Google doodles

[9A]

25 November 2020

Celebrating Tino Sidin





Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Indonesian-American guest artist Shanti Rittgers, celebrates the 95th birthday of Indonesian artist and teacher Tino Sidin. Lovingly known as Pak Tino [Sir Tino], Sidin became a household name through his television series Gemar Menggambar [Like to Draw], on which he taught a generation of young children how to draw and nurture their creative talents. Fittingly, November 25 is also recognized in Indonesia as National Teachers' Day in commemoration of the establishment of the Indonesian Teachers’ Association on this date in 1945.

Tino Sidin was born on this day in 1925 in Tebing Tinggi in North Sumatra, now a province of Indonesia. He first began teaching in his hometown during his 20s and in 1960 travelled to Yogyakarta–among the country’s cultural hubs–to attend the pioneering Indonesian Academy of Arts [now the Indonesian Art Institute]. In 1969, Gemar Menggambar first premiered on the local TV station TVRI Yogyakarta, and in 1979 it made the leap onto Indonesian national television.

Every Sunday afternoon for the next decade, Pak Tino introduced countless children to the fun and joy of drawing. Like countless teachers celebrated across the country today, Sidin nurtured his young students through positive encouragement. He inspired the students to not be afraid to make mistakes, and he uplifted the children who viewed the show nationwide, showing support for their submitted artwork with his signature catchphrase “Ya, bagus” [“Yes, it’s nice”]. An accomplished artist off camera as well, Sidin’s own work was often inspired by daily life; one of his paintings, Empat Anak Main, [Four Children Play] for example, depicts four of his daughters.

In 2017, a museum was founded at Sidin’s former residence in Yogyakarta, immortalizing the legacy of Indonesia’s beloved teaching artist.

Happy Birthday to an educator who helped spark creativity and draw a brighter future for generations of Indonesian children, and thank you to all of the teachers who have tirelessly fostered the next generation!

[9A]

27 November 2018

Fe del Mundo’s 107th Birthday






“I’m glad that I have been very much involved in the care of children, and that I have been relevant to them,” says Filipina physician Fe del Mundo. “They are the most outstanding feature in my life.”

Born in Manilla on this day in 1911, del Mundo was inspired to study medicine by her older sister who did not herself live to realize her dream of becoming a doctor. Also known as “The Angel of Santo Tomas,” del Mundo devoted her life to child healthcare and revolutionized pediatric medicine in the process.

A gifted student who became the first woman admitted to Harvard Medical School, del Mundo returned home after completing her studies in the U.S. During World War II, she set up a hospice where she treated more than 400 children and later became director of a government hospital. Frustrated with the bureaucracy, she eventually sold her house and belongings to finance the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines. Del Mundo lived on the second floor of the Children's Medical Center in Quezon City, making early morning rounds until she was 99 years old, even in a wheelchair.

When she wasn’t treating patients she was teaching students, publishing important research in medical journals, and authoring a definitive ‘Textbook of Pediatrics.’ She established the Institute of Maternal and Child Health to train doctors and nurses, and became the first woman to be conferred the title National Scientist of the Philippines and received many awards for her outstanding service to humankind.

Happy Birthday, Fe del Mundo!

[9A]

27 November 2018

Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita’s 132nd Birthday




“The reason why I so much enjoy being friends with cats is that they have two different characters: a wild side and a domestic side. This is what makes them interesting,” said Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita. “A cat’s a wild animal, and I like that.”

Born in Tokyo on this day in 1886, Foujita, the son of a Japanese army general,dreamed of becoming a painter in Europe. After graduating from art school in Japan, he relocated to France in 1913, where he befriended various School of Paris luminaries such as Juan Gris, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse, and even studied dance with Isadora Duncan.

Foujita’s first solo exhibition at the prestigious Gallery Chéron in June 1917 sold out quickly. The exhibition consisted of watercolors painted with a fine brush in a distinctive style that blended Eastern and Western influences and finished with a silvery wash.

Celebrated during his lifetime, Foujita received international awards and prominent commissions. His 1930 Book of Cats, featuring 20 etched plate drawings, became one of the most popular cat books ever published. Today, his work can be seen in Kyoto’s National Museum of Modern Art before rotating to the Musée d’Art Moderne de la ville de Paris in early 2019.

In 2011 his estate established the Foujita Foundation which carries on his legacy by the supporting artistic projects of young people experiencing difficulties from an interdisciplinary approach while encouraging educational development, cultural openness, and personal fulfillment.

Happy Birthday, Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita!

[9A]

29 Nov 2016

Louisa May Alcott’s 184th Birthday






"I like good strong words that mean something," says Jo March in Little Women. The same could be said of that beloved novel's author, Louisa May Alcott, who was born on this day in 1832. In addition to being a writer, Alcott was a suffragist, abolitionist, and feminist. She grew up in the company of luminaries like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau, who fostered in her a strong sense of civic duty. Alcott volunteered as a nurse during the American Civil War, and her family's home was a station on the Underground Railroad. She was active in the women's suffrage movement and became the first woman to register to vote in Concord, Massachusetts. Through it all, she wrote novels and short stories tirelessly, sometimes working 14 hours a day.

Today's Doodle portrays Beth, Jo, Amy, and Meg March, as well as Jo's best friend Laurie, their neighbor. The March family of Little Women was based on Alcott's own, and the coltish Jo was Louisa's vision of herself: strewing manuscript pages in her wake, charging ahead with the courage of her convictions, and cherishing her family above all.

[9A]

30 November 2015

Lucy Maud Montgomery’s 141st Birthday





Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote her first novel in 1905. It was rejected by every single publishing house that received it. A few years later, Montgomery tried shopping it again and succeeded. Her story about the adventures of a red-headed girl in Prince Edward Island became a smash hit. That novel ultimately became one of Canada’s most all-time popular books, being translated into around 20 languages and selling more than 50 million copies to date. Anne of Green Gables and its many sequels made Montgomery a wildly successful author and turned PEI into a destination for the book’s thousands of fans.

One of Canada’s most celebrated writers, Montgomery also wrote hundreds of poems and short stories as well as a number of novels apart from the Anne series. She was the first Canadian woman to be made a member of the British Royal Society of Arts and was also appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Today, on what would have been her 141st birthday, we salute Lucy Maud Montgomery with a Doodle that pays tribute to her most iconic book.

Doodler Olivia When, herself an Anne of Green Gables fan, wanted to honor Montgomery by illustrating several scenes from the beloved novel, including a particularly memorable one in which Anne mistakenly bakes a cake with liniment [[a medicated oil) instead of vanilla. Here’s to Anne with an “e,” Shirley and her revered creator, Lucy Maud Montgomery.

[9A]

30 November 2017

St. Andrew's Day 2017





November 30 is St. Andrew’s Day in Scotland, a national holiday and cultural celebration that involves traditional food, ceilidh dancing, storytelling, and fireworks - with lots of talk and laughter.

