A collection of old photographs is currently circulating online, covering subjects ranging from an Inner Mongolian girl smiling alongside her camel to a rare picture of North Korea’s founder showing a visible tumor. These images are posted on the Instagram account How History Looks, which focuses on sharing vintage pictures and historical items. The set includes lesser-known stories, unusual facts, and candid moments.
The Laughing Girl of Inner Mongolia
One of the standout images is a portrait of Butedmaa, a five-year-old girl from Inner Mongolia, photographed by Han Chengli in 2003. Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region within China, separate from the independent nation of Mongolia, which was historically referred to as Outer Mongolia. The region sits along the border with modern-day Mongolia and Russia, and it is home to both Han Chinese and ethnic Mongols.
A smiling child named Butedmaa stands beside her camel in the photograph, and though the image itself is plain, it opens up a view on a place and a way of life that most Western viewers will not have encountered before.
The Titanic’s Nearest Ship
Among the items in this set is a note about the sinking of the Titanic. On April 15, 1912, the ship collided with an iceberg, and several ships were spread across the North Atlantic at varying distances from the scene. The vessel nearest to the disaster was said to be the Californian, while the Carpathia lay over 100 kilometers distant and sped through the night to rescue those who had survived.
After the Titanic sank beneath the waves, Carpathia arrived on the scene and pulled more than 700 people to safety from the lifeboats. Since then, the disaster has fueled years of argument about whether a vessel near the sinking ship might have arrived in time to make a difference in the outcome.
A Protest Clash in Brittany
A different picture captures Guy Burmieux and Jean-Yvon Antignac, two childhood friends whose lives took separate courses. On April 6, 1972, in Brittany, France, Guy was among those taking part in a demonstration aimed at better working conditions. At the same time, Jean-Yvon and other riot officers were summoned to restore order among the protesters.
Guy remembers the moment:
“I was part of the core of rebellious workers… We spent the night there, drinking coffee upon coffee. In the morning, the atmosphere was electric. After the police officers, the anti-riot police, it was the officers of the [Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité 13] which emerged suddenly. There I found Jean-Yvon!”
Jacques Gourmelen caught the scene on instinct. He witnessed Guy recognizing his former schoolmate and moving toward him, grabbing him by the collar. Guy shouted at him with fury, telling him “Go ahead and hit me while you’re at it!”. The other man did not react at all.
An Interracial Marriage in Mississippi
Among the pieces in the collection is one about Roger and Berta Mills, a couple joined in wedlock during the late 1960s, when their union crossed racial lines. Roger is white and Berta is Black. Their 11-week marriage took place in quiet fashion, with the couple residing in a small apartment whose whereabouts were kept secret from all but a handful of intimate acquaintances.
They avoid grocery stores during busy hours and use the law office where Roger works as a clerk for their mail. “We’re trying to stay under the radar to avoid as much hate mail and as many calls as possible,” Roger explains. Despite the challenges, he calls the marriage “a very, very pleasant experience.”
The state of Mississippi retained laws against interracial marriage when the couple tied the knot, even though the U.S. Supreme Court had already struck down such bans. It was not until considerable public attention and a federal court directive that the Mills were permitted to marry at Jackson’s Central United Church.
Centipedes in Vietnam
Among the items in the collection is an odd entry on giant centipedes found in Vietnam. These insects come from Southeast Asia and carry a reputation for being aggressive with a painful venomous bite. A well-known photograph from the Vietnam War era captures an American soldier holding one up, although the source points out it might have been staged. The centipede looks much bigger than its true size because of forced perspective, and these insects can overcome and eat small animals.
The Oldest American Ever
The exhibit also features a photograph of Sarah DeRemer Knauss, an American supercentenarian who became the oldest person ever from the United States on April 16, 1998. That same day, she also became the world’s oldest living person. She lived to the age of 119 years and 97 days, which makes her the third-oldest verified person ever.
A Rare Portrait of North Korea’s Founder
The last significant image in the set shows Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea, with a tumor visible on his neck. It is a rare photograph, and photographers were not allowed to capture the right side of his face. The picture comes from the late 1980s.
The Daoist Parable
The closing piece takes on a philosophical tone, drawing upon a tale from Daoist tradition. The saying in question traces back to the works of Zhuangzi, one of the most prominent Daoist thinkers of the 4th century BCE. Within the Zhuangzi, there is a well-known fable concerning a massive, gnarled tree that carpenters avoid cutting down because its timber is deemed worthless. It is precisely that quality — that very “uselessness” — which permits the tree to endure and complete its natural span of existence.
The tale serves as a metaphor for how people live their lives, per Daoist thinking. Being useful by society’s rigid standards can leave individuals more open to being exploited, controlled, or exhausted. Those who stand apart from convention, who go unnoticed, or who refuse to comply with expectations may instead be left to flourish on their own.
Key Facts Box
- Butedmaa: 5 years old, photographed by Han Chengli in 2003, Inner Mongolia
- Titanic disaster: April 15, 1912, sank April 15
- Guy Burmieux and Jean-Yvon Antignac: April 6, 1972, Brittany, France
- Roger and Berta Mills: married in the late 1960s, Jackson, Mississippi
- Sarah DeRemer Knauss: became world’s oldest living person April 16, 1998, lived 119 years and 97 days
- Kim Il Sung portrait: late 1980s
This gathering stands as proof that history is packed with remarkable tales that stay lesser-known. Every picture holds a story, and each of those stories urges the viewer to take another look at some overlooked part of the past.
See the 69 photos at Bored Panda.
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