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Thread: Google doodles

  1. #7801
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    October 1, 2014

    Nigeria Independence Day 2014





    Don’t miss the motorcade for Nigerian Independence Day. Today marks Nigeria’s 54th year as a sovereign nation.

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    October 1, 2021

    Celebrating Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales




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



    La Raza! Méjicano! Español! Latino! Chicano!
    Or whatever I call myself,
    I look the same, I feel the same
    I Cry and Sing the same.
    I am the masses of my people and I refuse to be absorbed.
    I am Joaquín. The odds are great
    But my spirit is strong,
    My faith unbreakable,
    My blood is pure.



    Today’s slideshow Doodle, illustrated by Brooklyn, NY-based guest artist Roxie Vizcarra, celebrates U.S. Chicano educator, boxer, poet, and activist Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales. In addition to being a champion in the boxing ring, he was also a champion for racial and socioeconomic justice as one of the most influential leaders of the Chicano Civil Rights Movement. On this day in 1970, the Escuela Tlatelolco Centro de Estudios, founded by Corky and his family, opened its doors as the first private school in United States history with a focus on Chicano/Mexican-American cultural studies. The slides in today’s Doodle take a journey through Corky’s life while featuring lines from Gonzales' epic 1967 poem and the rallying cry of the Chicano cultural movement, “Yo Soy Joaquín” [“I Am Joaquín”].

    Rodolfo Gonzales [nicknamed “Corky” for his effervescent personality] was born on June 18, 1928, in an east-side barrio of Denver, Colorado. Throughout his youth, Corky worked in the sugar beet fields with his father, a first-generation Mexican immigrant who taught him to take pride in his heritage.

    Despite his limited free time, Corky graduated high school at just 16. He saved for college but after one year couldn’t afford the high cost of tuition, so he embraced his athleticism to become an amateur boxer in 1944. At 19, Corky went pro as a featherweight. At the peak of his career, he was ranked as a top 3 featherweight boxer worldwide, but discriminatory organizers never gave him the chance to fight for the title. Retiring from boxing as a local star in 1955, he decided to use his platform and influence to advocate against racial and socioeconomic injustice across the nation.

    In 1966, Corky founded the Crusade for Justice, a grassroots Chicano civil rights organization. He organized demonstrations in Denver and across the U.S., marching alongside civil rights leaders such as Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1969, Corky furthered the cause by organizing the first National Chicano Youth Liberation Conference, where he inspired the younger generation to take pride in their heritage and be part of the cultural revolution.

    Corky's creative writing reflected his activism and honored his Chicano pride throughout his career. His most notable poem “Yo Soy Joaquín'' tells the story of a man who travels through history to experience life as multiple Spanish leaders, Indigenous leaders from the Aztec homeland of Aztlán [referenced by the Aztec pyramid on the fourth slide of the Doodle], a Mexican revolutionary, and finally a Chicano in the United States.

    Due in large part to leaders like Corky, the Chicano Movement led to widespread positive changes for the Mexican and Latino/a communities in the U.S. that continue to this day. This includes the development of bilingual and multicultural socioeconomic programs, improving the working conditions of migrant workers, and increasing the representation of Mexican-Americans and Latinos/as in U.S. politics and education—all foundational elements to the fight for justice and equality that continues to this day.

    Here’s to you, Corky! ¡Mil gracias, Corky!
    Last edited by 9A; 10-24-2021 at 02:28 PM.

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    Oct 3, 2021

    Dr. María de los Ángeles Alvariño González's 105th Birthday




    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!
    Last edited by 9A; 10-24-2021 at 03:13 PM.

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    October 3, 2019

    German Reunification Day 2019




    Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Hamburg-based guest artist Lisa Tegtmeier, celebrates the Tag der Deutschen Einheit, or German Reunification Day. A 1990 treaty known as the Einigungsvertrag designated October 3rd as the day when the separate nations of East and West Germany were transformed into one state, the Federal Republic of Germany, ending almost forty years of division. The anniversary of this treaty is now a national holiday commemorating the spirit of unity in Germany. As Germany prepares to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, this holiday has assumed even greater importance.

    On German Reunification Day, an open-air fair takes place near Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, featuring stage shows, food stalls, games, and other family-friendly activities. Each year one of Germany’s 16 states hosts a Bürgerfest, or citizens’ festival. This year is Schleswig-Holstein’s turn, and the northwestern state has chosen the theme Mut verbindet, or “courage connects.” To mark the occasion, the state is encouraging each of Germany’s 82 million citizens to plant a tree, envisioning a new forest in honor of German unity.

    Glücklich Tag der Deutschen Einheit!

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    December 5, 2019

    Celebrating Wellies






    On the anniversary of the rainiest day in the history of the U.K., today’s Doodle celebrates Wellington boots, or “wellies,” a rainy day staple for centuries. Over the course of 24 hours on this day in 2015, an area of the northwestern county of Cumbria, England, recorded over 34 centimeters [13 inches] of rain. What better way to commemorate this deluge than to pay homage to the wellie, for keeping feet warm and dry during the heaviest downpours?

    Conceived by Arthur Wellesley, the First Duke of Wellington, in the early 1800s, wellies evolved from modified military issue Hessian boots. By asking his London shoemaker to make a shorter boot that would be easier to wear with trousers and to switch from polished to waxed calfskin leather, a stylish waterproof boot was created.

    Named after the Duke, the Wellington boot was further revolutionized with the arrival of vulcanized rubber in the mid-19th century. Rubber’s waterproof capabilities made the wellie a must-have for the typical British weather and its popularity soon spread across the world.

    Today the wellie sparks joy in the hearts of children as they think about all the puddles they can jump in, and can be found in all the colors of the rainbow to make the grayest days bright and cheerful. Hopefully, not as gray and rainy as it was in Cumbria on that record-setting day.

    Rain or shine, have an O so lovely time!

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    December 5, 2014

    Lina Bo Bardi's 100th Birthday





    Pioneering modernist architect Lina Bo Bardi was born in Italy in 1914 but spent much of her life in Brazil. She graduated from the University of Rome in 1939 and worked as an illustrator during World War II. Shortly after the war, she traveled to South America and decided to establish an architecture firm in Brazil. There, she designed many iconic buildings, including one of her most famous works, the São Paulo Museum of Art. The local legislature was worried that the museum would block views of the city, so Bo Bardi suspended the building high above a public square.

    Beyond her career as an architect, Bo Bardi was also a publisher, teacher, and politically activist in both Italy and Brazil. She saw architecture as an expression of people's lives. "I believe in an international community of interests, in a concert of all the private voices," she said. She noted that "architecture and architectural freedom are above all a social issue that must be seen from inside a political structure, not from outside it."

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    Dec 6, 2014

    Finland Independence Day 2014





    Finland declared its independence on 6 December 1917. The formal Declaration of Independence was only part of the long process leading to the independence of Finland.
    The subject of an independent Finland was first mentioned in the 18th century, when present-day Finland was still ruled by Sweden.

