Author: Amanda

Did you read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz growing up? On this day in 1856, author L. Frank Baum was born in Chittenango, New York. Image: L.Frank Baum / Library of Congress The popular children’s book author was born Lyman Frank Baum to Cynthia Ann Stanton and Benjamin Ward Baum, a successful businessman, and grew up on his family’s estate, Rose Lawn. A sickly child, Baum began writing at a young age. After his father gifted him a cheap… Read the full story

On May 14, 1804, explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark left St. Louis, Missouri to begin their historic expedition to explore the lands of the American Northwest. Image: Meriwether Lewis / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the expedition after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Lewis and Clark were given the mission to explore the newly acquired territory, establish an American presence in the area, and find a practical route to the west. Along the… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Stephen Colbert! Today the comedian and late-night host turns 62. Image: David Shankbone, Flickr Colbert was born on May 13, 1964 in Washington, D.C. to James William Colbert, Jr. and Lorna Elizabeth Tuck. The youngest of 11 children, Colbert grew up in Charleston, South Carolina in a devout Catholic household. He experienced tragedy early in life when at the age of 10, his father and two brothers died in a plane crash…. Read the full story

Have you found your connection to the “Lady with the Lamp”? On this day in 1820, Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy. A nursing pioneer, Nightingale is remembered as the founder of modern nursing. Image: Florence Nightingale / Library of Congress Nightingale was born to an affluent and elite British family. Growing up, she felt uncomfortable among her family’s social circles and preferred to spend her time helping the poor and ill near her family’s… Read the full story

Do you have Spanish ancestry? On this day in 1904, surrealist painter Salvador Dalí was born. Image: Salvador Dalí / Library of Congres He was born Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí y Domènech in Figueres, Spain. Nine months before his birth, his older brother, also named Salvador, died of gastroenteritis. At the age of five, his parents had told him that he was the reincarnation of his brother. A believer in the concept, Dalí incorporated… Read the full story

On this day in 1884, President Harry S. Truman was born. Truman served as the 33rd President of the United States. Image: Harry S. Truman / Library of Congress Truman was born on May 8, 1884 in Lamar, Missouri to John Anderson Truman and Martha Ellen Young. His parents named him after his maternal uncle, Harrison “Harry” Young,  but had difficulty settling on a middle name. Ultimately, they simply chose to use the letter “S” in tribute… Read the full story

On this day in 1812, English poet and playwright Robert Browning was born in London, England. A prolific poet, Browning was known as one of the leading Victorian writers of his era. Image: Robert Browning / Library of Congress Browning was the only son born to Sarah Ann Widermann and Robert Browning, who worked as a clerk for the Bank of England. His paternal grandfather was a slave owner in the West Indies, but Browning’s father opposed slavery,… Read the full story

Legendary filmmaker Orson Welles was born on May 6, 1915. Welles was known as one of the greatest radio and cinema artists of the era.  Image: Orson Welles / Wikimedia Commons, Library of Congress Early in his career, Welles juggled work in the theater with his extensive work as a radio actor, writer, director and producer. His famous live broadcast of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds caused widespread panic after many listeners mistakenly believed the show to… Read the full story

Today marks the birth of American journalist, inventor, and record-breaker Nellie Bly! Image: Nellie Bly / Library of Congress She was born Elizabeth Jane Cochrane on May 5, 1864 in Cochran’s Mills, Pennsylvania. Writing under the the pen name “Nellie Bly,” Bly was a pioneer of her field and launched a new kind of investigative journalism. As a reporter for Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World, Bly wrote one of her earliest and most provocative pieces, a startling exposé on… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Audrey Hepburn on what would have been her 97th birthday. Image: Audrey Hepburn / Wikimedia Commons Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. She was the daughter of Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston and Ella van Heemstra, a Dutch baroness. After her father left the family, her mother raised Hepburn on her own as a single mother. Her maternal grandfather, Aarnoud Van Heemstra, was the mayor of Arnhem and… Read the full story

