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23 Sept 2017
Asima Chatterjee's 100th Birthday
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When Dr. Asima Chatterjee was growing up in Calcutta in the 1920s and 1930s, it was almost unheard of for a woman to study chemistry. But that didn't stop Chatterjee: she not only completed her undergraduate degree in organic chemistry, but she also went on to receive a Doctorate of Science — the first woman to do so in India!
Dr. Chatterjee primarily studied the medicinal properties of plants native to India. Throughout her career, her research contributed to the development of drugs that treated epilepsy and malaria. Dr. Chatterjee's most noted contribution to the field, however, was her work on vinca alkaloids. Alkaloids are compounds made from plants, often to treat medical ailments. Vinca alkaloids, which come from the Madagascar periwinkle plant, are used today in chemotherapy treatment because they help slow down or stall the multiplying of cancer cells.
Dr. Chatterjee's groundbreaking contributions to medicine were recognized by universities all over the world. She received numerous accolades from the Indian government, including some of the highest awards [like the Padma Bhushan] and an appointment to the upper house of Parliament!
A firm believer in collaboration and teaching, Dr. Chatterjee also founded and led the department of chemistry at Lady Brabourne College. She started a research institute and mentored many of India's rising chemistry scholars.
Today's Doodle pays homage to this trailblazer and her great accomplishments in the name of science.
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26 Sept 2017
Gloria E. Anzaldúa’s 75th Birthday
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For writer and scholar Gloria E. Anzaldúa, a border wasn't just a line on a map: it was a state of mind and a viewpoint on life. Born on this date in 1942 in the Rio Grande Valley, Anzaldúa possessed an astounding gift for transforming dividing lines into unifying visions.
Growing up on ranches and farms in Texas-Mexico border towns, Anzaldúa developed a profound appreciation for the earth and its riches. She fell in love with art and writing as a way to capture the magic of the landscape around her. She also faced racism and isolation, but that didn't stop her from becoming a stellar scholar. After graduating from Pan American University in 1969, Anzaldúa taught migrant students, traveling with them to serve as a liaison with school boards.
She realized early on that she lived in many worlds at once: she was both American and Mexican, both native and foreigner. "It's not a comfortable territory to live in, this place of contradictions," Anzaldúa noted. She understood that the way forward was not to choose a side, but to embrace a third place — a land of both, not either/or.
Anzaldúa mapped this new frontier with her pen. Her most famous work, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, alternates between English and Spanish and includes a variety of forms — from poem to prose, from critique to confessional. This striking mix of voices and perspectives earned Borderlands a place on Literary Journal's list of best books of 1987.
In 1977, she moved to California, where her writing soon became known in academic circles. Her theories had impact across disciplines, including Chicano/a Studies, Women's Studies, LGBT Studies, and Postcolonial Studies. She was awarded a posthumous Ph.D. in literature by the University of California Santa Cruz.
Today's Doodle celebrates Anzaldúa's ability to live across borders, whether geographical, social, or philosophical.
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27 Sept 2017
Google's 19th Birthday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0nfkAUBkto
They say life is full of surprises, and Google’s history is chock-full of them. In fact, we wouldn’t be here without them.
In 1997, one of Google’s co-founders, Larry Page, had just arrived at Stanford University to pursue his P.h.D in computer science. Of all the students on campus, Google’s other co-founder, Sergey Brin, was randomly assigned to show Page around. This chance encounter was the happy surprise that started it all.
From there, the two came together with a common goal in mind: to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful, a mantra that would go on to become Google’s mission statement. The two hunkered down in a garage - Google’s first office - and got to work.
Billions of searches later, perhaps the happiest happenstance has been how Google has grown throughout the past 19 years. Named for the number “googol” [a 1 followed by one hundred zeroes], Google inches closer to its namesake each year, currently serving more than 4.5 billion users in 160 countries speaking 123 languages worldwide.
Upon clicking today's Doodle, we invite you to explore 19 surprises we've launched over the past 19 years - including our brand new Search easter egg: Snake Game! So give it a spin and thanks for celebrating with us!
