2026

Today we celebrate what would have been Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday. Image: Marilyn Monroe / Wikimedia Commons She was born Norma Jean Mortensen on June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles, California to Gladys Pearl Monroe. Her father’s identity remains unknown, though she used the surnames of her mother’s ex-husbands, Mortensen and Baker, growing up. Her mother struggled with mental illness and was unable to care for her daughter, so Monroe spent most of her childhood in foster homes…. Read the full story

On this day in 1953, New Zealand mountaineer and explorer Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Image: The Windsor Daily Star, July 3, 1953 / MyHeritage SuperSearch The duo reached the summit at 11:30am and spent 15 minutes atop the highest point on Earth. Hillary and Tenzing were a part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, led by John Hunt. Upon their… Read the full story

Today we remember athlete Jim Thorpe, who was born on this day in 1888. Considered one of the most versatile athletes of modern sports, Thorpe was not only an Olympic champion, but also played professional football, baseball, and basketball. Image: Jim Thorpe / Library of Congress Thorpe was born in Indian Territory near the town of Prague, Oklahoma to Hiram Thorpe and Charlotte Vieux. Thorpe had a mix of European and Native American ancestry and… Read the full story

Do you have any gun-slingers in your family tree? On this day in 1837, legendary gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok was born in Troy Grove, Illinois. Image: James B. “Wild Bill” Hickok / Gilman Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, public domain Born James Butler Hickok, “Wild Bill” was an excellent marksman from a very young age. His adventurous life was ripe for legendary status. During the American Civil War, he served as a civilian scout for the Union Army. Although… Read the full story

Do you have a favorite Western film? On this day in 1907, legendary icon John Wayne was born in Winterset, Iowa. Image: John Wayne / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Although he was born Marion Robert Morrison, he preferred to be called by his nickname, “Duke.” He was a gifted athlete and even landed a football scholarship to the University of Southern California. Wayne got his start in film with small parts in low budget Westerns. His big… Read the full story

Do you have a poet in your family tree? On this day in 1803, American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Image: Ralph Waldo Emerson / Library of Congress The son of Rev. William Emerson and Ruth Haskins, Emerson was named after his mother’s brother Ralph and his father’s great grandmother, Rebecca Waldo. He is descended from Mayflower passengers John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley. In fact, he carried the mitochondrial DNA… Read the full story

On this day in 1907, legendary actor Laurence Olivier was born. Image: Laurence Olivier / Library of Congress Olivier was born on May 22, 1907 in Dorking, Surry, England to Gerard Kerr Olivier, a reverend, and Agnes Louise Crookenden. Although he came from a family of clergymen, Olivier was encouraged from a young age to pursue a career in acting. A prominent figure on both the stage and screen, Olivier became known for bringing the plays of William… Read the full story

The National Genealogical Society 2026 Family History Conference is just around the corner and Geni is excited to be there. This year the conference is being held in Fort Wayne, Indiana from May 27-30, 2026. Whether you’re a longtime Geni user or just starting your journey on the World Family Tree, this is a great opportunity to connect with the community and sharpen your research skills. This year’s theme, “America at 250,” promises an incredible… Read the full story

On this day in 1927, Charles Lindberg completed the world’s first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Lindbergh completed the flight in his custom built single-engine monoplane, Spirit of St. Louis, from Roosevelt Field, Long Island, New York to Paris, France in 33 and a half hours. Image: Charles Lindbergh / Library of Congress Lindbergh was born on February 4, 1902 in Detroit, Michigan to Charles August Lindbergh, a former Congressman, and Evangeline Lodge Land…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to Cher! Today the music icon turns 80. Image: Cher / Wikimedia Commons Cher was born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946 in El Centro, California to John Sarkisian and Jackie Jean Crouch. With dreams of becoming famous, Cher dropped out of school at 16 to pursue an acting career. She rose to stardom as part of a singing act with her husband, Sonny Bono, whom she met in 1962. The duo was… 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 1868, Nicholas II of Russia was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. The last Emperor of Russia, Nicholas II’s reign saw the Russian Empire fall from one of the greatest powers in Europe and into economic and military ruin. Image: Nicholas II of Russia / Library of Congress Nicholas II was the eldest son of Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna. He was closely related to several monarchs in Europe, including King George V… 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

