Google doodles

[9A]

24 Sept 2018

Celebrating Altamira Cave






Charging bisons, wild horses, and mysterious handprints—primeval evidence of humanity’s creative genius, miraculously well preserved after some 36,000 years. Today’s Doodle celebrates the 139th anniversary of the first discovery of cave paintings at the Altamira caves in Cantabria, northern Spain—a masterpiece of the prehistoric era.

Nicknamed “the Sistine Chapel of paleolithic art,” Altamira was discovered in 1879 by the amateur botanist and archaeologist Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola who first noticed animal bones and flint tools there. He returned his daughter Maria, who first noticed the red and black paintings covering its walls and ceiling, rendered in charcoal and hematite, depicting animals including European bison and bulls.

Early claims of the caves’ paleolithic origin were mostly dismissed as fake. Some argued that the art, which includes abstract shapes as well as depictions of wildlife, was too sophisticated for the time. Then in 1902 a French study of Altamira proved these paintings were in fact paleolithic, dating to between 14,000 and 20,000 years ago. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Altamira caves are open for public visitation.

[9A]

30 Sept 2018

Helia Bravo Hollis’ 117th Birthday





“I have done everything with love, passion, and courage,” said Helia Bravo Hollis in an interview with UNAM, the Mexican University where she studied and later headed the Biology department. “I have never worked for a salary. Everything has been for the research.”

Known to her students as La Maestra Bravo, Bravo Hollis made enormous contributions to the study of cacti in Mexico and worked tirelessly to found UNAM’s Botanical Gardens, where she served as director during the 1960s. Her passion for learning about nature was contagious to her students and earned her a great deal of respect among colleagues.

Born on this day in 1901, in the Mixcoac section of Mexico City, she first became interested in nature during Sunday walks with her parents. Her interest in the natural world led her to study Biological Sciences and obtain a Master’s degree from the UNAM, with a thesis on varieties of cactus found in Tehuacán, Puebla. An ambitious researcher, Bravo Hollis published her first book by 1937—the landmark study Las Cactaceas de México—which established her as a leading expert in the field.

During a 60 year career, she published nearly 170 articles, two books, as well as some 60 taxa descriptions and another 59 taxonomic revisions. A co-founder of the Mexican Cactus Society, Bravo Hollis discovered numerous species herself. The Ariocarpus bravoanus and Opuntia bravoana cacti are named after her. Her legacy lives on through the Helia Bravo Hollis Botanical Garden in Puebla, which is home to many endangered cactus species and has become a popular destination for students, scientists, and tourists alike.

Happy Birthday Helia Bravo Hollis!

[9A]

12 October 2011

Art Clokey's 90th Birthday









Art Clokey, creator of The Gumby Show, led an incredibly fascinating life. A pioneer of animation, he worked with clay to create dynamic stop-motion sequences that were entertaining as well as beautiful. His first student film, Gumbasia [1955], was highly abstract, but contained hints of the playful transformations prevalent in his later work.

His innovation and his palpable love for animation soon led to the creation of The Gumby Show, starring the characters that feature in our doodle. From left to right we have: the Blockheads, Prickle, Goo, Gumby, and Pokey. Together they went on many misadventures, learned valuable lessons, and delighted their audience.




An unedited frame of animation, with the support arm still visible.

For this doodle we had the pleasure of working with Joe Clokey, Art's son, to ensure that we would do justice to Art's cherished characters. The animations were produced by veteran industry professional Anthony Scott, who worked on such contemporary stop-motion classics as The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, The Corpse Bride, and Coraline. Stop-motion has always captivated me, and it requires so much care, time, and dedication – but watching it come together is incredible.






Another original frame of animation.

The final doodle was a collaboration with engineer Bradley Bossard, who transformed the already delightful animations into an interactive experience.

We hope this doodle put a smile on your face!

Posted by Sophia Foster-Dimino

[9A]

2 November 2022

Day of the Dead 2022




Today streets pulse to Spanish folk songs as one of Mexico’s most important annual celebrations begins—Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos! Today, people in skeleton face paint pass by homes showcasing vibrant skulls made from sugar or clay. The Doodle artwork is crafted from real sugar to honor the tradition!

Day of the Dead traditions originated thousands of years ago from Indigenous cultures in Mexico. The Aztec and Mexica people believed the souls of the dead could visit the living, and each year they invited their loved ones to return home. The tradition is so meaningful that 16th-century Spanish settlers adopted the custom and turned it into a holiday.

On this day, Mexican families prepare to honor their loved ones by placing their photos on an ofrenda, or home altar, along with candles to help guide them home. Plumes of copal incense drift into the air as people invite their neighbors inside to admire the decorative altars. Friends share food like Pan de Metros, a mouthwatering round bread that represents the circle of life. It’s believed that the deceased first return to their graves, which are often decorated with bright marigold flowers and personal belongings.

Whether Mexicans are at home, the cemetery or a local parade, the day is filled with stories and laughter to commemorate loved ones and ancestors.

Happy Day of the Dead, Mexico!

