Profile of the Day

On this day in 1867, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist Madam C.J. Walker was born. Walker was one of the first African American female self-made millionaires in the United States. Image: Madam C.J. Walker/ Wikimedia Commons Walker was born Sarah Breedlove on December 23, 1867 near Delta, Louisiana to Owen Breedlove and Minerva Anderson. The fifth of six children, Walker was the first child in her family to be born into freedom after the Emancipation Proclamation…. Read the full story

On this day in 1858, Italian composer Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Italy. Image: Giacomo Puccini / Library of Congress He was born Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini to Michele Puccine and Albina Magi. One of nine children, Puccini had come from a long line of musicians. His second great grandfather, also named Giacomo Puccini, was the first of five generations of composers in the family. Remembered as one of the greatest… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jane Fonda! Today the actress turns 85. Image: Georges Biard / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) She was born on December 21, 1937 to legendary actor Henry Fonda and Frances Ford Seymour in New York City. At the age of 12, her mother committed suicide while receiving treatment at a psychiatric hospital. After working as a model, Fonda decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and pursue an acting career. She rose to… Read the full story

Do you remember reading The Grapes of Wrath? On this day in 1968, author John Steinbeck died at the age of 66. Image: John Steinbeck / Wikimedia Commons The acclaimed American novelist was born John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. on February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California. His paternal grandfather, Johann Adolf Großsteinbeck, had shortened the family name to Steinbeck after immigrating to the United States. After leaving his studies at Stanford, Steinbeck found work as a freelance writer and… Read the full story

On this day 1832, French architect and engineer Gustave Eiffel was born in Dijon, France. He is perhaps best remembered for his work to build the Eiffel Tower, which bears his name. Originally constructed for the 1889 Universal Exposition, today the tower has become one of the most recognizable structures in the world and an iconic symbol of France. Image: Gustave Eiffel / Rijksmuseum, Wikimedia Commons Eiffel was born Alexandre-Gustave Bönickhausen on December 15, 1832 to Catherine-Mélanie Moneuse and… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Dick Van Dyke! Today the lovable actor turns 97. Image: Dick Van Dyke / Wikimedia Commons He was born Richard Wayne Van Dyke on December 13, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri. During World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps where he became a radio announcer, and later, transferred to the Special Services to entertain the troops. Over the course of his long and impressive career, Van Dyke has starred in… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Frank Sinatra! Today marks what would have been the legendary crooner’s 107th birthday. Image: Frank Sinatra / Library of Congress Francis Albert Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915 in an upstairs tenement in Hoboken, New Jersey. At 13.5 pounds, Sinatra’s birth was not an easy one. He was delivered with the aid of forceps, which left him with severe scars on this left cheek, neck, and ear, and a perforated eardrum. After getting… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Judi Dench! Today the actress turns 88. A legend on the stage and screen, Dench has won accolades for her work in theater, film, and television. Image: Thore Siebrands / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Dench was born on December 9, 1934 in Heworth, York, England to Eleanora Olive Jones and Reginald Arthur Dench. Her father was a doctor for the Theatre Royal in York and so Dench was often in presence… Read the full story

On this day in 1542, Mary, Queen of Scots was born in Linlithgow, Scotland. Image: Mary, Queen of Scots / Metropolitan Museum of Art, Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0) The only legitimate child of King James V, Mary was named Queen of Scots just six days after her birth when her father died following the Battle of Solway Moss. While still an infant, her great uncle, King Henry VIII of England, took the opportunity to propose marriage… Read the full story

On this day in 1873, American author Willa Cather was born in Back Creek Valley, Virginia. She was best known for her novels O Pioneers!, The Song of the Lark, and My Ántonia, which vividly depicted frontier life on the Great Plains. Image: Willa Cather / Library of Congress She was born Wilella Sibert Cather on December 7, 1873 on her maternal grandmother’s farm in the Back Creek Valley near Winchester, Virginia. For six generations, her family had… Read the full story

