Born Samuel Clemens in 1835, Mark Twain is one of America’s most beloved authors (via Biography). In his lifetime, Twain wrote several novels, most notably, “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Beyond this, he was also a journalist, riverboat pilot, and more. Hailing from Missouri, his early childhood helped inspire most of his work (per The Mark Twain House).

As Missouri was a slave state, a young Twain spent much of his time listening to stories told by enslaved people. Moreover, his childhood was marked by various deaths, including that of his own father, enslaved people he knew, and even some of his friends (via History). All of these incidents, one way or another, crept into his writing. After his father’s death, Twain worked as a newspaper apprentice, where he would often read while he worked.

At age 18, Twain moved to New York and Philadelphia to write articles for a newspaper. In 1861, he decided to head west and try to strike it rich. He failed but continued to write. In 1865, Twain made it big with his story “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog”. This later led to a flourishing writing career, stage performing, and travel. As most of his life was lived in the 19th century, nearly all photos of Twain are black and white. Here’s what one of the greatest novelists looked like in color.

Twain in color

A.F. Bradley, New York/Wikimedia