2024

On this day in 1783, Venezuelan military leader and politician Simón Bolívar was born. Called “The Liberator,” Bolívar was instrumental in Latin America’s successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire. Image: Simón Bolívar / Library of Congress Bolívar was born into a wealthy family in a house in Caracas, Captaincy General of Venezuela on July 24, 1783. Before the age of ten, Bolivar had lost both of his parents. His father died when he was three… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Daniel Radcliffe! Today the Harry Potter star turns 35. Image: Daniel Radcliffe / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Born in London, England, Radcliffe got his start at the age of 10 in the BBC television film David Copperfield. It was this performance that caught the eye of director Chris Columbus, who was searching for a young unknown actor to cast as the lead in the film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved Harry Potter book series. At… Read the full story

French painter Edgar Degas was born on July 19, 1834 in Paris, France. Image: Edgar Degas / Wikimedia Commons He was born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas and was the eldest child of Augustin De Gas, a banker, and Marie-Celestine Musson, an American from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her father, Germain Musson, had fled his home in Haiti in 1804 and made a small fortune in Louisiana cotton. As an adult, he changed the spelling of his surname to… Read the full story

Today we remember inspirational figure Nelson Mandela on what would have been his 106 birthday. Image: Nelson Mandela / Library of Congress Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in the village of Mvezo in Umtata, South Africa. He was given the name Rolihlahla, a Xhosa term meaning “troublemaker.” In his 20s, Mandela became actively involved in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. He spent 27 years of his life in prison after he was… Read the full story

Do you have Norwegian ancestry? On this day in 1872, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was born in Borge, Østfold, Norway. Image: Roald Amundsen / National Library of Norway, Flickr Amundsen was born into a family of shipowners and captains and had a lifelong desire for polar exploration. One of the key figures of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, Amundsen was the first explorer to reach the South Pole. He gained invaluable knowledge for his journey… Read the full story

Happy birthday to musician Linda Ronstadt! Today the Grammy winner turns 78. Image: Linda Ronstadt / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Ronstadt was born on July 15, 1946 in Tucson, Arizona to Ruth Copeman and Gilbert Ronstadt, who came from a pioneering Arizona ranching family. Her paternal grandfather, Federico José Maria Ronstadt, was a successful local businessman and wagon maker. In 1991, the city of Tucson dedicated its central transit terminal to him for his early contribution… Read the full story

On this day in 1817, American essayist and poet Henry David Thoreau was born. Image: Henry David Thoreau / Library of Congress He was born David Henry Thoreau on July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts to John Thoreau, a pencil maker, and Cynthia Dunbar. He was named after his recently deceased paternal uncle. It was not until after finishing school that he began to call himself “Henry David.” It was after college that he was… Read the full story

Do you remember reading Charlotte’s Web? On this day in 1899, author E.B. White was born in Mount Vernon, New York. Image: E.B. White / White Literary LLC, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) The youngest child of Samuel Tilly White and Jessie Hart White, Elwyn Brooks White was the couple’s sixth child. He hated the name “Elwyn” and spent most of his life going by the nickname “Andy.” His older brother, Stanley Hart White, was a professor… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Tom Hanks! Today the popular actor turns 68. Image: Tom Hanks / U.S. Department of State, public domain Thomas Jeffery Hanks was born on July 9, 1956 in Concord, California. In 1960, his parents divorced and Hanks, along with his two oldest siblings, went to live with their father. His youngest brother stayed with their mother. Hanks got his big break when he was cast as the lead in the television sitcom Bosom Buddies…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to actor Kevin Bacon! Today the star turns 66. Image: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons, (CC BY-SA 2.0) Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 8, 1958, Bacon was the youngest of six children born to architect Edmund Bacon and Ruth Holmes, a teacher and social activist. From a young age he showed a gift for acting, earning a full scholarship to attend the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts at 16. Bacon skyrocketed… Read the full story

Do you enjoy the circus? On this day in 1810, showman P.T. Barnum was born in Bethel, Connecticut. Image: P.T. Barnum / Library of Congress A successful promoter, Barnum made a name for himself promoting weird and odd curiosities. He founded the famous “Barnum & Bailey Circus” and toured the country with his band of performers. He was one of the first to move his circus by train. Named the “Greatest Show on Earth,” the Barnum &… Read the full story

On this day in 1883, author Franz Kafka was born in Prague in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Image: Franz Kafka / Wikimedia Commons The eldest of six children, Kafka grew up in a middle-class, German-speaking, Jewish family. His two younger brothers died in infancy, leaving him as the only son in the family. Though Kafka died several years before World War II, his three sisters would go on to perish during the Holocaust. Kafka showed an interest in writing at an early… Read the full story

