Icelandic Roots launched the Unknown Photos Project in January 2023 to begin putting names to faces in the photos. This is a real crowd-sourcing project that starts with the database members combing through the new selections as they are added monthly.
The Icelandic Roots Media Team Leader, Rus Magnuson, recently gave an update on the project so far:
'Three images have been identified from the January/February selections that are currently available to database users.
To access the Unknown Photos section in the database, click the "People" tab on the main menu, then go to the heading "Unknown Photos" to get to the project page. Once there click on the month name (January and February selections are currently available). The photos that have already been identified will be marked as such when verification is made. The selection for March will be uploaded soon.
One of the images, sent in by IR Member, Ileen Peterson, I626678 is only partially identified. Here is a screenshot showing the photo and the names of those already identified and will be included in the March selection of images. This picture was taken in Iceland about 1909, so might be of more interest to our members living there:
Another image was sent in by long-time Member, Susan Atwood and we are hoping to include it in our selection of unknown photos for March.
While we are uncertain as to the exact number of unknown photos that are in the IR collections, it is a large number and we wish to keep this project going into the future to try our best to get as many as possible of these treasured 'snapshots in time', identified. Take a look, you might recognize someone from your family or friends!"
Currently, access to the Unknown Photos Project is only available to database members. As the project "ramps up" Icelandic Roots will expand the project, featuring opportunities on the Icelandic Roots Facebook page.