Google doodles

[9A]

October 22, 2011

Franz Liszt's 200th Birthday




Franz Liszt was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, music teacher, arranger, and organist of the Romantic era. He was additionally a philanthropist, Hungarian nationalist, and Franciscan tertiary.

Liszt gained renown in Europe during the early nineteenth century for his prodigious virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was a friend, musical promoter and benefactor to many composers of his time, including Frédéric Chopin, Charles-Valentin Alkan, Richard Wagner, Hector Berlioz, Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann, Camille Saint-Saëns, Edvard Grieg, Ole Bull, Joachim Raff, Mikhail Glinka, and Alexander Borodin.

A prolific composer, Liszt was one of the most prominent representatives of the New German School. He left behind an extensive and diverse body of work that influenced his forward-looking contemporaries and anticipated 20th-century ideas and trends. Among Liszt's musical contributions were the symphonic poem, developing thematic transformation as part of his experiments in musical form, and radical innovations in harmony.

[9A]

October 26, 2017

Austria National Day 2017





Since 1965, October 26th has been celebrated as Austrian National day, when Austrians across the globe celebrate the end of the country’s post-WWII occupation and the Declaration of Neutrality, a constitutional law on permanent neutrality.

The capital city of Vienna hosts many of the national day celebrations in Heldenplatz, also known as “Heroes Square.” To encourage interest and a better understanding of the history of Austria, federal museums offer free or reduced-fare admissions on national day. For Austrian citizens living abroad, Austrian embassies around the world host receptions showcasing Austrian music and cuisine.

[9A]

October 26, 2013

Austria National Day 2013

[9A]

October 26, 2012

Austria National Day 2012

[9A]

October 26, 2011

Austrian National Day 2011

[9A]

November 30, 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]

November 30, 2008

St. Andrew's Day 2008

[9A]

Jan 2, 2009

Elfstedentocht 2009





The Elfstedentocht [Dutch pronunciation: [ɛl[ə]fˈsteːdə[n]tɔxt]; West Frisian: Alvestêdetocht [ɔlvəˈstɛːdətɔχt], English: Eleven cities tour] is a long-distance tour skating event on natural ice, almost 200 kilometres [120 mi] long, which is held both as a speed skating competition [with 300 contestants] and a leisure tour [with 16,000 skaters]. It is held in the province of Friesland in the north of the Netherlands, leading past all eleven historical cities of the province. The tour is held at most once a year, only when the natural ice along the entire course is at least 15 centimetres [6 in] thick; sometimes on consecutive years, other times with gaps that may exceed 20 years. When the ice is suitable, the tour is announced and starts within 48 hours.

[9A]

Jan 6, 2011

Khalil Gibran's Birthday





Gibran Khalil Gibran [January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931], usually referred to in English as Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist, also considered a philosopher although he himself rejected the title. He is best known as the author of The Prophet, which was first published in the United States in 1923 and has since become one of the best-selling books of all time, having been translated into more than 100 languages.

[9A]

January 10, 2020

Vicente Huidobro's 127th Birthday




“Let's leave the old once and for all...In literature, I like everything that is innovation. Everything that is original.”
–Vicente Huidobro, Pasando y Pasando: crónicas y Comentarios [[1914)


Today’s Doodle, illustrated by London-based guest artist Luisa Rivera, celebrates avant-garde Chilean poet and writer Vicente Huidobro on his 127th birthday. Widely known as the “father of the Creacionismo [Creationism] literary movement,” Huidobro refused to be confined by literary orthodoxy. Instead, he used the written word to push the limits of creativity.

Vicente García-Huidobro Fernández was born in 1893 in Santiago, Chile. He became a poet like his mother, first published at the early age of 12, and went on to study literature at the University of Chile.

Gradually, he began to feel confined by traditional poetic standards, and in 1914 he rejected them in his manifesto, Non Serviam [“I Will Not Serve”].

Huidobro moved to Paris to collaborate with surrealist poets Guillaume Apollinaire and Pierre Reverdy on the literary magazine they founded, Nord-sud [North-South]. In Paris, he invented Creacionismo, the idea that poets should create their own imaginary worlds instead of writing about nature in traditional styles with traditional language. Poemas árticos [“Arctic Poems,” 1918] and Saisons Choisies [“Chosen Seasons,” 1921] are some examples, but the 1931 long-form poem Altazor is Huidobro’s definitive Creacionismo work.

His well-known lines from his poem Arte Poetica [Poetic Art], “Let the verse be like a key / That opens a thousand doors,” represents his style and inspired today’s Doodle art, which infuses different images that appear in his poetry.

Huidobro wrote over 40 books, including plays, novels, manifestos, and poetry. He constantly encouraged literary experimentation and influenced many Latin American poets who succeeded him.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Vicente Huidobro!

[9A]

January 10, 2011

Coming of Age Day 2011






Coming of Age Day is a Japanese holiday held annually on the second Monday of January. It is held in order to congratulate and encourage all those who have reached or will reach the age of maturity [20 years old] between April 2 of the previous year and April 1 of the current year, and to help them realise that they have become adults. Festivities include coming of age ceremonies held at local and prefectural offices, as well as after-parties among family and friends.

