Google doodles

[9A]

March 16, 2012

Cesar Vallejo's 120th Birthday




César Abraham Vallejo Mendoza was a Peruvian poet, writer, playwright, and journalist. Although he published only two books of poetry during his lifetime, he is considered one of the great poetic innovators of the 20th century in any language. He was always a step ahead of literary currents, and each of his books was distinct from the others, and, in its own sense, revolutionary. Thomas Merton called him "the greatest universal poet since Dante". The late British poet, critic and biographer Martin Seymour-Smith, a leading authority on world literature, called Vallejo "the greatest twentieth-century poet in any language." He was a member of the intellectual community called North Group formed in the Peruvian north coastal city of Trujillo.

Clayton Eshleman and José Rubia Barcia's translation of The Complete Posthumous Poetry of César Vallejo won the National Book Award for translation in 1979.

[9A]

March 16, 2015

Anna Atkins' 216th Birthday





Our doodle in the U.S. and the U.K. marks the 216th Birthday of English photographer and botanist Anna Atkins. Considered the first person to publish a book illustrated with photographs, Atkins is also credited with being the first to use cyanotype, a printing process the uses cyan-blue print, for photography.

[9A]

Aug 5, 2018

Talal Maddah’s 78th Birthday






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

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

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

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

Happy birthday, Talal Maddah!

[9A]

August 30, 2018

Prayoon Yomyiam’s 85th Birthday





Today’s Google Doodle celebrates Prayoon Yomyiam, a singer affectionately known in Thailand as Mae Prayoon or “Mother Prayoon.” Born on this day in 1933, she began singing at the age of 15 in a style of traditional Thai folk music known as Lam Tad. Originating in central Thailand, this popular form of antiphonal singing involves groups of men and women who take turns playfully poking fun at each other with improvised humorous lyrics, accompanied by a drum called a Klong Ramana.

Renowned for her clever lyrics with dual meanings [a technique known in Thailand as song ngae song ngam] Prayoon Yomyiam never failed to delight audiences. Cassette recordings and videos of her Lam Tad performances circulated widely throughout Thailand, helping to promote the Lam Tad tradition and keep it alive. By 1994 she was named a National Artist of Thailand, a title conferred annually by the National Culture Commission of Thailand recognizing notable artists in the country’s cultural heritage.

Prayoon helped to preserve and popularize the Lam Tad style of music,which once faced extinction before being introduced into nationwide popular culture via television. Aside from helping the music make a comeback domestically, she introduced Lam Tad to other countries as part of Thailand’s state-sponsored tourism campaign. Using her talents to spread laughter and cheer, Yomyiam helped keep Thailand’s folk culture alive for generations to come.

Happy Birthday, Mae Prayoon!

[9A]

Aug 27, 2018

198th Anniversary of the First Ascent of the Zugspitze


The Zugspitze is Germany’s tallest mountain, standing at a height of 2,962 meters, and situated along the border between Germany and Austria.

The first people to ascend the Zugspitze were Lieutenant Josef Naus, a 27-year-old engineer from the Royal Bavarian Army, his mountain guide Johann Georg Tauschl, and a military orderly named Maier. Lieutenant Naus was employed by the Royal Bavarian Topographic Bureau, putting together an Atlas of Bavaria. Seeking to prove that this pinnacle was the loftiest in the Kingdom of Bavaria, they trekked across glaciers covered with melting ice— conditions ripe for avalanches.

Setting out in July they made their way across the largest glacier, proceeding to a shepherd’s hut from which they would attempt to climb the summit. After a short night’s rest, Naus’ party undertook their ascent on August 27, 1820, reaching the top seven hours and forty-five minutes later. Storms soon enfolded the mountain, hastening the men’s descent.

Today, visitors can take a cable car up the steep incline to the top, where they are rewarded with awe-inspiring views of the many jagged limestone peaks forming the border between Germany and Austria.

Some believe that local climbers—gatherers or hunters—may have beaten the Naus survey team to the summit before 1820. But Naus, Tauschl, and Maier were the first to prove their success in reaching the pinnacle. Today’s Doodle celebrates the Zugspitze immensity, beauty, and its importance to both Austria and Germany.

Earlier concepts of this Doodle portrayed the mountain as a character standing taller than the surrounding fellow mountains​

[9A]

Aug 30, 2018

Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky’s 155th Birthday




In today’s smartphone era, many people carry the equipment needed to create a color photograph in their pockets. But at the start of the 20th century, photography was a much more complicated process. Between 1909 and 1915 Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky traveled through Russia in a railroad car specially equipped with a mobile darkroom to document Russian life using a technique he called ”optical color projection.”

Born in Murom, Vladimir Province, Russia, on this day in 1863, Prokudin-Gorsky was a chemist who became interested in photography. He traveled to Germany to study with Adolf Miethe, a pioneer of the color separation method, and soon developed his own formulation for photographic emulsion so he could create life-like photos in natural colors. His portrait of the great Russian author Leo Tolstoy was widely reproduced, bringing Prokudin-Gorsky a measure of fame. As a result, Tsar Nicholas II agreed to sponsor his ambitious project.

Prokudin-Gorsky’s images of people, landscapes, architecture, historic sites, industry, and agriculture were created by exposing three glass plates through three different color filters—green, red and blue—and then combining them to create a composite color image-a technique displayed in today’s animated Doodle. He captured thousands of images that offer a rare glimpse of Russia before the Bolshevik Revolution and First World War.

Prokudin-Gorsky planned to use the resulting photos to educate Russian school children about their vast country. Today,his body of work is preserved on thousands of glass plates, which are prized by historians and scholars.

