Rare Photos From The History Books You Have to See to Believe
4. Superstar in the Backseat
Photographer Sam Shaw is well-known for his series of photos of Marilyn Monroe, and he had an uncanny ability to capture her off-guard, allowing us a glimpse at the woman beneath the stardust and glare of fame. Because of their close relationship, Shaw was able to capture Monroe at her most relaxed and human, and this shot – which shows the megastar cruising with husband Arthur Miller in their shiny Ford Thunderbird – shows Marilyn’s rarely seen playful and genuine side.
When Newsweek published a series of candid shots of Marilyn in 2014, the scrapbook they were taken from featured a love note written by Marilyn for Sam Shaw, which could explain that dazzling yet elusive smile.
5. Before Abbey Road
August the 9th, 1969 saw the Beatles – at that point the biggest band in the world bar none – gathering outside of the famous Abbey Road studios, preparing to be photographed for the most iconic album cover of all time. Paul’s wife, Linda, snapped some shots of the Fab Four just before they strode across the street.
The final and more famous photograph was taken by Iain McMillan (the street was blocked by police, and the shot had to be taken five times), but this special photograph gives us a peek at what happened just before the magic was made.
6. A Different Point of View
A lone Native American stands over a winding creek in 1868, surveying the newly completed Transcontinental Railroad in Nebraska. Little did he or his fellow tribespeople know that this project would slice its way through their homeland, and interrupt their ancestral hunting grounds.
The native peoples had handed over the rights to their land some years earlier… but the construction of this railroad proved devastating to their whole ecosystem. The bison population the Navajo depended on for food and clothing was decimated, and this early photo somehow captures that sense of despair.
7. Earliest Example of Duck Face?
We often think of Victorians as being people who were obsessed with etiquette and manners, and pretty dour as a result. However, the reality was – of course – that people in the 19th century enjoyed a giggle as much as we do today, and posing for the camera didn’t necessarily result in straight faces 100% of the time.
This woman shows us a rare example of someone having fun in front of the camera in the 19th century, and perhaps gives us the first ever example of the pervasive selfie ‘duck face’ we see today everywhere on social media!