Today’s very special coloring-in Doodle by Scottish artist Johanna Basford is a procession of beloved Scottish symbols, each with a special link to the country’s rich heritage and mythology. Wreathed in the prickly-leaved purple thistle, the unicorn [Scotland’s national animal] leads the parade, symbolizing innocence, purity, power, and joy.

The highlands and the lochs form the perfect backdrop to the country’s favorite mythical monster — Nessie, otherwise known as the Loch Ness monster. Trailing her is a majestic red deer, Scotland’s largest native land mammal, exploring the country’s much-celebrated bluebell woods.

The Saltire, the blue Scottish flag emblazoned with a white diagonal cross, heralds the procession. It is believed to be the oldest flag in Europe, and every building in Scotland is required by law to display it on this day.

Happy St. Andrew’s Day, everyone!

Be sure to check out today's Doodle's coloring page to print out and create your own version!

[9A]

30 November 2019

St Andrew's Day 2019




St. Andrew’s Day is a celebration of Scotland’s people, culture, and charity highlighted in today's Doodle, illustrated by Scotland-based guest artist Scott Balmer. The holiday marks the officially unofficial start of winter in Scotland.

As the religious feast day of St. Andrew, November 30th has been observed in Scotland for centuries. St. Andrew’s Day as a national holiday did not take shape until an unexpected connection to the USA in the 18th century.

In 1729, the Scottish residents of Charleston, South Carolina, formed the first St. Andrew’s Society as a charitable organization. Choosing the feast day of St. Andrew to celebrate their homeland, the news of their philanthropic efforts spread quickly. The members of the organization embodied the message of the holiday by giving back to those in need, and continue to do so around the world to this day.

Throughout the country, you’ll find the Saltire flag proudly flying, parades through city thoroughfares, fireworks, and lots of Cèilidh dances. Evolving from couples dances in rural villages, Cèilidh dances are meant to welcome all those who wish to join.

If you’re a Scot abroad, in the Highlands, or just Scottish at heart, get ready to dance the night away, and make sure to have some haggis before the night is over.

Happy St. Andrew’s Day!​

[9A]

30 November 2011

Mark Twain's 176th Birthday







A great writer and humorist, Mark Twain once said, "Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand." His characters are as sincere as they are funny and playful; his work is iconic and a part of literary history. As an author that readers around the world have adored for a century, Mark Twain is a perfect fit for a doodle!

Since Google never likes to take itself too seriously, I wanted to pick a scene from Twain's work that is both recognizable and funny. The fence-painting sequence from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer seemed a perfect fit. Not only does it incorporate a little bit of mischievous humor [painting fences is certainly thrilling!] it also plays cleverly with the white space of the homepage. Alluding to a comic-book format, I drew Tom and Ben working on the fence and, therefore, spreading our famous white space across the doodle.

[9A]

30 November 2016

St. Andrew's Day 2016




St. Andrew’s Day is Scotland’s official national day, celebrating the feast day of St. Andrew—the nation’s patron saint since the 10th century. The Scottish government mandates that the flag, also known as the Saltire or St. Andrew’s Cross, is flown today on every building with a flagpole. Festivities will include traditional Scottish foods like haggis, neeps, and tatties, as well as parades, music, and dancing. The celebrations kick off Scotland’s winter festival season.

Today’s Doodle features the Scottish flag proudly waving against the backdrop of famed locations throughout the country, including Cuillin Hills, Ben Nevis, Broch of Mousa, Isle of Skye, and Loch Lomond.

[9A]

30 November 2020

St Andrew’s Day 2020





Today’s Doodle, illustrated by guest artist Peter Lubach, commemorates St. Andrew’s Day, Scotland’s annual celebration of its patron saint and national culture. The traditions of St. Andrew’s Day are believed to trace all the way back to the 11th century, and in 2007 the celebration was officially established as a national holiday.

In honor of St. Andrew’s Day, today’s Doodle artwork features several emblematic elements of Scottish iconography. The rampant lion on the far left has long represented Scotland since its first appearance on official regalia in the 13th century. Scotland’s national emblem, the thistle, replaces the second “O,” and to its right sits the critically-endangered Scottish wildcat—the only remaining native cat species that lives in the wild in the UK. Next to the wildcat stands a castle representative of the historic structures that dot the Scottish landscape. And finally on the far right is a golden eagle, which symbolizes Scotland’s wild natural landscape.


Happy St. Andrew’s Day!

[9A]

30 November 2018

St Andrew's Day 2018




St. Andrew has been Scotland’s patron saint since the country declared its independence in 1320. Relics of the martyred disciple have been enshrined in a Scottish monastery since the eighth century, making the town of St. Andrews a destination for pilgrimages. The blue and white “saltire” design on the Scottish flag is known as St. Andrew’s Cross.

Today’s Doodle commemorates this national holiday with Scotland’s national flower the thistle. Legend has it that in the 13th century an invading army of Vikings tried to sneak into the country barefoot—until they stumbled onto a thorny patch of thistles, alerting the Scottish clansmen who turned them away. Scotland’s affinity for thistles is also represented by The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the highest honor the nation can confer on any individual.

A celebration of Scottish culture, St. Andrew’s Day is a time for family and friends to come together for an old-fashioned gathering known as a cèilidh featuring storytelling, hearty Scottish food, traditional music, and step dancing. The holiday marks the start of Scottish winter festival season, kicking off this year with three days of music and film festivals, museum programs, and a torchlight parade through the streets of Glasgow. Scotland is also encouraging fairness, inclusivity and all manner of good works with its #MakeSomeonesDay campaign, carrying on Andrew’s saintly legacy.


Latha fèill Anndrais sona dhuibh, Alba! →Happy Saint

[9A]

1 Dec 2018

Maria Walanda Maramis’ 146th Birthday





Today’s Doodle honors Maria Walanda Maramis, a National Hero of Indonesia who fought tirelessly for the advancement of women in her home country at the beginning of the 20th century.

Born in a small village in North Minahasa Regency on this day in 1872, Maramis was the youngest of three children. Orphaned at an early age, she was raised by an uncle along with her siblings. Maramis and her sister were offered only basic schooling because of their gender.

After moving to Manado, the capital city of North Sulawesi province, she began writing an op-ed column in a local newspaper, Tjahaja Siang. Her writings emphasized the importance of mothers as caretakers of their family’s well-being, health care, and education.

Based on these principles, she founded the organization PIKAT, an Indonesian acronym for “Percintaan Ibu Kepada Anak Turunannya,” which translates as “The Love of a Mother Toward her Children.” PIKAT members learned essential household skills like cooking and sewing and caring for their children’s health. The organization expanded as far away as to Java where local women organized their own branches.

Turning her attention to politics, Maramis fought for women’s right to vote in choosing their representatives. Her efforts paid off in 1921 when the government allowed women to participate in elections. PIKAT’s work went on, aided by Maramis’ daughter Anna Matuli Walanda.

