Merry Christmas
This photo was taken in 1935 and featured Ralph Horton, Jr. and Kirk LeMoyne Billings alongside John F. Kennedy. This was not just any ordinary photo. It was a Christmas card the three portraited for, that was sent to all their families and friends. These were the days when Kenndy might have been popular within his own crowd; however, the words were still unaware of the great politician he was about to become.
Kirk LeMoyne Billings, who passed away in 1981, was a dear friend of John F. Kennedy and the entire Kennedy family. The two shared the same room in college; Billings was an usher at Kennedy’s wedding and was a dominant supporter during his campaign for president.
Christmas During the Great Depression
The great depression hovered between 1929 and 1939 and is still spoken of to this day. It left a great impact on world economics and delivered a significant lesson that still affects major economic decisions debated today. This photo is of young children eating their Christmas Dinner. The dinner included cabbage and turnips, which were the only thing accessible at that time.
A typical Christmas during the Depression was not much different than any other day. It didn't always include presents; most people visited the church, and if you were lucky, you were served chicken alongside your overcooked cabbage and turnips.
The Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary
The Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary is located on the island of Alcatraz, just right off the coast of San Francisco. It was first opened in 1934 and closed down in 1963. Here is a rare photo of the last few inmates leaving the prison on the day it was scheduled to close. This came after a successful and violent inmate escape, which led to the prison closing in June of 1962.
In its prime days, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary held the most dangerous prisoners, those who fled custody, and some of the most famous ones, such as Al Capone, Alvin Karpis, and Machine Gun Kelly.
Sweden's Shift
Up until 1967, the Swedish drivers drove like the British people, and when the drivers were given the authority to drive on the opposite side of the road, it was chaos. It was a matter of time until a disaster happened, as the shift occurred overnight, and in Sweden, September 3rd is considered H day, which stands for Högertrafikomläggningen, the Right-Hand Traffic Diversion.
The idea of driving on the right side of the road was dropped on a few occasions, and more than 80% of the Swedish population was against this decision. In 1967, Sweden realized it only made sense to adapt its roads to its fellow neighbors, and since then, they have been doing it right.
Albert Einstein
This photo was taken in 1939 in Nassau Point on Long Island, New York. Einstein is the brilliant mind behind the theory of relativity; he was the Nobel Prize winner in Physics back in 1921 and is one of the greatest contributors to science. Seeing a photo of Einstein in a pose like this, relaxed and enjoying the beach, is rare, and there are very few photos like this out there.
Albert Einstein once said that his vacation at Long Island was "One of the most restful and zestful vacations." Einstein led a relatively modest life with a daily routine of breakfast, a short walk, and then work. Whenever he was caught on holiday, it was a rare moment.