On this day in 1937, aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Frederick Noonan went missing over the Pacific while attempting to make the first flight around the world along the equator. Image: Amelia Earhart / Library of Congress Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas to Edwin Stanton Earhart and Amelia Otis. In 1920, Earhart took a plane ride an airshow in Long Beach, California that would change her life. Although the experience… Read the full story

Today we remember Princess Diana on what would have been her 63rd birthday. Image: Diana, Princess of Wales / Wikimedia Commons She was born Diana Frances Spencer in Sandringham, England to John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and Frances Burk Rouche, Viscountess Althorp. Her parents would divorce when she was eight years old. She became known as Lady Diana when her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer in 1975. In 1981, she married Prince Charles in a lavish… Read the full story

How are you related to the Tudors? On this day in 1491, Henry VIII of England was born at Greenwich Palace in London, England. Image: Henry VIII / Wikimedia Commons He was the third child and second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Of his six siblings, only three would survive infancy. His older brother, Arthur, was expected to inherit the throne. However, just 20 weeks after his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Arthur… Read the full story

Today we remember author, activist, and lecturer Helen Keller, who was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Image: Helen Keller / Library of Congress Helen Adams Keller spent her childhood living at her family’s homestead, Ivy Green, which was built by her grandfather in 1820. Born physically normal, Keller did not lose her sight or hearing until she was 19 months old due to an illness. Although her health recovered, the illness left her deaf and blind for the rest… Read the full story

On this day in 1911, American athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias was born. Considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, Zaharias was an Olympic gold medal winner and excelled in the sports of golf, basketball, baseball, and track and field. Image: Babe Didrikson Zaharias / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 She was born Mildred Ella Didrikson on June 26, 1911 in Port Arthur, Texas to Ole Didriksen and Hannah Olsen, both Norwegian immigrants…. Read the full story

Do you have any boxers in your family tree? On this day in 1895, boxing legend Jack Dempsey was born in Manassa, Colorado. The World Heavyweight Champion from 1919 to 1926, Dempsey’s aggressive style and impressive punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Image: Jack Dempsey / Library of Congress He was born William Harrison Dempsey on June 24, 1895 to Mary Celia Smoot and Hiram Dempsey. Growing up poor, Dempsey… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Prince William! Today the British heir apparent celebrates his 42nd birthday. Image: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge / USAID,Vietnam Prince William was born on June 21, 1982 at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, England to Charles, Prince of Wales (later King Charles III) and Diana, Princess of Wales. Each of his three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, were also born at the same hospital. At the age of 15,… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Lionel Richie! Today the singer turns 75. Image: Lionel Richie / Photo by Shawn Miller, Library of Congress, Public domain He was born Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. on June 20, 1949 in Tuskegee, Alabama to Alberta Foster and Lionel Brockman Richie, Sr. He grew up close to the the campus of the Tuskegee Institute, which was founded by Booker T. Washington. Two generations of his family have worked at the institution, including… Read the full story

Are you a baseball fan? On this day in 1903, baseball legend Lou Gehrig was born in Yorkville, New York. Image: Lou Gehrig / Library of Congress Henry Louis Gehrig was the second of four children born to German immigrant parents. The only child to survive infancy, Gehrig grew up in poverty but showed an aptitude for academics and sports. He attended Columbia University on a football scholarship and studied engineering. In 1923, Gehrig signed with the… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Paul McCartney! Today the legendary musician turns 82. Image: Paul McCartney / Nationaal Archief CC0, Wikimedia Commons McCartney was born on June 18, 1942 in Liverpool, England to James McCartney and Mary Mohin. Music was always a part of McCartney’s life growing up. His father was a trumpet player and pianist and encouraged his son’s pursuit of music. When he was 14, his mother died of an embolism shortly after surgery for… Read the full story

On this day in 1811, American writer and abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe was born in Litchfield, Connecticut. Image: Harriet Beecher Stowe / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration She was the seventh of thirteen children born to Lyman Beecher, a Calvinist preacher, and Roxana Foote. The Beecher family was a prominent New England family known for their involvement in political issues regarding religion, civil rights and social reform. Her great grandfather, General Andrew Ward V,… Read the full story

Do you have Irish ancestors? On this day in 1865, Irish poet W.B. Yeats was born in Dublin, Ireland. Image: W.B. Yeats / Library of Congress William Butler Yeats was the son of John Butler Yeats, a lawyer and portrait painter, and Susan Mary Pollexfen, whose wealthy merchant family owned a milling and shipping business. His father was not the only artist of the family. His brother Jack became a well-known artist and Olympic medalist, while… Read the full story

Today we remember Anne Frank on what would have been her 95th birthday. Image: Anne Frank / Wikimedia Commons It was 82 years ago today that Anne received her famous diary as a gift for her 13th birthday. Her father had given it to her after she had pointed it out in a store window days before. The red checkered autograph book had a small lock on the front, so Anne decided to use it… Read the full story

