The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home, a place where memories are made and cherished. But have you ever wondered what life in the kitchen looked like?

Step back in time with us as we explore vintage photos from the 1940s – 1960s, offering a glimpse into household cooking, baking and activities from a bygone era.

Note: I started a series of images a while back that focused in on LOCATION as the main focal point of the photo. The blog posts were Vintage Photo Tuesday: “Front of House” & “Front of Car“. Today we are going to add to this fun series with, “In the Kitchen”1940s-1960s photos.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Note: If the item you clicked on is no longer available, just do a search for like items. There are loads of vintage items being added to Etsy and eBay daily!

Vintage Photos of Life In The Kitchen

1940s-1960s

1940s photo of a suprised woman reading a magazine in her kitchen / dining room. Cute 1940s Housedress!

Surprised Housewife Caught Reading A Magazine in The Kitchen! Vintage Photo from the 1940s.

Source: Etsy

Homemade Pie is the best! I just love it! Way more then cake. So when I saw this 1940s picture of a Black woman with her baking creation, I just had to add it because I’m now craving pie Ha Ha!

1940s photo of a Black woman baking a pie in her kitchen

Source: Etsy

Vintage photo in the 1960s of a Mother & her Baby Girl in Mid Century Modern Kitchen. Cute dresses!

vintage photo 1960s Mother Baby Girl in Mid Century Modern Kitchen

Source: Etsy

Congrats on your new fridge, mom to be! 1950s snapshot of a woman posing with her new fridge, several months pregnant.

1950s Vintage Photo Pregnant Woman Posing in Front of New Refrigerator 1950's

Source: Etsy

2 ladies sharing a meal and a drink together at the chrome kitchen table circa 1950s.

Source: Etsy

Time for a Coke break. Late 1950s / 1960s photo of a young Black woman taking a drink break at her kitchen table.

Source: b.vikki vintage

1950s vintage photo of a woman at her kitchen table reading a book with a few front sections of her hair in curlers.

1950s vintage photo of a woman at her kitchen table reading a book with a piece of her hair in curlers

Source: Etsy

1950s Photo (I believe) of a Grandmother taking a turkey out of the oven in her classic kitchen that features green depression era tiles.

Source: Etsy

Fun in the kitchen with mom-1950s vintage photo of a litle boy with his mom possibly washing hands (maybe helping with dishes).

Source: Etsy

Actress Lena Horne at a gas stove in this 1940s photography. She was promoting fuel conservation during WW2.

Actress Lena Horne at a gas stove in this 1940s photography. She was promoting fuel conservation during World War 2.

Source: Art.com

I hope you enjoyed this collection of vintage photos in the kitchen. It’s not a place I like to be in but I sure do enjoy seeing what they used to look like back in the day.

Have a great day friends and stay safe!

FURTHER READING: Check out my archive of ‘Vintage Home Decor’ Posts HERE.

Liz

February 1st was the start of Black History Month, so for today’s ‘Vintage Photo Tuesday‘ (collection of vintage images blog posts), I wanted to reshare a collection of the fantastastic photos I have of Black Women and Men that I have posted on my blog over the years (just in case you have missed them).

So please join me in celebrating Black beauty and style!

1940s Vintage Photo of a young Black woman and young Black Man being crowned King and Queen of Prom

First up, I cannot possibly start this post without bringing to your attention “Vintage Black Glamour” & Style herself, Nichelle Gainer. What started as a Tumblr Blog (which I was super obsessed over) is now beautiful coffee table book you can have in your home. The Vintage Black Glamour Book is packed with rarely seen photographs of Black actors, models, writers and entertainers of the early part of the 20th century, many of whom have been sorely neglected—until now.

It’s stunning and a must have for any lover of vintage photography.

Now to my blog…. vintage Black style does not just mean pearls and fancy cars. It is everything from going to work as a jazz singer in Toronto, to putting on your overalls and heading to the factory to do War work during WW2. Everyone did it all with their own style.

