32 Striking Photos Showing Life in 1931
In 1931, the Great Depression had tightened its grip across much of the world as economies faltered and jobs grew scarcer by the day. Heck, some even woke up to find their life savings had vanished overnight. But even amid the hardships, everyday folks still managed to find pockets of joy in jazz music, family gatherings, and small daily rituals. It was a good year for developers, too, as cities grew taller thanks to modern architecture and new skylines began to take shape.
From kids selling lemonade in the streets to couples dancing the night away, here are more than 30 vintage photos that capture the ups and downs of a monumental year.
1. A Woman Test-Drives an Experimental Dynasphere
2. ‘My Great-Grandparents on Their Wedding Day, 1931’
3. Albert Einstein Poses for a Snap With Hopi Tribe Members While Visiting the Grand Canyon
4. A Young Girl Dries Her Kittens After a Bath By Hanging Them in Stockings on a Clothesline
5. A Couple Dances the Lindy Hop at a Club in New York
6. ‘Boris Karloff Taking a Break While Filming ‘Frankenstein’
7. Hundreds of Planes Fill the Sky Over Manhattan During a Military Flyover
8. Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin Attend the Premiere of ‘City Lights’ in Los Angeles
9. A Woman Collapses Into Her Partner’s Arms From Exhaustion During a Dance Marathon in Chicago
10. ‘I’ll Just Have One Glass, I Promise’: A Man Enjoys a Solo Dinner at a Restaurant in Germany
11. A Little Explorer on the Hunt for Butterflies
12. A Young Boy Sells Lemonade to Locals in Berlin, Germany
13. Graduates Pose for a Class Photo at the University of Michigan
14. A Driver Stands Next to a ‘1931 Bugatti Type 41 Royale’
15. View From the Top on the Opening Day of the Empire State Building in New York City, May 1, 1931
16. ‘Jesse Scott, Wallace Beery, and Jackie Cooper on the Set of ‘The Champ,’ 1931′
17. Architects Dress Up as the Buildings They Designed for the Beaux-Arts Ball in New York City, January 23, 1931
18. ‘My Great-Grandparents and All Their Children’
19. The Very First Christmas Tree To Go Up at Rockefeller Center
20. ‘My Grandfather’s High School Graduation Photo, 1931’
21. Elsie Connor From Ireland Raises Her Fists in Triumph After Winning a Boxing Championship
22. ‘Charlie Chaplin Meets Mahatma Gandhi in London, 1931’
23. Kids Show Off Their Best Balancing Act on a Hot Summer Day
24. A Zeppelin Flies Over the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt as Spectators Look on
25. A Young Lady Poses Next to Her Family’s Car
26. Christmas Day in Manhattan, 1931: Hundreds Wait in Line for a Loaf of Bread as the Great Depression Sweeps Through New York
27. ‘Four Generations of Women in an Iowa Family, 1931’
28. A Welsh Miner’s Wife Helps Him Wash Up After a Long Day
29. A Family Poses for a Snap in New Zealand’s West Coast Region
30. ‘Young Riders Refuel During a Children’s Sidecar Race in Berlin, Germany, 1931’
31. Colorized Image of a Soup Kitchen Line Snaking Around the Block for Unemployed Americans During the Great Depression
32. ‘A Crowd Gathers To Watch Mickey Mouse on a Small Screen on a London Street, 1931’
More 1930s content:
- 32 Powerful Photos of Life in the 1930s — From steelworkers perched on skyscrapers to grocers just trying to make an honest living, these images capture the grit, charm, and resilience of the 1930s.
- 15 Haunting Photos of the 1930s Dust Bowl — Though the government eventually stepped in with programs to restore the soil, the Dust Bowl remains a somber reminder of how badly humans can damage nature.
- A Glimpse Into 1936: 33 Photos That Bring History to Life — Discover 33 vintage photos that capture a world teetering on the edge of change.