Google doodles

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10 Nov 2020

Celebrating Umeko Tsuda




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Japan-based guest artist Kano Nakajima, celebrates the pioneering Japanese educator and reformer Umeko Tsuda. Tsuda broke new ground as one of the first girls sent by the Japanese government to study abroad and went on to found what is today one of Japan’s oldest colleges for women. On this day in 1915, the Japanese government awarded Tsuda the prestigious Order of the Precious Crown for her achievements in women’s education.

Ume Tsuda was born in 1864 in what is now the Japanese capital of Tokyo, and at just seven years old was sent along with four other girls to the U.S. to study American culture. Over a decade later, she returned to Tokyo and became an English teacher, but she was disillusioned with the limited educational opportunities afforded to the country’s women at that time. Tsuda returned to the U.S. to attend Bryn Mawr College, where she became inspired to commit her life to the improvement of women’s higher education in her home country.

To that end, Tsuda created a scholarship for Japanese women to study in the United States, with the goal of helping to foster a new generation of educational leaders. With renewed vision, Tsuda again returned home and in 1900 opened her own school called Joshi Eigaku Juku [The Women’s Institute for English Studies].

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19 March 2021

Dona Militana's 96th birthday



Today’s Doodle, illustrated by guest artist Bel Andrade Lima, celebrates the 96th birthday of Brazilian singer and storyteller Dona Militana, whose vast memory of medieval ballads provided a unique record of generational Iberian and Brazilian tales.

Militana Salustino do Nascimento, also known as Dona Militana, was born in São Gonçalo do Amarante, Rio Grande do Norte on this day in 1925. As a child, Militana worked the fields; planting crops and weaving baskets with her father, who sang as they toiled. Many of his songs told stories from a bygone era of medieval kings, queens, warriors, and lovers—stories Militana never forgot.

Militana’s traditional talent remained largely unknown for decades, until she was discovered by folklorist Deífilo Gurgel in the 1990s. It was then that she shared with the world her prodigious chronicle of songs and stories—some of which were over 700 years old.

In 2000, Militana recorded “Cantares,” a collection of 54 songs that were novel-like in scope, with lyrics and melodies that accurately reflected the times from which they originated. Upon the project’s release, audiences throughout Brazil learned of Dona Militana—the guardian of a Brazilian history nearly lost to time.

In recognition of her impact on Brazilian culture, Dona Militana was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit in 2005.

Feliz Aniversário, Dona Militana!

[9A]

1 October 2019

Julio Jaramillo’s 84th Birthday


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

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

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

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

Happy Birthday, Julio Jaramillo!

[9A]

1 October 2019

Celebrating Dr. Herbert Kleber



“Of course I’m an optimist,” psychiatrist Dr. Herbert Kleber once remarked. “How else do I work with addicts for 40 years?” Today’s Doodle celebrates Dr. Kleber—born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 19th, 1934, and hailed for his pioneering work in addiction treatment—on the 23rd anniversary of his election to the prestigious National Academy of Medicine [formerly the Institute of Medicine]. This Doodle was illustrated by Massachusetts-based artist and author of the graphic memoir Hey, Kiddo Jarrett J. Krosoczka.

Volunteering for the United States Public Health Service in 1964, Dr. Kleber was assigned to a prison hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, where thousands of inmates were being treated for addiction. Noticing that the vast majority of patients would relapse shortly after release, he began to develop a new approach.

Describing his method as “evidence-based treatment,” Dr. Kleber viewed addiction as a medical condition as opposed to a moral failure. Rather than punishing or shaming patients, as many of his predecessors in the field had done, Dr. Kleber stressed the importance of research, helping to keep many patients on the road to recovery and avoid relapse through the careful use of medication and therapeutic communities.

Dr. Kleber’s success attracted the attention of President George H.W. Bush, who appointed him Deputy Director for Demand Reduction at the Office of National Drug Control Policy. As co-founder of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Dr. Kleber was a leader in reframing the field of substance abuse research and treatment as a medical discipline.