Happy Birthday Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky!


Credit Line: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Prokudin-Gorskii Collection, LC-DIG-prokc-20829

[9A]

Jun 18, 2019

Celebrating Falafel




Today’s Doodle celebrates falafel, the best thing that ever happened to chickpeas—with the possible exception of hummus, of course.

Although the exact origins of this spicy street food have been lost to the mists of time, falafel has been enjoyed for centuries in many different cultures. India produces the vast majority of the world’s chickpea crop, which currently is in high season. In Egypt, fava beans are ground to make these delicious, crispy balls of fried plant protein, known in Egypt as “ta'amiya.” Israel has a song to celebrate its love affair with the tried-and-true treat, entitled And We Have Falafel.

Over time, more eclectic toppings has been introduced all over the world, ranging from German sauerkraut, to Iraqi fried eggplant, to Indian mango sauce, to Yemeni hot sauce. Even newer variations such as the red falafel—made with jalapeños roasted peppers, tomatoes, and spicy yogurt—or the orange falafel—made with sweet potatoes, cabbage, honey, and ginger tahini—preserve the basic formula of ground legumes, seasoned and fried in oil. The world’s largest falafel, weighing 74.8 kilograms [164.8 pounds] and reaching 152 centimeters [59.8 inches] in height, was fried for 25 minutes at the Landmark Hotel in Amman, Jordan.

Happy chickpea season!

[9A]

June 18, 2006

Fathers Day 2006



Father's Day is a holiday of honoring fatherhood and paternal bonds, as well as the influence of fathers in society. In Catholic countries of Europe, it has been celebrated on March 19 as Saint Joseph's Day since the Middle Ages. In the United States, Father's Day was founded by Sonora Smart Dodd, and celebrated on the third Sunday of June for the first time in 1910. The day is held on various dates across the world, and different regions maintain their own traditions of honoring fatherhood.

[9A]

August 31, 2019

Amrita Pritam’s 100th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates Amrita Pritam, one of history’s foremost female Punjabi writers, who “dared to live the life she imagines.” Born in Gujranwala, British India, 100 years ago today, Pritam published her first collection of verse at age 16. She is most remembered for “Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu,” her poem lamenting the traumatic 1947 partition of India and Pakistan. The work’s title translates as “I Call upon Varis Shah Today,” referring to the 18th-century Sufi poet Waris Shah.

Widely considered the greatest 20th-century Punjabi poet, Pritam also published 28 novels including Pinjar, a dramatic tale set during the time of partition which was adapted into a movie. Her autobiography Kala Gulab [Black Rose], referenced in the Doodle art, revealed many details of her personal life, allowing other women to speak more openly about their experiences with love and marriage.

Known for her mastery of the Punjabi language, Pritam lived in Pakistan after the partition, but also wrote many works in Hindi and Urdu, as her work was admired on both sides of the border. Pritam also worked for All-India Radio and edited the literary journal Nagmani. In 1986, she was nominated to Rajya Sabha, the Indian parliament.

Throughout a six-decade career, Pritam received many prestigious awards including the Bharatiya Jnanpith literary award in 1981 and one of India’s highest civilian awards, the Padma Vibushan, in 2005. That same year a French translation of her novel, The Skeleton, was awarded the La Route des Indes Literary Prize.

[9A]

August 31, 2015


Start of the 2015 US Open Tennis Championship





To usher in the 37th US Open played at Flushing Meadows in Queens, New York, we thought we’d imagine what our letters would look like playing tennis. Fortunately, Serena Williams can’t hit a through-body lob like today’s “O”, but she could be the first woman to win a Grand Slam since Poison had a number-one single. Here’s to a great tradition in American sports and the possibility of a historic moment at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

[9A]

May 28, 2019

Dorina Nowill’s 100th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates the 100th birthday of Brazilian educator and advocate Dorina de Gouvêa Nowill, whose tireless efforts made Brazil more responsive to the needs of visually impaired.

An unfortunate illness left Nowill blind at the age of 17. As the first blind student to enroll in a regular school in São Paulo, she found it difficult to find the books she needed. As a result, she began advocating for all students’ access to culture and information. Becoming a teacher at her alma mater, Nowill implemented training for education of the blind and won a scholarship to further her studies at Columbia University in the United States. In 1946 she and some friends established the Foundation for the Book of the Blind in Brazil with the country’s first large Braille press, enlisting volunteers to transcribe various publications.

After working to found the Department of Special Education for the Blind, Nowill helped pass a law guaranteeing blind people’s right to an education. Such accomplishments led to new opportunities on a wider scale. Elected president of the World Council of the Blind in 1979, she went on to speak at the United Nations General Assembly and campaigned for the creation of the Latin American Union of the Blind.

Having won numerous philanthropic awards, Nowill’s legacy lives on in the work of her nonprofit organization, Fundação Dorina Nowill, which prints braille editions for Brazil’s Ministry of Education as well as everything from menus to airline safety cards. The foundation also distributes audio and digitally accessible books to schools and libraries all over Brazil, ensuring the just and inclusive society that Dorina Nowill foresaw.

Happy birthday, Dorina Nowill!

[9A]

March 10, 2018

Celebrating the Alishan Forest Railway



Imagine riding a train chugging along through a lush and misty forest. On your journey, you pass orchards of exotic fruits, taro fields, waterfalls, and soaring trees over a thousand years old….

This dream is a reality if you’re on board the Alishan Forest Railway, which makes its way through the Alishan National Forest, situated in the heart of Taiwan. Today’s Doodle celebrates the landmark on what is known as kickoff day for the Alishan "Cherry Blossom Season". Starting today, numerous visitors will take the forest rail up to the mountains to enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms of Alishan.

