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December 1, 2017
Romania National Day 2017
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...4204160-2x.png
Romania observes December 1st as Unification Day or Great Union Day. It was on this day in 1918 that representatives from Transylvania, Banat, Crişana, and Maramureş came together in Alba Iulia to merge with the Romanian kingdom under Ferdinand I. Military parades and cultural celebrations commemorate the occasion.
Today’s Doodle by Romanian illustrator Aitch depicts the country’s rich heritage against the backdrop of a traditional Romanian rug. In it, you can spot national emblems such as the lynx, the hip rose, and the oak. You’ll also find references to deer, mountains, and forests, symbolizing Romania's vibrant landscapes and abundant resources. The country is also famous for its traditional pottery [present on the "L"], such as the red ceramics of Horezu or the burnt clay artifacts from Marginea.
Finally, the moon is an integral aspect of Romanian folklore and ballads. In the Doodle, the sun and moon appear as well as a traditionally dressed couple reaching out for a kiss.
Happy National Day, Romania!
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December 1, 2014
First Day of Summer 2014 [Australia]
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Aq...FsZHjUmV8=s660
Illustrated by guest artist, Eleanor Davis
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Mar 16, 2018
Dr. Esther Park’s 142nd Birthday
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A century ago in Korea, it was considered improper for female patients to be examined by male doctors; as a result, women did not have access to proper medical care. That changed with the arrival of Dr. Esther Park, the first female doctor of Western medicine in Korea.
Park was born into a poor family as the youngest of four daughters in 1879, in Jeong-dong, Seoul. She was a gifted student at Ewha School, the first modern school for Korean women, particularly in English studies. As a result, she was introduced as an interpreter to an American doctor, Rosetta Sherwood Hall, involved in medical service missions in Korea. Although not initially interested in medicine, she became inspired after observing Hall flawlessly operate on a patient with a harelip.
After moving to Liberty, New York to study English, Park enrolled at a nursing school for one year, and in 1896, entered the Baltimore Women’s Medical School, the forerunner of Johns Hopkins Medical School. She became the first Korean woman to graduate from BWMS and receive a doctor’s degree.
Returning to Korea, Park began caring for female patients at Bogu Yeogwan, Korea’s first hospital for women. She would travel across Hwanghae and Pyongan Provinces to provide free care to women, caring for an average of over 5,000 patients per year for 10 years!
For her service, Dr. Park received a silver medal from Emperor Gojong. In 2006, she was also honored at the Korea Science and Technology Hall of Fame.
Today, we celebrate Dr. Park’s 142nd birthday for her trailblazing contribution to medicine and women’s empowerment.
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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.
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November 18, 2017
Pedro Infante’s 100th Birthday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQBYYeYs2vo
What’s in a name? If nicknames count, the answers are infinite for beloved Mexican singer and actor Pedro Infante. Often compared to Frank Sinatra, Humphrey Bogart, and Elvis Presley, the artist’s monikers — from "El Rey de Rancheras" to "El ídolo de Guamúchil" to "El Inmortal" — illustrate his myriad talents and enduring charm.
Born in 1917 in the fishing town of Mazatlán, Infante apprenticed to a carpenter and learned music from his father. Though deft at many instruments [he even crafted his own guitar], his voice was his most exceptional talent. As part of his father’s band, “La Rabia” in his teenage days, Infante experimented with the style that made him most famous. Mixing feeling with technique, his soulful croon forever changed the way the mariachi was sung and he helped popularize the genre around the world.
But singing was just the first act in Infante’s story. In 1943 he starred in "La Feria de las Flores," and also created his first musical record, "El Soldado Raso." This marked the beginning of a 14 year career in which Infante acted in nearly 60 films and recorded 366 songs, becoming one of the most prominent and loved figures in "La época de Oro del Cine Mexicano" [the Golden Era of Mexican cinema].