At the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, he and his then-wife Dr. Marian W. Fischman established America’s leading research program on substance abuse. During his 50-year career, Dr. Kleber authored hundreds of articles, wrote important books, and mentored numerous other medical professionals in the field of addiction treatment. A self-described “perpetual optimist,” Dr. Kleber changed the landscape of addiction treatment, allowing patients to be diagnosed and treated rather than shamed—and saving countless lives in the process.

[9A]

2 Oct 2019

Bill Robinson’s 81st Birthday



“There’s only one rule, and that is ‘Try, try, try,’” said Dr. William Robinson, widely hailed as one of New Zealand’s most versatile and accomplished scientists. Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Wellington-based guest artist Jez Tuya, celebrates the inventor of the “quake breaker,” a lead-rubber bearing that is still used to protect large buildings from seismic waves, preventing earthquake damage.

Born on this day in 1938 into a working-class family, Robinson went on to study Mechanical Engineering at Auckland University. In 1974, Robinson designed a device made from rubber and steel with lead at its core, intending to fit his invention to the foundations of large structures in order to isolate them from ground movements.

Robinson’s invention is now used on many buildings and bridges around the world, including Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand. Following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the device saved many lives at Christchurch Women’s Hospital, as the building’s foundation swayed gently instead of collapsing in the quake.

In 1995, Robinson founded Robinson Seismic, a company specialising in isolation technology. He also pursued research in other fields, including high-temperature superconductivity. A fellow of New Zealand’s Royal Society, in 1998 Robinson received the Rutherford Medal, his country’s most prestigious science and technology award. In 2014, the Robinson Research Institute was established in his honor at Victoria University in his hometown of Wellington.

“I’ve invented more devices which have failed than devices which have been a success,” said Robinson in a 2007 interview. “You’ve gotta be willing to actually try and fail and learn from your failure.”

Thanks to an innovator who never stopped trying—and whose work will continue saving lives for many decades to come.

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2 October 2019

Sir William Ramsay’s 167th Birthday


Today’s Doodle celebrates the life and work of Scottish chemist Sir William Ramsey, whose research led to the discovery of an unknown group of elements known as the noble gases. Born in Glasgow on this day in 1852, Sir Ramsay’s work led to groundbreaking advances in thermodynamics and nuclear physics.

After traveling to Germany, where he earned his doctorate at the University of Tübingen, Ramsay returned home with a reputation for innovative experimental techniques. As chair of chemistry at University College, London, he published numerous papers and books on liquids and vapors.

Ramsay was intrigued when another British physicist, Lord Rayleigh, observed that nitrogen in the earth’s atmosphere had a higher atomic weight than nitrogen in the laboratory. In 1894, he and Lord Rayleigh announced the discovery of a chemically inert gas, which they named argon.

While searching for argon, Ramsay found helium, which had been previously thought to exist only in the sun. Ramsay’s 1896 book The Gases of the Atmosphere predicted the existence of at least 3 more noble gases. Reducing air to low temperatures at high pressure, his team proceeded to identify neon, krypton, and xenon, reshaping the periodic table of elements forever.

Because of their chemical inertness, noble gases proved useful in many ways. For instance, helium replaced flammable hydrogen for lighter-than-air travel, and argon was used in lightbulbs.

Described by many as the “greatest chemical discoverer of his time,” Ramsay became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1888, was knighted in 1902, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1904.

[9A]

7 January 2019

Fahrelnissa Zeid’s 118th Birthday





“I am a descendent of four civilizations,” wrote Fahrelnissa Zeid, describing her 1980 self-portrait Someone from the Past. “The hand is Persian, the dress Byzantine, the face is Cretan and the eyes Oriental, but I was not aware of this as I was painting it.”

One of the first women to attend art school in Turkey, Fahrelnissa Zeid went on to become a member of both the École de Paris [School of Paris] and D Grubu, a Turkish avant-garde group. Celebrated for her abstract paintings, Zeid also did representational work and even painted designs on chicken bones. Bridging western abstraction and eastern styles, her work broke down gender and culture barriers.

