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March 20, 2019
Gamila El Alaily’s 112th Birthday
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Today’s Doodle celebrates the life and legacy of Egyptian poet and essayist Gamila El Alaily. Born in Mansoura, Dakahlia on this day in 1907, El Alaily was one of the leading women of Egypt’s modern art renaissance. A passionate writer, she became the sole female member of the Apollo Society, an influential group of poets, writers, and artists who came to represent the first wave of modernism in Arab literature.
Encouraged by the work of pioneering poet May Ziadah, El Alaily moved to Cairo and began contributing poetry to the Egyptian literary journal Apollo, which was launched in 1932 by Dr. Ahmed Zaki Abu Shadi. The publication was named after the Greek god of poetry, as well as truth, prophecy, healing, light, and the sun—a fitting symbol of the society’s universal vision as well as El Alaily’s Apollonian verse. After consistently contributing to the highly regarded journal, she published The Echo of my Dreams, the first of her three diwans, or volumes of poetry, in 1936. Drawing inspiration from nature, her poetry addressed the themes of love and longing as well as contemplation.
In addition to volumes of verse, El Alaily went on to write a regular column for over a quarter century in her monthly newsletter, addressing ethics, values, and ideals, including her views on the role of women in society. In this respect, as well as her prolific poetic output, she broke new ground for women in the Arab world, inspiring generations of writers to come.
Happy 112th Birthday, Gamila El Alaily!
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May 29, 2017
Nepal Republic Day 2017
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The Republic of Nepal is a nation of immense diversity and cultural richness. It’s also the only country in the world whose flag is not rectangular! The flag’s crimson red represents the bravery of Nepal’s people. Its blue borders symbolize peace and harmony for this nation of more than 120 ethnic groups, speaking as many native languages, that were united by the Republic’s formation in 2008.
The biggest ceremonial parades take place in Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu, but Nepalese people around the world celebrate.
Happy Republic Day, Nepal!
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October 16, 2017
Olaudah Equiano’s 272nd Birthday
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Born in Nigeria, African writer and abolitionist Olaudah Equiano was sold into slavery as a boy. He braved the harsh conditions of the Middle Passage to the Caribbean and lived to tell his story.
Equiano was a seafarer, often working for captains and merchants. When given the chance to read and write, he learned swiftly. Equiano moved up the ranks, gaining rare promotions to seaman, then merchant. He carefully saved his earnings from side trades over the course of 3 years, eventually earning enough to buy his freedom.
Once a free man, Equiano published his memoir, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, which became one of the earliest bestsellers by an African author. The book detailed his life, travels, and the slave trade, helping to sway public opinion against slavery. He also founded Sons of Africa, an anti-slavery organization consisting of leaders in London’s black community, and gave lectures to the public and politicians.
Change due to Equiano’s efforts would come a decade after his death with the passing of Abolition of the Slave Trade Act in 1807.
As the UK celebrates Black History Month, we wish a Happy 272nd Birthday to Olaudah Equiano!
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November 26, 2020
Celebrating Saloma
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Today’s Doodle celebrates the beloved Singaporean-Malaysian actor, singer, and fashion icon best known as Saloma. A trend-setter of Malaysian entertainment from the late ‘50s through the early ‘80s, Saloma recorded over 500 songs, and through her charismatic film work she paved the way for future generations of female actors in her country. On this day in 1978, she made history when she was awarded Malaysia’s first Biduanita Negara [National Songbird] by the Malaysian government of the time.
Saloma was born Salmah Ismail in Singapore on January 22, 1932, and first started to explore her skills as a vocalist at just seven years old. By her teenage years, she began to sing professionally, starting her music career through performances at nightclubs and weddings.
Once Saloma transitioned to acting by the mid ‘50s, she quickly became a celebrity figure. In 1961, she married fellow multi-hyphenate entertainment icon P. Ramlee, and over the years that followed, the legendary power couple forever altered Malaysian entertainment through music and film. Sporting her signature coiffed hairdo and inimitable clothing [[much of which she sewed herself), Saloma starred in movies throughout the ‘60s and released albums for the rest of her life.
Thank you, Saloma, for using your artistic gifts to inspire women in Malaysia and beyond to be themselves.
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January 11, 2019
Celebrating Earl Scruggs
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“Here’s old Earl Scruggs with his fancy five-string banjo,” the introduction for the bluegrass banjo master’s Grand Ole Opry show stated. Today's Doodle celebrates Earl Scruggs, the man who developed the “Scruggs style” [his own three-finger method of picking] on the anniversary of the opening of the Earl Scruggs Center in 2014. His innovation changed the sound of American roots music, but fancy was not a word Scruggs would use to describe his beloved banjo. “It’s just an old hand-me-down,” he said of the Gibson Granada he’d played since the 1940s.
Born in North Carolina on January 6, 1924, Scruggs grew up working on the family farm and playing the banjo. He was 21 years old when he joined Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys band, whose sound coined the term “bluegrass music.” In that band, Scruggs met guitarist Lester Flatt with whom he would launch the Foggy Mountain Boys in the late 1940s. Their televised Flatt & Scruggs Grand Ole Opry show premiered in 1955 and gained a new wave of popularity during the folk music revival, running through 1969.
