Author: Amanda

Today we remember English fossil collector and paleontologist Mary Anning, who was born on this day in 1799. Image: Mary Anning / Wikimedia Commons Mary Anning was born on May 21, 1799 in Lyme Regis, a coastal town in Dorset, England. Her father, Richard Anning, was a cabinet maker who supplemented his income by mining the coastal cliffside for fossils to sell to tourists. Growing up, Anning often accompanied her father on fossil hunting expeditions… Read the full story

Geni will be at the NGS 2025 Family History Conference in Louisville, Kentucky on May 23-26, 2025. This year’s conference will be both in-person and online. If you are planning to attend in-person, be sure to stop by the Expo Hall and visit the Geni booth #218. You can pick up a handy Geni notebook or sit down and take advantage of free Geni Pro and MyHeritage data subscription access from the booth’s computers. New… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Cher! Today the music legend turns 79. Image: Cher / Nationaal Archief, CC0, Wikimedia Commons Cher was born Cherilyn Sarkisian in El Centro, California on May 20, 1946 to John Sarkisian and Georgia Holt. From a young age, Cher knew she wanted to become famous. At 16, she dropped out of school and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Cher first rose to fame as part of a music duo… Read the full story

On this day in 1536, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII of England, was beheaded for charges of treason and adultery. Image: Anne Boleyn / Wikimedia Commons Her marriage to Henry VIII was scandalous from the start and had plunged the country into political and religious upheaval. Denied an annulment for his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon by the Roman Catholic Church, Henry VIII broke away from the Church to establish the Church… Read the full story

On this day in 1905, star Henry Fonda was born in Grand Island, Nebraska. Image: Henry Fonda / Wikimedia Commons, U.S. Navy Fonda was the patriarch of a family of famous actors, including children Jane and Peter Fonda and granddaughter Bridget Fonda. With a career that spanned over five decades, Fonda is widely considered to be one of the best actors in history. Some of his most notable films include The Grapes of Wrath, 12 Angry… Read the full story

On this day in 1856, author L. Frank Baum was born. The noted children’s book writer is perhaps best remembered as the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its sequels. Image: L. Frank Baum / Library of Congress Baum was born on May 15, 1856 in Chittenango, New York. He was the seventh of nine children born to Cynthia Ann Stanton and Benjamin Ward Baum. Named after his uncle, Lyman, Baum preferred to… Read the full story

Happy birthday to George Lucas! Today the filmmaker turns 81. Image: George Lucas / Nicolas Genin, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Lucas was born on May 14, 1944 in Modesto, California to Dorothy Ellinore Bomberger and George Walton Lucas, Sr., a stationary store owner. In his youth, Lucas dreamed of becoming a race car driver. However, just days before his high school graduation, Lucas was involved in a near-fatal accident and quickly changed his mind…. Read the full story

The Roman Catholic Church has announced its next pope – Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, whose chosen name is Pope Leo XIV. He makes history as the first American to be elected pope. Pope Leo XIV was born on September 14, 1955 to Louis Prevost and Mildred Martinez in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a World War II Navy veteran and school administrator and his mother was a former librarian at Von Stuben and Mendel Catholic… Read the full story

Do you remember watching The Golden Girls or Maude? Today, we remember star Bea Arthur on what would have been her 103rd birthday. Image: Bea Arthur / Wikimedia Commons She was born Bernice Frankel on May 13, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York. Before beginning her career as an actress, Arthur worked as a truck driver and typist in the United States Marine Corps Women’s Reserve during World War II. After the war, she found success in theater… Read the full story

Do you have any nurses in your family tree? On May 12, 1820, pioneering nurse Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy. Image: Florence Nightingale / Library of Congress Named after her place of birth, Florence was born to a rich, upper-class British family. From a young age, she knew her calling was to become a nurse and help the ill and poor. During the Crimean War, reports about the horrific conditions for the wounded… Read the full story