On May 14, 1804, explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark left St. Louis, Missouri to begin their historic expedition to explore the lands of the American Northwest. Image: Meriwether Lewis / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the expedition after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Lewis and Clark were given the mission to explore the newly acquired territory, establish an American presence in the area, and find a practical route to the west. Along the… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Stephen Colbert! Today the comedian and late-night host turns 62. Image: David Shankbone, Flickr Colbert was born on May 13, 1964 in Washington, D.C. to James William Colbert, Jr. and Lorna Elizabeth Tuck. The youngest of 11 children, Colbert grew up in Charleston, South Carolina in a devout Catholic household. He experienced tragedy early in life when at the age of 10, his father and two brothers died in a plane crash…. Read the full story

Have you found your connection to the “Lady with the Lamp”? On this day in 1820, Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy. A nursing pioneer, Nightingale is remembered as the founder of modern nursing. Image: Florence Nightingale / Library of Congress Nightingale was born to an affluent and elite British family. Growing up, she felt uncomfortable among her family’s social circles and preferred to spend her time helping the poor and ill near her family’s… Read the full story

Do you have Spanish ancestry? On this day in 1904, surrealist painter Salvador Dalí was born. Image: Salvador Dalí / Library of Congres He was born Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí y Domènech in Figueres, Spain. Nine months before his birth, his older brother, also named Salvador, died of gastroenteritis. At the age of five, his parents had told him that he was the reincarnation of his brother. A believer in the concept, Dalí incorporated… 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

On this day in 1812, English poet and playwright Robert Browning was born in London, England. A prolific poet, Browning was known as one of the leading Victorian writers of his era. Image: Robert Browning / Library of Congress Browning was the only son born to Sarah Ann Widermann and Robert Browning, who worked as a clerk for the Bank of England. His paternal grandfather was a slave owner in the West Indies, but Browning’s father opposed slavery,… Read the full story

Legendary filmmaker Orson Welles was born on May 6, 1915. Welles was known as one of the greatest radio and cinema artists of the era.  Image: Orson Welles / Wikimedia Commons, Library of Congress Early in his career, Welles juggled work in the theater with his extensive work as a radio actor, writer, director and producer. His famous live broadcast of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds caused widespread panic after many listeners mistakenly believed the show to… 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

Today we remember actress Audrey Hepburn on what would have been her 97th birthday. Image: Audrey Hepburn / Wikimedia Commons Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. She was the daughter of Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston and Ella van Heemstra, a Dutch baroness. After her father left the family, her mother raised Hepburn on her own as a single mother. Her maternal grandfather, Aarnoud Van Heemstra, was the mayor of Arnhem and… Read the full story

Frontierswoman and sharp-shooter Calamity Jane was born on this day in 1852. Image: Calamity Jane / Library of Congress The legend of Calamity Jane was known throughout the Wild West. However, little hard facts are known about her life and much of what was said was likely embellished or fabricated by writers and storytellers of the day. She was born Martha Jane Canary in Princeton, Missouri and by the age of 12, both of her parents had… Read the full story

Do you have Dutch ancestry? On this day in 1909, Juliana of the Netherlands  was born. She reigned as Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her abdication in 1980. Image: Juliana of the Netherlands / Nationaal Archief Born in the Hague, Juliana was the only child of Dutch monarch Queen Wihelmina and Prince Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Juliana was the first Dutch royal baby to be born since her mother’s birth in 1880. Her mother had suffered two miscarriages and… Read the full story

On this day in 1899, Jazz icon Duke Ellington was born. Considered one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, Ellington composed thousands of scores throughout his long career. Image: Duke Ellington / Library of Congress Ellington was born Edward Kennedy Ellington on April 29, 1899 in Washington, D.C. He was the son of James Edward Ellington and Daisy Kennedy, who were both pianists. He began learning the piano at the age of seven,… Read the full story

On this day in 1758, James Monroe was born in his family home in Westmoreland County, Virginia. A Founding Father, Monroe served as the 5th President of the United States. Image: James Monroe / Wikimedia Commons During the American Revolution, Monroe left college to join the Continental Army. He served as part of General George Washington’s army at the Battle of Trenton, where he was severely wounded. As president, Monroe oversaw major westward expansion of the U.S…. Read the full story