    On 18 March 1742, during the Russian occupation in the
    Russo-Swedish War [1741–1743], Empress Elizabeth of Russia issued a proclamation in the Finnish language to the Finnish people asking them to create a Finland which would be independent from both Sweden and Russia. This led to preparations to create a Kingdom of Finland in 1742. Elizabeth's nephew Duke Peter of Holstein-Gottorp [who later became heir to the throne of Russia and Tsar as Peter III] was proclaimed King of Finland. However, the political situation outgrew the idea of a Finnish kingdom and the concept quickly evaporated.

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    December 6, 2011

    Finland National Day



  9. #7809
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    December 6, 2017

    Finland Independence Day 2017




    December 6 is observed across Finland as Independence Day. This year marks the centennial anniversary of this joyous occasion, adding just a bit more sparkle to traditional celebrations.

    On cold [and sometimes snowy] Independence Day evenings, family and friends come together over warm drinks and sweet treats, tuning in to watch the Annual Independence Day Reception at the Presidential Palace.

    The ones willing to brave the cold outdoors are treated to the best of Finnish culture — hockey games, concerts, art festivals, and celebratory parades. Everywhere you turn, you’re met with infectious enthusiasm and good cheer.

    Today’s Doodle by Helsinki-based illustrator Janine Rewell depicts Finland’s native animals harmoniously gathered on a winter’s night. A single candle burns in the backdrop, just like the candles that light the windows of homes across the country. Captured in the colors of Finland’s national flag, the doodle reflects the spirit of cozy camaraderie and warmth in the snowy cold.

    Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää, Suomi!

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    August 17, 2017

    Indonesia Independence Day 2017





    Today we celebrate Indonesia’s Independence Day, known locally as Hari Kemerdekaan.

    In the country’s capital of Jakarta and other large cities throughout the archipelago, this historically significant day is celebrated with elaborate parades including marching bands and floats festooned with Indonesia’s red-and-white flag. Flag-raising ceremonies also dominate the day, while performers sing the national anthem of Indonesia. Friends and families bond over activities like sack racing and climbing palm trees [panjat pinang] and show their culinary chops in cooking competitions featuring dishes from a myriad of cultures.

    Using whimsical figures and rich colors and patterns, today’s Doodle by guest artist Aditya Pratama encapsulates the spirit of “unity in diversity” [Bhinneka Tunggal Ika] the national motto of Indonesia [derived from a 14th-century Javanese poem] that defines the joy of this landmark day.

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    August 10, 2017

    Ecuador National Day 2017




    The people of Quito, Ecuador declared independence from Spain 208 years ago today. While the city of Quito was relatively small at the time, this declaration laid the foundation for sovereignty for the entire country.

    Today, we celebrate Ecuador National Day with a Doodle that features the awe-inspiring Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve – a national park and biodiversity hotspot that’s nearly twice the size of Rhode Island!

    If you want to explore the reserve for yourself, you’ll need a boat: the reserve’s forest is submerged in water for two-thirds of the year. This mix of lagoons, swamps, and dry land creates an incredibly diverse ecosystem with over 500 species of birds, 12 species of monkeys, and countless other animals. It’s also just one of 45 protected areas throughout Ecuador, emphasizing the country’s commitment to preserving nature.

    In the cities of Ecuador – and especially Quito – the streets come alive during the month of August, celebrating the country’s independence with with parades, concerts, and cultural exhibitions.

    Happy National Day, Ecuador!

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    Sep 12, 2018

    Caio Fernando Abreu’s 70th Birthday





    Born on this day in 1948 in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, Caio Fernando Abreu is one of his country’s most celebrated contemporary writers, whose work explored the LGBTQ+ experience and sensitive themes such as loneliness, alienation, and AIDS.

    Abreu studied dramatic arts in college and worked as an editor and pop culture journalist before focusing on writing stories, novels, and plays. In 1975 he won honorable mention in a national fiction contest, but he is best known for his collection of stories Os dragões não conhecem o paraíso, which translates from Portuguese as “Dragons do not know the paradise.” First published in 1987, it was eventually translated into French and English and retitled simply ‘Dragons...’

    I’ve got a dragon living with me.

    No, it’s not true.

    I haven’t really got a dragon. And even if I did have, he wouldn’t live with me.

    These enigmatic and evocative lines from ‘Dragons…’ reflect the central theme of this work. In Abreu’s fiction “Dragons” represent individuals living at the margins of society—drag queens, gay teens, bisexual men, and a range of others —unknowable, lonely, powerful, untamable, invisible, and perceived by the mainstream as dangerous. Today’s Doodle pays tribute to Abreu’s courageous and compassionate spirit, and his insightful and emotionally charged body of work.

    Like many Brazilian artists and writers at the time he ran afoul of the DOPS, the "Department for Political and Social Order," a government agency that maintained files on anyone considered a potential enemy of the state. His novel Onde Andara Dulce Veiga [Whatever Happened to Dulce Veiga?] won the Best Novel award in 2000 from the São Paulo Association of Art Critics and he won won three Jabuti Prizes, Brazil’s most prestigious literary honor. Two of Abreu's short stories were adapted into films and plays, and his novel Onde Andará Dulce Veiga became a 2008 feature film, directed by his friend Guilherme de Almeida Prado.

    Happy Birthday Caio Fernando Abreu!

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    November 23, 2018

    Valdemar Poulsen’s 148th Birthday





    Today’s Doodle celebrates Valdemar Poulsen, a Danish engineer whose innovations made magnetic sound recording and long-range radio transmission possible. Many modern conveniences, from telephone answering machines to cassettes, even VHS tapes and floppy disks, used the basic technology that he developed by stringing a steel piano wire at a slight angle between two walls. By sliding an electromagnet down the wire he was able to record sound using a microphone and play it back through a telephone earpiece.

    Born in Copenhagen on this day in 1869, Poulsen studied medicine for a time before joining the Copenhagen Telephone Company as a technician. During his time he invented the telegraphone—or telegrafon in Danish–– and was awarded a patent. The cylindrical electromagnetic phonograph was capable of recording up to thirty minutes of speech. In 1900 he showed off his device at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, where he recorded the voice of Austrian emperor Francis Joseph—still the earliest surviving magnetic recording. After winning a Grand Prix in Paris, he founded the American Telegraphone Company, but sales were sluggish as the device was truly ahead of its time.

    That same year brought another breakthrough, a “singing arc” radio that would transmit up to 150 miles. Subsequent improvements of this design, capable of reaching 2,500 miles, were eventually used by the U.S. Navy.

    Although he dropped out of medical school, Poulsen was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leipzig. He was also a Fellow of the Danish Academy of Technical Science and the Swedish Institute for Engineering Research, and won the Gold Medal of the Royal Danish Society of Science and the Danish Government Medal of Merit. A stamp was issued in his honor and the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences established an annual award in his name.