Do you remember watching Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory? On this day in 1933, actor Gene Wilder was born. Image: Gene Wilder / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Wilder was born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1933 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He first gained an interest in acting after his mother was diagnosed with rheumatic fever. The doctor had told the 8-year-old Wilder that he should try to make his mother laugh. By the age of 13, he began studying acting… Read the full story

Today we remember Prince on what would have been his 66th birthday. Image: Prince / Scott Penner, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Prince Rogers Nelson was born on June 7, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to John Lewis Nelson, a jazz musician, and Mattie Della Shaw. He was named after his father, who used the stage name Prince Rogers while performing with his jazz group, the Prince Rogers Trio. With music a big part of his… Read the full story

Do you have Spanish ancestry? On this day in 1599, Spanish painter Diego Velázquez was born in Seville, Spain. Image: Diego Velázquez / Wikimedia Commons The first child of João Rodrigues da Silva and Jerónima Velázquez, Velázquez showed a gift for art at a young age. At the age of 12, he began a six-year apprenticeship with painter Francisco Pacheco. He would later marry Pacheco’s daughter, Juana, and have two daughters. Remembered as one of the most important… Read the full story

Today we remember Robert F. Kennedy on the anniversary of his assassination. After winning the California presidential primary, Kennedy was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968. He would succumb to his wounds the following day. Image: Library of Congress Kennedy was the seventh child born to Joseph Kennedy, Sr. And Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. During his brother’s presidency, Kennedy served as the Attorney General of the United States… Read the full story

Today marks the 205th birthday of American poet Walt Whitman! Considered to be one of the most influential poets in American literature, Whitman is often called the “father of free verse.” Image: Walt Whitman /  Library of Congress Whitman was born on May 31, 1819 in West Hills, New York and was the second of nine children. By the age of 11, he had left school and began working to help support his family. He learned… Read the full story

On May 30, 1908, voice actor Mel Blanc was born in San Francisco, California. Nicknamed “The Man of a Thousand Voices,” Blanc is regarded as one of the most influential people in the history of voice acting.  Image: Mel Blanc / Wikimedia Commons Although he began his nearly six-decade long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros. He brought to life a plethora of memorable Looney Tunes cartoons,… Read the full story

Today we remember President John F. Kennedy, who was born on this day in 1917. Image: John F. Kennedy / NASA, Flickr John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. The second of nine children born to Joseph “Joe” Kennedy and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald, John was frequently ill as a child. His older brother, Joe, had been pegged to be the family’s political standard-bearer and was expected by his father to seek the… 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

On this day in 1707, Swedish botanist and zoologist Carl Linnaeus was born. Known as the “father of modern taxonomy,” Linnaeus is best remembered for formalizing the modern system of naming organisms. Image: Carl Linnaeus / Nationalmuseum, Sweden Linnaeus was born in the village of Råshult in Småland, Sweden to Nicolaus (Nils) Linnaeus, a pastor, and Anna Christina Brodersonia. His father was an avid gardener and introduced Linnaeus to the world of botany at an… Read the full story

On this day in 1859, author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. A prolific writer, Doyle is best remembered for his creation of private detective Sherlock Holmes. He wrote four novels and over fifty short stories featuring the fictional detective. Image: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle / Library of Congress Doyle was born to a prosperous Irish family. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh Medical School, where he first began writing… Read the full story

Remember the tongue twister, “She sells seashells on the seashore?” On this day 225 years ago, Mary Anning, the English fossil collector and pioneering paleontologist who inspired the tongue twister, was born. Image: Mary Anning / Wikimedia Commons Anning grew up in the coastal town of Lyme Regis in Dorset, England. Her father, Richard Anning, was a cabinetmaker and supplemented his income by selling curiosities found along the coastal cliffside near the town to tourists…. Read the full story

Today we remember actor James Stewart, who was born on this day in 1908. Image: James Stewart / U.S. Air Force Stewart was the eldest of three children born to Alexander Maitland Stewart and Elizabeth Ruth Jackson. He got his first taste of performing while a student at Princeton University. Although he earned a degree in architecture, Stewart would ultimately choose to pursue an acting career after graduating college. He began his career on stage before finding… Read the full story

On this day in 1749, English physician and scientist Edward Jenner was born. Jenner is best remembered for pioneering the vaccine for smallpox. Image: Edward Jenner / Library of Congress Edward Anthony Jenner was born on May 17, 1749 in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England. His father was the vicar of Berkeley and believed firmly in a strong education. A country doctor, Jenner was familiar with local folklore that milkmaids who had contracted cowpox, a mild disease, often… Read the full story