After Flatt & Scruggs split up in 1969, Earl found new fans when he bridged generations and musical genres by forming the “Earl Scruggs Revue” with sons Gary and Randy. From 1969 to 1980, the Revue was a pioneering band in merging country and bluegrass sounds with elements from rock music. In his latter years, Earl’s musical journey continued with his “Family & Friends” band.
Earl’s wife Louise Scruggs became one of the first female managers in the music industry when she began managing Flatt & Scruggs. The duo’s music appeared in the theme song for The Beverly Hillbillies and their “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” was included on the soundtrack to the 1967 film Bonnie & Clyde.
Scruggs was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, and the Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. He received several other awards and honors, including the prestigious National Medal of the Arts and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
All because, as Flatt used to put it: “He kind of likes to show off anyway, pickin’ the hot stuff.”
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cy...Gm11p3zaJunrC-
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June 30, 2017
Assia Djebar’s 81st Birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...4241792-2x.jpg
Many women achieve greatness, but few become “Immortal.” Assia Djebar was the first woman from the Maghreb to be given the "Immortal" title, as a member of the Académie Française.
Born Fatima-Zohra Imalayene on this date in 1936, the Algerian novelist, translator, and filmmaker used the pen name Assia Djebar. She was the first Algerian woman to be admitted to the country’s top literary university, the Ecole Normale Superieure. Djebar published her first book at 21; by the time she was 30, she had written 4 novels in French. She quickly became one of North Africa's most influential writers.
A feminist, Djebar wrote about women's independence and encouraged Algerian women to forge their own paths and find their unique voices. She believed that education was the key to giving women a voice in society, and in 1962 began teaching history at the University of Algiers. Her work inspired many women to express themselves freely.
Today’s Doodle reflects a scene from the first chapter of Djebar’s novel Fantasia, in which she explores the history of Algeria through her experiences as a young girl.
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June 30, 2020
Celebrating Tebas [Joaquim Pinto de Oliveira]
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Today’s Doodle celebrates the legacy of 18th-century Brazilian architect and engineer Joaquim Pinto de Oliveira, also known as Tebas. Historians believe that during this month in 1778, Tebas broke free from the shackles of slavery and ingrained his artistic vision into the streets of São Paulo upon the completed renovation of one of his most iconic designs: the first tower of the original São Paulo Cathedral.
Tebas was born in 1721 in the port city of Santos, Brazil, and was a black slave of the well-known Portuguese architect and builder Bento de Oliveira Lima. They relocated to São Paulo during a period of expansive civil construction in the capital city. Tebas had a rare expertise in working with stone, a skill which placed his services in very high demand there.
By the 1750s, Tebas had risen to become a highly accomplished architect in São Paulo, and over the following decades, he shaped the city with constructions including the pediment of the São Bento Monastery and the facade of the Church of the Third Order of Carmo. He continued working for years after he gained his freedom and lived until the age of 90. Over the course of his long life, he cemented himself as one of the greatest Brazilian architects of his time.
In honor of Tebas’ contributions to the city, in 2019 his name was inscribed at the former site of what is widely considered one of his best-known works, the Chafariz da Misericordia [Fountain of Mercy], Sao Paulo’s first public water fountain which he designed and constructed in 1792.
Thank you, Tebas, for overcoming all obstacles to lay the blueprint for a brighter future!
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June 30, 2011
Czeslaw Milosz's 100th Birthday
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Czesław Miłosz was a Polish-American poet, prose writer, translator, and diplomat. Regarded as one of the great poets of the 20th century, he won the 1980 Nobel Prize in Literature. In its citation, the Swedish Academy called Miłosz a writer who "voices man's exposed condition in a world of severe conflicts".
Miłosz survived the German occupation of Warsaw during World War II and became a cultural attaché for the Polish government during the postwar period. When communist authorities threatened his safety, he defected to France and ultimately chose exile in the United States, where he became a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. His poetry—particularly about his wartime experience—and his appraisal of Stalinism in a prose book, The Captive Mind, brought him renown as a leading émigré artist and intellectual.
Throughout his life and work, Miłosz tackled questions of morality, politics, history, and faith. As a translator, he introduced Western works to a Polish audience, and as a scholar and editor, he championed a greater awareness of Slavic literature in the West. Faith played a role in his work as he explored his Catholicism and personal experience.
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Jul 1, 2011
Cabotage and Turkish Maritime Festival
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/s5...302PccCO0=s660
Cabotage Day [Turkish: Kabotaj Bayramı] also called Maritime and Cabotage Day is an annual celebration related to merchant marine rights of Turkey held on 1 July in Turkey.
During the Ottoman Empire, the precursor of Turkey, coastwise shipping was mostly carried off by foreign companies as permitted by the Capitulations of the Ottoman Empire. However, by the Treaty of Lausanne signed on 24 July 1923, the capitulations were abolished. The length of Turkish coast [Anatolian and Thracen peninsulas] is 8,333 kilometres [5,178 mi] and by the Cabotage act no 815 enacted on 19 April 1926 Turkey declared that only Turkish vessels were permitted to serve along this coastline.
[1] The law took effect on 1 July, the same year and this date is now known as the "cabotage day".
[2] Beginning by 2007 the name of the day was changed to "Maritime and Cabotage Day".
