February 2022

RootsTech 2022 is coming up fast! In just one week, the world’s largest genealogy conference will be here once again. Last year, the conference was completely virtual for the first time and was more accessible than ever, with over 1 million attendees from around the world. This year RootsTech will once again be 100% virtual and 100% free! The conference will take place March 3-5, 2022 and will feature live and pre-recorded events, inspiring keynote… Read the full story

On this day in 1943, musician George Harrison was born. Known as “the quiet Beatle,” Harrison became internationally famous as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Image: George Harrison / Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum, Wikimedia Commons Harrison was born on February 25, 1943 in Liverpool, England to Harold Harrison and Louise French. The youngest of four children, Harrison grew up with a strong love for music. He first met Paul McCartney while riding the bus… Read the full story

Today we remember actor Don Knotts, who passed away on this day in 2006. Knotts was perhaps best known for his memorable portrayal of Deputy Barney Fife on the hit sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, which earned him five Emmy Awards. Image: Don Knotts / State Library and Archives of Florida Jesse Donald Knotts was born in Morgantown, West Virginia on July 21, 1924. After graduating from high school, Knotts joined the U.S. Army and spent most of… Read the full story

On this day in 1931, author Toni Morrison was born. Known for her rich story telling of the Black experience in America, Morrison was the first African American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Image: Toni Morrison / Library of Congress Morrison was born Chloe Ardelia Wofford on February 18, 1931 in Lorain, Ohio. She was the second of four children born to George Wofford and Ella Ramah Willis. At the age… Read the full story

On this day in 1781, French physician René Laennec, inventor of the stethoscope, was born in Quimper, France. Image: René Laennec / Wikimedia Commons Considered one of the greatest physicians in history, Laennec made many significant contributions to the world of medicine. In 1816, he invented the stethoscope and pioneered its use in diagnosing various chest conditions. The inspiration for the groundbreaking device came from Laennec’s observation of school children who played with long hallow sticks to amplify… Read the full story

On this day in 1923, archaeologist Howard Carter unsealed the burial chamber of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. The tomb of the boy king is considered to be one of the best preserved and most intact pharaonic tombs ever found in the Valley of the Kings. Image: Howard Carter beside the coffin of King Tutankhamen / Library of Congress Carter had spent many years excavating in the Valley of the Kings in search of the undiscovered tomb of the… Read the full story

On this day in 1820, suffragist Susan B. Anthony was born in Adams, Massachusetts. Image: Susan B. Anthony / Library of Congress Born into a Quaker family, Anthony grew up in a politically active household. Her family was active in the anti-slavery movement, and by the age of 17, Anthony was already collecting anti-slavery petitions. Encouraged to pursue her education, Anthony became a teacher while continuing to fight for social reforms that would bring equality to all. In 1851, Anthony… Read the full story

Abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass was born into slavery around February 1817 in Talbot County, Maryland. Although the exact date of his birth is unknown, Douglass later chose to celebrate his birthday on February 14. Image: Frederick Douglass / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration As a child, Douglass was sent to live with a ship carpenter named Hugh Auld. During this time, Auld’s wife began teaching Douglass how to read. Douglass would continue to teach himself… Read the full story

Today we remember acting legend Burt Reynolds on what would have been his 86th birthday. Image: Burt Reynolds / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Reynolds was born on February 11, 1936 in Lansing, Michigan to Harrietta Fernette Miller and Burton Milo Reynolds. His father served in the U.S. army during World War II and landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. Early in his career, Reynolds landed several guest starring roles on… Read the full story

Do you love watching old Shirley Temple movies? Today we remember the beloved child actor, who passed away on this day in 2014 at the age of 85. Image: Shirley Temple / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 Temple was born on April 23, 1928 in Santa Monica, California. She was first discovered in a dancing class at the age of 3 and was cast in Baby Burlesks, a series of short films that satirized recent film… Read the full story

Today we remember author Jules Verne, who was born on this day in 1828. Image: Jules Verne / Bibliothèque nationale de France, Wikimedia Commons Verne was born on February 8, 1828 in Nantes, France to Pierre Verne, a lawyer, and Sophie Allote de la Fuye. Although he was expected to follow his father’s footsteps into law, Verne developed a strong passion for literature and theater. He frequented Paris’s famous literary salons, where he befriended French writer Alexandre Dumas and… Read the full story

Today we remember civil rights icon Rosa Parks, who was born on this day in 1913. Image: Rosa Parks / Library of Congress Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama to Leona Edwards, a teacher, and James McCauley, a carpenter. After her parents separated, Parks and her family moved to Pine Level, Alabama to live with her maternal grandparents. At 19, she married Raymond Parks, a barber and member… Read the full story

On this day in 1821, Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor in the United States, was born in Bristol, England. Image: Elizabeth Blackwell / National Library of Medicine, Wikimedia Commons Blackwell was raised in a liberal household with a strong emphasis on education. In 1832, her father, Samuel Blackwell, moved the family to United States. When he died in 1838, he left the family in great debt. To help make ends meet, Blackwell, her older sisters, and her… Read the full story

Do you remember watching Charlie’s Angels? On this day in 1947, star Farrah Fawcett was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. Image: Farrah Fawcett / Wikimedia Commons She was the youngest of two daughters born to Pauline Alice Fawcett and James William Fawcett. Upon arriving to Hollywood in 1968, Fawcett appeared in commercials and made numerous guest spots on television. In 1976, she made her debut as policewoman Jill Monroe on the TV series Charlie’s Angels. However, it… Read the full story

Poet and author Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. A leader of the Harlem Renaissance in New York City, Hughes’s writing depicted the life, experiences, and culture of African Americans in the U.S and addressed the racial issues in society. Image: Langston Hughes / Library of Congress Hughes was the son of James Nathaniel Hughes and Caroline Mercer Langston. His parents separated shortly after he was born and he was… Read the full story