Have you found connection to royalty? Today we remember William II of the Netherlands, who was born on this day in 1792. Image: William II of the Netherlands / Amsterdam Museum, Wikimedia Commons William II was the eldest son of William I of the Netherlands and Wihelmine of Prussia, who was the daughter of King Frederick William of Prussia and William I’s first cousin. In 1795, his entire family went into exile in Britain. At the age… Read the full story

What’s your favorite Disney film? On this day in 1901, Walt Disney was born. A pioneer in animation, Disney co-created the iconic cartoon character, Mickey Mouse. He produced several classic animated films and founded the Disney theme parks, which are still enjoyed by visitors from all around the world today. Image: Walt Disney / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Disney was born Walter Elias Disney on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the fourth of… Read the full story

On this day in 1825, Pedro II of Brazil was born. The second and last monarch of the Empire of Brazil, Pedro II was nicknamed “the Magnanimous” and reigned for over 58 years. Image: Pedro II of Brazil / Library of Congress Pedro II was born on December 2, 1825 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was the seventh child of Pedro I of Brazil and Maria Leopoldina of Austria. His mother’s sister, Marie Louise,… Read the full story

Today Bette Midler celebrates her 77th birthday! Image: Bette Midler / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) The celebrated singer and actress was born on December 1, 1945 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Ruth Schindel and Fred Midler, who worked at a Navy base in Hawaii as a painter. She was named after actress Bette Davis, although she pronounces her name as one syllable. Her sisters, Susan and Judy, were also named after Hollywood stars, Susan Hayward and… Read the full story

Today we remember Winston Churchill, who was born on this day in 1874. Image: Winston Churchill / Library of Congress Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born into the aristocratic family of the Dukes of Marlborough, a branch of the prominent Spencer family. His father was a politician and his mother was an American socialite. Churchill was born two months premature in Blenheim Palace, a monumental country house that was rewarded to his ancestor, John Churchill, 1st… Read the full story

On November 29, 1832, American author Louisa May Alcott was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Image: Louisa May Alcott / Library of Congress Raised by transcendentalist parents, the Little Women author grew up among many of the well-known intellectuals of the day such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau. When the family fell on hard times, Alcott was forced to work various jobs at an early age, such as a teacher, domestic servant, and writer, to help support… Read the full story

On this day in 1888, comedian Harpo Marx was born in New York City, New York. Image: Harpo Marx / Wikimedia Commons He was born Adolph Arthur Marx to Samuel “Frenchie” Marx and Minnie Schoenberg on November 23, 1888. The second oldest of five boys, Harpo and his brothers took on a variety of odd jobs to help support the family. In 1910, Harpo and his brothers, Leonard (“Chico”), Julius (“Groucho”) and Milton (“Gummo”) formed… Read the full story

Today we remember President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated on this day 59 years ago in Dallas, Texas. Image: John F. Kennedy / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was fatally shot by a sniper while traveling in an open motorcade with his wife, Jacqueline. Celebrated as one of the most beloved Presidents of the United States, Kennedy’s sudden death shocked the entire nation. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on… Read the full story

On November 21, 1694, French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire was born in Paris, France. Image: Voltaire / Wikimedia Commons He was born François-Marie Arouet and was the youngest of five children. He later adopted the name “Voltaire,” which is an anagram of “Arovet Li,” the Latinized spelling of his surname Arouet and the initial letters of “le jenue” (“the young”). As an outspoken advocate of freedom of religion, freedom of expression and separation of church and state,… Read the full story

Astronaut Alan Shepard was born on November 18, 1923. Shepard made history in 1961 when he became the first American to travel into space. Image: Alan Shepard / NASA Shepard was born in East Derry, New Hampshire to Alan Shepard, Sr.and Pauline Renza Emerson. Shepard was fascinated with flying from an early age. He graduated from the U.S. Navel Academy and served onboard the destroyer Cogswell during World War II. After the war, he became a test pilot for the Navy…. Read the full story