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July 1, 2021
Celebrating Mitsuko Mori
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Today’s Doodle celebrates prolific Japanese singer and actor Mitsuko Mori, who became the first entertainer in Japanese history to perform 2,000 times in “Horoki” ["A Wanderer's Notebook"], a theater play based on the autobiographical novel of author Fumiko Hayashi. In recognition of this unparalleled lifetime achievement, on this day in 2009, she became the first actress to ever receive Japan’s prestigious People’s Honor Award.
Born Mitsu Murakami in Kyoto, Japan on May 9, 1920, she made her cinematic debut at 14 in a historical drama film. Also a gifted vocalist, Mitsuko moved to Tokyo in 1941, where she sharpened her skills as a jazz singer, a talent she showcased throughout the decade on tours in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia.
In 1952, Mitsuko continued to prove her dynamic range when she made her comedic debut in a stage play featured on radio broadcasts across Japan—widespread exposure that cast her into the national spotlight. An established name in Japanese entertainment, Mitsuko premiered in “Horoki” in 1961 as the lead character Fumiko Hayashi, a role she played well into her 80s for a record 2,017 performances.
Before one of these productions in 2007, over 45 years since it first showed, Mitsuko told reporters that she was retiring her character’s signature reflex to good news—a forward somersault—to avoid injury in her old age. She gave her final “Horoki” performance in 2009, bowing out as a superstar of contemporary Japanese theater.
Here’s to all the memories, Mitsuko Mori!
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July 1, 2014
Canada Day 2014
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/N6...hFjMW3S6g=s660
One of the things Canadians are most proud of is that their country is a cultural mosaic, where people from different cultures live together but retain their strong ethnic identities. In the spirit of uniting countries for the World Cup games, we wanted to celebrate the cultural melting pot that is Canada. The doodle itself resembles a mosaic or patchwork quilt, with various walks of life represented through dress and textile patterns.
The people are shown as block shapes, whether as individuals or as family units – all building blocks of society – with their hands raised during Canadian citizenship ceremonies. We also wanted to draw on familiar elements, such as ice hockey, a Canadian Mountie, or the mountainous landscapes and large lakes that make up the natural beauty of the country. Look closely enough and there's even a soccer ball in there. Canada may not be in the World Cup this time around, but that hasn't stopped Canadian citizens, old or new, from enjoying the game.
Happy Canada Day!
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July 1, 2021
Canada Day 2021
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Today’s Doodle celebrates Canada Day, previously known as “Dominion Day.” On this day in 1867, the British North American act joined the three individual territories of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick to form the unified Dominion of Canada. With the Canada Act of 1982, the country gained complete independence from Britain, and the observance was officially renamed Canada Day [Fête du Canada].
Across the 13 provinces and territories that comprise Canada today, annual celebrations include parades, fireworks displays, and the prominent display of the national colors of red and white. These colors adorn national symbols including the coat of arms and national flag. In today’s Doodle artwork, the latter of these can be seen clutched by another well-known Canadian ambassador: the beaver.
As the emblematic species first appeared on a Nova Scotian coat of arms in 1621, this semi-aquatic animal has been a representative of the North American nation longer than the maple leaf! Today, the beaver is protected by the 1975 National Symbol of Canada act and extensive conservation efforts, allowing the population of millions to thrive “A Mari usque ad Mare”—Canada’s official Latin motto, which translates to “from to sea to sea.”
Happy Canada Day!
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June 27, 2018
Efua Theodora Sutherland's 94th Birthday
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Many great literary works owe their legacies to dedicated teachers who explore their meaning with their students. Prominent writer and teacher Efua Theodora Sutherland played a crucial role in both the creation and exploration of prominent plays across Ghana.
Sutherland [or Aunty Efua, as she was affectionately known], was one of Africa’s earliest female writers recognized locally and internationally for numerous theater works, including Foriwa [1962], Edufa [1967], and The Marriage of Anansewa [1975]. She is credited with bringing literary and theatrical movements in Ghana between the 1950s and 1990s through her own works and helped develop the country’s educational curriculum for children.
At a time when women played a limited role in governance, Sutherland is also remembered for her extensive work on the U.N. Convention on the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.
Because of Sutherland’s dedication to children’s rights and cultural activism, thousands of students in Ghana [and beyond] have access to quality education and theater performance.
Happy 94th birthday to a pioneering dramatist, playwright, and activist.
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June 27, 2021
Tamio "Tommy" Kono's 91st Birthday
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Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Los Angeles-based guest artist Shanti Rittgers, celebrates Japanese-American coach, Olympic gold-medalist athlete, and world-champion bodybuilder Tommy Kono, who is regarded as one of the greatest weightlifters in United States history.
Tamio “Tommy” Kono was born in Sacramento, California, on this day in 1930. During the onset of World War II, Kono and his family, all of Japanese descent, were among the over 120,000 Japanese-Americans forced by the U.S. government to be detained in prison camps [aka Japanese internment camps]. It was in one of these camps that Kono was introduced to weightlifting—which he practiced relentlessly in an effort to become healthier after experiencing severe asthma throughout his childhood.
When the fog of war lifted, Kono returned home to Sacramento, where he entered his first weightlifting competitions. By 1952, he was an invaluable member of the U.S. national weightlifting team, in part due to his rare ability to move between weight classes without losing his strength. Kono won his first Olympic gold medal in the lightweight division that same year at the Helsinki Summer Games. This began a winning streak that crescendoed at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games when he won the light-heavyweight competition—his final Olympic gold medal.