    Happy Birthday, Valdemar Poulsen!
    Last edited by 9A; 10-25-2021 at 07:11 AM.

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    November 23, 2018

    Nikolai Nosov’s 110th Birthday




    Blending fairy tales, fantasy, and science fiction, Nikolai Nosov wrote children’s literature whose playful prose delivered powerful insights into human nature. His short stories like “Alive Hat,” “Cucumbers,” and “Miraculous Trousers,” and a humorous trilogy of novels about the misadventures of a very small boy named Neznaika [whose name translates as “Know-Nothing” in English] made Nosov a favorite of young readers all over Russia and beyond.

    Born on this day in 1908 in Kiev, Ukraine, Nosov attended the Moscow Institute of Cinematography and worked as a producer of animated educational films before he began publishing fiction, often in popular children’s magazines like Murzilka. In 1952 his endearing novel Vitya Maleev at School and at Home was awarded the Stalin Prize, the Soviet Union’s state award, elevating his profile as a writer considerably. The book was later adapted into a comic film called Two Friends.

    In 1954 he published the first volume of the Neznaika trilogy—in both Russian and Ukrainian—with two subsequent novels in the series appearing in 1958 and 1967. Set within a town in fairyland populated by tiny people called “Mites” who are “no bigger than a pine cone,” the action centers around an impulsive and easily distracted boy whose belief that he knows everything is always getting him into trouble. In 1969, Nosov won a new literary prize for his trilogy, which has since been adapted into numerous film versions, endearing his characters to countless generations of readers as parents who grew up on Neznaika grow up and the books to their own children.

    Happy Birthday, Nikolai Nosov!

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    Nov 24, 2018

    Charles-Michel de l'Épée’s 306th Birthday





    Today’s Doodle honors the Abbé Charles-Michel de l'Épée, a French educator who founded the first public school for the deaf. Dispelling the misconception that people with impaired hearing were incapable of learning, Épée developed a visual method that became the blueprint for the teaching of the deaf in France and that changed countless lives at a time when many deaf people were discriminated against.

    "Every deaf-mute sent to us already has a language," he wrote. "He is thoroughly in the habit of using it, and understands others who do. With it he expresses his needs, desires, doubts, pains, and so on, and makes no mistakes when others express themselves likewise.”

    Born in Versailles on this day in 1712, Épée was the son of an architect who studied theology and law before devoting his life to serving the poor. He began tutoring two deaf sisters who lived in the slums of Paris and who communicated through their own sign language. In 1760, he used his own inheritance to found the Institution Nationale des Sourds-Muets à Paris, a school for the deaf that was open to all regardless of their ability to pay.

    The French National Assembly eventually recognized him as a "Benefactor of Humanity" and asserted the rights of deaf people under France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. His school went on to receive government funding and remains open to this day renamed as Institut National de Jeunes Sourds de Paris.

    Happy Birthday, Charles-Michel de l'Épée!

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    August 1, 2021

    Celebrating the Turkana Human




    When fossil hunters spotted a tiny skull fragment in Kenya’s Lake Turkana Basin on this day in 1984, they didn’t yet know they had discovered part of the most intact early hominid skeleton ever found. Today’s Doodle recognizes the discovery of this ancient fossil, dubbed the “Turkana Human,” which revolutionized knowledge of human evolution.

    This excavation dates back to 1967, when a paleoanthropologist flew over the Lake Turkana Basin and noticed fossiliferous rock. The next year, an expedition was launched into the volcanic valley, where the team uncovered remains of three coexisting Homo species, revealing the first evidence suggesting that early humans didn't have a single lineage, but multiple. This paradigm-shifting theory was reinforced by the discovery of the Turkana specimen, which Leakey’s team classified as Homo erectus, now considered the earliest ancestor of modern humans.

    Widely believed to be around 10 in age, the Turkana hominid lived approximately 1.6 million years ago. The skeleton exhibits anatomical characteristics that are similar to those of Homo sapiens from the neck down and reveals a body designed for bipedalism. The preserved facial features are smaller than those of pre-erectus ancestors, which indicates the consumption of a higher-quality diet to sustain a large brain, though not quite the size of the modern human brain. The era’s fossil record indicates that Homo erectus utilized this growing brain by building fires, crafting tools, and traveling outside of Africa—a migration that marked a new chapter in the journey of ancient humans.

    From harnessing fire to elucidating the chronology of human evolution, who knows what human exploration will find next?

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    August 1, 2012

    Field Hockey 2012





    Field hockey is a team sport of the hockey family. Each team plays with ten field players and a goalkeeper, and must carry a round, hard, plastic hockey ball with a hockey stick to the rival goal.

    The game is played globally, particularly in parts of Western Europe, South Asia, Southern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and parts of the United States, primarily New England and the Mid-Atlantic states.

    Known simply as "hockey" in most territories, the term "field hockey" is used primarily in Canada and the United States where "hockey" more often refers to ice hockey. In Sweden, the term landhockey is used, and to some degree in Norway, where the game is governed by the Norges Bandyforbund.

    During play, goal keepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with any part of their body, while field players can only play the ball with the flat side of their stick. A player's hand is considered part of the stick if holding the stick. If the ball is touched with the rounded part of the stick, it will result in a penalty. Goal keepers also cannot play the ball with the back of their stick.

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    September 18, 2015

    Rugby World Cup 2015 Opening Day





    Coming through!

    Having grown up playing rugby in England, I can still feel the muddy squelch in my boots lining up on the pitch for lessons. Our doodle celebrates the girth and gracefulness of the 2015 World Cup players.

    After a few concepts I concentrated on the vice like grip of an arm around the ball and how this could be used as a "G". I even added rain for the full effect.

    Good luck to all involved in the tournament!

    Matt Cruickshank, Doodler

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    September 18, 2013

    Uzeyir Hacibeyov's 128th Birthday [Azerbaijan]




    Uzeyir bey Abdulhuseyn oghlu Hajibeyli, known as Uzeyir Hajibeyov, was an Azerbaijani composer, conductor, publicist, playwright, and social figure. He is recognized as the father of Azerbaijani composed classical music and opera. Uzeyir Hajibeyov composed the music of the national anthem of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic [which was re-adopted after Azerbaijan regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991]. He also composed the anthem used by Azerbaijan during the Soviet period. He was the first composer of an opera in the Islamic world.
    Last edited by 9A; 10-25-2021 at 08:10 AM.

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    November 24, 2019

    195th Anniversary of Las Piñas Bamboo Organ






    Today’s Doodle celebrates the 195th anniversary of the Las Piñas Bamboo Organ, the oldest, largest, and only known bamboo pipe organ in existence. Constructed over 8 years with 1,031 pipes, 902 of which are made of native bamboo, the Bamboo Organ of St. Joseph Parish Church in Las Piñas, Manila, was completed in 1824 under the direction of Spanish missionary Fray Diego Cera de la Virgen del Carmel. The organ is still operational and has been playing daily for nearly 45 years since its reconstruction.