Do you or your family can and preserve fruits and vegetables? You can thank French chef Nicolas Appert, who was born on this day in 1749. Appert, also known as the “Father of Canning,” invented the airtight food preservation method in the early 19th century. Image: Nicolas Appert / Wikimedia Commons During the Napoleonic Wars, the French government offered a cash prize to an inventor who could develop a new method of preserving food. Appert experimented for 14 years until he… Read the full story

Do you have a favorite Clark Gable movie? Today we remember the legendary actor who died on this day in 1960. Image: Clark Gable / Wikimedia Commons William Clark Gable was born on February 1, 1901 in Cadiz, Ohio. While he was an infant, his mother died, possibly from a brain tumor. From a young age, Gable aspired to become an actor. He found work with second-class theater companies and eventually made his way across… Read the full story

Who are the artists in your family tree? On this day in 1887, American artist Georgia O’Keeffe was born in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Image: Georgia O’Keeffe / Library of Congress The second of seven children, Georgia Totto O’Keeffe grew up on a dairy farm. She was named after her maternal grandfather, George Victor Otto, a Hungarian who had immigrated to the United States. After the death of her husband, O’Keeffe moved to New Mexico where she… Read the full story

Do you have French ancestry? On this day in 1840, French Impressionist painter Claude Monet was born in Paris, France. A leading figure of the Impressionist movement, Monet’s work transformed French painting in the late 19th century. Image: Claude Monet / Wikimedia Commons He was born Oscar Claude Monet on November 14, 1840 to Claude Adolphe Monet and Louise Justine Aubrée. As a child, Monet was known locally for sketching charcoal caricatures and often drew members of his… Read the full story

It’s Veterans Day in the U.S. Today we honor all the men and women who have served in the armed forces. In honor of the holiday, we highlight General George S. Patton, who was also born on this day in 1885 in San Gabriel, California. Considered one of the most successful generals in history, Patton was instrumental in the liberation of Germany from the Nazis during World War II. Image: George S. Patton / Library of Congress Patton… Read the full story

On this day in 1871, journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley finally located missing explorer Dr. David Livingstone in Ujiji, near Lake Tanganyika in present-day Tanzania. He famously greeted him with, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” Image: Henry Morton Stanley / Smithsonian Institution, Flickr In 1865, Dr. Livingstone had set out to Africa on a two year expedition to find the source of the Nile River. However, six years after his expedition began, little was heard… Read the full story

Today we celebrate actress Hedy Lamarr, who was born on this day in 1914. Image: Hedy Lamarr / Wikimedia Commons She was born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler on November 9, 1914 in Vienna, Austria-Hungry. A top actress of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Lamarr was discovered as a teenager by an Austrian film director. At 19, she married Friedrich Mandl, a wealthy Austrian military arms merchant who did business with Mussolini and Hitler. The marriage was an… Read the full story

Award-winning author Margaret Mitchell was born on this day in 1900. Remembered as the author of the literary classic, Gone With the Wind, Mitchell would only publish one novel during her lifetime. Image: Margaret Mitchell / Library of Congress Mitchell was born on November 8, 1900 in Atlanta, Georgia to a wealthy and prominent family. Both of Mitchell’s grandfather’s served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Her paternal grandfather, Russell Crawford Mitchell, was severely… Read the full story

Today we celebrate Polish physicist Marie Curie, who was born on this day in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland. Not only was the pioneering scientist the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, but also the first person to win twice in two different fields. Image: Marie Curie / Smithsonian Institution, Flickr She was born Maria Skłodowska on November 7, 1867 and was the fifth and youngest child of Bronisława Boguska and Władysław Skłodowski, both well-known teachers…. Read the full story

