Profile of the Day

Did you love reading the stories of Winnie the Pooh growing up? On this day in 1882, author and creator A.A. Milne was born in London, England. Image: A.A. Milne / Library of Congress Alan Alexander Milne was the youngest of three sons born to school teachers, Sarah Marie Heginbotham and John Vine Milne. During World War I, Milne served in the British Army and was injured at the Battle of the Somme. After recovering… Read the full story

Today the United States celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! On this day, the nation observes the birthday of the great Civil Rights leader. Image: Martin Luther King, Jr. / Library of Congress Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia to Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams. A pastor, humanitarian and activist, King played a pivotal role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience. His inspiring work… Read the full story

Remember reading Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? On this day in 1898, author Lewis Carroll died at the age of 65. Image: Lewis Carroll / Library of Congress The famous author was born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson on January 27, 1832 in Daresbury, Cheshire, England. He was the third of eleven children born to Charles Dodgsen, a clergyman, and Frances Jane Lutwidge. Growing up, Carroll was an avid reader and suffered from a stutter that would last most of… Read the full story

Happy birthday to actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus! Today the actress celebrates her 61st birthday. Image: Julia Louis-Dreyfus / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Julia Louis-Dreyfus was born on January 13, 1961 in New York City, New York to Judith La Fevre, a special needs tutor, and Gérard Louis-Dreyfus, a French billionaire. Her second great grandfather, Léopold Louis-Dreyfus, founded the Louis Dreyfus Group, a commodities and shipping conglomerate. During World War II, her paternal grandfather, Pierre Louis-Dreyfus, was… Read the full story

On this day in 1628, French author Charles Perrault was born in Paris, France. Often described as the “father of the fairytale,” Perrault was known for penning some of the most beloved and recognizable stories, including Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and The Sleeping Beauty. He derived many of his stories from pre-existing folktales and created the foundations of a new literary genre, the fairytale. Image: Charles Perrault / Rijksmuseum, Wikimedia Commons He was born on January 12,… Read the full story

Today we remember comedian Bob Saget, who passed away yesterday at the age of 65. Image: Bob Saget / Library of Congress Saget was born on May 17, 1956 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Benjamin Saget and Rosalyn “Dolly” Comer. After graduating from Temple University, Saget briefly attended the University of Southern California to study film. He dropped out after a few days and decided to pursue a career as a stand-up comic. In 1987, he… Read the full story

Trailblazing actor Sidney Poitier has passed away at the age of 94. The icon broke racial barriers in Hollywood and became the first black man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor. Image: Sidney Poitier / Wikimedia Commons Poitier was born on February 20, 1927 in Miami, Florida to Bahamian parents, Reginald Poitier and Evelyn Outen. Born two months premature while his parents were in Miami, the family remained in the country for the… Read the full story

On this day in 1852, Louis Braille died at the age of 43. Braille developed a system of reading and writing for the blind and visually impaired. Known simply as braille, the system continues to be used worldwide today. Image: Braille alphabet / Library of Congress Braille was born on January 4, 1809 in Coupvray, a small town near Paris, France. He was blinded at the age of 3 after an accident in his father’s… Read the full story

Happy 76th birthday to Diane Keaton! The actress was born Diane Hall on January 5, 1946 in Los Angeles, California. Image: Diane Keaton / Firooz Zahedi, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Her mother, Dorothy Keaton, was a homemaker and once won the “Mrs. Los Angeles” pageant. Her father, John Newton Ignatius “Jack” Hall, was a real estate broker and civil engineer. After deciding to pursue a career in acting, she took on her mother’s maiden name “Keaton” to avoid… Read the full story

What was your favorite fairy tale growing up? On this day in 1785, Jacob Grimm was born in Hanau, Hesse-Kassel. As one half of the Brothers Grimm, Jacob and his brother, Wilhelm, collected and recorded German folklore, which they would later publish as Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Image: Jacob Grimm / Wikimedia Commons In 1808, Jacob served as royal librarian for Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother, Jérôme, King of Westphalia. Influenced by the growing German Romantic movement, Jacob and… Read the full story

On this day in 1793, abolitionist and women’s rights activist Lucretia Mott was born. A pioneering social reformer, Mott was a central figure of the abolitionist and suffragist movements until her death in 1880. Image: Lucretia Mott / Library of Congress Mott was born Lucretia Coffin on January 3, 1793 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Her fourth great grandfather, Peter Folger, was one of the first settlers of Nantucket and the maternal grandfather of Benjamin Franklin. This makes Mott and… Read the full story