Born on the Turkish island of Büyükada on this day in 1901, Zeid was raised in a prestigious Ottoman family. In 1919 she enrolled at the Imperial School of Art in Istanbul, later traveling through Europe and visiting a variety of art and cultural sites across Spain, Italy, and more.. She continued her training at Académie Ranson in Paris.

In the 1930s, Zeid married into the royal family of Iraq and moved to Berlin until World War II forced her to move to Baghdad. “I did not ‘intend’ to become an abstract painter,” she said of the bold abstract paintings she began painting between Baghdad, Turkey, Paris, and London—blending Eastern and Western influences.

In the 1970s Zeid moved to Amman, Jordan, where she founded the Fahrelnissa Zeid Institute for Fine Arts . A 2017 retrospective of her work at the Tate Modern in London referred to Zeid as “one of the greatest female artists of the 20th century.”

Happy Birthday, Fahrelnissa Zeid!

[9A]

7 January 2014

Zora Neale Hurston's 123rd Birthday




Zora Neale Hurston was an American author, anthropologist, and filmmaker. She portrayed racial struggles in the early-1900s American South and published research on hoodoo. The most popular of her four novels is Their Eyes Were Watching God, published in 1937. She also wrote more than 50 short stories, plays, and essays.

Hurston was born in Notasulga, Alabama, and moved with her family to Eatonville, Florida, in 1894. She later used Eatonville as the setting for many of her stories. In her early career, Hurston conducted anthropological and ethnographic research while a student at Barnard College and Columbia University. She had an interest in African-American and Caribbean folklore, and how these contributed to the community's identity.

[9A]

9 Jan 2014

Simone de Beauvoir's 106th Birthday




Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir was a French existentialist philosopher, writer, social theorist, and feminist activist. Though she did not consider herself a philosopher, and even though she was not considered one at the time of her death, she had a significant influence on both feminist existentialism and feminist theory.

Beauvoir wrote novels, essays, biographies, autobiographies, and monographs on philosophy, politics, and social issues.

[9A]

9 January 2013

150th Anniversary of the Tube



The London Underground [also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube] is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England.

[9A]

11 Jan 2013

Czech Republic Election Day 2013

[9A]

11 January 2012

Nicolas Steno's 374th Birthday

• Known as the father of stratigraphy and geology, Nicholas Steno worked to understand history by what he could find in the ground. Rather than simply write books about his findings, Steno opted to do his own hands-on research. As an innovative thinker, he disagreed with his contemporaries in thinking that shark-tooth-shaped objects found imbedded in rocks "fell from the sky." Instead, Steno argued that these formations were fossils. His dedication to analysis, critical thinking, and creative thinking make him a great subject for a Google doodle!
  
  Considering Steno's contributions to stratigraphy and geology, I wanted to honor his birthday with a unique take on his work. I knew that the colorful and geeky aesthetic of stratigraphy was the right direction for the doodle, but the team and I weren't sure how to apply it. Should we set the doodle in the middle of the country? Should we relate it to Google culture? Should I just make things up? Below are the exploration sketches.
  
  
  
  
  
  After consulting a few geology nerds within Google, I decided to set the land in our very own Mountain View! I learned an interesting fact about our home-- there are no dinosaur fossils in the Bay Area [except for Stan of course].
  
  Also staying a little more faithful to stratigraphy graphs, I formed the Google logo as though it was cut from a chunk of three dimensional land. Below are early drafts of the final direction.
  
  
  
  There were so many different ways to think about Steno and his studies, it was a challenge and pleasure to honor such a fascinating person!
  
  posted by Jennifer Hom

[9A]

14 January 2012

National Children's Day 2012

• As doodlers, messing with the company logo is part of our job, but every once in a while we really get to mess with it by making it virtually unreadable! Since Children's Day is traditionally all about having lots of fun being kids, we tend to make this annual doodle a little – well, extra fun. But for those who crave neatness or are just curious as to where exactly the letters are hidden, here you go!
  