As today’s Doodle shows, Infante’s passions went beyond stage and screen, though they often appeared intertwined. An avid boxer off-camera, Infante stepped into the ring for 1953’s "Pepe El Toro," one of his most iconic roles. In "A Toda Máquina," Infante played the part of a motorcycle cop, dignifying the profession and immortalizing high-speed “acrobacias” — a sequence of dizzying, two-wheeled pirouettes that are still performed in many of Mexico’s parades and civil events today.
Infante was posthumously awarded a Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival for his performance in "Tizoc," his last film. Today we celebrate what would have been the artist’s 100th birthday with scenes illustrating the vibrant parallels between his life and work — all beginning with a classic Infante pose.
Be sure to check out Pedro Infante’s new exhibit on Google Arts & Culture to learn more about his life and works, courtesy of Cineteca Nacional in Mexico. Also en español.
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November 18, 2009
Father Frost's Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OL...zAnFVxyi_=s660
The origin of Ded Moroz, sometimes known as “Grandfather Frost” or “Father Frost”, can be traced to Slavic mythology which predates Christianity. According to these myths, Frost or Morozko was known as a snow demon for some, and “a powerful hero and smith who chains water with his “iron” frosts,” to others.
Ded Moroz or Father Frost, the Slavic version of Santa Claus, long ago became the symbol of Russian winter, New Year's and presents. He is usually accompanied by his granddaughter Snegurochka riding with an evergreen tree in a traditional Russian troika, a sleigh drawn by three horses abreast.
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November 18, 2017
Morocco Independence Day 2017
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...0875264-2x.png
Happy Independence Day, Morocco!
Today’s Doodle features the outstanding architecture of Ksar Aït-Ben-Haddou — a historic fortified village in the passage between the Sahara Desert and the city of Marrakech that is surrounded by traditional earthen wall defences.
The Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors can glimpse the ancient culture of southern Morocco as they visit local souks or tour a few remaining homes inside the walls. If this impressive site looks familiar, it may be because the Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou has been featured on many popular television shows and movies in the past few decades!
In celebration of the holiday, you’ll find Moroccan flags flying along streets across the country. Red and green will adorn homes and sidewalks across bustling cities and little villages as everyone proudly celebrates Morocco’s past and future.
Doodle by Cynthia Yuan Cheng
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November 18, 2019
Morocco Independence Day 2019
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Today’s Doodle celebrates Morocco’s Independence Day, known in the North African nation as Eid Al Istiqlal, literally the “Festival of freedom.” On this day in 1955, Sultan Muhammad V gave a triumphant speech in the capital city of Rabat announcing the end of Spanish and French colonial rule, just two days after he and the entire royal family returned from exile.
November 18th was already a significant date, marking the occasion of Muhammad V being named a Sultan of Morocco in 1927, long before his arrest by French forces in 1953. Upon his return, Muhammad V wasted no time negotiating full independence from European colonial rule and eventually reigned as King, ushering in reforms and shaping a modern constitutional monarchy. He was succeeded by his son King Hassan II, who had also spent time in exile with his father, and declared November 18th a national holiday.
From Tangier in the north all the way down to Tarfaya in the south, the red flag with a green star in the center can be seen flying all over Morocco on this day. Rather than parades and fireworks, Morocco’s Independence Day is a time for proud reflection on the contributions of those who have shaped the country’s past and paved the way for a better future.
Happy Independence Day, Morocco!
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April 3, 2018
John Harrison’s 325th Birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...4686976-2x.jpg
It’s been said that necessity is the mother of invention, and without a doubt, British horologist John Harrison brought that age-old proverb to life.
Born on this day in 1693, in Foulby, Yorkshire, England, Harrison was a self-educated clockmaker and carpenter who came to the rescue of countless sailors by creating the first marine chronometer to calculate longitude at sea.
Seeking to remedy naval disasters, the British government created the Board of Longitude in 1714, which offered a reward of £20,000 to anyone who could devise a navigational instrument that could find the longitude within 30 miles of a sea voyage.
Harrison took on the challenge. He set to work on his chronometer in 1728 and completed it in 1735, following up this feat with three watches that were even smaller and more on the money than his first.