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Oct 3, 2017
Gerardo Murillo's [Dr. Atl] 142nd Birthday
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Today's Doodle celebrates "Dr. Atl," born Gerardo Murillo in Guadalajara in 1875.
In a time of revolution and renaissance, Murillo greatly influenced Mexico’s political and cultural identity. He was an activist, artist, writer, journalist, and overall cultural leader.
Murillo pioneered the idea of artistic nationalism. To show his pride in his Mexican heritage, he took on the name "Atl," meaning water in Náhuatl. He worked his entire life to promote Native Mexican culture, writing extensively on folk art, music, and dance.
Murillo loved nature, and in volcanoes, he found his greatest inspiration. He frequently hiked to Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, living and painting on the volcanic slopes for weeks at a time. In 1943, he witnessed the birth of Paricutín and documented the experience in his book Cómo nace y crece un volcán, el Paricutín [How a Volcano Is Born and Grows – Paricutín].
For his contributions to the artistic and cultural heritage of Mexico, he was awarded the Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor and the National Arts Award.
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Oct 4, 2017
Violeta Parra’s 100th Birthday
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Today we celebrate the 100th birthday of Violeta Parra, the Chilean composer, folk singer, social activist, author, and artist.
Born in the small, southern Chilean town of San Fabián de Alico, Parra picked up the guitar at an early age and began writing songs with her siblings. She started her career performing in small venues, later traveling across Chile to record a large breadth of traditional Chilean folk music. Her increasing popularity eventually earned her her own radio show and an invitation to perform at a youth festival in Poland. While in Europe, she also explored the visual arts, creating oil paintings, wire sculptures, ceramics, and burlap tapestries called arpilleras which were exhibited in the Louvre Palace in Paris in 1964.
She is perhaps best remembered as the “Mother of Latin American folk,” pioneering the Nueva canción chilena, a renewal of Chilean folk traditions that blossomed into a movement which celebrated the fight for social justice throughout Latin America. Upon her return to Chile in 1965, she established Centro Cultural La Carpa de La Reina, a community center for the arts and political activism.
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Oct 6, 2017
Meret Oppenheim’s 104th Birthday
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Although it might not seem so unusual today for a woman to become a professional artist, it was nearly unheard of a century ago. But Meret Oppenheim, born on this date in 1913, knew from an early age that she wanted to make art and challenge accepted ideas. She became one of the foremost surrealists of her time, and she was the first woman to have a piece acquired by the Museum of Modern Art.
Oppenheim grew up in Switzerland in an intellectual family who supported her ambitions. One day Oppenheim's grandmother, also an artist, did a tarot reading for her granddaughter. The cards said it was time to try something new, and that's how Oppenheim ended up moving to Paris to attend art school.
In Paris, Oppenheim kept company with the rising stars of the abstract and surrealist movements: Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, and René Magritte - to name a few. They often asked Oppenheim to model or serve as a muse — women were seen as inspirations for art, not artists in their own right. Despite these expectations and obstacles, Oppenheim believed in herself and worked hard to make a name for herself as an artist.
Today's Doodle, created by guest artist Tina Berning, celebrates Meret Oppenheim on what would have been her 104th birthday. The Doodle nods to one of her most known works, Object, and honors the surrealist tradition of combining unexpected elements to create something new.
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Oct 7, 2017
Wilhelm Bartelmann’s 172nd Birthday
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In 1882, 37-year-old Wilhelm Bartelmann, a master basket maker living in Rostock, Lübeck, received an unusual request.
The noblewoman Elfriede von Maltzahn wanted very much to enjoy a relaxing beach vacation [as she did every year]. But her annual ritual was threatened by rheumatism, aggravated by cold winds off the Baltic sea. Could Herr Bartelmann help?
He could, and did by inventing the Strandkorb — the iconic German ‘basket’ chair that protects holidaymakers from sun, wind, and neighboring eyes on northern beaches [and in parks, in homes, and on mountains too].
The original chair was designed to seat only Fräulein Maltzahn. But company on the beach is always welcome, and most Strandkorbs today seat two people. In addition to shade, they sometimes provide folding tables, storage space, potential wedding venues, even mini-bars.
