Keystone Press Agency

Keystone Press Agency, founded in Meadville, Pennsylvania in 1892, took its name from the official nickname of its home state—“The Keystone State”—with an ambitious mission: to document the world through photography and become a leading source for the global press. Over the course of nearly a century, from the 1890s through the early 1980s, Keystone photographers chronicled some of the most defining moments in modern history. Their work spanned world conflicts, groundbreaking achievements, political and social movements, cultural milestones, and the lives of influential artists and public figures.

The agency’s photographs form a vital visual record of the 20th century, offering a unique historical archive that reflects both the everyday and the extraordinary. The collection features compelling news and feature images from around the world and includes portraits of iconic individuals such as Sophia Loren, Winston Churchill, and the Dalai Lama. Importantly, these are original press photographs—printed contemporaneously with the events they depict—making them not only historically significant but also rare artifacts of photojournalistic history. Through its vast and diverse output, Keystone helped shape how the world saw itself across decades of profound change.