[9A]

2 November 2011

Day of the Dead 2011

[9A]

2 November 2018

Day of the Dead 2018




Day of the Dead [or El Día de los Muertos] is an ancient holiday dating back thousands of years to the Aztec Empire. In its essence, it's a joyous occasion that’s about dispelling fear and embracing the cycle of life.

Families prepare for the celebration far in advance, cleaning the house and decorating it with fragrant marigold flowers and intricate tissue-paper cutouts. Playful calacas and calaveras [skeletons and skulls], are usually seen in festive attire, enjoying [[after)life to the fullest.

Colorful ofrendas or altars are set up in many homes, surrounded by favorite food and drink, as well as photographs and cherished mementos, plus sweet Pan de Muertos and sugar skulls. Burning candles and incense is also customary to set the mood, evoke the spirit world, and serve as a reminder that death is just another part of life and that human connections will always endure.

Today's Doodle features its own ofrenda, handcrafted by Doodler Nate Swinehart out of clay.

Feliz Día de los Muertos!

[9A]

2 November 2022

Chen Jin's 115th birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the birthday of Chen Jin, also written as Chen Chin, one of the first female painters to earn recognition in Taiwan. With delicate brush strokes and radiant colors, she painted the way for generations of female artists to come.

Chen Jin was born on this day in 1907 in Hsinchu county. She painted for the first time in high school, instantly falling in love with the art form. Her art teacher encouraged her to pursue art and suggested to her father that she continue her education in Japan. This was an unconventional path at the time, considering most of Taiwan’s artists were men.

At 18, Chen Jin boarded a ship that set sail for Japan. She had earned a spot at Tokyo Women’s Academy of Fine Arts, making her the first Taiwanese woman to study art abroad. After studying under prestigious Japanese artists, Chen Jin was selected to the Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition. She was one of three Taiwanese artists out of 92 participants. The exhibition gave Chen Jin the opportunity to showcase her work to a wider audience as she became an acclaimed artist across Taiwan and Japan.

Chen Jin’s preferred method of painting was gouache, an opaque watercolor. She continued to hone her craft with figure paintings that depicted the daily lives of upper-class Taiwanese women. In 1934, Tokyo’s Imperial Fine Arts Academy Exhibition accepted Chen Jin’s piece, “Ensemble,” making her the first Taiwanese woman to earn a selection. The iconic painting features two Taiwanese women playing a yueqin [Chinese banjo] and dizi [bamboo flute].

Chen Jin returned home that year and became Taiwan’s first female secondary school teacher at Pingtung Girls High School. She served as a juror for the Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition while creating pieces like “Infant” and “Familial Portrait” in her free time. In 1958, Chen Jin held her first solo exhibition that showcased 62 of her paintings at Chung-Shan Hall in Taipei.

Chen Jin’s paintings are on display in the Taipei Fine Arts Museum’s permanent collection. In 2003, the National Museum of History showcased “The Beauty of Chen Jin's Ladies," which included 32 of Chen Jin’s paintings from 1932 through 1998.

Happy 115th birthday, Chen Jin!

[9A]

2 November 2015

George Boole’s 200th Birthday


Here’s an easy, yes-or-no question:

Is the universe complex?

YES, of course, you could say; it would be crazy to think otherwise! But on the other hand, British mathematician George Boole taught us that NO, things can be seen as relatively simple; any values can be pared down to yes or no, true or false, or 0 or 1 [which, here at Google, is our personal favorite].

In 1849, Boole was appointed as the first Professor of Mathematics at University College Cork, where he pioneered developments in logic and mathematics. His beautiful binary “Boolean” system was detailed in An Investigation of the Laws of Thought in 1854, which inevitably enabled revolutionary thinking in not just logic and math, but also engineering and computer science.

As one of the most important scientists to have ever worked in Ireland, Boole effectively laid the foundations of the entire Information Age while working from UCC. So it’s fair to say that without George Boole, there’d be no Google! So, as a tribute to Boole’s contributions, artist Leon Hong created today’s doodle, which cycles through all the ANDs, ORs, NOTs, and even XORs of the Boolean states for two discrete variables.

A very happy 11001000th birthday to genius George Boole!

[9A]

2 November 2012

Odysseas Elitis' 101st Birthday






Odysseas Elytis was a Greek poet, essayist and translator, regarded as a major exponent of romantic modernism in Greece and the world. He is one of the most praised poets of the second half of the twentieth century, with his Axion Esti "regarded as a monument of contemporary poetry". In 1979, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

[9A]

24 November 2011

Thanksgiving 2011

[9A]

16 July 2021

Elizeth Cardoso's 101st birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the birthday of Brazilian actor and singer Elizeth “The Divine” Cardoso. Her 1958 album “Canção do Amor Demais” [“Too Much Love Song”] is widely regarded as the first true bossa nova album, a hybrid style of breezy jazz and traditional Brazilian music that captured the stylistic evolutions of the era.

On this day in 1920, Elizete Moreira Cardoso was born into a family of musicians in Rio de Janeiro and debuted as a singer at just five years old. Her first major break occurred at her 16th birthday party when an introduction to popular Brazilian musician Jacob do Bandolim changed her life.