In 1969, in appreciation of her accomplishments on behalf of Indonesian women, the government decreed Maramis a National Hero. Her work towards the emancipation of women is celebrated on her birthday and a statue stands in her honor in the village of Komo Luar.


Happy Birthday, Maria Walanda Maramis!

[9A]

8 April 2017

Mary Pickford’s 125th birthday






Lights, camera, action! Today’s doodle honors the “Queen of the Movies,” Mary Pickford. An actress, a film director, and a producer, Mary Pickford proved that actors weren’t relegated to careers in front of the camera. She co-founded the film studio United Artists and was one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Before she became one of the most powerful women who has ever worked in Hollywood, she was “the girl with the curls,” and one of the most beloved stars of the silent film era. She appeared in as many as 50 films per year, and eventually negotiated wages that were equal to half of each of her films’ profits. She went on to demand full creative and financial control of her films, a feat still unheard of to this day.

She used her stardom to bring awareness to causes close to her heart. She sold Liberty Bonds during World War I, created the Motion Picture Relief Fund, and revolutionized the film industry by giving independent film producers a way to distribute their films outside the studio system. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress, for her role in Coquette [1929], and an honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement in 1976.

Today, we pay tribute to Mary Pickford’s enterprising leadership on what would be her 125th birthday.

[9A]

8 April 2018

María Félix’s 104th Birthday




When an important Mexican filmmaker first approached Maria Félix about an acting career, she responded: “When I want to, it will be through the big door.” Félix would launch a film career on her terms, even turning down Hollywood magnate Cecil B. Demille to debut in her home country where she would become an icon of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.

Born in 1914, Maria Félix grew up modestly in Álamos, Sonora, Mexico among 11 siblings. During her teen years, her family moved to Guadalajara where Félix was crowned Beauty Queen at the University of Guadalajara. She got her break after moving to Mexico City, starring in El Peñón de las Ánimas [[1942). Her offscreen defiance of famous co-star Jorge Negrete earned her the reputation for toughness that followed her throughout her life and career.

Maria Félix’s contributions to international culture are prolific. In addition to releasing 47 films in Mexico, Spain, France, Italy, and Argentina, she was considered a muse by famous artists like José Clemente Orozco and Diego Rivera, novelists and playwrights like Jean Cocteau, Renato Leduc, and Carlos Fuentes, and musicians like Juan Gabriel and Francis Cabrel. She was also a fashion icon, wearing clothes and jewelry designed expressly for her by famous designers like Christian Dior and Cartier Paris.

Though her career started in Mexican cinema, Maria Félix’s impact on cinema, art, music, and fashion reverberates overseas, transcending barriers to establish her as extremely influential female voice in international cinema. Created by guest artist Paulette Jo, today’s Doodle captures the stunning movie icon’s portraiture.

Happy 104th birthday to Maria Félix, a cinematic pioneer!

[9A]

29 November 2018

Celebrating 400º of Murillo






Bartolomé Esteban Murillo painted historical and religious scenes, portraits, and still lifes in oil and fresco during the golden era of Spanish art. Known for his dramatic lighting, radiant color palette, and versatility, Murillo brought to life a wide range of subjects, from the grandeur of his Immaculate Conception to the casual grace of Two Women at a Window.

Although his exact birthdate is unknown, he was baptized on New Year’s Day 1618 in Seville’s Church of St. Mary Magdalen and lived in Seville most of his life. Studying with the accomplished painter Juan del Castillo, a relative on his mother’s side of the family, Murillo would eventually surpass his master and be considered the head of what became known as the “Sevillian School” of the Baroque era.

Renowned for his Independent spirit, Murillo cultivated his own style of painting, incorporating Flemish and Venetian influences and evolving throughout his career. During two extended trips to Madrid, he was introduced to Diego Velázquez and exposed to works by Venetian and Flemish masters, which deeply influenced his own work. In turn, Murillo’s paintings would go on to influence such future masters as Thomas Gainsborough and Jean-Baptiste Greuze.

In honor of his 400th anniversary, a series of major exhibitions celebrating Murillo’s work is opening at Seville’s Museum of Fine Arts, bringing home the artist’s work from renowned collections all over the world. Guided tours, concerts, and other cultural activities combine to make this the “Year of Murillo.”


Happy Anniversary, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo!

[9A]

2 Dec 2018

United Arab Emirates National Day 2018





Today’s Doodle celebrates the United Arab Emirates National Day on a very special anniversary for the country. This year, UAE’s first president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan - who founded the country and began his 33-year reign over the unified nation - would have turned 100 years old.

On this day in 1971, the six emirates of Abu Dhabi [the nation’s capital], Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain, joined forces at the Union House in Dubai. One remaining emirate, Ras Al Khaimah, would join in February of the following year thus creating the United Arab Emirates — a rich amalgamation of 7 unique cultures and traditions of centuries past.

To mark the occasion, a spectacular display of fireworks will illuminate the skylines of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah in honor of the national day.


Happy National Day, United Arab Emirates!

[9A]

9 August 2020

Celebrating Mekatilili wa Menza





Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Nairobi-based guest artist Wanjira Kinyua, celebrates legendary Kenyan activist Mekatilili wa Menza, known for inspiring the Giriama people to resist colonial rule in the early 20th century. Today on the Kenyan coast, the resilient legacy of Menza is commemorated during the festivities of the traditional Malindi Cultural Festival, an annual celebration of local history and pride.

Mnyazi wa Menza was born in the Giriama village of Matsara wa Tsatsu in coastal Kenya during the mid-19th century. By the early 20th century, British colonial rule had threatened the sovereignty and freedom of the Giriama people with forced labor and taxation. At a time when women’s power was limited within her society, Menza was compelled to organize her people against colonial control.

Today revered as one of Kenya’s first Mau Maus [freedom fighters], Menza traveled from village to village spreading messages of opposition, performing the ecstatic native dance of kifudu to draw large crowds and then unleashing her powerful oratory skills to garner support. Today’s Doodle artwork features a depiction of Menza leading the energetic kifudu dance that called so many to action.

Menza’s leadership contributed to uprisings by the Giriama against the British in 1913 and 1914, and despite her multiple arrests and imprisonments, her campaign of resistance proved successful. The British ultimately relaxed control of the region, effectively granting the demands for which Menza and the Giriama had fought tirelessly for.

[9A]

9 August 2016

60th Anniversary of Women's March




In 1956, tens of thousands of women from across South Africa stood quietly at the foot of the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Their mission: to hand-deliver a document to JG Strijdom, the country’s Prime Minister, demanding women remain exempt from the government’s discriminatory pass laws.

But when they reached their destination, the Prime Minister wasn’t there. No one would be welcoming them into South Africa’s halls of power.

Unfazed, the women waited in silence. After 30 minutes that shook history, the group burst into song. Cries of “wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo!” [heard today as “you strike a woman, you strike a rock!"] filled the air. This defiant hymn embodied the freedom and equality the group sought - and it marked a starting point for a movement that would march on for years to come.