Harrison’s extraordinary invention brought him much acclaim. Thanks to him, seamen could determine not only gauge latitude but longitude, making their excursions far safer.
Our colorful Doodle shows the inventor hard at work, surrounded by the tools of his trade. Today, time is on his side.
Happy 325th birthday, John Harrison!
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September 16, 2019
Chrisye’s 70th Birthday
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Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Yogyakarta-based guest artist Antares Hasanbasri, celebrates the progressive Indonesian pop singer and songwriter, Chrisye. Born Chrismansyah Rahadi in Jakarta on this day in 1949, Chrisye won many awards in his 40-year career and is widely considered one of the greatest Indonesian musicians of all time.
Chrisye’s parents had hoped he’d become an engineer. To their surprise, he fell in love with music early, starting a band with his brother Joris and later playing bass with his neighbors, eventually forming a band named Gipsy. Chrisye’s early recordings with Gipsy, as well as a number of other solo albums, solidified his place as one of Indonesia’s most popular recording artists.
Gipsy’s breakthrough occurred when they collaborated with Guruh Sukarnoputra in 1976 through the album Guruh Gipsy, blending contemporary rock and traditional music of Java and Bali, in a style called called gamelan.
A 1977 film soundtrack, Badai Pasti Berlalu [The Storm Will Surely Pass], birthed two of his most critically acclaimed works, including "Lilin-Lilin Kecil" [“Little Candles”] written by James F. Sundah. His smooth vocals on the song, emanating hope from an older generation, made the uplifting memorial song a favorite—and was also what inspired the art in today’s Doodle. The success of the soundtrack album led to a solo career with Chrisye’s first solo project, Sabda Alam, in 1978.
Chrisye appeared in the 1980 film Seindah Rembulan [As Beautiful As the Moon] and eventually married Yanti, former singer born G.F. Damayanti Noor, raising four children. He won numerous accolades, including Anugerah Musik Indonesia awards for Best Male Pop Singer and Best Album.
“Semangat bermusik saya tidak akan pernah mati,” Chrisye once wrote. “My musical spirit will never die.”
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September 16, 2021
Lo Man-fei's 66th Birthday
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Today’s Google Doodle celebrates the 66th birthday of Taiwanese dancer, choreographer, and teacher Lo Man-fei, a lifelong advocate for the development of Taiwanese dancers and performance art.
Lo Man-fei was born on this day in 1955 in Taipei City, Taiwan and took her first steps toward a career in dance at 5 years old. In college, her unique talent was fostered by some of Taiwan’s leading choreographers, including Lin Hwai-min, the founder of one of the nation’s most acclaimed dance troupes—Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan. She graduated from National Taiwan University with a degree in English literature and moved to the U.S. in 1978 to study with the Martha Graham Dance Company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and the José Limón Dance Company. However, she decided to return to Taiwan to join Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan. In 1979, Lo formally joined Cloud Gate—an acceptance she attributed in part to the skills passed down to her from masters such as Lin.
With a repertoire utilizing techniques from ballet, modern dance, and traditional Chinese dance, she toured the world with Cloud Gate until 1982, capturing a blend of these styles with what she referred to as her own “vocabulary” of movements. Lo worked on Broadway in the early 1980s and in 1985, earned a master’s degree in dance at New York University before returning to Taiwan. She then rejoined Cloud Gate, choreographed original performances, and nurtured a new generation of dancers as a professor at the National Institute for the Arts [now the Taipei National University of the Arts].
In 1999, Cloud Gate 2, an evolution of Taiwan’s renowned troupe, appointed Lo as its artistic director and Cloud Gate later established a scholarship in her honor. She is best known today for her solo performance in “Requiem,” a 10-minute, non-stop spinning routine choreographed specifically for her by none other than Lin Hwai-min himself.
Happy Birthday to Lo Man-fei, who always put her best foot forward!