After his 1964 retirement from a career gilded by 26 world records, along with dozens of championship titles in weightlifting and several in bodybuilding, Kono shared his seasoned expertise throughout the 70s as an Olympic coach. In 1993, Kono was inducted into the Weightlifting Hall of Fame, and to this day, Kono remains the only weightlifter in history to hold world records in four different weight classes.
Happy birthday, Tommy Kono, and thank you for using your strength to lift not just weights, but those around you.
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March 16, 2017
Maria Carlota Costallat de Macedo Soares' 107th Birthday
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Maria Carlota Costallat de Macedo Soares, known as Lotta, was born on this date in Paris in 1910. A talented designer, Soares had a gift for creating structures and landscapes that reflect and reimagine their surroundings. Samambaia, the house Soares shared with poet Elizabeth Bishop in Petrópolis, Brazil, looked as if it had the wings of a butterfly and might take flight at any moment. The writer's studio Soares built for Bishop featured a breathtaking view of the mountains that often distracted the poet from her writing.
Soares's most famous project was Flamengo Park in Rio de Janeiro, depicted in today's Doodle. She conceived and built this magnificent city park that has been incorporated into marathons and cycling races, including several 2016 Olympic events. Flamengo Park continues to be a prime destination for tourists and locals alike, and is a shining example of Soares's vision and passion.
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March 16, 2018
Celebrating George Peabody
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Today we celebrate George Peabody, a man widely considered “the father of modern philanthropy.”
Born in 1795 to a poor family in Massachusetts, Peabody had only a few years’ worth of education before opening a local general store. His experience in the dry goods business expanded and led to international trade in London, where he would eventually work as a banker and settle in 1837. In that role, Peabody accumulated great wealth and his involvement in both the American and English business and social scenes provided him widespread recognition.
During his life, Peabody immersed himself in public causes, with a particular focus on educational initiatives. In fact, it was on this day in 1867 that he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal after donating $2,000,000 [upwards of $30,000,000 today!] for the advancement of education, an act of generosity made all the more impressive by the fact that he left school at the age of 11. It’s believed that Peabody gifted over $8,000,000 in the course of his lifetime, about half of his $16,000,000 fortune.
Fun fact: Today's Doodle art is the result of a Doodle team volunteer mural project at George Peabody Elementary School in San Francisco, California! The mural currently resides in the student cafeteria. Check out a timelapse of the process below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHJsVRyF8_8
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March 16, 2012
Cesar Vallejo's 120th Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fG...N4YO3G5Vd=s660
César Abraham Vallejo Mendoza [March 16, 1892 – April 15, 1938[ was a Peruvian poet, writer, playwright, and journalist. Although he published only two books of poetry during his lifetime, he is considered one of the great poetic innovators of the 20th century in any language. He was always a step ahead of literary currents, and each of his books was distinct from the others, and, in its own sense, revolutionary. Thomas Merton called him "the greatest universal poet since Dante". The late British poet, critic and biographer Martin Seymour-Smith, a leading authority on world literature, called Vallejo "the greatest twentieth-century poet in any language." He was a member of the intellectual community called North Group formed in the Peruvian north coastal city of Trujillo.
Clayton Eshleman and José Rubia Barcia's translation of The Complete Posthumous Poetry of César Vallejo won the National Book Award for translation in 1979.
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October 10, 2017
Fridtjof Nansen’s 156th Birthday
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Today we celebrate legendary adventurer Fridtjof Nansen, who explored the world’s unknown terrain and broke new ground as an international humanitarian.
Born in Oslo, Norway in 1861, Nansen was gripped by a sense of adventure from a young age. He learned to cross-country ski as many as 50 miles in one day with minimal supplies — and sometimes with just his dog! His love of the outdoors led him to study zoology at the Royal Frederick University. In 1888, he became the first person to lead an expedition across the snow-capped interior of Greenland. One icy adventure was not enough: just a few years later, Nansen attempted to become the first person to reach the North Pole. Although the expedition was unsuccessful, he did go farther north in latitude than any other explorer at that time.
As World War I took hold in 1914, Nansen was forced to halt his explorations and focus on research at home. However, by 1920, his interests shifted from understanding the landscape of the world to influencing the international political climate. Nansen worked to free hundreds of thousands of prisoners of war and repatriate refugees. He created the Nansen Passport, a travel document that allowed stateless refugees to emigrate and resettle. Nansen was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922 for helping those without a voice find a home.
Fridtjof Nansen began his career by shattering the boundaries of human exploration, and he brought the same courage and tenacity to his fight to support refugees.
Happy 156th Birthday, Fridtjof!
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March 14, 2020
Josephine Lang's 205th Birthday
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Today’s animated Doodle celebrates German composer and singer Josephine Lang on her 205th birthday. With over 100 songs published and around 300 composed throughout her lifetime, Lang established herself as one of the most prolific female composers of the Romantic period.
Lang was born on this day in 1815 into a talented musical family in Munich, her father, an orchestra violinist, and her mother, a professional opera singer. She played her first notes of the piano as a toddler on her mother’s lap, and by the age of just five, began to compose her own music.
Her public debut at a museum concert at age 11 only bolstered her reputation as a child prodigy, and in 1830, the famed composer Felix Mendelssohn was so impressed with Lang’s talent that he personally volunteered to give her lessons.