[9A]

Jan 11, 2011

Laba Rice Porridge Festival 2011





Laba congee [also called Eight Treasure Congee in English] is a Chinese ceremonial congee dish eaten on the eighth day of the twelfth month in the Chinese calendar.

The day on which it is traditionally eaten is commonly known as the Laba Festival. The earliest form of this dish was cooked with red beans and has since developed into many different kinds. It is mainly made up of many kinds of rice, beans, peanuts, dried fruit, lotus seeds, etc. Depending on region-based variations in China, it can also include tofu, potato, meat and vegetables.

[9A]

January 11, 2016

Alice Paul’s 131st Birthday






“I never doubted that equal rights was the right direction. Most reforms, most problems are complicated. But to me there is nothing complicated about ordinary equality.” -- Alice Paul


When the 19th Amendment to the Constitution became law in August of 1920, women finally won the right to vote after a very long fight. Many suffragists played vital roles in this victory, but none more so than Alice Paul. Paul first made a name for herself by organizing a successful women’s suffrage parade the day before Woodrow Wilson’s first inauguration. Paul thought that public demonstrations were the smartest ways to achieve voting rights. That belief put her at odds with the National American Woman Suffrage Association, so she founded her own organization, the National Women’s Party.

Paul’s group organized daily protests in front of the White House [marking the first time anyone demonstrated there]. Police arrested the protestors on a made up charge, and Paul was one of the women to be sent to jail. While in jail she and the other women were treated horribly. Journalists wrote about the mistreatment, people became outraged, and the suffragists gained public support. A short while later President Woodrow Wilson declared his support for a constitutional amendment that would finally give women the right to vote. It would take another couple of years for the amendment to become the law, but his support marked a crucial turning point. Alice Paul dedicated the rest of her life to fighting for the equality of women, authoring the very first version of the Equal Rights Amendment and working the rest of her life towards its passage.

Today, on what would have been her 131st birthday, we salute Alice Paul with a Doodle that pays tribute to her pivotal role in the fight for women’s suffrage and her unyielding dedication to women’s rights.

[9A]

January 11, 2018

Alan Paton’s 115th Birthday






“Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear.”


South African author and activist Alan Paton introduced the world to life in pre-Apartheid South Africa, fearlessly speaking out against racial segregation in person and through his books, and propagating universal franchise and non-violence.

Born in the Natal province [present day KwaZulu-Natal], the young Paton was subjected to extensive corporal punishment, which led to his lifelong opposition to any form of authoritarianism and physical punishment. Later, as administrator of the Diepkloof Reformatory for young black African offenders, he developed a controversial but compassionate system of reform that included open dormitories, work outside the prison walls, and home visitations.

After the Second World War, Paton toured correctional reform facilities across the world, during which time he started to write Cry, the Beloved Country. The book was published in 1948 — ironically the very year in which apartheid was formally institutionalized, beginning four decades of racial segregation in South Africa. His magnum opus is a moving tale of racial injustice, human suffering, and redemption, as two fathers come to terms with the loss of their sons — one an accidental murder and the other, his unfortunate victim.

Today’s Doodle depicts Paton on a train ride [on which he allegedly gained inspiration to write Cry, the Beloved Country] and celebrates the 115th birthday of a visionary who did much to fight for basic human principles of love, non-violence, and equality.

Happy Birthday, Alan Paton!

[9A]

Jan 13, 2018

Zhou Youguang’s 112th Birthday





The O’s in today’s Doodle flip from Pinyin [Gǔgē] to Chinese characters [谷歌]. Were it not for celebrated linguist Zhou Youguang, this phonetic translation would never have come to life, and the world would still be referring to ‘Beijing’ as ‘Peking,’ and to ‘Chongqing’ as ‘Chungking.’

Popularly dubbed ‘the Father of Pinyin,’ Youguang spent three years developing the system of ‘spelled sounds’ that is now the international standard for Romanized Chinese. The new system transformed China’s literacy rate, providing more natural passage into the written language, which requires mastering thousands of characters. It bridged multiple Chinese dialects with its shared designations of sound. Today, schoolchildren learn Pinyin before characters, and it is often used to input characters on smartphones and computers.

Pursuing his love of language throughout his life, Youguang authored more than 40 books and translated the Encyclopedia Britannica into Chinese. Born on this day as Zhou Yaoping, this storied linguist later adopted the pen name ‘Yougang’ because he wanted to ‘bring light’ to the world. Today, we celebrate what would’ve been Yougang’s 112th birthday with a special place in the spotlight.

Doodle by Cynthia Yuan Cheng

[9A]

January 31, 2019

Celebrating Mercedes Sosa




"I never thought that I would sing for a living," said Mercedes Sosa, the powerful Argentinian vocalist widely known as “the voice of the voiceless ones.” Also known as “La Negra” due to her long, black hair, Sosa’s powerful voice afforded her opportunities to perform at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York City, as well as the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum in Rome. A driving force behind the “Nueva Canción” movement, her songs married traditional South American folk music with powerful lyrics advocating for human rights.

Born on July 9, 1935 in the northern Argentine province of Tucumán, Mercedes Sosa’s family lineage came from the indigenous Aymara people. Her heritage deeply influenced her stylistically and by 15, she won a radio talent contest for her traditional folk music. A dramatic tipping point of her career happened on this day in 1965, when singer Jorge Cafrune invited Sosa on stage during his set at Argentina’s renowned Cosquín Folk Festival. Her performance received a massive ovation and by the following year, she had signed a recording contract.