Today’s Doodle celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the Women Union Buildings March and the courage and bravery of its participants, supporters, and leaders. Your steps toward justice will never be forgotten.

[9A]

7 February 2020

Celebrating Else Lasker-Schüler






Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Frankfurt-based guest artist Cynthia Kittler, celebrates Jewish German poet and artist Else Lasker-Schüler, widely considered one of the greatest lyricists to write in the German language. On this day in 1937, a Swiss newspaper published her famous poem “Mein blaues Klavier” [“My Blue Piano”], which is referenced in today’s Doodle artwork by the piano keys depicted on the camel’s back, alongside other symbols of Lasker-Schüler’s life and work.

Born in the western German town of Elberfeld on February 11th, 1869, Elisabeth Schüler was raised in a prominent Jewish family. Homeschooled by her mother, she was encouraged to experiment and explore her artistic interests, and in time, she began to develop her voice as a poet.

In 1894, Schüler married Jonathan Lasker and moved to Berlin, where she later published her first poems. She became a well-known fixture in Berlin’s artistic circles, rubbing elbows in cafes with some of the city’s top literary figures. Bringing her vivid work to life, the eccentric Lasker-Schüler could be found dressed in flamboyant robes, assuming the alter ego of one of her vibrant characters, “Jusuf, Prince of Thebes,” depicted in today’s artwork.

In the leadup to World War II, Lasker-Schüler was forced to flee her home country and eventually settled in Jerusalem. She continued portraying “Jusuf, Prince of Thebes” and publishing multiple works from exile, including “Mein blaues Klavier.”

A prolific poet, Lasker-Schüler established herself as a leading German Expressionist voice and a major feature in the iconic Berlin literary journal Der Sturm [“The Storm”], with verses frequently exploring themes of fantasy, loneliness, romance, and religion. In recognition of her impact, in 1932 Lasker-Schüler received the Kleist Prize, widely considered the highest German literary honor at the time.

[9A]

7 February 2015

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s 148th Birthday







Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in 1867 in a log cabin in the “Big Woods” of Wisconsin. Her beloved Little House books, chronicling her family’s hardscrabble journeys through the American frontier, stand as a notable achievement of early American literature. The television series based on the books—a staple for viewers in the 70s—brought legions of new fans to her work.

When we were invited to commemorate Wilder’s birthday with a doodle, we were thrilled. It was a natural fit, since we’re the creators of a board book series that abridges classic novels in just twelve words and twelve images. Our illustrative process combines needle-felting, scale-model set-building, and photography.

The first step in creating the doodle was to make figures of Laura and her older sister, Mary, through needle felting. Needle felting is basically sculpting with wool, and the process is labor-intensive. It requires stabbing loose wool [called “roving”] hundreds, even thousands of times with a barbed needle, which entangles the fibres and makes the wool firm enough to hold shape. Our felt figures are built around a wire armature that makes the figures easy to pose and re-pose.






After the general body form is created, details such as facial features, hair and clothing are added. While the body is made of roving, the clothing is cut from pre-felt [pre-made sheets of soft wool] and needled onto the body.




After we made the figures, we turned to the set. Because we didn’t have a prairie landscape at hand in Vancouver, Canada for location shooting, we had to create our own artificial landscape by needling loose wool onto a sculpted styrofoam block. Craft grass was glued to the front of the set to help add a sense of depth. Here’s Holman creating the faux prairie.





We would have been remiss if we didn’t add a little house on the prairie [and a covered wagon] to complete the scene. Here’s Jack building a log cabin out of twigs, milled wood, small stones [for the chimney], and hot glue.




After the figures, set and props were completed, we began some test photography indoors to sort out general composition.




Then we took our set outdoors on a clear day for real sunlight. Here’s a shot of an early stage of the outdoor set-up. The January sun was very low in the sky, so the set had to be tilted to create a less wintry angle of light.




Our goal when creating images is to illustrate “in camera” as much as possible. However, in this case, it wasn’t possible for us to create clouds in the shapes of letters in camera. So when the outdoor shoot was complete, we took the best photograph and added the clouds digitally for the finishing touch.

The doodle of Laura and Mary running joyously through the prairie, with the iconic “little house” in the background, captures for us—and hopefully for millions of others—the essence of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her literary legacy.

Posted by Jack and Holman Wang, guest doodlers and the authors and illustrators of the board book series Cozy Classics and Star Wars Epic Yarns.

[9A]

7 February 2012

Charles Dickens' 200th Birthday





We have quite a number of characters who showed up today to help celebrate Charles Dickens' 200th birthday. Twelve recognizable ones at least. This naturally made for a pretty busy doodle.

And while good looking art is always a goal, so is authenticity. So we met with other Googlers who happen to be big Dickens' fans, including the Google Books team, to gain a better understanding of Dickens' work – whether is was to learn more about his overarching themes, or which characters could sneak in an appearance. In fact, you can visit the Books blog to read a few of their thoughts as well as to get a little more of an in-depth look at the making of this doodle.


Happy 200th, Charles Dickens!


posted by Mike Dutton

[9A]

1 October 2019

Julio Jaramillo’s 84th Birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates the life and music of Ecuadorian singer Julio Jaramillo, also known as El Ruiseñor de América, or “The Nightingale of the Americas.” Born to a working-class family in the bustling port city of Guayaquil on this day in 1935, Jaramillo grew up to become an international star who toured Latin America singing boleros, tangos, rancheras, and pasillos––the sentimental love songs that are often considered Ecuador’s national musical genre.

Jaramillo fell in love with music early, learning to play guitar as a youngster. After dropping out of school, he supported himself as a shoemaker, but longed to become a singer, sometimes serenading passersby in the city streets. Traveling to Colombia in hopes of gaining exposure, he once barged into a live radio broadcast, determined to make his voice heard and managed to impress listeners with his vocals. Back home in Ecuador, he recorded “Nuestro Juramanto” [“Our Oath”], a song about undying love that brought him international acclaim and remains to this day one of the most popular of his thousands of recordings.

Jaramillo lived a colorful life, traveling the world, romancing many women, and appearing in the 1966 film Fiebre de Juventud [Youth Fever]. One of Latin America’s most acclaimed singers, he became a sort of unofficial ambassador for Ecuador in pop culture.

Since 1993, October 1st has been celebrated as Día del Pasillo Ecuatoriano, a national holiday honoring the musical form Jaramillo helped to popularize around the world. The singer’s legacy lives on at the Museo Municipal de la Música Popular Julio Jaramillo, welcoming visitors to his hometown all year long.

Happy Birthday, Julio Jaramillo!

[9A]

20 November 2020

Benoit Mandelbrot's 96th birthday






Today’s Doodle celebrates the 96th birthday of Polish-born, French and American mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot, widely known as the “father of fractal geometry.” Mandelbrot’s pioneering research was instrumental in introducing the world to the powerful concept of fractals–irregular yet infinitely repeating mathematical shapes found throughout nature and our everyday lives.