The 1830s marked a period of great creative success for Lang, establishing her amongst Europe’s most influential artistic circles. Her original compositions continued to garner the admiration of some of Germany’s most famous musical figures, including Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann, and Ferdinand Hiller, the latter two of whom provided support in publishing her later work,
In addition to releasing over 40 collections of songs and piano music, Lang sang professionally at the Munich court and was a prized music teacher, counting among her students notable members of German royalty.
Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, Josephine Lang! [“Happy birthday, Josephine Lang!”]
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March 14, 2011
Alam Ara's 80th Anniversary
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UU...6wIzrMmYs=s660
Alam Ara [transl. Ornament of the World] is a 1931 Indian Hindustani-language historical fantasy film directed and produced by Ardeshir Irani. It revolves on a king and his two wives, Navbahaar and Dilbahaar, who are childless; soon, a fakir [Muhammad Wazir Khan] tells the king that the former wife will give birth to a boy, later named Qamar [Master Vithal], but the child will die following his 18th birthday if Navbahaar cannot find the necklace he asks for. Meanwhile, the king finds out that Dilbahaar falls for the senapati Adil [Prithviraj Kapoor], leading the king to arrest him and evicts his pregnant wife, who later gives birth to Alam Ara [Zubeida].
Irani was inspired to make Alam Ara, after watching the 1929 American part-talkie Show Boat. The story was adapted from the Bombay-based dramatist Joseph David's play of the same name. Made on a budget of ₹40,000 [equivalent to ₹9.7 million or US$140,000 in 2019], principal photography was handled by Adi M. Irani within four months in Bombay [present-day Mumbai]. Because the studio was located near a railway track, it was filmed mostly during the nighttime to avoid noise from the active trains. Following filming, Ardeshir Irani finished the sound recording using the single-system recording. Firozshah Mistry and B. Irani served as the music director.
Alam Ara was released on 14 March 1931 and performed well at the box office. Critics were appreciative, with the performance and songs got the most attention though some of whom criticised the sound recording. In addition to the successes, the film was also widely considered a major breakthrough for the Indian film industry and Ardeshir Irani's career with its status as the country's first sound film. Although no print or gramophone record of the film is known to survive, thereby making it a lost film, surviving artefacts includes its stills and posters. In 2017, the British Film Institute declared it as the most important of any lost films produced in India.
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March 14, 2012
Akira Yoshizawa's 101st Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Es...t-d8HbJWw=s660
We’re excited to have Robert J. Lang here to talk about today’s doodle in honor of Akira Yoshizawa. Lang is considered one of the world’s masters of the art of origami. His design techniques are used by origami artists around the world, and he lectures widely on the connections between origami art, science, mathematics and technology. - Ed.
Akira Yoshizawa [1911–2005] is widely regarded as the father of the modern origami art form. Over the course of his life, he created tens of thousands of origami works and pioneered many of the artistic techniques used by modern-day origami artists, most notably the technique of wet-folding, which allowed the use of thick papers and created soft curves, gentle shapes and rounded, organic forms. He also developed a notation for origami that has now been the standard for origami instruction for more than 50 years.
Yoshizawa took up Japan's traditional folk art of origami in his 20s, and eventually left his job at a factory to focus full-time on his origami creations. His work came to the attention of the west in 1955, after an exhibition of his works in Amsterdam, and rapidly spread around the world. In his last decades, he received worldwide renown and invitations from all over, culminating in his award in 1983 of the Order of the Rising Sun.
I had the great fortune to meet Yoshizawa several times. In 1988, he came to New York to visit The Friends of the Origami Center of America, and spoke at a panel discussion I attended. There, he addressed a wide range of topics: one's mental attitude, the importance of character, of natural qualities, of having one's "spirit within [the artwork's] folds." Although he was the consummate artist, his work and approach was infused with the mathematical and geometric underpinnings of origami as well as a deep aesthetic sense:
“My origami creations, in accordance with the laws of nature, require the use of geometry, science, and physics. They also encompass religion, philosophy, and biochemistry. Over all, I want you to discover the joy of creation by your own hand…the possibility of creation from paper is infinite.” - Akira Yoshizawa
While there were other Japanese artists who explored their country’s folk art contemporaneously with Yoshizawa, his work inspired the world through a combination of grace, beauty, variety and clarity of presentation. To him, each figure, even if folded from the same basic plan, was a unique object with a unique character.
In 1992, I was invited to address the Nippon Origami Association at their annual meeting in Japan, and my hosts arranged for me to meet the great Yoshizawa at his home and studio. When I was ushered into the inner sanctum, Yoshizawa greeted me, grinning, and then proceeded to show me box after box after drawer of the most extraordinarily folded works I had ever seen.
When I was first approached by Google to help create a doodle commemorating Yoshizawa’s work, I jumped at the chance. Google set the parameters of the design: the Google logo, of course, but to be folded with origami and then decorated with examples of Yoshizawa's designs.
I created examples of two logo styles for Google to choose from: one in a classic origami style and a more three-dimensional version based on pleats. Google liked the pleated version, so I set about designing and folding the rest.
To design these [or any letterform in this style], one can take a narrow strip of paper, fold it back and forth to trace the outline of the desired letter, unfold it, mark the creases, then arrange multiple copies of the strip pattern on a larger rectangle. The resulting crease pattern is moderately complex, and it gives a lovely 3-D form when folded, but conceptually, it is quite straightforward.