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September 16, 2016
Mexico National Day 2016
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...704.2-hp2x.jpg
From the greens of the ahuejote to the browns and golds of the axolotl, the canals of Xochimilco are known for their cast of colorful flora and fauna. None are quite so colorful as the trajineras, handpainted canoes that carry tourists all around the World Heritage Site via the canals.
These canals used to connect Xochimilco to the heart of Mexico City, where the trajineras were used to transport goods back and forth. Today, tourists floating in the these vibrant boats can flag down food vendors or listen to the upbeat melodies of mariachis while they enjoy the natural beauty around them.
Today’s Doodle depicts a trajinera of Xochimilco, a reminder of the colorful traditions that make Mexican culture so unique.
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September 16, 2015
Mexico National Day 2015
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...82784-hp2x.jpg
On September 16th, 1810, at the heels of revolutionary leader Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Mexico declared herself a free state and began its eleven-year struggle for independence. To celebrate the centennial of this moment in Mexican history, a team of artists and engineers erected the gold victory column that juts into the sky above Mexico City and finds itself at the center of today’s Doodle. The statue--a rendering of Nike, the Winged Goddess of Victory--holds a severed chain in her left hand and sits atop a mausoleum in which the remains of Mexico’s most cherished revolutionary figures are entombed.
Today, guest artist Ana Ramirez celebrates El Ángel with a burst of color befitting the fervor and exuberance of Miguel Hidalgo’s centuries-old Grito de Dolores. ¡Viva México!
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September 16, 2016
50th anniversary of the 1st play with Jara Cimrman
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Little is known of Jára Cimrman's childhood, but we know everything about this beloved fictional character’s many inventions, awards, and artistic achievements. Created by Zdeněk Svěrák, Ladislav Smoljak, and Jiří Šebánek, Cimrman has done it all [or so he would have you believe], from influencing the plans for the Panama Canal and the Eiffel Tower, to pre-inventing the telephone and the lightbulb, to exploring [near] the North Pole.
Although the character of Jára Cimrman was created for the radio show Nealkoholická vinárna U Pavouka, Cimrman won his way into the hearts of listeners and onto a bigger stage. Shortly after, he started appearing in plays at his very own Jára Cimrman Theatre. Since bursting onto the scene in 1966, he has continued to capture imaginations across the Czech Republic, even being voted The Greatest Czech in 2005.
Today we celebrate the 50 year anniversary of the creation of Jára Cimrman by highlighting a few of his ingenious inventions, such as the broom that's made for sweeping corners and the handled cane for easy carrying. Here's to you, Jára Cimrman, and to many more years adventures!
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September 16, 2014
Mexico Independence Day 2014
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FL...XfO7byefI=s660
There’s no dish that has more pride than “chiles en nogada.” These green chiles are stuffed with picadillo, covered in a white walnut cream and topped with red pomegranate seeds, dressing the meal in the colors of the Mexican flag. Happy Independence Day to Mexico!
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September 16, 2014
40th anniversary of the first broadcast of Casimir
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/t9...TEULaiGST=s660
The spotlight is on Casimir the Dinosaur on our homepage in France today. Casimir starred in the famous French cartoon “l'Île aux enfants” [“The Children’s Show”], which first aired 40 years ago today.
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October 16, 2017
Olaudah Equiano’s 272nd Birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...9246976-2x.jpg
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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October 16, 2010
Oscar Wilde's 156th Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uf...e3EC3pcj_=s660
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde [16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900] was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is best remembered for his epigrams and plays, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, and the circumstances of his criminal conviction for gross indecency for consensual homosexual acts in "one of the first celebrity trials", imprisonment, and early death from meningitis at age 46.
In 2017, Wilde was among an estimated 50,000 men who were pardoned for homosexual acts that were no longer considered offences under the Policing and Crime Act 2017 [homosexuality was decriminalised in England and Wales in 1967]. The 2017 Act implements what is known informally as the Alan Turing law.
