Timeless Clips for Your New Stories
Explore historical stock videos for September events with archival footage from our vast editorial library. Discover top-quality, timely inspiration for your marketing calendars, news, or documentary projects. This month, we feature Miss America, Mao Zedong, the Kennedys, Prince Harry, and a photography breakthrough.
First Miss America Pageant
September 7, 1921
This cultural phenomenon began as the ‘Inter-city Beauty Contest,’ a brainchild of Atlantic City businessmen to keep tourists visiting past Labor Day. It turned out that seeing America’s ideal woman was hard to pass up.
When 16-year-old Margaret Gorman, Miss Washington, DC, was crowned the winner, the American Federation of Labor president declared, “She represents the type of womanhood America needs – strong, red-blooded, able to shoulder the responsibilities of homemaking and motherhood. It is in her type that the hope of the country rests.”
A year later, Gorman’s title became Miss America as the event took on the name we know today. See its evolution in our curated Miss America collection.
1936 – Rose Coyle Of Philadelphia Is Crowned Miss America. Video by RetrofootageExclusives.
Mao Zedong Dies
September 9, 1976
This iconic figure was instrumental in establishing the Chinese Communist Party and later the People’s Republic of China. He is also remembered for the infamous Cultural Revolution, during which he closed schools and encouraged the Red Guards, a group of young supporters, to identify individuals considered “impure” for harboring capitalist or traditional sentiments. Many peers, teachers, and even parents lost their lives.
In his later years, Mao pursued more diplomatic relationships. Upon his death, his successor, Hua Guofeng, honored him with these words: “It was under Chairman Mao’s leadership that the disaster-plagued Chinese nation rose to its feet. The Chinese people love, trust, and esteem Chairman Mao from the bottom of their hearts.”
See the man behind this complex legacy in our curated Mao Zedong collection.
Chairman Mao Zedong Delivers Speech In Parliament – 1949 by GovernmentFootage.
John F. Kennedy and Jackie Bouvier Marry
September 12, 1953
A dress Jackie didn’t like, too many guests, and a father too drunk to walk her down the aisle—this may not have been the fairytale wedding Jackie Kennedy had dreamed of, but it marked a significant milestone for her and her new husband, John F. Kennedy. Kennedy would become the nation’s 35th president in 1961, and Jackie soon emerged as one of the most popular and admired first ladies in White House history.
The proceedings took place on a sunny day in Rhode Island, with the groom’s father meticulously planning every detail of the affair—except, perhaps, the extra-marital ones conducted by the groom himself.
Remember one of America’s most iconic first families with our curated media collection featuring The Kennedys.
Want more? Check out these exclusive images from our editorial partner Life.
Senator John F Kennedy At Home With His Wife Jackie And Their Daughter Carolyn Video by retrofootage
Prince Harry is Born
September 15, 1984
Henry Charles Albert David, better known as Prince Harry, was the second son born to then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Nearly 13 years later, his mother, who described the child as ‘artistic’ and ‘sporty,’ endured her tragic death. Harry served in the military from 2005 to 2015, including active duty in Afghanistan, and involved himself in various charitable causes.
He married American actor Meghan Markle in May 2018, and together they have two children, Archie and Lilibet. In January 2020, the couple decided to step back from their senior royal roles, although Harry remains fifth in line to the throne. Their choices have sparked considerable controversy, and his 2023 memoir, Spare, has become a bestseller.
Find scenes from his life in our Prince Harry curated media collection.
Meghan Gives Birth To Second Child With Britain’s Prince Harry Video by Reuters
Gallic Acid Develops Image on Paper
September 23, 1840
British scientist William Henry Fox Talbot initially used a process called “photogenic drawing”, which involved exposing sensitized paper to sunlight with objects placed on top. Frustrated by long exposure times and unclear images, Talbot sought a better method.
On September 23, he discovered that applying gallic acid to the exposed paper revealed images more quickly and with greater detail. This breakthrough led to the new ‘calotype process’—a revolutionary development (pun intended) that allowed multiple prints from a single negative and paved the way for modern photography.
Nerd out with vintage photography scenes in our curated Historical Film Development collection.
Newsreel Feature: A History Of Photography – The Invention Of Photography Video by retrofootage
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