Profile of the Day

Today we remember French aristocrat and military officer, Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, who was born on this day in 1757. Also known simply as Lafayette, the Frenchman was an important figure during the American Revolutionary War and fought alongside the Continental Army against the British. Image: Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette / Library of Congress Lafayette was born to a wealthy, aristocratic family in Auvergne, France on September 6, 1757. The Lafayette family had… Read the full story

Image: Louis XIV / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 On this day in 1638, Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye to Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. As soon as he ascended to the throne, Louis XIV took steps to consolidate his power and establish his absolute authority. He would become one of the longest reigning monarchs in European history. During his reign, Louis built the Palace of Versailles, an opulent palace that… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Beyoncé! Today the music superstar turns 43. Image: Beyoncé / Jen Keys, Wikimedia Commons Beyoncé Giselle Knowles on September 4, 1981 in Houston, Texas to Matthew and Celestine “Tina” Knowles. Her first name is a tribute to her mother’s maiden name, Beyoncé. Her maternal grandparents were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles and it is through her mother’s branch of the family that she descends from Joseph Broussard, who led the first group of Acadians to what is today Louisiana. Broussard… Read the full story

Today we remember American poet E.E. Cummings, who passed away on this day in 1962 at the age of 67. A prolific writer, Cummings is often regarded as one of the most important American poets of the 20th century. Image: E.E. Cummings / Library of Congress He was born Edward Estlin Cummings on October 14, 1894 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His father, Edward Cummings, was a professor and Unitarian minister. From a young age, Cummings began writing… Read the full story

Image: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / Wikimedia Commons On August 30, 1797, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was born in London, England. Her father was the political philosopher William Godwin and her mother was the philosopher and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. In 1816, she married poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein, Shelley infused elements of the Romantic movement, creating what is considered to be one of the earliest examples of science fiction. Initially published… Read the full story

Do you remember watching Casablanca? Today we remember star Ingrid Bergman, who was born in Stockholm, Sweden on August 29, 1915. Image: Ingrid Bergman / Wikimedia Commons Bergman lost both her parents at a very young age; her mother died when she was 3 and her father passed when she was 13. After her father’s death, she was sent to live with an aunt, who died of heart disease only six months later. At 17, she… Read the full story

Remember watching Singin’ in the Rain? On this day in 1912, star Gene Kelly was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Image: Gene Kelly / Wikimedia Commons Eugene Curran Kelly was born on August 23, 1912 to James Kelly, a phonograph salesman, and Harriet Curran. At the age of 8, his mother enrolled Kelly and his siblings in dance classes. As a young man, he often created dance routines with his brother to earn prize money in local talent contests… Read the full story

Do you remember reading Fahrenheit 451? On this day in 1920, author Ray Bradbury was born in Waukegan, Illinois. Image: Ray Bradbury / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) He was the son of Esther Moberg, a Swedish immigrant, and Leonard Spaulding Bradbury, a power and telephone lineman. His seventh great grandmother was Mary Bradbury, who was tried, convicted and sentenced to hang as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. She managed to escape… Read the full story

Are you related to the U.S. President? On this day in 1833, Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd President of the United States was born. Image: Benjamin Harrison / Library of Congress Harrison was born to a prominent political family. His paternal grandfather was William Henry Harrison, the 9th President of the United States. Harrison was only 7 years old when his grandfather was elected president. Unfortunately, his grandfather would only serve for 31 days before dying of pneumonia…. Read the full story

Are you a Star Trek fan? On this day in 1921, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was born in El Paso, Texas. Image: Gene Roddenberry / NASA As a young man, Roddenberry became interested in aeronautical engineering and earned a pilot license through the Civilian Pilot Training Program. During World War II, Roddenberry enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps and flew an estimated 89 combat missions. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross…. Read the full story

Today we remember legendary singer Aretha Franklin, who passed away on August 16, 2018 at the age of 76. Dubbed the “Queen of Soul,” Franklin is regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time. Image: Cecilio Ricardo, U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis Tennessee. Her father, C.L. Franklin, was a Baptist minister, and her mother, Barbara Siggers, was an accomplished piano player and vocalist. Her parents… Read the full story

Image: Napoleon Bonaparte / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 On August 15, 1769, Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, France. In 1804, he became the first emperor of France and established hegemony over most of continental Europe. In what would be called the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon’s drive for military expansion changed the world. After being forced into exile on the island of Elba, Napoleon was able to regain power of France temporarily before… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Steve Martin! Today the actor turns 79. Image: Steve Martin / David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Martin was born on August 14, 1945 in Waco, Texas to Mary Lee Stewart and Glenn Vernon Martin. When he was young, his family moved to southern California. As a teen, he became a cheerleader in high school and got his first job at Disneyland selling guidebooks and performing magic tricks. In 1977, Martin got… Read the full story