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Oct 24, 2010
Menino Maluquinho's Birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/2010/maluquinho10-hp.jpg
O Menino Maluquinho [The Nutty Boy] is a comic book and comic strip series created by Brazilian writer and cartoonist Ziraldo. It was based on the eponymous children's book published in 1980 which for many years was regarded as a classic of children's literature in Brazil, getting spun off into movies, plays and TV series. The comic books were published by Abril and Globo from 1989 until 2007. It was Ziraldo's second series of comic books, after "Turma do Pererê".
The main character, "Maluquinho" is a cheerful and optimistic 10-year-old boy who wears a pan on his head like a hat. [his trademark] Most of the stories revolve around the misadventures of Maluquinho and his friends with a light humour.
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November 13, 2015
Dorothea Christiane Erxleben's 300th Birthday
https://www.google.com/logos/doodles...800.2-hp2x.jpg
Throughout her life, Dorothea Christiane Erxleben advocated for women's rights and maintained the unwavering conviction that women should be allowed to—and ought to—pursue an education. After receiving a dispensation from Frederick the Great, Erxleben earned her M.D. from University of Halle in 1754, the first woman in Germany’s history to do so!
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October 10, 2017
Clare Hollingworth’s 106th Birthday
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Today’s Doodle offers a glimpse into the mind of one of the world’s most inspirational and pioneering journalists, Clare Hollingworth — a woman so keen for adventure, she kept her passport within an arm’s length at all times, just in case.
Just one week after joining The Telegraph, Clare showed the world why she was called “the doyenne of war correspondents.” Venturing alone across the Germany-Poland border, she was the first to scoop the start of World War II after a windy day blew apart hessian screens, revealing a mass of German troops preparing to invade.
Daring in her approach, Hollingworth often said she was happiest roaming the world, traveling light, and ready for danger. This spirit led her reporting across the world, from working with Jewish refugees in Poland, to covering the Greek and Algerian civil wars, to being the first person to interview Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the shah of Iran.
Though much of her early work was not officially attributed to her, Hollingworth’s experience and bold career path led her to win Woman Journalist of the Year, James Cameron Award for Journalism, and a lifetime achievement award from What The Papers Say.
In commemoration of the gust of wind that led to her first scoop in 1939, we’re blowing out the candles for what would be Clare’s 106th birthday.
Guest artist Doodle created by Eleni Kalorkoti.
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October 10, 2014
R. K. Narayan's 108th Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4I...zXrA3OFXM=s660
Who’s the man behind the book on our doodle in India? It’s Malgudi’s native son, famed Indian writer R. K. Narayan. Narayan is a well known pioneer of early Indian literature and set most of his stories in the fictional town of Malgudi. Happy 108th birthday to R. K. Narayan!
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October 10, 2021
Celebrating Una Marson
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Today’s Doodle, illustrated by UK-based guest artist Sarah Madden, celebrates one of Jamaica’s most influential feminist thinkers—the writer, advocate, and broadcaster Una Marson. Marson was the first Black woman to be employed as a radio producer at the BBC, where she recorded several significant interviews including one with swing band icon Ken “Snakehips” Johnson, which took place on this day in 1940.
Una Marson was born on February 6, 1905, in Santa Cruz, Jamaica. Marson became Jamaica’s first woman magazine publisher and editor in 1928 when she established “The Cosmopolitan”—a publication focused on gender issues and social injustice. The inspiration she drew from London’s political and literary climate led her to move to the city in 1933. Shocked by the racism she encountered, she started fighting for equal rights alongside fellow Caribbean immigrant Dr. Harold Moody, the founder of civil rights group The League of Coloured Peoples.
Marson returned home in 1936 to cultivate a new generation of Jamaican writers. While writing her own poetry and plays—which she often self-financed—she founded Jamaica’s Save the Children Fund. After relocating again to England in 1938, she took a position at the BBC, where she worked with George Orwell, read her poetry alongside T.S. Eliot, and produced the popular weekly program “Calling the West Indies.” First broadcast in 1943, it featured poems and short stories by Caribbean authors, giving an international platform and voice to writers such as Samuel Selvon. It also publicized both a woman's perspective to the largely male-dominated Black Internationalist Movement and a culturally relevant voice to Britain's growing Caribbean community.