Mandelbrot was born on this day in 1924 in Warsaw, Poland to parents of Lithuanian-Jewish heritage. From being a local chess champion to a student of his father’s map collection, at a young age Mandelbrot was exposed to mathematics and geometry in everyday life. In 1936 the family emigrated to France, and Mandelbrot went on to pursue his education in both Paris and the United States, culminating in a doctorate in 1952.

In 1958 Mandelbrot began working at the Watson Research Center at IBM in New York, where his study of peculiar repetitions in signal noise formed an early inspiration for his groundbreaking work. An early pioneer of the use of computers for research, he later used a basic computerized typewriter to develop an algorithm that modeled landforms found in nature. In 1975, he coined the now-famous term “fractal geometry” to describe these mathematical phenomena; with the release of his book “The Fractal Geometry of Nature” in 1982, Mandelbrot’s work reached the world, forever altering the field of applied mathematics.

Mandelbrot went on to receive countless awards for his work, including the Wolf Foundation Prize for Physics in 1993.

Happy birthday to Benoit Mandelbrot, a man whose curiosity helped to expand the way we see the world around us.

[9A]

20 November 2015

Nadine Gordimer’s 92nd Birthday




Today's Doodle features Nobel Prize winning author Nadine Gordimer laboring in her study, where she typically worked from early morning into the late afternoon. A dear friend of Nelson Mandela’s and a powerful voice for change in South African politics, Gordimer moved untold thousands with the pathos of her sparse, penetrating narratives.

In a style befitting Gordimer’s prose, Doodler Lydia Nichols exercised restraint by using only three colors, which she has layered to create texture and subtle variation. Gordimer, who attended just one year of university, died in July of last year. She was once asked how she developed such a sophisticated command of the language in the absence of any formal training. “From reading,” she said. “And living, of course.” Today marks her 92nd birthday.

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15 January 2019

Celebrating Sake Dean Mahomed




A man of many talents, Sake Dean Mahomed was an entrepreneur who made a name for himself by building cultural connections between India and England. On this day in 1794, he became the first Indian author to publish a book in English and later, to open an Indian restaurant in England—ushering in what would become one of Great Britain’s most popular cuisines. Mahomed went on to find success as the “The Shampooing Surgeon of Brighton,” opening a spa in the British seaside town that attracted the rich and royal.

In 1810, after moving to London, Mahomed opened the Hindostanee Coffee House, Britain’s first Indian restaurant. The Epicure’s Almanack—an early London restaurant guide—hailed it as a place for nobility to enjoy hookah and Indian dishes of the highest perfection. Nonetheless, Mahomed was forced to close his luxurious restaurant in 1812 and sought to reinvent himself.

Moving his family to the beachside town of Brighton, he opened a spa named Mahomed’s Baths offering luxurious herbal steam baths. His specialty was a combination of a steam bath and an Indian therapeutic massage—a treatment he named “shampooing” inspired by the Hindi word champissage meaning “a head massage.” He also published a book about the therapeutic benefits of the treatment with testimonials from his patients. In 1822, King George IV appointed Mahomed as his personal ‘shampooing surgeon’, which greatly improved his business. A portrait of Mahomed hangs in the Brighton Museum, commemorating this man who helped merge the cultures of his two homelands.


Happy Birthday, Sake Dean Mahomed!

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17 Jan 2019

Abdul Hafeez Kardar’s 94th Birthday







Today’s Doodle celebrates international cricketer Abdul Hafeez Kardar, affectionately known as “The Skipper.” One of the few players to have played Test cricket for both India and Pakistan, Kardar captained Pakistan’s first Test team and is widely remembered as the father of Pakistani cricket.

Born in Lahore, Punjab on this day in 1925 to a prominent cricket-playing family, Kardar was educated at Islamia College and traveled to England to represent India in Test play. A left-handed batsman and slow left-arm orthodox bowler, he went on to play for Oxford and Warwickshire County Cricket Club where he was coached by the esteemed New Zealand cricketer Martin Donnelly.

Following Pakistan’s partition from India in 1947, Kardar joined the Pakistani team and campaigned for the country to earn full Test status, which was finally granted in 1952. In 23 matches as their captain, Kardar led Pakistan to at least one victory over each of the Test teams they ever faced, including powerhouses such as Australia, India, New Zealand, and the West Indies. On his last tour in 1957, he ignored doctor’s orders and played against the West Indies with a broken finger, bowling 37 overs and scoring 57 during the match.

A fierce competitor on and off the field, Kardar was deeply engaged in the organization of Pakistani cricket, an early advocate of neutral umpires, and a passionate protester against political interference in the administration. In recognition of his contributions to Pakistani cricket, Kardar received the Pride of Performance Award from the Government of Pakistan in 1958.

Happy Birthday to The Skipper!

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26 January 2020

Australia Day 2020






January 26th means different things for Australians all around the country. This year, we’re going through a particularly difficult summer, with devastating bushfires affecting many parts of the country.

Today's Doodle on Australia Day is inspired by the spirit of resilience and mateship that binds the country together.

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26 January 2019

Australia Day 2019






Today’s Doodle celebrates the natural beauty of the Fitzgerald River National Park, located on Western Australia’s rugged south coast. The land around the coastal hills known as “the Barrens” is teeming with life. Stretching across the Shires of Ravensthorpe and the Jerramungup, the park protects one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.

More than 1,800 species of plants live in the park—75 of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The park is also home to 184 bird species, 41 reptile species, 12 frog species, and 22 mammal species, including the adorable honey possum featured in today’s Doodle. These mouse-sized marsupials, also known as “Noolbenger,” have prehensile tails longer than their bodies, pointed snouts, and long tongues covered with bristles to help them drink nectar from native flowers like the Banksia. Tiny but thirsty, one honey possum can drink up to 7 milliliters of nectar per day—roughly equivalent to a human drinking 50 liters of soda! They also help the plants reproduce by spreading pollen as they feast. ​

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4 May 2019

Eddie Aikau’s 73rd Birthday






Today’s Doodle celebrates Eddie Aikau, big wave surfer, lifeguard, and enduring symbol of Hawaiian heritage. Born on the island of Maui on this day in 1946, Eddie moved to Oahu with his family in 1959 and went on to become the first lifeguard hired by Honolulu officials to work on the North Shore of the island.

Not a single life was lost while he served as a lifeguard at Waimea Bay, making some 500 rescues without the assistance of a jet ski or any modern equipment. Eddie was famous for making rescues even in surf that reached 30 feet high. His fearlessness went on to inspire the slogan “Eddie would go.”

Hailing from a surfing family, Eddie was one of the first native Hawaiians to win the prestigious Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship in 1977, just four years after his older brother Clyde, who was the very first. Aside from his distinguished surfing career, Eddie found other ways to represent the culture of his native island. In 1978, Eddie joined the crew of the Hokule'a, a historically accurate double-hulled canoe retracing the ancient Polynesian migration route to Hawaii. The vessel sprung a leak and capsized in rough waters. Eddie was last seen heroically paddling off on his surfboard towards the nearest island to seek help for the crew, who were later rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Today, Eddie’s legacy lives on through the Eddie Aikau Foundation as well as the prestigious Eddie Aikau Invitational, which has seen some of big-wave surfing’s greatest names competing with maximum respect for the authenticity of surf culture.