In honor of Bartelmann’s 172nd birthday, guest artist Stephanie Wunderlich has created this very special paper sculpture of the Strandkorb. Thank you Herr Bartelmann for your contribution to the good life. Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!
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Oct 9, 2017
Bagong Kussudiardja’s 89th Birthday
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On this date in 1928, Bagong Kussudiardja, better known as ‘Bagong,’ was born in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. A world-renowned choreographer, painter, sculptor, and poet who marched to the beat of his own drum, Bagong spent his formative years studying art, music, and Javanese court dance.
After Indonesia’s independence in 1945, Bagong yearned to expand on his classical training. He started by studying Japanese and Indian dance. From 1957-1958, he trained in the U.S. under Martha Graham, the legendary choreographer famous for her boundary-breaking techniques.
Back on home turf, Bagong incorporated those modern moves to further elevate traditional Indonesian dances. He established the Pusat Latihan Tari Bagong Kussudiardja [Center for Dance] in 1958, followed by the still-thriving Padepokan Seni Bagong Kussudiardja [Center for the Arts] in 1978. And he choreographed more than 200 dances in his creative, intricate style.
But choreography was just one part of the picture. Bagong was also revered for his batik oil paintings and watercolors. He worked in a myriad of styles, including impressionistic, abstract, and realistic.
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Oct 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.
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Jun 27, 2009
Seven Sleepers Day 2009
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qO...7NST4QX8O=s660
Seven Sleepers' Day on June 27 is a feast day commemorating the legend of the Seven Sleepers as well as one of the best-known bits of traditional weather lore [expressed as a proverb] remaining in German-speaking Europe. The atmospheric conditions on that day are supposed to determine or predict the average summer weather of the next seven weeks.
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Jun 30, 2016
165th Anniversary of First Firefighter's Corp in Chile
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Since 1851, Chile’s bomberos have risked life and limb to keep citizens safe from fire. There are 307 individual fire departments across Chile bonded together by Chile’s National Board of Fire Departments. What makes the bomberos especially unique is that they all serve on a volunteer basis.
It all started on this day in the bustling seaport of Valparaiso, where the city’s most influential citizens came together to form the First Firefighter’s Corp. More fire departments followed, each created by and for the community it represented.
Today’s Doodle was inspired by those who’ve served the people of Chile through their dedication and selflessness. Though they operate independently, the country’s bomberos share a common goal of working hard to protect local neighborhoods and communities.
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Jun 29, 2016
Edward Koiki Mabo’s 80th birthday
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Born on the Australian island of Mer in 1936, Edward Koiki Mabo was an energetic campaigner for the rights of indigenous people and their claim to the lands declared terra nullius, or belonging to no one, despite the history of its earlier inhabitants. He also set up a health service and a school in Townsville, Queensland where he lived with his wife and their ten children.
The “Mabo Case” triumphed in the courts in 1992 - overturning terra nullius and returning ownership of the islands to the indigenous people. Although he died shortly before the verdict, his activism changed the lives of so many.
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Jun 27, 2016
19th Anniversary of the first Sepaktakraw Women's Competition
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Today marks the 19th anniversary of the first women's sepak takraw competition. The sport is like volleyball except instead of using arms and hands, you use feet, knees, hips, chest and head. Athletes perform acrobatic kicks, flips, and techniques like the horse-kick serve to rocket-power the takraw over the net. A sepak or 'slam' of the takraw can hit blazing speeds of over 70 miles per hour. The Thai women's team regularly out-perform their rivals, and are poised for yet another dominant year.
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Jun 25, 2016
Teacher's Day 2016 [Guatemala]
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It’s impossible to measure the impact of a great teacher. The curiosity they ignite in young minds will become the mathematical theorems, medical breakthroughs, and beautiful art that makes the world of tomorrow a better place. Today’s homepage by artist Nate Swinehart honors the invaluable civil servants who’ve dedicated their lives to molding a thoughtful, compassionate generation of citizens. And to making sure everyone does their homework.
