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[9A]

Jul 06, 2022

Charlie Hill's 71st Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 71st birthday of Charlie Hill, the first Native American stand-up comedian to appear on national television. Hill—who had Oneida [Onʌyoteˀa·ká·], Mohawk [Kanien'kehá:ka] and Cree [Néhinaw] heritage—worked his way to comedic fame and was one of the first performers to take a public stand challenging Native stereotypes on major talk show programs. Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Alanah Astehtsi Otsistohkwa [Morningstar] Jewell, a French-First Nations artist from Oneida Nation of the Thames.

Hill was born on this day in 1951 in Detroit, Michigan. At age 11, he moved to the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin’s reservation where his father had grown up. On weekends, the Hill family enjoyed watching comedy shows together. Hill was particularly moved by comedian Dick Gregory, who fused activism supporting the Native American civil rights movement with comedy in a way he had never seen before. Hill was inspired to do the same. Having set a vision for his future, he later enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, majoring in speech and drama.

After college, Hill moved to New York City and became involved with the La Mama Experimental Theater Club and later moved to Seattle and joined the Native American Theatre Ensemble. After a few years of practice, he headed to Los Angeles to pursue his dream and work as an actor and comedian. He stood out among his contemporaries as a talented musician who would often incorporate the harmonica into his performances. He was also an avid reader who spent hours in the library educating himself. He set a high standard for himself and dedicated hours to studying other comedians to learn about different styles, timing, and the development of a routine. He would regularly ask other comics for tips and feedback for his own performances.

In the 1970s, Hill earned a spot to perform at Hollywood’s famous Comedy Store, a scouting ground for major network TV. There, he became fast friends with some of the top comedians of the time. Having made a name for himself in town at the age of 26, Hill received a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to debut on The Richard Pryor Show in 1977. This was not only a pivotal moment for Hill, but for all Native people who were seeing someone who looked like them on TV for the first time. However, the show’s writers asked Hill to portray a demeaning Native stereotype to which he refused. He felt his duty to stop the perpetuation of racist steretypes was more important than any career opportunity.

After his debut, Hill became a regular on late-night talk shows and exclusive comedy clubs. He went on to perform stand-up around the world and appeared in films and TV shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Show with David Letterman, Roseanne and Moesha.

In 2009, Hill received the Ivy Bethune Tri-Union Diversity Award from the Screen Actors Guild. He also won the Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award for his exceptional work as a Native artist.

Happy 71st birthday, Charlie Hill!

[9A]

Aug 23, 2021

Aimé Painé's 78th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 78th birthday of Argentinian activist and singer Aimé Painé, a member of the Mapuche nation who devoted her life to preserving the traditional music of her community.

On this day in 1943, Aimé Painé was born in Ingeniero Luis A. Huergo, Argentina as Olga Elisa, a name she had to adopt due to a law that barred the use of Indigenous names. After being separated from her family at the age of three, Painé’s adoptive parents recognized her unique vocal talent and enrolled her in music school. She joined the National Polyphonic Choir in Buenos Aires in her late 20s. During one of the group's international recitals, she learned that Argentina was among the only nations in attendance that didn’t perform Indigenous music. This denial of native heritage prompted Painé to embark on a journey to southern Argentina to reconnect with her Indigenous roots.

Her quest led to a reunion with her biological, Mapuche father who inspired Painé to carry on their ancestral heritage through music. She reinterpreted ancient Mapuche songs in the native language of Mapudungun while playing traditional instruments, such as the cultrun and the cascahuillas. As one of the first musicians to popularize Mapuche music, Painé traveled across Argentina dressed in traditional Mapuche garb through the 1980s, singing stories of her people and denouncing their marginalization.

In 1987, Painé represented the Mapuche people at a United Nations conference, where she brought global awareness to her community’s struggle for equal rights. Today, Painé's legacy is honored each year on September 10 as the “Day of Mapuche Culture” in Argentina.

Happy birthday, Aimé Painé and thank you for safeguarding Mapuche musical traditions!

[9A]

Mar 03, 2021

Girls' Day 2021


Today’s Doodle honors Girls’ Day, also known as Doll's Day or Hinamatsuri, an annual celebration observed to wish the healthy development and happiness of girls in Japan. Today’s holiday, which is one of the nation’s five sekku [seasonal festivals], is traditionally marked with the display of ornate hina dolls [ceramic dolls] dressed in kimonos worn by the ancient Japanese imperial court of the Heian era [794-1185 A.D.].

Each family celebrates Girls’ Day in their own way but some of the most common traditions include the gifting of hina dolls to the youngest girl in the family. Preparation of seasonal foods often complement the festivities, like chirashi-zushi [a sushi often decorated with pink rice] with hishi mochi [a diamond-shaped rice cake] for dessert. Games are another Girls’ Day custom, the most popular being kai-awase, a shell-matching game also passed down from the Heian era.

While Girls’ Day is traditionally reserved for families with young girls, modern observances celebrate women at every age.

Happy Girls’ Day, Japan!

[9A]

Oct 12, 2020

Laudelina de Campos Melo's 116th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 116th birthday of Afro-Brazilian union activist, business owner, and domestic worker Laudelina de Campos Melo, who in 1936 founded Brazil’s first association of domestic workers. An eminent pioneer in the struggle for Brazilian workers’ rights, Melo dedicated her life to the fight against racial, class, and gender discrimination.

Laudelina de Campos Melo was born on this day in 1904 in Poços de Caldas, in Brazil’s southeastern state of Minas Gerais. Her mother served as a domestic worker and Melo became one as a teenager as well. In the process, she witnessed firsthand the racism, poor working conditions, and exploitation faced by so many workers, including her own mother— an experience that inspired her fight for change.

Melo relocated to the coastal city of Santos in 1924 and became involved in local organizations with a focus on improving the lives of Black Brazilians. This set a course of activism that she followed throughout her life. In 1936 she founded the historic Association of Domestic Workers, and she later formed a similar association in Campinas, which went on to officially earn recognition as a union in 1988.

In 2015, Melo’s movement for justice achieved another victory: when the Brazilian government passed legislation to extend labor rights to domestic workers.

Happy birthday, Laudelina de Campos Melo!

[9A]

Apr 07, 2022

Charlotte Maxeke's 151st Birthday




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by South Africa-based artist Pola Maneli, celebrates the life and 151st birthday of Mama Charlotte Maxeke. Widely known as the mother of Black Freedom in South Africa, she was a scholar, an evangelist and a torchbearer for Black South African women’s rights.

Charlotte Manye Maxeke was born in 1871 in the small town of Fort Beaufort, situated in today’s Eastern Cape province. She eventually found herself following in her parents’ footsteps—her mother was a teacher, her father a preacher. By age 20, Maxeke was invited to sing and tour Britain with the African Jubilee Choir; during this experience she made connections that inspired her to travel to the United States.

She eventually earned a bachelor degree from the Wilberforce University in 1903 and is recognized as the first Black South African woman to graduate from the school, as well as the first with a university degree from America. While in school, Maxeke excelled in many fields of study and was lectured by renowned Pan-Africanist scholar, W.E.B. DuBois.

After returning to South Africa, Maxeke settled in Johannesburg and became involved in the country’s political and social rights movements. She attended the launch of the South African Native National Congress [SANCC] in Bloemfontein in 1912. As an avid opponent of the dompas, a pass which regulated and limited the freedom of Black South Africans [especially women], Maxeke helped organize the anti-dompas movement in 1913. She also founded the Bantu Women’s League of the SANCC in 1918.

Over the next 25 years, Charlotte Maxeke continued her efforts as a tireless leader and advocate for women’s rights. She worked with others across race and class, oftentimes remembered as “everyone’s friend and no one’s enemy.”

Happy birthday, Charlotte Maxeke!

[9A]

Apr 14, 2021

Pohela Boishakh



Today’s Doodle commemorates the festival of Pohela Boishakh, which falls on the first day of the Bengali calendar. Whether at home or abroad, Bengalis worldwide warmly greet each other with, Shubho Noboborsho, the customary way to wish each other a prosperous and happy New Year.

