May 2023

On this day in 1951, astronaut Sally Ride was born. In 1983, Ride made history when she became the first American woman to fly in space. Image: Sally Ride / NASA Ride as born on May 26, 1951 in Encino, California to Dale Burdell Ride and Carol Joyce Anderson. Her father was a political science professor and her mother was a counselor at a women’s correctional facility. As a child, she was always fascinated by… Read the full story

Come see Geni at the National Genealogical Society 2023 Family History Conference in Richmond, Virginia. The conference will take place May 31 – June 3 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Geni is excited to once again be a Silver sponsor of the conference. If you are planning to attend, be sure to stop by the Geni booth (304, 306) in the exhibit hall and learn about what’s new on Geni. We’re excited to see… Read the full story

“What hath God wrought?” This was the message Samuel F.B. Morse sent from the Old Supreme Court Chamber in the United States Capital to his assistant, Alfred Vail, in Baltimore, Maryland, to inaugurate the first telegraph line on May 24, 1844. Image: Library of Congress Morse was born on April 27, 1791 in Charlestown, Massachusetts to Jedediah Morse, a pastor and geographer, and Elizabeth Ann Finley Breese. Morse had established a career as a painter when a… Read the full story

Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born on this day in 1859. Image: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle / Library of Congress Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland to Charles Altamont Doyle and Mary Foley. Supported by wealthy uncles, Doyle studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. It was during this time that he began writing short stories. In 1887, he published his first Sherlock Holmes story. Doyle partially based the character of Holmes on… Read the full story

Today we remember Anne Boleyn, who was executed on this day in 1536 for treason and adultery. Image: Anne Boleyn / Wikimedia Commons The marriage between Anne and King Henry VIII was scandalous from the start. The union plunged the country into political and religious upheaval, resulting in breakage from the Roman Catholic Church and the establishment of the Church of England. Soon after becoming Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne gave birth to a daughter, the future… Read the full story

On this day in 1953, pioneering aviator Jacqueline Cochran became the first woman to break the sound barrier. Image: Jacqueline Cochran / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive, Flickr Cochran was born Bessie Lee Pittman on May 11, 1906 to Ira Pittman and Mary Grant. After divorcing her first husband, Robert Cochran, she began using the name Jacqueline or “Jackie.” Cochran moved to New York where she landed a position at the prestigious Saks Fifth… Read the full story

Do you remember watching Tarzan? On this day in 1911, Irish actress Maureen O’Sullivan was born. Often considered Ireland’s first film star, O’Sullivan is perhaps best remembered for her portrayal of Jane in six Tarzan films. Image: Maureen O’Sullivan / Wikimedia Commons O’Sullivan was born on May 17, 1911 in Boyle, Roscommon, Ireland to Mary Eva Frazer and Charles Joseph O’Sullivan, who was an officer in the Connaught Rangers and served in World War I. Growing up, she went to school in Dublin… Read the full story

Did you know that the first Academy Awards ceremony was held on May 16, 1929? The ceremony’s first host was none other than the Academy’s first president, actor Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. Image: Douglas Fairbanks / Library of Congress Long before it would become Hollywood’s biggest night, the first Academy Awards were handed out at a dinner party for around 270 guests at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony lasted just 15 minutes… Read the full story

Did you read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz growing up? On this day in 1856, author L. Frank Baum was born in Chittenango, New York. Image: L.Frank Baum / Library of Congress The popular children’s book author was born Lyman Frank Baum to Cynthia Ann Stanton and Benjamin Ward Baum, a successful businessman, and grew up on his family’s estate, Rose Lawn. A sickly child, Baum began writing at a young age. After his father gifted him a cheap… Read the full story

Happy International Nurses Day! Today honors nurses all around the world on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. Image: Florence Nightingale / Library of Congress Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820 in Florence, Italy to a rich, upper-class British family. From a young age, she felt it was her calling from God to devote her life to the service of others. Despite her family’s strong objects, Nightingale worked hard to educate herself in nursing…. Read the full story