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Jun 20, 2016
45th Anniversary of The First Broadcast of El Chavo del Ocho
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El Chavo made his TV debut 45 years ago today, marking the beginning of a beloved TV institution in Mexico, parts of the United States, and in many other countries in Latin America. At the height of its popularity, El Chavo del Ocho was the most-watched show on Mexican television. The show’s courageous orphan and his friends got themselves into and out of trouble, all the while endearing themselves to generations of fans. Tens of millions of viewers still watch the animated version of the show, El Chavo Animado, every day.
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Sun 12, 2016
Philippines Independence Day 2016
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Today marks Philippine Independence Day, and the first month since their national elections. In today's Doodle by Robinson Wood, we can see elated citizens celebrating on a jeepney: an iconic Filipino traveling vehicle. You can see these types of buses all over Manila, which is the capital and the center of many of today's festivities. One of the most important Freedom Day traditions is the raising of the flag, and cities all over the Philippines will proudly hoist the blue, red and white.
As Filipinos rally around their new President, Vice President and senators, we hope today's Doodle inspires a sense of bayanihan — a sense of working together for a common cause. The brilliant colors of the Doodle and the hopeful faces reflect the bright future of this great nation and its people.
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Jun 10, 2016
UEFA Euro 2016
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It’s time for UEFA Euro 2016! France plays host to the world’s second-largest football championships from June 10 – July 10. Nearly 2 million fans are expected to travel to France to cheer teams from 24 countries in stadiums across the nation, while over 300 million are expected to tune in from afar. Whether you’re hoping Spain will defend their title or are counting on an upset, here’s to an exciting tournament!
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Jun 9, 2016
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson’s 180th birthday
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Born 180 years ago today, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson was the first woman to qualify as a physician and surgeon in Britain. She had a penchant for “firsts,” snagging many more during her illustrious career. She co-founded the first hospital staffed by women, and became the first dean of a British medical school. She even broke barriers across borders as France’s first female doctor.
Her accomplishments were gained through struggle and tenacity. When she was barred from medical school, she studied privately through tutors. Though the system prevented women from obtaining a medical degree, Garrett Anderson found a loophole and passed her medical exam with the highest marks.
As Britain’s first female doctor, Garrett Anderson was a fearless advocate for the care and advancement of women. Today’s doodle memorializes the infrastructure she set up to usher other women into the profession, as well as her devotion to the poor women and children she treated at her clinic.
After a long and successful career, Garrett Anderson broke one more barrier: becoming Britain’s first female mayor in 1908.
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Jun 9, 2016
Dragon Boat Festival 2016
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Today marks the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival observed in China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and a host of other countries in east Asia and beyond. The Dragon Boat races are part of the "double fifth" festival, or Duanwu, which is held on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. These boats are carved from wood and hold a 22-person crew comprised of 20 paddlers, one "sweep” who steers the boat, and one "caller" who beats a drum to keep time.
A dragon’s head is often carved into the bow of the boat to symbolize the energy and power of the dragon rising from the river — part of the legend of Qu Yuan. As an ode to this ancient tale, revelers share zongzi, or sticky rice wrapped in leaves or reeds. Doodler Alyssa Winans showed our Dragon Boat's enthusiasm for these delicious snacks in today's doodle.
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Jun 9, 2016
Phoebe Snetsinger’s 85th birthday
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Sometimes it takes dire circumstances to compel us toward action. Phoebe Snetsinger, who would have been 85 years old today, became the world’s most prolific bird-watcher — a feat she achieved by surmounting tremendous odds.
It wasn’t until 1981 — when she was diagnosed with cancer — that Phoebe truly came into her own as a birder. In subsequent years, she scoured the globe for obscure or unknown bird species, ultimately raising her bird count to 8,393, the highest in the world at the time. Some of the notable birds she sighted include the Blackburnian Warbler and the Red-Shouldered Vanga, depicted among many other interesting birds by animator Juliana Chen.
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Jun 6, 2016
Sweden National Day 2016
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Today's doodle shows a Hälsingegård, or decorated farmhouse in Hälsingland, Sweden. These houses are examples of the highest level of ancient timber building, which dates all the way back to the middle ages. Seven of these exceptional buildings were marked by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2012, and are the pride of this north-eastern portion of Sweden.
