History Daily with Francis Chappell Black

Nov 13, 2025

Mordecai Brown of the Chicago Cubs, 1903.

Mordecai Brown, nicknamed “Three Finger” due to a childhood farm injury, was a dominant pitcher in the early 1900s. He was a key player for the Chicago Cubs, leading their pitching staff to two World Series championships in 1907 and 1908. Brown was known for his low earned-run average and his unique pitching style, which was a direct result of his injury.

#historyofbaseball

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Women and children picking up coal from the ground at the coal yards during winter, Chicago, Illinois, 1902.

#Chicago

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Policewoman Parks of Chicago, 1900s

#ChicagoPolice

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Two of the “helpers” in the Tifton Cotton Mill, Tifton, Ga. They were employees of the Cotton Mill. 1909.

#ChildLabourUSA

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A young shoe-shiner at work in London, England during the 1890s. Colourized photograph.

#London1800s

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Members of the British Army stand outside a public house in Westminster, England, 1890s. Colourized photograph.

#England1890s

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Market Street, San Francisco, 1928.

#SanFrancisco

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Princess Marie of Orléans (Danish Princes by marriage) ridding on a bull. Marie was an untraditional princess however she was very popular with the Danish people. Denmark. 1907.

#PrincessMarieofOrléans

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Image: Camp de Châlons: The Zouave Storyteller, photographed in Châlons-en-Champagne, France, 1857 by Gustave Le Gray. A moment of camaraderie among soldiers of the Imperial Guard, captured during Napoleon III’s grand military maneuvers.

This evocative photograph was taken in 1857 at the Camp de Châlons, located near Châlons-en-Champagne, France. It was part of a commissioned series titled Souvenirs du Camp de Châlons: au Commandant Verly, documenting the life and spectacle of Napoleon III’s military encampment. The photographer Gustave Le Gray (1820–1884) was one of the most celebrated figures in early photography, renowned for his technical mastery and artistic composition.

The image shows a group of Zouaves—elite light infantry of the French Imperial Guard—gathered around a tent, listening to a storyteller. The Zouaves, initially inspired by North African troops, were known for their distinctive uniforms and spirited demeanour. Le Gray’s photograph captures not just military life, but also the human moments of leisure and storytelling that punctuated the camp’s daily rhythm.

The Camp de Châlons was established by Napoleon III in 1856 as a site for large-scale military maneuvers and displays. In 1857, it hosted over 20,000 troops, and Le Gray’s images were intended to form a prestigious album for presentation to high-ranking officers and dignitaries.

“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.” ~ George Orwell

George Orwell in 1940.

#GeorgeOrwell

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