One of the most traditional Pohela Boishakh celebrations commences after dawn underneath an ancient Banyan tree at Dhaka’s Ramna Park. Mangal Shobhajatra is a radiant carnival procession that begins at the Institute of Fine Arts at Dhaka University. The festive spirit blends young and old, as they wear colorful masks and parade with massive cutouts of animals as a way to symbolize Bengali cultural diversity, heritage, and identity of the people.

The nation celebrates with street parades, fairs, and grand concerts as a way to unify the Bengalis to welcome another year to come.

Shubho Nobobarsho!

[9A]

Aug 14, 2023

Nüzhet Gökdoğan's 113th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates Turkish astronomer, Nüzhet Gökdoğan, who is widely recognized as one of Türkiye’s first female astronomers. On this day in 1910, Gökdoğan was born in Istanbul, Türkiye. The Doodle artwork was illustrated by İzmir-based guest artist Ali Çetinkaya.

During her schooling, she learned French, German, and Turkish. A college scholarship brought her to Lyon University in France, where she completed her undergraduate degree in mathematics, and in 1933 received her graduate degree in physics from the University of Paris. She interned at the Paris Observatory and they invited her to continue her research there, but Gökdoğan chose to return to Türkiye.

Channeling her passion for astronomy into teaching in this field, Gökdoğan became an associate professor at the Institute of Astronomy at the Faculty of Science at İstanbul University. When she joined as the first Turkish employee, both the textbooks and lectures were in foreign languages like English and German. Multilingual Gökdoğan stepped in and translated course material and six books on topics from Celestial Mechanics to Spherical Astronomy.

In 1937, Gökdoğan wrote her dissertation on interstellar dark matter around the sun and completed her Ph.D. She went on to become a professor at Istanbul University, and in 1954, she was elected as the Dean of the Science Faculty, making her the first female university dean in Türkiye. Gökdoğan authored scientific papers for national journals and three introductory textbooks on astronomy, algebra, and cosmography before retiring in 1980.

The professor is remembered for advancing the astronomy profession in Türkiye and for founding several groups dedicated to science, notably the Turkish Astronomy Association, the Turkish Association of University Women, and the Turkish Mathematics Association.

Happy birthday to the stellar Nüzhet Gökdoğan!

[9A]

Apr 14, 2023

Sanda Bunsidth's This Doodle’s Key Themes


Today’s Doodle celebrates the 104th birthday of Thai artist Sanda Bunsidth. A skilled and creative weaver, her innovative methods are forever intertwined with her culture
Bunsidth was born in Ban Tha Muang, Thailand on this day in 1919. Although she never received a formal education, family members taught her how to read and write. She started weaving at a young age under the guidance of her grandma, a skilled craftsperson who often worked with dyes and ancient herbs.

After marrying, Bunsidth developed a method of weaving called “bark cloth,” to create khaki-colored uniforms for her husband’s job as a civil servant. Wives in her town took notice of her impressive work, and Bunsidth offered to teach them. Eventually, she organized and taught a weaving group called "Ban Rai Phai Ngam Housewives Group,” which grew to over 40 members.

The group’s designs earned praise from the public and Bunisdth reached folk-hero status across Thailand. She was lauded for her ability to use her surroundings as inspiration and keep the environment top-of-mind throughout the creation process. She instructed the group to use pure herbal dyes in fabric without any chemical additives while still managing to develop entirely new designs.

Bunsidth earned the Outstanding Folk Artist Award in 1985 and in 1986, she won the Science Society of Thailand’s award for Outstanding Lanna science and technology worker in the field of textiles. Her work continues to inspire generations of Thai weavers.

[9A]

Feb 15, 2022

Lantern Festival 2022



Today’s Doodle celebrates the Lantern Festival on the first full moon of the Lunar calendar. Traditions call for celebrants to light lanterns and send them floating into the sky as a symbolic act that honors one’s ancestors and symbolizes the release of the past while shining a light on the year to come.

Modern-day celebrations of the Lantern Festival have ancient roots. Stretching back over 2,000 years to the start of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the customs that characterize the holiday are a testament to the power of China’s oral storytelling traditions. The most common type of lantern seen across the skies today are small orbs, but many artisans create unique designs that take on all sizes and shapes—from giant dragons to lanterns small enough for children to carry.

To add an extra element of fun, many people slip small pieces of paper inscribed with riddles inside their lanterns. Some riddles are even made so difficult, they’ve earned the nickname “lantern tigers,” as it’s said it's easier to fight a tiger than solve them!

Happy Lantern Festival!

[9A]

Aug 24, 2023

Celebrating the first landing on the moon’s south pole!




Today’s Doodle celebrates the first ever landing on the moon’s south pole! The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota Range, Andhra Pradesh, India on July 14, 2023 and successfully touched down near the lunar south pole region on August 23, 2023. Moon landings are no easy feat. Previously, only the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union have completed soft landings on the moon — but no country has made it to the southern pole region before now.

The moon’s south pole has been an area of heightened interest for space explorers as they suspected the existence of ice deposits located inside permanently shadowed craters. Chandrayaan-3 has now confirmed this prediction to be true! This ice offers the potential of critical resources for future astronauts such as air, water, and even hydrogen rocket fuel.

And what were Chandrayaan-3’s first thoughts after achieving this historic feat?: “India, I reached my destination and you too!” Back on Earth, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation [ISRO] stating, "The success belongs to all of humanity… It will help moon missions by other countries in the future. I'm confident that all countries in the world can all aspire for the moon and beyond. The sky is not the limit!”

Congratulations to the Chandrayaan-3 space mission! We’re over the moon for you!

[9A]

Jul 12, 2022

Celebrating the deepest photo of the universe ever taken!




A picture is worth a thousand worlds. Today’s Doodle celebrates the deepest infrared photo of the universe ever taken by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope—also known as the JWST or Webb—a scientific phenomenon and one of the biggest engineering feats of humanity. It is the largest, most powerful, and most complex infrared telescope to ever be put into space—and the largest international space endeavor in history! Today, six months since take off, NASA released Webb’s first operational images unveiling new depths and worlds.

The JWST is named after NASA’s second administrator, James E. Webb, who led the Apollo missions that landed the first humans on the moon. The telescope was launched from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana on December 25, 2021 and took a month to reach its orbit at 1.5 million kilometers [940,000 miles] from Earth. The launch was made possible through the collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency [ESA] and the Canadian Space Agency [CSA].

Thanks to images from the JWST, astronomers will now have the opportunity to study every phase of cosmic history, which spans a massive 13.5 billion years, and the mysteries beyond our galaxy. NASA aims to explore the early universe, multiple galaxies over time, the star life cycle and other worlds with Webb. The JWST will even be able to observe light from galaxies that formed 400 millions years after the big bang, and detect oxygen and organic molecules on other planets.

Long throughout history, humans have wondered, “How did we get here?” and “Are we alone in the universe?” The JWST will allow us to explore these questions and distant worlds that orbit other stars and study our solar system extensively, producing the sharpest infrared images ever taken by a space telescope. It will open the doors to more scientific breakthroughs in the future, shining a new light on space, time, and celestial bodies we’ve yet to discover.

[9A]

Jan 05, 2022

Julio Garavito's 157th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates Colombian mathematician, engineer, and astronomer Julio Garavito, who is widely considered one of the nation’s most influential scientists. As the director of Colombia’s National Astronomical Observatory for nearly three decades, Garavito made significant progress in developing the theory of lunar motion, which elevated the observatory to one of the world’s most esteemed research centers for celestial mechanics.

Julio Garavito Armero was born on this day in 1865 in the capital of Bogotá. He started high school at just 10 years old, demonstrating his prodigious talent in science and mathematics from an early age. After defending three theses on the mathematical possibilities of pressure gauges, a novel approach for calculating pi, and triangular bridge structures [which are still used today!], Garavito graduated with a degree in civil engineering in 1891.

The next year, Garavito’s mathematical prowess led to his appointment as the head of the National Astronomical Observatory, one of Colombia’s most prestigious scientific institutions. Here, he calculated the trajectory of comets and researched the effect the Moon’s orbit had on the Earth’s weather systems. Outside of his astronomical research, Garavito was a scientific communicator who helped the Colombian public understand natural phenomena such as eclipses and earthquakes.