Today in Stockholm, people will celebrate national pride with festivals and music and lots of blue and yellow. The Swedish Royal Family will attend a concert at Skansen, an outdoor museum in Stockholm. For the newly-Swedish, there's a welcome festival called Hejfestivalen, or "Hi Festival". It's held on Södermalm island, and is meant to welcome new arrivals to meet and mingle with other Swedes.
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Jun 3, 2016
Rhee Seund Ja’s 98th birthday
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Seund Ja Rhee was a South Korean painter, engraver, draughtswoman, and illustrator. She also designed tapestries and mosaics. She was a prolific artist with more than 1,000 paintings, 700 prints, 250 ceramics, and numerous drawings. She exhibited mainly in France and in South Korea, with 84 solo exhibitions and almost 300 group exhibitions during her lifetime. In 1958, she moved to Tourrettes, Var [France] where she finally built the "Milky Way", a large atelier and exhibition room.
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Jun 2, 2016
Republic Day Italy 2016
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Today we celebrate Italy's Festa della Repubblica! This year is particularly special, as it's the 70th anniversary of Italian Republic. It's also the 70th anniversary of the women's right to vote — thanks to the establishment of universal voting rights. Today's doodle by Alyssa Winans features the Presidential Palace and Museum, II Palazzo del Quirinale. Today, many Italians will spend the day watching parades and official national ceremonies in Rome.
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Jun 2, 2016
Lotte Reiniger’s 117th birthday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkgirvbPJnw
Lotte Reininger created visually stunning and fantastical films using black cardboard, scissors, and boundless imagination. Pre-dating Walt Disney by nearly a decade, Reiniger pioneered a style of animation that relied on thousands of photos of paper cut-out silhouettes arranged to tell a story. It was a painstaking process that involved moving paper characters ever so slightly and snapping a photo of each movement.
Nearly a century later, Reiniger continues to inspire animators and artists, including doodler Olivia When who built almost everything, from the puppets to the top down camera rig. On what would have been her 117th birthday, we celebrate Reiniger’s limitless creativity and pioneering spirit.
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May 28, 2016
Nepal Republic Day 2016
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Today's doodle shows Nepal's national bird, the Danphe, or the Himalayan Monal. The male pheasant is brilliantly plumed with iridescent colors highlighting the beauty of Nepal. The female, a mild brown, represents its constancy and warmth. Similarly, Nepal is a nation of vibrancy and contrast, counting among its features both the world's highest and most unforgiving peak and the well-preserved and magical temples and shrines of Kathmandu.
The landscape is an appropriate metaphor for the history of a nation in which, despite great upheaval, peace prevails. We hope today's doodle by Alyssa Winans brings pride and joy to the people of Nepal.
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May 27, 2016
Faten Hamama’s 85th birthday
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"Lady of the Arabic screen," "Star of the Century," and Egypt's "National Treasure” are just a few of the names associated with the Egyptian actress, Faten Hamama. Discovered as a child at a beauty pageant in Mansoura, Hamama's meteoric rise was perfectly timed to the bloom of the Egyptian film industry.
Hamama began her film career as a 16 year-old student at the High Institute of Acting in Cairo. Over the next 8 years, she would make more than 20 films and become the highest paid female lead in Egypt at the time.
But it's the impact of her success that makes her legacy so important. From her 1964 film, The Open Door which highlighted the need for women's rights to I Want a Solution in 1975 which paved the way for changes to Egyptian marriage and divorce laws, hers was a career of influence. In keeping with her legacy, today's doodle memorializes her role as Layla, the strong, unwavering lead in the film AlBab Al Maftouh [The Open Door].
Named her country’s, “Most Important Actress,” it’s clear Hamama is known by many superlatives and remembered for so many things. But on this what would be her 85th birthday, we salute her brilliant ability to transcend time to inspire us again and again.
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May 25, 2016
Jordan Independence Day 2016
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Trek northward from Amman through the sands of Jordan, and you’ll discover the city of Jerash. Nearby lies Antioch on the Golden River, a set of Greco-Roman ruins, and deep within sits the ancient Jerash amphitheater. Beautifully preserved and set against the sky, this site represents the rich heritage of the The Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan, which gained independence on this day in 1946. Today, we celebrate Jordan’s freedom with a doodle of the North Theater by artist Robinson Wood.