    In the 1880s, natural disasters severely damaged the instrument, silencing it until a restoration project started in 1972. The organ was moved from Las Piñas to Bonn, Germany, where it underwent a full reconstruction, returning to the island in 1975. The homecoming celebrations morphed into the International Bamboo Organ Festival, held every February. On this day in 2003, the Bamboo Organ was named a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines.

    The Bamboo Organ Foundation oversees the annual celebrations where some of the most famous organists from around the world have come to perform. In the 44 years since the return to Las Piñas, the organ and festival in its honor have become synonymous with Filipino cultural expression.

    A monument to sustainable building and technological sophistication, the Bamboo Organ stands as a symbol of what’s possible when design draws from native resources, labor, and the ingenuity of its nation’s people.

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    July 31, 2020

    Celebrating Pacita Abad




    Today’s Doodle celebrates Philippine artist, feminist, and activist Pacita Abad, renowned for her bold use of color and mixed media as well as her use of art to address global themes. On this day in 1984, Abad made history as the first woman to receive the Philippines’ prestigious Ten Outstanding Young Men award.

    Pacita Abad was born on October 5th, 1946 in Basco, in the northern province of Batanes, the Philippines. She pursued graduate studies in San Francisco, California in the U.S. in 1970 and became very involved in the city’s artistic community. Abad went on to study painting and then traveled the world with her art supplies, from Bangladesh to Sudan, and the cultures she encountered had a profound influence on her ever-evolving artistic style. Dedicated to improving the world through art, she used pieces like her 1979 series “Portraits of Cambodia” to raise awareness of societal issues.

    Over time, Abad transitioned toward abstract work and pioneered a painting technique called trapunto [Italian for quilting]. To achieve this style, she stuffed her canvases to create a sculptural effect and integrated culturally significant materials discovered during her travels, like shells and fabrics. Abad channeled a passion for public art into her 2003 project “Painted Bridge,” for which she covered Singapore’s 55-meter Alkaff Bridge with an explosion of 2,350 vibrantly colored circles.

    Abad crafted over 5,000 pieces of art, and today her colorful legacy resonates in collections in over 70 countries.

    Thank you, Pacita Abad, for painting the picture of a brighter tomorrow!

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    November 15, 2020

    Celebrating Jacques Brel




    Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Toulouse-based guest artist Antoine Maillard, celebrates Belgian singer and songwriter Jacques Brel. Widely considered one of the most famous French-language singers in Europe, Brel cultivated a global following and made music that continues to move audiences to this day. On this day in 1966, Brel graced the stage one last time to deliver an emotional farewell performance at the “Palais des Beaux-Arts” in his hometown of Brussels.

    Jacques Romain Georges Brel was born on April 8, 1929 in the Belgian capital of Brussels. Part of a wealthy family, he expressed interest in writing stories and poems during his teen years before eventually settling into a job with the family business. Unsatisfied with this work, Brel joined a youth charity organization where he began to sing in small venues and recorded his first single before moving to Paris, where he soon rose to stardom.

    Brel’s second album, “Quand on n’a que l'amour” [“If We Only Have Love,” 1957], was a hit and its title track won the Grand Prix de l'Académie Charles Cros award. He continued to release a string of hit singles, confirming his celebrity status throughout Europe, and embarked on exhaustive tours until his voluntary retirement from concert performances in 1967. While in New York on his final tour, Brel was inspired to act and thus, he found a new creative outlet. One of his most notable films, “Le Far West,” [“Far West,” 1973] was nominated for the Cannes Film Festival’s most prestigious award: the Palme d’Or. Not only was Brel the star of the film, he was also the co-writer and director.

    A man of many interests, Brel learned to sail and crossed both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by 1975. He eventually settled in the Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific. In 2017, Belgium honored Brel with a commemorative statue.

    Last edited by 9A; 10-25-2021 at 08:31 AM.

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    July 21, 2014

    Belgium National Day 2014



    Guest artist Sam Vanallemeersch depicts Adolphe Sax and other icons [[check out his diagram!) from Belgian culture in a parade for the country’s National Day.

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    August 5, 2021

    Soraya Jiménez’s 44th Birthday




    Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Mexico-based guest artist Carolina Martínez, celebrates the 44th birthday of Mexican Olympic-champion weightlifter Soraya Jiménez, the first Mexican woman to ever win an Olympic gold.

    Soraya Jiménez Mendivil was born on this day in 1977 in Naucalpan de Juárez, Mexico. As a child, she swam competitively and played basketball and badminton but ultimately found her true athletic calling in weightlifting. She secured her first podium win at just 17 years old, placing third at the 1994 NORCECA Cup in Colorado Springs.

    In 1996, Jiménez earned her first major championship win at the Simón Bolívar International in Venezuela, where her performance proved her to be a serious contender on the international circuit. The years that followed were decorated with titles from across the Americas, which included a weight-class win in the Central American and Caribbean Games as well as a silver at the Pan American Games. A combination of 1999 championship wins at the NORCECA Cup, the Greek Tofalos International, and the Bulgarian National Championships established Jiménez as a favored front-runner heading into the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

    Jiménez’s athletic career reached its apex when she lifted a staggering total of 497 pounds, taking home the gold in the 58 kg [128 lbs] class weightlifting event at the 2000 Summer Games. Although she retired in 2004, Jiménez continued to share her passion for sports as a broadcaster for Televisa, the world’s largest Spanish-language media company.

    Happy birthday, Soraya Jiménez—thanks for using your strength to make history!

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    September 16, 2021

    Mexico Independence Day 2021




    Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Mexico-based guest artist Magdiel Herrerra, depicts a collection of elements symbolizing Mexico’s rich, cultural heritage in honor of its Independence Day. This year’s holiday holds special significance for the international Mexican community as it commemorates the 200th anniversary of the nation’s step toward independence—officially declared on September 27, 1821.

    On the left of the Doodle artwork, a folklórico [folkloric] dancer is dressed in the emblematic red, green, and white of the Mexican flag. A common meal prepared to celebrate this holiday is pozole, a spiced soup traditionally made with hominy and pork that is depicted in the red bowl with radishes and lime. In the center, the artwork recreates a bell that rang before El Grito de la Independencia [The Cry for Independence], a famous speech considered the spark of the Mexican independence movement. A sombrero follows with a handwoven rebozo scarf, next to a cactus standing tall.

    On the far right of the artwork, an Indigenous musician [known as a quiquizoani in the Uto-Aztecan language of Nahuatl] blows into a conch shell—a scene similar to an image found in the ancient Aztec Codex Magliabechi—filling the air with the sounds of celebration.

    Happy Independence Day, Mexico!

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    July 21, 2021

    Belgium National Day 2021





    On this day in 1831, King Leopold I took an oath as the first Belgian king, signaling Belgium as a sovereign state distinct from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Today’s Doodle proudly celebrates Belgium’s National Day, an annual commemoration of their independence.