It’s New Year’s Eve! It wouldn’t be a New Year’s celebration without hearing the holiday’s signature song, “Auld Lang Syne.” Did you know Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote “Auld Lang Syne” in 1788? Image: Robert Burns / Library of Congress The song was set to the tune of an old Scottish folk song and was never intended to be a holiday song. Nevertheless, the song gained enormous popularity and it became tradition to sing the song to… Read the full story

Today marks the 156th birthday of acclaimed author Rudyard Kipling! Image: Rudyard Kipling / Library of Congress He was born Joseph Rudyard Kipling in Bombay, British India on December 30, 1865 to Alice MacDonald and John Lockwood Kipling. His mother was one of four notable sisters who had married well known men of the Victorian Era. His father, a sculptor and pottery designer, was the principal and professor of Architectural Sculpture at the Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of… Read the full story

Do you have inventors in your family tree? On this day in 1800, inventor and chemist Charles Goodyear was born in New Haven, Connecticut. Goodyear invented the process of vulcanization, which revolutionized the rubber industry. Image: Charles Goodyear / Library of Congress Goodyear was the eldest of six children born to Amasa Goodyear and Cynthia Bateman. His third great grandfather, Stephen Goodyear, was one of the founders of the colony of New Haven in 1638. After his… Read the full story

Today we remember French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur, who was born on this day in 1822. Image: Louis Pasteur / Smithsonian Institution, Flickr Pasteur was born in Dole, France on December 27, 1822 to Jean Joseph Pasteur and Jeanne Etiennette Roqui. His father was a tanner and was awarded the Legion of Honor during the Napoleonic Wars. As a child, Pasteur had a strong interest in drawing and painting. However, he was encouraged to… Read the full story

On this day in 1823, the popular holiday poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” was first published in the Troy New York Sentinel. Today the poem is more commonly known as “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Although initially published anonymously, Clement Clarke Moore would later claim authorship of the poem. However, in recent years, some have claimed that the poem’s true author may actually be Henry Livingston, Jr. Image: New York Public Library Since its publication, the poem has become… Read the full story

On this day in 1706, French mathematician Émilie du Châtelet was born. Image: Émilie du Châtelet / Wikimedia Commons Du Châtelet was born Garbielle Émilie le Tonnelier de Breteuil on December 17, 1706 in Paris, France. Her father, Louis Nicolas le Tonnelier de Breteuil, was a member of the lesser nobility. He held a weekly salon, to which well-respected writers and scientists were often invited. An intelligent child, du Châtelet’s father brought in tutors to… Read the full story

German composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born 251 years ago. Image: Ludwig van Beethoven / Library of Congress Beethoven was born in Bonn in the Electorate of Cologne, which was then a part of the Holy Roman Empire. Although there is no known record of the exact date of his birth, it is known that his baptism took place on December 17, 1770. Since baptisms typically took place a day after birth during this time,… Read the full story

Today we remember Walt Disney, who died on this day in 1966 at the age of 65. Image: Walt Disney / NASA He was born Walter Elias Disney on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois to Elias Charles Disney and Flora Call Disney. At 16, he tried to join the U.S. army during World War I, but was rejected for being underage. Undeterred, he joined the American Red Cross and worked as an ambulance driver… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Dick Van Dyke! Today the star turns 96. Image: Dick Van Dyke / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Richard Wayne Van Dyke was born on December 13, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri to Hazel Victoria McCord, a stenographer, and Loren Wayne Van Dyke, a salesman. During World War II, Van Dyke enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and eventually served as a radio announcer before transferring to the Special… Read the full story

On this day in 1830, American poet Emily Dickinson was born. A prolific writer, Dickinson wrote over 1800 poems, however less than a dozen were published during her lifetime. It was not until after her death that a cache of her poetry was discovered and published. Image: Emily Dickinson / Wikimedia Commons Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts on December 10, 1830 to a prominent New England family. Her paternal grandfather, Samuel Fowler Dickinson, was a founder… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Donny Osmond! Today the singer and former teen idol turns 64. Image: Donny Osmond / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Osmond was born on December 9, 1957 in Ogden, Utah and was the seventh son born to George Osmond and Olive Davis. A natural performer, Osmond began singing at a very young age alongside his older brothers as part of the musical group The Osmonds. His talent made him a standout performer and he… Read the full story