  
• And for you art nerds out there [we're a tech company after all, this second image shows the "movement" throughout the illustration. I, uh, totally meant to do that...
  
  posted by Mike Dutton

[9A]

8 November 2022

United States Midterm Elections 2022



Today's Election Day reminder Doodle leads to a tool that will help you find where you can vote for the 2022 U.S. Midterm Election. In addition to helping you find your local polling place and ballot drop off boxes, you can also search “how to vote” for information on different means of voting and what you need to bring with you to vote.

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8 November 2016

United States Elections 2016

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7 Nov 2016

United States Elections 2016 Reminder [Day 2]

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7 November 2013

Ary Barroso's 110th Birthday




Ary de Resende Barroso, better known as Ary Barroso, was a Brazilian composer, pianist, soccer commentator, and talent-show host on radio and TV. He was one of Brazil's most successful songwriters in the first half of the 20th century. Barroso also composed many songs for Carmen Miranda during her career.

[9A]

8 Nov 2013

Hermann Rorschach's 129th Birthday






Today we celebrate the 129th birthday of Swiss psychologist Hermann Rorschach who created the iconic inkblot test. Subjects are presented a pattern and asked to give their interpretation. Interpretations can aid in the examination of a person's personality and emotions.

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8 November 2021

Professor Okoth Okombo's 71st birthday




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Kenya-based guest artist Joe Impressions, celebrates the 71st birthday of acclaimed Kenyan professor and author Okoth Okombo, an eminent researcher of Nilotic linguistics [from the Nile River region] who is widely considered the founder of African sign language studies.

Duncan Okoth Okombo was born on November 8, 1950 in Kaswanga, a village on the remote Kenyan island of Rusinga. As a member of the Suba tribe raised during a time of colonial rule, Okombo witnessed firsthand how the elevation of the English language eroded his ethnic identity by pushing his mother tongue of Omusuba to near extinction. These experiences inspired Okombo’s lifelong mission to preserve indigenous African heritage through academia with a major focus on educating children in their native languages.

While pursuing his linguistics doctorate in 1983, Okombo published Masira ki Ndaki [“Misfortune is Inevitable”] in Dholuo, which is considered one of the first novels published in a Kenyan language. He continued to pass down his expertise as a professor of linguistics and literature at his alma mater of the University of Nairobi, where Okombo founded the Kenyan Sign Language [KSL] Research Project in 1991. This project led to the widespread adoption of KSL across Kenya, allowing the nation’s deaf community to secure new opportunities in society.

For his achievements, the World Federation of the Deaf elected Okombo as its international president from 1992 to 1995. Today, Okombo’s students remember him as a great listener, storyteller, and even a great dancer as his legacy lives on in the ongoing advocacy work of the Kenyan Sign Language Research Project.

Happy birthday, Professor Okombo!

[9A]

10 Nov 2021

Celebrating Ismail Marzuki


Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Indonesia-based guest artist Ykha Amelz, celebrates Indonesian composer Ismail Marzuki, whose patriotic songs established him as a national hero during the nation’s independence movement. On this day in 1968, the Indonesian government honored his legacy with the inauguration of what is now the Jakarta Art Center - Taman Ismail Marzuki [TIM], which serves as a hub for the preservation of Indonesia’s cultural heritage and creative innovation in fine arts, music, theatre, dance, and film.

Ismail Marzuki was born in Kwitang, Central Jakarta, Indonesia on May 11, 1914, when the region was under Dutch colonial rule. Although musical professions were uncommon in this community, Marzuki grew up practicing up to five hours a day to master eight instruments: harmonica, mandolin, guitar, ukulele, violin, accordion, saxophone, and piano. At 17, he composed the first of the over hundreds of songs he would produce throughout his career.

Marzuki’s songs captured the Indonesian struggle for independence with melancholic overtones while representing the nation’s resilience through soaring melodies. He filled Indonesian hearts with pride for years by broadcasting his songs [nine of which became national anthems] on public radio. In 1955, Marzuki took over as the leader of the prestigious Jakarta Studio Orchestra and composed the General Election song, the musical theme of Indonesia’s first independent elections.