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May 25, 2016
Rosario Castellanos’ 91st birthday
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Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of Rosario Castellanos, one of Mexico’s most influential authors. Her poems, stories, and essays were fundamental to the development of the female voice in literature, both in her homeland and across the world. Her master’s thesis Sobre cultura femenina [On Female Culture] inspired an entire generation. Castellanos also served as the Mexican ambassador to Israel, where she ultimately passed away in 1974.
We’re honored to shed light on this incredible artist on what would have been her 91st birthday.
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May 19, 2016
Yuri Kochiyama's 95th Birthday
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It’s with great pleasure that Google celebrates Yuri Kochiyama, an Asian American activist who dedicated her life to the fight for human rights and against racism and injustice. Born in California, Kochiyama spent her early twenties in a Japanese American internment camp in Arkansas during WWII. She and her family would later move to Harlem, where she became deeply involved in African American, Latino, and Asian American liberation and empowerment movements. Today's doodle by Alyssa Winans features Kochiyama taking a stand at one of her many protests and rallies.
Kochiyama left a legacy of advocacy: for peace, U.S. political prisoners, nuclear disarmament, and reparations for Japanese Americans interned during the war. She was known for her tireless intensity and compassion, and remained committed to speaking out, consciousness-raising, and taking action until her death in 2014.
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May 13, 2016
Daeng Soetigna's 108th Birthday
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Music can instantly transport a listener to a unique place and time. The melodic sounds of the angklung are no exception.
One rap of the hand on this Indonesian bamboo instrument, and we’re transported to the tranquil islands of Southeast Asia. For this, we can thank Daeng Soetigna, whose novel seven-note diatonic angklung brought the tones of Indonesia to an international audience. While the oldest known angklung dates back to the 17th century, it was Soetigna’s modifications in 1938 that lifted it out of obscurity and into orchestras, concerts, and classrooms around the world.
We celebrate Soetigna’s ingenuity, and contribution to modern musical education with this bamboo-themed doodle by Lydia Nichols.
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May 13, 2010
Father's Day 2010 - Multiple Countries on Various Dates
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Gq...DHoa8_AU6=s660
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July 21, 2017
Belgium National Day 2017
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On this day, Belgium commemorates the inauguration of King Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians. Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a German prince, embraced his royal role on June 26th, 1831, and pledged his allegiance to the fledgling country just a few weeks later, on July 21.
Previously known as Southern Netherlands, Belgium had been governed by various foreign countries over the centuries, including Spain and France. It also withstood the Dutch Period [1815 – 1830] under King William I, a vigorous advocate of industrialization, before finally attaining its longed-for freedom from the United Kingdom of Netherlands.
Belgian National Day is a festive public holiday celebrated with military parades, air force aerial demonstrations, and free concerts, finished with fireworks. Some Belgians also show their national pride by dressing in red, yellow and black, the colors of the country’s flag.
Our Doodle, illustrated by KHUAN+KTRON, takes us on a joyful tour of Belgium’s iconic Flemish and Wallonian landmarks and sights, from the Royal Palace in Brussels, where Leopold I was sworn in, to the Sint-Truiden, known for its blossoming fruit trees, to Antwerp Cathedral and the Pairi Daiza zoo, home of the giant panda, with stops along the way for such Belgian treats as frieten [fries], cheese and chocolate.
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Jul 21, 2017
Marshall McLuhan’s 106th Birthday
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Long before we started looking to our screens for all the answers, Marshall McLuhan saw the internet coming — and predicted just how much impact it would have. A Canadian philosopher and professor who specialized in media theory, McLuhan came to prominence in the 1960s, just as TV was becoming part of everyday life. At the center of his thinking was the idea that society is shaped by technology and the way information is shared.
Today’s Doodle, which celebrates the visionary’s 106th birthday, illustrates this theory by showing how McLuhan viewed human history. He saw it through the lens of 4 distinct eras: the acoustic age, the literary age, the print age, and the electronic age. His first major book, The Gutenberg Galaxy [[1962), popularized the term “global village” — the idea that technology brings people together and allows everyone the same access to information.