In 1970, the International Astronomical Union celebrated Garavito’s celestial legacy by naming a crater on the far side of the moon in his honor. In 1996, the Colombian government printed his portrait on the 20,000 peso note into circulation to commemorate his priceless achievements.

Here’s to an innovator whose scientific advancements put him over the moon—Julio Garavito!

[9A]

Mar 31, 2023

Satoshi Kako’s 97th Birthday


Today’s Doodle celebrates the 97th birthday of Satoshi Kako, a Japanese author and illustrator who created children’s books that are read to this day. He wrote over 600 stories, and his engineering and scientific background inspired him to add a unique spin to make each tale educational, enjoyable, and stimulating for Japanese youth.

Kako, whose real name was Satoshi Nakajima, was born on this day in 1926 in Kunitaka Village of the Fukui Prefecture. As a boy, he was surrounded by other talented kids who encouraged him to take up drawing. Kako studied chemistry at Tokyo Imperial University [now the University of Tokyo] and graduated in 1948. While in school, he joined a theater study group and began writing scripts and designing stage sets for children’s plays.

He got a job at a major Japanese chemical company and organized puppet shows and traditional kamishibai [or play-card] performances for his colleagues’ children. Fueled by the smiles in the small audiences and praises from coworkers, Kako wrote his debut children’s book in 1959 titled Damu no Ojisan-Tachi [Uncles of the Dam] about how dams are useful to society. He continued to create masterpiece works throughout the next three decades.

Kako is most known for the Daruma-chan series about Little Daruma, a boy who goes on countless adventures and makes new friends along the way. He also wrote many stories that taught kids about everyday topics like brushing their teeth, traditional Japanese games, baking, and more. Throughout his long career as an author, Kako won many awards like the Takahashi Gozan Special Award in 1985, the Japanese Science Reading Award in 1991, and the Kanagawa Culture Award in 2009.

From beakers to books and test tubes to tales, Satoshi Kako’s life was a page turner. Happy birthday!

[9A]

Mar 31, 2023

Juntree Siriboonrod 's 106th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates the 106th birthday of Thai author Juntree Siriboonrod, widely regarded as the “father of Thai science fiction”.

Siriboonrod was born on this day in 1917. Not much is known about his childhood. Super fans might suspect he traveled from an alternate universe or warded off aliens from the crib, but — in true science fiction fashion — no one knows his origin story for sure!

He initially worked for the Thai government as a civil servant in the Department of Ministry Fuels. After taking a job as a high school science teacher, Siriboonrod started writing science-focused articles and stories.

In 1945, Siriboonrod collaborated with the Science Society of Thailand to write Witthayasat Mahatsachan, a Thai science magazine. He wrote everything from science fiction to scientist’s biographies until his resignation in 1959. During this time, he published Phu Dap Duang Athit, or The Man Who Put Out the Sun, a collection of fantastical, science-fiction short stories that is still celebrated across Thailand today.

In 2005, the Science Society of Thailand and the Science Writers and Publishers Forum established the Juntree Siriboonrod Award in his honor. The award celebrates achievements in the field of Thai science fiction, and serves as a reminder of Siriboonrod’s literary impact.

[9A]

Sep 02, 2023

Lily Poulett-Harris’ 150th Birthday




Today's Doodle celebrates Australian cricket player and educator Lily Poulett-Harris. On this day in 1873, she was born in Tasmania with the name Harriet Lily Poulett-Harris.

Poulett-Harris grew up learning from her father, who headed the Hobart Boys’ High School and helped found the University of Tasmania. While she wasn't eligible for grants at her father's school, she took an exam alongside scholarship seekers and placed second.

A woman of many talents, Poulett-Harris played the violin and piano in addition to participating in athletics. Her father was a trustee of the Southern Tasmanian Cricket Association, and her older brother played cricket, which likely spurred her interest in the game. In 1894 she pitched an idea and the Oyster Cove Ladies Cricket Club was born, which many consider the first committed cricket organisation in Australia. Poulett-Harris captained the team and became known in sports papers as a skilled and graceful player who inspired many other women to join. Cricket took off in Tasmania, and more women's teams quickly formed in Hobart, Huonville, Ranelagh, and Green Ponds.

For the rest of her life, Poulett-Harris taught, competed in cricket, and played music. Two churches she frequently played at, Saint Simon and Saint Jude Anglican Church in Woodbridge and All Saints Anglican Church in Hobart, display plaques in her honor.

Happy birthday Lily Poulett-Harris, thank you for opening up the wonderful world of cricket and promoting gender equality to women and girls in Australia!

[9A]

Sep 24, 2023

Giovanna Boccalini Barcellona's 122nd Birthday


Today’s Doodle celebrates the 122nd birthday of Giovanna Boccalini Barcellona, an Italian educator and women’s rights activist in the early 20th century. She played a significant role in the advancement of emancipation and gender equality. Boccalini Barcellona also helped establish Italy's first women's football team, a groundbreaking achievement in a male-dominated sport.

Boccalini Barcellona was born in Lodi on this day in 1901. She studied education at the Scuola Normale Femminile and went on to become a primary school teacher. As an educator, Boccalini Barcellona worked to introduce reforms that aimed to provide girls and women with wider access to resources and opportunities. While teaching, she also enrolled in the Generale Workers’ Mutual Aid Society of Lodi and discovered her passion for social and political activism.

Her most notable legacy was founding the country’s first women's football team, the GFC [Gruppo Femminile Calcistico]. This act undoubtedly broke down gender barriers during a time when official sports were mostly played by men. Boccalini Barcellona’s work not only empowered women to pursue athletic endeavors but also challenged stereotypes about women's abilities and interests.

She was also one of the founding members of the GDD [Defence Groups for Women and for the Assistance of Freedom Fighters], an organization that was committed to equality and emancipation for women. Boccalini Barcellona's inspiring contributions to women’s education, rights and equality left a lasting impact on Italian society.

Happy birthday, Giovanna Boccalini Barcellona!

[9A]

Nov 16, 2020

Eliška Junková's 120th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 120th birthday of Czech racecar driver Eliška Junková, a pioneer in the history of motor racing. Known as the “Queen of the Steering Wheel,” Junková competed during the 1920s against Europe’s top drivers, and in 1927 became the first woman ever to win a Grand Prix race.

Alžběta “Eliška” Junková was born on this day in 1900 in the Austro-Hungarian town Olomouc, today part of the Czech Republic. She took an interest in racing cars early on in high school, alongside her then-boyfriend and eventual husband Vincenc "Čeněk" Junek.” With her passion ignited, she took driving lessons in Prague and became one of the first women in the newly-formed Czechoslovakia to receive a driver's license. When her husband kicked off his career as a car racer, Junková sat beside him as his racing mechanic and co-pilot. However, it wasn’t long before she took the wheel herself.

Eliška Junková rose to fame racing her trademark Bugatti across Europe’s most difficult courses. She even developed a close personal friendship with the car’s maker, Ettore Bugatti. Junková was not only technically adept, she also earned a reputation as one of the first drivers to do walk-through’s of courses like Italy’s famous Targa Florio prior to races in order to commit landmarks and turns to memory.

Junková retired from racing in 1928, but her legacy was immortalized by Czech composer, Jaroslav Ježek's, classic jazz composition "Bugatti Step,” as well as by Junková’s personal autobiography, “My Memory is Bugatti.”

Happy birthday to a trailblazer who paved the way for women drivers across the world.

[9A]

Dec 12, 2022

Donald Pandiangan's 77th Birthday


Today’s Doodle celebrates the 77th birthday of Donald Pandiangan, an Indonesian archer who coached the archery team that won the country its first Olympic medal in 1988. He won more than 20 gold medals for his mastery of the bow and arrow at the Southeast Asian Games [SEA Games], earning him the nickname the Robin Hood of Indonesia.

Pandiangan was born on this day in Sidikalang, North Sumatra in 1945. He dreamed of becoming an engineer, but financial restraints prevented him from finishing college. Pandiangan ended up working at a transport company, where he received a gift that would change the course of his life—an archery set.