If you’d like to try to create your own origami doodle at home, you can download PDFs of the crease patterns for each of the letters. Print them out and fold on the lines: red=valley fold, blue=mountain.
The butterflies in the doodle are folded from one of Yoshizawa's earliest, yet most iconic designs. It is deceptive in its simplicity, but can express great subtlety in its shaping and attitude. The combination of simplicity and depth is part of the essence of origami, and is key to Yoshizawa's work and legacy.
"Geometry alone is not enough to portray human desires, expressions, aspirations, joys. We need more." — Akira Yoshizawa, 1988
Posted by Robert J. Lang, Origami Artist
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March 14, 2010
Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente's Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Nn...Mlc9mbwWA=s660
Félix Samuel Rodríguez de la Fuente [March 14, 1928 – March 14, 1980] was a Spanish naturalist and broadcaster. He is best known for the highly successful and influential TV series, El Hombre y la Tierra [1974–1980]. A graduate in medicine and self-taught in biology, he was a multifaceted charismatic figure whose influence has endured despite the passing years.
In 1960, he became one of King Saud of Arabia's personal falconers after impressing the Saudi Government with two attractive specimens on behalf of Franco, which allowed him to become popular and produce his first documentary programme, Señores del espacio [1965]. His knowledge covered areas such as falconry and ethology, emphasizing the study of wolves. Rodríguez de la Fuente also served as expedition guide and photographer on safaris in Africa, lecturer and writer, and contributed greatly to environmental awareness in Spain at a time when Conservationism was unheard of in the country. He has thus been credited as "the father of environmentalism" in Spain. His impact was not only national but also international and it is estimated that his television programmes, which were broadcast in many countries, have been seen by millions.
He died in Alaska the day he turned 52, while shooting a documentary about the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, when the Cessna 185 aircraft carrying him along with two Spanish cameramen and the American pilot crashed, killing all on board. After his death, Spanish singing duet Enrique y Ana recorded the single “Amigo Felix” [Our Friend Felix] to pay homage to Rodriguez, the song is about all the members of the Animal Kingdom grieving his death, as a representation of his love for animals and all Nature.
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March 14, 2019
Dr. Matilde Montoya’s 160th Birthday
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Matilde Petra Montoya Lafragua was the first female physician in Mexico. Initially working as a midwife, she became one of the first women to attend and graduate Medical School, eventually earning her doctorate in 1887. Later she was a surgeon and obstetrician. Montoya played an important role in the social establishment of women's rights and the movements toward unbiased opportunities for education and occupations for women.
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October 10, 2009
Giuseppe Verdi's Birthday
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Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian opera composer. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the help of a local patron. Verdi came to dominate the Italian opera scene after the era of Gioachino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, and Vincenzo Bellini, whose works significantly influenced him.
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Oct 10, 2014
Francisco Giner de los Ríos' 175th Birthday
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Our homepage in Spain celebrates the 175th birthday of intellectual Francisco Giner de los Ríos. Once described as a Spanish Socrates, de los Ríos advocated for an independent and high quality education in his homeland. His ideas motivated him to establish the “Institución Libre de Enseñanza” [“Free Teaching Institution”], which collaborated with renowned figures like Bertrand Russell, Charles Darwin, León Tolstoi and H. G. Wells.
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March 27, 2020
Celebrating the Marinière
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Today’s animated Doodle celebrates the iconic French blue-and-white-striped shirt, the marinière [French for “sailor shirt”]. On this day in 1858, the French Navy decreed this versatile undergarment part of the official uniform of its sailors, marking the genesis of the top’s storied journey into closets around the world.
Knit tightly from wool in order to guard seafarers against the harsh elements of their maritime environment, the marinière’s initial function is well-known. However, the significance of the sweater’s striped design is still up for debate. Some stories say the horizontal stripes were designed to make it easier to spot sailors who fell overboard, while other accounts claim that each stripe was meant to represent one of Napoleon’s naval victories over the British. Regardless of its history, there is no denying that the marinière has since transformed into an unmistakable statement of style.
In the late 19th century, the marinière began its migration from navy decks to city streets with the help of French writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette. Frequently spotted at masked balls in Paris wearing the now-iconic striped shirt, Colette boldly broke conventional gender stereotypes and helped to pave the way for modern womenswear.
By the 1920s, bohemians, intellectuals, and fashionistas of the French Riviera had adopted the marinière, further cementing the jersey’s evolution from a staple of nautical life to a symbol of artistic chic.
From artists to movie stars, the marinière has earned countless iconic endorsements over the decades, respected and seen today as
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March 27, 2015
Tashiro Furukawa’s 170th Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xb...Ky5HF02Eg=s660
To celebrate Tashiro Furukawa's 170th birthday, students sign "Google" in both his original sign language, and the modern fingerspelling it evolved into.
Tashiro Furukawa was a pioneer in blind and deaf education in Japan. He was a schoolteacher whose many contributions to education included opening the Blind and Deaf School in 1878, which is still opened to students to this day.
For this doodle I wanted to focus on his accomplishments in educational field. I explored the idea of showing him in the classroom teaching or interacting with students.
