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Here’s What 25 Famous Photos Look Like in Color

These colorized versions of black and white photographs allow you to look at a piece of history with a different eye.

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MyHeritage colorize tool
Getty Images, via myheritage.com

Colorizing the past

Before photos were collected on your phone they were taken on a camera, and before those photos were clear and in color they could only be printed in black and white. These famous photos in color allow you to get a different view of history. MyHeritage, a leading global discovery platform for exploring family history, has launched In Color™, which automatically colorizes black and white photos. The black and white images remain intact and are not changed by the colorization process, which produces new photos alongside the original ones. If you want to have old black and white photos of your family colorized, MyHeritage is offering their In Color tool for free until April 22. Take a look at these famous photos from a new lens.

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colorized kiss in times square
Courtesy MyHeritage

Kiss in Times Square

This famous photo was taken on Victory Over Japan Day in Times Square in New York on August 14, 1945. Alfred Eisenstaedt captured a U.S. Navy sailor embracing and kissing a stranger in a spontaneous moment. Learn about the true stories behind 23 of America’s most iconic photos.

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colorized runners 1896 olympics
Courtesy MyHeritage

Olympics marathon

Burton Holmes captured this photograph of three male athletes training for the very first summer Olympics in 1896. Here are more historical photos that give us a glimpse into the past.

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colorized lunch on a skyscraper beam
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Lunch on a New York skyscraper

These construction workers had lunch together while working on a skyscraper in New York City in 1932. Check out what a body language expert has to say about these 11 famous photos.

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colorized It's A Wonderful Life movie still
Courtesy MyHeritage

It’s a Wonderful Life

Haven’t you always wondered what this holiday classic would look like in color? Here’s a colorized shot from the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life in 1946.

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colorized MLK meets Malcolm X
Courtesy MyHeritage

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X

The two black leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X met only once on March 26, 1964. They were on Captial Hill attending the Senate debate on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Here are some more iconic pictures of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy.

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colorized marilyn monroe
Courtesy MyHeritage

The famous Marilyn

Photographer Sam Shaw captured this famous shot of Marilyn Monroe in 1954. It was shot while she was filming a scene for the film The Seven Year Itch. Her skirt blew up when a passing subway creates a breeze from the grate on the street. These vintage photos show how glamorous flying used to be.

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colorized kardashian grandparents
Courtesy MyHeritage

A long line of Kardashians

Kim Kardashian’s paternal grandparents, Arthur and Helen Kardashian, pose on their wedding day in 1938.

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colorized kelly ripa's parents
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Kelly Ripa’s parents

Joe and Esther Ripa, the parents of television personality, Kelly Ripa, in 1965. You won’t find these candid, rarely seen photos in history books.

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colorized young jennifer aniston and father
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A young Jennifer

Jennifer Aniston shared this throwback photo of her and her father on Christmas Day when she was just a child in 1975.

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colorized today show 1979
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The Today Show

A colorized photo of Jane Pauley and Tom Brokaw on the Today Show in 1979.

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colorized george stephanopoulus
Courtesy MyHeritage

A young George

George Stephanopoulos, a television news anchor and former politician, circa 1975. These vintage photos show what family time used to look like.

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colorized gayle king
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Stunning Gayle

Broadcast journalist and author Gayle King at the age of 36.

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colorized florence nightingale
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The master nurse

Florence Nightingale, credited with modernizing the profession of nursing, is pictured here in 1920.

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colorized family dinner
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Family dinner

An American family enjoys dinner in 1954. These are some of the most important photos taken in every state.

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colorized family by the lake
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By the lake

A group of friends enjoy swimming at a lake, circa 1903.

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colorized ellen degeneres
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Always funny Ellen

Ellen DeGeneres in two separate photos here as a young girl.

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colorized casablanca
Courtesy MyHeritage

Sam and Rick

Dooley Wilson as Sam and Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine in the 1942 film Casablanca. These are some of the most glamorous vintage photos of life in the 1950s.

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colorized cybill shepherd
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Cybill Shepherd

A famous colorized shot of television and film actress Cybill Shepherd.

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colorized cowboy
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Cowboy in color

A classic cowboy, a symbol of the American frontier in 1887.

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colorized bush family photo
Courtesy MyHeritage

The Bush Family

The Bush family members from left to right: George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, Neil, Marvin (being held by Barbara Bush), and Jeb, circa 1957.

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colorized bette davis
Courtesy MyHeritage

Ms. Davis

Bette Davis—pictured here in 1938—was an American actress. She’s well known for her roles in Of Human Bondage, Dangerous, Jezebelle, Dark Victory, The Letter, and The Little Foxes.

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colorized the beatles
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The Beatles on Sullivan

The Beatles pose with Ed Sullivan after they performed on his show in 1964. This was their first performance in America.

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colorized bar
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The bar

Here’s what a neighborhood bar looked like in 1860.

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colorized albert einstein
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Albert Einstein

A colorized photograph of the famous theoretical physicist, Albert Einstein in 1947. Einstein lived from 1879 to 1955.

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colorized 5th ave ny ny
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5th Avenue

A bustling 5th Ave in New York City in 1913.

Morgan Cutolo
Morgan Cutolo is a former senior production editor at Trusted Media Brands. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2016, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. In her free time, she likes exploring the seacoast of Maine, where she lives, and snuggling up on the couch with her corgi, Eggo, to watch HGTV or The Office.