2021

Have you visited the Lincoln Memorial? On this day in 1850, sculptor Daniel Chester French was born. Image: Daniel Chester French / Wikimedia Commons, Library of Congress French was the son of Anna Richardson and Henry Flagg French, a lawyer and the first president of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst). In 1867, the French family moved to Concord, Massachusetts, where they became neighbors and friends of poet Ralph Waldo Emerson and… Read the full story

On this day in 1906, French physicist Pierre Curie died at the age of 46. Known for his groundbreaking work in radioactivity alongside his wife, renowned physicist Marie Curie, Curie is often regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern physics. Curie was born on May 15, 1859 in Paris, France to Eugene Curie and Sophie-Claire Depouilly. His father was a physician and taught Curie science and mathematics at an early age. In 1903, Pierre… 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 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

Happy National Scrabble Day! Scrabble Day is observed each year on the birthday of Scrabble inventor Alfred Mosher Butts, who was born on April 13, 1899 in Poughkeepsi, New York. During the Great Depression, Butts lost his job as an architect and struggled to support himself. He found some work writing for magazines and even tried his hand at art, but had little success. During this time, Butts decided to try developing a board game that… Read the full story

We’re sad to hear of the passing of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at the age of 99. The longest-serving consort of a British monarch, Prince Philip was married to Queen Elizabeth II for 73 years. Image: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh / Nationaal Archief The Duke of Edinburg was born on June 10, 1921 on the Greek island of Corfu. He was the fifth child born to Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and… 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, 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. The… Read the full story

Does your family tree have an adventurous streak? On this day in 1909, explorers Matthew Henson and Robert Peary became the first men to reach the North Pole. Image: Matthew Henson / Library of Congress Matthew Henson was born on August 8, 1866 to freeborn black sharecroppers on a farm in Nanjemoy, Maryland. In 1887, Henson met Peary and was recruited to join Peary’s surveying expedition to Nicaragua. Soon Henson became Peary’s “first man” on… Read the full story

Today we remember Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, who was born on this day in 1805. Popular across the globe, Andersen’s fairytales have been translated into over 125 languages and have been adapted into numerous animated films, plays, and ballets. Image: Hans Christian Andersen / Bergen Public Library, Flickr Andersen was born on April 2, 1805 in Odense, Denmark. Although his family was poor, Andersen received a boarding school education often reserved for the privileged…. 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

On this day in 1927, American labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez was born. Image: Cesar Chavez / Library of Congress He was born on March 31, 1927 in Yuma, Arizona and was named after his paternal grandfather, Cesario Chavez. During the Great Depression, his family lost their farm and moved to California to become migrant farmers. He would leave school after the 8th grade to work full time as a farm laborer…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to Céline Dion! Today the French-Canadian singer turns 53. 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

Are you a baseball fan? On this day in 1867, legendary baseball player Cy Young was born. During his 22-season career, Young pitched for five different teams and established numerous pitching records, some of which he still holds today. Image: Cy Young / Wikimedia Commons He was born Denton True Young on March 29, 1867 in Gilmore, Ohio to McKinzie Young, Jr. and Nancy Miller. Growing up in a small farming community, Young stopped going to school after the… Read the full story

Have you tried Deep Nostalgia™, MyHeritage’s amazing new photo feature? Deep Nostalgia™ brings your old family photos to life by animating the faces on any photo. This incredible feature has brought many to tears by producing a realistic depiction of how a person may have smiled and moved if they were captured on video. The technology for animating photos was licensed from D-ID, which specializes in video reenactment using deep learning. MyHeritage has integrated this… Read the full story

Today we remember actor Leonard Nimoy on what would have been his 90th birthday. Image: Leonard Nimoy / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Nimoy was born on March 26, 1931 in Boston, Massachusetts to Orthodox Jewish immigrants from Izaislav, Ukraine. Coming from a Yiddish-speaking household, Nimoy learned Yiddish as his first language. He began acting in a neighborhood theater at the age of 8 and with the encouragement of his grandfather, decided to pursue a career as an actor…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to Elton John! Today the music legend turns 74. Image: Elton John / Nationaal Archief, CC0 He was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947 in Pinner, England to Stanley Dwight and Sheila Eileen Harris. Elton began playing the piano at the age of 3 and showed an amazing aptitude in music. In 1967, he changed his name to Elton Hercules John after Blues legends Elton Dean and Long John Baldry and… 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

