People Are Sharing Historical Pictures Of Everyday Life In This Dedicated Online Group (50 Pics)

Looking at old pictures can be fascinating: people dressed in what could be considered the latestfashion trends(grandpa’s pants are soooo back in style), homes and surroundings that could only be seen on movie sets nowadays, and so much more all frozen in time for us to marvel at.

Upon scrolling down you will also findBored Panda’sinterview with an assistant professor of history at the Department of History, Philosophy, and Geography at Columbus State University,Dr. Laura June Davis, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions on the charm and significance of old pictures.

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A Young Black Man, In An Act Of Resistance To South Africa’s Apartheid Policies, Rides A Bus Restricted To Whites Only, In Durban, South Africa, 1980s

Three Best Friends From Nebraska Circa 1910

My Father & Grandparents, Louisiana, 1965

Browsing through old photo albums entails more than just looking at pretty pictures. They all tell a story—be it one of an extended family or many that somehow ended up in the same bunch—and it’s the person with said album in their hands that gets to unravel it.

And if you’re at all curious about what life was like back in the day, you ought to love the ‘The Way We Were’ subreddit, which, in their own words, covers “What normal everyday life was like for people living 50, 100, or more years ago”.

Tuskegee Airmen Getting Briefed Before A Mission. 1945

Flora And Sikes, 1905 - On The Back It Said “Love’s Old Sweet Song”

For people whose job it is to delve deeper into the stories of the past, pictures have immeasurable value. “Photographs are an invaluable primary source resource for historians as they provide a window into the past,” Dr. Laura June Davis pointed out in an interview withBored Panda. “They might capture a specific event, reveal the clothing, culture, or values of the time, or put a face to a long-forgotten name. Sometimes, photographs are the only historical evidence we have of a person.”

A Black Man And A White Woman Embracing On A New York Subway - A Controversial Image For It’s Time. Late 1960s. (Image - Ernest Cole)

My Mom, An Engineer, In Her Office, One Month Before I Was Born. 1967, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Three Young Girls And A Dog Pose For The Camera. 1930

“For many key moments in our nation’s past, it was the photographic evidence that not only captured the event but helped give it meaning,” Dr. Davis continued, discussing the value of old pictures. “Photography was relatively new during the Civil War but photographers like Mathew Brady captured the carnage of the conflict and made Americans (from both sides) comprehend the human costs of war.

My Grandparents On Their Wedding Day. March 1969, West Sumatera, Indonesia

My Sister And Me 1963. The Photographer Told Us To Not Smile Which Made Us Giggle

My Grandparents' Wedding, 100 Years Ago Today

Some historical pictures are so significant, they can even be recalled in the memories of people millions of miles away from where—or decades of years later from when—they were taken.Take the picture of construction workers having lunch on an unfinished skyscraper in New York, for instance; chances are you already have the image of eleven men hanging above the city in your head – an iconic picture taken back in 1932, known under the title “Lunch atop a Skyscraper”.

Some historical pictures are so significant, they can even be recalled in the memories of people millions of miles away from where—or decades of years later from when—they were taken.

Take the picture of construction workers having lunch on an unfinished skyscraper in New York, for instance; chances are you already have the image of eleven men hanging above the city in your head – an iconic picture taken back in 1932, known under the title “Lunch atop a Skyscraper”.

Mad Magazine Artists Al Jaffee And Will Elder, In The Lunchroom At The High School For Music And Arts In New York City, 1936

Two Women Grinding An Axe, 1918

Grocery Shopping In The 1960s

“On a personal level, it’s a great way to preserve our family stories, relive key moments of a collective past, and give faces to our long-lost loved ones. It’s also a way to honor those who came before us, and remember where we came from,” she added.

Great Grandmother & Great Aunt (~1946)

I’m The Tall American With My Sri Lankan Family In 1980. Batticaloa, Sri Lanka

My Date And Me All Dressed Up For A Fancy Party, 1974

Research suggests that on a personal level, browsing old pictures can even help alleviate low levels of pain, as the nostalgia it evokes can reduce activity in areas involved in pain perception.According to Professor Huajian Cai of the Chinese Academy of Sciences responsible for carrying out the research, “As a predominantly positive emotion, nostalgia serves various adaptive functions, including a recently revealed analgesic effect,”The Mirror reports.

Research suggests that on a personal level, browsing old pictures can even help alleviate low levels of pain, as the nostalgia it evokes can reduce activity in areas involved in pain perception.

According to Professor Huajian Cai of the Chinese Academy of Sciences responsible for carrying out the research, “As a predominantly positive emotion, nostalgia serves various adaptive functions, including a recently revealed analgesic effect,”The Mirror reports.

Summertime In The 1940s

Occupants Of A Sod House In Drenthe, The Netherlands, Photographed Standing Outside In 1936

Man With Down’s Syndrome, 1890s

Whether it’s history-based research, curiosity, or a mild headache you’re trying to alleviate that encourages you to browse old pictures, we have plenty of them in store here at Bored Panda. So, when you’re done going through this list, feel free to continue to our previous editions on ‘The Way We Were’hereorhere, or check out Bored Panda’shistory categoryfor more of similar content.

Disco Sally, 78 Year Old Studio 54 Regular, 1978

A Selection Of 1890s To Early 1900s Mugshots From Nebraska

A Couple Of Victorian Travellers, 1890s

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

Swimsuits And Roller Skates, Chicago, Il, C. 1947. Photo By Wayne Miller

My Grandparents And Mom Around 1960 In Chicago

One Of America’s Youngest Newsboys (4 Years Old) Florida, 1913

This Behemoth Of A Flip Cut, 1960s

That’s A Lot Of ‘70s Going On In One Pic

Three Jolly Sisters In Failsworth, Greater Manchester, 1970s

The Wright Family, Wokingham UK - 1967 - In Their Matching Dresses When Mums Used To Make Your Clothes

Great-Grandparent’s Home Around The Late 1800s/Early 1900s. Eventually 7 Kids All Lived Here With Them

Annie Edson Taylor And Her Cat, Pose With The Barrel She Went Over Niagara Falls In, 1901

Easter 1969

The Crowd At Woodstock 1969

Wedding Portrait, Minnesota, 1911. Note The Delicate Lace On The Bride’s High-Necked Blouse

At The Age Of 16 In 1946 My Grandfather Worked In A Paper Factory, This Is His Work Badge

My Great Great Aunt Louise Hayes Née Andersen, Circa 1929

The Fort, 1965

My Terrified Dad (20) And His First Wife (19) Days After The Birth Of Their First Child (Maine, USA, 1961)

My Grandma (Still Alive At 96) And Her Dad Baling Hay On The Family Farm In Clintonville, Wi. 1940s

A Grocery Store Clerk In Tallahassee, Florida, 1962

In This Image From 1955, We See A Woman Hanging Her Laundry On The Clothes-Line In Her Backyard. When I Was Growing Up - In The 1960s And 1970s - Every Backyard On My Street Had A Clothes-Line. While Hanging Out Their Laundry, The Neighbors Would Holler To Each Other

Linda Ward (And Two Admirers) Dublin, Early ‘60s