On this day in 1904, surrealist painter Salvador Dalí was born in Figueres, Spain. Image: Salvador Dali / Library of Congress Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech was born nine months after the death of his older brother, who was also named Salvador. At the age of five, his parents took him to his brothers grave where they told him that he was his brother’s reincarnation. He would come to believe it to be true… Read the full story

Legendary actor Fred Astaire was born on May 10, 1899 in Omaha, Nebraska. Considered one of the greatest entertainers of Old Hollywood, Astaire dazzled audiences on the stage and screen with his charisma and energy. Image: Fred Astaire / Wikimedia Commons He was the son of Johanna Geilus and Frederic Austerlitz and had an older sister Adele, who proved to a natural dancer and singer. Together, the siblings developed a vaudeville act as children and became quite… Read the full story

We’re excited to share some new enhancements to the family map on Geni. For many years, we’ve had the family map to show you where your relatives are located around the world. Now we’ve made a few improvements that will help you better visualize the locations of your relatives on Geni. To find the Map, simply click on “Family” at the top of the page and select “Map.” Show Death and Burial Locations Previously, you… Read the full story

Remember the story of Peter Pan? On this day in 1860, author J.M. Barrie was born in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland.  Image: National Science and Media Museum, Flickr Barrie was born James Matthew Barrie to David Barrie and Margaret Ogilvy. The ninth of ten children, Barrie was drawn to storytelling as a small child. He first found work as a writer and journalist, but discovered his work in theater increasing as time passed. During his third play, he met… Read the full story

On this day in 1884, President Harry S. Truman was born. Truman served as the 33rd President of the United States. Image: Harry S. Truman / Library of Congress Truman was born on May 8, 1884 in Lamar, Missouri to John Anderson Truman and Martha Ellen Young. His parents named him after his maternal uncle, Harrison “Harry” Young,  but had difficulty settling on a middle name. Ultimately, they simply chose to use the letter “S” in tribute… Read the full story

This weekend Charles III will officially be crowned King of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth realms. The coronation will take place on May 6, 2023, which coincidentally falls on the fourth birthday of his grandson, Archie. In preparation of this historic event, here are some interesting facts to know before His Majesty’s coronation. Image: Charles III / Dan Marsh, Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) 1. Charles was born on November 14, 1948 in Buckingham Palace and… Read the full story

Today marks the birth of American journalist, inventor, and record-breaker Nellie Bly! Image: Nellie Bly / Library of Congress She was born Elizabeth Jane Cochrane on May 5, 1864 in Cochran’s Mills, Pennsylvania. Writing under the the pen name “Nellie Bly,” Bly was a pioneer of her field and launched a new kind of investigative journalism. As a reporter for Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World, Bly wrote one of her earliest and most provocative pieces, a startling exposé on… Read the full story

Do you have a favorite Audrey Hepburn movie? Today marks what would have been the legendary actress’s 94th birthday. Image: Audrey Hepburn / Wikimedia Commons Hepburn was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. Her mother, Baroness Ella van Heemstra, was a Dutch aristocrat and after divorcing Hepburn’s father, raised her alone as a single mother. She studied ballet and quickly became a “star pupil.” The Nazi’s occupation of the Netherlands during… Read the full story

On this day in 1469, Italian Renaissance historian and philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli was born in the Republic of Florence. Today, he is remembered as one of the fathers of modern political theory. Image: Niccolò Machiavelli / Wikimedia Commons He was born during a tumultuous era when Italy was still divided into city-states. A strong proponent of a unified Italy, Machiavelli served for many years as a senior official for the Florentine Republic and dealt with diplomatic and… Read the full story

On this day in 1729, Catherine the Great was born. Catherine the Great reigned over Russia from 1762 until her death in 1796 at the age of 67. Image: Catherine the Great / British Library, Flickr She was born Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg on May 2, 1729. Her father belonged to the ruling German family of Anhalt, but held the rank of a Prussian general. After converting to the Russian Orthodox Church, she received… Read the full story