On November 4, 1879, American cowboy, social commentator, and actor Will Rogers was born. Image: Will Rogers / Wikimedia Commons Known as “Oklahoma’s Favorite Son,” Rogers was born to a prominent Cherokee Nation family in what is now Oklahoma. After performing in Wild West shows as a young man, he broke out in vaudeville and film to become one of the most famous actors in the world in the 1920s and ’30s. In addition to… Read the full story

On this day in 1926, legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley died at the age of 66. A major star of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, Oakley gained fame by showcasing her excellent marksmanship abilities. Image: Annie Oakley / Library of Congress She was born Phoebe Anne Mosey on August 13, 1860 in a cabin in Darke County, Ohio. She was the fifth of seven surviving children born to Jacob Mosey and Susan Wise. Oakley honed her… Read the full story

On this day in 1755, Marie Antoinette was born in Vienna, Austria. Image: Marie Antoinette / Wikimedia Commons She was the 15th child born to Empress Maria Theresa, the ruler of the Habsburg empire, and Frances I, Holy Roman Emperor. At 15 years old, Marie Antoinette married the future French king Louis XVI to secure an alliance between the Habsburg Empire and France. After the death of Louis XV in 1774, Louis XVI ascended to the French… Read the full story

Remember reading The Red Badge of Courage? Author Stephen Crane was born on November 1, 1871 in Newark, New Jersey.

Do you have any Dutch ancestry? Today we highlight Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, who was born around October 31, 1632. Although little is known about the early years of his life, records show he was baptized on October 31 in Delft in the Netherlands. Image: Johannes Vermeer / Wikimedia Commons Vermeer was born to Digna Baltens and Reijnier Jansz, a silk weaver who produced caffa, a fine satin fabric. His father later became an innkeeper and… Read the full story

On this day in 1914, Dr. Jonas Salk was born. Salk discovered and developed the first successful polio vaccine. Image: Jonas Salk / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive, Flickr Salk was born on October 28, 1914 in New York City, New York to Daniel Salk and Dora Press. His parents were Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants. Although they lacked a formal education, they encouraged Salk and his siblings to pursue their education. A gifted student, Salk… Read the full story

Have you found how you’re related to a U.S. President? On this day in 1858, Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, was born. Image: Theodore Roosevelt / Library of Congress Born into the prominent and wealthy Roosevelt family in New York, Roosevelt was nicknamed “Teddy” when he was young. He suffered from poor health as a child, but by his teens he was able to maintain a physically active lifestyle and become known… Read the full story

Have you read The Canterbury Tales? English poet Geoffrey Chaucer died on this day in 1400. Known as the “father of English literature,” Chaucer was the first writer to be buried in Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey. Image: Geoffrey Chaucer / British Library, Flickr He was born around 1343 in what was probably London, but not much is known about the early years of his life. Through his royal connections, Chaucer held various positions including a noblewoman’s page,… Read the full story

Remember the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”? On this day in 1788, writer Sarah Josepha Hale was born. Image: Sarah Josepha Hale / Wikimedia Commons Hale was born Sarah Josepha Buell on October 24, 1788 in Newport, New Hampshire to captain Gordon Buell and Martha Whittlesay. She was homeschooled by her mother and elder brother and later became a teacher at a local school. In 1813, she married lawyer David Hale and together they had… Read the full story

On this day in 1956, Carrie Fisher was born. A cultural icon, Fisher would have turned 66 today. Image: Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) As the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and movie star Debbie Reynolds, it seemed Fisher was destined to follow her parents into show business. She began her acting career at the age of 15 in the Broadway show Irene starring her mother. A couple of years later, she made… Read the full story

Do you remember the first scary movie you ever saw? Today we remember horror movie icon Bela Lugosi, who was born on October 20, 1882 in Lugos, Hungary. Image: Bela Lugosi / Wikimedia Commons Dubbed the King of Horror, Lugosi was a dominant figure of 1930’s horror. He most notably portrayed Count Dracula, which to this day is still considered by many to be the definitive portrayal of the vampire legend. Lugosi was born Béla Ferenc Deszõ Blaskó on… Read the full story