    As the COVID-19 pandemic and flooding disasters currently impact the nation, Belgians are coming together to help one another now more than ever. Today’s Doodle recognizes and gives a special thanks to Belgium’s many everyday heroes. Whether it be a delivery person, medical worker, firefighter, or a kind citizen lending a helping hand—here’s to the Belgians who work every day to help the country thrive.
    Last edited by 9A; 10-25-2021 at 09:57 AM.

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    July 21, 2012

    Belgium National Day 2012


    Last edited by 9A; 10-25-2021 at 08:52 AM.

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    April 3, 2016

    Start of the 100th tour of Flanders






    Today marks the 100th tour of Flanders, or De Ronde van Vlaanderen, an annual springtime road cycling race held in Belgium since 1913. The race was put on hold during World War I, but has been held every year without interruption since 1919. The 2016 race covers 255 km [158 mi] with 18 categorized climbs and 7 flat cobblestoned sections — a notoriously bumpy ride for cyclists.

    This year’s race starts in Bruges, and Doodler Alyssa Winans has included a famous Belfry in the Grand Place, or Grote Markt where the race begins. Then, riders will head south to Torhout, where De Ronde's founder, Karel Van Wijnendaele was born.

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    January 2, 2017

    Hussein Amin Bicar's 104th Birthday


    Hussein Amin Bicar was a renowned Egyptian painter, musician, writer and art educator. He taught and influenced many generations of art students at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo. Bicar was known for his kindness, humanity and passion for making art accessible to all.

    As a young artist, Bicar mastered many techniques, styles and mediums. As a more mature painter, he developed a style that simplified and streamlined human figures and landscapes into elegant and refined forms. He drew upon historical Egyptian art traditions and combined them with his knowledge of contemporary and modern art approaches. The subjects of his paintings were often pulled from Egypt’s rural and agricultural cultures.

    In addition to painting, Bicar also pursued work as a writer and illustrator. He wrote and illustrated for many newspapers, magazines and his own children’s books. In 1952 he was a founding illustrator for "Sinbad," the first Arabic children's magazine. His work influenced many subsequent children’s magazines in the Arabic-speaking world.

    Bicar was also passionate about music. He was a talented Bouzouki and Oud player, and played traditional and classic music in several bands. Today's Google Doodle pays homage to Bicar and his final painting: a portrait of himself, playing the Bouzouki surrounded by blank papers, canvas and his beloved cat.

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    August 5, 2018

    Talal Maddah’s 78th Birthday




    The western region of Saudi Arabia is known as the Hijaz—which means “the barrier.” Ironically, this region was the birthplace of renowned singer Talal Maddah, who used his musical talent to break down walls.

    A vibrant musical center since pre-Islamic times, the Hijaz contains the holy cities of Medina and Mecca, birthplace of the prophet Muhammad. Maddah sang Hijazi songs with intricate melodies dating back thousands of years to the days when musicians from Mecca would sing for the crowds in the marketplace. Born in this musical city in 1940, Maddah often accompanied himself on the oud, a Hijazi stringed instrument seen in today’s Doodle.

    Radio broadcasted Maddah’s voice throughout the Arab world, from Egypt to Lebanon. The combination of his poetic lyrics, voice [which earned him the nickname “Golden Throat”], and syncopated percussion excited listeners. The singer’s vocalizations were so powerful they seemed to come from the very earth itself, inspiring another nickname, “The Earth’s Voice.” His 1976 song “Maqadir” became the first Hijzai song to gain popularity throughout the region, at a time when no pan-Arab popular music existed given cultural and religious customs. But Maddah’s special talent—as well as his persistence and determination—allowed his voice to reach a new audience, bringing people together through the universal language of music.

    Maddah went on to become a phenomenon throughout the Arab world, releasing numerous albums in Saudi Arabia. To this day, his recordings continue to reach new audiences, demonstrating the enduring power of music to open hearts and minds.

    Happy birthday, Talal Maddah!

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    December 16, 2020

    Bahrain National Day 2020





    Today’s Doodle honors Bahrain’s National Day, a two-day public holiday in celebration of the nation’s declaration of sovereignty in 1971. To mark the occasion, red and white lights are used to ornament everything from landmark buildings to the country’s famous palm trees.

    Illustrated in the Doodle artwork is Bahrain’s red and white flag, which was formally adopted in 2002. The flag’s two-color design traces its origins back to the 1820 General Treaty of Peace with the U.K., when the flag’s white band was added to the existing red background to symbolize the harmonious relationship between the two countries.

    Happy National Day, Bahrain!

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    December 16, 2017

    Kazakhstan Republic Day 2017




    For more than a thousand years, nomadic tribes on horseback wandered the expansive steppes and towering peaks of Kazakhstan. In fact, one possible origin for the name Kazakh is the Turkish word qaz, “to wander.”

    Today, the country remains mostly wide open spaces. Golden eagles, important to traditional Kazakh culture and a symbol of national pride, wheel overhead against a bright blue sky. They make their nests on the craggy cliffs of the Alatau and other mountain ranges, as depicted in today’s Doodle.

    Kazakhstan declared independence from the Soviet Union on December 16th, 1991, starting a new chapter in its long history. Anniversary celebrations typically include food, fireworks, and festive clothing. Fancy chapans, or long robes, are sewn with dazzling colors and intricate gold embroidery. Traditional music is also a must-have, as an integral part of Kazakhstan’s cultural heritage. Listeners might pick out the dombra and kobyz, amongst other instruments.

    Happy Republic Day, Kazakhstan!

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    December 16, 2011

    Kazakhstan Independence Day 2011





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    December 16, 2016

    25th Anniversary of Independence Day of Republic of Kazakhstan






    Today's Doodle celebrates the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence with a depiction of the famous Golden Warrior Monument of the larger Monument of Independence. The statue, situated in Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan at the time of independence, stands 91 feet tall. The Golden Warrior was modeled after an ancient noble warrior of Kazakhstan who lived around the 4th century BCE and was discovered in 1969 during an archeological expedition. The warrior is portrayed as it was found: with armor, tools, and jewelry. The Golden Warrior stands atop a snow leopard, a creature that’s been revered in Kazakhstan since the time the Golden Warrior lived.

    Kazakhstan declared its independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Independence Day is marked with celebrations including fireworks, traditional Kazakh food and clothing, and gatherings of family and friends.

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    October 23, 2021

    Ellya Khadam's 93rd Birthday




    Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Semarang, Indonesia-based guest artist Fatchurofi Muhammad, celebrates Indonesian singer, songwriter, and actor Ellya Khadam, who is widely considered a pioneer of dangdut, a genre of folk music popular in Indonesia that blends local musical traditions together with diverse styles such as Western rock-and-roll and Indian film scores.

    Ellya Khadam was born Siti Alya Husnah on this day in 1928 in Jakarta, Indonesia. During her teenage years, Khadam was neighbors with a singer of the Malaysian pop music style known as deli. She developed her musical talent by imitating this genre, which allowed her to make a name for herself by first singing at weddings and later joining local musical outfits.

