A video authentically features interviews with individuals born in the 1800s.
The footage was colorized from clips originally recorded in 1929.
A reader inquired in June 2026 about the authenticity of a 14-minute YouTube video, questioning if it depicted genuine interviews with people born in the 19th century or was AI-generated. The video, titled "Interviews With People Born in the 1800s! Filmed in 1929 Restored in Color," garnered over a million views. It presented eight distinct historical clips, all filmed in the U.S.
The video’s description stated: "Rare interviews with elderly Americans — some over 100 years old — sharing firsthand memories from the 1800s and early 1900s. These are real voices from another era, preserving stories of frontier life, horse-drawn cities, wars, hardship, family traditions, and a rapidly changing America. Many were already elderly by 1929, offering an extraordinary glimpse into a world now lost to history. Every interview is restored and preserved to keep these memories alive for future generations."
The claim that the video shows authentic interviews with people born in the 19th century is true.
A watermark on the clips, "MIRC @ SC EDU," identifies their origin from black-and-white Fox Movietone recordings, provided by the Moving Image Research Collections at the University of South Carolina. These original clips, available on the university’s website, include extended footage and multiple takes compared to the segments shown in the YouTube video. Links to each of the eight original clips are provided within the content.
However, the YouTube video’s thumbnail was an AI-generated image, created using Google Gemini. A test with Google’s SynthID Detector indicated that the image was most likely edited or generated by Google AI.
Maine’s ‘three-quarter century club’
The first clip in the YouTube video showcases elderly individuals attending a gathering of Maine’s "three-quarter century club" on August 26, 1929, at the state fairgrounds in Lewiston. Newspaper accounts from the time corroborate the event and feature images of some of the participants.
Florida octogenarians, Civil War veterans
The second clip, originally titled "Florida Sunshine Peps Up Old Folk. Octogenarians dance and talk over the Civil War at Lake Worth," features 84-year-old Elizabeth T. Boyer and other attendees. The event, held on February 21, 1929, in Lake Worth, included Civil War veterans who spoke about their experiences. Newspaper reports confirm the gathering and the presence of motion picture photographers.
Lydia Steward’s 100th birthday
The third clip highlights Redlands, California, resident Lydia Steward celebrating her 100th birthday. She is shown interacting with family members and dancing. Newspaper articles from the time describe the filming of her birthday celebration, noting she was born in 1829. Her gravestone also confirms her birth year and the spelling of her last name as Steward.
Theater producer Daniel Frohman
In the fourth clip, New York theater producer Daniel Frohman discusses Broadway and the evolution of news reporting, noting his familiarity with Broadway for over 50 years. He passed away in 1940 at the age of 83.
103-year-old Galusha Cole
The fifth clip features 103-year-old Galusha Cole of Pasadena, California, discussing his life and cutting a birthday cake. The filming took place on August 19, 1929. Cole, born in 1826, passed away in 1931 at the age of 104.
A U.S. senator for a day
The sixth clip shows Rebecca Felton, the first female U.S. senator, at her Georgia plantation home. Felton served in the Senate for 22 hours following an appointment. The clip features her greeting viewers and reflecting on her time in Washington D.C. She passed away in 1930 at the age of 94. A second video without sound also shows Felton in 1927.
Tammany’s John R. Voorhis
On July 24, 1929, 99-year-old John R. Voorhis, a Tammany Hall leader born in 1829, was filmed discussing his long life in New York City and its transformation. He died in 1932 at the age of 102.
Train engineer John M. Reilly
The final clip, recorded on November 30, 1929, shows the retirement of 70-year-old train engineer John M. Reilly in White Plains, New York. Reilly states he was born on November 16, 1859. Records indicate a John Reilly with the same birth year and town died in 1937.