Marson’s literary contributions are not widely known, and even less is known of her later life. However, it was her writing and poetry that influenced the broadcasting she is best known for, and has broadened her legacy for future generations to discover. In 2009, her achievements were celebrated with an installation of a Blue Plaque—which honors individuals who have had great impacts on their community and beyond—at her former home in London’s Brunswick Park.
Here’s to a cultural groundbreaker—thank you Una Marson!
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October 10, 2011
Fridtjof Nansen's 150th Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/V1...kY9AlHDoh=s660
Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen was a Norwegian polymath and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He gained prominence at various points in his life as an explorer, scientist, diplomat and humanitarian. He led the team that made the first crossing of the Greenland interior in 1888, traversing the island on cross-country skis. He won international fame after reaching a record northern latitude of 86°14′ during his Fram expedition of 1893—1896. Although he retired from exploration after his return to Norway, his techniques of polar travel and his innovations in equipment and clothing influenced a generation of subsequent Arctic and Antarctic expeditions.
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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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October 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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October 10, 2016
50th Anniversary of Health and Sports Day
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On Japan’s annual Health and Sports Day, everyone wins! That spirit inspired today’s Doodle, which shows Google-hued characters of all ages crossing the finish line together. First celebrated 50 years ago today, the holiday commemorates the opening of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Since the occasion is all about promoting an active lifestyle, Japanese people both young and old celebrate by going for the gold. Many schools host field days that resemble mini Olympics, featuring events like the relay, long jump, and shot put, along with obstacle courses and tug of war.
For decades, Health and Sports Day was held on October 10th, but it was officially moved to the second Monday in October back in 2000. This year, the holiday happens to fall on its original date — just in time for its 50th birthday.
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Oct 14, 2016
Celebrating Mary Seacole
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Today we celebrate Mary Seacole, the Jamaican/Scottish nurse widely known to the British Army as “Mother Seacole.” She learned the ways of herbal medicine from her mother, a “doctress” well-versed in traditional Caribbean and African herbal remedies. Despite the challenges she faced as a woman of mixed race in the 1850s, she began experimenting with medicine under her mother’s guidance at one of the best facilities in Kingston, Jamaica. She moved to Gorgona, where she briefly ran a women’s-only hotel before she set off on a journey that would cement her place in history.
When the Crimean War broke out, Mary’s application to assist was refused despite her nursing experience. Determined to help, she used her own limited resources to travel and set up a hotel behind the lines in Crimea. Here, she tirelessly tended to the curing and comforting of wounded soldiers coming off the battlefield and people from all walks in need: “The grateful words and smiles which rewarded me for binding up a wound or giving a cooling drink was a pleasure worth risking life for at any time.”
Here’s to Mary’s legacy as an empowered healer and humanitarian, which will continue to live on and inspire.
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Oct 19, 2016
Kamma Rahbek’s 241st birthday
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In Kamma Rahbek's famous salons, the great minds of the Danish Golden Age gathered to discuss and share poetry. Some of Denmark's most celebrated Romantic poets frequented these salons, including Bernhard Severin Ingemann, Adam Oehlenschläger, and Hans Christian Andersen. Here, they encouraged each other in developing works around the history of Denmark and its relationship to nature and the human experience. Rahbek also carried on a rich written correspondence with the great writers and philosophers of the time, including the historian and author Christian Molbech as well as the bishop Jacob Peter Mynster.
Though Rahbek grew up when few women had access to education, she studied a multitude of subjects, from botany to astronomy to languages. This cultivated a deep intellectual curiosity that led her to host the salons and later, cemented her position at the center of Copenhagen's literary circle.
Today's Doodle celebrates Rahbek's 241st birthday and her famous salons, by portraying her in her most beloved setting: at a desk in her parlor, surrounded by good company, and stimulating conversation.