Although he started at the late age of 25, Pandiangan fell in love with the sport and trained tirelessly. Three years later, he won his first gold medal at the 1973 Pekan Olahraga Nasional VIII [National Sports Week of Indonesia] in Surabaya. Four years later, he broke a world record in the 70m Recurve event at the 1977 PON IX in Jakarta.

Pandiangan won gold countless times between 1977 and 1987 at the SEA Games. In 1980, Pandiangan was at the peak of his career and nearly competed in the Summer Olympics in Moscow, but was unable to attend because Indonesia boycotted the event.

A few years later, he began coaching the women’s archery team for the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. Lilies Handayani, Nurfitriyana Saiman, and Kusuma Wardhani went on to win the silver medal—the first ever in Indonesian history.

Happy 77th birthday, Donald Pandiangan!

[9A]

Jul 26, 2019

Pan American Games 2019



For the next 17 days, approximately 6,700 of the best athletes across North and South America will come together in Lima, Peru to compete in 61 disciplines, including 22 qualifying contests for the Olympics. Today’s Doodle celebrates one of the world’s biggest sporting events—the Pan American Games.

Devised by the International Olympic Committee as a way of encouraging American nations to become more involved in worldwide competition, the Pan Am Games were planned to launch in Buenos Aires in 1942, but were postponed to 1951 because of World War II. Starting that year with 2,513 athletes from 21 participating countries, the Pan Am Games have grown considerably over the past half-century.

This year marks the games’ 18th staging and will feature new events such as surfing, which will make its Olympic debut at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The games will highlight the indigenous culture of Peru, with a torch run starting in the ancient mountain citadel of Machu Picchu. Immediately following the Pan American Games, physically challenged athletes from all over the Americas will compete in 17 different sports for the Parapan Games.

Spotted throughout the games will be the official mascot of the Lima 2019 Pan-Am and Parapan Games, “Milco.” A ceramic sculpture character whose winning design was submitted by 24-year-old Andrea Norka Medrano Moy and garnered 19,895 votes, Milco was inspired by indigenous Peruvian pottery known as cuchimilco or huaco, which dates back to the ancient Incan empire.

“I made this design because I like what the cuchimilcos represent in the history of our country. With its outstretched arms, Milco is welcoming everyone,” said Medrano.

[9A]

1 December 2022

Gerald "Jerry" Lawson's 82nd Birthday




Go behind-the-scenes of today’s Doodle below!



Today’s interactive game Doodle celebrates the 82nd birthday of Gerald “Jerry” Lawson, one of the fathers of modern gaming who led the team that developed the first home video gaming system with interchangeable game cartridges. The Doodle features games designed by three American guest artists and game designers: Davionne Gooden, Lauren Brown, and Momo Pixel.

Lawson was born in Brooklyn, New York on this day in 1940. He tinkered with electronics from an early age, repairing televisions around his neighborhood and creating his own radio station using recycled parts. He attended Queens College and City College of New York before departing early to start his career in Palo Alto, California. At the time, the city and its surrounding region had become known as “Silicon Valley” due to the explosion of new, innovative tech companies starting up in the area.

Upon arriving in California, Lawson joined Fairchild Semiconductor as an engineering consultant. A few years later, Lawson was promoted to Director of Engineering and Marketing of Fairchild’s video game department where he led the development of the Fairchild Channel F system [the “F” stood for fun!]. This was the first home video game system console that featured interchangeable game cartridges, an 8-way digital joystick and a pause menu. The Channel F paved the way for future gaming systems like the Atari, SNES, Dreamcast and more.

In 1980, Lawson left Fairchild to start his own company, VideoSoft—one of the earliest Black-owned video game development companies. The company created software for the Atari 2600, which popularized the cartridge Lawson and his team developed. Although they closed five years later, Lawson had solidified himself as a pioneer in the industry and continued to consult multiple engineering and video game companies throughout the rest of his career.

In 2011, the International Game Developers Association recognized Lawson as an industry trailblazer for his contributions to gaming. The University of Southern California also created the Gerald A. Lawson Fund to support underrepresented students who wish to pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees in game design or computer science. Lawson’s achievements are memorialized at the World Video Game Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York.

Here’s to you, Jerry!

[9A]

3 October 2017


German Reunification Day 2017





It began with the Peaceful Revolution. The movement started with prayers at churches around the country and spilled out into the streets. Following months of this, the Berlin Wall fell in November of 1989. Less than a year later in October of 1990, Germany became a unified nation again, after four decades of separation. Families were reunited, travel was reinstated, and the border that separated a people was dissolved.


German Reunification Day is still a relatively young holiday! Today’s Doodle, by guest artist Andreas Preis, symbolizes the joyous reunion between East and West, as the characteristic cars continue down the road side by side.

[9A]

30 November 2021

Janaína Dutra's 61st birthday











Today’s Doodle celebrates Brazilian social activist and lawyer Janaína Dutra, a leader of the Brazilian LGBTQIA+ movement who is widely considered the nation’s first transgender person to practice law.

Janaína Dutra was born on this day in 1960 in the Canindé district of Brazil’s northern Ceará state. By age 14, she began facing homophobic discrimination, but the support of her large family never faltered. She followed her sister to Fortaleza, where Dutra took her first steps toward a life devoted to advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community. In 1986, Dutra earned her law degree from the University of Fortaleza, making history as the first transgender graduate accepted as a member of the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil [Brazilian National Bar Association].

Throughout the 1980s, Dutra furthered her career by developing Brazil’s first HIV prevention campaign that focused on the transgender community in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Dutra also contributed to the foundation of the Grupo de Resistência Asa Branca [White Wing Resistance Group] and served as the first president of the Associação de Travestis do Ceará [ATRAC - Ceará Transvestites’ Association]—a landmark non-profit organization focused on developing social and legal support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Known to always carry a copy of an anti-homophobia law passed by her hometown, Dutra spent a lifetime attending conferences, seminars, and round tables to advocate for equality. In 2011, the Janaína Dutra LGBT Reference Center was founded in Fortaleza, which carries on Dutra’s mission by protecting human rights for members of the LGBTQIA+ community to this day.

[9A]

18 Feb 2021

Celebrating Yee Sang



Lou Hei! Today’s Doodle celebrates Yee Sang, a Malaysian raw fish salad traditionally enjoyed on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year. With chopsticks in hand, families toss the ingredients that make up Yee Sang high above the table while they exclaim “Lou Hei” and wish each other good fortune for the year to come—the higher the toss, the better the fortune!

This ritual traces its origins to the Chinese creation myth of goddess Nu Wa, who is said to have created humanity on the seventh day of the new year. Chinese fishers and sailors commemorated this symbolic day of rebirth by combining the leftovers of the new year’s celebrations to make yu sheng—a salad as thrifty as it was tasty.

By the 1930s, Chinese immigrants brought the Yu Sheng tradition to Malaya, selling fish salad with ginger and lettuce out of hawker carts. But it wasn’t until the 1940s, when Seremban chef Loke Ching Fatta added a twist, that the recipe was adapted to the Yee Sang known today. Fatta combined some 30 ingredients together with his signature sauce to invent the dish now loved by many during the Lunar New Year.

One of the most common combinations of Yee Sang include raw fish, ginger, shredded carrot, radish, pomelo, leek, topped with condiments like crushed peanuts, all mixed thoroughly with several different oils and spices. But there is no wrong way to make Yee Sang, as the dish has infinite variations.

Here’s to Yee Sang and prosperity in the Lunar New Year!

[9A]

7 October 2012

Niels Bohr's 127th Birthday







Our love for all that is nerdy in all shapes and sizes shines through in our doodle for Neils Bohr. Some of the biggest contributions to science aren't big at all, sometimes they're as small as an atom.

A Danish physicist, Bohr earned a Nobel prize in 1975 for his work. Amongst his studies on the shell model of the atom, the correspondence principle, and the liquid drop model of the atomic nucleus, Bohr's more recognizable work is that which bares his own name: the Bohr model. This theory poses that the electrons of the atom travel in orbits around its nucleus. The doodle is depiction of the Bohr model of the hydrogen atom, which, though simple, is still the introduction of quantum mechanics for many students.

