I don't wanna insult my former textbooks, but we've all essentially seen the same one to two photos of the iconic historical figures who paved the way. But there are so many more extraordinary photos of these figures, and they add fascinating layers to their stories! So I've compiled some that genuinely made my jaw drop. Here we go:
1. It's hard to find a historical figure as legendary as Mahatma Gandhi, freedom fighter and civil rights leader. This is how you probably visualize him in your head:
But way before that, he looked like this — your average lawyer in South Africa, sitting in front of his office with his employees.
2. Here is Marilyn Monroe as we know her — the woman, the legend, the beauty herself. This photo is from 1952...
...And this one is from October 1954, the same month she filed for divorce from Joe DiMaggio, citing "mental cruelty." They were married for nine months. In this genuinely chilling photo, she's being swarmed by paparazzi, looking extremely distressed and sad. She's standing next to her attorney.
3. Everyone can recognize this picture of Mother Teresa, or at least knows what she looks like. But in case you need a reminder, here it is...
But have you ever wondered what she looked like when she was young? Check out this portrait of her at age 18, in 1928. It's hard to believe this is her:
4. Perhaps the most-famous runner of all time, Jesse Owens wasn't just an impressive athlete — he left a huge legacy and made a massive difference in racial equality...
Before Jesse went to the Olympics and won his four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, he went to Ohio State University. And during this time, following his marriage to Minnie Ruth Solomon in 1935, he worked as a gas station attendant:
5. Everyone should know who Martin Luther King Jr. is, and I'm certain you've seen photos from his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech...
But you might not have known that he was an avid pool player. In this image from 1966, he's using his "best stick," playing against Chicago civil rights leader Al Raby.
6. Frida Kahlo's face has become familiar to everyone, not just because of her striking appearance (her eyebrows are nothing short of iconic), but also because of her famous self-portraits, like this one from 1943...
Well, she looks practically unrecognizable without that iconic brow style in this photo of her as a student in 1926, when she was around 18 or 19 years old:
7. Here is a portrait of Winston Churchill as we know him, the iconic Prime Minister of the UK, who inspired millions during the World War II era...
And now time for the shocker. In this photo from 1962, he's being carried back to his house in London from the hospital. He looks much older than many of us know him, and he's still got that classic cigar in his mouth despite being ill:
8. Here is American President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served from 1933–1945. This portrait is from 1935 — 14 years after he contracted polio. He subsequently became paralyzed from the waist down...
But we never really saw his leg braces, which he wore while sitting in his wheelchair. Here's a rare photo of him where we can see it, side-by-side with the brace itself:
9. Harry Houdini has been referenced as the best illusionist in history. In case you need a reminder, here's what he looked like...
And this is him about to perform one of his big stunts in 1914. Although we can't see him in the image, he's inside the locked crate, about to be lowered deep into the New York Bay. Shudder.
10. This portrait of disability activist, teacher, and author Helen Keller is super-famous, and I'm certain you've seen it before...
And here's a photo of her in 1968 with her friend and interpreter Polly Thomson. The two of them are playing checkers. It's a pretty incredible image when you realize that Helen Keller cannot see or hear. (She'd definitely still beat me in checkers, though.)
11. I'm a massive fan of Freddie Mercury of Queen, so of course I had to include him in this list. Although he's known for countless performances, his show at Live Aid in 1985 is arguably the most iconic...
Anyone who loves him (so basically, everyone) should see this picture of Freddie from 1969, four years before Queen's debut album would come out:
12. Muhammad Ali was only 20 years old in this absolutely historic photo. He was not only the best heavyweight boxer of all time, but he was also a major activist for racial justice...
But don't just take my word for it; there are some amazing photos to prove it. This one is from 1966, and Muhammad (who we can see in the middle of the image) is leading a rally of about 1,600 people in New Jersey:
13. When you think of Beatles icon John Lennon, odds are you're imagining him with this distinct long hair, and the glasses that are still a style heavily tied to him...
So I was genuinely shocked when I saw this photo, because TBH, it looks absolutely nothing like him. This picture is from around 1948, and he was around 7–8 years old:
14. John Quincy Adams was the sixth president of the United States, and he served from 1825–1829. Of course, no presidents had ever been photographed at that point...
Until then, that is! Because this picture of John Quincy Adams from 1843 is the very first photo of a US president, EVER. This was almost 15 years after his presidential run ended. Supposedly, there were three photos from this historic occasion, but this was the only one to have survived:
15. Everyone knows Charlie Chaplin from his hat and mustache. Honestly? I could recognize this particular photo before I even knew who he was...