On this day in 1822, Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, was born. Image: Ulysses S. Grant / Library of Congress He was born Hiram Ulysses Grant in Point Pleasant, Ohio to Jesse Root Grant, a tanner, and Hannah Simpson. Grant had deep roots in early America. His fifth great grandparents, Matthew and Priscilla Grant arrived at the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. His great grandfather, Noah Grant, served in the French… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Barbra Streisand! Today the icon turns 84. Image: Barbra Streisand / Wikimedia Commons She was born on April 24, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York to Diana Rosen and Emanuel Streisand. A few months after reaching her first birthday, Streisand’s father died suddenly of complications from an epileptic seizure. After his death, the family fell into poverty. From a young age, Streisand dreamed of becoming famous. After graduating high school at 16, she immediately… Read the full story

Today we remember playwright William Shakespeare, who died on this day in 1616. Considered one of the greatest writers of the English language, Shakespeare’s vast body of work has been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright in history. Image: William Shakespeare / Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0 While the exact date of his birth is unknown, his baptism record states he was baptized on April 26, 1564 at… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jack Nicholson! Today the actor turns 89. Image: Jack Nicholson / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Nicholson was born on April 22, 1937 in Neptune, New Jersey. For the first 37 years of his life, Nicholson believed his parents were John Nicholson and Ethel Rhoads. In 1974, a Times reporter researching a cover story on Nicholson discovered that the person Nicholson believed to be his older sister June was in… Read the full story

On this day in 1816, author Charlotte Brontë was born. Image: Charlotte Brontë / Wikimedia Commons Brontë was born on April 21, 1816 in Thornton, Yorkshire, England. She was the third of six children born to Maria Branwell and Patrick Brontë, a clergyman. After her mother and two older sisters died, her father educated Brontë and her siblings, Emily, Anne, and Branwell, at home. As children the siblings were left to explore their imagination. They… Read the full story

On this day in 1808, Napoleon III was born in Paris, France. The nephew and only heir to Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon was the first Head of State of France to hold the title of President. After being barred from running for a second term, he organized a coup in 1851 and took the throne as Napoleon III. Image: Napoleon III / Wikimedia Commons He was born Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte on April 20, 1808. He was the third… Read the full story

On this day in 1790, Benjamin Franklin died at the age of 84. One of the United States’ most influential Founding Fathers, Franklin was also a renowned polymath. He was not only a notable politician and diplomat, but also an author, inventor, philosopher, and scientist. Image: Benjamin Franklin / Library of Congress Franklin was born on January 6, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts to Josiah Franklin, a candlemaker, and his second wife, Abiah Folger. From his two… Read the full story

On this day in 1889, Charlie Chaplin was born in London England. One of the biggest stars of the Silent Era, Chaplin is remembered as a pioneer and one the most important figures of the early film industry. Image: Charlie Chaplin / Library of Congress The early years of Chaplin’s life were fraught with hardship and poverty. His parents, Charles Chaplin, Sr. and Hannah Harriet Pedlingham Hill, were both music hall entertainers and separated shortly… Read the full story

On this day in 1452, Renaissance Man Leonardo da Vinci was born in Vinci in the Republic of Florence. Image: Leonardo da Vinci / Library of Congress A gifted and extremely talented individual, da Vinci’s genius ranged from science, arts, mathematics, engineering, astronomy, architecture, and much more. Some of his greatest artistic masterpieces include the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and the Vitruvian Man. A brilliant inventor and engineer, da Vinci designed and illustrated concepts… Read the full story

On this day in 1866, American educator Anne Sullivan was born. Best remembered as the teacher and lifelong companion of Helen Keller, Sullivan taught Keller, who was blind and deaf, to communicate and read Braille. Image: Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan / Library of Congress Sullivan was born on April 14, 1866 in Feeding Hills, Massachusetts to Thomas Sullivan and Alice Cloesy. Her parents had emigrated to the United States from Ireland during the Great… Read the full story

Are you related to a Founding Father of the United States? On this day in 1743, Thomas Jefferson was born at his family home in Virginia. Image: Thomas Jefferson / Wikimedia Commons The third of ten children, Jefferson was born into one of the most prominent families in Virginia. His father, Peter Jefferson, was a successful planter and surveyor. He died when Jefferson was just 14. One of America’s Founding Fathers, Jefferson was the principal author… Read the full story

Genealogists know that a picture is worth a thousand words. There is something truly special about putting a face to a name in your family tree. This brings our ancestors to life and connects us more deeply to our shared history. However, we know it can be a bit frustrating when a favorite family photo doesn’t quite fit the frame, or when a group shot leaves your relative’s face off center. Today, we are excited… Read the full story