The train travels from Chiayi [a city on the west coast] to Fenchihu [a village high in the mountains], which takes about 2.5 hours. The Alishan Forest Railway is one of the Five Wonders of Alishan, and has even been proposed as a possible World Heritage Site.

Built in 1912, the railway’s original purpose was transporting timber out of the vast forest. Today, it whisks travelers along a scenic journey up to 2216 meters above sea level, traversing narrow zigzagging paths. Unique switchback tracks allow the train to move both forwards and backwards to climb especially steep mountain terrain. Along the route lies Zhaoping Park, one of the best spots for taking in cherry blossoms, particularly now and throughout the springtime season.

[9A]

June 19, 2020

155th Anniversary of Juneteenth




In 1863, Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the United States. For many Americans, this simple statement has been taught to us in grade school for decades. As a young Black girl growing up in Memphis, I remember my teachers teaching this, too. What I was not taught, however, was the FULL story of American slavery and its slow and painful end, even after Lincoln’s Proclamation. At its best, this limited narrative reduces the struggle for Black liberation in America to a singular moment. And at its worst, it perpetuates an incomplete truth that robs every American of understanding what actually happened after slavery was reformed.

Today’s video Doodle, illustrated by Los Angeles-based guest artist Loveis Wise and narrated by actor and activist LeVar Burton, honors the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth. Short for “June Nineteenth,” Juneteenth marks the true end of chattel slavery across the United States— which didn’t actually occur until 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Specifically, it marks the day when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas [one of the westernmost points in the Confederate South] finally received news of their liberation by Union Major General Gordon Granger. He arrived with 1,800 federal troops in order to ensure compliance in Confederate states, many of which continued to defy the executive order years after it was mandated.

I can’t begin to imagine what it must have felt like to wait in anticipation for freedom and then finally hear the words spoken aloud. After recieving the news, the first acts of freedom included locating family members who were sold and shipped off during slavery, legally changing their own names, and creating schools and places to learn, which slaves had been systematically denied before. Couples obtained marriage certificates to form legal union with the person they loved. And later, they built towns like Freedmen's Town in Houston, TX, established universities like Tuskegee in Alabama, and created a Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Though widely celebrated by the community in its first years, Juneteenth’s absence in the mainstream U.S. historical narrative has made it an unknown holiday to many for decades. The 1960s Civil Rights Era saw a resurgence in Juneteenth awareness, leading to the creation of today’s two largest Juneteenth celebrations in Milwaukee and Minneapolis. Later in 1979, U.S. Representative Al Edwards introduced legislation in Texas to officially recognize the holiday, making it a state holiday the following year.

Over time, this growing awareness of Juneteenth has led to an exponential growth of events in cities across the nation. These celebrations have included rodeos featuring black cowboys, parades with gorgeous floats, readings of the Proclamation, songs like “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and much more.

I didn’t grow up celebrating Juneteenth. It wasn’t until I attended Hampton University, a historically Black university in Virginia [and home of Emancipation Oak, the site of the first Southern reading of the Emancipation Proclamation], that I learned about the holiday. I was shocked that schools back home hadn’t taught us about the day and that my family was completely unaware of it.

But my initial disappointment has shifted to optimism as I’ve witnessed a resurgence of this day in the American consciousness. For example, in the past week, Google Search interest in "Juneteenth meaning" spiked +850%, with the most searched query being “What is Juneteenth?” To me, history is a living, breathing, and changing testimony. And now that history can be accessed and shaped in ways generations before would’ve never thought possible.

Today, I hope folks across the nation commemorate Juneteenth by remembering and sharing the stories of those who lived in slavery before us and those who died for our freedom. I hope they celebrate it by creating space for expressions of Black joy and triumph, as well as teaching that June 19, 1865 was just the beginning. I hope they celebrate it by watching today’s Doodle, which aims to reflect how freedom in America is a journey. Even with executive orders, amendments, civil rights bills, and advancements in technology, the struggle to be treated fair and equal continues. And yet, despite all this, Black Americans still remain hopeful. I hope that people can relate to the basic human desire for liberty, equality, and access to opportunities to create a better life for our families and generations that follow.

Juneteenth is an American story about persistence, freedom, and joy no matter the obstacle. May this year's celebration provide an opportunity to honor the progress that's been made and reflect on the important changes that still remain ahead.

“...Now let us march on ‘til victory is won.”

—Angelica McKinley
Project Creative Director, 155th Anniversary of Juneteenth Google Doodle

[9A]

June 19, 2017

Mudik 2017




Today’s Doodle marks the start of Mudik, a yearly homecoming in Indonesia. City folks take this time to travel far and wide to visit family in rural villages. Travelers get home any way they can — by motorbike, train, car, and bus. Local governments even offer mudik gratis, discounted tickets helping motorbike travelers to take ferries and buses. Leading up to Mudik, cities become ghost towns when their residents leave. In fact, electricity use in Jakarta can decrease by up to 70% during Mudik!

Despite all the traffic, Indonesians happily jump into the hustle and bustle of travel in order to bring back loads of oleh-oleh, or souvenirs, for their relatives.

Safe travels to all and happy Mudik!

[9A]

Jun 17, 2020

Father's Day 2020 [June 17]

[9A]

June 17, 2017

Susan La Flesche Picotte’s 152nd Birthday




Today’s Doodle honors the life and legacy of Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte [1865-1915], the first American Indian to earn a medical degree.