[9A]

24 Nov 2020

Celebrating Mariachi





Today’s video Doodle celebrates a quintessential element of Mexico’s rich cultural heritage: the musical genre of Mariachi. Mariachi is typically characterized by a small group of musicians dressed in traditional clothing who perform a wide repertoire of Mexican songs on mostly stringed instruments [the term Mariachi can refer to either the music or the musicians themselves]. During a session held the week of November 22, 2011 UNESCO inscribed Mariachi on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The Mariachi tradition was born in west-central Mexico around the turn of the 19th century, though its exact origins remain unknown. At first, the genre was strictly instrumental, composed of the sounds of stringed instruments, and eventually vocals and the trumpet were added to the mix. In modern times, Mariachi music has been combined with elements of diverse genres from jazz to reggae. Singers often add in their best grito to express the emotion of the vibrant music! No matter the variation, Mariachi remains a strong representation of Mexican history and culture.

Today’s video Doodle features a Mariachi serenade of the classic song, Cielito Lindo. More than just music, Cielito Lindo [which roughly translates from Spanish as “lovely sweet one”] is a symbol of Mexican pride and community.The Mariachi band is depicted playing the staple instruments of the musical genre—including the guitarrón [a six-string bass], vihuela [a five-string guitar], violin, trumpet, and harp—and wearing traditional trajes de charro [charro suits].

¡Que viva el Mariachi!

[9A]

7 Sept 2019

Celebrating Marcelle Ferron







“My aim has always been modest. I wanted to transform the arranged marriage [of art and architecture] into a love match.” ​—Marcelle Ferron

Today’s Doodle celebrates the life and work of the renowned Canadian painter, sculptor, and glassmaker, whose famous installation in Montreal’s Vendôme station was unveiled on this day in 1981. Marcelle Ferron’s striking design combined colorful stained glass with a spiraling stainless steel sculpture, a unique style that inspired the Doodle’s art.

Born in 1924, Ferron studied at the École des beaux-arts de Québec, but left upon realizing she was unable to find answers to her questions about modern art. Upon meeting Québec abstract painter Paul-Émile Borduas, she joined his Automatiste group and became one of the youngest artists to sign their 1948 manifesto Refus global. Ferron went on to spend 13 years painting in Paris, exhibiting her work at the 1961 São Paulo Biennial in Brazil, where she won a silver medal.

Her meeting with glassmaker Michel Blum sparked an interest in glass as an art medium. Over time, she devised her own methods, building “walls of light” connected by invisible joints that allowed her to create large planes of color. These innovative techniques can be seen in her mural for Expo 67 and public commissions in the Champ-de-Mars train station, Sainte-Justine Hospital, and the Granby courthouse.

Throughout her 50-year career, Ferron became one of Canada’s most important contemporary artists and was made a Knight of the National Order of Québec in 1985, then promoted to Grand Officer in 2000. This restless visionary’s achievements blazed a trail for women aspiring to make a mark in what was a traditionally male-dominated space.

[9A]

31 January 2013

Jackie Robinson's 94th Birthday





Jack Roosevelt Robinson [January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972] was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball [MLB] in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. When the Dodgers signed Robinson, it heralded the end of racial segregation in professional baseball that had relegated black players to the Negro leagues since the 1880s. Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

During his 10-year MLB career, Robinson won the inaugural Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, was an All-Star for six consecutive seasons from 1949 through 1954, and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949—the first black player so honored. Robinson played in six World Series and contributed to the Dodgers' 1955 World Series championship.

[9A]

1 Mar 2012

Quinquela Martín's 122nd Birthday




Benito Quinquela Martín was an Argentine painter. Quinquela Martín is considered the port painter-par-excellence and one of the most popular Argentine painters. His paintings of port scenes show the activity, vigor and roughness of the daily life in the port of La Boca.

[9A]

5 Mar 2015

Momofuku Ando’s 105th Birthday





If you’ve ever needed to eat something quickly and cheaply, you may be familiar with this mantra:

"Peel off the lid.

Pour boiling water into the cup.

Let sit for three minutes.

Stir well and serve.”

These four simple steps, Taiwanese-Japanese inventor Momofuku Ando introduced to the world instant ramen, a dish that not only revolutionized food but also serves as a testament to what hard work and perseverance can achieve. Our doodle for the inventor’s 105th birthday showcases Momofuku’s efforts to make instant noodles, but don’t let the speed of the animations fool you – it took Ando years to figure out the recipe!

“It took 48 years of my life for me to come up with the idea of instant noodles. Each and every event in the past is connected to the present by invisible threads.”

– Momofuku Ando

It was Ando’s passion and dedication that Doodler Sophie Diao wanted to get across in her artwork. Ando, a lifelong entrepreneur who started his first business at age 22, found the inspiration to his greatest success while walking through the streets of post-World War II Japan: People were waiting for hours in long lines, just for a comforting bowl of ramen. Realizing hunger was the most pressing issue facing Japan, he felt a desire to help the people of his country.

“People can only be content when there is enough food.”

– Momofuku Ando

So in 1957, the inventor took on the task of developing a fast, cheap and tasty way to make Japan’s national comfort food – ramen. Ando’s long road to success inspired Diao to use multiple animations for the doodle, since one couldn't possibly do Momofuku justice. She also included the shed where Ando spent countless days and nights experimenting.

“Inspiration leads to invention. Tenacity is the breeding ground for inspiration. There can be no invention in the absence of tenacity.”

– Momofuku Ando

After months of hard work, Ando’s perseverance paid off. He eventually discovered that by flash-frying ramen noodles in tempura oil, tiny holes were created in the noodles that allowed them to cook nearly instantly once combined with hot water. It was a success, and customers were enthusiastic about the time they were saving. It was the first step to achieving Ando’s goal of ending world hunger.

“Peace will come to the world when all its people have enough to eat.”

– Momofuku Ando

Utilizing a style reminiscent of classic Japanese Anime and inspiration from the labeling on food packaging, Diao wanted to turn Ando into a mascot for his greatest invention and display ramen’s universal appeal with a fun and lighthearted spirit.

“When you cast away all your greed and fixation in adversity, you can find unexpected strength.”

– Momofuku Ando

Ando’s labor of love has had a lasting impact on people from all around the world, but he never let success stop him from working to improve instant ramen. In 1971, he introduced the world to Cup Noodles. Not stopping there, Ando then turned his focus toward inventing instant noodles that could be eaten in space. His rationale? “People have to eat no matter where they go, even outer space.” He was in his 90s when he debuted “Space Ram.”

“It is never too late to do anything in life.”

– Momofuku Ando

[9A]

Mar 17, 2024

St. Patrick's Day 2024






This handcrafted St. Patrick's Day Doodle features the beautiful landscape of Ireland, from countryside to the city. Put on something green because… it’s St. Patrick’s Day! This handcrafted Doodle made with a wood burning technique showcases the beauty of Ireland. On this day in 1903, Ireland declared St. Patrick’s Day an official public holiday.

The large-scale parades we associate with the occasion didn’t become a familiar sight in Ireland until the late 20th century. Many cities across The Emerald Isle now host lively parades featuring fiddles, bodhráns [an Irish drum], and the rhythmic footwork of traditional Irish dance. Meanwhile across the Atlantic Ocean, two million bystanders gather in New York City each year to enjoy the largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the world — which features up to 250,000 marchers.

New York City may boast the largest St. Patrick's Day parade, but it’s certainly not the oldest. One of the earliest celebrations took place in Boston in 1737, as an act of solidarity for the city's Irish immigrants. Little did they know, their small tradition would evolve into worldwide global celebration.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all!

[9A]

Mar 17, 2023

St. Patrick's Day 2023



Keep an eye out for some shamrocks because it’s St. Patrick’s Day! Today’s Doodle celebrates the greenest day of the year and honors Irish culture. On this day in 1903, Ireland declared St. Patrick’s Day a national holiday.

