Iconic Photos From Each Decade of the 20th Century
In the mid-1820s, French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce stood at an upstairs window of his estate in Saint-Loup-de-Varennes in Burgundy, France. In his hand he held a primitive camera. After at least eight hours of exposure, Niépce created the world’s first — or at least oldest surviving — photograph, known as “View From the Window at Le Gras.” In that moment, an entirely new medium was born.
Photography rapidly went from one first to another. In 1838, Louis Daguerre, inventor of the daguerreotype, shot the first photo to include people. In 1840, English scientist John W. Draper took the first photo of the moon. And in 1861, Scottish mathematical physicist James Clerk Maxwell produced the earliest color photograph. Advances continued apace, until another landmark — the first cellphone photo, in 1997 — launched an era in which cameras became ubiquitous, and the age of the selfie was born.
Throughout the 20th century, photographers captured images that ran the gamut of human experience. Here are some of the most iconic photos from each decade of the last century, from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to the far-flung reaches of the universe.
“First Flight,” 1903
On the morning of December 17, 1903, on the sand dunes 4 miles south of the fishing village of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, one of the most pivotal moments in human history was captured on camera. Once developed, the photo showed the moment that aviation pioneer Orville Wright took to the air in the world’s first successful airplane.
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The Breaker Boys Photo, 1911
In 1908, the U.S. National Child Labor Committee hired sociologist and photographer Lewis Hine to photograph children at work in mills, mines, and factories. His photos of the “breaker boys” — children usually between the ages of 8 and 12 who worked in coal mines — helped build public support for legislation barring child labor.
“Le Violon d'Ingres,” 1924
“Le Violon d'Ingres” is a black-and-white photograph created by the American visual artist Man Ray. It features the model Kiki de Montparnasse, with two f-holes painted on her back to make her body resemble a violin. One of the most iconic images of the surrealist movement, it set a record in 2022 when it sold for $12.4 million, becoming the most expensive photo of all time.
“Lunch Atop a Skyscraper,” 1932
The 1930s were a decade of many iconic photos, from the Hindenburg zeppelin bursting into flames to a classic photo purporting to show the Loch Ness monster. Arguably the most famous, however, was a black-and-white portrait of 11 ironworkers eating lunch while sitting precariously on a steel beam 850 feet in the air, taken during the construction of Rockefeller Center in New York City.
“Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima,” 1945
World War II heralded a new era of war photography, much of it more intimate and at times more harrowing than anything previously seen. One of the most recognizable images was taken by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press on February 23, 1945. It shows six United States Marines raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Three of the Marines were killed in action during the battle, but their image remains a timeless portrayal of troops at war.
“The Scream Image,” 1957
In 1957, photographer Will Counts took a series of photos during the Central High School desegregation crisis in Little Rock, Arkansas. One of his photos, sometimes known as “The Scream Image,” shows Black student Elizabeth Eckford being harassed by white students in front of the school. Instantly iconic, the image became a key symbol of the Civil Rights Movement.
“Earthrise,” 1968
On Christmas Eve in 1968, the crew of Apollo 8 saw a spectacular sight as they orbited the moon: the Earth appearing above the lunar horizon. Astronaut Bill Anders took a photo, which became known as “Earthrise.” Not only was it the first color photograph of Earth taken from space, but it also inspired a generation to think more seriously about our planet. The image is now widely credited with advancing the global environmental movement.
Nixon Gives the “V” Sign, 1974
The 1970s were characterized by political upheaval on a global scale, with frequent coups, domestic conflicts, and civil wars. In the U.S., the decade was marked by the Vietnam War, President Richard Nixon’s term, and the Watergate scandal. This iconic image shows Nixon waving goodbye from the steps of his helicopter as he leaves the White House after his farewell address on August 9, 1974.
“Tank Man,” 1989
From a sixth-floor balcony of the Beijing Hotel, Jeff Widener of the Associated Press took one of the most recognizable photos of all time. Below him, in Tiananmen Square, a lone man bravely stood in front of a column of tanks, repeatedly changing his position in order to obstruct their attempted advance. Widener’s photo is a classic image of resistance, though the lone protester has never been identified.
“Pillars of Creation,” 1995
Photography is literally light-years ahead of where it was when Joseph Nicéphore Niépce took the first photo in history from his upstairs window. “The Pillars of Creation” — arguably the Hubble Space Telescope’s most iconic image — shows a section of the Eagle Nebula star cluster located some 7,000 light-years from Earth. It features three huge, fingerlike columns formed of interstellar gas and dust, where the process of creating new stars takes place, all captured in a truly awe-inspiring photograph.