Here’s to you, Eddie.

As a nod to Hawaiian culture, today's Doodle was carved out of wood—with a laser! The frames were then organized digitally to create the animated GIF.

Special thanks to the Eddie Aikau Foundation for their partnership on this Doodle. Below, they share their thoughts on Eddie’s life, legacy, and the Doodle:

A legendary surfer and lifeguard for the City & County of Honolulu, Eddie Aikau was one of the greatest big wave riders in the world. As the first lifeguard ever stationed at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu, Eddie is credited with saving the lives of hundreds of swimmers and surfers, often in conditions no one else would dare enter. His legacy lives on with a memorial Big Wave Surfing Invitational, also known as"The Eddie," held annually at Waimea Bay—but only when the waves are over 20 feet high. We hope people enjoy this Google Doodle and take a moment to remember and celebrate Eddie, a true symbol of the "Aloha Spirit."

Pictured: Eddie Aikau

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4 May 2012

Keith Haring's 54th Birthday






In the early 1980s, as a native Manhattanite raised by and among artists, I was aware of Keith Haring and his work, but my 1984 job interview would be the first time we would meet. After some awkward small talk, we quickly realized that we had many friends and social activities in common. At that age [we were both just 25], such things meant a great deal. He hired me as his personal assistant and studio manager, and I worked alongside him until his premature death from AIDS-related illnesses in 1990. We shared many interests, worked well together, and established a deep, reciprocal trust.

When he became ill and decided to create the Keith Haring Foundation, I was honored to accept his offer to be its executive director. I have now held that position for 23 years, and my responsibility and privilege is to promote and manage a legacy: respecting past connections and relationships, cultivating and nurturing new ones, staying true to Keith's artistic and philanthropic goals, and doing whatever is needed to ensure his place in history.

Keith tapped into the collective unconscious and expanded upon a universal language of symbols and messages – executed in simple lines, energized by the spirit [and for a time, context] of graffiti and fueled by his intense commitment to make his work as accessible as possible. Although he first came to the public’s attention through his chalk drawings in the New York City subway stations, he utilized the same graphically compelling visual vocabulary in thousands of works on paper, canvas, limited edition prints and multiples, sculpture, public murals and, eventually, merchandise – avenues of dissemination that to him were all of equal importance. This ambitious, populist spirit and prolific output brought his work to the widest audience imaginable.

Curious and cautious about the role technology was beginning to play in our society, Keith often included

images of computers in his work. He was both excited by and nervous about the impact of the personal computer on our daily lives. Using his art to convey these and other social concerns was at the root of his ever-increasing popularity. Over the past 30 years, images he created that speak about racism, drug addiction, AIDS and tolerance have become iconic.

Keith once expressed his fantasy that in the future, his images might be "beamed" around the world in seconds. That future is now, and I firmly believe that for Keith, the Internet would have been a realization of that excitement and cautious curiosity. That the world’s largest search engine is honoring Keith's birthday is nevertheless a perfect, 21st century, tribute to his art and ambitions. As Keith himself said in 1984, "Art lives through the imaginations of the people who are seeing it. Without that contact, there is no art. I have made myself a role as an image-maker of the twentieth century and I daily try to understand the responsibilities and implications of that position. It has become increasingly clear to me that art is not an elitist activity reserved for the appreciation of a few, but for everyone, and that is the end toward which I will continue to work."


Julia Gruen, Executive Direct of the Keith Haring Foundation

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8 April 2020
Thank you emergency services workers





As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people are coming together to help one another now more than ever. We’re launching a Doodle series to recognize and honor many of those on the front lines.

Today, we’d like to say:

To all emergency services workers, thank you.

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8 April 2021

Helen Joseph's 116th birthday






In recognition of her 116th birthday, today’s Doodle celebrates English-born, South African activist, Helen Joseph. A leading figure of white dissent of the unjust practice of apartheid, Joseph is widely considered one of South Africa’s most influential freedom fighters and women's rights advocates.

Born on this day in 1905, Joseph spent her early years living in London. She completed a degree in English at King’s College London in 1927, and later settled in Durban, South Africa.

Apartheid laws, which were enacted in 1948, divided South Africa along racial lines and extended to many facets of daily life. In 1951, Joseph took a position with the Garment Workers Union where she met Solly Sachs, who educated Joseph on South Africa’s political landscape and the realities of apartheid. Joseph soon became a founding member of the Congress of Democrats [COD], a white political ally of the African National Congress [[ANC), and on August 9, 1956, Joseph co-led a march of 20,000 women with the Federation of South African Women [FEDSAW] on Pretoria’s Union Buildings. Joseph’s fearless opposition resulted in government-led attempts to silence her but despite the backlash, Joseph remained active, taking in the children of exiled or imprisoned political activists, including Nelson and Winnie Mandela’s children.

Helen Joseph faced harsh repercussions for her actions, and yet, she persisted. Her lifelong fight to unite the people of South Africa was recognized by the ANC in 1992 with the Isitwalandwe/Seaparankwe Award. In honor of the historic women’s march on Pretoria and the unwavering advocacy of women like Helen Joseph, August 9 was commemorated annually as Women’s Day in South Africa.

Happy birthday, Helen Joseph!

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31 October 2020

Eloísa Angulo’s 101st Birthday






Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Lima, Peru-based guest artist Lucía Coz, celebrates the 101st birthday of Peruvian Creole singer Eloísa Angulo, known by many as “Sovereign of the Creole Song.” A blend of Spanish, African, and native Andean influences, música criolla [Creole music] remains a vibrant symbol of the rich culture and heritage of coastal Peru, and Angulo is among the genre’s most treasured performers.

Eloísa Angulo was born on this day in 1919 in Peru’s capital city of Lima. From the time she was a child, she wanted to become a singer, and she was even known to run away from school to participate in contests held by Lima radio stations in order to make her dreams a reality.

In the early 1930s, Angulo burst onto the scene along with Margarita Cerdeña in the duo Las criollitas, which lasted some three decades. Dubbed “La criollita,” she became known for her beautiful and often humorous interpretations of songs like “Araña, ¿quién te arañó?” [“Spider, Who Scratched You?” 1972] and “El conejito” [“The Bunny,” 1972].

In addition to marking Angulo’s birthday, October 31 is observed in Peru as Día de la canción criolla [Day of the Creole Song], an annual celebration of the timeless and uniquely Peruvian art form to which Angulo dedicated her life.

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31 October 2010

2500th Anniversary of the Marathon





The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of 42.195 kilometres [26 miles 385 yards], usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The event was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger who reported the victory by running from the Battle of Marathon to Athens. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair divisions. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes, as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.