Every year, millions of people around the world attend parades and pubs to spend the day and celebrate with loved ones. Families and friends in Ireland gather at ceilidhs and local parades all around the country to celebrate their national day. In the United States, Irish Americans rally to march along with floats in the famous New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The White House even dyes the North Lawn fountain entirely green!

Today’s Doodle artwork was hand-crafted with cut acrylic glass to resemble a traditional stained glass window. The design incorporates Irish elements including a harp and shamrocks!

Wherever you may be, make sure to search for shamrocks, look for leprechauns, and wear lots of green. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

[9A]

Mar 17, 2017

St. Patrick's Day 2017




To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, today’s Doodle takes us to the mystical Skellig Michael, a remote island just off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland. The breathtaking destination is a World Heritage Site and home to many species of seabirds — like puffins, gannets, and razorbills — that perch atop the island’s summit. If you’re brave enough to scale the 600 steps to the top of the rocky precipice, you’ll see a magnificent view of the mainland and the Atlantic Ocean from 714 feet above sea level. The Skelligs are part of the Kerry Gaeltacht, where locals speak Irish, and you may hear “céad míle fáilte,” or “a hundred thousand welcomes,” if you visit.

Bonus draft! Just for fun

Skellig Michael appeared on the big screen in 2015, and since then, more and more people have been coming to take in the stunning scenery. Just for fun, Doodler Matt Cruickshank explored the island’s cinematic claim to fame. He says, “I thoroughly enjoyed populating this magical island with shamrock people, even one from a shamrock galaxy far, far away.”

[9A]

Mar 17, 2015

St. Patrick's Day 2015



"Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh!” – that’s Happy St. Patrick’s Day in Gaelic for those of you who don’t know. Our doodle for the greenest holiday of the year is brought to you by guest Irish artist Eamonn O'Neill.

[9A]

Mar 17, 2016

St. Patrick's Day 2016




Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona!

Green is popping up everywhere today in honor of Saint Patrick's Day. From the Chicago River in the US to the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt—even the Sydney Opera House in Australia is dressed in this dashing shade. Today in Ireland, the home of this holiday, there will be singing, dancing, parades, and potentially pinches for those of us who forget to wear our green!

Today's Doodle is by guest artist and animator Chris O'Hara, an Irish animator currently working in Los Angeles. In the spirit of the day, O'Hara chose to paint the logo green with a little assistance from a friendly shamrock. We hope it reflects the boundless energy and welcoming spirit of Ireland, as Google sports green for the great Éire.

[9A]

Feb 02, 2024

José Guadalupe Posada's 172nd Birthday




This Doodle celebrates Mexican artist and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada, who is widely considered one of Mexico's most influential graphic artists.

Posada spent his childhood working on farms and in pottery factories. After showing promise as an artist, Posada enrolled in La Academia Municipal de Dibujo de Aguascalientes [the Municipal Drawing Academy of Aguascalientes]. In 1868, he began an apprenticeship where he learned lithography and engraving.

Three years later, a local newspaper in Aguascalientes hired Posada as a political cartoonist. Although it only ran for 11 issues, Posada loved the opportunity to share his work with a wider audience. He then opened his own lithography workshop and taught at a secondary school.

In 1876, Posada bought a printing press and started to collaborate on several newspapers. During this time he made iconic lithographs, such as depictions of the great flood of León. Posada also became well known for his animated skeletons, which were used to make political and social critiques. Some works like La Calavera Catrina are still popular today due to their association with Día de los Muertos. Today’s Doodle artwork was inspired by his skeletons.

His hometown of Aguascalientes built a museum dedicated to his work. Posada’s visions were ahead of his time, and he etched the origins of graphic design into art history.

Happy Birthday, Jose Guadalupe Posada!

[9A]

Jul 27, 2023

Celebrating Ramón López Velarde




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Mexico-based guest artist Ale De la Torre, celebrates famous Mexican poet Ramón López Velarde. López Velarde is recognized as the father of Modern Mexican poetry and the national poet of Mexico for his French-influenced, postmodern work and style. On this day in 1917, the magazine that Ramón co-founded, Pegaso, ran its very last issue in Mexico.

López Velarde was born on June 15, 1888 in Jerez, Zacatecas. Following in the footsteps of his father, he studied law at the University of San Luis Potosí and started reading modernist poetry while at school. Despite receiving his law degree in 1911, his career was pulled in a different direction. He was invited to write for La Nación, a monthly publication in Mexico City.

In 1915, he began writing more personal poems, mostly about the nostalgia he felt about his hometown. A year later, López Velarde published his first book titled La Sangre Devota [The Pious Blood], which explores the differences between life in the bustling city and the quiet countryside. It was fairly celebrated by the Mexican literary community and opened the door to more poetic opportunities.

His most famous work, Zozobra, was published in 1919. The book is heavily ironic and captures the duality of several aspects of López Velarde’s life. The writing is praised for its unpredictability, unorthodox language, word games, and humorous rhymes. In 1920, after a turning point in Mexico’s government, he started writing for two journals named México Moderno and El Maestro. His most famous work, La suave patria, was part of the latter and cemented him as the country’s national poet.

[9A]

Nov 06, 2022

Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen's 103rd Birthday




“When I die I will return to seek

The moments I did not live by the sea.”

-Poem by Sophia de Mello Breyner which inspired the Doodle artwork


Today's Doodle celebrates the 103rd birthday of Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, an acclaimed Portuguese poet. She was the first woman to earn the Camões Prize, the highest Portuguese honor for poetry. Throughout her career, she published 14 acclaimed volumes of poetry and several short stories, children’s books and essays.

Sophia was born on this day in 1919 in Porto, Portugal. She was raised by wealthy parents and a nanny who, at Sophia’s request, often read poetry and fiction aloud. Long before she could read, Sophia delighted her family by reciting the works of 16th-century poets. By age 12, she was avidly reading Homer.

In 1936, Sophia enrolled at the University of Lisbon and studied classical philology. She was particularly drawn to Greek civilization, and often explored Greek mythical figures, motifs and places in her writing. After taking some college courses, Sophia returned to Porto to write poetry and stories.

Sophia published her first book, “Poesia” [Poetry] in 1944. Her poetry often explored themes like existentialism and individualism. After marrying and starting a family, Sophia began to focus on societal issues that would affect her children. Her second and third volumes of work, particularly poems like "Livro Sexto,” shone a spotlight on corruption and injustice.

In the 1950s, Sophia became interested in children’s books and released O rapaz de bronze [The Bronze Boy]. She wrote nine more books while experimenting with short stories during this time. Later in her career, she published her most acclaimed poetry, Dual and O nome das coisas [The Name of Things] — and went on to win the Max Jacob Poetry Prize and the Rainha Sofia Prize for Ibero-American Poetry. Today, poetry lovers can find her work online and in bookstores around the world.

[9A]

Jan 27, 2022

Arkhip Kuindzhi's 180th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 180th birthday of Russian artist Arkhip Kuindzhi. By integrating emerging discoveries in physics and chemistry with the contemporary styles of Impressionism and Romanticism, Kuinzhi developed a new painting technique that captured the natural world like never before.

Arkhip Ivanovich Kuindzhi was born on this day in 1842 in the coastal town of Mariupol, Ukraine, into a family of cobblers and goldsmiths. To support his family, Kuindzhi worked odd jobs growing up while fostering his early interest in drawing on his off time. Historians believe a bread merchant was the first to notice Kuindzhi’s talent as an artist and encouraged him to apprentice under Ivan Aivazovsky, a popular painter of maritime scenes.

Kuindzhi walked over 250 miles from his hometown to Aivazovsky’s studio in Feodosia, Ukraine. Despite Aivazovsky denying him an apprenticeship, Kuindzhi pursued an education at the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, where he took classes on the physical effects of light with famed Russian chemist Dmitrii Mendeleev. Due to its limited focus on European painting methods, the academy’s rigid traditions frustrated Kuindzhi. He left the school to paint natural landscapes of the Russian countryside and co-founded an organization for nomadic painters known as the “Society of Itinerant Artists” in 1870.

Kuindzhi became known for capturing massive, empty scenes of contemporary Russia, such as the seascape painting “Red Sunset on the Dnieper, 1905-8,” which remains his most famous work to date. Today, his former living quarters in St. Petersburg host many of his paintings and have been opened to the public as The Arkhip Kuindzhi Apartment Museum.