One of my first thoughts was that it could be fun and engaging to animate hands signing. There were very few references online for the original sign language, but we were lucky to receive a lot of help and information from researcher Kishi Hiromi at the Kyoto Prefectural School for the Visually Impaired.
To help differentiate them, the hands showing the original signs are wearing kimonos as students originally did, and the modern signs are wearing modern uniforms. Also included are the wooden plates Furukawa created, as a tool for educating the blind.
We decided on this idea not only because it was more engaging, but because it references the history of deaf and blind education, which started about 170 years ago.
Posted by Olivia When, Doodler
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March 27, 2021
Celebrating Tawhida Ben Cheikh
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Today’s Doodle celebrates the Tunisian physician, magazine editor, and social activist Tawhida Ben Cheikh, widely credited as the first female physician in Tunisia. A feminist pioneer both in and out of the medical field, Ben Cheikh helped transform Tunisian medicine by providing women better access to contemporary healthcare. On this day in 2020, the Tunisian government issued a new 10-dinar note emblazoned with Ben Cheikh’s portrait—the world’s first ever banknote to feature a female doctor.
Tawhida Ben Cheikh was born on January 2, 1909 in Tunis, the present-day capital of Tunisia, at the time a French protectorate. Supported by her mother, in 1928 she became the first Tunisian female to graduate secondary school, but she didn’t stop there. In a break from traditional expectations of women, she went on to earn her medical degree in Paris in 1936 at the age of 27.
Upon her return to Tunis that year, Ben Cheikh made history when she opened her own free medical practice. With primary specialties in gynecology and obstetrics, she went on to become the head of the maternity department of the city’s Charles-Nicolle hospital in 1955. Then in the ‘70s, she founded Tunisia’s first family planning clinic. Ben Cheikh also contributed to numerous women’s organizations and founded Leïla, the country’s first French-language women’s magazine.
Here’s to a medical trailblazer who made huge strides for gender equality in Tunisia and beyond.
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March 21, 2019
Holi 2019
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From Bollywood films to music videos, the visual excitement of Holi has become a familiar sight: joyful revellers frolicking in the streets of India throwing handfuls of colorful powder on one another. There is a rich history behind this tradition, which is celebrated in today’s Doodle by Chennai-based artist Chaaya Prabhat.
Taking place each year, Holi is an Indian national holiday that marks the start of Spring. A time for renewal, and a reversal of the social hierarchies among ages, classes, and castes, Holi’s also known as the “festival of colors” or the “festival of love” because it marks a time for coming together and releasing old grudges. During Holi, everyone lets loose, while children are encouraged to make mischief with water balloons and squirt guns.
Festivities begin on the night before the full moon during Holika Dahan or Choti Holi, with the building of sacred bonfires. Celebrants sing and dance around the fire—some even walk across hot coals while others smear the ashes on their skin as an act of purification. Symbolizing the victory of good over evil, the fires recall the story of the demon Holika, who tried to destroy her nephew Prahlad in a fire but was burned herself.
The practice of throwing colored powder was inspired by the Hindu Lord Krishna, who loved to play pranks on the beloved gopis. After a full day of chaotic, colorful fun, everyone cleans themselves up, dresses in pure white, and pay respects to family elders and teachers, symbolically restoring order until the next Holi celebration.
Happy Holi 2019!
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September 16, 2017
Mexico National Day 2017
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Happy National Day, Mexico!
Not far from the modern metropolis of Mexico City lies another important city—one that’s at least 1,300 years old. Today’s Doodle by guest artist Luis Pinto pays tribute to the ancient city Teotihuacan, constructed between the 1st and 7th centuries. Who actually built the ancient city remains a mystery.
Visitors to Teotihuacan stand in the shadows of the towering Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, and the detailed Temple of Quetzalcoatl. At night, a spectacular light and sound show brings the pyramid carvings to life in brilliant colors. You can also view the city from above in a hot air balloon; just keep an eye out for Quetzalcoatl, the “feathered serpent” responsible for the wind.
Many Mexicans today are descendants of its indigenous people, and the country is a rich mosaic of old and new. On September 16th, people of all ancestries come together to remember the famous Grito de Dolores, or “Cry of Dolores,” that set Mexico on the path to a united country for all.
¡Viva México!
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September 16, 2020
Mexico Independence Day 2020
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Today’s Doodle,illustrated by Xalapa, Mexico-based guest artist Ina Hristova, celebrates Mexico’s Independence Day. On this day in 1810, Mexico’s decade-long struggle for independence from Spanish rule began, and the country’s sovereignty was officially recognized by Spain on August 24, 1821.
Depicted in today’s Doodle is a colorful and eclectic collection of images that represent traditional Independence Day festivities. These illustrations pay homage to an iconic Mexican folk embroidery style developed in the 1960s by the Indigenous Otomí people of Tenango de Doria in central Mexico. The shape of the Doodle artwork is inspired by the central Mexican folk sculptures called “Árboles de la Vida” [“Trees of Life”].
iFeliz Día de la Independencia, México!
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September 16, 2013
Mexico Independence Day 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riwzl6K_uns
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April 10, 2012
Lee Jung-seob's 96th Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/E9...rdWLrjii2=s660
Lee Jung Seob [April 10, 1916 in Pyeongannamdo – September 6, 1956 in Seoul] was a Korean artist, most known for his oil paintings such as "White Ox".