We’re thrilled to share an exciting new milestone – Geni’s World Family Tree has now surpassed 200 million profiles! A Global Family, Built Together This incredible achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of our amazing community of genealogists, family history enthusiasts, and volunteer curators from around the world. Together, we are building the most comprehensive and collaborative family tree ever created. The World Family Tree is a single, shared family… Read the full story

On this day in 1860, author James Barrie was born in Kirriemuir, Scotland. Today he is best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. Image: J.M. Barrie / Library of Congress James Matthew Barrie was the ninth of ten children born to David Barrie, a weaver, and Margaret Ogilvy. As a child, Barrie and his mother often entertained each other by telling stories. The character of Peter Pan first appeared in the novel, The Little… Read the full story

On this day in 1884, Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, was born. Image: Harry S. Truman / Library of Congress Truman was the eldest of three children born to John Anderson Truman and Martha Ellen Young. He was given the middle name “S” to honor both of his grandfathers, Anderson Shipp Truman and Solomon Young. After the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945, Truman was sworn into office… Read the full story

Poet and playwright Robert Browning was born on May 7, 1812 in Camberwell, England. Widely recognized as a master of dramatic monologue, Browning is considered to be one of the foremost poets of the Victorian age. Image: Robert Browning / Library of Congress Browning was the only son of Sara Anna Wiedermann, an accomplished pianist, and Robert Browning, a clerk for the Bank of England. Browning grew up surrounded by books. His father had amassed… Read the full story

On this day in 1915, Orson Welles was born. An actor, writer, director, and producer, Welles is remembered as one of the most influential filmmakers in history. Image: Orson Welles / Library of Congress Welles was born on May 6, 1915 in Kenosha, Wisconsin to Beatrice Ives, a pianist, and Richard Head Welles, an inventor of a popular bicycle lamp. After his father’s death in 1930, Welles traveled to Ireland, where he made his acting debut… Read the full story

On this day in 1864, journalist Nellie Bly was born. A pioneer in her field, Bly helped launch a new kind of investigative journalism. Image: Nellie Bly / Library of Congress Bly was born Elizabeth Jane Cochran on May 5, 1864 in Cochran’s Mills, Pennsylvania. The town of Cochran’s Mills was named after her father, Michael Cochran, who was a mill owner and judge. As a journalist, she wrote under the pen name “Nellie Bly.”… Read the full story

On this day in 1729, Russian Empress Catherine the Great was born. Image: Catherine the Great / British Library, Flickr Although she is remembered as one of Russia’s most renowned and longest-ruling female leaders, Catherine was not born in Russia. She was born Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst in Stettin, Pomerania, in the Kingdom of Prussia and was the eldest daughter of a minor Prussian prince. At the age of 15, Catherine married the grandson of Peter the Great and… Read the full story

On this day in 1852, American frontierswoman and folk hero Calamity Jane was born near Princeton, Missouri. Image: Calamity Jane / Library of Congress Calamity Jane’s early life is a mystery. Much about what is known comes from an autobiographical booklet from 1896. The booklet, dictated by Calamity Jane, was written for publicity purposes, and thus, some of the information was likely exaggerated or false. What is known is that she was born Martha Jane… Read the full story

On this day in 1662, Mary II, Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, was born. Image: Mary II / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 Mary was born on April 30, 1662 at St. James’s Palace in London. She was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York (the future King James II and VII) and his first wife, Anne Hyde. At the age of 15, she married her first cousin, William of Orange. Since… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Willie Nelson! Today the music icon turns 92. Image: Willie Nelson / Library of Congress Nelson was born on April 29, 1933 in Abbott, Texas to Ira Doyle Nelson and Myrle Marie Greenhaw. Raised by his grandparents in Arkansas, music was an important part of his upbringing. At the age of 6, his grandfather gifted him his first guitar and by 7, he had written his first song. During the 1960s, Nelson… Read the full story