Frontierswoman and sharp-shooter Calamity Jane was born on this day in 1852. Image: Calamity Jane / Library of Congress The legend of Calamity Jane was known throughout the Wild West. However, little hard facts are known about her life and much of what was said was likely embellished or fabricated by writers and storytellers of the day. She was born Martha Jane Canary in Princeton, Missouri and by the age of 12, both of her parents had… Read the full story

Do you have Dutch ancestry? On this day in 1909, Juliana of the Netherlands  was born. She reigned as Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her abdication in 1980. Image: Juliana of the Netherlands / Nationaal Archief Born in the Hague, Juliana was the only child of Dutch monarch Queen Wihelmina and Prince Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Juliana was the first Dutch royal baby to be born since her mother’s birth in 1880. Her mother had suffered two miscarriages and… Read the full story

On this day in 1899, Jazz icon Duke Ellington was born. Considered one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, Ellington composed thousands of scores throughout his long career. Image: Duke Ellington / Library of Congress Ellington was born Edward Kennedy Ellington on April 29, 1899 in Washington, D.C. He was the son of James Edward Ellington and Daisy Kennedy, who were both pianists. He began learning the piano at the age of seven,… Read the full story

On this day in 1758, James Monroe was born in his family home in Westmoreland County, Virginia. A Founding Father, Monroe served as the 5th President of the United States. Image: James Monroe / Wikimedia Commons During the American Revolution, Monroe left college to join the Continental Army. He served as part of General George Washington’s army at the Battle of Trenton, where he was severely wounded. As president, Monroe oversaw major westward expansion of the U.S…. Read the full story

On this day in 1822, Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, was born. Image: Ulysses S. Grant / Library of Congress He was born Hiram Ulysses Grant in Point Pleasant, Ohio to Jesse Root Grant, a tanner, and Hannah Simpson. Grant had deep roots in early America. His fifth great grandparents, Matthew and Priscilla Grant arrived at the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. His great grandfather, Noah Grant, served in the French… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Barbra Streisand! Today the icon turns 84. Image: Barbra Streisand / Wikimedia Commons She was born on April 24, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York to Diana Rosen and Emanuel Streisand. A few months after reaching her first birthday, Streisand’s father died suddenly of complications from an epileptic seizure. After his death, the family fell into poverty. From a young age, Streisand dreamed of becoming famous. After graduating high school at 16, she immediately… Read the full story

Today we remember playwright William Shakespeare, who died on this day in 1616. Considered one of the greatest writers of the English language, Shakespeare’s vast body of work has been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright in history. Image: William Shakespeare / Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0 While the exact date of his birth is unknown, his baptism record states he was baptized on April 26, 1564 at… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jack Nicholson! Today the actor turns 89. Image: Jack Nicholson / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Nicholson was born on April 22, 1937 in Neptune, New Jersey. For the first 37 years of his life, Nicholson believed his parents were John Nicholson and Ethel Rhoads. In 1974, a Times reporter researching a cover story on Nicholson discovered that the person Nicholson believed to be his older sister June was in… Read the full story

On this day in 1816, author Charlotte Brontë was born. Image: Charlotte Brontë / Wikimedia Commons Brontë was born on April 21, 1816 in Thornton, Yorkshire, England. She was the third of six children born to Maria Branwell and Patrick Brontë, a clergyman. After her mother and two older sisters died, her father educated Brontë and her siblings, Emily, Anne, and Branwell, at home. As children the siblings were left to explore their imagination. They… Read the full story

On this day in 1808, Napoleon III was born in Paris, France. The nephew and only heir to Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon was the first Head of State of France to hold the title of President. After being barred from running for a second term, he organized a coup in 1851 and took the throne as Napoleon III. Image: Napoleon III / Wikimedia Commons He was born Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte on April 20, 1808. He was the third… Read the full story