    She rose to prominence as a singer in the Kelana Ria Malay Orchestra during the 1950s, a musical collective that drew much of its inspiration from Indian culture and music. Khadam’s career reached its peak with the release of her 1956 break-out hit song “Boneka India” [Dolls from India] now considered a touchstone of the dangdut genre. She expressed her love for Indian customs not just through using Indian tabla rhythms in her songs but also by donning traditional Indian saris and wearing a sindoor on her forehead.

    In addition to her musical output, which popularized dangdut and inspired the younger generation to take the genre to new heights, Khadam starred in dozens of films into the late 1970s. Today, dangdut showcases the nation’s culture on a global scale as one of Indonesia’s most popular musical styles—even making a historic on-stage debut in New York’s Times Square earlier this year!

    Happy birthday, Ellya Khadam—thank you for giving a voice to a new wave of Indonesian culture!

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    November 11, 2014

    Kemal Sunal's 70th Birthday



    Today’s doodle in Turkey celebrates the 70th birthday of actor Kemal Sunal. A beloved comedian in his country, Sunal is best remembered for the four stock characters [the funny one, the naive kid, the rebel and the totally confused guy] he portrayed in his films.

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    April 17, 2015

    Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı’s 125th Birthday





    Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı [17 April 1886 – 13 October 1973; born Musa Cevat Şakir; pen-name exclusively used in his writings, "The Fisherman of Halicarnassus", Turkish: Halikarnas Balıkçısı] was a Turkish writer of novels, short-stories and essays, as well as being a keen ethnographer and travelogue.

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    April 17, 2021

    Celebrating Laura Bassi




    Newton’s second law of motion states that an object’s acceleration is dependent on two variables: the force acting on the object and its mass. Apply this law to the momentum of women in science, and Italian physicist and professor—Laura Bassi—arises as a primary force for propelling scientific progress forward. On this day in 1732, Bassi successfully defended 49 theses to become one of the first women in Europe to receive a PhD.

    Today’s Doodle celebrates Laura Maria Catarina Bassi, who was born in Bologna, Papal States [modern-day Italy] in 1711. A child prodigy, she was debating top academics on the history of philosophy and physics by 20; a rare achievement at a time in which women were largely excluded from higher education.

    By 1732, Bassi was a household name in Bologna, and following her thesis defense, she became the first female member of the Bologna Academy of Sciences, one of Italy’s foremost scientific institutions. Due to gender discrimination, her position at the Academy was limited, yet she persisted. Bassi apprenticed under eminent Bologna professors to learn calculus and Newtonian physics, a discipline she spread across Italy for almost 50 years. A lifelong teacher of physics and philosophy, she complemented her education with innovative research and experiments on subjects ranging from electricity to hydraulics.

    Bassi continually fought for gender equality in education throughout her trailblazing career; efforts that culminated in 1776 when the Bologna Academy of Sciences appointed her a professor of experimental physics—making Bassi the first woman offered an official teaching position at a European university.

    Here’s to you, Laura Bassi!

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    March 24, 2016

    William Morris’ 182nd birthday




    It's nearly impossible to sum up William Morris' contributions to British design, arts, and aesthetics. A true prodigy, Morris dove deeply into each of his many interests, leaving us a rich legacy in multiple fields.

    Starting with graphic art, Morris' detailed drawings paved the way for modern surface design. His intricate patterns flow across pages, walls, and fabric with a seamless effect. But Morris didn't stop there — he believed that quality production was the essence of great craftsmanship: from patterning to type design to furniture to bookbinding.

    A relentless creative, Morris played with patterns in words as well. In 1856, he founded the Oxford and Cambridge Magazine, writing and publishing many of his early poems there. He lectured publicly on socialism, art, architecture, and founded or held titles in multiple artists groups, such as the Hammersmith Socialist Society and the Art Workers Guild.

    Morris, along with other figures in the Arts and Crafts Movement, believed the success of a society was based on providing useful and meaningful work. By focusing on the end-to-end production of goods by passionate artisans instead of machines, he built a powerful political case for worker's rights. His advocacy left an indelible mark on British culture in the face of rapid industrialization.

    In many ways, Morris' life's work is reflected in his prints: a lush journey through interrelated pursuits. To highlight his iconic style, Doodler Lydia Nichols recreated five different Morris designs. Each appears randomly as the page is refreshed. May these designs honour the distinct and varied ways in which Morris' point of view shaped our world. For more, check out the William Morris Gallery.


    All five William Morris inspired Doodles
    Last edited by 9A; 10-25-2021 at 10:27 AM.

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    April 17, 2010

    Karen Blixen's 125th Birthday





    Baroness Karen Christenze von Blixen-Finecke [born Dinesen; 17 April 1885 – 7 September 1962] was a Danish author who wrote works in Danish and English. She is also known under her pen names Isak Dinesen, used in English-speaking countries, Tania Blixen, used in German-speaking countries, Osceola, and Pierre Andrézel.

    Blixen is best known for Out of Africa, an account of her life while living in Kenya, and for one of her stories, Babette's Feast, both of which have been adapted into Academy Award–winning motion pictures. She is also noted, particularly in Denmark, for her Seven Gothic Tales. Among her later stories are Winter’s Tales [1942], Last Tales [1957), Anecdotes of Destiny [1958] and Ehrengard [1963].

    Blixen was considered several times for the Nobel Prize in Literature, though wasn't awarded because judges were reportedly concerned about showing favoritism to Scandinavian writers, according to Danish reports.

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    June 24, 2017

    2017 World Taekwondo Championships Muju







    Integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit — all of these are on display at the 2017 World Taekwondo Championships in Muju, South Korea. Oh, and some pretty impressive knee strikes and reverse round kicks!

    The World Taekwondo Championships have taken place every other year since 1973. Outside of the Olympics, they’re the most prestigious event for those who practice the sport — in fact, the seven days feature more competitors from a greater number of nations than does the four-day Olympic event. Many talented athletes will make names for themselves at the championships this year, and their careers will be carefully followed by taekwondo enthusiasts as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics approach.

    Though taekwondo is an intensely physical sport, its philosophical roots center on the building of a more peaceful society. By cultivating a foundation of respect, humility, and control in the individual, practitioners of taekwondo aim to inspire this sense of responsibility and spirituality in others through their actions and teachings.

    Today’s Doodle was created with community and diversity in mind. Who will emerge victorious in this year’s Worlds? We can’t wait to find out!

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    October 25, 2021

    Claude Cahun's 127th Birthday






    Today’s Doodle celebrates the 127th birthday of French author and surrealist photographer Claude Cahun—best-known for their purposefully unsettling yet playful self-portrait photography that challenged the gender and sexuality norms of the early 20th century.