Eager to share her rare vocal gift, Bandolim landed Cardoso an opening gig for a stacked lineup of Brazilian musicians in 1936, including the likes of Noel Rosa and Araci de Almeida. Cardoso’s fame continued to grow into the 1940s with regular appearances alongside this superstar group and by performing everywhere from circuses to ballrooms. In 1950, Cardoso recorded her first hit, "Canção de Amor" [“Love Song”]. The explosion of popular reception for this single paved the way for a fruitful musical career that was soon followed by success as an actor in both TV and film.

Cardoso became an international sensation in the following decades; her heartfelt spin on Brazilian music garnered standing ovations [with one lasting 15 minutes!] and enchanted audiences globally on world tours well into the 1980s. In 2007, Rolling Stone Brazil listed Cardoso’s “Canção do Amor Demais” among the nation’s top 100 albums of all time.

Happy birthday, Elizeth Cardoso!

[9A]

16 December 2014

Wassily Kandinsky's 148th Birthday




Today, our homepage around the world marks the 148th birthday of influential Russian painter Wassily Wassilyevich Kandinsky. Kandinsky is credited with painting the first purely abstract work of art.

This Google doodle was inspired by the work of Wassily Kandinsky and was used with special permission of the Estate of Wassily Kandinsky, which is represented by Artist Rights Society.

[9A]

9 November 2020

Marie Dressler's 152nd birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 152nd birthday of Oscar-winning Canadian-American stage and screen actress, comedian, and singer Marie Dressler, who is widely considered one of the most significant actors of early-1930s film. With her signature style of raucous slapstick humor, Dressler challenged stereotypes to become one of Hollywood’s most unconventional stars.

Marie Dressler was born Leila Marie Koerber on this day in 1868 in Cobourg, a Canadian town on the shore of Lake Ontario. She began acting with stock companies by the age of 14. Over the following years, Dressler showcased her comedic chops in vaudeville, burlesque, and revue performances and ascended from local theater all the way to Broadway musicals.

By 1896, Dressler was a certified theater phenomenon. She reached the apex of her stage career in the 1910 Broadway hit “Tillie’s Nightmare,” which was adapted for the big screen four years later. The result was the first-ever feature-length comedy film “Tillie’s Punctured Romance”—a massive box office hit in which Dressler co-starred alongside a young Charlie Chaplin.

Dressler’s rich stage voice proved a perfect fit for the “talkie” films that came along in the late ‘20s. She delivered a show-stealing performance in the 1930 drama “Anna Christie,” and the following year, her talent was recognized at the highest level when she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the 1930 film “Min and Bill.”

Happy birthday to a legendary star whose talent and humor knew no bounds.

[9A]

9 Nov 2020

Sir Giles Gilbert Scott's 140th birthday



Today’s Doodle, illustrated by UK-based guest artist Jing Zhang, celebrates British architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who is widely regarded as one of the country’s most significant architects of the 20th century. Renowned for designs such as the Battersea Power Station and the now-iconic red telephone box illustrated in today’s Doodle, Scott combined traditional and modern styles to craft some of London’s most familiar landmarks.

Giles Gilbert Scott was born into a lineage of significant architects on this day in 1880 in London, England. When he was young, his mother encouraged him to carry forward the family legacy, and took him and his brother on bicycle trips to view church architecture throughout the English countryside. He went on to apprentice as an architect, and at just 21 he won a contest that landed him the largest commission of his life: the Liverpool Cathedral–one of many churches he designed throughout his career.

Yet Scott’s most famous creation may be his smallest–the red telephone box he designed in 1924 and simplified in 1935. The updated version was so popular that 60,000 units were installed across the United Kingdom. Today, many of the beloved booths have been reoutfitted to serve new purposes, from defibrillator stations to miniature libraries.

For his exceptional achievements in the field of architecture, Scott was knighted in 1924, and in 1944 he was awarded one of Britain’s highest honors—the Order of Merit.

Happy birthday, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott!

[9A]

9 November 2011

Hideyo Noguchi's 135th Birthday



Hideyo Noguchi was a prominent Japanese bacteriologist who in 1911 discovered the agent of syphilis as the cause of progressive paralytic disease.

[9A]

9 November 2012

Feng Zikai's 114th Birthday



Feng Zikai was an influential Chinese painter, pioneering manhua artist, essayist, and lay Buddhist of twentieth-century China. Although he is most famous for his paintings depicting children and the multi-volume collection of Buddhist-inspired art, Paintings for the Preservation of Life, Feng Zikai was a prolific artist, writer, and intellectual, who made strides in the fields of music, art, literature, philosophy, and translation.

[9A]

4 March 2021

Rosa Sevilla de Alvero's 142nd birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 142nd birthday of journalist, educator, and activist Rosa Sevilla de Alvero, who is widely considered one of the most influential suffragists in Filipino history.