To honor his cultural contributions, the Indonesian government named Marzuki a National Hero in 2004. Today, visitors can learn more about Marzuki at TIM, which exhibits his personal collection including handwritten songs and a few of his many instruments.

Here’s to you Ismail Marzuki—thank you for writing the soundtrack for Indonesian independence!

[9A]

18 Jan 2012

Havoc in Heaven




Havoc in Heaven, also translated as Uproar in Heaven, is a Chinese donghua feature film directed by Wan Laiming and produced by all four of the Wan brothers.

The history of animated moving pictures in China began in 1918 when an animation piece from the United States titled Out of the Inkwell landed in Shanghai. Cartoon clips were first used in advertisements for domestic products. Though the animation industry did not begin until the arrival of the Wan brothers in 1926. The Wan brothers produced the first Chinese animated film with sound, The Camel's Dance, in 1935. The first animated film of notable length was Princess Iron Fan in 1941. Princess Iron Fan was the first animated feature film in Asia and it had great impact on wartime Japanese Momotarō animated feature films and later on Osamu Tezuka. China was relatively on pace with the rest of the world up to the mid-1960s, with the Wan's brothers Havoc in Heaven earning numerous international awards.

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20 Jan 2012


Federico Fellini's 92nd Birthday [Italy]


Federico Fellini, Cavaliere di Gran Croce was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time. His films have ranked highly in critical polls such as that of Cahiers du Cinéma and Sight & Sound, which lists his 1963 film 8+1⁄2 as the 10th-greatest film.

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23 Jan 2012

Jože Plečnik's 140th Birthday



Jože Plečnik was a Slovene architect who had a major impact on the modern architecture of Vienna, Prague and of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, most notably by designing the iconic Triple Bridge and the Slovene National and University Library building, as well as the embankments along the Ljubljanica River, the Ljubljana Central Market buildings, the Ljubljana cemetery, parks, plazas etc. His architectural imprint on Ljubljana has been compared to the impact Antoni Gaudí had on Barcelona.

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25 Jan 2012


Vladmir Vysotsky's 74th Birthday




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

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31 Jan 2012

Atahualpa Yupanqui's 104th Birthday



Atahualpa Yupanqui was an Argentine singer, songwriter, guitarist, and writer. He is considered the most important Argentine folk musician of the 20th century.

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12 April 2019

100th Anniversary of Bauhaus





Both a school for the arts and a school of thought, the Bauhaus was founded by architect Walter Gropius exactly 100 years ago in Weimar, Germany, gathering many of Europe’s most brilliant artists and designers with the aim of training a new generation of creatives to reinvent the world. Today’s animated Doodle celebrates the legacy of this institution and the worldwide movement it began, which transformed the arts by applying the principle “form follows function.”

Gropius envisioned the Bauhaus—whose name means “house of building”—as a merger of craftsmanship, the “fine” arts, and modern technology. His iconic Bauhaus Building in Dessau was a forerunner of the influential “International Style,” but the impact of the Bauhaus’s ideas and practices reached far beyond architecture. Students of the Bauhaus received interdisciplinary instruction in carpentry, metal, pottery, stained glass, wall painting, weaving, graphics, and typography, learning to infuse even the simplest functional objects [like the ones seen in today's Doodle] with the highest artistic aspirations.

Steering away from luxury and toward industrial mass production, the Bauhaus attracted a stellar faculty including painters Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee, photographer and sculptor László Moholy-Nagy, graphic designer Herbert Bayer, industrial designer Marianne Brandt, and Marcel Breuer, whose Model B3 tubular chair changed furniture design forever.

Though the Bauhaus officially disbanded on August 10, 1933, its students returned to 29 countries, founding the New Bauhaus in Chicago, Black Mountain College in North Carolina, and White City in Tel Aviv. Bauhaus affiliates also took leadership positions at the Illinois Institute of Technology, the Harvard School of Architecture, and the Museum of Modern Art. Through all of these institutions, and the work created in their spirit, the ideas of the Bauhaus live on.

