June 2025

On this day in 1917, singer, actress, and civil rights activist Lena Horne was born. Image: Lena Horne / Library of Congress Horne was born on June 30, 1917 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York to Edwin Fletcher Horne, Jr. and Edna Louise Scottron. Her father was a professional gambler and left the family when Horne was 3. Her mother was an actress in a black theater troupe and was constantly traveling. As a child, she… Read the full story

“There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a king among his.” Today we remember Helen Keller, who was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Image: Helen Keller / Library of Congress Struck blind and deaf before the age of two, Keller had very limited means of communication. Her family was referred to Alexander Graham Bell, who recommended they travel to… Read the full story

Do you have any writers in your family tree? On this day in 1892, Nobel Prize winning author Pearl S. Buck was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Image: Pearl S. Buck / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 She was born Pearl Comfort Sydenstricker to Caroline Stulting and Absalom Sydenstricker. The daughter of Southern Presbyterian missionaries, Pearl spent much of her childhood and young adult life living in China. The family had moved to the country when… Read the full story

Do you remember reading 1984? On this day in 1903, author George Orwell was born in Motihari, Bengal, India. Image: George Orwell / Wikimedia Commons Orwell was born Eric Arthur Blair to Ida Mabel and Richard Walmesley Blair, who worked in the Opium Department of the Indian Civil Service. His second-great grandfather, Charles Blair, was a wealthy owner of plantations in Jamaica. He started writing at a young age and in 1933, published his first major work, Down… Read the full story

On June 24, 1895, American boxer Jack Dempsey was born. Dempsey was the world heavy weight boxing champion from 1919 to 1926. Today he is still remembered as one of the greatest boxers of all time. Image: Jack Dempsey / Library of Congress Dempsey was born William Harrison Dempsey in Manassa, Colorado to Hyrum Dempsey and Mary Celia Smoot. Growing up poor, Dempsey’s family moved frequently in search of work. He took his first job… Read the full story

Mathematician Alan Turing was born on this day in 1912 in London, England. The pioneering computer scientist is widely recognized as the father of artificial intelligence. Image: Alan Turing / Wikimedia Commons From a young age, Turing excelled in mathematics and go on to study cryptology in college. During World War II, Turing played a vital role in deciphering the messages encrypted by the German’s Enigma machine. By cracking the code, the Allies gained access… Read the full story

Today we remember baseball legend Lou Gehrig, who was born on this day in 1903. Considered one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, Gehrig was nicknamed “the Iron Horse” for his durability. He set the record for most consecutive games played and led his team to six World Series titles. Image: Lou Gehrig / Library of Congress He was born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig in Manhattan, New York to German immigrant parents. From an early age, Gehrig… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Paul McCartney! Today the legendary musician turns 83. Image: Paul McCartney / Library of Congress Jams Paul McCartney was born on June 18, 1942 in Liverpool, England. His mother, Mary Patricia Mohin, was a midwife and his father, James McCartney, was a jazz trumpet player and pianist. At the age of 14, his mother died of an embolism shortly after undergoing an operation to stop the spread of cancer. Her death had a… Read the full story

On this day in 1808, Norwegian poet, playwright, and historian Henrik Wergeland was born. Remembered as one of Norway’s foremost poets, Wergeland is often regarded as a symbol of the country’s independence. Image: Henrik Wergeland / National Library of Norway Wergeland was born on June 16, 1808 in Kirstiansand, Norway. He was the oldest son of Alette Dorthea Thaulow and Nicolai Wergeland, who served as a member of the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll in… Read the full story

On this day in 1902, American scientist Barbara McClintock was born. In 1983, McClintock was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her discovery of genetic transposition. Image: Barbara McClintock / Smithsonian Institution Archives, Flickr McClintock was born on June 16, 1902 in Hartford, Connecticut to Thomas Henry McClintock, a physician, and Sara Handy. From a young age, McClintock had a passion for science. While studying at Cornell, she developed an interest in… Read the full story

We’re happy to announce an exciting new feature exclusive to Geni Pro subscribers – Relationship Path Diagrams! These easy-to-read visualizations offer a fresh way to explore how any two people are connected to others in the World Family Tree.  Whether you’re related to a historical figure, a celebrity, or a newfound cousin, the new relationship path diagrams bring these connections to life in a clear and engaging way. It’s never been easier to trace your… Read the full story

Image: William Butler Yeats / Library of Congress On June 13, 1865, Irish poet and playwright William Butler Yeats was born. Named one of the greatest writers of 20th century literature, Yeats became the first Irishman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923. He is generally considered one of the few writers who completed their greatest works after being awarded the Nobel Prize. What’s your favorite Yeats poem? Explore William Butler Yeats’s… Read the full story

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank Image: Anne Frank / Wikimedia Commons Today we remember Anne Frank, who was born on this day 96 years ago. Annelies Marie Frank was born on June 12, 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany to Otto and Edith Frank. The family lived in Frankfurt until Anne was five. In 1933, the family fled to Amsterdam after the Nazi… Read the full story

Do you remember watching The Wizard of Oz? Today we remember legendary actress Judy Garland, who was born on June 10, 1922 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Image: Judy Garland / Wikimedia Commons Garland was born Frances Ethel Gumm to Ethel Marion and Francis Avent Gumm, both vaudeville performers. She began her career at an early age, and by 16, she landed the most iconic role of her career, Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. The classic… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Michael J. Fox! Today the actor and advocate turns 64. Image: Michael J. Fox / Photo by Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Fox was born on June 9, 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to Willam Fox and Phylis Piper. Although his middle name is “Andrew,” Fox adopted the middle initial “J” as an homage to the actor Michael J. Pollard. At the age of 15, Fox landed a starring role… Read the full story

Who are your Patriot ancestors? On this day in 1755, Nathan Hale, soldier and spy for the Continental Army, was born in Coventry, Connecticut. Image: Nathan Hale / New York Public Library He was born to Richard Hale and Elizabeth Strong and was the great grandson of Reverend John Hale, who was one of the most prominent figures of the Salem Witch Trials. At the age of 14, Hale went to study at Yale College and became… Read the full story

On this day in 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was shot three times at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Kennedy died of his wounds the following day. Image: Robert F. Kennedy / Nationaal Archief, CC0 He was born Robert Francis Kennedy on November 20, 1925 to Joseph Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald in Brookline, Massachusetts. The seventh child of the prominent Kennedy clan, Kennedy grew up in a close but competitive environment. In 1950, he married Ethel Skakel and… Read the full story

What’s your connection to royalty? On this day in 1738, George III, King of Great Britain and Ireland, was born. George III was Great Britain’s longest living and reigning monarch until the reign of his granddaughter, Queen Victoria. Image: George III / New York Public Library The eldest son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Augusta of Saxa-Gota, George was born two months prematurely and was not expected to survive. When his father died unexpectedly… Read the full story

On this day in 1865, George V was born. He reigned as the King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 1910 until his death in 1936. Image: George V / Library of Congress George was born on June 3, 1865 in Marlborough House, London, England. He was the second son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and Alexandra, Princess of Wales. His father was the eldest son of… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the life of America’s first First Lady, Martha Washington, who was born on June 2, 1731 in New Kent, Virginia. Image: Martha Washington / Library of Congress Martha Dandridge was the first of eight children born to Frances Jones and John Dandridge. By the age of 25, Martha was a widow with four children, only two of which would survive to young adulthood. Her first husband, Daniel Parke Custis, was a rich planter… Read the full story