Rosa Sevilla was born on this day in 1879 in Manila, the Philippines capital. As a child, she was sent to live with her aunt, an educator who hosted Filipino patriots and intellectuals at her home. Sevilla often eavesdropped on their conversations about battling educational colonialism—revolutionary discussions that helped mold her beliefs. At just 21, Alvero founded the Instituto de Mujeres [“Women’s Institute”] of Manila, one of the first schools for women in Filipino history.

The institute became a hotbed for progress under Sevilla’s leadership—educating women on topics such as suffrage, vocation and Tagalog. She also collaborated with notable Filipino Tagalog poets to present the first balagtasan [a debate held in poetic verse], which sparked a movement for Tagalog to become the national language. With her institution in good hands, Sevilla left Manila in 1916 to rally women across the country in her fight for suffrage, later founding the Liga Nacional de Damas Filipinas [“National League of Filipino Women”] to support her cause.

Thanks in part to Sevilla’s tremendous call to action, voting rights were granted to Filipino women in 1937. Today, Sevilla’s Instituto de Mujeres lives on in her legacy as the Rosa Sevilla Memorial School.

Happy birthday, Rosa Sevilla de Alvero!

[9A]

17 Aug 2021

Indonesia Independence Day 2021




On this day in 1945, Indonesian leaders declared that the group of over 17,000 South Asian islands comprised a sovereign nation. Guest artist Kathrin Honesta illustrated today's Doodle to celebrate Indonesia’s Independence Day, known formally in Indonesian as Hari Kemerdekaan and colloquially as Tujuhbelasan [“the Seventeenth”].

As Indonesia is home to over 300 unique, ethnic and linguistic groups, its Independence Day celebrations reflect its multicultural identity while also promoting solidarity within local communities—the nation’s motto “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” means “Unity in Diversity.” Events include everything from traditional costume fashion shows, horse races to festivals centered around the decoration of bicycles. Although a great variety of celebrations can be observed on this holiday, displays of traditional Indonesian song and dance in annual carnival parades are ubiquitous across the archipelago. This year takes on a different meaning where communities are staying strong to protect each other and still celebrate their identity at home.

Each letter in the Doodle artwork depicts elements common to Independence Day festivities, beginning with the Sasando, a nine-stringed harp-like instrument made of bamboo and palm leaves native to Rote Island of East Nusa Tenggara. From left to right, the other instruments, objects, and people pictured include a Rebana, a tambourine-like instrument; a Hudoq mask from Kalimantan; a Pakarena fan dancer from Sulawesi; a Tifa, a percussion instrument from Maluku; and finally, a Gambus or lute from Sumatera. The batik patterns and masks are unique to the instruments and dance origins.

Happy Independence Day and keep stronger together, Indonesia!

[9A]

20 Aug 2017

Cora Coralina's 128th Birthday




Anna Lins dos Guimarães Peixoto Bretas led a simple life selling sweets to the townsfolk in rural Goiás, Brazil, the same place where she was born in 1889. At the age of 76, she had her first book of poetry published, under the pseudonym Cora Coralina. She continued to write under that name and eventually was regarded as one of the country's most important writers.

Cora’s poetry is a mirror of her simple and peaceful rural life. She wrote about love and kindness in a light and sweet manner - quite fitting for a lifelong confectioner.

One of Cora's poems can be interpreted to say, "Life is not about the starting point, but the journey. If you sow as you walk, you'll have a harvest to reap at the end". In her own, unique way, she cultivated a rich world that continues to nourish her readers. Happy birthday, Cora!

[9A]

1 Sept 2017

First Day of School 2017


Today is the first day of school in many countries. And the school of fish in our Doodle is ready to dive into the brainy brine! A whale swims toward the classroom, textbooks in fin. A starfish crams in the remainder of its summer reading, and a turtle and friends embark on their first science project.

Here's hoping our seagoing scholars inspire you to have a great school year!

[9A]

6 Sept 2017

Celebrating British Sign Language and the Braidwood Academy




As millions of children head back to school for the start of term, today we celebrate one educational institution in particular: the Braidwood Academy. Opened in 1760 in Edinburgh, Braidwood is considered the UK’s first school for deaf children and the first to include sign language in education.

Thomas Braidwood, the school’s founder, had just one deaf student when the school first opened. It turned out that one student was all it took – by 1780, the number had increased to 20 students as Braidwood found success in his teaching methods.

In addition to helping lay the groundwork for deaf education in Great Britain, Braidwood’s work contributed significantly to the development of British Sign Language [BSL]. He relied on teaching communication through natural gestures, which differed from the focus on speech and lip-reading elsewhere in Europe. His form of sign language ultimately set the standards for BSL as it is known today.

Today’s Doodle features a group of schoolchildren signing the letters below them. It is a celebration of the Braidwood Academy’s work but also of the importance of education for all students with their diversity of needs.

[9A]

7 Sept 2017

Sir John Cornforth’s 100th Birthday




Today's Doodle celebrates chemist Sir John Warcup Cornforth, born in Sydney on this date in 1917. During childhood, Cornforth began to lose his hearing, and he was completely deaf by the age of 20. Unable to hear the lectures in his classes at the University of Sydney, he devoured chemistry textbooks on his own.