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October 19, 2013
Vinicius de Moraes's 100th Birthday
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/F_...nqDc926ew=s660
Marcus Vinícius da Cruz e Mello Moraes, also known as Vinícius de Moraes and nicknamed O Poetinha ["The little poet"], was a Brazilian poet, lyricist, essayist, and playwright. Along with frequent collaborator Antônio Carlos Jobim, his lyrics and compositions were part of the birth of bossa nova music. He recorded several albums and also served as a diplomat.
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Oct 26, 2016
Austria National Day 2016
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On October 26th of each year, Austrians come together to celebrate their National Day. Its origins stretch back to post-World War II Austria, when allied forces occupied the country. After negotiations, the Austrian State Treaty was signed in 1955 and the troops moved out in the Autumn, leaving the country as an independent state.
National day celebrations in Vienna take place in Heldenplatz public square and gardens, overlooked by the Austrian Parliament building and the imperial Hofburg Palace. Many of the city’s most popular museums also offer free or cut-price admission in honor of the day.
Today’s Doodle features an image of Austria’s highest mountain, the iconic, black rock Großglockner in the High Tauern National Park. The area is home to eagles and rare butterflies, and features dramatic waterfalls and glaciers.
Happy National Day, Austria!
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Dec 28, 2012
Leonardo Torres Quevedo's 160th Birthday
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Leonardo Torres y Quevedo was a Spanish civil engineer and mathematician of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Pioneer in the development of the radio control and automated calculation machines, inventor of the automatic chess, and designer of the three-lobed non-rigid Astra-Torres airship and the Whirlpool Aero Car over the Niagara Falls. With his Telekine, Torres-Quevedo created wireless remote-control operation principles. He was also a famous speaker of Esperanto.
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Jan 17, 2013
Cecilia May Gibbs' 136th Birthday
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Cecilia May Gibbs was an Australian children's author, illustrator, and cartoonist. She is best known for her gumnut babies [also known as "bush babies" or "bush fairies"], and the book Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.
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January 17, 2019
Abdul Hafeez Kardar’s 94th Birthday
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Today’s Doodle celebrates international cricketer Abdul Hafeez Kardar, affectionately known as “The Skipper.” One of the few players to have played Test cricket for both India and Pakistan, Kardar captained Pakistan’s first Test team and is widely remembered as the father of Pakistani cricket.
Born in Lahore, Punjab on this day in 1925 to a prominent cricket-playing family, Kardar was educated at Islamia College and traveled to England to represent India in Test play. A left-handed batsman and slow left-arm orthodox bowler, he went on to play for Oxford and Warwickshire County Cricket Club where he was coached by the esteemed New Zealand cricketer Martin Donnelly.
Following Pakistan’s partition from India in 1947, Kardar joined the Pakistani team and campaigned for the country to earn full Test status, which was finally granted in 1952. In 23 matches as their captain, Kardar led Pakistan to at least one victory over each of the Test teams they ever faced, including powerhouses such as Australia, India, New Zealand, and the West Indies. On his last tour in 1957, he ignored doctor’s orders and played against the West Indies with a broken finger, bowling 37 overs and scoring 57 during the match.
A fierce competitor on and off the field, Kardar was deeply engaged in the organization of Pakistani cricket, an early advocate of neutral umpires, and a passionate protester against political interference in the administration. In recognition of his contributions to Pakistani cricket, Kardar received the Pride of Performance Award from the Government of Pakistan in 1958.
Happy Birthday to The Skipper!
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Jan 20, 2019
Manlee Kongprapad’s 136th Birthday
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Dance has a rich history in Thailand, dating back more than 500 years. Over the centuries, royal courts have been important patrons of classical dance, one of the region’s most celebrated art forms, which incorporates theatrical elements to interpret epic tales of history and culture.
Today’s Doodle celebrates Thai dancer Manlee Kongprapad, born in Bangkok’s Yai District on this day in 1885, who fell in love with dance at an early age and overcame a humble upbringing to distinguish herself within royal circles as a renowned performer and later as a teacher.