Today we remember famous Rat Pack performer Sammy Davis, Jr., who was born on this day in 1925. Image: Sammy Davis, Jr. / Nationaal Archief, Wikimedia Commons CCO Samuel George Davis, Jr. was born in Harlem, New York to Sammy Davis, Sr., an African-American entertainer, and Elvera Sanchez, a tap dancer of Afro-Cuban descent. Davis began his career in show business as a small child dancing in his father’s vaudeville act. During World War II, he… Read the full story

Do you have pioneer ancestors? On this day in 1873, author Willa Cather was born in Winchester, Virginia. Cather is perhaps best remembered for her vivid portrayal of frontier life on the Great Plains in her novels, O Pioneers! and My Ántonia. Image: Willa Cather / Library of Congress Wilella Sibert Cather was born on her maternal grandmother’s farm in the Back Creek Valley near Winchester, Virginia. Although most may think of her as a Nebraskan,… Read the full story

Do you have Dutch ancestry? On this day in 1792, William II, King of the Netherlands, was born. He was the eldest son of William I, the first King of the Netherlands, and Wilhelmine of Prussia, the daughter of King Frederick William II of Prussia and William I’s first cousin. Image: William II of the Netherlands / Wikimedia Commons In 1816, he married Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia, the youngest sister of Alexander I of Russia. Following his father’s… Read the full story

On this day in 1857, author Joseph Conrad was born in Berdychiv in what was then the Russian Empire. Regarded as one of the greatest novelists in the English language, Conrad was in his twenties before he was able to speak the language fluently. Image: Joseph Conrad / New York Public Library He was born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski to Polish parents, Apollo Korzeniowski and Ewelina Bobrawska. Conrad’s family belonged to the Polish szlachta (nobility) and were… Read the full story

On this day in 1859, French Neo-Impressionist artist Georges Seurat was born. Known for devising his own painting technique called pointillism, Seurat is remembered as one of the most iconic artists of the late 19th-century. Image: Georges Seurat / Wikimedia Commons Seurat was born on December 2, 1859 in Paris, France to Antoine Chrysostome Seurat and Ernstine Faivre. His father was a former legal official who had become wealthy from speculating property. He received his… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Bette Midler! Today the singer and actress turns 76. Image: Bette Midler / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Bette Midler was born on December 1, 1945 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Ruth Schindel, a seamstress, and Fred Midler, a painter at a Navy base. She was named after Bette Davis, one of her mother’s favorite actresses. Growing up in Hawaii, Bette’s family was one of the few Jewish families in the neighborhood. She attended Radford… 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 November 24, 1784, Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States, was born. Image: Zachary Taylor / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution Taylor was born on a plantation in Orange County, Virginia to a prominent family of planters. Before his presidency, Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army and a national hero for his victories during the Mexican-American War. In 1848, he was elected the 12th President of the United States, becoming… Read the full story

On this day in 1887, legendary actor Boris Karloff was born. Today, Karloff’s frightening yet sympathetic turn as Frankenstein’s monster still remains an iconic figure in horror. Image: Boris Karloff / Wikimedia Commons Before he became known for the role of the “Monster” on the big screen, Karloff, born Willam Henry Pratt, was the youngest of nine children born to Edward Pratt and Eliza Millard. His great aunt was Anna Leonowens, an English writer and educator. Her experience… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Scarlett Johansson! Today the star turns 37. Image: Scarlett Johansson / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Johansson was born on November 22, 1984 in New York City, New York to Karsten Olaf Johansson and Melanie Sloan. She and her twin brother, Hunter, are the youngest of four siblings. Coming from a creative family, it seemed natural for Johansson to follow in her family’s footsteps. Her father is an architect originally… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jodie Foster! Today the versatile actress and director turns 59. 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 77. 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

Today we remember American radio host and writer Mary Margaret McBride, who was born on this day in 1899. Known as “the First Lady of Radio,” McBride’s popular radio shows spanned for more than 40 years with millions of listeners tuning in daily. Image: Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary Margaret McBride / U.S. National Archives and Records Adminstration McBride was born on November 16, 1899 to a farming family in Paris, Missouri. At the age of… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary icon Grace Kelly, who was born on this day in 1929. Image: Grace Kelly / Library of Congress Grace Kelly was born on November 12, 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a very affluent family. Her father John B. Kelly, Sr., a three-time Olympic gold medalist, was once appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as the National Director of Physical Fitness. Her mother, Margaret Majer, taught physical education at the University of… Read the full story