Here’s to a painter who shined a new light on contemporary art—Arkhip Kuindzhi!

[9A]

Apr 09, 2021

Amácio Mazzaropi's 109th Birthday




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Brazilian guest artist Arthur Vergani, celebrates Brazilian actor, screenwriter, producer, and director Amácio Mazzaropi on his 109th birthday. Through his signature role as the beloved character “Jeca Tatu,” Mazzaropi used humor to address serious topics and became a fixture of Brazilian cinema.

Born on this day in São Paulo in 1912, Mazzaropi spent time as a child visiting his grandfather’s country home, which influenced the on-screen persona he later developed. As a teenager, the future icon of Brazilian comedy left home to work for Circo La Paz, a traveling circus. There he came up with the idea to perform as a hillbilly, embodied in Marazzaropi’s future performance as Monteiro Lobato’s character Jeca Tatu.

Mazzaropi produced content for radio and television for many years before appearing in his first film, “Sai da Frente” [“Get Out of the Way,” 1952]. With his film career off the ground, and after several other roles, Mazzaropi bought Fazenda Santa, a farm turned studio that also served as the location for many of his films. It was here that Mazzaropi opened his own production company in 1958. Mazzaropi wove social commentary into simple language and covered important subjects to great effect, which caused audiences to flock to his productions for over 20 years.

Interestingly, while Mazzaropi became one of Brazil’s most acclaimed comedic actors, he was also a major supplier of milk to Leites Paulista. Today, Fazenda Santa is Hotel Fazenda Mazzaropi, home to the Mazzaropi Museum, which has a collection of over 20,000 items.

Happy birthday, Amácio Mazzaropi!

[9A]

Dec 05, 2023

Celebrating the Art of Đờn Ca Tài Tử


Today's Doodle celebrates the art of Đờn Ca Tài Tử, a traditional genre of southern Vietnamese chamber music.

Đờn Ca Tài Tử has been practiced since the late 19th century, and it originates from ceremonial and Hue Royal Court music. Most often practiced in the Southern region, harmonious instruments blend together to create this beautiful melody. Besides a singer, the Đờn Ca Tài Tử ensemble may include a zither, stork, lute, concave guitar, song loan, flute, pipa, violin, and pliers. With all those instruments, it won’t be surprising to learn that Đờn Ca Tài Tử is almost always performed as a group.

Wise lyricists constantly create new songs as they find fresh inspiration in nearly 100 traditional songs, including ancient and original [Ancestral] songs. A teacher fluent in ancient songs will help the musicians master instruments while another teaches chanting and singing. When the group comes together, they create enchanting music.

It is always a good time to enjoy Đờn Ca Tài Tử in Vietnam. The tunes are a big part of anniversaries, weddings, Tết [Vietnamese New Year], birthdays, and just about any gathering. It connects the community through shared culture, art, and music, and will continue to do so for generations to come.

[9A]

Oct 09, 2023

France Gall's 76th Birthday






Today’s video Doodle, illustrated by Paris-based guest artist Mathilde Loubes, celebrates French singer France Gall, who entered the Yé-yé scene at 16 and remained a prominent singer. On this day in 1947, she was born in Paris with the name Isabelle.

Growing up in a family of lyricists, composers, choir founders, and singers, it is no surprise that Gall pursued a musical career. She was playing guitar and piano in her adolescence, and by 15, she signed with a music publisher under her father’s guidance. She released her debut single Ne Sois Pas Si Bête [Don’t Be so Silly] under the pseudonym France Gall, which played on the radio for the first time on her 16th birthday.

In 1965, Gall represented Luxembourg at the international song contest Eurovision. Her upbeat performance of Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son [Wax Doll, Sound Doll] earned her first prize and is considered the first pop song to win the contest. By this point, the young Gall was considered a major figure in the Yé-yé movement; she was voted France’s number one female pop star the following year which coincided with a successful international career.

Gall worked with several composers and songwriters over the years, notably Michel Berger, whom she would marry in 1976. Some of their most famous collaborations are Évidemment [Evidently], La Déclaration D'amour [Declaration of Love], and Mon Fils Rira du Rock 'n' Roll [My Son Will Laugh At Rock'N'Roll]. In 1979 she performed live and starred in the rock opera Starmania which her husband wrote the music for.

In the 80s, France Gall released four albums: Paris, France, Tout Pour la Musique, Débranche!, and Babacar. Many of her songs topped the charts like Ella, elle l'a [Ella's She’s Got It] and Il Jouait Du Piano Debout [He Played Piano Standing] — which is featured in today’s Doodle! France collaborated on two duets with English artist Sir Elton John at his request during this period. Somehow, she still made time to do philanthropic work. Over the years, she organized food drives, held fundraisers, and donated proceeds from some of her songs as well as doing work directly on the ground for causes she supported.

During her 50+ year career, Gall made her mark on an international music competition, released over 15 albums, performed in sold-out venues over 3 continents and co-authored the musical Résiste. In 2001, the documentary France Gall par France Gall immortalized the pop performer’s life and career.

Happy birthday to this French music icon!

[9A]

Mar 19, 2024

Nowruz 2024


This annual Doodle celebrates Nowruz 2024!

The annual festival has been around for over 3,000 years. The earliest origins of Nowruz trace back to ancient Iran [then Persia]. It was held on the spring equinox to mark the start of the blooming season. As time went on, several countries and ethnic groups along the Silk Roads started adopting the tradition.

During Nowruz, the most important tradition is the haft-sīn. Families gather and set out seven items that each represent renewal and rejuvenation. These items usually include wheat for rebirth and good fortune, wheat pudding for power and strength, olive for love, berries for the sunrise, vinegar for age and patience, apple for beauty, and garlic for good health.

Happy Nowruz!

[9A]

Apr 29, 2022

Toots Thielemans' 100th Birthday




A small instrument delivered soulful sounds when it was in the hands of Belgian musician and composer Toots Thielemans. Known for his chromatic harmonica skills, he made a name for himself in the genre of jazz. He also played guitar and professionally whistled his way up international charts throughout his musical career. Today’s Doodle—illustrated by guest artist Melissa Crowton—hits all the right notes by celebrating Toots Thielemans’ contributions to the jazz world on what would be his 100th birthday.

Toots picked up the accordion at three years old and quickly found himself entertaining people at an early age. He would eventually grow up and become a performing musician at his parents’ cafe. As a teenager, he got his hands on a harmonica, but it wasn’t until he heard Louis Armstrong on record that he discovered jazz. In the early 1940s, he picked up the guitar and began performing and touring with other talented musicians. Playing next to jazz and blues figures like Quincy Jones, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and Frank Sinatra, Toots made himself a staple on radio and television. He recorded 21 records, was featured in Old Spice and Firestone commercials as well as motion-picture soundtracks. One of his most recognizable harmonica solos was for the theme song on PBS-TV’s Sesame Street.

Toots is widely considered an unrivaled harmonica player and a true Jazz Master. He continued recording with other artists and performing publicly late into his life. After his passing, many collected and showcased his records, ticket stubs and autographs while museums displayed donated items and instruments from his personal collection.

Happy birthday, Toots Thielemans!

[9A]

Mar 21, 2023

Nowruz 2023




Happy Nowruz, 2023!

As winter fades, and the northern hemisphere begins to thaw, it's time to celebrate Nowruz. Today's Doodle highlights this ancient holiday that marks the beginning of spring. More than 300 million people gather around the world on this day each year to celebrate the season of rebirth. Today’s Doodle artwork represents this theme with Spring flowers — tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, and bee orchids.

Did you know the United Nations recognizes Nowruz as an international holiday? That’s because families celebrate this joyful festival across the Middle East, the South Caucasus, the Black Sea Basin, and Northern, Western, Central, and South Asia.

In many cultures, Nowruz also marks the beginning of a new year — a time to reflect on the past, set intentions for the future, and strengthen relationships with loved ones. Some common traditions include: Decorating eggs to honor new life, tidying up your home to prepare for a fresh start, and feasting on spring vegetables and herbs.

