THE Norma Jeane Mortenson was born on #ThisDayInHistory in 1926. At the onset of her acting career, Norma Jeane dyed her brown hair blonde and changed her name to Marilyn Monroe. | HISTORY

"Circa 1942, a 16-year-old Norma Jeane Mortenson, who would later be known to the world as Marilyn Monroe, was photographed on her wedding day to James Dougherty in Los Angeles. The ceremony, held in June, marked the beginning of her adult life, with friends and family recalling the joy and youthful hope that surrounded the couple. Though still years away from her transformation into one of Hollywood’s most iconic stars, these photographs capture Norma Jeane’s radiant innocence, charm, and the t