November 2025

Image: Anne Hathaway / Wikimedia Commons On this day in 1582, William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway were married in Stratford-upon-Avon. Six months later, Hathaway gave birth to their daughter, Susanna. Although not much is known about Hathaway’s life beyond references in legal papers, much has been speculated about her relationship with the legendary Bard. She is believed to have grown up in a farmhouse in the village of Shottery. At the time of their marriage, Shakespeare was 18… Read the full story

When the Mayflower arrived in the New World in 1620, it carried with it 102 passengers. The settlers established the Plymouth colony in what is now Massachusetts. Today, millions of Americans can trace their ancestry back to these early settlers. Here’s a look at some notable Mayflower passengers and their famous descendants. Jane Fonda Actress Jane Fonda is a direct descendant of Mayflower passenger William Bradford. Bradford was an English Separatist leader, a signer of… Read the full story

Today we remember cartoonist Charles M. Schulz who was born on this day in 1922. Best known for the beloved comic strip Peanuts, Schulz is widely regarded as one of the most influential cartoonist of all time. Image: Charles Schulz / Library of Congress Schulz was born on November 26, 1922 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was the only child of Carl Schulz, born in Germany, and Dena Halverson, who was of Norwegian descent. As a… Read the full story

On this day in 1914, baseball legend Joe DiMaggio was born. Considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak record still stands today. Image: Joe DiMaggio / Library of Congress DiMaggio was born on November 25, 1914 in Martinez, California. He was the eighth of nine children born to Italian immigrant parents, Giuseppe DiMaggio and Rosalia Mercurio. His father worked as a fisherman and had hoped his sons would… Read the full story

Today we remember Grace Darling, the daughter of an English lighthouse keeper, who helped rescue the survivors of the Forfarshire shipwreck in 1838. Image: Wikimedia Commons, Dallas Museum of Art Grace Horsley Darling was born on November 24, 1815 in her grandfather’s cottage in Northumberland, England. She was the seventh of nine children born to William and Thomasin Darling. The Darlings lived at the lighthouse on Longstone Island, one of the Farne Islands, where her father operated the lighthouse…. Read the full story

Image: Goldie Hawn / photo by Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0 Today we celebrate actress Goldie Hawn’s 80th birthday! Hawn was born on November 21, 1945 in Washington, D.C. to Laura Steinhoff, a dance school owner, and Edward Rutledge Hawn, a musician. Raised in a Jewish household, Hawn was named after her mother’s aunt, Goldie. After getting her start as a dancer, Hawn landed her first notable gig as a cast member on the sketch… Read the full story

Do you have Swedish ancestry? On this day in 1858, Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf was born. In 1909, Lagerlöf became the first female writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Image: Selma Lagerlöf / Library of Congress Lagerlöf was born on November 20, 1858 in Mårbacka, her family’s estate, in Värmland, Sweden. She was the fifth of six children born to Erik Gustaf Lagerlöf, a lieutenant in the Royal Värmland Regiment, and Louise Wallroth…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jodie Foster! Today the versatile actress and director turns 63. Image: Jodie Foster / Franz Richter, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 1.0) She was born Alicia Christian Foster on November 19, 1962 in Los Angeles, California to Evelyn Almond and Lucius Foster III, a decorated U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel. She started her career at the age of 3 when she appeared in a Coppertone commercial. By the time she was 12, she earned… Read the full story

On this day in 1923, astronaut Alan Shepard was born in East Derry, New Hampshire. In 1961, Shepard became the first American to travel into space. Image: Alan Shepard / San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives, Flickr Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. was the oldest of two children born to Alan B. Shepard, Sr. and Pauline Renza Emerson. Shepard’s family had very early roots in America. His 8th great grandfather was Mayflower passenger Richard Warren, who was… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Danny DeVito! Today the star turns 81. Image: Danny DeVito / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) DeVito was born on November 17, 1944 in Neptune Township, New Jersey to Daniel DeVito, Sr., a small business owner, and Julia Moccello. After graduating high school, DeVito worked as a beautician in his sister’s salon. He decided to pursue a career as a professional makeup artist and enroll in classes at the American… Read the full story

