The photographs in this series are primarily black and white and are sourced from newswire services such as Wide World Photos, which provided a caption with a date and brief description of the photograph. They are sorted alphabetically by subject. The subjects include countries and cities; individuals, including politicians, world leaders, and cultural figures; events, including world conferences, wars, and protests; and miscellaneous subjects, such as airports, basketball, parks, and atomic bombs. The photographs represent both domestic and international scenes, and there is particular emphasis on individuals, places and subjects related to the Soviet Union, Socialism, and Communism, such as the Solidarity movement in Poland and scenes in East and West Berlin. Some folder titles, such as "U.S. Underworlds, Gangsters," "Wetbacks," and "Wild West," defy easy categorization. The last two boxes contain stock publicity photos of writers, dancers, musicians, and actors.