26. Final Portrait of a Conspirator
Lewis Payne was a co-conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. This photograph is a rare glimpse at the man before his execution in 1865. You may not have known this, but the plan was to also assassinate the Vice President, General Grant and William H. Seward in an attempt to completely cripple the government.
25. Escobar Site Seeing
During a trip to D.C. in the 1980’s, Pablo Escobar took his son to the White House for a photo op. Who knew the drug king would be so risky?
24. Under Construction
While many have seen photos of the Statue of Liberty being put together, there have been few photos of her construction in Paris, France. What an amazing inside look at her creation!
23. Pyramid In The Middle Of Nowhere
One of the strangest structures on the planet, the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, is a site any military or history buff should visit. Situated in North Dakota, the military compound was America’s line of defense against any missile threat to it’s ICBM launchers. In 2012, it was purchased at auction for $530,000 by a private party. It’s not the Egyptian pyramid, but it’s definitely got a better chance at surviving a nuclear war.
22. Worlds Collide
Helen Keller met quite a few famous individuals throughout her life; however, this rare moment shows her first meeting with actor Charlie Chaplin. Who knew this even happened?
21. The Tank Man
Known as the “Tank Man” during the Chinese protests of military suppression at Tiananmen Square in 1989, this unidentified rebel stood in front of a line of tanks, refusing to let them pass. This photo offers a rare angle from behind the man.
20. Beauty in Death
Taken in 1947, this photo shows Evelyn Francis McHale only moments after she jumped to her death from the 86th-floor Observation Deck of the Empire State Building. It was taken by a photography student, Robert Wiles and would become an iconic image in history.
19. Rare Glimpse
After the Titanic sank there were hundreds of people left to freeze in lifeboats. They were eventually rescued by the Carpathia, as depicted in this rare photograph of the morning after the sinking.
18. Before the Taliban
Before the Taliban, Afghan women were free to enter public places and were not forced to wear traditional garb. They were also encouraged to pursue higher education and find professional work. Sadly, this is in stark contrast to today’s Afghanistan.
17. Mona Lisa Returns
Prior to the outbreak of World War II, France chose to remove its most valuable artwork out of the country. This rare photo catches the Mona Lisa’s return back to her home at the Louvre in Paris.
16. The Laughing Death
This Russian spy chose to chuckle moments before he was executed in Finland. We’re guessing if you knew you were going to die regardless, laughing would sort of make such a grim situation better.
15. Moon Picture
A photo within a photo, you’ll find this family picture on the moon’s surface. It was left by astronaut Charles Duke during his lunar landing. Pretty cool!
14. Kennedy at Canaveral
This photo shows President John F. Kennedy during his tour of Cape Canaveral a few years before the first moon landing. Taken at the Missile Text Annex in 1962, this photograph offers an inside glimpse at Kennedy’s everyday work.
13. The Young Duchess
A rare glimpse of the young Duchess Anastasia smoking a cigarette with her father. We’re sure this would be frowned upon today, but at least she got in a few good kicks before her unfortunate demise.
12. Mockery of a Mad Man
After the end of World War II and Adolf Hitler’s fall, allied forces gathered to mock the once feared leader. This rare photo shows the mockery of one of the most hated men in history.
11. Saigon Evacuation
The desperation on display in this rare photograph is heartwrenching. Taken during the final evacuation of Saigon in 1975, here an American man punches a Vietnamese man to secure his place on one of the last helicopters out of the city.
10. Album Outtake
This super rare photo is one of the outtakes from The Beatles photo shoot for their Abbey Road album. We can understand why this one wasn’t chosen.
9. Atomic Bomb Testing
During the 1950’s the effects of atomic bombs were tested in the New Mexican desert. Life-sized mannequins were placed in various scenarios indoors and outdoors. As you can see…some didn’t fair too well.
8. The Queen in Service
You may not have known this, but Queen Elizabeth served in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II as a truck driver. Here she is posing in front of her vehicle. Pretty cool, right?
7. Bin Laden Family Trip
It’s hard to imagine Osama Bin Laden as anything but a vicious murderer and terrorist, but this photograph gives us a glimpse of his younger days. This photo was taken during a family vacation in the 1970’s. Bin Laden is second from the right in green.
6. Woodstock 1969
This rare glimpse at the first Woodstock Festival in 1969 is definitely a sight to behold. We guess you could say the music festival brought in quite the crowd.
5. Amazing Strength
Dorothy Counts was the first black girl to attend an all-white school in the United States. This photo was taken in 1957 and shows her strong resolve as she’s taunted by her white male peers at Harry Harding High School.
4. Sweet Innocence
This adorable photo shows the pure joy of a little boy receiving new shoes during World War II. It’s amazing what we take for granted, right?
3. Liberation
A rare photo of Jewish prisoners being liberated from a death train in 1945. The joy and relief on their faces after being spared from a grisly end is almost too much to bear.
2. Alone in the Crowd
Talk about standing up for what you believe in. This photo captured one man refusing to do the Nazi salute in 1936. What a way to stand by your convictions.
1. Onward to the Finish
Katrine Switzer was the first woman to finish the Boston Marathon in 1967, but it wasn’t without resistance. This photo reveals the race organizers attempting to stop her from crossing the finish line.