A Glimpse Into 1936: 33 Photos That Bring History to Life
In 1936, the Nazis were pushing ahead to consolidate power, while in America, people were struggling to rebuild their lives amid the lasting scars of the Great Depression. These rare snapshots capture life as it was: The glamour of early Hollywood, the perseverance of working class families, and the growing fear of a world inching toward yet another world war.
From the controversial Berlin Olympics to the devastating Dust Bowl storms sweeping through the Midwest, here are 33 vintage photos that capture a world teetering on the edge of change.
1. A Man Refuses To Do the Nazi Salute in a Sea of Nazis. Be That Guy
2. Jesse Owens Breaks the World Record in the 200-Meter Dash at the Berlin Olympics, Shattering Hitler’s Belief of Aryan Supremacy
3. ‘My Grandma Looking Majestic in Iran, Circa 1936’
4. Protesters in London Rally Against Oswald Mosley’s Fascist Take Over With Signs Reading ‘They Shall Not Pass’
5. People Strolling Through Times Square, New York City
6. Construction of the Hindenburg Airship in Friedrichshafen, Germany
7. Rowers From the University of Washington Training for the Berlin Olympics in Seattle
8. ‘Cutest Picture of My Grandma That I’ve Ever Seen, 1936.’ Agreed
9. Dust Bowl Migrants en Route to California in Search of Work Opportunities, February 1936
10. ‘Marina Ginestà, a 17-Year-Old Anti-Fascist Volunteer, Overlooks Barcelona During the Spanish Civil War, 1936’
11. Jesse Owens Salutes the American Flag After Winning Gold at the Olympic Games in Nazi Germany
12. ‘My Grandma at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, 1936’
13. A Mother and Her Two Children Pictured at a Migrant Camp for Dust Bowl Refugees in Sacramento, California
14. A Young Lucille Ball Looking Glamorous in a Studio Portrait
15. Colorized Image of Friends on a Joyride Along the Atlantic City Boardwalk, July 4, 1936
16. A Window Washer Flashes a Smile While Working on the Empire State Building in New York
17. Romance in the Air: ‘My Great Grandparents on Their Honeymoon’
18. Jesse Owens Runs Practice Drills Aboard the SS Manhattan on the Way to the Olympic Games in Berlin
19. Shoppers Gather Outside a Grocery Store in the Bronx, New York
20. Spanish Artist Salvador Dalí Pictured in His Signature Fur Coat
21. Vending Machines Done Right: A Man Selects a Slice of Pie From a Horn & Hardart Automat in New York City
22. Step Aside, Fast & Furious: ‘Chariot Racing in Sydney, Australia’
23. Children in Texas Head to School With Face Coverings to Prevent ‘Sand Pneumonia’ Caused By the Dust Bowl
24. Colorized Image of Spectators Watching as the Central Railroad’s Streamlined Mercury Train Pulls Up in New York
25. ’21-Year-Old Sarla Thukral, the First Woman in India to Pilot a Plane’
26. A Migrant Farm Family From Oklahoma Poses Outside Their Tent After Moving to California
27. People Watching TV for the First Time at Waterloo Station in London
28. Office Workers Ride a Paternoster Elevator, an Early Continuously-Moving Lift, in Stockholm, Sweden
29. A Young John F. Kennedy Holding a Snake in Palm Beach, Florida
30. The Carter Family Stands in Order of Height for a Portrait in Toronto, Canada
31. Nurse Anna Green and Dr. G.E. Harley Have Their Mugshots Taken After Being Arrested for Running an Abortion Clinic in New Jersey
32. Street Scene Outside Local Shops and Barbers in Mississippi
33. Car Parking Elevator Pictured in Chicago
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 and charm of the 1930s.
- 15 Haunting Photos of the 1930s Dust Bowl — The Dust Bowl remains a somber reminder of how badly humans can damage nature — and the price they pay in doing so.
- 33 Photos That Show Life in the Early 1930s — These vintage photos capture an era caught between hard times and a more hopeful future.