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September 24, 2018
Celebrating Altamira Cave
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Charging bisons, wild horses, and mysterious handprints—primeval evidence of humanity’s creative genius, miraculously well preserved after some 36,000 years. Today’s Doodle celebrates the 139th anniversary of the first discovery of cave paintings at the Altamira caves in Cantabria, northern Spain—a masterpiece of the prehistoric era.
Nicknamed “the Sistine Chapel of paleolithic art,” Altamira was discovered in 1879 by the amateur botanist and archaeologist Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola who first noticed animal bones and flint tools there. He returned his daughter Maria, who first noticed the red and black paintings covering its walls and ceiling, rendered in charcoal and hematite, depicting animals including European bison and bulls.
Early claims of the caves’ paleolithic origin were mostly dismissed as fake. Some argued that the art, which includes abstract shapes as well as depictions of wildlife, was too sophisticated for the time. Then in 1902 a French study of Altamira proved these paintings were in fact paleolithic, dating to between 14,000 and 20,000 years ago. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Altamira caves are open for public visitation.
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September 24, 2014
60th anniversary of the unveiling of the first Routemaster bus
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‘The wheels on the bus go round and round’ sings the famous nursery rhyme and in London, they've now been going round and round for over 50 years.
Much like the actual London bus, doodle Kevin Laughlin’s design evolved over time before coming full circle.
The first Routemaster buses left the depot on their maiden journeys in 1956 and with their distinctive red colour, they soon became a popular sight for Londoners and a worldwide icon.
Over the years, millions of commuters, schoolchildren, tourists and evening revellers have all used the humble bus to take them to work, school, see the sights and then take them home again after their busy days.
While the London bus has evolved over the years, the reliability of the service and Londoners' love of it remain the same. Those wheels will carry on going round and round for many years to come.
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September 24, 2020
Arati Saha's 80th Birthday
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Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Kolkata native and guest artist Lavanya Naidu, celebrates the 80th birthday of the trailblazing Indian swimmer Arati Saha. On September 29, 1959, Saha covered a breathtaking 42 miles from Cape Gris Nez, France to Sandgate, England [[a route depicted in today’s Doodle) to become the first Asian woman to swim across the English Channel—a feat considered the swimming equivalent of climbing Mount Everest.
Arati Saha was born on this day in 1940 in Calcutta, British India [Kolkata, India]. At four years old, she learned to swim on the banks of the Hooghly River, and her precocious skill in the water soon attracted the mentorship of one of India’s top competitive swimmers, Sachin Nag. Under Nag’s wing, Saha won her first swimming gold medal when she was only five, and it was certainly not her last.
A record-setting prodigy by just 11 years old, Saha became the youngest member [and one of only four women] on the first team to represent the newly independent India in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. At the age of 18, Saha made her first attempt to cross the English Channel, and though it was unsuccessful, she never gave up. Just over a month later, she conquered miles of churning waves and currents to complete the journey, a historic victory for women across India.
In honor of her enduring achievements, Saha became the first-ever female recipient of India’s Padma Shri award in 1960.
Happy birthday, Arati Saha, and thank you for channeling your passion to inspire women everywhere!
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April 26, 2017
Cassini Spacecraft Dives Between Saturn and its Rings!
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Saturn, get ready for your close-up! Today the Cassini spacecraft starts a series of swoops between Saturn and its rings. These cosmic acrobatics are part of Cassini's dramatic "Grand Finale," a set of orbits offering Earthlings an unprecedented look at the second largest planet in our solar system.
By plunging into this fascinating frontier, Cassini will help scientists learn more about the origins, mass, and age of Saturn's rings, as well as the mysteries of the gas giant's interior. And of course there will be breathtaking additions to Cassini's already stunning photo gallery. Cassini recently revealed some secrets of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus -- including conditions friendly to life! Who knows what marvels this hardy explorer will uncover in the final chapter of its mission?
Cassini is a joint endeavor of NASA, the European Space Agency [ESA], and the Italian space agency [ASI]. The spacecraft began its 2.2 billion–mile journey 20 years ago and has been hanging out with Saturn since 2004. Later this year, Cassini will say goodbye and become part of Saturn when it crashes through the planet’s atmosphere. But first, it has some spectacular sightseeing to do!
NASA's Grand Finale toolkit lets you dive into the gap right along with Cassini. Enjoy the show!
Doodle by Nate Swinehart
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April 26, 2021
Thank You: Public health workers and researchers in the scientific community
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To all the public health workers and to researchers in the scientific community, thank you.
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April 26, 2011
226th Birthday of John James Audubon
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John James Audubon was a rare breed. Equally gifted in scientific observation and in painting, he contributed a great deal to the field of ornithology when, in 1827, he began publishing his seminal book of plate illustrations, "Birds of America." This folio contained over 400 approximately three-feet-tall prints made from Audubon's original gouache and watercolor paintings.
Audubon had a meticulous attention to detail, and catalogued his subjects so faithfully that he contributed to the discovery of 25 new species of bird. For this doodle, we wanted to honor Audubon by using his original work, so we collaborated with the Google Books team – who, in their quest to catalogue the world's books, already had high-quality high-resolution scans of "Birds of America." We composited those original images to make this doodle. You can read more about Audubon, and "Birds of America," over at the Google Books blog.
Posted by Sophia Foster-Dimino