I also know that I have not even come close to sharing the amount of images of Black Women & Men on my blog that I should and last year I started working towards changing that. The job continues and today’s post is a roundup of what has come before.

Let’s take a look friends!

Vintage Photos of Stylish Black Women & Black Men

In the 1940’s & 1950’s

This is one of my most favourite photos! Thelma Porter, Miss Subways New York City, 1948. Thelma was the first Black woman to integrate a beauty contest in America and became the first African American Miss Subways in April, 1948 (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1940s Vintage Image of Thelma Porter, Miss Subways New York City, 1948. Thelma was the first Black woman to integrate a beauty contest in America and became the first African American Miss Subways in April, 1948 — Source: Pinterest

I love dancing the Lindy Hop and any vintage photos of those who originated the dance (yes the Lindy Hop is a Black dance), just makes me so happy to see! Here is a super one of Leon James and Willa Mae Ricker demonstrating the Lindy Hop in Life Magazine, August 23rd 1943 (Vintage Inn Blog Post). FUN!

1930s / 1940s vintage photo of Black swing dancers, Leon James and Willa Mae Ricker demonstrating the Lindy Hop — Source: Pinterest

I have a mini series on my blog that is very popular with my readers: “Women of the Big Band Era Everyone Should know Part 1 & Part 2“. Here is Mary Lou Williams–The First Lady of Jazz, featured in my PART 2 post.

1940s vintage photo of Mary Lou Williams-The First Lady of Jazz

1939 photo by Charles “Teenie” Harris. Group portrait of ten Black women, including several wearing saddle shoes, gathered on steps of brick building (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

Love is in the air! 1950s couple kissing in a tropical themed photo booth. How romantic! (Vintage Inn Blog Post)

1950s vintage photo of a Black man and a Black woman sharing a kiss in a Photobooth in 1950s fashions.

A pretty coed on campus at Howard University wearing cat eye glasses in 1946 (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1940s vintage photo of A pretty Black woman on campus at Howard University wearing cat eye glasses in 1946

Two Black women, including Velma Pratt Bell, holding handbag and fur in stylish skirt suits, standing in Schenley High School for Beauty Shop Owners’ Fashion Revue, circa 1945. Photo by Teenie Harris (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1940s Vintage photo of wo Black women, including Velma Pratt Bell, holding handbag and fur in stylish skirt suits, standing in Schenley High School for Beauty Shop Owners’ Fashion Revue, circa 1945. Photo by Teenie Harris

Take me dancing! Late 1940s, early 1950s party (I think at a bar). Looks like everyone is having a super time (Vintage Inn Blog Post)!

Late 1940s, early 1950s dance party featuring a group of stylish Black men and women.

1940s Jazz musicians of Toronto. Betty Willis (vocals) and Frank Wright (vibraphone), two early stars of the Toronto jazz scene in the 1940s and ’50s (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1940s Photo of a young Black woman working on a machine in a factory. According to the Library of Congress, “Plant foremen point to 20-year-old Annie Tabor as one of their best lathe operators, despite her lack of previous industrial experience.” (Vintage Inn Blog Post)

Women’s Tennis Class in college circa 1940s (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1940s vintage photo of Black women in Tennis Class in college

I am a sucker for a good vintage yearbook and I have blogged so many times before using images from various online resources I have found. This is a favourite image of mine because the ladies of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority are so stylish! Every single one!

The image is from a 1957 The Pirate’s Log Yearbook from Elizabeth State University (Vintage Inn Blog Post).

1950s Vintage photo of Black Sorority Sisters - Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in 1957. They are all wearing beautiful 1950s dresses.

1950s vintage photo of 4 beautiful women in their 1950s summer fashions (Vintage Inn Blog Post). Yooza! Such style!

1950s vintage photo of 4 beautiful black women in 1950s summer fashions

I hope you enjoyed these fantastic vintage photos from my blog posts gone by. I know I enjoyed going back and looking up what I have posted over the years.

Share your favourite photos in the comment section below.

Take care and stay safe friends!

Further Reading:

Liz

Tag: vintage photos