On this day in 1926, author Harper Lee was born. Today Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is one of the mostly widely read books in the United States. Image: Harper Lee receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush / NARA She was born Nelle Harper Lee on April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama to Amasa Coleman Lee, a lawyer, and Frances Cunningham Finch. The youngest of four children, Lee received… Read the full story

Are you a jazz fan? Today we celebrate legendary singer Ella Fitzgerald’s birthday! Image: Ella Fitzgerald / Library of Congress The “Queen of Jazz” was born in Newport News, Virginia on April 25, 1917 to William and Temperance Fitzgerald. At the age of 17, she made her singing debut at the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. Her performance set her career in motion and onto a path of stardom. Her extraordinary vocal range… Read the full story

Happy 83rd birthday to Barbra Streisand! Image: Barbra Streisand / Library of Congress Barbra Streisand was born on April 24, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York. With music running in her family, it was of no surprise that Streisand would also be a gifted singer. Her mother, Diana Ida Rosen, was a soprano singer when she was young before later becoming a school secretary. Her maternal grandparents emigrated from the Russian Empire, where her grandfather had been a… Read the full story

It’s not uncommon to let things slide as you are researching your family history. Sometimes you are on a roll and don’t take the time to clear a data conflict after a merge or research an inconsistency warning in the tree. You may say to yourself, “I’ll get to it later” and then before you know it, the work has piled up. With spring in the air, now is the perfect time to do a… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jack Nicholson! Today the actor turns 88. Image: Jack Nicholson / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Nicholson was born on April 22, 1937 in Neptune, New Jersey. His biological mother was June Nicholson, although he spent the first 37 years of his life believing that she was his older sister. Only 17 years old and unmarried at the time, June’s parents agreed to raise Nicholson as their own child and… Read the full story

Today we highlight the profile of naturalist and advocate John Muir, who was instrumental in preserving the wilderness of the United States. Image: John Muir / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 Muir was born on April 21, 1838 in Dunbar, Scotland and immigrated with his family to the United States when he was eleven years old. The family settled in Wisconsin, where Muir developed a fascination and wonder for the natural world. Muir devoted much… Read the full story

As the British began their approach towards Lexington and Concord on the night of April 18, 1775, Patriots Paul Revere and William Dawes set out on horseback to warn the American colonists of the approaching British troops. Image: Paul Revere’s Ride / Wikimedia Commons The British had planned to capture Patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock, who were known to be hiding in Lexington, and confiscate supplies stored by the Massachusetts militia at Concord. Revere and… Read the full story

Do you enjoy baseball? On this day in 1820, Alexander Cartwright, the “Father of Modern Baseball,” was born in New York City, New York.  Image: Alexander Cartwright / Hawaii State Archives, Wikimedia Commons Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr. was the son of Alexander Cartwright, Sr., a merchant sea captain, and Esther Rebecca Burlock. A volunteer firefighter, Cartwright often played bat-and-ball games with other volunteers. He founded the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club in New York and is often credited with… Read the full story

Image: Wilbur Wright / Library of Congress Do you have any aviators in your family tree? On April 16, 1867, Wilbur Wright was born in Millville, Indiana. One half of the famous Wright Brothers, Wilbur and his brother Orville had shared a passion and curiosity for flight at a young age. Together they invented the world’s first successful airplane, making the first successful man-powered airplane flight near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903. The… Read the full story

On this day in 1452, Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, inventor Leonardo da Vinci was born. A true Renaissance man, da Vinci is remembered as not only a gifted artist but a brilliant intellect whose ideas were ahead of his time. Image: Leonardo da Vinci / Library of Congress Da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in a farmhouse outside of the village of Anchiano in Tuscany, Italy. He was born out of wedlock to… Read the full story

