Prologue: Pieces of History

You may have seen some of these beards and mustaches before! The mug shots of prisoners at Leavenworth Penitentiary have been featured here and here. But the images above take facial hair to a whole new level! Staff at the National Archives at Kansas City got together and created Potatriot dioramas (inspired by this post). [...]

                      Have you looked at your money lately? Among the nickels and quarters and dimes, only the copper penny has a bearded profile. But although Lincoln’s facial hair eventually became an iconic part of his image, he originally ran for President as a clean-shaven candidate. [...]

In the U.S. Army of 2010, the regulations state that mustaches are limited to men, and the length and shape of the mustache itself is severely limited: “Mustaches are permitted; if worn, males will keep mustaches neatly trimmed, tapered, and tidy. Mustaches will not present a chopped off or bushy appearance, and no portion of [...]