January 2023

On this day in 1882, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, was born in Hyde Park, New York. As the only U.S. President to serve four terms in office, Roosevelt led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II until his death in 1945. Image: Franklin D. Roosevelt / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Roosevelt was born into one of the oldest and wealthiest families in New York. In… Read the full story

Remember the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? On this day in 1832, author Lewis Carroll was born. Image: Lewis Carroll / Wikimedia Commons The eldest son in a family of 11 children, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson spent much of his childhood reading books. He enjoyed entertaining the children of his close friend, Henry George Liddell, and spent much time delighting them with stories of fantastic adventures. Liddell’s daughter, Alice, became the inspiration for Carroll’s most famous… Read the full story

Ninety-eight years ago today, legendary actor Paul Newman was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Image: Paul Newman / Wikimedia Commons A versatile actor and entrepreneur, Newman showed an early interest in theater. He made his Broadway debut in 1953 and eventually segued into television and film. Some of his most memorable films include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cool Hand Luke, and The Sting. In 1958, Newman married actress Joanne Woodward. They remained married for 50 years… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the 141st birthday of British author Virginia Woolf. A pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device, Woolf is remembered as a central figure of the modernist movement in literature. Image: Virginia Woolf / Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard University Woolf was born Adeline Virginia Stephen on January 25, 1882 in London England to Sir Leslie Stephen, a prominent author and mountaineer, and Julia Jackson, a noted philanthropist. She was… Read the full story

On this day in 1862, American author Edith Wharton was born. Known for her stories about America’s upper-class, Wharton became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1921. Image: Edith Wharton / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 She was born Edith Newbold Jones on January 24, 1862 to a prominent and wealthy New York family. In 1885, she married Edward Wharton, a wealthy banker. The couple eventually divorced in 1913 after 28 years… Read the full story

It’s National Handwriting Day! Established in 1977, National Handwriting Day is celebrated on the birthday of John Hancock. The American Founding Father is best remembered for his iconic signature on the Declaration of Independence. Image: John Hancock / Library of Congress John Hancock was born on January 23, 1737 in Braintree, Massachusetts. A major figure of the American Revolution, Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. His large and stylish signature has become so… Read the full story

Happy 93rd birthday to Buzz Aldrin! Image: Buzz Aldrin / NASA On January 20, 1930, Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr. was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey to Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Sr. and Marion Gaddys. His nickname “Buzz” originated in his childhood; his younger sister mispronounced the word “brother” as “buzzer” and the name stuck. The family later shortened it to Buzz. As the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 11, Aldrin made the first manned lunar landing… Read the full story

Today country music superstar Dolly Parton celebrates her 77th birthday! Parton went from very humble beginnings to become one of the most successful artists in history. Not only has she made her mark in music and film, but she even has her own theme park called Dollywood. Image: Dolly Parton / Wikimedia Commons Parton was born on January 19, 1946 in Locust Ridge, Tennessee and was the fourth of twelve children born to Robert Lee Parton… Read the full story

On this day in 1904, star Cary Grant was born in Bristol, England. Image: Cary Grant / Wikimedia Commons He was born Archibald Alexander Leach on January 18, 1904 to Elias James Leach, a tailor’s presser, and Elsie Maria Leach, a factory seamstress. Grant had an unhappy childhood. When he was 9 years old, his father placed his mother in a mental institution and told a young Grant that she had gone away on a… Read the full story

On this day in 1942, boxing legend Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky. An Olympic gold medalist and three-time World Heavyweight Champion, Ali is remembered as one of the greatest athletes in history. Image: Muhammad Ali / Nationaal Archief, Wikimedia Commons CCO He was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. to Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., a painter, and Odessa O’Grady, a domestic helper. He became interested in boxing at the age of 12 after his bike… Read the full story

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Today the U.S. observes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in honor of civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. Image: Martin Luther King, Jr. / Library of Congress He was born on January 15, 1964 in Atlanta, Georgia to Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King. A leader of the American Civil Rights movement, King sought to bring an end to… Read the full story

Do you have Dutch ancestry? On this day in 1596, Dutch artist Jan van Goyen was born. A prolific artist, van Goyen (sometimes spelled Goijen) produced about 1,200 paintings and over 1,000 drawings during his lifetime. Image: Jan van Goyen / Wikimedia Commons He was born Jan Josephszoon van Goyen in Leiden, Netherlands. Van Goyen began an apprenticeship at the age of ten and studied painting under the tutelage of several masters. Although he made… Read the full story

On January 12, 1876, American journalist and author Jack London was born in San Francisco, California. Image: Jack London / Library of Congress The author is best remembered for his novels, Call of the Wild and White Fang, which are both set in Alaska and the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. He was one of the first fiction writers to gain worldwide celebrity and fortune from his works of fiction alone. London died on… Read the full story

Founding Father Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 or 1757 (the exact day is unknown). Image: Alexander Hamilton / Wikimedia Commons Born on the island of Nevis, British West Indies, Hamilton and his older brother James were born out of wedlock to James A. Hamilton and Rachel Faucette, who was still married to another man. While he was still a child, his father left the family, leaving them impoverished. Then in 1768, Hamilton’s mother… Read the full story

Are you a fan of Rod Stewart? Today the music legend turns 78. Image: Rod Stewart / Helge Øverås, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Born on January 10, 1945 in London, England, Stewart was the youngest of five children. He excelled at soccer in his youth, however, when his ambitions to become a professional soccer player were thwarted in the summer of 1960, Stewart decided to pursue a career in music. His distinctive voice set… Read the full story

Have you ever been in a hot air balloon? On this day in 1745, French inventor Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier was born. Image: Library of Congress Montgolfier was born on January 6, 1745 in Annonay, France into a family of paper manufacturers. His brother, Joseph-Michael, developed an interest in aeronautics and enlisted Jacques-Étienne to help construct a balloon in the 1770s. As they worked together, the brothers discovered that heated air directed into a paper or fabric bag made… Read the full story

On this day in 1855, American inventor King C. Gillette was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. As the inventor of the best selling version of the safety razor, Gillette’s name is still synonymous with razor blades to this day. Image: King C. Gillette / Library of Congress Raised in Chicago, Illinois, Gillette and his family had survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, but lost most of their possessions. To help his family, Gillette… Read the full story

On this day in 1643, Isaac Newton was born. Considered one of the most significant scientific figures in history, Newton revolutionized our understanding of the world. Image: Isaac Newton / Wikimedia Commons Newton was born prematurely three months after the death of his father, also named Isaac Newton. When he was three, his mother remarried and Newton was sent to be raised by his maternal grandmother. A gifted student, Newton especially excelled at mathematics. He would go… Read the full story