Picotte grew up in Nebraska on the Omaha reservation, where her father urged her to “be somebody in the world.” She left her village and made her way east, eventually attending the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania [featured in today’s Doodle on the left], where she graduated at the top of her class. Despite receiving numerous prestigious job offers, Picotte chose to return to the reservation to provide the medical care that her tribe badly needed – tending to patients across 1,350 square miles on foot and horseback, in wind, snow, and rain.

Picotte was also a fierce public health advocate and social reformer. She promoted life-saving hygiene practices, such as the elimination of communal drinking cups and the installation of screen doors to keep out disease-carrying insects. Most notably, in 1913, she personally raised the funds to build a modern hospital in her hometown, which you can see pictured to the right of today’s Doodle.

Picotte’s remarkable career as a physician and health advocate just scratches the surface of her legacy. She was more than the reservation’s doctor – she was also an advisor, confidant, and symbol of hope for the Omaha.

Happy 152nd birthday to “Dr. Sue,” as her patients called her – a true American heroine.

[9A]

June 21, 2021

Father's Day 2021 [June 21]

[9A]

June 21, 2011

First Day of Summer by Takashi Murakami [Northern Hemisphere]



In the San Francisco Bay Area, we typically experience pretty mild weather. No experts to the seasons, we turned to Japanese art superstar Takashi Murakami to ring in the Summer and Winter Solstice with a pair of super fun doodles for the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

The doodles feature some of his cute and quirky characters and signature bold colors. It was a great honor to collaborate with Murakami-san and his Kai Kai Kiki team, who create what must be some of our most “kawaii” doodles yet.

Posted by Ryan Germick

[9A]

June 21, 2011
First Day of Winter by Takashi Murakami [Southern Hemisphere]

[9A]

June 21, 2009

Father's Day 2009

[9A]

Jun 20, 2009

Opening of the Acropolis Museum





The Acropolis Museum is an archaeological museum focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and on the surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece. It also lies over the ruins of part of Roman and early Byzantine Athens.

The museum was founded in 2003 while the Organization of the Museum was established in 2008. It opened to the public on 20 June 2009. More than 4,250 objects are exhibited over an area of 14,000 square metres. The Organization for the Construction of the new museum is chaired by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Professor Emeritus of Archaeology, Dimitrios Pandermalis.

[9A]

June 20, 2015

Dragon Boat Festival 2015





To trace the history of the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, one would have to reach thousands of years into antiquity. Celebrated on the fifth day of China’s fifth lunar month, the holiday’s roots stretch to the Warring States Period, a turbulent 250 years in which eight states wrestled for control of the Zhou Dynasty. Most say the festival honors the memory of Qu Yuan, the revered and prolific Chinese poet who, overcome by despair when his beloved capital city was captured by a rival state, flung himself into the Miluo River in protest.

Frantic, local fishermen combed the river in small boats hoping to wrest him from its clutches, which likely inspired the boat races seen today. When the search was finally given up, rice dumplings and realgar wine were thrown into the river’s depths--whether to keep what lurked beneath from disturbing Qu’s body or to feed Qu’s spirit is still unclear, but both have been staples of the celebration since.

Others argue its provenance probably involves harvest season; some contend the summer solstice. Whatever the festival’s true origins, its spirit remains as constant as the Dragon Boats that inspired this Doodle: it is a celebration of loyalty and sacrifice, cultural pride, and a remarkable shared history.

[9A]

June 20, 2013

Aleksander Fredro's 220th birthday





Aleksander Fredro was a Polish poet, playwright and author active during Polish Romanticism in the period of partitions by neighboring empires. His works including plays written in the octosyllabic verse [Zemsta] and in prose [Damy i Huzary] as well as fables, belong to the canon of Polish literature. Fredro was harshly criticized by some of his contemporaries for light-hearted humor or even alleged immorality [Seweryn Goszczyński, 1835] which led to years of his literary silence. Many of Fredro's dozens of plays were published and popularized only after his death. His best-known works have been translated into English, French, German, Russian, Czech, Romanian, Hungarian and Slovak.

[9A]

June 20, 2014

Ilan Ramon's 60th Birthday


Ilan Ramon, born Ilan Wolfferman, was an Israeli fighter pilot and later the first Israeli astronaut. Ramon was a Space Shuttle payload specialist of STS-107, the fatal mission of Columbia, in which he and the six other crew members were killed when the spacecraft disintegrated during re-entry. At 48, he was the oldest member of the crew. Ramon is the only foreign recipient of the United States Congressional Space Medal of Honor, which he was awarded posthumously.

[9A]

June 20, 2016

45th Anniversary of The First Broadcast of El Chavo del Ocho




El Chavo made his TV debut 45 years ago today, marking the beginning of a beloved TV institution in Mexico, parts of the United States, and in many other countries in Latin America. At the height of its popularity, El Chavo del Ocho was the most-watched show on Mexican television. The show’s courageous orphan and his friends got themselves into and out of trouble, all the while endearing themselves to generations of fans. Tens of millions of viewers still watch the animated version of the show, El Chavo Animado, every day.

Today’s Doodle pays tribute to the creation by Roberto Gómez Bolaños. Thank you, Chesperito, for forty-five years of laughs.

[9A]

June 20, 2016

Summer Solstice & Strawberry Moon





Today is the first day of summer! Doodler Nate Swinehart created a family of anthropomorphized rocks to commemorate the change of season. This year, the summer equinox has a companion: the strawberry moon. The pairing hasn’t happened since “The Summer of Love” in 1967, and won’t happen again until 2062. Happy summer!

Strawberry Moon happens in the month of June’s full moon. It is also known as honey moon and rose moon. The moon will have a pinkish color, but this is not why the name was given. The name was given by the Algonquin Native American tribe in the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada, which describes the short strawberry harvesting season in the region.