Many of Sosa's best-known songs were written by others, but her performances of songs like Violeta Parra’s "Gracias a la Vida" [Thanks to Life] and Horacio Guarany’s “Si Se Calla El Cantor” [If the Singer is Silenced] helped catapult her into fame. She released some 70 albums over the course of nearly a six-decade career, exploring diverse genres such as Argentinian tango, Cuban nueva trova, Brazilian bossa nova, rock, and sacred music. In later years, she collaborated with artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, Sting, Joan Baez, and even Shakira.

Fearlessly singing truth to power, she went into exile from her homeland for several years and was finally able to return home in 1982. She continued to perform around the world and later became a UNESCO goodwill ambassador.

Here’s to La Negra!

[9A]

June 12, 2019

Russia Day 2019






Today’s Doodle by St. Petersburg-based guest artists Anya and Varya Kendel salutes Russia Day, celebrating the world’s largest country and the accomplishments of its people all around the world.

June 12th marks the 1990 declaration that signaled the birth of the independent Russian Federation, as well as the dissolution of the Soviet Union on the same day a year later. Declared an official national holiday in 1994, the “Day of Signing the Declaration of State Sovereignty” commemorates the birth of a new nation, the creation of the post of President, the adoption of the red, white, and blue national flag, and the new national anthem. The holiday was renamed Russia Day in 2002.

Russia Day is observed all across the country—from major metropolitan centers such as St. Petersburg to smaller cities like Kemerovo, Perm, Veliky Novgorod, Krasnoyarsk, and Tambov—with concerts and other cultural activities by day and fireworks at night.

This Doodle also highlights the beauty of Russia’s natural landscapes, featuring some of its most iconic sights, such as Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus; the Klyuchevskaya volcano; and Siberia’s Lake Baikal, the oldest and deepest lake in the world, with its distinctive Shamanka Rock.

С днем России! [Happy Russia Day]!

[9A]

June 12, 2020

Russia National Day 2020



Today’s Doodle, illustrated by guest artist Olesya Shchukina, commemorates Russia National Day, known locally as Den Rossii. On this day in 1990, Russia became an independent nation following the official adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation, which was then followed by the establishment of the national anthem and flag.

From the Bering Sea in the country’s Asian east, to the shores of the Baltic Sea in the European west, Russia has celebrated June 12th as a public holiday and a time to pay tribute to the country’s identity and heritage since 1992.

Today, Russia’s widely varied cultures and ethnicities are symbolized by historical customs, such as the playing of the country’s many traditional folk instruments. These unique musical instruments include Iozhkis [spoons], buben [tambourines], and accordions, as depicted in today’s Doodle.

С днем России! Happy Russia Day!

[9A]

June 12, 2010

Doodle 4 Google 2010 - UK by Daniel Joel

[9A]

May 9, 2020

Celebrating Frank Soo




Today’s Doodle celebrates British footballer and coach Frank Soo, a fearsome half-back and inside forward who broke racial barriers playing for the English national team during World War II. On this day in 1942, Soo made his international debut in a match against Wales, becoming the first person of non-European descent—and only ever of Asian heritage—to represent the country’s team at the highest level.

Frank Soo was born on March 8th, 1914 in Derbyshire, England and raised in Liverpool. He quickly earned a reputation as one of the best youth players in the city. At just 18 years old, he was scouted by Stoke City F.C., becoming the first professional player of Chinese ancestry in the English Football League.

Renowned for an artful playing style, dignified ball control, and precise passing, the charismatic Soo was named team captain at age 27 and rose to a level of national celebrity. In 1940, following the outbreak of World War II, Soo enlisted in the Royal Air Force and continued his legacy as the captain of its football team. Though England’s Football Association deemed its wartime matches unofficial, Soo went on to represent his country in nine such international fixtures by 1945.

Soo retired from playing in 1950 and moved on to a successful international coaching career that lasted over three decades. His legacy lives on in the increasingly diverse English team that plays today.

Thank you, Frank Soo, for showing the world the unifying power of sport. ​

[9A]

May 9, 2012

Howard Carter's 138th Birthday





Howard Carter's doodle was so much fun to work on! Researching it and diving into his writing was a claustrophobic process in itself. The rich, detailed account and the anticipation of when he finally chiseled away at the tomb sent chills down my spine... so much so that I couldn't wait to read more. I now seriously hope to visit Tut's tomb someday. Below are two concepts which only attempt to match this monumental discovery. The first sketch attempts to capture that 'claustrophobic' feeling [almost cinematic] with the help of reference photos. In the numerous photos that are out there there were pulley systems supporting Tut's golden resting place, beams that supported the structure and a very cool lamp that looked like it was, well from an Indiana Jones movie... but I guess the influence was the other way around


posted by Willie Real

[9A]

May 9, 2012

Royal Ploughing Ceremony and Farmer's Day




The Royal Ploughing Ceremony, also known as The Ploughing Festival, is an ancient royal rite held in many Asian countries to mark the traditional beginning of the rice growing season. The royal ploughing ceremony, was also practiced in pre-colonial Burma until 1885 when the monarchy was abolished

[9A]

May 9, 2017

Ferdinand Monoyer’s 181st Birthday



Ferdinand Monoyer, born on this date in 1836, rose to prominence as one of France's most famous ophthalmologists. He developed the diopter, the unit of measurement for vision that's still used today. The diopter measures the distance you'd have to be from text to read it. Most notably, Monoyer devised an eye chart where every row represents a different diopter, from smallest to largest.