Kongprapad was raised by a single mother who worked in a palace kitchen. Her mother’s job gave her the opportunity to watch royal dance performances, the young Kongprapad quickly became enchanted by the dancers’ ornate costumes and graceful movements. She was so captivated that she briefly ran away from her mother to practice the choreography. Receiving training from masters of the ancient art form, she became so proficient that she was recognized as a favorite of the court—even inventing some of her own moves that are still practiced to this day.
Kongprapad would eventually become a part of the first generation of teachers to provide formal dance training at Thailand’s first School of Drama and Musicology, which was founded in 1934 and later renamed the College of Dramatic Arts. In doing so, she helped preserve the rich cultural tradition that had changed her life, opening up similar opportunities for future generations of dancers.
Happy birthday, Manlee Kongprapad!
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Jan 26, 2019
Australia Day 2019
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Today’s Doodle celebrates the natural beauty of the Fitzgerald River National Park, located on Western Australia’s rugged south coast. The land around the coastal hills known as “the Barrens” is teeming with life. Stretching across the Shires of Ravensthorpe and the Jerramungup, the park protects one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.
More than 1,800 species of plants live in the park—75 of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The park is also home to 184 bird species, 41 reptile species, 12 frog species, and 22 mammal species, including the adorable honey possum featured in today’s Doodle. These mouse-sized marsupials, also known as “Noolbenger,” have prehensile tails longer than their bodies, pointed snouts, and long tongues covered with bristles to help them drink nectar from native flowers like the Banksia. Tiny but thirsty, one honey possum can drink up to 7 milliliters of nectar per day—roughly equivalent to a human drinking 50 liters of soda! They also help the plants reproduce by spreading pollen as they feast.
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Jan 31, 2015
Concepción Arenal’s 195th Birthday
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Spanish activist and writer Concepción Arenal once said, “Open schools and prisons will be closed.” A staunch advocate for women’s rights and devoted to helping those marginalized in society, Arenal is remembered in Spain as a pioneer of the feminist movement and for being the first women to attend a university in her homeland.
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October 3, 2021
Dr. María de los Ángeles Alvariño González's 105th Birthday
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Today’s Doodle celebrates the 105th birthday of Spanish-American professor and marine research biologist Dr. María de los Ángeles Alvariño González, who is widely regarded as one of the most important Spanish scientists of all time.
María de los Ángeles Alvariño González was born on this day in 1916 in Serantes, a small coastal town in northern Spain’s Galician coast. Ángeles Alvariño’s love of natural history began with her father’s library and deepened as she pursued coastline oceanography research. Although the Spanish Institute of Oceanography [IEO] only accepted men at the time, Ángeles Alvariño’s university work impressed the organization that they appointed her as a marine biologist in 1952.
At IEO’s Vigo Oceanographic Center, she began her pioneering research on zooplankton, tiny organisms that serve as the foundation of the oceanic food chain and identified some species to be the best indicators of ocean health. In 1953, the British Council awarded Ángeles Alvariño a fellowship that resulted in her becoming the first woman to work as a scientist aboard a British research vessel. Following several expeditions, she furthered her studies in the U.S., where she retired as one of the world’s most prestigious marine biologists in 1987.
In addition to Ángeles Alvariño’s rigorous research, including the discovery of 22 new species of zooplankton and the publication of over 100 scientific papers, she held professorships in Brazil, the U.S., and Mexico. Today, Ángeles Alvariño is the only Spanish scientist of 1,000 in the “Encyclopedia of World Scientists,” and a modern research vessel in IEO’s fleet bears her name.
Happy birthday, Dr. María de los Ángeles Alvariño González!
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October 3, 2009
Moon Festival / Mid-Autumn Festival 2009
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The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a traditional festival celebrated in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and Vietnam, as well as by overseas Chinese and Vietnamese communities. Similar holidays are celebrated in Japan [Tsukimi], Korea [Chuseok], and throughout Southeast Asia.