31 Vintage Photos From the Late ’40s

Written by Rachel Schneider on June 5, 2025 updated June 10, 2025

A man presents a chart showing donut hole sizes from 1927, 1937, and 1948. Beside him, a group of young people at a party chat and eat around a table filled with snacks and drinks.

America in the late 1940s was a nation rebuilding and redirecting after the war. Soldiers had returned home, factories had shifted from tanks to toasters, and suburbia, pop culture, and global politics dramatically shifted in real time. 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.

1. Albert Einstein Teaching at Lincoln, The First Historical Black University in the U.S. (1946)

A group of young Black men in suits sit attentively in a classroom as Albert Einstein, standing by a chalkboard, teaches and gestures while speaking. The room has wooden floors and framed photos on the wall. — veggytheropoda

2. Father Passes Out Upon Seeing His Triplets for the First Time (1946)

Three nurses hold newborn babies in a hospital nursery while two men watch through a window; one man is fainting backward in surprise or excitement as others smile and laugh at the scene. — onepersononeidea

3. Stealing Kisses on the Fire Escape (1946)

A young man carries a woman down a fire escape at night. The woman looks concerned and is wearing a checkered dress, while the man appears focused, supporting her as they descend the metal stairs outside a brick building. — froggysaysno

4. Shopping on Christmas Eve (1946)

A man in a suit stands beside a young girl in a coat and hat, holding a large wooden crate on a busy city street. Several people are visible in the background, along with scaffolding and a "Danger" sign. — Hooverpaul

5. Getting a Ticket for Indecent Exposure (1946)

A police officer speaks to a woman in a swimsuit on a city sidewalk. Shops and parked cars line one side of the street, while an elevated train track runs along the other. The scene appears to be from the mid-20th century. — notbob1959

6. That’s a Strong Milkman (1947)

A man in a white shirt lifts another person over his head with one arm while holding a crate of milk bottles in the other, standing next to a vintage milk delivery truck labeled "Penn Dairy. — brentgolding

7. The Most Beautiful Curls (1947)

A young woman with curly hair, wearing a light-colored blouse and patterned skirt, smiles while sitting for a portrait in this vintage black-and-white photograph. — Minqui

8. Times Square (1947)

A jazz band plays on a horse-drawn cart in 1940s Times Square, New York City, surrounded by vintage ads for Kinsey whiskey, Pepsi-Cola, and other neon signs. — Imgur

9. Teenagers Dancing at a Party (1947)

A black-and-white photo of a 1950s party shows couples slow dancing in a wood-paneled room, while four teens sit at a table with cookies, chips, and soda, some appearing bored or deep in thought. — RyanSmith

10. A Week’s Worth of Groceries for $12.50 (1947)

A woman in a striped dress sits on a carpet next to a neatly arranged display of various food items, including canned goods, boxed products, and fresh produce. — Quick_Presentation11

11. High School Basketball (1947)

A vintage black-and-white photo of a young woman in athletic attire holding a basketball, standing in a poised position as if ready to pass or shoot. She wears shorts, a short-sleeved shirt, and sneakers. — bostess

12. Anti-Lynching Demonstration in Chicago (1947)

A young Black boy holds a protest sign reading “Negro Vets Dared Vote: They Were Lynched” among a crowd; a statue is visible in the background. The image is in black and white. — notbob1959

13. Heading to Work (1948)

A young man in a work jumpsuit walks down a city sidewalk, holding a jacket. A bicycle is parked nearby, and another man in a suit stands in the background. The image is in black and white. — MsKittenInferno

14. Size of the Donut Hole Through the Years (1948)

A man in a suit points to a chart showing the shrinking size of donut holes from 1927 to 1948, with illustrations and measurements: 1½ inches in 1927, ⅞ inch in 1937, and ⅜ inch in 1948. — chillin10101

15. Begging for Forgiveness at Divorce Court (1948)

A man in a suit kneels on the floor, holding the hand of a woman in a fur coat and hat, while another man stands behind them, observing. The scene appears to be indoors, possibly in a formal or public building. — Puzzleheaded_Dot4345