    Claude Cahun was born on this day in 1894 in Nantes, France, into a Jewish family. As the grandchild of the influential French artist David Leon Cahun and a child of a newspaper owner, Cahun came of age surrounded by creativity. At 14, they met Marcel Moore, their lifelong partner and artistic collaborator. After moving to Paris to study literature in 1919, Cahun shaved their head and adopted their famed gender-neutral name in revolt against societal convention.

    Despite gender non-conformity being widely considered taboo in 1920s Paris, Cahun’s decision to publicly identify as non-binary met with controversy, but they explicitly rejected the public fuss. Cahun explored gender-fluidity through literature and melancholic self-portraiture such as the 1927 series “I am in training, don’t kiss me.” This work depicted the artist costumed as a feminized weightlifter, blurring the line between masculine and feminine stereotypes. In addition to their lifelong artistic work, Cahun worked with others to resist fascist occupation. The French government awarded their efforts with the Medal of French Gratitude in 1951.

    In 2018, the Paris City Council named a street in honor of Cahun and Moore in the French capital’s sixth district, where the duo once lived. In addition to increasing focus on their pioneering work in the Surrealist movement and breaking down gender barriers in the photographic arts, Cahun’s work has influenced gender bending celebrities, the modern LGBTQ+ community, and conversations on identity and expression to this day.

    Happy birthday, Claude Cahun!
    Last edited by 9A; 10-25-2021 at 12:09 PM.

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    October 25, 2019

    Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti’s 119th Birthday






    “As for the charges against me, I am unconcerned,” said Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, the Nigerian educator and activist who fearlessly campaigned for women’s rights and the liberation of Africa from colonial rule. Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Nigerian-Italian guest artist Diana Ejaita, celebrates a formidable leader who founded what many refer to as one of the most important social movements of the twentieth century.​

    Born on this day in 1900 in Abeokuta, the current capital of Nigeria’s Ogun state, the former Frances Abigail Olufunmilayo Thomas grew up witnessing Great Britain consolidating control over Nigeria. As the grandchild of a slave, she became one of the first girls to enroll in Abeokuta Grammar School, before traveling to Cheshire in England to continue her education. By the time she returned home, she’d dropped her birth names and preferred to speak Yoruba.

    In 1932, Ransome-Kuti established the Abeokuta Ladies Club [ALC], fostering unity between educated women and poor market workers and setting up the first adult education programs for Nigerian women. Renamed the Abeokuta Women’s Union in 1946, the organization boasted a membership of some 20,000 and pushed for healthcare, social services, and economic opportunity. Imprisoned in 1947 for protesting against unfair treatment towards women, Ransome-Kuti and her followers also led the charge to abdicate a corrupt local leader.

    A trailblazer in many ways, Ransome-Kuti was also the first Nigerian woman to drive a car. She was also the only woman in Nigeria’s 1947 delegation to London, which lodged a protest and set the nation on the path toward self-government. As one of the few women elected to Nigeria’s house of chiefs, she was recognized for her advocacy work on behalf of women's rights and education, and revered as the “Lioness of Lisabi” and the “Mother of Africa.”

    Her daughter—Dolupo—and three sons—Beko, Olikoye, and Fela—likewise became leaders in education, healthcare, and music, continuing their mother’s legacy of activism and advocacy.


    Last edited by 9A; 10-25-2021 at 03:06 PM.

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    May 13, 2021

    Zofia Stryjeńska's 130th Birthday



    Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Poland-based guest artist Dixie Leota, celebrates the 130th birthday of Polish painter, graphic designer, illustrator, and stage designer Zofia Stryjeńska, who is widely regarded as one of the most significant Polish art deco artists of the early 1900s. Across its countless mediums, Stryjeńska’s bold and adventurous work mirrors her personality as an uncompromising heroine of creativity and artistic expression.

    Born Zofia Lubańska on this day in 1891 in Kraków, Poland, Zofia Stryjeńska began painting caricatures of her father’s customers in his glove shop, developing a talent that became her life’s passion. But gender barriers stood in the way of her artistic pursuits; barriers she was determined to break. As the Munich Academy of Fine Arts—her top choice of schools—was a traditionally all-male institution, Stryjeńska cut her hair and attended the university disguised as a man. But after a year in Munich, the pressure of keeping her identity hidden pushed her to return home to Kraków.

    Inspired by the history of her national identity, Stryjeńska began her career at 21 with a series of paintings based on Polish folklore. This modern take on a traditional art form became her hallmark; a style that gained popularity as Poland had recently regained its independence in 1911 and its citizens cherished their historical iconography. Her 1917 series of surrealist lithographs entitled “Bożki Słowiańskie” [“Slavic Idols”] saw massive success and was printed on everything from postcards to chocolates.

    An expert of folk costumes and Slavic mythology, Stryjeńska expressed the love of her heritage in work that ranged from wooden chess pieces to ballet costumes, like those designed for the 1930s Polish ballet “Harnasie.”

    Happy birthday, Zofia Stryjeńska!

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    April 26, 2021

    Anne McLaren's 94th Birthday




    Today’s Doodle celebrates the 94th birthday of British scientist and author Anne McLaren, who is widely considered one of the most significant reproductive biologists of the 20th century. Her fundamental research on embryology has helped countless people realize their dreams of parenthood.

    Anne McLaren was born in London on this day in 1927. As a child, she had a small role in the 1936 H.G. Wells’ sci-fi film “The Shape of Things to Come.” In the scene—set in 2054—her great-grandfather lectured her on the advancement of space technology that had put mice on the moon. McLaren credits this formative, albeit fictional, history lesson as one of the early inspirations for her love of science. She went on to study zoology at the University of Oxford, where her passion for science only grew as she learned from talented biologists such as Peter Medawar—a Nobel laureate for his research on the human immune system.

    In the 1950s, McLaren began to work with mice to further understand the biology of mammalian development. While the subjects of her research were tiny, the implications of their study proved massive. By successfully growing mouse embryos in vitro [[in lab equipment), McLaren and her colleague John Biggers demonstrated the possibility to create healthy embryos outside of the mother’s womb.

    These landmark findings—published in 1958—paved the way for the development of in vitro fertilization [IVF] technology that scientists first used successfully with humans twenty years later. However, the development of IVF technology carried major ethical controversy along with it. To this end, McLaren served as the only research scientist on the Warnock Committee [est. 1982], a governmental body dedicated to the development of policies related to the advances in IVF technology and embryology. Her expert council to the committee played an essential role in the enactment of the 1990 Human Fertilization and Embryology Act—watershed, yet contentious, legislation which limits in-vitro culture of human embryos to 14-days post embryo creation.

    In 1991, McLaren was appointed Foreign Secretary, and later vice-president, of the world’s oldest scientific institution—The Royal Society—at the time becoming the first woman to ever hold office within the institution’s 330-year-old history.

