The Face of AIDS (1990) – Therese Frare

Three years before the formation of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy and a year before the red ribbon symbolized resilience, Therese Frare shot this heartbreaking photo of 32-year-old David Kirby on his deathbed. The striking picture zoomed in on AIDS and how devastating it was.

With Kirby’s family’s consent, clothing brand Benetton published a color version of this picture to raise awareness on the matter. The ad was met with criticism, but it did send a strong message to the government about the fate of people suffering from the disease.