On this day in 1790, Benjamin Franklin died at the age of 84. One of the United States’ most influential Founding Fathers, Franklin was also a renowned polymath. He was not only a notable politician and diplomat, but also an author, inventor, philosopher, and scientist. Image: Benjamin Franklin / Library of Congress Franklin was born on January 6, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts to Josiah Franklin, a candlemaker, and his second wife, Abiah Folger. From his two… Read the full story

On this day in 1889, Charlie Chaplin was born in London England. One of the biggest stars of the Silent Era, Chaplin is remembered as a pioneer and one the most important figures of the early film industry. Image: Charlie Chaplin / Library of Congress The early years of Chaplin’s life were fraught with hardship and poverty. His parents, Charles Chaplin, Sr. and Hannah Harriet Pedlingham Hill, were both music hall entertainers and separated shortly… Read the full story

On this day in 1452, Renaissance Man Leonardo da Vinci was born in Vinci in the Republic of Florence. Image: Leonardo da Vinci / Library of Congress A gifted and extremely talented individual, da Vinci’s genius ranged from science, arts, mathematics, engineering, astronomy, architecture, and much more. Some of his greatest artistic masterpieces include the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and the Vitruvian Man. A brilliant inventor and engineer, da Vinci designed and illustrated concepts… Read the full story

On this day in 1866, American educator Anne Sullivan was born. Best remembered as the teacher and lifelong companion of Helen Keller, Sullivan taught Keller, who was blind and deaf, to communicate and read Braille. Image: Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan / Library of Congress Sullivan was born on April 14, 1866 in Feeding Hills, Massachusetts to Thomas Sullivan and Alice Cloesy. Her parents had emigrated to the United States from Ireland during the Great… Read the full story

Are you related to a Founding Father of the United States? On this day in 1743, Thomas Jefferson was born at his family home in Virginia. Image: Thomas Jefferson / Wikimedia Commons The third of ten children, Jefferson was born into one of the most prominent families in Virginia. His father, Peter Jefferson, was a successful planter and surveyor. He died when Jefferson was just 14. One of America’s Founding Fathers, Jefferson was the principal author… Read the full story

Genealogists know that a picture is worth a thousand words. There is something truly special about putting a face to a name in your family tree. This brings our ancestors to life and connects us more deeply to our shared history. However, we know it can be a bit frustrating when a favorite family photo doesn’t quite fit the frame, or when a group shot leaves your relative’s face off center. Today, we are excited… Read the full story

On this day in 1847, newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer was born. Today he best known for establishing the prestigious Pulitzer Prize, which is awarded annually for excellence in American journalism. Image: Joseph Pulitzer / Library of Congress Pulitzer was born on April 10, 1847 in Makó, Hungary to a well-regarded merchant family. Growing up in Budapest, Pulitzer was educated by private tutors. In 1864, he emigrated to the United States as a recruit for the Union Army… Read the full story

On this day in 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively bringing an end to the American Civil War. Image: General Robert E. Lee surrenders / Library of Congress Lee served as Confederate President Jefferson Davis’s senior military adviser during the first year of the Civil War. Once he took command of the main field army, the Army of Northern Virginia, Lee led the Confederate forces to many early… Read the full story

On this day in 1918, former First Lady and activist Betty Ford was born. Image: Betty Ford / Library of Congress She was born Elizabeth Anne Bloomer on April 8, 1918 in Chicago Illinois to Hortense Neahr and William Stephenson Bloomer, a traveling salesman. As a young girl, she studied dance and worked as a model at a department store to help pay for her lessons. In 1948, she married Gerald Ford, who at the… Read the full story

Do you enjoy a bowl of corn flakes for breakfast? On this day in 1860, Will Keith Kellogg, breakfast cereal inventor and founder of the Kellogg Company, was born in Battle Creek, Michigan. Image: Kellogg’s corn flakes / State Library and Archives of Florida, Flickr Kellogg began his career selling brooms before joining his older brother, John Harvey Kellogg, to help run the Battle Creek Sanitarium. His brother was a doctor and together, the brothers worked… Read the full story