Monoyer was known to change the font of a particular letter if it didn't suit him; after all, if you're going to judge a person's vision by it, that letter had better be as legible as possible! If you look closely at today's Doodle, you might be able to spot a tribute to another of Monoyer's signatures: his name, hidden in the chart.

[9A]

March 30, 2019

María Moliner’s 119th Birthday





María Moliner devoted her whole life to working with words, and making their power accessible to all. Born in Paniza [a province of Zaragoza] on this day in 1900, the Spanish librarian, philologist, and lexicographer labored single-handedly to create a new kind of reference book, which was hailed as “the most complete, most useful, most accurate, and funniest dictionary of the Spanish language” by novelist Gabriel García Márquez.

Moliner began working as a librarian at age 22 and was elected head of the University of Valencia library in 1936. She took a special interest in the popular libraries project, developing a plan for Bibliotecas Rurales [Rural Libraries] to help promote literacy and culture. Following the Spanish Civil War, her family was penalized by the new authoritarian government, causing her to be passed over for faculty promotions.

Moliner began compiling her Diccionario de Uso del Español [Dictionary of Spanish Use] in 1952, working at home before and after her day job. A mother of four as well as a grandmother, she had extraordinary powers of concentration. Moliner would research words read in newspapers or heard on the street, aiming to outdo the dictionary published by the Real Academia Española. “The Academy dictionary is the dictionary of authority,” she once said. “Mine has not had much regard for authority.”

Instead of alphabetical organization, Moliner’s dictionary was grouped in families of words, offering not only detailed definitions, but also synonyms, and guidance on usage. When she began the project she estimated it would take two years, but the first edition of the two-volume dictionary was not published until 1966—a total of 15 years later!

Her life inspired a stage drama, The Dictionary, as well as a documentary film, Tending Words. However, the dictionary itself, sometimes referred to as “The María Moliner,” is widely considered her greatest legacy.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, María Moliner!

[9A]

March 31, 2018

Anandi Gopal Joshi’s 153rd Birthday



In 1886, a young doctor stepped off a ship from America, eager to take up the role of physician in charge of the female ward at Kolhapur’s Albert Edward Hospital. Not only was she India’s first female doctor, but she was only 19 years old at the time. Her name was Anandi Gopal Joshi, and her story is one of courage and perseverance.

Joshi was married at the age of nine, as was the custom in 19th century India. Her husband encouraged her to continue her education and her interest in medicine. At sixteen, battling ill-health but determined to succeed, Joshi set sail for America. She earned her medical degree from the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania [[now known as Drexel University College of Medicine) and returned to India with dreams of opening a medical college for women.

Joshi’s young life was tragically cut short when she died of tuberculosis before her 22nd birthday. However, her legacy and the path she paved for generations of women continues today. Interestingly, even a crater on Venus is named after her!

Today’s Doodle is created by Bangalore-based artist Kashmira Sarode who imagines Joshi celebrating her degree.

Happy Birthday, Anandi Gopal Joshi!

[9A]

Apr 2, 2018

Francisco Balagtas’ 230th Birthday






When Francisco Balagtas was born outside of Manila in 1788, one of four children and the son of a blacksmith, few might have guessed he would grow up to be one of the most revered writers in the Philippines. But in fact, Balagtas showed promise early on, and even studied under José de la Cruz, one of the most prominent Filipino poets.

Balagtas' most famous work, depicted in today's Doodle, is Florante at Laura, an epic poem that symbolizes his own life journey. In the first panel, we see Balagtas working on Florante at Laura. The story begins with a view on the main character, Duke Florante of Albania, who has just been exiled and tied to a tree. The third panel depicts his love, Princess Laura, being held captive. Next we meet Prince Aladdin of Persia, himself exiled from his own country. In the fifth panel, Aladdin's fiancée Flerida searches for him in the forest before rescuing Laura. Finally, Laura and Florante are reunited and rule peacefully over Albania.

In addition to being a highly-skilled poet, Balagtas earned acclaim for writing in Tagalog [most writings at the time were in Spanish] and including Filipino themes, even though the characters were not from the Philippines. Students around the country still learn of the adventures of Florante and Laura today, as well as the rhythm and meter of the poem.

Today we celebrate the author’s legacy on what would be his 230th birthday.

[9A]

September 13, 2019

Hans Christian Gram’s 166th Birthday




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Danish guest artist Mikkel Sommer, celebrates Danish microbiologist Hans Christian Gram. Born in Copenhagen on this day in 1853, Gram devised a staining technique that is now still used to identify and classify different types of bacteria.

After earning his M.D. from the University of Copenhagen in 1878, Gram traveled through Europe studying bacteriology and pharmacology. While working in the lab of German microbiologist Karl Friedländer, he noticed that treating a smear of bacteria with a crystal violet stain, followed by an iodine solution and an organic solvent, revealed differences in the structure and biochemical function of various samples.