Happy birthday to Glenn Close! Today the versatile actress turns 74. Image: Glenn Close / Georges Biard (CC BY-SA 3.0) Close was born on March 19, 1947 in Greenwich, Connecticut to an upper class family with a long history in the United States. She is a descendant of the Taliaferro family, one of the earliest families to settle in Virginia in the 17th century. The surname is believed to trace back to Bartholomew Taliaferro, a native of Venice… Read the full story

Today we remember French writer Madame de La Fayette, whose novel, La Princesse de Clèves, is considered to be France’s first historical novel and one of the earliest novels in literature. Image: Madame de La Fayette La Fayette was born Marie-Madeleine Pioche de La Vergne in March 1634. According to baptism records, she was baptized on March 18, 1634 in the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, France. She was the eldest daughter of Marc Pioche,… Read the full story

Do you have Irish ancestry? With millions of Irish people who have emigrated abroad, it is estimated that 70-80 million people worldwide claim some Irish descent. If you are trying to learn more about your Irish ancestors, Irish genealogy projects on Geni are a fantastic way to collaborate and connect with others who are also researching their Irish roots. These genealogy projects are the perfect place to seek advice, meet others researching their Irish ancestors, and work together towards the common… Read the full story

It’s St. Patrick’s Day! The holiday is observed on March 17, the day of death of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Image: Saint Patrick / Library of Congress Kidnapped by pirates at the age of 16, Saint Patrick was held captive as a slave in Ireland for six years before escaping and returning home to Britain. He became deeply devoted to Christianity and eventually returned to Ireland as a missionary to spread the… 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

Today singer and actress Liza Minnelli turns 75! A powerhouse on the stage and screen, Minnelli has won numerous awards across the entertainment industry, including an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony. Image: Liza Minnelli / Wikimedia Commons Minnelli was born on March 12, 1946 in Los Angeles, California. The daughter of film legend Judy Garland and director Vincent Minnelli, it seemed Minnelli was destined to become a star. She made her film… Read the full story

Today we remember Scottish microbiologist Alexander Fleming, who died on March 11, 1955. Image: Alexander Fleming / Wikimedia Commons Fleming was born in Ayrshire, Scotland on August 6, 1881 to Hugh Fleming, a farmer, and Grace Stirling Morton. He studied medicine before serving as a physician during World War I. In 1928, Fleming made history when he discovered the world’s first antibiotic, penicillin. He stumbled on this revolutionary discovery by accident. Upon returning to his… Read the full story

On this day in 1879, Chinese-Malaysian physician and epidemiologist Wu Lien-teh was born. A pioneer of the medical field, Wu invented the surgical face covering that is widely considered to be the precursor to the N95 mask we have all become familiar with today. Image: Wu Lien-teh / Library of Congress Wu was born on March 10, 1879 in Penang, one of the three towns of the Straits Settlements in what is today Malaysia. His… Read the full story

Today we remember Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on what would have been his 87th birthday. Gagarin made history in 1961 when he became the first person to fly into outer space. Image: Yuri Gagarin / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives, Flickr Gagarin was born on March 9, 1934 in the village of Klushino near Gzhatsk in Smolensk, Oblast, Russia. He was the third for four children born to Alexey Ivanovich Gagarin, a carpenter,… Read the full story

The month of March is known as Women’s History Month and March 8 is celebrated as International Women’s Day, which honors the past and present achievements of women all around the world. In honor of the day, we’re highlighting some remarkable and inspiring women in Geni’s World Family Tree. We also had some fun with MyHeritage’s Deep Nostalgia™ photo feature to help bring the images of these historic icons to life. 1. Clara Barton Clara… Read the full story

On this day in 1873, Norwegian ski campion and polar explorer Olav Bjaaland was born. Image: Olav Bjaaland / Wikimedia Commons Bjaaland was born on March 5, 1873 on the Søndre Bjaaland farm at Morgedal in Telemark, Norway. The small village of Morgedal is known as the cradle of skiing. One of its most famous residents was Sondre Norheim, who is known as the father of modern skiing. Known at the time as one of… Read the full story

