Photos That Capture a Changing World in 1947
The year 1947 was one of reinvention. World War II had ended just two years prior, and the world — still bearing the weight of loss and devastation — was eager to usher in an era of hope and forward thinking. In cities across America and Europe, new fashion styles and cultural shifts were taking root. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, aliens may or may not have crash-landed in New Mexico, and everyday life began to feel vibrant again.
These vintage photos of 1947 capture the highs and lows of a year in motion.
1. ‘Dot Robinson, Founder of the Motor Maids of America, and Her Daughter Betty, at a Motorcycle Rally in Laconia, N.H.’
2. Jackie Robinson Breaks Baseball’s Color Barrier, Making His Major League Debut With the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947
3. Protesters In Germany Hold Up Signs That Read ‘We Want Coal, We Want Bread’ During the ‘Hunger Winter’ of 1947
4. ‘[My] Grandfather Competing in Motorcycle Trials in 1947’
5. ‘My Grandparents on Their Wedding Day in 1947’
6. A G.I. Puts His Chopstick Skills to the Test While Stationed in Japan
7. A Snowy Winter in Times Square
8. Three Marines Walk Into Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West, Florida
9. ‘My Grandparents, Circa 1947’
10. Young Comic Book Readers in New York City
11. Police Officers Raid the Collyer Brothers’ Apartment in New York in March 1947. The Two Were Known For Their Eccentric Hoarding
12. Angela Lansbury at 22
13. Snow Day Done Right in New York City’s Central Park
14. US President Harry Truman Signs the ‘National Security Act’ Into Law on July 26, 1947
15. Workers Protest the Taft-Hartley Bill in Times Square, New York
16. ‘My Weight Lifter Great-Grandpa Holding My Grandpa Over His Head’
17. Two Men Having a Chat at the Greyhound Bus Terminal in New York
18. ‘Everyone Gets a Nickname on the South Side of Chicago’
19. Stellar Views From the Top of the Empire State Building
20. ‘My Grandfather’s High School Senior Year Photo, Class of 1947’
21. American Students Going for a Stroll in Heidelberg, Germany
22. ‘My Aunt, 22, and Her Date Having Cocktails’
23. Teenagers Dance at a Party in Tulsa, Oklahoma
24. A Turkish Lieutenant Serving the Craziest Face Card I Ever Did See
25. A Newspaper Clipping of the Roswell Army Air Field’s Claim of Capturing a ‘Flying Saucer’ in a Ranch in New Mexico
26. An Adorable Little Girl Going for a Joy Ride in Harlem, New York
27. A Woman in a Swimsuit (Risqué for the Time!) Takes a Snap on the Hood of a Vintage Jaguar
28. ‘Beach Besties, 1947’
29. A Rare ‘1947 Ford Bubble Top’ Turning Heads in California
30. Out of Office, Gone Sledding!
31. Men Holding Onto Their Hates on a Windy Day in Philadelphia
32. Colorized Image of J. Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein
33. ‘Easter Sunday in Harlem, New York’
34. Three Besties Pose for a Snap in the Bronx, New York
Want more ’40s content?
- 33 Early 1940s Photos That’ll Make You Feel Like You’ve Stepped Back in Time — These vintage pictures offer a glimpse into the early years of the 1940s.
- 35 Candid Photos That Capture Real Life in the 1940s — Discover snapshots that perfectly capture the push and pull of the decade, taking us back to a time that teemed with uncertainty and promise all at the same time.
- 31 Vintage Photos From the Late ’40s — This was television’s dawn, the baby boom’s rise, and the promise of the future holding strong — all of which can be seen in the following 1940s photos.