Gram published his findings in a scholarly journal in 1884, and the terms “Gram-positive” and “Gram-negative” came to be coined. Gram-positive bacteria appear purple under a microscope, because their cell walls are so thick that the solvent cannot penetrate them, while Gram-negative bacteria have thinner cell walls that allow the solvent to wash away the stain. Pneumococci, which can cause many diseases, are classified as Gram-positive.

In his publication, Gram had notably included a modest disclaimer: “I have therefore published the method, although I am aware that as yet it is very defective and imperfect; but it is hoped that also in the hands of other investigators it will turn out to be useful.”

This simple test, however, proved widely applicable. Gram’s staining method continues to be used today, more than a century later.

Happy Birthday, Hans Christian Gram!

[9A]

June 4, 2017

Nutan’s 81st Birthday





The conflicted murderess [Bandini]. The anguished untouchable [Sujata]. The hell-raising orphan [Seema]. All memorable characters played by Nutan, a celebrated Indian film actress known for communicating complex emotions using only facial expressions and body language rather than dialogue. An icon of Indian cinema for over four decades, Nutan pioneered powerful women-centric films in an age when male actors dominated the silver screen.


Over her career, her distinct, groundbreaking style helped solidify an award-winning legacy. She won the Padma Shri in 1974 for her contribution to the Arts and a total of six Filmfare Awards, five of which were for Best Actress. She remains the oldest Indian actress to win a Filmfare award.

Today’s Doodle reflects Nutan’s expressive acting style on what would have been her 81st birthday. It was hard to sum up her genius in a single portrait, and so we depicted four distinct expressions.

Happy Birthday, Nutan!

Doodle by Lydia NIchols

[9A]

June 4, 2019

Mudik 2019





Starting today, the big cities of the Indonesian archipelago empty out as people return home for the annual Idul Fitri feast [also known as lebaran], jamming the roads and railways of over 11,000 islands, including Java, Sumatra, Borneo, New Guinea, Sulawesi, and Kalimantan. Today’s Doodle celebrates this festive mass exodus, known as mudik, an Indonesian term which means ”homebound trip” towards one’s home village.

Mudik is about strengthening the bonds of community, spending quality time with family and loved ones, taking part in traditional rituals, and visiting ancestral gravesites to pay respects. It’s also a time to share treats like sweet Nastar cakes and cheese-filled Kastengel cakes.

The practice of returning home dates as far back as the 14th century, although the term "mudik" became popular during the 1970s. Traffic jams are common and special arrangements are made to ensure that transportation goes as smoothly as possible. Officials estimate that over 20 million Indonesians will make the joyful journey to all parts of the country.

[9A]

June 4, 2014

Alejandro Obregon's 93rd Birthday






Our doodle in Colombie today draws inspiration from the work of painter Alejandro Obregon for what would be his 93rd birthday. Recognized as one of Colombia’s top painters, Obregon’s style is noted for its use of color and geometric forms.

Doodler Betsy Bauer found it both fun and challenging learning to emulate Obregon’s style. “While his work is abstract, you can still find specific forms throughout his pieces. His paint strokes and color choices are bold… I hope to have done his work justice!”

[9A]

June 4, 2008

First Hot Air Balloon Flight




The first untethered manned hot-air balloon flight was performed by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes on November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, in a balloon created by the Montgolfier brothers.






A model of the Montgolfier brothers' balloon at the London Science Museum

[9A]

June 4, 2014

Julija Beniuševičiūtė-Žymantienė's 169th Birthday






Writer Julija Beniuševičiūtė-Žymantienė is best remembered for her stories about life among the peasantry. Our homepage in Lithuania depicts a scene from her book Marti [“Daughter-in-law”], in which the main character realizes she may have made a huge mistake.

[9A]

June 4, 2013

Vladislav Gorodetsky's 150th Birthday










ladimir Filippovich Gorodetsky is a Russian politician. He served three terms as mayor of Novosibirsk, Russia from 2000 to 2014 and was the governor of Novosibirsk Oblast from 2014 to 2017.

[9A]

June 5, 2013

Thomas Chippendale's 295th Birthday






Thomas Chippendale [1718–1779] was a cabinet-maker in London, designing furniture in the mid-Georgian, English Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. In 1754 he published a book of his designs in a trade catalogue titled The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director, upon which success he became renowned. The designs are regarded as representing the current British fashion for furniture of that period and are now reproduced globally. He was buried 16 November 1779, according to the records of St Martin-in-the-Fields, in the cemetery since built upon by the National Gallery. Chippendale furniture is much valued; a padouk cabinet that was offered for auction during 2008 sold for £2,729,250.

[9A]

June 5, 2011

Richard Scarry's 92nd Birthday

• I had a lot of fun working with the folks at Random House — including one of Richard Scarry's actual art directors, as well as his son, Huck — to create an original pencil and watercolor piece depicting Busytown. There is so much going on in Busytown that I thought I'd show a few closeups here as well as talk about the process.
  
  
  
  
  The drawing was done in pencil, then scanned digitally and printed out in solid black on clear film, or acetate.
  
