September 2021

On this day in 1955, actor James Dean died in a car crash at the age of 24. Image: James Dean / Wikimedia Commons Dean was born on February 8, 1931 in Marion, Indiana to Winton Dean and Mildred Wilson. When he was five, the family moved to California. However, after his mother died four years later, Dean was sent back to Indiana to live on his aunt and uncle’s farm. Dean later returned to California… Read the full story

Have you read Don Quixote? On this day in 1547, author Miguel de Cervantes was born. Today Cervantes is regarded as one of the greatest writers of the Spanish language. Image: Miguel de Cervantes / New York Public Library Cervantes was born near Madrid, Spain and was the fourth of seven children. His father, Rodrigo de Cervantes, was a barber-surgeon and his mother, Leonor de Cortinas, was the daughter of a nobleman. Dubbed “El Príncipe de… Read the full story

Are you related to a Founding Father? On September 27, 1722, Samuel Adams was born in Boston in the British colony of Massachusetts. Image: Samuel Adams / Library of Congress Adams was one of twelve children born to Samuel Adams, Sr. and Mary Fifield. The Adams were an affluent and prosperous Puritan family. His father was a prominent local merchant and church deacon who became a leading figure in Boston politics. A strong opponent of… Read the full story

Remember reading The Great Gatsby? On this day in 1896, author F. Scott Fitzgerald was born. Today Fitzgerald is often regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Image: F. Scott Fitzgerald / Library of Congress Francis Scott Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was named after his famous relative, Francis Scott Key, who wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner.” His maternal grandfather, Philip Francis McQuillan was an Irish immigrant… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Bruce Springsteen! Today the Boss turns 72. Image: Bruce Springsteen / Takahiro Kyono, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Bruce Frederick Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949 in Long Branch, New Jersey to a working-class family. His father, Douglas Springsteen, held various jobs including that of a bus driver and millworker. His mother, Adele Zerilli, worked as a legal secretary and was the main breadwinner of the family. His maternal great grandmother,… Read the full story

On this day in 1870, British tennis player Charlotte Cooper was born. A tennis pioneer, Cooper won five singles titles at the Wimbledon Championships and holds the distinction of being the first female Olympic tennis champion. Image: Charlotte Cooper / Wikimedia Commons In 1895, Cooper won her first of five Wimbledon woman’s single titles and by the time she won her second championship a year later, Cooper had lost her sense of hearing. In 1900,… Read the full story

Are a fan of science fiction? On this day in 1866, author H.G. Wells was born in Kent, England. Image: H.G. Wells / Library of Congress Herbert George Wells was the fourth and youngest child born to Joseph Wells, a shopkeeper and professional cricketer, and Sarah Neal, a former domestic servant. When he was a child, an accident left Wells bedridden with a broken leg. To pass the time, he immersed himself in books and discovered… Read the full story

On this day in 1878, author Upton Sinclair was born. Sinclair is best known for his classic novel, The Jungle, which exposed the horrid conditions of the U.S. meatpacking industry. Image: Upton Sinclair / Library of Congress Sinclair was born on September 20, 1878 in Baltimore, Maryland to Upton Beall Sinclar, Sr. and Priscilla Harden. Although he grew up in poverty, his mother’s family was very affluent. His exposure to both social settings would later… Read the full story

On this day in 1964, the classic television comedy Bewitched premiered. Starring Elizabeth Montgomery, the show was a huge success and ran for eight seasons. Image: Elizabeth Montgomery / Wikimedia Commons Montgomery starred as Samantha Stephens, a witch married to a mortal played by Dick York, and in later seasons, by Dick Sargent. Agnes Moorehead starred as Samantha’s mother, Endora. In its first season, the show was a ratings hit and ranked as one of… Read the full story

Today we remember Lauren Bacall on what would have been her 97th birthday. Image: Lauren Bacall / Wikimedia Commons Bacall was born Betty Joan Perske on September 16, 1924 in The Bronx, New York. Her mother, Natalie Weinstein, emigrated from Romania through Ellis Island, while her father, William Perske, was born in New Jersey to Jewish parents. Known for her distinctive voice, Bacall catapulted to stardom while starring opposite Humphrey Bogart in the 1944 film, To Have… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Prince Harry! Today the Duke of Sussex celebrates his 37th birthday. Image: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex / Dutch Ministry of Defence, Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0) Harry was born on September 15, 1984 at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, England to Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales. He was christened Henry Charles Albert David, but growing up, he was referred to as “Harry.” He is currently the sixth in… Read the full story

