🎥 On July 30, 1928, George Eastman—the visionary founder of Kodak—hosted an extraordinary private screening at his home in Rochester, New York. Among his guests was none other than Thomas Edison. That evening, Eastman unveiled something that would forever change the way we see the world: the first amateur color motion pictures.

Color film wasn’t entirely new in 1928, but it was far from common. Early experiments date back to the 1900s, when filmmakers hand-tinted individual frames, and later two-color processes such as Kinemacolor (introduced in 1908) and the first versions of Technicolor in the 1910s and 1920s brought limited color to the screen. However, these methods were expensive, technically challenging, and mostly reserved for major studios. For the average person, movies—and especially home movies—remained firmly in black and white.

That changed with George Eastman’s demonstration. His invention, Kodacolor, used a clever lenticular film process that finally made color motion pictures accessible to hobbyists. Suddenly, families could dream of recording their own memories in color—something that once seemed futuristic. This moment wasn’t just about technology; it was about Eastman’s lifelong mission to put photography and film within everyone’s reach.

To honor his legacy, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 3¢ George Eastman stamp in 1954 (Scott 1062). The deep maroon stamp features a dignified portrait of Eastman, commemorating the man who gave the world a way to preserve life not just in black and white—but in vibrant, unforgettable color.

📬 Celebrate the history of photography and film with this collectible stamp—a tribute to a true pioneer who changed the way we see the world.