December 12, 2015 marks Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday. Known for his smooth voice and charm, Sinatra is remembered as one of the most popular and influential artists of the 20th century. Frank Sinatra, 1947 / Library of Congress In honor of the centennial of his birth, here are 10 interesting facts about Ol’ Blue Eyes: 1. His birth left him with lifelong scars. Francis Albert Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915 in an upstairs tenement… Read the full story

The year 2015 saw an unusual naming trend emerge. According to the parenting website BabyCenter.com, millennial parents have started to name their babies after Instagram filters. While it’s common for parents to draw inspiration from popular culture, many may still find it surprising to hear that the popular photo sharing app’s filters are the source of inspiration. Image: National Media Museum / Flickr If you’re a frequent user of Instagram, you may immediately recognize these unusual names…. Read the full story

Congratulations to new parents Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan! The couple recently announced the birth of their daughter, Max, on Zuckerberg’s Facebook page. Maxima Chan Zuckerberg was born last week and was a healthy seven pounds, eight ounces. In a moving letter to their daughter, the happy parents expressed the joy they share for her arrival and their hopes for her future to live in a better world than today. To help make their desire a reality,… Read the full story

Sixty years ago, Rosa Parks became one of the defining symbols of the American Civil Rights movement when she refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. This simple act of defiance sparked a wave of non-violent protest for equal rights. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was riding home from a long day at work on a segregated bus. She had been working as a seamstress at a Montgomery department… Read the full story

Have you read the works of author Mark Twain? Lauded as the “greatest American humorist of his age,” Twain’s works have continued to live on long after his death. His novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, are still considered to be some of the greatest works of American literature. Mark Twain / Library of Congress In honor of Twain’s birthday, here are some interesting facts about the great American author: 1…. Read the full story

With the holidays fast approaching, you may want to consider decorating your house with a chart of your family tree. They also make great gifts for your entire family! You can create your own custom, high-quality version of your family tree for downloading or printing. Follow the steps below to create your very own family tree chart at home. 1. While viewing the Flash version of the tree, click on the printer icon at the bottom right… Read the full story

Boy, has fashion changed in the last 100 years! In a video created by Mode.com, you can see 100 years of women’s fashion fly by in just two and a half minutes. Knowing how fashions have change over time is valuable when you are trying to date an old family photograph. From the flapper look of the Roaring Twenties to the grunge style of the 90s, the video demonstrates the typical style of each decade in the last century…. Read the full story

Does your family have any superstitions? Did your ancestors? Often times, superstitions are passed down through multiple generations in a family. Today is Friday the 13th, which many believe to be a day of bad luck. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia. The superstition that every Friday the 13th is bad luck dates back many years, with some believing it arose during the Middle Ages. Here’s a look at 13 old superstitions on this Friday the 13th: 1…. Read the full story

It’s Veterans Day! Today we celebrate the men and women who have served in the armed forces. Do you have military veterans in your family? Check out these famous folks who have served their country: Audie Murphy Image: Wikimedia Commons Audie Murphy was one of the most decorated American soldiers of World War II. He had always wanted to be a solider and tried to enlist shorty after the attack on Pearl Harbor. However, he was denied by the Army,… Read the full story

“Remember, remember, the fifth of November. The Gunpowder, treason and plot.” Today is Guy Fawkes Day in the UK! Many people have heard the classic nursery rhyme of the gunpowder plot, but do you know what it is about? Arrest of Guy Fawkes, cigarette card illustration / New York Public Library Celebrated each year on November 5, Guy Fawkes Day commemorates the failed plot to assassinate King James I. On that day in 1605, Guy Fawkes was discovered in the… Read the full story