On this day in 1927, pioneering dancer Isadora Duncan died in a tragic accident. Known as the “mother of modern dance,” Duncan broke away from convention and developed free, emotional, and natural movements in dance. Image: Isadora Duncan / Library of Congress Duncan was born on May 26, 1877 in San Francisco, California to Joseph Charles Duncan, a banker and mining engineer, and Mary Isadora Gray, a music teacher. As a child, she enjoyed dance… Read the full story

Today we remember beloved children’s book author Roald Dahl on what would have been his 105th birthday. Image: Roald Dahl / Library of Congress Roald Dahl was born on September 13, 1916 in Cardiff, Wales to Norwegian parents, Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Hesselerg. During World War II, Dahl served in the Royal Air Force and became an intelligence officer and wing commander. Dahl rose to fame for his delightful and heartfelt stories and became… Read the full story

On this day in 1776, Nathan Hale, a solider in the Continental Army, volunteered to spy behind British lines. Image: New York Public Library Nathan Hale was born in Coventry, Connecticut Colony on June 6, 1755. Educated at Yale, Hale joined the Connecticut militia after the start of the American Revolutionary War. Prior to the upcoming Battle of Harlem Heights, General George Washington called for a volunteer to cross enemy lines to gather intelligence. Hale volunteered… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Hugh Grant! Today the British actor turns 61. Image: Hugh Grant / Tine Hemeryck, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Grant was born Hugh John Mungo Grant on September 9, 1960 in London, England. Before pursuing a career in theater, Grant studied English literature at Oxford. He achieved international success after staring in the 1994 hit comedy Four Weddings and a Funeral. Since then, he’s gone on to star in several hit films, including… Read the full story

On this day in 1932, legendary country singer Patsy Cline was born. Image: Patsy Cline / Wikimedia Commons Cline was born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Winchester, Virginia to Hilda Patterson, a 16-year-old seamstress, and Samuel Hensley, a 43-year-old blacksmith. She was introduced to music at an early age and by the age of 8, she had taught herself to play the piano. She later started performing with her mother in the local church choir and… Read the full story

On this day in 1533, Elizabeth I of England was born. The last Tudor monarch, Elizabeth reigned for 44 years until her death in 1603. Image: Elizabeth I / Wikimedia Commons Elizabeth was born on September 7, 1533 at Greenwich Palace and was the daughter of Henry VIII of England and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. She was named after her grandmothers, Elizabeth of York and Elizabeth Boleyn. When she was two years old, her… Read the full story

What did your ancestors do for a living? In the mid-19th century, occupational portraits were a common portrait style that illustrated an individual’s trade or profession. If you are lucky to have an occupational portrait of an ancestor, you may see that they often include tools or props to help illustrate their profession or skills. They may be dressed in their work attire and in some cases, they may even pretend to be working. These… Read the full story

Today we celebrate social activist Jane Addams, who was born on this day in 1860. Image: Jane Addams / Library of Congress Addams was born on September 6, 1860 in Cedarville, Illinois to John H. Adams and Sarah Weber. Her father was a prominent political figure in Illinois and a friend of President Abraham Lincoln. As a child, she became interested in helping the poor after reading the works of Charles Dickens. She studied medicine… Read the full story

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” – e e cummings Today we remember poet E.E. Cummings, who died on September 3, 1962 at the age of 67. Image: E.E. Cummings / Library of Congress Cummings was born Edward Estlin Cummings in Cambridge, Massachusetts to Unitarian parents. He went to Harvard University, where his father taught, before leaving to serve overseas in World War I as a volunteer for the… Read the full story

On this day in 1883, Polish biologist Rudolf Weigl was born. Weigl is remembered for producing the first effective vaccine for epidemic typhus and saving thousands of Jewish lives during World War II. Image: Rudolf Weigl / Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe Weigl was born on September 2, 1883 in the city of Prerau in what was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. When he was a child, his father died in a bicycle accident. His mother… Read the full story