One fateful day at university, Cornforth met fellow chemist Rita Harradence. She had broken a flask in the lab and asked Cornforth — an accomplished glassblower — to repair it. Thus began a long professional and romantic partnership. In 1939, Cornforth and Harradence both won scholarships to study at Oxford, and they married two years later. Together they wrote more than 40 scientific papers. [Now that's chemistry!]

At Oxford, Conforth joined the team that made great strides in the study of penicillin. He then returned to his earlier research on the three-dimensional structure ["stereochemistry"] of various chemical reactions. In 1975, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for this work. Cornforth and co-laureate Vladimir Prelog studied the enzymes that activate changes in organic compounds. Their conclusions opened the door to many discoveries, including the development of cholesterol-lowering drugs.

When the Nobel Prize was announced, the press release admitted, "This subject is difficult to explain to the layman." But it was already clear that millions of people would benefit from Cornforth's lifelong curiosity about the workings and wonder of the natural world.

[9A]

15 Sept 2017

Guatemala National Day 2017




September 15th is important in Guatemala - it’s Independence Day! Blue and white flags fly proudly and citizens parade through the streets across the country. Once the center of the Maya civilization, Guatemalan culture has become a unique blend of ancient and Spanish influences.

Today’s Doodle showcases the beautiful Santa María Volcano, one of the many volcanic landscapes in Guatemala. The Santa María Volcano is part of the Sierra Madre mountain range and can be seen from the city of Quetzaltenango. It was one of the most active volcanoes in the region centuries ago, but has not erupted since 1902. Many visitors to Guatemala hike across Santa Maria and the mountains to take in the beautiful scenery of the country.

If you’re in Guatemala today, join in on the festivities of dancing, fireworks and feasts to commemorate the country’s history and the patriotism of Guatemalans everywhere!

[9A]

15 September 2010

Costa Rica Independence Day 2010

[9A]

15 September 2009


Crop Circles




A crop circle, crop formation, or corn circle is a pattern created by flattening a crop,[1] usually a cereal. The term was first coined in the early 1980s by Colin Andrews.[2] Crop circles have been described as all falling "within the range of the sort of thing done in hoaxes" by Taner Edis, professor of physics at Truman State University. Although obscure natural causes or alien origins of crop circles are suggested by fringe theorists, there is no scientific evidence for such explanations, and all crop circles are consistent with human causation

[9A]

15 September 2014

El Salvador Independence Day 2014




We’re having a feast of Latino dishes to mark Independence Day in three different countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala. All three celebrate the holiday on September 15. Viva Centroamérica!

[9A]

16 Sept 2014

Mexico Independence Day 2014





There’s no dish that has more pride than “chiles en nogada.” These green chiles are stuffed with picadillo, covered in a white walnut cream and topped with red pomegranate seeds, dressing the meal in the colors of the Mexican flag. Happy Independence Day to Mexico!

[9A]

31 Oct 2014

Halloween 2014





This year we invited some favorite monsters artists to create a series of spooktastic animated gifs. Refresh to see all six!


This year we invited some favorite monsters artists to create a series of spooktastic animated gifs. Refresh to see all six!


Markus Magnusson:

Olivia When:

Taylor Price:

[9A]

4 November 2022

Celebrating Jollof Rice






Today’s Doodle celebrates jollof rice, a quintessential West African dish simmered in reduced tomatoes, onions, peppers and regional spices. Nigeria-based guest artist Haneefah Adam created the artwork and Senegalese jazz musician, Hervé Samb, created the soundtrack.

On this day each year, rice farmers plant and reap a bountiful harvest, and cooks across West Africa prepare to make fresh jollof. Also known as benachin and thieboudienne, jollof rice is a one-pot meal that originated from the Wolof tribe in the 14th century. The Wolof Empire, ruling parts of modern-day Senegal, The Gambia and Mauritania, popularized jollof throughout West Africa.

Although jollof rice was traditionally cooked with fish for dinner, Africans today also enjoy this savory dish for breakfast and lunch, and often substitute fish with chicken, beef or goat.

Each country has added its own spin to the recipe and West Africans engage in humorous banter over who makes the best jollof. These friendly rivalries, known as the “Jollof Wars,” have become an African cultural phenomenon.

Nigerians and Ghanaians are particularly competitive over who makes the best jollof — and for good reason. There are distinct differences between the two cooking styles. For example, Nigerians use long-grain rice that absorbs more spices, while Ghanaians use basmati rice with a more aromatic flavor.

Who ultimately makes the best jollof? No one can say for sure. The only way to find out is to try as many varieties as you can!

[9A]

4 November 2019

Will Rogers’ 140th Birthday




In honor of Native American Indian Heritage Month, today’s animated Doodle celebrates the plainspoken American Indian actor, humorist, author, filmmaker, and public personality Will Rogers, who famously remarked, “I never met a man I didn’t like.” Born on this day in 1879 at Rogers Ranch in Oologah, Cherokee Territory, the entertainer became known as “America's Cowboy Philosopher.”