Do you have Portuguese ancestors? On this day in 1394, Henry the Navigator was born in Porto, Portugal. Image: Henry the Navigator / Wikimedia Commons The third child of the Portuguese king, John I, Henry was noted for his early exploration and expansion of Portuguese trade. At the age of 21, Henry, his brother and father captured the Moorish port of Ceuta in northern Morocco. The site had long been the base for Barbary pirates, who… Read the full story

“Ahoy!” That’s the greeting Alexander Graham Bell first proposed for answering the telephone. The inventor and engineer was born on March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Image: Alexander Graham Bell / Library of Congress The second son born to Alexander Melville Bell and Eliza Grace Symond, Bell had two brothers who would later die of tuberculosis. His mother was mostly deaf and his father was a phonetician and taught elocution to the deaf. Born just “Alexander Bell,” the… Read the full story

Today we remember singer Karen Carpenter, who was born on this day in 1950. Along with her older brother Richard, Carpenter was part of the famous duo the Carpenters. Image: Karen Carpenter / Robert L. Knudsen, White House photo Carpenter was born on March 2, 1950 in New Haven, Connecticut to Agnes Reuwer Tatum and Harold Bertram Carpenter. Her older brother, Richard, developed an interest in music at an early age and was a gifted… Read the full story

On this day in 1802, French poet and novelist Victor Hugo was born. A leading figure of the Romantic movement in literature, today Hugo is considered to be one of the greatest French writers in history. Image: Victor Hugo / Library of Congress Hugo was born in Besançon, France on February 26, 1802 to Sophie Trébuchet and Joseph Léopold Sigisbert Hugo, a French general during the Napoleonic Wars. A well regarded figure during his lifetime, Hugo is perhaps… Read the full story

Do you have a favorite Beatles song? Today we remember George Harrison, who was born on February 25, 1943 in Liverpool, England. Image: George Harrison / Wikimedia Commons The youngest of four children, much of Harrison’s early life was filled with music. He first joined Paul McCartney and John Lennon at the age of 14 when the group was still called the Quarrymen. Forming the Beatles with the addition of drummer, Ringo Starr, the rock… Read the full story

Did you enjoy reading fairy tales growing up? On this day in 1786, German author Wilhelm Grimm was born. Image: Wilhelm Grimm / Wikimedia Commons Wilhelm Carl Grimm was born on February 24, 1786 in Hanau, Germany. The younger half of the famous Brothers Grimm, Grimm began his professional career studying law at the University of Marburg alongside his brother Jacob. The brothers remained close throughout their lives and dedicated many years collecting and documenting German… Read the full story

Today we remember astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, who was born on this day in 1473. Before Copernicus, the world believed the Earth was the center of the universe. Copernicus’s revelation that planets actually revolved around the sun, transformed scientific thought throughout the world. Image: Nicolaus Copernicus / Wikimedia Commons Copernicus was born in Toruń in northern Poland into a wealthy merchant family. With a keen interest in astrology and astronomy, Copernicus began to studied under astronomer… Read the full story

We’re excited to participate in the first virtual RootsTech conference! This year the world’s largest genealogy conference will be entirely virtual and completely FREE. From February 25-27, people all around the world will have the opportunity to learn and enjoy the wonders of RootsTech from the comfort of their own homes. Class Sessions With hundreds of classes on various subjects and celebrity speakers, attendees can create their own viewing schedule to suit their own interests…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to John Travolta! Today the star turns 67. Image: John Travolta / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 John Joseph Travolta was born on February 18, 1954 in Englewood, New Jersey. He was the youngest of six children born to Salvatore Travolta and Helen Cecilia Burke. He grew up in a family of entertainers and at 16, dropped out of high school to pursue an acting career in New York. He got… Read the full story

It’s Darwin Day! Each year on the anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth, the world of science highlights Darwin’s enormous contributions to the field. Image: Charles Darwin / Library of Congress Charles Darwin was born February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England in his family home, The Mount. He was born into a prominent English family, his father was a wealthy society doctor and financier and his grandfather was Erasmus Darwin, a renowned botanist. In 1831,… Read the full story

