As pictorial-based social media (e.g., Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, Tumblr) continue to encourage and sustain contemporary culture, the future success of America's democratic experiment may increasingly depend on its citizens' ability to critique visual information and take informed action. Promoting critical, historical analysis of "visual" information in social studies classrooms can support students' civic competence by developing their ability to identify, understand, and evaluate the powerful visual messages inundating their daily lives. Here, I share a wise-practice approach informed by current research into the educative potential of using historical photographs within a reflective inquiry approach to promote students' civic competence.