The son of a Cherokee senator who raised Texas longhorns on his ranch, Rogers grew up roping and riding. “A man that don’t love a horse,” he once said, ”there is something the matter with him.” He became so good at fancy rope tricks that he toured the world as “The Cherokee Kid,” a circus performer who ended up on Broadway in the Ziegfeld Follies.

Rogers produced and starred in a 1922 film called The Ropin’ Fool, moving onto speaking roles in motion pictures like A Connecticut Yankee and State Fair. By 1934, he was considered one of the most popular actors in Hollywood. He also hosted a highly rated radio show and authored bestselling books and newspaper columns. When the Great Depression hit America, Rogers emerged as a notable commentator expressing popular opinion on many issues of the time.

No matter how successful he became, Rogers always remained proud of his Cherokee heritage. While never hesitating to offer his humorous homespun wisdom about current events and politics, though apart from a brief stint as honorary mayor of Beverly Hills, Rogers resisted efforts to be drafted into public service.

Rogers’ childhood home near Oologah, Oklahoma is now a museum open to the public. His life and times also inspired a musical called The Will Rogers Follies. His legacy lives on through the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma and the Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades, California. To learn more, visit willrogers.com.

[9A]

4 November 2008
Election Day 2008 - United States

[9A]

4 November 2014

U.S. Elections 2014

[9A]

4 November 2009

20th Anniversary of the Wallace and Gromit Characters




Wallace & Gromit is a British stop-motion comedy franchise created by Nick Park of Aardman Animations. The series consists of four short films and one feature-length film, and has spawned numerous spin-offs and TV adaptations. The series centres on Wallace, a good-natured, eccentric, cheese-loving inventor, and Gromit, his silent yet loyal and intelligent anthropomorphic beagle. The first short film, A Grand Day Out, was finished and made public in 1989. Wallace was voiced by actors Peter Sallis and Ben Whitehead. Gromit is largely silent and has no dialogue, communicating through facial expressions and body language

[9A]

4 November 2020

Miliki's 91st birthday



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

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

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

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

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Miliki!

[9A]

8 November 2016
United States Elections 2016

[9A]

8 November 2012

Bram Stoker's 165th Birthday





Bram Stoker created a legendary villain when he penned his 19th century story Dracula. Few other characters have haunted popular culture for generations as much as the eponymous Count Dracula, whose fanged face has long been a staple of haunted houses and Halloween costumes. He's also featured in at least 200 feature films since the dawn of cinema, played by such acclaimed actors as Bela Lugosi in 1931 and Gary Oldman in 1992.

An epistolary novel, Dracula is innovative in that it is a story told through diary entries, transcribed phonograph recordings, dictated essays, scholarly articles, records, reciepts, and news stories. In this way, Stoker paints a vivid picture not only of the horror of Dracula's evil power, but of the fascinating Victorian England which he terrorized.

When I set out to create this doodle, I immersed myself in the source material by reading the thoroughly well-documented annotated edition by Leslie S. Klinger. Klinger's notes served to further contextualize the story, which capitalizes on the strict Victorian moral code to spin a tale that is all the more terrifiying for how thoroughly it deviated from contemporary mores.

I wanted to give a nod to each of the major characters in the story, as it is their collective observations which shape the saga. I invite our users to see if they can identify 7 protagonists, 4 antagonists, and 1 who falls somewhere in-between. For the visual style, I was very much influenced by the works of Edward Gorey and Aubrey Beardsley, whose artwork embodied the debauched Gothic horror that Stoker so skillfully conveyed in his work.

Posted by Sophia Foster-Dimino, Doodler

[9A]

4 November 2016

Walter Cronkite's 100th Birthday





Today would be the 100th birthday of the man known widely throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s as “the most trusted man in America.” Walter Cronkite, the legendary broadcast journalist reported, served, and comforted a nation during its most trying times, including World War II, Watergate, the Vietnam War, and the assassination of JFK, to name a few.


Walter perpetuated an objective reporting style rooted in justice and integrity: “Press freedom is essential to our democracy, but the press must not abuse this license. We must be careful with our power. The free press, after all, is the central nervous system of a democratic society.”

Affectionately known as “Uncle Walter” to the American public, he was a devout political advocate in the interest of free speech and media, an enthusiastic NASA supporter, and a sailing aficionado. As a fixture in our living rooms, Walter brought a calm dose of consistency during the most pressing times with his end-of-segment catchphrase: “and that’s the way it is.”

[9A]

9 October 2022

Celebrating the Regatta de Zamboanga




Today’s Doodle celebrates Regatta de Zamboanga, an annual sailing competition from the southern part of the Philippines.

Every October, thousands of people gather along the kilometer-long stretch of R.T. Lim Boulevard in Zamboanga City to watch hundreds of vintas and their colorful sails race across the coastline. The event is the highlight of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival honoring its patron saint, the La Virgen Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza.

The racers are mostly Bajau fishermen who come from coastal villages like Sinunuc, Maasin, Labuan, Mariki, and the island of Santa Cruz. Each boat carries two people paddling towards victory.