  
  
  
  
  The drawing was then transferred to illustration board in blue pencil so I could work on the painting on a separate layer.
  
  
  Scarry's technique allowed him to work pretty loosely with his watercolors, and he'd frequently paint off-register, that is, not quite up to [or way beyond] the line drawing. This gave his illustrations an even more lighthearted quality. In our case, it's Richard Scarry's Best Google Doodle Ever!
  
  posted by Mike Dutton

[9A]

April 14, 2015

Khmer New Year 2015




Thomas Chippendale [1718–1779] was a cabinet-maker in London, designing furniture in the mid-Georgian, English Rococo, and Neoclassical styles.

[9A]

April 14, 2021

Oliver De Coque’s 74th Birthday






Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Lagos-based guest artist Ohab TBJ, pays tribute to Nigerian musician Oliver de Coque on his 74th birthday. Crowned the “Highlife King of Africa,” he is widely revered as one of the continent's most prolific recording artists.

Born on this day in 1947 in the small town of Ezinifite in southeastern Nigeria, Oliver Sunday Akanite first took up the guitar at a young age, and as a teenager, studied the traditional Igbo music of the region and Congolese soukous. In 1970, at a performance by the popular Sunny Agaga and his Lucky Star Band, Akanite convinced Sunny to let him stand in as their guitarist; he was hired on the spot, providing a massive boost to his young career. Also a skilled player of the Nigerian board game okwe, Akanite became known as “Oliver de ka Okwe,” which he later adapted into his stage name, Oliver de Coque.

De Coque famously infused the modern West African highlife genre with a Congolese-influenced guitar style and the energetic dance elements of Igbo music he grew up with, crafting a unique musical style, which he called Ogene. Beginning with his first solo release in 1976, de Coque’s music only grew in popularity at home and abroad, as he put out album after album featuring his masterful guitar work and fresh take on African pop–over 70 throughout his lifetime.

In 1994, in recognition of his prodigious music achievement, de Coque was awarded an honorary doctorate in music by the University of New Orleans.

Thank you, Oliver de Coque, for strumming your way into the hearts of listeners around the world!

[9A]

April 14, 2021

Celebrating Johannes Gutenberg





When it comes to first impressions, no other historical figure made one quite like the inventor of the mechanical movable type printing press: German craftsman Johannes Gutenberg. This revolutionary technology made the knowledge found in books both affordable and accessible to the common person for the first time in history. Today’s Doodle celebrates Gutenberg on the anniversary of this day in 2000 when the Gutenberg Museum launched a retrospective exhibition in his honor.

Although much of Gutenberg’s life is shrouded in mystery, historical records indicate he was born circa 1400 in Mainz, Germany, and first made his living as a metalworker in the goldsmith trade. By the late 1430s, historians believe Gutenberg began to develop a more efficient text printing device in an attempt to pay off debts from a failed mirror business. The machine he invented [essentially a retrofitted winepress] replaced the hand-carved wooden letter and graphic blocks of traditional printers for easily-cast metal type, which were then dipped in proprietary ink to print entire pages at once.

Gutenberg’s next eureka moment came in 1450 with his invention’s first successful print: a Latin book on speech-making. From here, Gutenberg was off to the races as he innovated labor by hiring an assembly-line team to produce books quicker than ever! A testament to the power of human creativity, the Gutenberg press printed up to 3,600 pages on an average workday, fueling the first large-scale production of books in Europe.

By the 16th century, an estimated 200 million books were in print thanks to his invention, which gave birth to a new era of mass communication and a new branch of media: the press. Today, Gutenberg’s legacy lives on with Project Gutenberg, an online library with over 60,000 free books.

Thank you, Johannes Gutenberg!

[9A]

December 28, 2019

Iqbal Bano’s 81st Birthday






Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Karachi-based guest artist Samya Arif, celebrates Pakistani singer Iqbal Bano, famous for singing ghazal and nazm, forms of lyrical Urdu poetry. Born on this day in 1938 in Delhi, British India, Bano studied with Ustad Chand Khan, a master of classical Indian vocals, and began singing on All India Radio as a teenager. Bano is also often notably remembered for her defiant performance of protest poetry by the exiled Nobel-nominee Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

In 1952, she moved to Pakistan and married a man who vowed to support her musical career, allowing her great freedom for a female artist at the time. She sang on Radio Pakistan, provided vocals as a playback singer for popular movies, and attracted large crowds to her live concerts.

Bano sang in both Urdu and Farsi, earning admirers in Iran and Afghanistan, as well as India and Pakistan. A regular performer at the Jashn-e-Kabul cultural festival in Kabul, her powerful vocals once inspired King Zahir Shah of Afghanistan to give her a golden vase. In 1974, the Pakistani government honored Bano with the Presidential Award for Pride of Performance.

In 1977, President Zia ul-Haq seized power and imposed martial law, strictly censored the press, and suspended political parties in Pakistan. The following year, Bano’s favorite poet, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, wrote a poem critical of the authoritarian ruler which Bano boldly sang before a crowd of 50,000 at a Lahore stadium in 1985. While doing so, she was wearing a black sari—a traditional women’s garment prohibited by the government. Though she was officially banned from singing live or on TV, Bano attracted a cult following, and her message and voice are still heard to this day as a symbol for revolution.