But many of us haven't seen what Charlie Chaplin looked like in his old age. He passed away in 1977 at 88, but this is him three years earlier, at 85. He's sitting next to his wife Oona, and they're reading a book about his life (which was actually released that year, though it's rare now):
16. Walt Disney's name speaks for itself, as does his legacy of creating one of the biggest entertainment companies of all time. This is what he looked like in 1951...
There are tons of pictures of Walt in the studio, animating and creating. But more rare are pictures like these, of him simply chilling and relaxing on his days off. In this image, he's playing ukulele on a beach while his brother video-tapes him:
17. I'm no politics whiz, but of course, everybody and their mother knows who Hillary Clinton is. Here's what she looked like in 2025...
You might not be aware, though, that Hillary graduated from Wellesley College in 1969. Here's what she looked like at that time:
18. You might recognize her best as the woman who got married eight times, or as the titular character in Cleopatra, but either way, Elizabeth Taylor was a showstopper. And speaking of Cleopatra...
Although Cleopatra was how she reconnected with costar and eventual husband Richard Burton — spawning a scandalous affair — Elizabeth was actually married to her fourth husband Eddie Fisher at the time. This image of Eddie Fisher serenading Elizabeth is from late 1961, right around the time the film's production ramped up:
19. Here is the late Queen Elizabeth II in the '70s, our regal monarch for over 70 years...
And perhaps you're already aware she joined the English Army in 1945 as an auxiliary officer, at only 18 years old. This picture gives us a rare behind-the-scenes look at that role — here, she's learning how to change a tire as part of this job:
20. Amelia Earhart is one of the best-known aviators in the world, having been the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
It was a global tragedy when she disappeared in 1937, and we're still not sure what happened. Some people theorize she ran out of fuel, and others assume she crashed onto an island. Another theory suggests that she was captured by Japanese authorities. This is what the front page of the Daily News in New York looked like after she died:
21. Another devastating celebrity tragedy was James Dean's death in 1955, when he was only 24 years old. The actor had skyrocketed to fame that year through several films, namely Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden...
But years before he became the staple "bad boy" heartthrob of the 20th century, James Dean was just an awkward, adorable teen at Fairmount High in Indiana. Bet you didn't know he was a basketball player, too! Here he is in 1948, age 17:
22. We all know Nelson Mandela not just as the former president of South Africa, but mainly as a revolutionary activist. Here is what he looked like in the '90s, as many of us remember him...
Well, I was shocked to learn Nelson Mandela was married three times. After getting divorced from his longtime wife and mother of his kids, Evelyn Mase, in 1958, he married fellow politician and activist Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. They separated in 1992. Here is one of their wedding photos:
23. Regardless of whether you're American or not, you know Ruth Bader Ginsburg (or RBG), the Supreme Court Justice who passed away in 2020. This picture shouldn't be new to you...
On the other hand, this image is a lot less popular, but it has a ton of history behind it. This photo follows RBG's confirmation hearing on July 20, 1993 — the final interview, vet, and voting process for Supreme Court nominees. After the hearing, she accepted her offer to become a Supreme Court justice, which is what's happening in this picture:
24. When you picture Albert Einstein, you probably think of him as an old scientist, like in this photo from 1933...
So this photo of him as a young boy is about to absolutely rewire your brain. He's 14 years old in this image, and it was taken around 1902:
25. Next, we all know what Audrey Hepburn looked like in the early 1950s...
And here's a photo of her in Spain from 1964. In the image, she's grocery shopping, which is honestly a super interesting sight to see:
26. George Washington, the first president of the United States, obviously predated cameras, so we only have paintings (like this one from 1795–1796) to determine what he looked like...
Except we've also got semi-disgusting but completely fascinating artifacts like these ones. Washington had horrible, decaying teeth, and his dental pain was a "source of regular suffering" in his life. So he famously had dentures, which still exist. Here are the dentures, alongside a real letter he wrote:
27. And finally: A French artist best known for his influence on modern art, including colourful drawing, painting, and collage work, Henri Matisse is certainly a name you've heard before. Here he is in his studio in the 1950s:
And if anyone's ever scolded you for doing work in bed, this is the only photo you need to show them, because even the great Henri Matisse worked on his legendary artwork from his bed:
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