On this day in 1850, mountaineer, lecturer, and suffragist Annie Smith Peck was born. Image: Annie Smith Peck / Library of Congress Peck was born on October 19, 1850 in Providence, Rhode Island and was the youngest of five children born to George Bacheler Peck and Ann Power Smith. Growing up, Peck wished to attend Brown University, just like her father and brothers had done, but she was refused admission due to her gender. She… Read the full story

On this day in 1926, music legend Chuck Berry was born. A rock and roll pioneer, Berry’s sound helped to define the genre and inspire generations of future musicians. Image: Chuck Berry / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Berry was born on October 18, 1926 in Saint Louis, Missouri to Henry William Berry, a contractor and deacon, and Martha Banks, a public school principal. He grew up in the Ville, a middle-class Black community in St. Louis…. Read the full story

Today we remember legendary actress and dancer Rita Hayworth on what would have been her 104th birthday. Image: Rita Hayworth / Wikimedia Commons She was born Margarita Carmen Cansino on October 17, 1918 in Brooklyn, New York. Hayworth was the oldest child of two dancers, Eduardo Cansino, Sr. and Volga Hayworth. Her paternal grandfather was Antonio Cansino, a renowned Spanish classical dancer. She was dancing professionally by the age of 12 alongside her father. The pair… Read the full story

On this day in 1890, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, was born. Image: Dwight D. Eisenhower / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration The third of seven sons, Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890. Growing up, Eisenhower went by the nickname “Ike,” which was an abbreviation of his last name. After graduating from West Point in 1915, Eisenhower married Mamie Doud. The couple would have two children, but only their son John… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Paul Simon! Today the legendary singer-songwriter turns 81. Image: Paul Simon / National Archief, Wikimedia Commons Simon was born on October 13, 1941 in Newark, New Jersey to Hungarian Jewish parents. His road to musical stardom began at the tender age of 11, when he met Art Garfunkel. The young musicians performed together in their sixth grade production of Alice in Wonderland. At 13, the duo were soon singing under the name “Tom &… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Hugh Jackman! Today the actor turns 54. Image: Hugh Jackman / Eva Rinaldi, Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) Jackman was born on October 12, 1968 in Sydney, Australia to Grace McNeil (Greenwood) and Christopher John Jackman. His parents were English and had come to Australia as part of the “Ten Pound Poms” immigration in 1967. Implemented after World War II, the immigration program was an effort to increase the population of Australia. Emigrants… Read the full story

On October 11, 1884, former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was born. Image: Eleanor Roosevelt / Library of Congress Anne Eleanor Roosevelt was born in New York City, New York to Elliot Roosevelt and Anna Rebecca Hall. Born into the prominent Roosevelt family, Eleanor was the niece of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States. She was an orphan by the age of 10 and grew up in the home of her maternal grandmother,… Read the full story

Do you have an ear for music? Perhaps it’s in your genes! In 1813, Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi was born in Le Roncole, Italy. A dominant figure of the Italian opera scene, Verdi is remembered as one of the most renowned opera composers in history. Image: Giuseppe Verdi / Bergen Public Library Norway, Flickr He was born Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi to Carlo Giuseppe Verdi, an innkeeper, and Luigia Uttini, a spinner, in a small Italian… Read the full story

On this day in 1849, poet Edgar Allan Poe died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 40. Known for his mysterious and macabre tales, it seems almost fitting that his death would be just as strange. Image: Edgar Allan Poe / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. Death plagued much of the early years of his life. Within three years after his birth, both of… Read the full story

Do you have singers in your family tree? On this day in 1820, Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Image: Jenny Lind / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 Born Johanna Maria Lind on October 6, 1820, Lind was the illegitimate daughter of Niclas Jonas Lind, a bookkeeper, and Anne-Marie Felborg, a school teacher. Although divorced from her first husband, Lind’s mother refused to remarry until after his death in 1834. Her… Read the full story