Also known as lepa-lepa or sakayan, the vintas are traditional outrigger boats with vibrant, rectangular sails. The intricate patterns on the canvas—designed by the racers themselves—symbolize the identities, customs and aspirations of the region’s diverse ethnic groups.

Although the regatta is a friendly competition in celebration of the fishermen’s maritime skills, everyone is motivated to be one of the winning teams to take home a prize.

So, get ready, set, row! And may the fastest vinta paddler win!

[9A]

9 October 2015

605th Anniversary of Prague astronomical clock




Check out the Prague Astronomical Clock on Google Street View, from both the outside and the inside [and try taking the stairs!]

The hands of Prague’s astronomical clock have measured a staggering amount of history. It predates Shakespeare by over a century, and had been operational for two years by the time Joan of Arc was born. Despite over a half a millennium of wear and a brush with disaster in WWII, much of its original machinery remains intact, making it the oldest functioning clock of its kind in the world. Today’s Doodle honors a magnificent achievement in medieval engineering and a cultural landmark whose symbolism, design, and intermittent repairs are a remarkable catalogue of Europe’s past.

[9A]

13 Oct 2015

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s 67th Birthday





Imagine an entire genre of music, rooted in antiquity, that lies hidden to most of the world. Its traditions stretch back 700 years, yet few know it exists. Its beautiful melodies dip and soar. But no one is around to listen.

Such was the state of Qawwali in a not-so-distant past. Then came Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who opened the world’s ears to the rich, hypnotic sounds of the Sufis. Born to a musical family, Khan brought Qawwali from modest origins to international attention. He collaborated with, and influenced, countless musicians. And his endurance was astounding; some performances could last as long as ten hours!

Thanks to his legendary voice, Khan helped bring “world music” to the world. To celebrate his 67th birthday, let’s just listen.

[9A]

18 October 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]

18 October 2021

Yoram Gross' 95th birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates the 95th birthday of Polish-born, Australian director, scriptwriter, producer, and animation giant Yoram Gross—a survivor of the Holocaust who became the creative mastermind behind some of Australia’s most iconic cartoons. Gross captivated generations with stories that surpassed mere entertainment as each passed down a lesson drawn from a lifetime of optimism and overcoming hardship.

Yoram “Jerzy” Gross was born on this day into a Jewish family in 1926 in Krakow, Poland. After the near collapse of the Polish film industry during World War II, Gross worked as an assistant on his first movie in 1947. He moved to Israel in 1950, where his independent film work garnered renown globally, especially in Australia.

He heeded the enthusiastic praise of Australian critics and migrated down under in 1968 to further evolve his production repertoire by founding Yoram Gross Film Studios with his wife, Sandra Gross. To address the lack of Australian-made children’s movies, Gross combined animation with live-action backgrounds—a style that became his trademark—to produce the full-length 1977 animated blockbuster “Dot and the Kangaroo.” This quintessential Aussie story became the nation’s first animated feature to achieve commercial success.

The film’s excellent reception set the stage for Gross to create an empire of family-friendly animated television series. His work has since been aired in over 70 countries and continues to entertain and inspire millions with beloved characters such as Blinky Bill, the mischievous Koala. Gross and his legacy live on in the Yoram Gross Animation Award, an annual award acknowledging the best animated feature at the Sydney Film Festival.

Happy Birthday, Yoram Gross—here’s to an animated life!

[9A]

23 Oct 2021

Ellya Khadam's 93rd birthday



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

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

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

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

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

[9A]

25 Oct 2021

Galina Vishnevskaya's 95th birthday




Today’s Doodle, illustrated guest artist Darya Shnykina, celebrates the 95th birthday of one of the greatest Russian opera singers of the 20th century—Galina Vishnevskaya.

Galina Pavlovna Ivanova was born on this day in 1926 in Leningrad, Russia [modern-day St. Petersburg] and became enthralled with opera at 10 years old after hearing Tchaikovsky’s epic “Eugene Onegin.” While walking the streets of Leningrad in the early 1950s, Vishnevskaya stumbled upon an invitation to audition for the Bolshoi Theater—Russia’s most prestigious opera hall. She blew the judges away with her audition, earning a spot as the year’s only auditioner accepted into the Bolshoi troupe.

In 1953, her childhood dreams were realized at the Bolshoi as she portrayed the lead character Tatyana in “Eugene Onegin” with a fresh interpretation of a classic character that became her signature role. This marked the genesis of a virtuosic opera career that took Vishnevskaya to venues around the world—often with her beloved dachshund Pooks in tow—from New York’s Metropolitan Opera to Helsinki’s Finnish National Opera. It was at the latter venue that she gave her final performance of Tatyana before retiring in 1982.

As a devoted humanitarian, Vishnevskaya founded the non-profit children’s welfare organization Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Foundation in 1991 alongside her husband, the world-class cellist Maestro Rostropovich. She also founded the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre in 2002 to provide a home for aspiring opera singers. Both organizations carry on her legacy of helping and inspiring others to this day.

Happy birthday, Galina Vishnevskaya!