    McLaren discovered her passion for learning at a young age and aspired to spark this same enthusiasm for science in children and society at large. In 1994, the British Association for the Advancement of Science—an institution dedicated to the promotion of science to the general public [now the British Science Association]—elected her as its president. Through the organization and its events, McLaren engaged audiences across Britain on the wonders of science, engineering, and technology with the aim of making these topics more accessible to everyone.

    Happy birthday, Anne McLaren. Thank you for all your incredible work and for inspiring many new generations to come because of it!

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    September 11, 2021

    Christine de Pizan's 657th Birthday




    Today’s Doodle celebrates the 657th birthday of Italian writer and poet Christine de Pizan. She is considered the first woman in Europe to support herself solely by writing professionally.

    Christine de Pizan was born in the Republic of Venice on this day in 1364. She spent her childhood exploring libraries in the court of France’s King Charles V, where her father served as court astrologer. Armed with a pen and her love of literature, she began writing romantic ballads in 1393. This early foray into wordsmithing enraptured several powerful patrons, including King Charles VI.

    De Pizan is best known today for her role in a medieval literary feud that rivals any modern celebrity drama. It began in the early 1400s with heated debates regarding the popular poem “The Romance of the Rose.” De Pizan denounced the work’s treatment of women and struck back in 1405 with one of her most famous works, “The Book of the City of Ladies.” In it, she incorporated stories that highlighted the leadership and wisdom of important women from history and mythology. She released the sequel, “The Treasure of the City of Ladies,” later that year, completing the series now considered to be among the earliest feminist literature.

    Throughout her career, de Pizan published 10 volumes of poetry, many of which were “complaints,” the term for medieval protest poems and songs against vice or injustice. Today, de Pizan is among the 1,038 influential women represented in Judy Chicago’s iconic 1970s art installation “The Dinner Party” on display at the Brooklyn Museum.

    Happy Birthday, Christine de Pizan!

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    July 6, 2021

    Ángela Peralta's 175th Birthday




    Today's Doodle celebrates the 175th birthday of Mexican pianist, harpist, composer, and internationally-renowned operatic soprano Ángela Peralta, who is widely considered one of the most significant Mexican opera singers of her era.

    On this day in 1845, Ángela Peralta Castera was born in Mexico City. Her reputation as a remarkable singer began to take hold with her solo performance of a cavatina from the Italian opera “Belisario” at just 8 years old. At 15, Peralta made her operatic debut at the Gran Teatro Nacional—one of 19th-century Mexico’s premier opera houses. This performance received such acclaim that it prompted Peralta to further refine her talent in Italy, the birthplace of opera.

    In Milan, Peralta’s 1862 performance of the romantic opera “Lucia di Lammermoor” so impressed the audience that standing ovations brought her back to the stage 23 times! The scope of her international tours broadened to include some of Europe’s most prestigious opera houses as well as the U.S., garnering the title of “Mexican Nightingale'' for her mastery of the lyrical operatic style known as bel canto. Peralta returned to Mexico City in 1871, a homecoming announced by yet another grand performance at the Gran Teatro Nacional.

    Soon after, Peralta utilized this successful momentum to found her own opera company. On their final tour in 1883, Peralta’s troupe traveled to the coastal Mexican city of Mazatlán. Here, her legacy is preserved in an opera house named in her honor: the Ángela Peralta Theater.

    Happy birthday, Ángela Peralta. Here’s to all those performances that ended on a high note!

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    March 11, 2021

    Astor Piazzolla's 100th Birthday




    Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Buenos Aires-based guest artist José Saccone, celebrates Argentine composer and virtuosic bandoneón player Astor Piazzolla, who revolutionized traditional tango to create a hybrid genre known as “nuevo tango.”

    Astor Piazzolla was born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 1921 and moved with his family to New York City at a young age. When his father bought him a bandoneón, an Argentine accordion-like instrument that is essential to the tango sound, he quickly became known as a child prodigy and wrote his first tango at 11.

    In 1937, he returned to Argentina where traditional tango still reigned supreme. Once home, Piazzolla actually gave up tango to study classical music and become a modernist classical composer. He traveled to Paris on a scholarship to apprentice under eminent French composer Nadia Boulanger, who prepared him for his next return home in 1955. Back in Argentina, he applied years of classical study to the tango sound and formed his band “Octeto Buenos Aires.” Coined as the “nuevo tango,” Piazolla's fresh take incorporated elements of jazz and classical music with new instruments, changing the tempo, the sound, and the tradition of dance.

    Throughout his life, it’s estimated that Piazzolla wrote approximately 3,000 original compositions and recorded another 500. In honor of his 100th birthday, the Astor Piazzolla Foundation recently announced the Piazzolla Music competition for soloists and ensembles alike.

    Happy birthday, Astor Piazzolla!

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    March 11, 2016

    Ratchanee Sripaiwan's 86th Birthday




    Happy 86th Birthday Ratchanee Sripaiwan!

    If you grew up in Thailand or learned Thai in primary school, chances are you've heard of Manee and her friends. In Sripaiwan's beautifully illustrated book "Manee, Mana, Piti, and Chujai," readers learned the อักษรไทย while exploring Manee's village and following her adventures.

    Sripaiwan's exquisite mastery of the Thai language and passion for education guided students across the globe. Not only did readers learn basic Thai language, grammar, and sentence structure, they lived and loved Sripaiwan's tales. The textbooks were first approved for educational use in 1956 and were used for grades 1-6 from 1978 to 1994. When Sripaiwan passed away in 2014, these books were reprinted to honor her life's work — educating and delighting another generation.

    Today's Doodle by Alyssa Winans reflects the signature style of illustrators and close collaborators Triam Chachumporn, Ohm Rajjavej, and Pathom Puapimon. The image of Mana and Manee captures the effortless charm and elegance of Ratchanee Sripaiwan's books.

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    July 5, 2020

    Phraya Si Sunthon Wohan's 198th Birthday




    Today’s Doodle celebrates Thai author, poet, and teacher Phraya Si Sunthon Wohan, who has been credited as the top authority on the Thai language during the rule of King Rama V in the late 19th century. Sunthon Wohan authored some of the country’s first Thai language textbooks, which were used to educate the country’s youth and members of the royal family.

    Phraya Si Sunthon Wohan— born Noi Achan Yangkun on this day in 1822 in the Thai province of Chachoengsao— moved to Bangkok at the age of 13 to begin his lifelong linguistic journey. Over the next eight years, he studied at one of the capital city’s most ancient temples, the golden Wat Saket, where he mastered a handful of languages, including Thai, Khmer [the official language of neighboring Cambodia] and Pāli [a classical language that originated in India].

    Phraya Si Sunthon Wohan’s talents ultimately attracted the attention of King Rama V, and he was appointed to the esteemed role of permanent secretary. He authored the country’s first textbook, which he used to teach the royal family at Suan Kulaab, the rose garden school in Bangkok’s Grand Palace. A poet at heart, Sunthon Wohan is also credited with writing Thailand’s very first national anthem.
    Last edited by 9A; 10-26-2021 at 07:43 AM.

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