Taylor Swift recently kicked off the European leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour with a fresh new era added to the setlist in honor of her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. Before the start of her Paris concert, MyHeritage shared with the world Swift’s connection to French royalty, the former King of France, Louis XIV. The interesting path can be traced through Geni’s World Family Tree, which shows that Swift and the Sun King… Read the full story

Today we remember actor Henry Fonda, who was born on this day in 1905. Remembered as a legend in Hollywood, Fonda’s remarkable career spanned over five decades. Image: Henry Fonda / Wikimedia Commons, U.S. Navy Fonda was born on May 16, 1905 in Grand Island, Nebraska to William Brace Fonda, a printer, and Herberta Jaynes. Fonda’s Dutch ancestry can be traced back to the early settlers of upstate New York in the small village of Fonda…. Read the full story

Do you love the story of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz? Author L. Frank Baum was born on May 15, 1856 in Chittenango, New York. Image: L. Frank Baum / Library of Congress A popular writer, Baum is best remembered for his story of Dorothy and her dog Toto and their adventure home after a tornado transports them to the magical land of Oz. First published on May 17, 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was a commercial… Read the full story

Happy birthday to George Lucas! Today the Star Wars creator turns 80. Image: Nicolas Genin, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) The iconic filmmaker was born George Walton Lucas, Jr. on May 14, 1944 in Modesto, California. He was the son of Dorothy Bomberger and George Walton Lucas,Sr. As a teen, he formed an interest in filmmaking and car-racing. He spent much of his years in high school racing cars until experiencing a near-fatal car crash at… Read the full story

On this day in 1922, actress Bea Arthur was born. An Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress, Arthur is perhaps best remembered for her roles in Maude and The Golden Girls. Image: Bea Arthur / Photo by Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0 Arthur was born Bernice Frankel on May 13, 1922 in New York City, New York to Philip Frankel and Rebecca Pressner. During World War II, Arthur enlisted as one of the first… Read the full story

Today we remember Hollywood icon Fred Astaire, who was born on this day in 1899. Remembered as one of the most influential dancers in the history of film and television musicals, Astaire’s impressive career spanned a total of 76 years.  Image: Fred Astaire / Wikimedia Commons Astaire got his start as a dancer at the tender age of four. By the age of six, he was performing along with his sister Adele as a popular vaudeville act. The siblings changed… Read the full story

Do you remember the story of Peter Pan? On May 9, 1860, playwright J.M. Barrie was born in Kirriemuir, Scotland. Image: J.M. Barrie / National Science and Media Museum, Flickr James Matthew Barrie was the ninth child of ten born to a conservative Calvinist family. He moved to London to pursue a career as a novelist and playwright. It was there that he first met the Llewelyn Davies boys, who would inspire him to write of… Read the full story

Do you have Mexican ancestry? On this day in 1753, Mexican Roman Catholic priest and leader of the Mexican War of Independence, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, was born. Image: Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla / Library of Congress Hidalgo was the second child born to Don Cristóbal Hidalgo y Costilla and Doña Ana María Mandarte Villaseñor. In 1779, he entered the priesthood and later became the parish priest in Dolores, Guanajuato. Hidalgo worked hard for the… Read the full story

On this day in 1903, legendary entertainer Bing Crosby was born. Image: Bing Crosby / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration He was born Henry Lillis Crosby, Jr. on May 3, 1903 in Tacoma, Washington. The fourth of seven children, Crosby loved to listen to music on his phonograph as a child and enjoyed reading the comedy feature “The Bingville Bugle” in the Sunday edition of the Spokesman-Review. His love for the comic earned him the nickname “Bingo… Read the full story

Russian Empress Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great, was born on this day in 1729. Image: Catherine II of Russia / New York Public Library She was born Sophie Friederike Auguste and was the daughter of a poor German prince. In 1745, she married Peter III, who was the heir to the Russian Empire. After the death of Empress Elizabeth in 1762, Peter III succeeded the throne as Emperor. However, his reign would last… Read the full story

Today we celebrate Jazz legend Duke Ellington, who was born on this day 125 years ago. Image: Duke Ellington / Library of Congress He was born Edward Kennedy Ellington on April 29, 1899 in Washington, D.C. to James Edward Ellington and Daisy Kennedy, both pianists. With musically talented parents, Ellington was encouraged to pursue his interest in music. He began studying the piano at the age of 7 and acquired the nickname “Duke” for his suave and classy demeanor…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to Carol Burnett! Today the beloved comedic actress celebrates her 91st birthday. Image: Carol Burnett / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Born on April 26, 1933 in San Antonio, Texas, Burnett caught the acting bug at a young age. After her parents divorced in the late 1930s, she was sent to live with her grandmother in a boarding house in Hollywood, California. In the second grade, she briefly invented an imaginary twin sister named Karen and… Read the full story