November 1912. Providence, Rhode Island. "Privies and clothesline, 70 Borden Street. For child welfare exhibit." View full size. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine.

1861. "A pro-Union patriotic print based on Frederic Edwin Church's oil painting 'Our Banner in the Sky,' which in turn was inspired by the highly publicized Confederate insult to the flag at Fort Sumter in April 1861 and by a sermon by Henry Ward Beecher published shortly thereafter. The print shows a lone Zouave sentry watching from a promontory as the dawn breaks, his rifle and bayonet forming the staff of an American flag formed by the sky's light. In the distance is a fort, probably Sumter." Lithograph by Sarony, Major & Knapp. View full size.

July 4, 1973. My niece and nephews with sparklers. View full size.

July 1938. Ashville, Ohio. "Wrestling matches at the Fourth of July celebration." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Ben Shahn for the FSA.

Mom on her wedding day, January 1954. Kodachrome slide. View full size.

An appliance store at night. Christmas 1931. View full size.

1958. My dog Missie catches the eye of a passing cheerleader at Redwood High School in Larkspur, California, the year it opened. Notable alumni in addition to your humble correspondent (Class of '64) include Robin Williams and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. My brother's Ektachrome slide. View full size.

May 1910. St. Louis, Missouri. "Boy named Gurley. An eight year old newsie. 18th & Washington Streets." View full size. Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine.

November 1942. "American Smelting and Refining. Garfield, Utah." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Andreas Feininger for the OWI. View full size.

My brother and me, blissfully unaware of what our hair would be like 25 years later. On a 1949 visit to our grandparents in Calpella, Calif. On the right, there's the family Hudson when it was still new. From a 120 roll film negative shot by my sister. View full size.

The three boys at Lincoln State Park in Southern Indiana. Kodachrome slide. View full size.

Ruth St. Denis and husband Ted Shawn, of the Denishawn dance company, strike a pose circa 1920. View full size. George Grantham Bain Collection.

All five kids plus Tippy the wonder dog in Rochester, Indiana. Kodachrome slide. View full size.

May 1864. "Virginia. Pontoon bridge across the North Anna River below Taylor's Bridge." Wet plate glass negative by Timothy O'Sullivan. View full size.

1962. It seems that parking places in Carmel, California were not designed with 1960 Cadillacs in mind. Lethal-looking enough to be giving my brother, mother and father second thoughts about jaywalking. 35mm Perutz slide. View full size.