Properly documenting your family tree is vital to practicing good genealogy. Sources are incredibly important to ensuring the quality and accuracy of Geni’s World Family Tree. Today we are very excited to announce major new improvements to sources on Geni! Our team has been hard at work to make sources even more powerful, easier to understand, and more helpful to your tree building. On Geni, when you add a document to a profile, you can… Read the full story

Today we remember inventor Thomas Edison, who was born on this day in 1847. Image: Thomas Edison / Library of Congress Edison was born on February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio and was the youngest of seven children born to Samuel Ogden Edison, Jr. and Nancy Matthews Elliot. His father was an exiled political activist from Canada who had participated in the Mackenzie Rebellion of 1837. Edison received little formal education growing up, but spent… Read the full story

“What one man can imagine, another will someday be able to achieve.” On this day in 1828, the “Father of Science Fiction” Jules Verne, was born in Nantes, France. Image: Jules Verne / Bibliothèque nationale de France The son of bourgeois parents, it was intended that Verne would follow in his father’s footsteps to become a lawyer. However, it was during his studies that Verne discovered his passion for literature and theater. He earned his… Read the full story

On this day in 1804, Finnish poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg was born. Considered the national poet of Finland, Runeberg wrote in the Swedish language and had a significant impact on Swedish literature. Image: Johan Ludvig Runeberg / The Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, Flickr Runeberg was born on February 5, 1804 in what is now Pietarsaari, Finland to a Swedish-speaking family. He was the eldest of six children born to Lorenz Ulrik Runeberg and… Read the full story

On this day in 1913, civil rights icon Rosa Parks was born. Image: Rosa Parks / Library of Congress Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama to James McCauley, a carpenter, and Leona Edwards, a teacher. In 1932, she married Raymond Parks, a barber and active member of the NAACP. Parks would join the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP in 1943 and serve as the chapter secretary. On December… Read the full story

Today marks the 62nd anniversary of the tragic plane crash that took the lives of rock musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. The day has become known as “The Day the Music Died,” popularized by a lyric in the song “American Pie.” Image: Buddy Holly / Wikimedia Commons Born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas, Buddy Holly learned to play a variety of instruments at a young age. He began performing with… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary actress Cicely Tyson, who passed away yesterday at the age of 96. An acting pioneer, Tyson’s trailblazing career spanned more than seven decades. Image: Cicely Tyson / Nationaal Archief Tyson was born on December 19, 1924 in Harlem, New York City, New York. Her parents, William Augustine Tyson and Fredricka Theodosia Huggins, were immigrants from Nevis in the West Indies. She first got her start in the 1950s when was discovered… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Cloris Leachman, who has passed away at the age of 94. A comedy legend, Leachman is perhaps best remembered as Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Image: Cloris Leachman / Wikimedia Commons Leachman was born on April 30, 1926 in Des Moines, Iowa to Berkeley Claiborne Leachman and Cloris Wallace. The eldest of three daughters, Leachman first entered the spotlight after competing in Miss America in 1946. After winning… Read the full story

On this day in 1756, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria. Image: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / Wikimedia Commons Mozart was the only surviving son of Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria Pertl. He and his older sister, Maria Anna, were the only two of seven children to survive past infancy. His father had been a composer, conductor, and teacher. The year of Mozart’s birth, his father published his famous violin textbook, which was very… Read the full story

On this day in 1925, actor Paul Newman was born. Image: Paul Newman / Wikimedia Commons Newman was born on January 26, 1925 in Cleveland, Ohio to Arthur Sigmund Newman, Sr. and Theresa Fetzko. His father owned a sporting-goods store and was the son of Jewish emigrants from Hungary and Poland. His mother was born in what is today Humenné, Slovakia and was a homemaker with a love for the theater. As a child, Newman… Read the full story

On this day in 1901, Queen Victoria died at the age of 81. At the time of her death, the Queen had reigned for 63 years, 7 months and 2 days, making her the longest reigning British monarch. It wasn’t until 2015 that her second great granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, surpassed her record as the longest reigning monarch in British history. Image: Queen Victoria / Wikimedia Commons At the time of her birth on May 24, 1819,… Read the full story