On this day in 1909, American explorer Robert E. Peary and his assistant, Matthew A. Henson, purportedly became the first men to reach the North Pole. Image: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Born in Cresson, Pennsylvania, Peary joined the United States Navy in 1881 as a civil engineer. It was during his time in the Navy that he resolved to be the first man to reach the North Pole. Peary studied the survival techniques of the… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Doris Day on what would have been her 104th birthday. Image: Doris Day / Library of Congress Day was born Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff on April 3, 1922 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Alma Sophia Weiz and William Joseph Kappelhoff. For most of her life, Day believed she was born in 1924. It was not until her 95th birthday that she learned she was actually born in 1922 after the Associated Press… Read the full story

What’s your favorite fairy tale? On this day in 1805, Danish author Hans Christian Andersen was born. Image: Hans Christian Andersen / National Library of Norway, Flickr Andersen was born on April 2, 1805 in Odense, Denmark to Hans Andersen, Sr. and Anne Marie Andersdatter. He first developed an interest in literature from his father, who would entertain him with stories from the Arabian Nights. At the age of 14, Andersen left school to pursue a career as an actor… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Debbie Reynolds on what would have been her 94th birthday. Image: Debbie Reynolds / Allan Warren, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Reynolds was born on April 1, 1932 in El Paso, Texas to Maxine “Minnie” Harman and Raymond Francis Reynolds. Her father was a carpenter and worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1939, her family moved to Burbank, California and at the age of 16, she won the Miss Burbank beauty… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Christopher Walken! Today the actor celebrates his 83rd birthday. Image: Tabercil, Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) Walken was born Ronald Walken on March 31, 1943 in Queens, New York to Rosalie Russell and Paul Walken. His father owned and operated a bakery, Walken’s Bakery, in Astoria. From a young age, Walken was a performer. He took dancing lessons as a young child and auditioned for many bit parts that were open for children… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Céline Dion! Today the French-Canadian singer turns 58. Image: Celine Dion / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) She was born on March 30, 1968 in Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada to a large family. The youngest of 14 children, Dion’s upbringing was always filled with music. She made her first public performance at the age of 5, performing with her siblings in her parents’ small piano bar. With dreams to become a singer, Dion… Read the full story

Today we remember Estonian poet Marie Under, who was born on this day in 1883. Considered one of Estonia’s great poets of the 20th century, Under was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature multiple times, but never won. Image: Marie Under / Wikimedia Commons Born in what is today Tallinn, Estonia, Under learned to read at the age of 4 and began writing her own poetry by the age of 14. She first wrote her… Read the full story

On this day in 1874, poet Robert Frost was born. One of the most celebrated poets in American history, Frost remains the only poet to receive four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry. Image: Robert Frost / Library of Congress Frost was born on March 26, 1874 in San Francisco, California to William Prescott Frost, Jr., a journalist, and Isabelle Moodie. After his father’s death in 1885, the family moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts. A gifted student, Frost… Read the full story

Image: Elton John / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Happy birthday to Elton John! Today the singer turns 79. John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, England on March 25, 1947. He began playing the piano at the age of 3, and by the age of 11, he had earned a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. Today John is one of the best-selling artists in the world with over 300 million records sold worldwide…. Read the full story

On this day in 1874, illusionist and escape artist Harry Houdini was born. Image: Harry Houdini / Library of Congress Houdini was born Erik Weisz on March 24, 1874 in Budapest, Hungary. He was one of seven children born to Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weisz and Cecilia Steiner. Set on becoming a professional magician, Erik changed his name to Harry Houdini, after the French magician, Jean Eugène Robert-Houdini. He became widely known as “The Handcuff King” for… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Joan Crawford, who was born on March 23. The exact year of her birth is unknown, with various sources claiming she was born 1904-1908. Crawford herself claimed she was born in 1908. Image: Joan Crawford / Wikimedia Commons Crawford was born Lucille Fay LeSueur in San Antonio, Texas to Thomas E. Le Sueur and Anna Bell Johnson. From a young age, Crawford loved to dance and had ambitions to become a dancer…. Read the full story

