it was a time for the propaganda of German traditions.