[9A]

January 21, 2019

Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2019





“I have decided to stick with love,” said Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1967. “Hate is too great a burden to bear.” Speaking at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s annual convention, the Nobel Prize-winning civil rights leader affirmed an idea set forth in his 1963 book, Strength to Love: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Born the son of a Baptist minister in Atlanta, Georgia, Martin Luther King Jr. fought tirelessly for the civil rights of all and to bring about a more united nation. From the Montgomery Bus Boycott to the March on Washington and the historic civil rights march in Selma, Dr. King repeatedly risked his freedom and his life in pursuit of his dream of racial equality. His legacy lives on through a series of victories, from the 1956 Supreme Court ruling against segregation on buses to the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Legislation signed in 1983 made Dr. King’s birthday a federal holiday. Congress designated it as a national day of service with the aim of creating solutions to social problems and moving us closer to Dr. King's “Beloved Community." Today’s Doodle by guest artist, Xia Gordon, depicts Dr. King at his writing desk as he wrestles with his ideas, perhaps contemplating how he might help to form a more unified society. To this day, Dr. King’s example continues to light the way forward, with love.

[9A]

January 22, 2018

Sergei Eisenstein’s 120th Birthday




Born this day in 1898, Sergei Eisenstein was a Soviet artist and avantgarde director of several groundbreaking films, including Battleship Potemkin, Strike, and The General Line.

Known as the father of montage — the film technique of editing a fast-paced sequence of short shots to transcend time or suggest thematic juxtapositions — Eisenstein deployed arresting images in sequences of psychological precision. His films were also revolutionary in another sense, as he often depicted the struggle of downtrodden workers against the ruling class.

Today, we celebrate his 120th birthday with a tribute to his pioneering technique. Happy birthday, Sergei Eisenstein!

[9A]

Jan 23, 2018

Stephen Keshi’s 56th Birthday





Today we celebrate the life of Nigerian football icon Stephen Keshi. Football took Keshi all over the world, as he played across Africa, Europe, and the US. Known affectionately as “Big Boss,” he was beloved as a player for Nigeria’s national team, where he earned more than 60 caps, each for an appearance in an international match, and represented the country at the FIFA World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations.

After his great success as a player, Keshi moved into the next phase of his career: coaching. When the “Big Boss” became coach of the Togo national team, he brought his trademark passion with him. Against the odds, Keshi led Togo all the way to a qualifying spot in the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

He achieved his personal dream in 2011, when he became the Nigerian national coach, cementing his place in African [and world] football history. Coaching the Nigerian team, Keshi won the African Cup of Nations in 2013, and in 2014 became the first coach of an African nation to make it to the knockout round of a World Cup.

Keshi is one of only two men to win the Africa Cup of Nations as both a player and a manager - a testament to his wit, talent, and love for the sport.

A big cheer for this football legend, on what would’ve been his 56th birthday!

[9A]

Jan 25, 2018

Virginia Woolf’s 136th Birthday





“I see children running in the garden…The sound of the sea at night…
almost forty years of life, all built on that, permeated by that: so much I could never explain."

These childhood memories inspired the settings and themes of English author Virginia Woolf’s powerful stream-of-consciousness narratives, a unique literary style that established Woolf as one of modern feminism’s most influential voices.

Born in London in 1882, Woolf grew up in a home with a large library, and a constant stream of literary visitors come to call on her author and historian father. Unsurprisingly, Woolf would become an integral member of the Bloomsbury Group, a collective of prominent contemporary intellectuals and artists.

Woolf’s lyrical writing thrived on the introspection of her characters, revealing the complex emotions underlying seemingly mundane events — how the ringing of the Big Ben evokes the passage of time in Mrs. Dalloway [1925] or a family’s visit to the coast hides deep-seated tensions in To the Lighthouse [1927].

Nonfiction works like A Room of One’s Own [1929] and Three Guineas [1938] showcase Woolf’s unflinching feminist perspective by documenting the gendered intellectual stratification and resulting male-dominated power dynamics of the period.

Created by London-based illustrator Louise Pomeroy, today’s Doodle celebrates Woolf’s minimalist style — her iconic profile surrounded by the falling autumn leaves [a frequent visual theme in her work]. In Woolf’s words: “The autumn trees gleam in the yellow moonlight, in the light of harvest moons, the light which mellows the energy of labor, and smooths the stubble, and brings the wave lapping blue to the shore.”

Happy 136th birthday, Virginia Woolf!

[9A]

January 25, 2013

Juraj Jánošík's 325th Birthday




Juraj Jánošík [first name also Juro or Jurko; baptised January 25, 1688, died March 17, 1713] was a Slovak highwayman. Jánošík has been the main character of many Slovak novels, poems, and films. According to the legend, he robbed nobles and gave the loot to the poor, a deed often attributed to the famous Robin Hood. The legend is known in neighboring Poland [under the name Jerzy Janoszik or Janiczek / Janicek] and the Czech Republic. The actual robber had little to do with the modern legend, whose content partly reflects the ubiquitous folk myths of a hero taking from the rich and giving to the poor. However, the legend was also shaped in important ways by the activists and writers in the 19th century when Jánošík became the key highwayman character in stories that spread in the north counties of the Kingdom of Hungary [much in present Slovakia] and among the local Gorals inhabitants of the Podhale region north of the Tatras. The image of Jánošík as a symbol of resistance to oppression was reinforced when poems about him became part of the Slovak and Czech middle and high school literature curriculum, and then again with the numerous films that propagated his modern legend in the 20th century. During the anti-Nazi Slovak National Uprising, one of the partisan groups bore his name.

