1. American actor Buster Keaton, 1920
2. This mechanic is fixing a steam pump in an electrical plant, 1920
3. Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks boarding a ship for their honeymoon, 1920
4. Vladimir Lenin, July 1920
5. Farmers market in New Orleans, early 1920s
6. Main Street in Fall River, MA, 1920
7. A street vendor in the streets of New Orleans, early 1920s
8. The Art Hickman Orchestra, 1920
9. Charles Ponzi, 1920
10. Orchard Street, NYC, 1920
11. The mugshot of Herbert Ellis, 1920
12. The Belgian National team, 1921
13. Albert Einstein, March, 1921
14. A street scene in Washington, D.C., 1921
15. Car crash in Washington, 1921
16. Motorized unicycle, 1921
17. Albert Einstein and his wife, Elsa Einstein, 1921
18. Sergeant Stubby wearing his military uniform and decorations, 1921
19. Marilyn Miller in New York, 1921

1. American actor Buster Keaton, 1920, 2. This mechanic is fixing a steam pump in an electrical plant, 1920, 3. Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks boarding a ship for their honeymoon, 1920, 4. Vladimir Lenin, July 1920, 5. Farmers market in New Orleans, early 1920s, 6. Main Street in Fall River, MA, 1920, 7. A street vendor in the streets of New Orleans, early 1920s, 8. The Art Hickman Orchestra, 1920, 9. Charles Ponzi, 1920, 10. Orchard Street, NYC, 1920, 11. The mugshot of Herbert Ellis, 1920, 12. The Belgian National team, 1921, 13. Albert Einstein, March, 1921, 14. A street scene in Washington, D.C., 1921, 15. Car crash in Washington, 1921, 16. Motorized unicycle, 1921, 17. Albert Einstein and his wife, Elsa Einstein, 1921, 18. Sergeant Stubby wearing his military uniform and decorations, 1921, 19. Marilyn Miller in New York, 1921

It’s easy to think of the 1920s as a distant, black-and-white past, but these colorized photos tell a different story. With each image brought to life in full color, the decade feels surprisingly close. You can almost hear the buzz of early automobiles, see the shimmer of flapper dresses, and feel the energy of a world shaking off the shadows of war and stepping into a modern age.

From crowded city scenes to quiet rural moments, every shot captures something real and relatable. Seeing them in color strips away the sense of separation we usually feel when looking at old photos, reminding us that history wasn’t lived in black and white, it was as vibrant and full of life as today. Here are 20 colorized photos from the early 1920s.