Photography began just under two centuries ago, and has developed as a documentation of the human condition. This post is my own list of 20 images I considered very powerfully moving or meaningful from the last 200 years while growing up, and not comprehensive of many more famous images. As preface, these mostly involve a US-centric lens, as I still need to learn more about images and history from other regions of the world.

Trigger warning for graphic content. For mobile readers, landscape view is recommended.

1800s

1900-1950

1950-2000

2000s

There are infinitely more images that tell messages of empathy and cruelty by humanity. I hope this visual-centric post helps us remember that what we read in the news is not always representative of what really happens in our world.

As a photo can say more than any amount of words used to describe its content, not just one thousand.

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Edit (12.19.2019) - this article by The Atlantic highlights powerful photos from the 2010s. Let’s see what the 20s bring us.