Inspiring and moving historic photos?
September 11, 2024 12:13 PM Subscribe
Today I learned about Jim Rice, a baseball player who scooped up a kid in 1982 who had been hit by a foul ball. He rushed the kid over to a team doctor so the injury could be treated immediately, likely saving the kids life. There are at least two photographs of this that are very similar to each other, and both are moving to me (image search).
The expression of focus on Jim Rice's face is incredible.
Before generative AI poisons the well forever, are there any historical photographs of events that are deeply moving and/or interesting?
Please don't include profoundly tragic or sad moments (such as self immolation, violence, war photographs, and so on).
The expression of focus on Jim Rice's face is incredible.
Before generative AI poisons the well forever, are there any historical photographs of events that are deeply moving and/or interesting?
Please don't include profoundly tragic or sad moments (such as self immolation, violence, war photographs, and so on).
Not Married But Willing to Be: images of men in love between 1850 and 1950.
More here (Washington Post, paywalled).
Excuse me while I go figure out who's chopping all the onions.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 12:37 PM on September 11 [8 favorites]
More here (Washington Post, paywalled).
Excuse me while I go figure out who's chopping all the onions.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 12:37 PM on September 11 [8 favorites]
I love old time photos of men, especially when they are sporting hats. They look so good!
posted by Czjewel at 1:28 PM on September 11
posted by Czjewel at 1:28 PM on September 11
Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their fists on the Olympic podium.
posted by Lexica at 1:41 PM on September 11 [8 favorites]
posted by Lexica at 1:41 PM on September 11 [8 favorites]
Derek Redmond doesn't cry until his father's arm is around him (1992 Summer Olympics).
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:23 PM on September 11 [5 favorites]
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:23 PM on September 11 [5 favorites]
All They Could Carry
May 1942, Japanese-American families being sent to internment camps. I've always wondered how they managed to still smile.
And yet a current presidential candidate wants to REPEAT that dark era in history!
posted by stormyteal at 2:39 PM on September 11 [7 favorites]
May 1942, Japanese-American families being sent to internment camps. I've always wondered how they managed to still smile.
And yet a current presidential candidate wants to REPEAT that dark era in history!
posted by stormyteal at 2:39 PM on September 11 [7 favorites]
Interesting is a pretty broad word, but here a few.
"Scream" an image of one of the Little Rock Nine integrating schools in the US. Hateful white faces and bodies are turned toward and on the subject, who walks with poise and grace on her way to school.
I don't have a title for this one (Twitter, sorry), but it's a shot from the Met Gala and features the fancy people candidly, I think.
posted by Snowishberlin at 8:41 AM on September 12
"Scream" an image of one of the Little Rock Nine integrating schools in the US. Hateful white faces and bodies are turned toward and on the subject, who walks with poise and grace on her way to school.
I don't have a title for this one (Twitter, sorry), but it's a shot from the Met Gala and features the fancy people candidly, I think.
posted by Snowishberlin at 8:41 AM on September 12
Mod note: What a great Ask! It's been shared to the sidebar and Best Of blog!
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 9:57 AM on September 13 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 9:57 AM on September 13 [1 favorite]
I visited Berlin for the first time last month, and really "saw" this photo for the first time:
East German soldier Hans Schumann jumping over the border into West Berlin.
In 1961, the East German government put up the very first physical barrier between the two cities. In the photo, the 3 foot high barbed wire fence looks almost laughable.
But the photo captures the moment literally hours before the materials for the infamous Berlin Wall were arriving at this location. In other words it's truly capturing Schumann's last chance at freedom. The photo became instantly famous, turned into a Disney movie etc.
But I think what I like so much is how strangely playful it looks, almost like he's playing a kid's game. Except not funny at all, if he had tripped or otherwise faltered, he likely would have been shot.
posted by jeremias at 2:24 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
East German soldier Hans Schumann jumping over the border into West Berlin.
In 1961, the East German government put up the very first physical barrier between the two cities. In the photo, the 3 foot high barbed wire fence looks almost laughable.
But the photo captures the moment literally hours before the materials for the infamous Berlin Wall were arriving at this location. In other words it's truly capturing Schumann's last chance at freedom. The photo became instantly famous, turned into a Disney movie etc.
But I think what I like so much is how strangely playful it looks, almost like he's playing a kid's game. Except not funny at all, if he had tripped or otherwise faltered, he likely would have been shot.
posted by jeremias at 2:24 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
Neil Armstrong is usually remembered as a stoic and unflappable man. But the photo of him immediately after the first successful moonwalk is pure, giddy, teary-eyed joy.
posted by Rhaomi at 9:13 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
posted by Rhaomi at 9:13 PM on September 13 [1 favorite]
Brandi Chastain stripped down to her sports bra and screaming in triumph after scoring the winning goal in the US's first womens's World Cup championship.
Lunch Atop a Skyscraper, a 1932 shot of some of the crew building the Empire State Building taking a break.
Prime Minister Gough Whitlam pours soil into the hand of traditional land owner Vincent Lingiari - an incident from Australia in 1975, in which an Australian government official symbolically returns control of a land parcel to the Gurindji Elder Vincent Lingiari.
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, both in their 80s, are married by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom the day that the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
"Hair Like Mine" - President Obama bending over so five-year-old Jacob can touch his hair after Jacob asked if Obama had hair "like mine". ....Obama has a lot of fantastic photos of interactions with kids as well, like this one of him playing with a kid dressed like Spider Man or this one of him visiting a preschool or this one of him meeting a very young Prince George.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:38 PM on October 18 [1 favorite]
Lunch Atop a Skyscraper, a 1932 shot of some of the crew building the Empire State Building taking a break.
Prime Minister Gough Whitlam pours soil into the hand of traditional land owner Vincent Lingiari - an incident from Australia in 1975, in which an Australian government official symbolically returns control of a land parcel to the Gurindji Elder Vincent Lingiari.
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, both in their 80s, are married by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom the day that the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
"Hair Like Mine" - President Obama bending over so five-year-old Jacob can touch his hair after Jacob asked if Obama had hair "like mine". ....Obama has a lot of fantastic photos of interactions with kids as well, like this one of him playing with a kid dressed like Spider Man or this one of him visiting a preschool or this one of him meeting a very young Prince George.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:38 PM on October 18 [1 favorite]
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posted by Melismata at 12:27 PM on September 11