16. A Boy Watching TV for the First Time Through an Appliance Store Window (1948)

A young boy in a suit stands with hands in pockets outside a shop window at night, watching a small television displaying a woman on the screen. Streetlights and parked cars are visible in the background. — Teppa

17. Biking in Harlem (1948)

A young man with a bicycle stands in the street, looking to the side. Behind him, people gather on the sidewalk in front of a brick building with several open windows. The scene appears to be from a past era. — brothercavador

18. An 11-Year-Old With His First Car (1948)

A young boy in a jacket and trousers stands in front of an old car with a rounded hood and visible license plate, on a dirt road with bare tree branches overhead, in a black-and-white vintage photo. — godllub

19. Ringling Circus Performers (1948)

A man and woman stand inside a large, decorated box with "Merry Christmas" written on top. The man wears a festive bodysuit, and the woman wears a two-piece outfit; both are smiling and holding hands. — Sunkisthappy

20. Motorcycles on the George Washington Bridge (1948)

Three men in leather jackets sit on two motorcycles on a bridge, with vintage cars in the background. The photo is black and white and dated July 1948 on the George Washington Bridge. — TheThirteenthCone

21. Babe Ruth’s Last Appearance at Yankee Stadium (1948)

An older baseball player in a New York Yankees uniform stands on a field holding a bat, with advertisements and a crowd visible in the background. — SageOnTheMountain

22. Woman With Her New TV Set (1948)

A woman in a red dress sits beside a vintage television with large antennas in a living room decorated with floral wallpaper and furniture. — GaGator43

23. Two Boys Hold Their Breath During Their First Time On An Elevator (1948)

Two young boys wearing hats and vintage clothing stand side by side, looking up with surprised expressions. One wears overalls and a button-up shirt; the other wears a jacket and holds something in his hand. — vintageeveryday

24. Marbles Championship (1948)

A group of six boys crouch at a starting line, intently playing marbles, while a large crowd of adults watches from benches in the background on a sunny day. — vintageeveryday

25. Mother Reading to Her Child With Polio Through a Basement Window

A woman lies on her stomach on a grated vent outside a brick building, holding an open book and reading to a child visible through a basement window. — UserDeleted

26. Honeymooning in New Mexico (1949)

A woman in a gray dress poses with one foot on a yellow "Danger Curves" road sign along a rural highway, with a rocky mountain and clear blue sky in the background. — YiddishThunder

27. Inuit Girl Carrying a Husky Puppy (1949)

A young child wearing a thick, worn coat stands outdoors, looking at the camera, while a small puppy rests comfortably in the hood of the coat, peeking out beside the child’s head. — UserDeleted

28. A Family With a Car They Won at the Movies (1949)

A smiling family of four, wearing vintage clothing and hats, poses in front of a classic dark car on a leafy suburban street, with old houses and a store visible in the background. — xsolv

29. Roller Derby Girl for the New Jersey Jolters (1949)

A smiling woman with dark hair poses in roller skates, wearing a long-sleeve shirt with stripes and shorts, in front of a curtain. The photo appears vintage and is signed "Paul Vincent - Gary. — pdfleck

30. Audrey Hepburn (1949)

A young woman sits on the floor, hugging her knees. She wears a black long-sleeve leotard, fishnet tights, and ballet flats, with short curly hair and a focused expression. The background is plain and light. — rikroll666

31. Young Cowgirl Taking a Snack Break (1949)

A young girl in cowboy boots and a western shirt sits on a stool in a vintage kitchen, drinking from a cup and holding a sandwich. A cowboy hat rests nearby on the checkered floor. — notbob1959

Let’s take a look at some other vintage content

First check out The End of WWII and Beyond: 31 Vintage Photos That Show What Life Was Really Like in 1945. We also think you’ll love 18 Photos That Show How American Kitchens Have Transformed Over the Decades, 8 Hope Chests That Attract Vintage Collectors, and 12 Vintage Perfume Bottles That Are Worth Thousands.