Are you related to the famous sharpshooter Annie Oakley? On this day in 1860, the Wild West star was born. Image: Annie Oakley / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 She was born Phoebe Ann Mosey in a cabin near Woodland, Ohio. Oakley honed her remarkable sharpshooting skills as a teen hunting game to support her mother and siblings. She met her husband Frank Butler, a marksman and performer, after beating him in a shooting competition…. Read the full story

On this day in 1881, pioneering film director Cecil B. DeMille was born. Considered to be a founding father of the Hollywood film industry, DeMille’s films were distinguished by their epic scale and groundbreaking special effects, which attracted vast audiences. Image: Cecil B. DeMille / Wikimedia Commons DeMille was born on August 12, 1881 in a boarding house on Main Street in Ashfield, Massachusetts, where his parents had been vacationing for the summer. He was… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary singer Whitney Houston, who was born on this day in 1963. Image: Whitney Houston / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Houston was born on August 9, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey to John Russel Houston, Jr. and Emily “Cissy” Drinkard. Her father was a Newark city administrator and theatrical manager and her mother was a successful gospel singer and a backup singer for several notable artists such as Elvis Presley… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Dustin Hoffman! Can you believe the actor turns 87 today? Image: Dustin Hoffman / Wikimedia Commons Dustin Lee Hoffman was born on August 8, 1937 in Los Angeles, California. He was the second son born to Lillian Gold and Harry Hoffman, who worked as a set decorator at Columbia Pictures. He was named after stage and silent film actor, Dustin Farnum. Hoffman comes from a Jewish family of immigrants from Ukraine, Poland, and Romania. After dropping… Read the full story

On this day in 1813, American abolitionist and suffragist Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis was born. An early supporter of the women’s suffrage movement, Davis was also a prominent lecturer on women’s health, anatomy, and physiology. Image: Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis / Library of Congress Davis was born on August 7, 1813 in Bloomfield, New York to Ebenezer Kellogg and Polly Saxton. In 1817, her family moved to the frontier near Niagara Falls, however, after the… Read the full story

Today we remember actress Lucille Ball, who was born on this day 113 years ago. Image: Lucille Ball / Wikimedia Commons Lucille Désirée Ball was born on August 6 ,1911 in Jamestown, New York. After her father died of typhoid fever in 1915, the family moved in with her maternal grandparents. She and her brother were later cared for by their step-grandparents after her mother remarried. As a teen, Ball attended the John Murray Anderson School… Read the full story

On this day in 1835, American inventor Elisha Gray was born in Barnesville, Ohio. The co-founder of the Western Electric Manufacturing Company, Gray is perhaps best remembered for the controversy surrounding the invention of the telephone. Image: Elisha Gray / Wikimedia Commons Gray was born into a Quaker family in Ohio and grew up on a farm. An electrical engineer, he held over 70 patents and is often considered the father of the modern music synthesizer. On February… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the 206th birthday of pioneering astronomer Maria Mitchell! Mitchell is best remembered for discovering a new comet, which became known as “Miss Mitchell’s Comet.” She is often recognized as the first professional female astronomer in the United States. Image: Maria Mitchell / Wikimedia Commons Mitchell was born on August 1, 1818 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The third of ten children, Mitchell grew up in a family of Quakers. Her father was a school teacher… Read the full story

Did your ancestors fight in the American Civil War? On this day in 1816, Union general George H. Thomas was born. Image: George H. Thomas / Library of Congress Thomas was born on July 31, 1816 in Newsom’s Depot, Virginia to John Thomas and Elizabeth Rochelle. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Thomas chose to stay with the U.S. Army despite his Virginian heritage. His decision to remain loyal to the Union caused… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Arnold Schwarzenegger! Today the star turns 77. Image: Arnold Schwarzenegger / Library of Congress Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger was born in Thal, Austria to Gustave Schwarzenegger, a local police chief, and Aurelia Jadrny. His father was once a member of the Nazi party and favored his eldest son over Arnold. Struggling with a tough home life, Arnold turned to movies as an escape and dreamed of moving to the U.S. At 15, he began weight… Read the full story

Today we remember Vincent van Gogh, who died on July 29, 1890. Although he is widely considered to be one of the most influential painters of the 20th century, van Gogh was virtually unknown during his lifetime. Image: Vincent van Gogh / Wikimedia Commons Vincent Willem van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853 in Zundert, Netherlands to Theodorus van Gogh, a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, and Anna Cornelia Carbentus. The eldest of… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Mick Jagger! Today the Rolling Stones singer turns 81. Image: Mick Jagger / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Michael Philip Jagger was born on July 26, 1943 in Dartford, Kent. His father, Basil Fanshawe Jagger, and his grandfather, David Ernest Jagger, were both teachers. His mother, Eva Ensley Mary Scutts, was a hairdresser. From a young age, Jagger loved to sing. He was classmates with Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, who shared Jagger’s love of the… Read the full story