On this day in 1828, Norwegian playwright and poet Henrik Ibsen was born. Image: Henrik Ibsen / National Library of Norway, Flickr Ibsen was the oldest of five children born to Knud Ibsen and Marichen Altenburg in the small costal town of Skien in Telemark County, Norway. His maternal grandfather, Johan Andreas Altenburg was a wealthy merchant and shipowner in Skien. Although they were once a wealthy merchant family, by the time Ibsen was 8, they had… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Glenn Close! Today the star turns 79. Image: Glenn Close / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) The versatile actress was born on March 19, 1947 in Greenwich, Connecticut. Her father was a prominent doctor and opened a clinic in the Belgian Congo. He also served as the personal physician of Mobutu Sese Seko, the President of Zaire. After graduating with a degree in drama from the College of William and Mary, Close made her Broadway… Read the full story

Are you related to a U.S. President? On March 18, 1837, Grover Cleveland was born in Caldwell, New Jersey. Image: Grover Cleveland / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 Stephen Grover Cleveland was the fifth of nine children born to Ann Neal and Richard Falley Cleveland, a pastor. Known as “Big Steve” by friends because of his size, Cleveland dropped his first name and became known as Grover as an adult. His great grandfather, Richard Falley,… Read the full story

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Celebrated annually on March 17 for over a thousand years, this Irish cultural and religious holiday honors the memory of St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint. Image: St. Patrick / Library of Congress At the age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped from his home by pirates and taken to Ireland. During his enslavement, he discovered his call to Christianity and escaped his captors after six years. He returned to Ireland as a… Read the full story

On this day in 1751, James Madison, the fourth President of the United States, was born at Belle Grove Plantation near Port Conway, Virginia. Image: James Madison / Wikimedia Commons Madison was the oldest of twelve children born to James Madison, Sr. and Eleanor “Nelly” Conway. His father served as a colonel in the militia during the American Revolutionary War. After reaching adulthood, Madison inherited Mount Pleasant, the largest tobacco plantation in the area. As… Read the full story

We’re back from Salt Lake City, Utah, where we had an incredible time at RootsTech 2026. As the world’s largest genealogy conference, RootsTech always has a unique electricity in the air, and this year was no exception. The 2026 conference theme, “Together,” felt especially poignant. It perfectly mirrors Geni’s mission to connect everyone to a shared family tree of the world, fueled by a truly collaborative, global community of researchers. The highlight of our week… Read the full story

On this day in 1781, astronomer William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun. Image: William Herschel / Wikimedia Commons Born on November 15, 1738 in the Electorate of Hanover in Germany, then a part of the Holy Roman Empire, Herschel moved to Great Britain at the age of 19. He worked as a musician and composer before discovering an interest in astronomy. As his interests grew stronger, Herschel began building… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Liza Minnelli! Today she turns 80 years old. Image: Liza Minnelli / Wikimedia Commons On March 12, 1946, Liza Minnelli was born in Hollywood, California to Hollywood power couple Vincent Minnelli and Judy Garland. Primed for stardom at birth, Minnelli was able to step out of her mother’s shadow and enjoy a highly successful career in entertainment. She’s one of the rare few to have earned the coveted EGOT, an award in… Read the full story

Image: Frederick IX of Denmark / Wikimedia Commons On March 11, 1899, Frederick IX of Denmark was born. A highly popular monarch, Frederick IX reigned as the King of Denmark from 1947 until his death in 1972. Frederick IX and his wife Ingrid had three daughters and no sons. In 1953, the Act of Succession was passed, which allowed a female to inherit the throne if there were no male heirs. Upon his death, Frederick… Read the full story