On this day in 1885, General George Patton was born in San Gabriel, California. Remembered as one of the most successful generals in history, Patton was instrumental to the liberation of Germany from the Nazis during World War II. Image: George Patton / Library of Congress Patton’s family had an extensive military background. His paternal grandfather George Smith Patton, a Confederate general, commanded the 22nd Virginia Infantry in the American Civil War. Patton’s third great… 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 / Wikimedia Commons 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 Maude… Read the full story

On this day in 1871, anatomist and medical researcher Florence R. Sabin was born. A pioneer for women in science, Sabin made breakthroughs on the lymphatic system and was the first woman to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Image: Florence R. Sabin / Smithsonian Institution Sabin was born on November 8, 1871 in Central City, Colorado to George K. Sabin, a mining engineer, and Serena Miner, a schoolteacher. After the death of… Read the full story

Do you have Irish ancestry? 174 years ago today, Irish author Bram Stoker was born in Dublin, Ireland. In 1897, Stoker published his most famous novel, Dracula. Although he didn’t originate the concept of the vampire, Stoker’s Dracula came to define the undead creature in its modern form. Image: Bram Stoker / Wikimedia Commons Stoker was born Abraham Stoker on November 8, 1847 to Abraham Stoker, a civil servant, and Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornley. The third of seven… 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

On this day in 1879, vaudeville performer and cowboy humorist Will Rogers was born. Rogers is remembered as “America’s Cowboy Philosopher.” Image: Will Rogers / Library of Congress Rogers was the youngest of eight children born to Clement Vann Rogers and Mary America Schrimsher. Of his siblings, only he and three sisters survived into adulthood. Rogers was born on his parents’ Dog Iron Ranch in the Cherokee Nation of Indian Territory in what is near present-day… Read the full story

On this day in 1734, American frontiersman Daniel Boone was born. Famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now Kentucky, Boone is remembered as one of the most popular folk heroes in American history. Image: Daniel Boone / Library of Congress Boone was born to a large Quaker family at his family’s homestead in Pennsylvania. He was given his first rifle at the age of 12 and learned to hunt. Growing up on the frontier made Boone adept… Read the full story

On this day in 1871, American author Stephen Crane was born in Newark, New Jersey. He is best known for his highly acclaimed novel The Red Badge of Courage, where Crane authentically depicted the realities of battle during the American Civil War and the psychological turmoil of the novel’s protagonist, a Union soldier who grapples with his own cowardice after he flees from the battlefield. Image: Stephen Crane / Wikimedia Commons Crane was the fourteenth child born… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Winona Ryder! Today the actress celebrates her 50th birthday. Image: Winona Ryder / Karon Liu, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Winona Laura Horowitz was born on October 29, 1971 to Michael D. Horowitz and Cynthia Istas. Her father’s family originally had the surname “Tomchin” but it was changed to “Horowitz” when the family immigrated to the United States. Ryder made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. She got her big… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Julia Roberts! Today the actress turns 54. Image: Julia Roberts / David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) Roberts was born on October 28, 1967 in Smyrna, Georgia to Betty Lou Bredemus and Walter Grady Roberts. The youngest of three children, Roberts grew up in a highly creative household. Her parents were actors and co-founded a workshop for aspiring actors and writers in Atlanta. In 1989, she earned critical praise for her… Read the full story

Did your family own a Singer sewing machine? On this day in 1811, inventor Isaac Singer was born in Pittstown, New York. Singer’s improvements to the sewing machine would make it more practical and efficient than ever before. Image: Isaac Singer / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 Isaac Merritt Singer was born to Adam Singer and Ruth Benson on October 27, 1811. Around the age of 12, he left home to work various odd… Read the full story

Today marks the 140th anniversary of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Remembered as the most famous shootout in the history of the Wild West, the gunfight was the result of the long-simmering feud between outlaw Cowboys, the Clanton-McLaurys, and lawmen Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and temporary policeman Doc Holliday. Image: Wyatt Earp / Wikimedia Commons The Earp brothers were targets of death threats by the group of outlaws and before long, tensions had erupted into gunfight…. Read the full story

On this day in 1844, stage and early film actress Sarah Bernhardt was born. Once called “the most famous actress the world has ever known,” Bernhardt was one of the most in demand actresses in Europe and America. She rose to fame in the 1870s on the stages of France and with the advent of film, became one of the first actors to appear in motion pictures. Image: Sarah Bernhardt / Library of Congress She was… Read the full story