On this day in 1806, abolitionist Maria Weston Chapman was born. Image: Maria Weston Chapman / Wikimedia Commons Chapman was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts to Captain Warren Richard Weston and Anne Bates. Although her family was not wealthy, they were well connected. She spent several years of her childhood living in England, where she received a good education thanks to her uncle, Joshua Bates, who was a prosperous London banker. In 1928, she became principal… Read the full story

On this day in 1783, Venezuelan military leader and politician Simón Bolívar was born. Called “The Liberator,” Bolívar was instrumental in Latin America’s successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire. Image: Simón Bolívar / Library of Congress Bolívar was born into a wealthy family in a house in Caracas, Captaincy General of Venezuela on July 24, 1783. Before the age of ten, Bolivar had lost both of his parents. His father died when he was three… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Daniel Radcliffe! Today the Harry Potter star turns 35. Image: Daniel Radcliffe / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Born in London, England, Radcliffe got his start at the age of 10 in the BBC television film David Copperfield. It was this performance that caught the eye of director Chris Columbus, who was searching for a young unknown actor to cast as the lead in the film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved Harry Potter book series. At… Read the full story

“Give me your tired, your poor,Your huddled Masses yearning to breathe free” – Emma Lazarus, “The New Colossus” These are the iconic lines inscribed on a bronze plaque at the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. The words were written by American poet Emma Lazarus in 1883 in her sonnet “The New Colossus.” Image: Emma Lazarus / Library of Congress The poem was originally written to help raise funds for the construction of the statue’s pedestal, but… Read the full story

French painter Edgar Degas was born on July 19, 1834 in Paris, France. Image: Edgar Degas / Wikimedia Commons He was born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas and was the eldest child of Augustin De Gas, a banker, and Marie-Celestine Musson, an American from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her father, Germain Musson, had fled his home in Haiti in 1804 and made a small fortune in Louisiana cotton. As an adult, he changed the spelling of his surname to… Read the full story

Today we remember inspirational figure Nelson Mandela on what would have been his 106 birthday. Image: Nelson Mandela / Library of Congress Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in the village of Mvezo in Umtata, South Africa. He was given the name Rolihlahla, a Xhosa term meaning “troublemaker.” In his 20s, Mandela became actively involved in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. He spent 27 years of his life in prison after he was… Read the full story

Today we remember actor Donald Sutherland on what would have been his 89th birthday. Image: Donald Sutherland / Frantogian, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Sutherland was born on July 17, 1935 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada to Dorothy Isobel McNichol and Frederick McLea Sutherland. As a young teen, Sutherland worked as a news correspondent for a local radio station. He studied engineering and drama at Victoria University before leaving for England to study drama… Read the full story

Do you have Norwegian ancestry? On this day in 1872, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was born in Borge, Østfold, Norway. Image: Roald Amundsen / National Library of Norway, Flickr Amundsen was born into a family of shipowners and captains and had a lifelong desire for polar exploration. One of the key figures of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, Amundsen was the first explorer to reach the South Pole. He gained invaluable knowledge for his journey… Read the full story

Happy birthday to musician Linda Ronstadt! Today the Grammy winner turns 78. Image: Linda Ronstadt / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Ronstadt was born on July 15, 1946 in Tucson, Arizona to Ruth Copeman and Gilbert Ronstadt, who came from a pioneering Arizona ranching family. Her paternal grandfather, Federico José Maria Ronstadt, was a successful local businessman and wagon maker. In 1991, the city of Tucson dedicated its central transit terminal to him for his early contribution… Read the full story

On this day in 1817, American essayist and poet Henry David Thoreau was born. Image: Henry David Thoreau / Library of Congress He was born David Henry Thoreau on July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts to John Thoreau, a pencil maker, and Cynthia Dunbar. He was named after his recently deceased paternal uncle. It was not until after finishing school that he began to call himself “Henry David.” It was after college that he was… Read the full story

Do you remember reading Charlotte’s Web? On this day in 1899, author E.B. White was born in Mount Vernon, New York. Image: E.B. White / White Literary LLC, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) The youngest child of Samuel Tilly White and Jessie Hart White, Elwyn Brooks White was the couple’s sixth child. He hated the name “Elwyn” and spent most of his life going by the nickname “Andy.” His older brother, Stanley Hart White, was a professor… Read the full story

