2026

On this day in 1903, Olav V of Norway was born. Nicknamed “the People’s King,” Olav was immensely popular during his reign for his down-to-earth style. Image: Olav V of Norway / National Library of Norway The Norwegian monarch was born with the name Alexander Edward Christian Frederik on July 2, 1903 at Appleton House at the royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England. He was the only child of Prince Carl of Denmark and Princess Maud, the… Read the full story

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” Today we remember Diana, Princess of Wales on what would have been her 65th birthday. Fondly known as the People’s Princess, Diana was one of the most adored members of the British royal family.  Image: Princess Diana, Wikimedia Commons Diana Frances Spencer was born into an aristocratic English family on… Read the full story

Trailblazing performer and civil rights activist Lena Horne was born on this day in 1917. Image: Lena Horne / Library of Congress Horne was born on June 30, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York. At the age of 16, she dropped out of school and began performing at the Cotton Club in Harlem. It was at the infamous club that Horne was first introduced to the jazz community. She made her Broadway debut in the chorus… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Katharine Hepburn, who passed away on this day in 2003 at the age of 96. Image: Katharine Hepburn / Wikimedia Commons Katharine Houghton Hepburn was born on May 12, 1907 in Hartford, Connecticut. The second of six children, Hepburn grew up in a very progressive household. Her father, Thomas Norval Hepburn, was a successful urologist who sought to educate the public about venereal diseases. Her mother, Katharine Martha Houghton, was the head… Read the full story

On this day in 1892, author Pearl S. Buck was born. In 1938, Buck became the first American woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Image: Pearl Buck / Library of Congress Buck was born Pearl Sydenstricker in Hillsboro, West Virginia on June 26, 1892 to Southern Presbyterian missionaries, Absalom and Caroline Sydenstricker. When Buck was 5 months old, the family moved to China, where she would live for much of her life. In 1931, Buck… Read the full story

Remember reading Nineteen Eighty-Four? On this day in 123 years ago, author George Orwell was born. Orwell is often considered one of the most influential voices of the 20th century. Image: George Orwell / Wikimedia Commons The author was born Eric Arthur Blair on June 25, 1903 in Motihari, Bihar, British India. His father, Richard Walmesley Blair, worked in the Opium Department of the Indian Civil Service. At the age of one, his mother took him and his sisters… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Lionel Messi! Today the soccer star turns 39. Image: Lionel Messi / Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok, Wikimedia Commons, public domain Messi was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe Province, Argentina to Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini. The third of four children, Messi began playing soccer at an early age. He joined the local soccer club at the age of 4, where he was coached by his… Read the full story

Today we remember British mathematician Alan Turing, who was born on this day in 1912. Considered the father of computer science and artificial intelligence, Turing is remembered as one of the most influential minds of the 20th century. Image: Alan Turing / Wikimedia Commons Turing was born on June 23, 1912 in London, England to Julius Mathison Turing, and Ethel Sara Stoney. From a young age, Turing was a natural at mathematics. During World War… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Meryl Streep! Today the star turns 77. With a record of 21 Academy Award nominations, Steep is often considered to be one of the greatest actresses in history. Image: Meryl Streep / Wikimedia Commons She was born Mary Louise Streep on June 22, 1949 in Summit, New Jersey to Harry William Streep, Jr., a pharmaceutical executive, and Mary Wolf Wilkinson, an artist. Streep’s father was of German and Swiss ancestry. Her second… Read the full story

Do you remember watching The Three Stooges? On this day in 1897, Moe Howard was born in Brooklyn, New York. Image: The Three Stooges He was born Moses Harry Horwitz to Solomon Horwitz and Jennie Gorovitz and was of Lithuanian Jewish ancestry. The fourth of five brothers, Moe developed an interest in performing early in his life. He got his start as part of the vaudeville act with Ted Healy and His Stooges. Eventually, Moe, along with… Read the full story

On this day in 1983, astronaut Sally Ride became the first American woman in space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger for NASA’s 7th space shuttle mission. Image: Sally Ride / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Ride was born on May 26, 1951 to Dale Burdell Ride and Carol Joyce Anderson in Encino, California. Her path to NASA began when she responded to an advertisement in the Stanford student newspaper for NASA’s Astronaut Group 8. It would be the first… Read the full story

Every genealogist knows the thrill of the hunt, but for Julia Miakota, family history became an unexpected lifeline and a global adventure. Originally from the city of Krasnoyarsk in Siberia, Julia and her husband traveled to the Philippines in 2020 to escape the freezing winter for what was supposed to be a brief 3-5 month stay. However, when pandemic border closures went into effect that March, their short tropical getaway turned into a permanent residency… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Barry Manilow! Today the singer-songwriter turns 83. Image: Barry Manilow / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Manilow was born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943 in Brooklyn New York to Harold Pincus and Edna Manilow. His father left the family when he was two and he eventually adopted his mother’s maiden name as his last name. He began his career working as a commercial jingle writer, penning memorable jingles… Read the full story