[9A]

3 Jul 2008

Turkish Oil Wrestling 2008



Oil wrestling, also called grease wrestling, is a traditional Turkish sport, where participants, called pehlivan [wrestlers] or baspehlivan [master wrestlers], wrestle while covered in oil. Competitions are held in proving grounds. One challenge of oil wrestling is that oiling the wrestlers' bodies makes it harder to grab each other.

Oil wrestling was performed by ancient communities 4,500 years ago in Thrace and the Balkans. As the Ottoman Empire extended into Europe, oil wrestling competitions has been held ceremoniously until modern times.

[9A]

3 July 2009

Ramón Gómez de la Serna's Birthday




Ramón Gómez de la Serna was especially known for "Greguería", a short form of poetry that roughly corresponds to the one-liner in comedy. The Gregueria is especially able to grant a new and often humorous perspective. Serna published over 90 works in all literary genres.

[9A]

1 Sept 2020

Celebrating Dr. Harold Moody




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Dublin-based guest artist Charlot Kristensen, celebrates Jamaican-born British doctor, racial equality campaigner, and founder of the U.K.'s first civil rights movement Dr. Harold Moody. On this day in 1904, Dr. Moody arrived in the U.K. from Jamaica to pursue his medical studies at King’s College London. Alongside his medical work, he dedicated his life to campaigning for racial equality and advocating against discrimination.

Harold Arundel Moody was born on October 8, 1882, in the Jamaican capital of Kingston. He received early exposure to the medical field while in secondary school through his work for his father’s pharmaceutical business. Determined to become a doctor, he left Jamaica in 1904 to study medicine in London.

Dr. Moody soon came face-to-face with rampant racism in Edwardian London. Even though he qualified to practice medicine, finished top of his class, and won numerous academic prizes, he was repeatedly refused work due to the color bar system that denied people opportunities based on race. Instead, he opened his own private medical practice in Peckham, South East London—the neighborhood that inspired the design of the buildings situated below Dr. Moody in today’s Doodle. The children depicted represent the countless impoverished youth Dr. Moody would treat free of charge, in a time before the U.K. had a National Health Service. In doing so, Dr. Moody earned a reputation as a compassionate humanitarian and philanthropist who would always help those in need.

Dr. Moody’s determination to improve the lives of those around him wasn’t limited to his medical practice—he simultaneously focused his attention on combating racial injustice as well. He founded the League of Coloured Peoples in 1931 with the mission to fight for racial equality both in the U.K. and around the world. The group pushed for change, at a government level, to combat discrimination in its many forms.

Thank you, Dr. Moody, for paving the way towards a more equal future.

[9A]

4 December 2020

Celebrating Noken Papua




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Depok-based guest artist Danu Fitra, celebrates Noken, the craft of traditional handmade bags that holds great cultural and socio-economic significance throughout Indonesia’s Papua and West Papua Provinces. In recent years the longevity of this staple of Papuan heritage has come under threat, but following its addition to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List in Need of Urgent Safeguarding on this day in 2012, great strides have been taken to secure Noken’s sustainability for future generations.

Noken bags are typically made from materials like tree fibers, bark, or leaves, which are processed into strong threads and then knotted or woven together. This complex handcraft has been passed down through the generations and demands refined tactile skill, dedicated care, and no shortage of artistic vision. The end product is a durable and versatile bag commonly used to transport and store things like food or firewood, and even to carry small children or animals!

Outside of its everyday use, Noken has traditionally fulfilled many social and economic purposes as well. For example, Noken serves as a symbol of cultural unification among more than 250 ethnic groups in the region; due to its value, it can be used as a type of savings; and it often plays a symbolic role in the peaceful resolution of disputes.

Here’s to a timeless craft that’s inextricably woven into the fabric of Indonesian culture!

[9A]

30 Nov 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]

18 Nov 2020

Celebrating Fanny Eaton




Today’s Doodle celebrates Jamaican-British artist muse Fanny Eaton. Eaton modelled throughout the 1860s for a variety of notable English painters in work that helped redefine Victorian standards of beauty and diversity. On this day in 1874, it is recorded that Eaton sat for life classes at the Royal Academy of London, sessions which were integral to the Pre-Raphaelite movement.

Fanny Eaton was born Fanny Matilda Antwistle in Surrey, Jamaica on July 13, 1835. She moved with her mother to Britain during the 1840s, towards the beginning of the Victorian Era. In her 20s, she began modelling for portrait painters at the Royal Academy of London, and she soon captured the attention of a secret society of rising young artists called the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

Eaton made her public debut in Simeon Solomon’s painting The Mother of Moses, which was exhibited in 1860 at the Royal Academy. Over the following decade, she was featured by a variety of prominent Pre-Raphaelite artists such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais, and Rebecca Solomon. The group held Eaton up as a model of ideal beauty and featured her centrally at a time when Black individuals were significantly underrepresented, and often negatively represented, in Victorian art.

Eaton’s modeling career lasted through much of the decade, and Millais’ 1867 work Jephthah is believed to feature her last known appearance in a painting.

Thank you Fanny Eaton, for helping move artistic inclusion forward.