On this day in 1866, American educator Anne Sullivan was born in Feeding Hills, Massachusetts. Sullivan is best remembered as the teacher and life-long campion of Helen Keller. Image: Helen Keller & Anne Sullivan / Library of Congress Born Johanna Mansfield Sullivan, Sullivan was the child of Irish immigrants who came to the United States during the Great Famine. At the age of 8, she contracted trachoma, which eventually made her nearly blind. In 1880,… Read the full story

On this day in 1869, Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland was born. Considered one of the most important artists in Norwegian history, Vigeland is perhaps best known for his creation of Vigeland Park in Oslo, Norway. The impressive art installation is the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist. Image: Gustav Vigeland / National Library of Norway, Flickr Vigeland was born Adolf Gustav Thorsen on April 11, 1869 in Mandal. Born to a family of… Read the full story

Today we celebrate what would have been actor Omar Sharif’s 93rd birthday! A Hollywood legend, Sharif was best known for his roles in Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia. Image: Omar Sharif / Wikimedia Commons He was born Michel Demetri Chalhoub on April 10, 1932 in Alexandria, Egypt. After studying mathematics and physics at the University of Cairo, Sharif worked at his father’s precious wood business before leaving to study acting in London, England. In 1955, he converted to Islam… Read the full story

On this day in 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the American Civil War. Image: Library of Congress During the first year of the war, Lee served as a senior military advisor to Confederate President Jefferson Davis. In 1882, he assumed command of the Army of Northern Virginia and lead many battlefield victories. However, Lee’s defeat at the Battle of Gettysburg was a crushing blow to the Confederate. The… Read the full story

On this day in 1892, actress Mary Pickford was born. A pioneer of the American film industry, Pickford was one of the most popular actresses of the silent film era. Image: Mary Pickford / Library of Congress Pickford was born Gladys Louise Smith on April 8, 1892 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. After the death of her father, Pickford’s mother began taking in boarders to earn extra money to support her young family. One of the… Read the full story

Do you enjoy reading poetry? On this day in 1770, English Romantic poet William Wordsworth was born in the Wordsworth House in Cockermouth, Cumberland, England. Image: William Wordsworth / National Library of Wales Although orphaned by the age of 13, Wordsworth’s parents encouraged his education. He wrote his first pieces of poetry while in grammar school and went on to study at Cambridge. Before his final semester, he went on a walking tour of Europe…. Read the full story

Today we remember poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou on what would have been her 97th birthday. The award-winning author published numerous books of poetry, essays, and autobiographies which dealt with themes of economic, racial, and sexual oppression. Image: Maya Angelou / Wikimedia Commons Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri to Bailey Johnson, a doorman and navy dietitian, and Vivian Baxter, a nurse and card dealer. By the… Read the full story

Do you remember reading “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”? On April 3, 1783, author Washington Irving was born in New York City, New York. Image: Washing Irving / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 Irving was one of eleven children born William Irving, Sr. and Sarah Saunders. The family belonged to the city’s small, vibrant merchant class. Born just as the American Revolution came to its end, Irving’s mother named him after the hero of… Read the full story

Today we remember actor Val Kilmer, who passed away at the age of 65. Image: Val Kilmer / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Kilmer was born on December 31, 1959 in Los Angeles, California to Gladys Ekstadt and Eugene Dorris Kilmer. He studied at the prestigious Juilliard School, where he was the youngest student at the time to be accepted in the school’s drama division. In 1984, Kilmer made his film debut in… Read the full story

On this day in 1932, actress Debbie Reynolds was born. Image: Debbie Reynolds / Wikimedia Commons She was born Mary Frances Reynolds on April 1, 1932 in El Paso, Texas. She was the second child of Maxine “Minnie” Harmon and Raymond Francis Reynolds, a carpenter for the Southern Pacific Railroad. A proud supporter of scouting, Reynolds was once a Girl Scout herself and a troop leader. After winning Miss Burbank at the age of 16,… Read the full story