On June 16, 1829, legendary Apache leader Geronimo was born in the upper Gila River country in what is today New Mexico. Image: Geronimo / Library of Congress He was born to the Bedonkohe band of the Apache and named Goyathlay, meaning “One Who Yawns.” In 1851, a band of Mexican soldiers attacked his camp, killing his mother, his wife, and three small children. From then on, he harbored a deep hatred for Mexican soldiers. During the Apache… Read the full story

Have you found any Norwegian connections? On this day in 1843, Norwegian composer and pianist Edvard Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway. Widely considered one of the leading Norwegian composers of the Romantic era, Grieg brought the national folk music of Norway to international audiences. Image: Edvard Grieg / Bergen Public Library, Flickr Grieg was born on June 15, 1843 to Alexander Greig, a merchant and vice-consul in Bergen, and Gesine Judith Hagerup, a music teacher… Read the full story

“Where there’s hope, there’s life. It fills us with fresh courage and makes us strong again.” – Anne Frank Ninety-seven years ago today, Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany to Edith Holländer Frank and Otto Frank, a businessman. By 1934, the family had moved to Amsterdam after the Nazi party came to power in Germany. Image: Anne Frank / Wikimedia Commons For her 13th birthday, Anne was given a diary and immediately began writing in it. Shortly… Read the full story

Today we remember actor Gene Wilder, who was born on this day in 1933. Image: Gene Wilder / Library of Congress Wilder was born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1933 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the son of William J. Silberman, a Russian Jewish immigrant and a salesman, and Jeanne Baer. When his mother was diagnosed with rheumatic fever, an 8-year-old Wilder was told by her doctor to try to make her laugh. This point… Read the full story

Today we remember Judy Garland on what would have been her 104th birthday. A star by the age of 16, Garland is remembered as one of the greatest performers in film history. Image: Judy Garland / Wikimedia Commons She was born Frances Ethel Gumm on June 10, 1922 to Ethel Marion and Frances Avent Gumm in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The daughter of vaudeville performers, Garland had a knack for song and dance and made her… Read the full story

Today we remember Victorian writer Charles Dickens, who died on this day in 1870 at the age of 58. Image: Charles Dickens / Library of Congress Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, England. He was the second child of John Dickens, a clerk in the Navy Pay Office, and Elizabeth Dickens. When his father was imprisoned for debt, a twelve-year-old Dickens was forced to leave school and work in a… Read the full story

On this day in 1867, American architect Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin. Image: Frank Lloyd Wright / Library of Congress Wright was born on June 8, 1867 to William Carey Wright, an orator, music teacher, and minister, and Anna Lloyd Jones. His mother was a member of a large, prosperous, and well-known Unitarian family that emigrated from Wales to Spring Green, Wisconsin. Considered one of the greatest architects of all time, Wright… Read the full story

Today we remember Robert F. Kennedy, who was shot after giving a speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California on June 5, 1968. He would succumb to his wounds the next day. Image: Robert F. Kennedy / LBJ Library Robert Francis Kennedy was born on November 20, 1925 in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the seventh child born to Joseph Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. After successfully managing his brother’s presidential campaign, Kennedy was… Read the full story

On this day in 1738, King George III was born. He ruled for over 59 years until his death in 1820. Image: King George III / Library of Congress Born two months prematurely, George was not expected to survive. He was the eldest son born to Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. When his father unexpectedly died in 1751, the young George became the heir apparent to the throne. Nine years later in 1760,… Read the full story

We’re back from Fort Wayne, Indiana, where the energy for family history was truly infectious! From May 27-30, genealogists, historians, and family history enthusiasts from around the country gathered at the Grand Wayne Convention Center for the National Genealogical Society 2026 Family History Conference. With this year’s theme, America at 250, the sessions brought a focus to the diverse stories and communities that have shaped the nation over the last two and a half centuries…. Read the full story

Have you found your connection to the British royal family? On this day in 1865, George V was born in Marlborough House, London. Image: George V / Library of Congress The grandson of Queen Victoria and the second son of Prince and Princess of Wales, Albert Edward and Alexandra, George was not expected to be king. In 1892, his older brother, Prince Albert Victor, died of pneumonia just six weeks after announcing his engagement to… Read the full story

On this day in 1731, Martha Washington, America’s first First Lady, was born. Image: Martha Washington / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution Martha Dandridge was born on her family’s plantation Chestnut Grove in Virginia. She was the first of eight children born to Frances Jones and John Dandridge, a successful planter and immigrant from England. At the age of 18, she married wealthy plantation owner Daniel Parke Custis and together they had four children; only two lived… Read the full story

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