In Understanding Media [1964], McLuhan further examined the transformative effects of technology and coined his famous phrase “The medium is the message.” He believed that the way in which someone receives information is more influential than the information itself. Throughout the '60s and '70s, McLuhan made frequent TV appearances to share his theories with both followers and skeptics.
Decades later, we honor the man whose prophetic vision of the “computer as a research and communication instrument” has undeniably become a reality.
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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.
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June 12, 2020
Russia National Day 2020
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Today’s Doodle, illustrated by guest artist Olesya Shchukina, commemorates Russia National Day, known locally as Den Rossii. On this day in 1990, Russia became an independent nation following the official adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation, which was then followed by the establishment of the national anthem and flag.
From the Bering Sea in the country’s Asian east, to the shores of the Baltic Sea in the European west, Russia has celebrated June 12th as a public holiday and a time to pay tribute to the country’s identity and heritage since 1992.
Today, Russia’s widely varied cultures and ethnicities are symbolized by historical customs, such as the playing of the country’s many traditional folk instruments. These unique musical instruments include Iozhkis [spoons], buben [tambourines], and accordions, as depicted in today’s Doodle.
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June 12, 2015
Philippines Independence Day 2015
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Today we're celebrating the Philippines' 117th year of independence. Our doodle highlights the sun, stars and colors found in the national flag. The eight rays of the sun represent the eight provinces and the three stars represent the main island groups: Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
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June 10, 2013
Maurice Sendak's 85th Birthday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl1i0tFOe-I
Song: Walk On The Wild Side by Elmer Bernstein
Admired for his award-winning illustrations and beloved for his imaginative storytelling, Maurice Sendak is an American children's book legend. Whether they are monsters stomping through a forest, a boy cruising in a bread plane, or a parade of pigs celebrating a birthday, the unique characters of Sendak's books have sparked the imaginations of children for decades. His talents and ambitions, however, are not limited to children's books. He also created television shows and designed sets for operas and ballets.
To honor such a cherished cultural icon is no small task. How can anyone sing the praises of Maurice Sendak with enough affection? The doodlers and I decided to let Sendak's characters do the talking, or the walking rather. The doodle is a kind of parade-- sixteen of his characters march through their stories and gather around a birthday cake decked with candles that read "85." Even his dog, Herman, makes an appearance to wish Maurice a warm happy birthday.
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October 22, 2018
Varvara Stepanova’s 124th Birthday
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A poet, painter, photographer, and designer of books, magazines, posters, stage scenery, textiles and clothing, Stepanova defied societal norms of “women’s work” as she and other members of the Russian Constructivist movement subverted the notion of art as a rarified activity for elites and intellectuals.
Born in Kovno, Lithuania, on this day in 1894, Stepanova was raised in a peasant family before enrolling in the renowned Kazan art school in Odessa in 1910, a time of great creative and political upheaval in Russia.
In 1918, she published a series of books containing her “nonobjective visual poetry” whose words were chosen for sound and shape as much as meaning. By the 1920s she found herself at the forefront of the Russian avant-garde, co-founding the Constructivist movement along with her partner Aleksandr Rodchenko and such distinguished colleagues as Kasimir Malevich, Vladimir Tatlin, and Lyubov Popova.
In 1922 Stepanova created the sets for Aleksandr Vasilyevich Sukhovo-Kobylin’s play The Death of Tarelkin. Her clothing designs, using geometric shapes and utilitarian designs suited to particular activities fell into two broad categories: prozodezhda, or production clothing—which provided peasants, industrial workers, and theatrical performers alike with modern stylish and functional garments—and sportodezhda or sports costumes, which were designed to highlight the athletic body in motion. All of her clothing designs pioneered what is now known as “unisex” fashion.
Along with Popova she designed textiles at Tsindel, the state textile factory, using overlapping geometric shapes to create complex patterns in what many considered a lesser art form, later becoming a professor of textile design. Although wartime shortages prevented many of these groundbreaking designs from being realized, Stepanova’s vision and legacy lives on.
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