The marathon was one of the original modern Olympic events in 1896. The distance did not become standardized until 1921. The distance is also included in the World Athletics Championships, which began in 1983. It is the only running road race included in both championship competitions [walking races on the roads are also contested in both].

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31 October 2005

Melbourne Cup 2005




The Melbourne Cup is Australia's most famous annual Thoroughbred horse race. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and over, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria as part of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world and one of the richest turf races. The event starts at 3:00 pm on the first Tuesday of November and is known locally as "the race that stops the nation".

The Melbourne Cup has a long tradition, with the first race held in 1861. It was originally over two miles [3.219 km] but was shortened to 3,200 metres [1.988 mi] in 1972 when Australia adopted the metric system. This reduced the distance by 18.688 metres [61.312 ft], and Rain Lover's 1968 race record of 3:19.1 was accordingly adjusted to 3:17.9. The present record holder is the 1990 winner Kingston Rule with a time of 3:16.3.

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7 November 2017

Nellie Campobello’s 117th Birthday






The early part of the 20th century was a time of great political and cultural change in Mexico. Nellie Campobello [born María Francisca Moya Luna] bore witness to the Revolution as it overtook every aspect of ordinary life in her native Chihuahua and across the country.

She also did something almost no other woman had done or would do about those tumultuous times: she remembered. In 1931, she published the Spanish novella Cartucho, a collection of 56 keenly observant vignettes about the Revolution. The book captured her experiences as a young girl caught up in a revolution, the stories told to her by her mother, the collective memories of strangers and friends impacted by the war, and the corridos [ballads] of her hometown.

Cartucho was among the very few accounts of this important period of Mexican history narrated from a woman's perspective. It was also unique in its lyrical, almost poetic tone of voice.

Today’s Doodle by guest artist Lindsey Olivares pays homage to Nellie on what would have been her 117th birthday. ¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Nellie Campobello!

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7 November 2013

Rafael Pombo's 180th Birthday






José Rafael de Pombo y Rebolledo [November 7, 1833 – May 5, 1912] was a Colombian poet born in Bogotá. Trained as a mathematician and an engineer in a military school, Rafael Pombo served in the army and he traveled to the United States of America as Secretary of the Legation in Washington. After completing his diplomatic assignment, he was hired by D. Appleton & Company in New York to translate into Spanish nursery rhymes from the Anglo-Saxon oral tradition. The product of this work, more than a translation, was a transformative adaptation published in two books under the titles Cuentos pintados para niños and Cuentos morales para niños formales.

In spite of his extensive and diverse literary works, Rafael Pombo is mostly remembered for this contribution to children's literature. Among his most popular children's fables are Michín, Juan Chunguero, Pastorcita, La Pobre Viejecita, Simón el Bobito, El Gato Bandido, and El Renacuajo paseador.

After seventeen years in the United States of America, Rafael Pombo returned to Colombia, where he worked as a celebrated translator and journalist [founding several newspapers]. On August 20, 1905 he was crowned as Colombia's best poet - his Poesías Completas was published in 1957, from which the poem En El Niágara was taken. Rafael Pombo remained in Colombia until his death on May 5, 1912.

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7 November 2013

Albert Camus' 100th Birthday






Albert Camus was a French philosopher, author, and journalist. He was awarded the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the second-youngest recipient in history. His works include The Stranger, The Plague, The Myth of Sisyphus, The Fall, and The Rebel.

Camus was born in French Algeria to Pieds Noirs parents. He spent his childhood in a poor neighborhood and later studied philosophy at the University of Algiers. He was in Paris when the Germans invaded France during World War II in 1940. Camus tried to flee but finally joined the French Resistance where he served as editor-in-chief at Combat, an outlawed newspaper. After the war, he was a celebrity figure and gave many lectures around the world. Camus was politically active; he was part of the left that opposed the Soviet Union because of its totalitarianism. Camus was a moralist and leaned towards anarcho-syndicalism. He was part of many organisations seeking European integration. During the Algerian War [1954–1962], he kept a neutral stance, advocating for a multicultural and pluralistic Algeria, a position that caused controversy and was rejected by most parties.

Philosophically, Camus's views contributed to the rise of the philosophy known as absurdism. He is also considered to be an existentialist, even though he firmly rejected the term throughout his lifetime.

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7 November 2013

C.V. Raman's 125th Birthday






Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman was an Indian physicist known for his work in the field of light scattering. With his student K. S. Krishnan, he discovered that when light traverses a transparent material, some of the deflected light changes its wavelength and frequency. This phenomenon, a hitherto unknown type of scattering of light, was subsequently termed the Raman effect or Raman scattering. Raman received the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery and was the first Asian to receive a Nobel Prize in any branch of science.

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7 November 2017

Celebrating Pad Thai






Soak rice noodles in water for a few hours. Fry some eggs with tofu. Throw in lots of vegetables. Toss everything around in a sauce of tamarind, fish, and shrimp. Top it all off with roasted peanuts. Stick a fork in, make it messy, and slurp it all up!

These are the basics of Pad Thai, the uniquely sweet-salty noodle dish that is a signature street food of Thailand, and a heartwarming favorite for foodies around the world. In fact, it was today in 1945 that the tasty dish was announced the national cuisine of Thailand!

During the Second World War, Thailand faced an acute shortage of rice, a staple for the Thai people until that point. Rice noodles however happened to be cheap, filling, and plentiful. Coupled with vegetables and cheap sources of protein such as shrimp and prawns, rice noodles could provide a well-balanced, nutritious meal. An age-old recipe [[thought to be introduced by Chinese traders) was popularized amongst vendors and began to be hawked widely on the streets. Overnight, a national favorite was born.

The recipe might be simple but each chef adds their own signature taste to the sauce, making it sweeter, spicier, or something in between. As with all street food, the messier and more social a meal, the better it tastes!

Today’s Doodle was inspired by Doodler Juliana's own research into cooking up Pad Thai with a friend. She wanted to be able to show all the delicious ingredients up close and invented some small pea-sized characters to be our culinary guides. Her lovely creation celebrates the process of cooking this unique dish and eating it with friends — warm, colorful, messy, social, and wonderfully Thai.

Kob khun mak, Pad Thai!

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16 November 2017

Chinua Achebe’s 87th Birthday




“Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.”


One man took it upon himself to tell the world the story of Nigeria through the eyes of its own people. Chinua Achebe [born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe] was the studious son of an evangelical priest. A student of English literature, he started writing in the 1950s, choosing English as his medium but weaving the storytelling tradition of the Igbo people into his books.

His characters were insiders — everyday people such as the village chief [in Things Fall Apart], the priest [in Arrow of God], or the school teacher [in A Man of the People]. Through their stories, we witness a Nigeria at the crossroads of civilization, culture, and generations.

His pen brought to life the land and traditions of the Igbo: the hum of everyday village life; the anticipation and excitement of sacred masquerades; the stories of the elders and the honor of warriors; the joy of family and the grief of loss.