Today we celebrate the 168th birthday of inventor Nikola Tesla! Tesla is remembered for his groundbreaking discoveries in the production, transmission, and application of electric power. Image: Nikola Tesla / Library of Congress Tesla was born in what is now Smiljan, Croatia on July 10, 1856. He was one of five children born to Milutin Tesla, an Eastern Orthodox priest, and Đuka Mandić.  In 1884, Tesla came to the United States and began working for Thomas Edison. However, a… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Tom Hanks! Today the popular actor turns 68. Image: Tom Hanks / U.S. Department of State, public domain Thomas Jeffery Hanks was born on July 9, 1956 in Concord, California. In 1960, his parents divorced and Hanks, along with his two oldest siblings, went to live with their father. His youngest brother stayed with their mother. Hanks got his big break when he was cast as the lead in the television sitcom Bosom Buddies…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to actor Kevin Bacon! Today the star turns 66. Image: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons, (CC BY-SA 2.0) Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 8, 1958, Bacon was the youngest of six children born to architect Edmund Bacon and Ruth Holmes, a teacher and social activist. From a young age he showed a gift for acting, earning a full scholarship to attend the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts at 16. Bacon skyrocketed… Read the full story

Do you enjoy the circus? On this day in 1810, showman P.T. Barnum was born in Bethel, Connecticut. Image: P.T. Barnum / Library of Congress A successful promoter, Barnum made a name for himself promoting weird and odd curiosities. He founded the famous “Barnum & Bailey Circus” and toured the country with his band of performers. He was one of the first to move his circus by train. Named the “Greatest Show on Earth,” the Barnum &… Read the full story

On this day in 1883, author Franz Kafka was born in Prague in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Image: Franz Kafka / Wikimedia Commons The eldest of six children, Kafka grew up in a middle-class, German-speaking, Jewish family. His two younger brothers died in infancy, leaving him as the only son in the family. Though Kafka died several years before World War II, his three sisters would go on to perish during the Holocaust. Kafka showed an interest in writing at an early… Read the full story

On this day in 1937, aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Frederick Noonan went missing over the Pacific while attempting to make the first flight around the world along the equator. Image: Amelia Earhart / Library of Congress Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas to Edwin Stanton Earhart and Amelia Otis. In 1920, Earhart took a plane ride an airshow in Long Beach, California that would change her life. Although the experience… Read the full story

Today we remember Princess Diana on what would have been her 63rd birthday. Image: Diana, Princess of Wales / Wikimedia Commons She was born Diana Frances Spencer in Sandringham, England to John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and Frances Burk Rouche, Viscountess Althorp. Her parents would divorce when she was eight years old. She became known as Lady Diana when her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer in 1975. In 1981, she married Prince Charles in a lavish… Read the full story

How are you related to the Tudors? On this day in 1491, Henry VIII of England was born at Greenwich Palace in London, England. Image: Henry VIII / Wikimedia Commons He was the third child and second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Of his six siblings, only three would survive infancy. His older brother, Arthur, was expected to inherit the throne. However, just 20 weeks after his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Arthur… Read the full story

Today we remember author, activist, and lecturer Helen Keller, who was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Image: Helen Keller / Library of Congress Helen Adams Keller spent her childhood living at her family’s homestead, Ivy Green, which was built by her grandfather in 1820. Born physically normal, Keller did not lose her sight or hearing until she was 19 months old due to an illness. Although her health recovered, the illness left her deaf and blind for the rest… Read the full story

On this day in 1911, American athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias was born. Considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, Zaharias was an Olympic gold medal winner and excelled in the sports of golf, basketball, baseball, and track and field. Image: Babe Didrikson Zaharias / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 She was born Mildred Ella Didrikson on June 26, 1911 in Port Arthur, Texas to Ole Didriksen and Hannah Olsen, both Norwegian immigrants…. Read the full story

Remember reading Nineteen Eighty-Four? On this day in 121 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

Do you have any boxers in your family tree? On this day in 1895, boxing legend Jack Dempsey was born in Manassa, Colorado. The World Heavyweight Champion from 1919 to 1926, Dempsey’s aggressive style and impressive punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Image: Jack Dempsey / Library of Congress He was born William Harrison Dempsey on June 24, 1895 to Mary Celia Smoot and Hiram Dempsey. Growing up poor, Dempsey… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Prince William! Today the British heir apparent celebrates his 42nd birthday. Image: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge / USAID,Vietnam Prince William was born on June 21, 1982 at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, England to Charles, Prince of Wales (later King Charles III) and Diana, Princess of Wales. Each of his three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, were also born at the same hospital. At the age of 15,… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Lionel Richie! Today the singer turns 75. Image: Lionel Richie / Photo by Shawn Miller, Library of Congress, Public domain He was born Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. on June 20, 1949 in Tuskegee, Alabama to Alberta Foster and Lionel Brockman Richie, Sr. He grew up close to the the campus of the Tuskegee Institute, which was founded by Booker T. Washington. Two generations of his family have worked at the institution, including… Read the full story