The 2022 Strawberry Supermoon

On June 13, 2022 a Strawberry Supermoon will start appearing, but will be at its fullest on June 14, 2022 at 11:52 Universal Time and will still be visible until June 15, 2022. At around 7:24 p.m. EST, the moon will come within 222,238 miles [357,658 kilometers] of Earth [about 16,000 miles closer than its average distance] and could be about 7 percent larger and 15 percent brighter than a regular full moon.

The Virtual Telescope Project in Ceccano, Italy will host a free livestream of the phenomenon.

[9A]

June 20, 2020

Swedish Midsummer 2020




Today’s Doodle commemorates one of the oldest and most important holidays in Sweden: Midsommar [Midsummer]. In a country where winter can bring just hours of light each day—if that—it’s no surprise that Swedes pull out all the stops for this celebration of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.

Friends and family traditionally begin the day’s festivities with dance and song around the Midsommarstången [Midsummer maypole], a massive pole decorated in garlands and flowers, as depicted in today’s Doodle artwork. With flower wreaths on their heads, revelers may sing one of the most popular songs of Midsummer: “Små grodorna” [“The Little Frogs”]. To join in the fun, simply hop around the maypole like a frog and sing along to lyrics like, “The small frogs, the small frogs, are funny to look at!”

All that jumping can work up quite an appetite, which is traditionally satiated with a classic Midsummer meal. The menu typically includes Swedish favorites like inlagd sill [pickled herring], snaps [Swedish liquor] , and knäckebröd [crisp bread], all finished off with the iconic desert of jordgubbstårta [strawberry cake].

Glad Midsommar! HOP-py Midsummer!

[9A]

Jun 17, 2016

Adile Naşit’s 86th birthday




Today we celebrate Turkish actress Adile Naşit, who is remembered fondly as “the funny lady.” Naşit starred in the important Turkish films Neşeli Günler and Hababam Sınıfı
[The Chaos Class] alongside her frequent co-star, Münir Özkul. She is best remembered for reading bedtime stories to the children of Turkey through her children’s program, Uykudan Önce or “Before Sleep.” On what would have been her 86th birthday, we remember Naşit and her infectious laugh.

[9A]

June 17, 2009

Igor Stravinsky's Birthday




Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky [17 June 1882 – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French [from 1934] and American [from 1945] citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century and a pivotal figure in modernist music.

Stravinsky's compositional career was notable for its stylistic diversity. He first achieved international fame with three ballets commissioned by the impresario Sergei Diaghilev and first performed in Paris by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes: The Firebird [1910], Petrushka [1911], and The Rite of Spring [1913].

[9A]

Jun 14, 2016

Karl Landsteiner’s 148th birthday




You might not know the name Karl Landsteiner, but his discoveries have saved the lives of so many millions of us.

In 1901, Landsteiner discovered the existence of blood types A, B, AB and O, and that people of the same or compatible types can receive transfusions from one another. The first successful blood transfusion occurred in 1907 as a direct result of his work, which led to advances in medicine, therapies, and surgery.

Landsteiner is also credited with laying the groundwork, together with fellow scientist Erwin Popper, that led to the discovery of the polio virus. This was the first step towards developing a treatment for the disease which affected millions of children worldwide.

On what would be his 148th birthday, we thank you, Karl Landsteiner, for helping us lead longer, healthier lives.

[9A]

June 14, 2021

Dragon Boat Festival 2021




This year, June 14 marks the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar–the day of the annual Dragon Boat Festival, or Duanwujie. Today’s Doodle celebrates this ancient tradition, which has a history that is more than 2,000 years old.

The Dragon Boat Festival is a high-spirited tradition where competitors paddle long, vibrantly-painted long wooden boats into rivers and race to the finish. The team of dragon boat sailors row as fast as they can toward a finish line while one team member sits toward the front of the ship and beats a drum to maintain their pace and keep energy high. Spectators and racers alike enjoy zongzi, a tetrahedron-shaped sticky rice treat wrapped in reed or bamboo stalks believed to bring good fortune. In some cultures, revelers add another friendly contest to the day—egg balancing. Noon is said to be the best time to keep the egg standing!

Good luck to everyone competing today and Happy Dragon Boat Festival!

[9A]

June 14, 2008

Kawabata Yasunari's Birthday





Yasunari Kawabata was a Japanese novelist and short story writer whose spare, lyrical, subtly shaded prose works won him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968, the first Japanese author to receive the award. His works have enjoyed broad international appeal and are still widely read.

[9A]

October 18, 2019

Kita Kusunose’s 183rd Birthday





“It is strange that despite paying taxes, I do not have the right to vote because I am a woman,” wrote Kita Kusunose in her famous 1878 letter to Japanese officials. “If I don’t have the right to vote then I won’t pay my taxes.” Today’s Doodle celebrates the birth of a self-described “common woman” who’s now fondly remembered as Minken Baasan, “the people’s rights granny.”

Born in Kōchi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku on this day in 1836, Kita married at age 21 and took over as the head of her household after her husband’s passing. Denied the right to vote in local elections just because she was a woman, she refused to pay her property tax with the belief that duty and rights should coexist, and sent a letter to the prefectural governor explaining her decision. As the first public petition written by a Japanese woman, Kita’s letter caused quite a stir. When her argument was dismissed by local authorities she took her case to Japan’s national ministry, after which it was reprinted in newspapers.