On this day in 1847, newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer was born. Today he best known for establishing the prestigious Pulitzer Prize, which is awarded annually for excellence in American journalism. Image: Joseph Pulitzer / Library of Congress Pulitzer was born on April 10, 1847 in Makó, Hungary to a well-regarded merchant family. Growing up in Budapest, Pulitzer was educated by private tutors. In 1864, he emigrated to the United States as a recruit for the Union Army… Read the full story

On this day in 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively bringing an end to the American Civil War. Image: General Robert E. Lee surrenders / Library of Congress Lee served as Confederate President Jefferson Davis’s senior military adviser during the first year of the Civil War. Once he took command of the main field army, the Army of Northern Virginia, Lee led the Confederate forces to many early… Read the full story

On this day in 1918, former First Lady and activist Betty Ford was born. Image: Betty Ford / Library of Congress She was born Elizabeth Anne Bloomer on April 8, 1918 in Chicago Illinois to Hortense Neahr and William Stephenson Bloomer, a traveling salesman. As a young girl, she studied dance and worked as a model at a department store to help pay for her lessons. In 1948, she married Gerald Ford, who at the… Read the full story

Do you enjoy a bowl of corn flakes for breakfast? On this day in 1860, Will Keith Kellogg, breakfast cereal inventor and founder of the Kellogg Company, was born in Battle Creek, Michigan. Image: Kellogg’s corn flakes / State Library and Archives of Florida, Flickr Kellogg began his career selling brooms before joining his older brother, John Harvey Kellogg, to help run the Battle Creek Sanitarium. His brother was a doctor and together, the brothers worked… Read the full story

On this day in 1909, American explorer Robert E. Peary and his assistant, Matthew A. Henson, purportedly became the first men to reach the North Pole. Image: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Born in Cresson, Pennsylvania, Peary joined the United States Navy in 1881 as a civil engineer. It was during his time in the Navy that he resolved to be the first man to reach the North Pole. Peary studied the survival techniques of the… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Doris Day on what would have been her 104th birthday. Image: Doris Day / Library of Congress Day was born Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff on April 3, 1922 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Alma Sophia Weiz and William Joseph Kappelhoff. For most of her life, Day believed she was born in 1924. It was not until her 95th birthday that she learned she was actually born in 1922 after the Associated Press… Read the full story

What’s your favorite fairy tale? On this day in 1805, Danish author Hans Christian Andersen was born. Image: Hans Christian Andersen / National Library of Norway, Flickr Andersen was born on April 2, 1805 in Odense, Denmark to Hans Andersen, Sr. and Anne Marie Andersdatter. He first developed an interest in literature from his father, who would entertain him with stories from the Arabian Nights. At the age of 14, Andersen left school to pursue a career as an actor… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Debbie Reynolds on what would have been her 94th birthday. Image: Debbie Reynolds / Allan Warren, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Reynolds was born on April 1, 1932 in El Paso, Texas to Maxine “Minnie” Harman and Raymond Francis Reynolds. Her father was a carpenter and worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1939, her family moved to Burbank, California and at the age of 16, she won the Miss Burbank beauty… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Christopher Walken! Today the actor celebrates his 83rd birthday. Image: Tabercil, Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) Walken was born Ronald Walken on March 31, 1943 in Queens, New York to Rosalie Russell and Paul Walken. His father owned and operated a bakery, Walken’s Bakery, in Astoria. From a young age, Walken was a performer. He took dancing lessons as a young child and auditioned for many bit parts that were open for children… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Céline Dion! Today the French-Canadian singer turns 58. Image: Celine Dion / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) She was born on March 30, 1968 in Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada to a large family. The youngest of 14 children, Dion’s upbringing was always filled with music. She made her first public performance at the age of 5, performing with her siblings in her parents’ small piano bar. With dreams to become a singer, Dion… Read the full story

Today we remember Estonian poet Marie Under, who was born on this day in 1883. Considered one of Estonia’s great poets of the 20th century, Under was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature multiple times, but never won. Image: Marie Under / Wikimedia Commons Born in what is today Tallinn, Estonia, Under learned to read at the age of 4 and began writing her own poetry by the age of 14. She first wrote her… Read the full story

On this day in 1874, poet Robert Frost was born. One of the most celebrated poets in American history, Frost remains the only poet to receive four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry. Image: Robert Frost / Library of Congress Frost was born on March 26, 1874 in San Francisco, California to William Prescott Frost, Jr., a journalist, and Isabelle Moodie. After his father’s death in 1885, the family moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts. A gifted student, Frost… Read the full story