September 2022

Today we remember Holocaust survivor, human rights activist, and Nobel Peace-prize winner Elie Wiesel, who was born on this day in 1928. Image: Elie Wiesel / Library of Congress Wiesel was born on September 30, 1928 in Sighet, Romania and grew up in a close-knit Jewish community. At the age of 15, Wiesel and his family were sent to Auschwitz, where his mother and sister were killed. He and his father were later sent to… Read the full story

Today we remember Ray Charles on what would have been his 92nd birthday. Image: Ray Charles / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23, 1930 in Albany, Georgia. He was the son of Bailey Robinson, a mechanic, and Aretha Williams, a laundress. Around the age of four or five, Charles began to lose his sight and by the age of seven, he was completely blind. Although the family had little money,… Read the full story

On this day in 1866, The Time Machine author H.G. Wells was born in Bromley, Kent, England. Image: H.G. Wells / LSE Library, Flickr Wells was the fourth child born to Joseph Wells and Sarah Neal, both shopkeepers. The family struggled financially and by the age of 14, Wells became an apprentice to a draper. After finishing school, Wells became a science teacher. In 1891, he married his cousin, Isabel Mary Wells, however, the marriage did not… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Sophia Loren! Today the Italian actress turns 88. Image: Sophia Loren / Wikimedia Commons She was born Sofia Villani Scicolone on September 20, 1934 in Rome, Italy to Romilda Villani and Riccardo Scicolone. Raised in poverty, Loren would become one of Italy’s most renowned and honored actresses. Loren began her path to international stardom after entering a beauty pageant at the age of 15. In 1957, she starred in her first Hollywood film, The… Read the full story

On the morning after the Battle of Baltimore, lawyer and poet Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the poem “Defence of Fort McHenry,” which would become the lyrics to “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Image: Francis Scott Key / Library of Congress During the War of 1812, Key accompanied Colonel John Stuart Skinner aboard the British ship HMS Tonnant to negotiate the release of prisoners. During the negotiations, the British attacked Fort McHenry, leaving Key and Skinner powerless… Read the full story

Happy Roald Dahl Day! On this day in 1916, author Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, Wales. Image: Roald Dahl / Library of Congress Dahl was the son of Norwegian parents, Harald Dahl and and Sofie Hesselberg. Dahl’s father was a wealthy shipbuilder and had emigrated from Sarpsborg, Norway and settled in Cardiff, Wales in the 1880s. His mother later immigrated to the UK and married his father in 1911. During World War I, Dahl… Read the full story

Today we remember rock and roll legend Buddy Holly, who was born on this day in 1936. Image: Buddy Holly / Wikimedia Commons Charles Hardin Holley was born on September 7, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas. He was the fourth child born to Lawrence Odell “L.O.” Holley and Ella Pauline Drake and nicknamed “Buddy” by his mother. Growing up, Buddy wasn’t the only member of the family interested in music. His older brothers performed in local talent shows and… Read the full story