During the Meiji Era [1868 to 1912], Japanese society was undergoing a period of great transition under Emperor Mutsuhito. Kita’s letter sparked a national debate about women’s rights that led to changes in voting laws for parts of her home prefecture, allowing some women to vote for the first time in 1880. Although the rights were denied four years later, Kita is remembered as a pioneer for women’s suffrage, which was finally extended nationwide in Japan in 1946.

Kita was also an advocate for education and is honored at the Kochi Liberty and Peoples’ Rights Museum, which opened in her hometown in 1990.

[9A]

October 18, 2020

Benedict Sandin's 102nd Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates the 102nd birthday of Sarawak-born folklorist and ethnographer Benedict Sandin, who served as the curator of the oldest museum in Borneo: the Sarawak Museum. A member of the Iban–one of the largest Indigenous ethnic groups in what is now Malaysia–Sandin earned scholarly acclaim as one of the world’s foremost experts on the Iban and dedicated his life to the preservation of his native heritage.

Benedict Sandin was born Sandin anak Attat on this date in 1918 in Sarawak, today a state in the country of Malaysia. His father first introduced him to the poetic Iban language, which Sandin went on to master and champion. In 1941, Sandin began work in the Sarawak civil service, and his gift for writing eventually led to an assignment as the editor of Pembrita—the first news publication in the Iban language. His articles attracted the attention of the Sarawak Museum’s curator, who recruited him to join the museum’s staff in a special post in 1952.

Soon after, Sandin was accepted to a UNESCO fellowship program in New Zealand, through which he studied museum techniques and anthropology. He returned home determined to chronicle the Iban history, culture, and language by absorbing and recording the wisdom of local genealogists, bards, and historians. As a testament to Sandin’s invaluable ethnographic achievements, he was named the Curator of the Sarawak Museum and Government Ethnologist in 1966, a position he held for the better part of a decade.

Thank you, Benedict Sandin, for safeguarding and preserving Indigenous tradition and heritage for generations to come.

[9A]

October 18, 2017

Celebrating the Studio for Electronic Music



Today we’re feeling the beat as we celebrate the 66th anniversary of the Studio for Electronic Music. Known as the first modern music studio, the Studio for Electronic Music became a haven for innovative musicians and producers around the world. It was here that electronically synthesized sounds were mixed to create an entirely new genre of music that so many have come to love.

The Studio for Electronic Music was established at the West German Broadcasting facility in Cologne, Germany. The concept for a studio to create electronic music was birthed by composers Werner Meyer-Eppler, Robert Beyer, and Herbert Eimert, who for years had brainstormed the technical requirements of the challenge. Artists in the studio created breakthrough beats, editing and mixing sounds using new types of equipment and technical composition. Composers and producers came from far and wide as the studio became a breeding ground for musical innovation.

Until the year 2000, the original studio continued to push the boundaries of electronic music and develop new sounds and ideas. Today’s Doodle, by Berlin-based illustrator Henning Wagenbreth, celebrates the diversity of thought and imagination that built this studio and transformed the possibilities of music!

[9A]

October 18, 2018

Laura Esther Rodríguez Dulanto’s 146th Birthday





Born in the Supe District of Lima on this day in 1872, Laura Esther Rodríguez-Dulanto was a physician who broke many barriers for women in Peru. Though she excelled in school from a very young age, her parents were frustrated that educational options were limited for women—no matter how gifted or motivated they might be.

There were no secondary schools for girls, much less universities or postgraduate programs. Nevertheless, Rodríguez-Dulanto’s parents persisted, appealing to local authorities until a special jury was appointed by the Ministry of Education to allow the gifted young student to advance her studies. With help from her older brother Abraham, who would teach her everything he learned after returning home from school, Rodríguez-Dulanto passed her high school exams. With a combination of intelligence, motivation, and a very supportive family, Laura Esther Rodríguez-Dulanto became the first Peruvian woman to attend college as well as the first female physician in the nation’s history.

Though it was a great achievement to begin her studies at the National University of San Marcos, 19-year-old Rodríguez-Dulanto still faced numerous obstacles. While the male students worked with human cadavers in anatomy class, she would have to sit behind a screen to conceal her presence. During her third year of medical school, she was allowed to perform dissections in a special room, accompanied by her brother who was also studying medicine. In September 1900, her hard work paid off when she earned her Bachelor of Medicine, taking her Hippocratic Oath a month later.

Rodríguez-Dulanto specialized in gynecology, publishing papers on ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids. She went on to co-found Peru’s first nursing school, teaching anatomy, physiology and hygiene, and paving the way for other women to pursue careers in medicine. Her legacy is honored with a bust in a public park in Lima, Peru, as well as a hospital in her home town of Supe, which is named after her.

Happy Birthday Dr. Laura Esther Rodríguez-Dulanto!

[9A]

October 18, 2015

Melina Mercouri’s 95th Birthday




Melina, a Greek word for honey and the nickname given to Maria Mercouri by her grandfather, could also have been used to describe the actress’s low, unmistakable voice. Known to the world for her brilliant smile and award-winning performances on Broadway and the silver screen, Melina Mercouri was also known to Greeks as a champion of the proletariat who cared deeply about Greek art and its classical roots. As the first female Minister of Culture, Mercouri poured her considerable energies into building libraries, preserving Greek archaeological sites and establishing the European Capital of Culture, a designation that highlights shared cultural heritage in a new European city every year. Today’s Doodle by Kevin Laughlin celebrates a woman whose magnetism and exuberance were matched only by her love of Greece.