Happy Nowruz to all who celebrate! May your new year be filled with love, peace, and renewed hope.

[9A]

Mar 20, 2021

Nowruz 2021



The birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and the bees are buzzing as winter comes to an end and the spring season begins. Today’s Doodle honors Nowruz, an annual celebration of this first day of spring.

For over 3,000 years, people from Central Asia, the Middle East, and the many regions of eastern and central Europe have observed the vernal equinox as a period of renewal and a celebration of human life’s connection with the cycles of nature. A holiday custom that reflects this natural rejuvenation is the growth of Sabzeh or Samani [sprouted wheat grass], which is traditionally planted two weeks before the holiday so that on the morning of Nowruz, their fresh green leaves announce the arrival of the spring season.

Along with the growth of new plants, many also welcome the new with a symbolic spring clean, decluttering their homes to invite good fortune into their lives.

Happy Nowruz! Here’s to a bountiful year to come.

[9A]

Mar 21, 2011

Persian New Year 2011




Nowruz—which means “new day”—is a holiday marking the arrival of spring and the first day of the year in Iran, whose solar calendar begins with the vernal equinox. Nowruz has been celebrated in Iran and the Persian diaspora for more than 3,000 years.

As the last of the winter frost starts to melt and the blossoms begin to bloom, Iranians start preparing their homes for the new year. It starts with a process called khooneh takouni, which literally translates to “shaking the house.”

As the last speck of dust is wiped away, it’s time to set up the main dining room table at home for the Haft-Sin. Haft-Sin is an arrangement of items that symbolizes different hopes for the new year. Traditionally, there are always seven items, all of which start with the Farsi letter Sin, or س, on the table:
Sabzeh: Wheat, barley or lentil sprouts. The sprouts symbolize rebirth and renewal. Many people begin the preparations in the beginning of March as it takes several weeks to grow. The seeds are placed in a bowl and watered daily. Once the Sabzeh begins to sprout, it is placed on the table for the new year altar.

“It is the centerpiece because, in a sense, they really represent the idea of new life and new birth,” Karim said.

Samanoo: a sweet pudding that symbolizes wealth and fertility.

Sib: apples for beauty and nutrition.

Seer: garlic for medicine.

Sumac: a spice made from red berries that symbolizes the color of the sunrise.

Serkeh: vinegar for age, wisdom and patience.

Senjed: dried fruits for love.

It’s not uncommon for many families to add other sentimental and meaningful items to their Haft-Sin tables.

A mirror to symbolize reflection. Candles for light. Coins for prosperity. Hyacinths for beauty and fragrance. [It’s just an added bonus that the Farsi word for coins and hyacinths both start with “sin.” Coins is sekkeh in Farsi and hyacinths are sonbol.]

Families often have their children paint eggs and place them on the table as a symbol of fertility. Sometimes, for the truly motivated, several live goldfish are put on display as part of the Haft-Sin table to represent new life.

And we can’t forget the “book of wisdom.” For some people, the book of wisdom is the Koran. For others, it’s the Shahnameh by Ferdowsi, a long poem consisting of 62 stories and 990 chapters, that is the “national epic” of Greater Iran.

[9A]

November 12, 2018

Alexander Borodin’s 185th Birthday









The son of a Georgian prince, Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin was a sickly child who went on to create a powerful legacy in two different fields. Today’s Doodle celebrates the boy who grew up to become both a distinguished chemist and one of Russia’s greatest classical composers.

Born in St. Petersburg on this day in 1833, Borodin showed an early aptitude for science, languages, and music. While mastering German, French, and English, he began studying flute at age eight and later learned the violin and violoncello. By the age of 13 he’d already composed a piece for flute and piano — nevertheless, he considered music to be a hobby while his main focus was in the field of science.

At 17, Borodin began his studies at St Petersburg’s Medico-Surgical Academy, delving into botany, zoology, anatomy, and crystallography—but he soon specialized in organic chemistry, earning his doctorate in 1858. He went on to become a professor at his alma mater, conducting research on benzene derivatives and organic synthesis, and the discovery of the aldol reaction. He’s also remembered as a champion of women’s rights, having founded the Women’s Medical School in St. Petersburg, where he taught for many years. Still, the music kept calling him.

In the 1860s he met Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev, a pianist and composer who would become his musical mentor. Borodin soon made him part of a group known as “The Five” [aka “The Mighty Handful”] whose goal was to develop a distinctly Russian style of classical music. Borodin’s incorporation of traditional folk music, and his striking use of harmony in works like “The Steppes of Central Asia,” made him a leading figure of the Romantic era.

Championed by such fellow composers as Liszt, Debussy, and Ravel, Borodin’s work has had a lasting influence on classical music. His unforgettable melodies were adapted for Kismet, the Tony-Award-winning musical that went from Broadway to Hollywood with songs like “Stranger in Paradise.”

с Днем рожденья Alexander Borodin!

[9A]

March 20, 2022

Nowruz 2022






The northern hemisphere is saying goodbye to cold, barren landscapes and hello to spring’s budding leaves and blooming flowers. Millions around the world put on festivals, feasts and enjoy outdoor activities in celebration of Nowruz, the first day of spring and official start to Persian New Year.

Nowruz is one of the oldest holidays and has a rich history that dates back over 3,000 years. The 13-day celebration begins with the vernal equinox when the sun crosses the equator. This widely symbolizes rebirth and the affirmation of life in harmony with nature.

For many, common traditions include house cleaning, visiting friends and neighbors, and preparing traditional dishes such as special desserts, herb rice, and fried fish.

Happy Nowruz!

[9A]

21 Mar 2014

Nowruz 2014







Nowruz is the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year, which begins on the spring equinox, marking the first day of Farvardin, the first month of the Iranian solar calendar. It is celebrated worldwide by various ethno-linguistic groups, and falls on or around March 21 of the Gregorian calendar. Nowruz falls on March 20 in 2021.

[9A]

Mar 27, 2012

Mies van der Rohe's 126th Birthday






Mies van der Rohe's architecture was the backdrop of my childhood. I grew up in downtown Chicago in the 1970s and 80s, and several friends lived in apartment buildings designed by Mies. In addition, Myron Goldsmith [one of Mies' students and associates], his wife and kids, were close friends of my family. For me, Mies wasn't precious or intellectual or challenging or even "modern;" his buildings were just places where people raised kids, worked at interesting jobs, and taught. As I grew older, I wondered why he lacked the public awareness and embrace of an architect like Frank Lloyd Wright.

Now, even though I have a more sophisticated knowledge of Mies' designs, I am a fan because of what his designs engage and inspire. Moving through them takes me past industrial materials and spare forms, and yields color, a relationship with nature, and vibrant interaction in the universal spaces.

Mies built S. R. Crown Hall, featured in today's Google Doodle, as a "home for ideas and adventures." Since its completion in 1956, it has been home to IIT's College of Architecture and has inspired students, lectures, dances, art exhibitions, and more. It is a lab for creation, which is fitting because the structure itself was a lab for Mies' breakthrough in the use of glass and steel-he defied expectations and proved his genius by using steel frames to hang a ceiling, rather than using supportive columns. The result was a revolutionary clear-span structure, 120 by 220 by 18 feet high, the premiere enclosed universal space.

Since assuming my role as Director of the Mies van der Rohe Society, I am in awe of what this space provokes. In 2006, we hosted an exhibition of mid-century Marimekko textiles and products. Visitors thought the building and the fabrics were so fresh and so now, they couldn't believe it had all been designed decades earlier. Four years later, we showed the largest-ever exhibition of Andy Warhol's Silver Clouds, a light-filled room for 1,000 helium-filled reflective balloons to interact with people of all ages. And every summer we host a day for hundreds of families to sprawl on the floor and use Legos to build their own creations.

The skyscrapers, wide-open lobbies, exterior plazas, and spare-but-useful living plans that define today's major cities are possible because of Mies and his "less is more" philosophy. Come visit S. R. Crown Hall, take a tour of the campus he designed for Illinois Institute of Technology, and have your own adventure in Mies' space.

Posted by Justine Jentes, Director of the Mies van der Rohe Society