May 2022

On May 31, 1819, Walt Whitman, one of America’s most influential poets, was born in West Hills, New York. Image: Walt Whitman / Library of Congress The second of nine children, Whitman was nicknamed “Walt” to distinguish him from his father, Walter Whitman, Sr. His parents held great admiration for their country, even naming three of Whitman’s brothers after American leaders: Andrew Jackson, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Whitman stopped his formal schooling at the age… Read the full story

Geni will be performing scheduled site maintenance starting at 7:00 am PDT on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 and lasting for approximately 2 hours. During this time the Geni website will be unavailable. We’ll do our best to complete the maintenance quickly and return to normal service as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience.

On this day in 1907, American marine biologist and conservationist Rachel Carson was born. Carson’s groundbreaking work is often credited with advancing the global environmental movement. Image: Rachel Carson / Smithsonian Institution Carson was born on May 17, 1907 on a family farm near Springdale, Pennsylvania to Robert Warden Carson, an insurance salesman, and Maria Frazier McLean. Growing up, she developed a deep love of nature and enjoyed writing stories, publishing her first story at… Read the full story

Today we remember astronaut Sally Ride, who was born on this day in 1951. In 1983, Ride became the first American woman in space when she flew into orbit aboard the space shuttle Challenger. Image: Sally Ride / NASA Born in Los Angeles, California, Ride held a keen interest in science from a young age. As she was finishing her Ph.D. in physics at Stanford University, Ride saw an article in the school’s newspaper advertising that NASA… Read the full story

Today we are thrilled to announce that Family Tree Charts are back on Geni! The previous version was temporarily unavailable as we were working towards moving the chart feature off of Flash. With the Family Tree Chart, you can create your own custom, high-quality version of your family tree for downloading or printing.  The Family Tree Chart includes five generations of relatives, your family’s names, dates, and photos. You can customize the look of the… Read the full story

American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson was born on this day in 1803. Image: Ralph Waldo Emerson / Library of Congress Emerson was born on May 25, 1803 in Boston, Massachusetts to Ruth Haskins and William Emerson, a Unitarian minister. At the age of 8, Emerson’s father died, leaving his mother to care for the young family with the aid of his aunt, Mary Moody Emerson. He formed a close bond with his aunt… Read the full story

Have you found your connection to the British royal family? On this day in 1819, Queen Victoria was born in Kensington Palace in London, England. Image: Queen Victoria / Library of Congress She was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, who was the fourth son of King George III. At the time of her birth, she was the fifth in the line of succession. While she was still an infant, her grandfather and… Read the full story

Next week Geni will be at the 44th National Genealogical Society Family History Conference in Sacramento, California. This year, NGS 2022 will be both in-person and virtual, so if you can’t be there in Sacramento, you can still join the fun online from the comfort of your own home. We are extra excited because we’ve greatly missed seeing everyone in person. The conference will take place on May 24-28 at the SAFE Credit Union Convention… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Cher! Today the music legend turns 76. Image: Cher / Nationaal Archief, Wikimedia Commons Cher was born Cherilyn Sarkisian in El Centro, California on May 20, 1946. Her father, John Sarkisian, was truck driver, and her mother, Georgia Holt, was a former model and actress. When she was ten months old, her parents divorced. In the 1960s, Cher rose to stardom as part of a singing act with her husband, Sonny Bono…. 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 1897, director Frank Capra was born. One of the most prominent and influential filmmakers of the 1930s, Capra won three Academy Awards for Best Director. Image: Frank Capra / Library of Congress Capra was born Francesco Rosario Capra in the village of Bisacquino, near Palermo, Sicily, Italy. He was the youngest of seven children born to Salvatore Capra, a fruit grower, and Rosaria Sarah Nicolosi. When he was five, the family… Read the full story

On this day in 1911, actress Maureen O’Sullivan was born in Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland. Image: Maureen O’Sullivan / Wikimedia Commons She was the daughter of Mary Eva Frazer and Charles Joseph O’Sullivan, an officer in the Connaught Rangers who served in World War I. As a child, O’Sullivan attended a convent school in Dublin where future Academy Award-winning actress Vivien Leigh was a classmate. Discovered by Hollywood filmmaker Frank Borzage at a horse show… Read the full story

Remember watching Henry Fonda on the big screen? On this day in 1905, the Hollywood legend was born in Grand Island, Nebraska. Image: Henry Fonda / Wikimedia Commons Henry Jaynes Fonda was the son of William Brace Fonda and Elma Jaynes. His Fonda ancestors were among the first Dutch people to settle in what is now upstate New York. The small village of Fonda was named after Douw Fonda, a prominent settler who was killed in 1780 during a… 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 100th 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

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

This Mother’s Day we asked you to tell us three words that best describe your mother or mother-figure in your life. Many of you sent in your answers and photos, but only one lucky winner would receive a free 1-year subscription of Geni Pro. Today we are excited to announce the winner of our giveaway is Debra Richards! Debra emailed the above family photo and shared the three words that best describe her mom: Three… 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 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

Happy birthday to George Clooney! Today the actor turns 61. Image: George Clooney / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration George Timothy Clooney was born in Lexington, Kentucky on May 6, 1961 to Nina Bruce, a city councilwoman, and Nick Clooney, a former anchorman and game show host. His aunt was singer and actress Rosemary Clooney. Clooney first rose to fame on the hit television show ER. His work on the series earned him two… Read the full story

We’re celebrating Mother’s Day with a chance to win a 1-year Geni Pro subscription! On this special day, we honor and celebrate the mothers and mother-figures in our lives for their hard work, dedication, and care. This Mother’s Day, we want to learn more about your moms and mother-figures in your life. Send us a photo and answer the question, “What are three words that best describe your mom or mother-figure in your life?” and… 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

Do you have a favorite Audrey Hepburn movie? On this day in 1929, the iconic actress was born in Brussels, Belgium. Image: Audrey Hepburn / Wikimedia Commons She was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston to Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston and Baroness Ella van Heemstra, a Dutch aristocrat and the daughter of Baron Aarnoud van Heemstra. Hepburn took up ballet at a young age, and by 1944 was a very proficient dancer. During World War II, she would secretly… Read the full story

Do you have a favorite Bing Crosby film? On this day in 1903, the legendary actor was born. Image: Bing Crosby / U.S National Archives and Records Administration Crosby was born Harry Lillis Crosby, Jr. on May 3, 1903 in Tacoma, Washington in a house built by his father. The fourth of seven children, Crosby acquired the nickname “Bing” at a young age from a comic strip called “The Bingville Bugle.” After finding success on… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Dwayne Johnson! Today the actor and former professional wrestler turns 50. Image: Dwayne Johnson / Eva Rinaldi, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Johnson was born on May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California to Ata Maivia and Rocky Johnson, a former professional wrestler. His maternal grandfather, Peter Maivia, was also a professional wrester and a member of the famous Anoa’i family of wrestlers. A standout athlete, Johnson attended the University of Miami on… Read the full story