[9A]

October 18, 2012

161st Anniversary of Moby Dick's First Publishing





When designing a cover for a classic in the book publishing world, there is usually room for some artistic experimentation and subtlety. This is for a couple of reasons. One, the readers are already familiar with the imagery in the book, which gives the artist an opportunity to reinterpret or "refresh" the imagery in a contemporary way. Two, the title itself will usually attract the reader's attention – in many cases, the reader is looking specifically for this title. This relieves some of the burden or obligation for the illustration to portray a key moment of suspense or high drama from the story in order to attract more potential buyers. Some bold examples of this approach can be seen in the work of one of my favorite designers, Alvin Lustig, whose subtle yet bold designs have evolved into classics in their own right.

Image search screencap of "Alvin Lustig New Classics"

Of course, for a Google doodle it is still very important to lend as much context as possible to create a rich and informative user experience, leaving slightly less flexibility than Lustig might have had in his day. So I had my goals: to create a contemporary interpretation of a classic story, rich in context but subtle in its own way.

One idea that surfaced early on was to somehow tie the white space of the homepage into the whiteness of Moby Dick [the whale], so that he wouldn't be immediately visible at first glance.



The sketch itself seemed a little gritty and frightening, and possibly not authentic to the scene either.... although Captain Ahab and his crew spend much of the novel in search of the whale, this moment should be more confrontational. Still, the doodle team encouraged further exploration of this idea. So I played with a second concept, in which Moby Dick is like an overgrown child, happily swimming about in the aftermath of the ship he's just destroyed, with the wreckage spelling out Google.



Casting Google as a shipwreck would probably not go over well, even with the best of lighthearted intentions, so the idea was quickly scrapped!

As I thought more about the theme of "search," I wondered if Moby Dick himself could be a large maze, designed in such a way to resemble the intricate tattoo patterns of another character in the story, Queequeg.





This robbed the user of all narrative context, however, and the team ultimately opted for the "white space" idea in the first concept, echoing my own notes to make it brighter and altogether less frightening. After a couple of compositional studies, I got going on the final, which is what you see at the top of the page today.



by Mike Dutton

[9A]

Oct 15, 2012

107th Anniversary of Little Nemo in Slumberland




A true pioneer and master draftsman, Winsor McCay is an artist and visionary. As a storyteller, his imagination reaches beyond the confines of reality and even the technology of his time.

Among his most famous works is his weekly comic strip "Little Nemo in Slumberland." This series follows the journeys of Nemo through a fantastic dreamworld. Nightly, he finds himself thrown into a topsy turvy, overgrown, and colorful mess that often leaves him tumbling out of bed. McCay's mastery of perspective, bold use of color, and sheer creativeness yield a series that is visually stunning and immersive. Though not popular in its time, "Little Nemo in Slumberland" became celebrated in the mid 20th century. Since its "rediscovery," the comic has inspired artists, feature animated films, and operas. Original pages have also drawn attention at the Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

If drawing painfully intricate comic strips every week isn't enough, McCay is also a pioneer in animation. His short film, "Gertie the Dinosaur" is regarded to have the first character designed for animation with a unique personality. His groundbreaking achievements in animation, art, and storytelling make McCay a perfect candidate for a doodle.

Paying tribute to such a creative giant and body of work, however, is intimidating for any artist. "Little Nemo in Slumberland" is an undertaking in itself, but the doodlers and I wanted to approach this doodle as McCay might have. What if McCay composed a Nemo comic for the internet? What if he had Google engineers to back his creativity? We may never know how far he would have pushed the resources and technology available today, but his work will continue to inspire generations of dreamers.

posted byJennifer Hom

[9A]

November 21, 2019

Celebrating Matilde Hidalgo de Procel






Today’s Doodle celebrates Ecuadorian physician, poet, and activist Matilde Hidalgo de Procel, who was born on September 29th, 1889 in the city of Loja and became the first woman to vote in Latin America in 1924. Inspiring her native Ecuador to become the first Latin American state to grant suffrage to all women, this trailblazing pioneer for women’s rights smashed through glass ceilings throughout her entire lifetime, also becoming the first female Ecuadorian doctor on this day in 1921.

The youngest of six children raised by a widowed seamstress, Procel aspired to continue her education past sixth grade. Her older brother Antonio requested that his sister be allowed to attend high school with him, and the Director of Bernardo Valdivieso School granted their wish. Despite being ostracized by her peers, Procel persevered, graduating with honors in 1913.

She went on to study medicine at the Universidad del Azuay [now known as University of Cuenca], and the Central University, becoming the first female doctor in Ecuadorian history.

By signing the register of voters in 1924, Procel set the stage for yet another “first.” When the State Council questioned her right to vote, she pointed out that Ecuador’s Constitution makes no mention of gender as a requirement for voting—only citizenship, age, and literacy. Her argument was affirmed by unanimous vote, ensuring that both Procel and Ecuador would go down in history.

After a lifetime of leadership, Procel eventually ran for public office, becoming Ecuador’s first female elected official in 1941. The Ecuadorian government awarded her the Medal of Merit and the Medal of Public Health, while her hometown of Loja established a museum in her honor.

[9A]

Nov 13, 2010

Robert Louis Stevenson's 160th Birthday



Robert Louis Stevenson [born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894] was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped and A Child's Garden of Verses.

[9A]

November 13, 2021

Celebrating Fairy Bread



Today’s Doodle celebrates Fairy bread, a nostalgic childhood treat popular in Australia and New Zealand, on the birthday of Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, whom linguistic scholars believe first coined the term in his 1885 poem “Fairy Bread” in “A Child’s Garden of Verses.” Traditional Fairy bread unifies three simple ingredients—triangularly sliced white bread slathered in butter and topped with rainbow sprinkles [known colloquially as “hundreds and thousands”]. But its origin story isn’t as simple as its recipe.