[9A]

January 25, 2012

Vladmir Vysotsky's 74th Birthday





Vladimir Semyonovich Vysotsky, was a Soviet singer-songwriter, poet, and actor, had an immense and enduring effect on Soviet culture. He became widely known for his unique singing style and for his lyrics, which featured social and political commentary in often humorous street-jargon. He was also a prominent stage- and screen-actor. Though the official Soviet cultural establishment largely ignored his work, he achieved remarkable fame during his lifetime, and to this day exerts significant influence on many of Russia's popular musicians and actors years after his death.

[9A]

January 25, 2015

Youssef Chahine’s 89th Birthday



Youssef Chahine was an Egyptia film director. He was active in the Egyptian film industry from 1950 until his death. He has 13 films in the Top 100 Egyptian films list. A winner of the Cannes 50th Anniversary Award [for lifetime achievement], Chahine was credited with launching the career of actor Omar Sharif. A well regarded director with critics, he was often present at film festivals during the earlier decades of his work. Chahine gained his largest international audiences as one of the co-directors of 11'9"01 September 11 [2002].

[9A]

January 25, 2011

Robert Burns Day





Robert Burns [25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796], also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, the National Bard, Bard of Ayrshire, the Ploughman Poet and various other names and epithets, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is in a "light Scots dialect" of English, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English, and in these writings his political or civil commentary is often at its bluntest.

He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement, and after his death he became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism, and a cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish diaspora around the world. Celebration of his life and work became almost a national charismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries, and his influence has long been strong on Scottish literature. In 2009 he was chosen as the greatest Scot by the Scottish public in a vote run by Scottish television channel STV.

As well as making original compositions, Burns also collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His poem [and song] "Auld Lang Syne" is often sung at Hogmanay [the last day of the year], and "Scots Wha Hae" served for a long time as an unofficial national anthem of the country. Other poems and songs of Burns that remain well known across the world today include "A Red, Red Rose", "A Man's a Man for A' That", "To a Louse", "To a Mouse", "The Battle of Sherramuir", "Tam o' Shanter" and "Ae Fond Kiss".

[9A]

Jan 25, 2011

Tom Jobim's Birthday




Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim [25 January 1927 – 8 December 1994], also known as Tom Jobim, was a Brazilian composer, pianist, songwriter, arranger and singer. Considered one of the great exponents of Brazilian music, Jobim internationalized bossa nova and, with the help of important American artists, merged it with jazz in the 1960s to create a new sound with popular success. As such he is sometimes known as the "father of bossa nova".

Jobim was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists internationally.

In 1965, the album Getz/Gilberto was the first jazz album to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. It also won for Best Jazz Instrumental Album – Individual or Group and for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. The album's single "Garota de Ipanema" ["The Girl from Ipanema"], composed by Jobim, has become one of the most recorded songs of all time, and the album won the Record of the Year. Jobim composed many songs that are now included in jazz and pop standard repertoires. The song "Garota de Ipanema" has been recorded over 240 times by other artists. His 1967 album with Frank Sinatra, Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim, was nominated for Album of the Year in 1968.

[9A]

Jan 26, 2011

Australia Day 2011






Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip following days of exploration of Port Jackson in New South Wales. In present-day Australia, celebrations aim to reflect the diverse society and landscape of the nation and are marked by community and family events, reflections on Australian history, official community awards and citizenship ceremonies welcoming new members of the Australian community.

The meaning and significance of Australia Day has evolved and been contested over time, and not all states have celebrated the same date as their date of historical significance. Unofficially, or historically, the date has also been variously named Anniversary Day, Foundation Day and ANA Day. The date of 26 January 1788 marked the proclamation of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia [then known as New Holland]. Although it was not known as Australia Day until over a century later, records of celebrations on 26 January date back to 1808, with the first official celebration of the formation of New South Wales held in 1818. On New Year's Day 1901, the British colonies of Australia formed a federation, marking the birth of modern Australia. A national day of unity and celebration was looked for. It was not until 1935 that all Australian states and territories adopted use of the term "Australia Day" to mark the date, and not until 1994 that the date was consistently marked by a public holiday on that day by all states and territories.

In contemporary Australia, the holiday is marked by the presentation of the Australian of the Year Awards on Australia Day Eve, announcement of the Australia Day Honours list and addresses from the governor-general and prime minister. It is an official public holiday in every state and territory. With community festivals, concerts and citizenship ceremonies, the day is celebrated in large and small communities and cities around the nation. Australia Day has become the biggest annual civic event in Australia.[6]

[9A]

Feb 4, 2011

Family Day 2010




Family Day is a public holiday in the countries of Angola, Israel, South Africa, Uruguay, Vanuatu, and Vietnam; in the Australian Capital Territory; in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan and soon New Brunswick and Nova Scotia; in the American states of Arizona and Nevada; and as the second day of Songkran in Thailand.