Are you a country music fan? Today American country music singer Reba McEntire turns 70. Image: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) She was born on March 28, 1955 in McAlester, Oklahoma to Jacqueline and Clark Vincent McEntire. Named after her maternal grandmother Reba Estelle Smith, the music legend learned to sing and play guitar at a young age. Her father and grandfather were both champion steer ropers, so as a child, she… Read the full story

Do you remember watching Sunset Boulevard? On this day in 1899, legendary actress Gloria Swanson was born. Image: Gloria Swanson / Library of Congress Swanson was born on March 27, 1899 to Joseph Theodore Swanson and Adelaide Klanowski in a small house in Chicago, Illinois. Since her father was a soldier in the army, she moved frequently. She spent part of her childhood in Puerto Rico, where she learned Spanish and saw her first films…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to Diana Ross! Today the singer turns 81. Image: Diana Ross / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Ross was born on March 26, 1944 in Detroit, Michigan. She was the second child of Ernestine Moten, a schoolteacher, and Fred Ross, a former Army soldier. As a teen, she began singing with a group of friends and eventually, they formed the successful music group The Supremes. The group became the first all-female music group to have… Read the full story

Today we remember music icon Aretha Franklin on what would have been her 83rd birthday. Image: Aretha Franklin / Wikimedia Commons Franklin was born on March 25, 1942 at her family’s home in Memphis, Tennessee. Her father, Clarence LaVaughn Franklin, was a Baptist minster and civil rights activist, while her mother, Barbara Siggers, was an accomplished piano player and vocalist. Franklin began singing at a young age and would accompany her father on his “gospel… Read the full story

On this day in 1874, illusionist Harry Houdini was born in Budapest, Hungary. Image: Harry Houdini / Library of Congress The legendary magician was born Erik Weisz to Rabbi Mayer Samuel and Cecilia Weisz. One of seven children, Houdini took on several odd jobs as a child. He made his public debut at the age of 9 as a trapeze artist and called himself “Ehrich, the Prince of the Air.” When he launched his career… Read the full story

On this day in 1806, Benito Juarez was born. Juarez was the President of Mexico and is today remembered as a national hero for his resistance of French occupation and victory in overthrowing Emperor Maximilian I. Image: Benito Juarez / Library of Congress Juarez was born to a Zapotec peasant family on March 21, 1806 in a small adobe house in San Pablo Guelato, Oaxaca, Mexico. He was an orphan by the age of three… Read the full story

Remember watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood growing up? Today we remember everyone’s favorite neighbor Fred Rogers on what would have been his 97th birthday. Image: Fred Rogers awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Fred McFeely Rogers was born on March 20, 1928 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania to James and Nancy Rogers. Rogers did not originally intend to pursue a career in television. After college, he studied to… Read the full story

Do you have outlaws or lawmen in your family tree? On this day in 1848, Wyatt Earp was born. An iconic figure of the American Wild West, Earp is best remembered for his involvement in the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Image: Wyatt Earp / Wikimedia Commons He was born on March 19, 1848 in Monmouth, Illinois. An American frontiersman, gambler, and lawman, Earp moved constantly throughout his life. He eventually… Read the full story

On March 18, 1837, Grover Cleveland was born. He was the first U.S. President to serve non-consecutive terms, serving as the 22nd and 24th President of the United States. Image: Grover Cleveland / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 He was born Stephen Grover Cleveland to Ann Neal and Richard Falley Cleveland in Caldwell, New Jersey. The fifth of nine children, he was named Stephen in honor of the first pastor of the First Presbyterian Church… Read the full story

We’re back from a wonderful trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, where we had an amazing experience at RootsTech 2025! This global conference never fails to bring together passionate family history enthusiasts, and this year was no exception. From engaging conversations with Geni users to unveiling an exciting new feature, our time at RootsTech was packed with some unforgettable moments. The Geni Booth The Geni booth had a steady number of visitors throughout the conference…. Read the full story