Although some believe the tasty treat might have been inspired by hagelslag—Dutch toast covered in chocolate sprinkles—both Australia and New Zealand claim to have originally invented Fairy bread all on their own. New Zealanders have brightened confections with rainbow sprinkles for over a century, but a 1929 article published in a Tasmanian newspaper claims to be the first to reference Fairy bread with the ingredients it's known for today.

While the country of origin [and who can make it the best] remains a friendly point of contention between the neighboring nations, Aussies and Kiwis alike can agree that this treat is a staple of children’s birthday celebrations that satisfies not just the sweet tooth but also the mature nostalgic palate. If you decide to whip up some Fairy bread of your own, keep in mind that to many, removing the crust means you’ve removed the dish's authenticity.


Here’s to Fairy bread—a tasty treat that’s as easy as one, two, three!

[9A]

November 13, 2017

Helene Stöcker’s 148th Birthday





Women’s rights were hard-won by the women of the early 20th century, and visionaries like Helene Stöcker were at the forefront of the movement.

Born in 1869, Helene was the definition of someone whose ideas were ahead of her time. Bucking societal expectations, she was one of the first German women to obtain her doctorate, and in 1893 penned her famous short essay, “The Modern Woman.” In it, Helene describes a woman with the freedom to embrace intellectual and cultural pursuits in addition to love or marriage.

In 1905, Helene co-founded The League for the Protection of Mothers and Sexual Reform, continuing her influential writing as the editor of the League’s magazine. For nearly 30 years, she lead the charge with a philosophy she called the New Ethic. Among other things, it advocated for equality for children born out of wedlock, access to contraceptives, and sex education.

Helene wrote with passion about a time when women could fully embrace everything life has to offer. As a feminist, she cherished and championed all women, writing that any modern woman would do the same: “After all, she sees in them a common front, a world-conquering future.”

Today’s Doodle by artist Cynthia Kittler, drawn in honor of Ms. Stöcker’s 148th birthday, illustrates the common front Helene wrote so passionately about.

Here’s to conquering the future, Helene.

[9A]

November 13, 2014

Mokhtar Dahari's 61st Birthday




Dato' Mohd Mokhtar bin Dahari was a Malaysian football player from Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, he played for F.A. Selangor for most of his life. He is considered a legendary footballer in Malaysian football history, especially with F.A. Selangor. A prolific forward, he was nicknamed Supermokh due to his playing skills and strength.

He scored 89 goals in 142 full international matches for Malaysia, and helped the team reach its highest ever Elo ranking of 61 in 1977. Mokhtar is the all-time top scorer for the Malaysian national team.

On 29 June 2021, FIFA acknowledged him as the third top scorer of all time at international level, with a total of 89 goals, behind only to Ali Daei and Cristiano Ronaldo.

[9A]

November 13, 2015

Dorothea Christiane Erxleben's 300th Birthday




Throughout her life, Dorothea Christiane Erxleben advocated for women's rights and maintained the unwavering conviction that women should be allowed to—and ought to—pursue an education. After receiving a dispensation from Frederick the Great, Erxleben earned her M.D. from University of Halle in 1754, the first woman in Germany’s history to do so!

Happy 300th birthday, Dr. Erxleben!

[9A]

July 14, 2019

Father's Day 2019 [Uruguay]

[9A]

Jul 8, 2019

Celebrating Women's World Cup 2019 Champions: the United States of America




Congratulations to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup champions: The United States!

Over the past month, players from the women's national teams of 24 countries competed for top rank across nine cities in France. Today, the games culminated at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Décines-Charpieu, a suburb of Lyon, France, where the United States Women’s National Team has won to become the 2019 Women’s World Cup champions!

This year's Doodle series celebrated the rich cultures and talent of all 24 participating countries by featuring guest artists hailing from each nation. We hope you've enjoyed all 24 Doodles throughout the games, each capturing the local excitement of the World Cup competition as well as what soccer means to the guest artist personally.

Today's Doodle celebrating the big win is a unique creation by our US-based guest artist Roxie Vizcarra. Read more about the Doodle below.

Cheers to all the talented players around the world. See you next time!

[9A]

July 8, 2008

Kaii Higashiyama's Birthday




Kaii Higashiyama [July 8, 1908 – May 6, 1999] was a Japanese writer and artist particularly renowned for his Nihonga style paintings. As one of the most popular artists in post-war Japan, Higashiyama was awarded the Japan Art Academy Prize in 1956 and the Order of Culture in 1969.

[9A]

July 8, 2007

National Aborigines & Islander Day Observance Committee Week



NAIDOC Week is an Australian observance lasting from the first Sunday in July until the following Sunday. The acronym NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. It has its roots in the 1938 Day of Mourning, becoming a week-long event in 1975.

NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The week is celebrated not just in the Indigenous Australian communities but also in increasing numbers of government agencies, schools, local councils and workplaces.

[9A]

July 8, 2012

František Křižík's 165th Birthday



František Křižík was a Czech inventor, electrical engineer, and entrepreneur.

Křižík is considered the pioneer of practical electrical engineering and in electrification of Bohemia and Austro-Hungarian empire. At the time he was often compared to Thomas Edison. In 1878 Křižík invented a remotely operated signaling device to protect against collision between trains. Křižík's cores are magnetic solenoids cores shaped so as to insure an approximately uniform pull in different positions in the solenoid.

In 1884 Křižík set up his own company building city lighting, tramway lines, street cars, power stations, and various electric equipment.

A Prague street and subsequently near subway station were named after František Křižík – Křižíkova.

The main belt asteroid 5719 Křižík was named in his honor.