Do you have French ancestry? On this day in 1840, French Impressionist painter Claude Monet was born in Paris, France. A leading figure of the Impressionist movement, Monet’s work transformed French painting in the late 19th century. Image: Claude Monet / Wikimedia Commons He was born Oscar Claude Monet on November 14, 1840 to Claude Adolphe Monet and Louise Justine Aubrée. As a child, Monet was known locally for sketching charcoal caricatures and often drew members of his… Read the full story

Image: Robert Louis Stevenson / State Library of New South Wales On November 13, 1850, Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Stevenson is perhaps best known for his novels Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A literary celebrity during his lifetime, Stevenson still ranks as one of the most translated authors in the world. On December 3, 1894, Stevenson died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage in his home… Read the full story

On this day in 1815, American suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born. An early leader of the women’s rights movement in the United States, Stanton helped pave the way for the eventual passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Image: Elizabeth Cady Stanton / Library of Congress Stanton was born on November 12, 1815 in Johnstown, New York to Daniel Cady and Margaret Livingston. Her father was a prominent lawyer and… Read the full story

It’s Veterans Day in the U.S. Today we honor all the men and women who have served in the armed forces. In honor of the holiday, we highlight General George S. Patton, who was also born on this day in 1885 in San Gabriel, California. Considered one of the most successful generals in history, Patton was instrumental in the liberation of Germany from the Nazis during World War II. Image: George S. Patton / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian… Read the full story

On this day in 1925, actor Richard Burton was born. Known for his roles on the stage and screen, Burton is widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation. Image: Richard Burton / Nationaal Archief, CC0 He was born Richard Walter Jenkins on November 10, 1925 in Pontrhydyfen, Wales and grew up in a working class family. His father, Richard Walter Jenkins Sr., was a coal miner and his mother, Edith… Read the full story

Today we celebrate Polish physicist Marie Curie, who was born on this day in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland. Not only was the pioneering scientist the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, but she was also the first person to win twice in two different fields. Image: Marie Curie / Smithsonian Institution, Flickr She was born Maria Skłodowska on November 7, 1867 and was the fifth and youngest child of Bronisława Boguska and Władysław Skłodowski, both… Read the full story

On this day in 1814, Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, was born in Dinant, in what is today Belgium. Image: Adolphe Sax / Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Wikimedia Commons Sax was born Antoine-Joseph Sax to Marie-Joseph Masson and Charles-Joseph Sax, a maker of wind and brass instruments. As a young child, Sax faced many near-death experiences. He was struck in the head by a brick, swallowed a needle, fell onto a burning stove, survived a fall from… Read the full story

Remember watching Gone With the Wind? On this day in 1913, star Vivien Leigh was born in Darjeeling, India. Image: Vivien Leigh / Wikimedia Commons Leigh had dreams of stardom at an early age. She was first introduced to American audiences when she was cast as the southern belle Scarlett O’Hara in the film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s beloved book, Gone With the Wind. The film would become a tremendous success and be remembered as a Hollywood… Read the full story

America’s Cowboy Philosopher Will Rogers was born on this day in 1879. Known for his homespun humor and social commentary, Rogers was one of the most popular and highest paid stars throughout the 1930s. Image: Will Rogers / Library of Congress He was born William Penn Adair Rogers on November 4, 1879 on his parents’ Dog Iron Ranch in Cherokee Nation of Indian Territory near what is today Oologah, Oklahoma. His parents both had Cherokee… Read the full story

Do you have Italian ancestry? On this day in 1801, operatic composer Vincenzo Bellini was born in Catania, Sicily. Image: Vincenzo Bellini / Rijksmuseum Bellini was born to a highly musical family and showed signs of his musical talent at an early age. Although not much is known about his early life, some stories say that he learned to sing at 18 months and play the piano at the age of 3. His grandfather and his… Read the full story