Considered by many to be the father of modern African literature, Achebe was awarded the Man Booker Prize in 2007. Surrounded by iconic images of his most famous literary works, today’s Doodle celebrates his legacy on what would have been his 87th birthday.

Daalụ nke ukwuu, Chinua Achebe!

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16 November 2020

Eliška Junková's 120th Birthday





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

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

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

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

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

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21 April 2018

Jennie Trout's 177th Birthday





Jennie Kidd Trout [born Gowanlock, April 21, 1841 – November 10, 1921] was the first woman in Canada to become a licensed medical doctor, on March 11, 1875. Trout was the only woman in Canada licensed to practice medicine until July 1880, when Emily Stowe completed the official qualifications.

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21 April 2012

Brasilia's Anniversary






This doodle was a co-creation between Oscar Niemeyer, who is one of the city of Brasilia's most important architects, and his grand-grandson, Paulo Sergio. Together they took Niemeyer's original drawings for the city and digitally crafted them into the Google logo.

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4 November 2020

Miliki's 91st birthday





Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Spain-based guest artist Cinta Arribas, celebrates Spanish clown, actor, director, writer, singer, and composer Emilio Aragón Bermúdez, known fondly by his stage name Miliki. Among his many artistic accomplishments, Aragón starred in the Spanish children’s program “El Gran Circo de TVE” [“TVE’s Great Circus”] which is widely considered one of the most iconic shows in the history of Spanish television.

Emilio Alberto Aragón Bermúdez was born on this day in 1929 in the town of Carmona in southwestern Spain. The son of a clown and an equestrian acrobatics specialist, Aragón honed his talent for performance art as a child surrounded by entertainers. Determined to carry on the family tradition, Aragón launched his clowning career by the age of 11, performing with his brothers at venues like Madrid’s legendary Circo Price [Price Circus].

The siblings moved to Cuba in the 1940s and achieved fame over the following decades as they showcased their endearing talents across the Americas. They found their way back to Spain in 1972 and the very next year, they took Spanish television by storm as the hosts of the children’s show which eventually became known as “El Gran Circo de TVE.”

After a hugely successful decade on air, Aragón moved beyond his identity as a clown and throughout the rest of his career explored new endeavors as a writer, TV presenter, filmmaker, and recording musician—a talent which earned him two Latin Grammy Awards.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Miliki!

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4 November 2019

Virginia Gutiérrez de Pineda’s 98th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates Virginia Gutiérrez de Pineda, the acclaimed Colombian anthropologist and educator whose pioneering research reshaped traditional family structures and folk culture of Colombia.

Born in the town of El Socorro on this day in 1921, she was among the first generation of Colombian women allowed to pursue higher education. After studying at Bogotá’s Universidad Pedagógica Nacional, Gutiérrez then traveled to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a master's degree in Social and Medical Anthropology before returning home to Colombia to complete her Doctorate of Social and Economic Sciences.

Making the most of her educational opportunities, Gutiérrez went on to author a dozen book-length studies that laid out a fundamental understanding of the lives of Colombia’s people, including women and children of lower social and economic status. Her study of the street children of Medellín led to an interest in solving social problems by focusing on the family unit.

In books like La familia en Colombia, Gutiérrez explored different cultural nuances within the various communities of the Andean, Santandereano, Antioqueño, and coastal-mining regions. She also undertook academic surveys of popular medicine in Colombia and traditional remedies known as curanderismo.

Other than studying families, Gutiérrez also raised a family of her own after marrying fellow anthropologist Roberto Pineda Giraldo, whom she met at university. For her invaluable contributions to Colombian society, Gutiérrez was awarded Colombia’s Woman of the Year award in 1967, as well as the 1983 Gold Medal for Scientific Merit from the Inter-American Family Congress.

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14 July 2017
Bastille Day 2017






When Louis XVI asked a French duke if the storming of Bastille was a revolt on the evening of 14 July 1789, the duke replied by saying, "No, sire, a revolution."

The revolutionary cornerstones of “liberté, égalité, fraternité” color the minds of many today as we celebrate the 228th anniversary of Bastille Day [“La Fête Nationale”] in France and across the world.

In addition to celebratory outdoor picnics and fireworks, the day is customarily marked with Bals des Pompiers, or Fireman’s Balls. For artist Louis Thomas, the holiday represents more than just fireworks. He was inspired to depict a symbol of culture and resilience — the French cafe terrace — where people gather.

Europe’s largest military parade marches down the Champs-Elysees from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde today, displaying France’s rich history, national unity, diversity and pride. Whether you choose to celebrate with a festive outing or a moment of reflection, today’s Google Doodle wishes Bon anniversaire to France

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14 July 2013

Bastille Day

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14 July 2021

Bastille Day 2021







Today’s Doodle celebrates Bastille Day, also known in France as July 14th or National Day. On this day in 1789, the Parisian populace toppled a medieval fortress known as the Bastille, transforming this stone tower from a symbol of historical injustice into a beacon of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Widely regarded as a major catalyst of the French Revolution, the storming of the Bastille represents the birth of a modern nation. This momentous event incited nation-wide solidarity, and to celebrate its first birthday, national officials organized a 10,000 person ceremony coined the “Festival of the Federation.” Another milestone anniversary which is now commemorated each Bastille Day, this patriotic soirée culminated in a revelatory feast, complete with song and dance.

The 230-year tradition of celebrating these definitive moments in history lives on throughout the international French community. Celebrations around the world host music and dance performances highlighting regional Francophone culture, alongside fireworks, parades, and spreads of staple French dishes!


Vive le 14 Juillet! Long live July 14th!

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14 July 2013

Ingmar Bergman's 95th Birthday







Ernst Ingmar Bergman was a Swedish film director, screenwriter, producer and playwright. Universally ranked among the most accomplished and influential filmmakers of all time, Bergman's films include The Seventh Seal, Persona, and Fanny and Alexander.

Bergman directed more than 60 films and documentaries for cinematic release and for television screenings, most of which he also wrote. His theatrical career continued in parallel and included periods as Leading Director of the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm and of the Residenztheater in Munich. He directed more than 170 plays. He forged a creative partnership with his cinematographers Gunnar Fischer and Sven Nykvist. Among his company of actors were Harriet Andersson, Bibi Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Gunnar Björnstrand, Erland Josephson, Ingrid Thulin, and Max von Sydow. Most of his films were set in Sweden, and many films from Through a Glass Darkly [1961] onward were filmed on the island of Fårö.

Philip French referred to Bergman as "one of the greatest artists of the 20th century ... he found in literature and the performing arts a way of both recreating and questioning the human condition." Director Martin Scorsese commented: "If you were alive in the 50s and the 60s and of a certain age, a teenager on your way to becoming an adult, and you wanted to make movies, I don't see how you couldn't be influenced by Bergman ....It's impossible to overestimate the effect that those films had on people." Bergman was ranked 7th in director's poll on Sight & Sound's 2002 list of The Greatest Directors of All Time.