[9A]

16 Apr 2019

Inji Aflatoun’s 95th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates Inji Aflatoun, the Egyptian painter and author remembered as a trailblazing modern artist and pioneering feminist.

Born in Cairo on this day in 1924, Aflatoun was mentored by the Egyptian artist Kamel El-Telmissany, soaking up his introduction to modern art as well as his interest in social issues.

In 1942 Aflatoun exhibited with the avant-garde Art and Freedom Group. She then went on to co-found the League of Young Women in University and Institutes and wrote influential pamphlets like We Egyptian Women.

Aflatoun exhibitied her work around the world. In 1975, she helped organize the exhibition “Ten Egyptian Women Artists in Half a Century” in honor of the International Women’s Year. In 1986, she was awarded the medal ”Cavalier of the Arts and Literature” by the French Ministry of Culture.

Today, her work hangs in major collections and museums around the world.

Happy 95th Birthday, Inji Aflatoun!

[9A]

27 Apr 2019

Abraham Valdelomar’s 131st Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates Abraham Valdelomar, the Peruvian writer, illustrator, and founder of literary journals who was a fixture of the cultural life centering around the Palais Concert, a famous café in downtown Lima.

Growing up in the small coastal town of Pisco, Peru, Valdelomar moved to the capital city with his family at age 5, and published his first magazine while still in school. By 1906, he was working as an illustrator for the magazine Applause and Whistles. While serving in the Peruvian Army, he chronicled the conflict with Ecuador for the publication El Diario. In 1913 he worked with the Peruvian Embassy in Rome, writing a newspaper column called “Chronicles of Rome.”

A witty caricaturist who authored books, short stories, essays, and journalistic pieces, Valdelomar is fondly remembered for his cuentos criollos, or local stories set in his beloved Pisco. The most famous of these is El Caballero Carmelo, the tragicomic tale of an old fighting rooster, first published in the newspaper La Nación de Lima.

In 1916, Valdelomar founded the literary magazine Colónida, which included his own work as well as that of a new wave of young literary talent in Perú, including the poet José María Eguren.

Today, Valdelomar’s legacy lives on through his prolific writings. His image also appears on Perú’s 50 Sol note, a testament to his standing as one of the country’s most esteemed authors.

[9A]

28 Apr 2019

Evangelina Elizondo’s 90th Birthday





Today’s Doodle by Mexico City-based guest artist Valeria Alvarez celebrates Evangelina Elizondo, an actress who starred in movies, television shows, and musical theater during an era known as Mexican Cinema’s Golden Age. Born Gloria Evangelina Elizondo López-Llera in Mexico City on this day in 1929, the multi-talented artist was also an accomplished painter, author, and recording artist.

Elizondo’s big break came after being cast as the voice of Cinderella in the Spanish version of the Disney classic. She later made her stage debut dancing in the 1950 stage production of Mariano Azuelo’s Los de Abajo [The Underdogs] and also appeared in Mame and La Viuda Alegre [The Merry Widow] with Plácido Domingo.

Elizondo’s first on-screen appearance came in the 1951 film, Las locuras de Tin-Tan, with Germán “Tin-Tan” Valdés. She would act in over 75 films, specializing in comedies and musicals. “I do not like drama at all,” she said. “I do not want dramas in my life. What I've always wanted is to amuse the public, to whom I owe my career.” In 1995, she appeared with Anthony Quinn and Keanu Reeves in A Walk in the Clouds.

Elizondo also performed in several telenovelas, and her iconic character “Mamá Lena” in Mirada de Mujer was beloved by millions. She continued studying art throughout her life and also earned a degree in theology. The author of two books, she received a Harlequin Prize in 2014 for her contributions to Mexican culture.

Feliz cumpleaños, Evangelina Elizondo!

[9A]

5 May 2019

Stanislaw Moniuszko’s 200th Birthday




Today’s Doodle by Warsaw-based illustrator Gosia Herba honors Stanisław Moniuszko, the Polish musician, composer, conductor, and teacher. Born on May 5, 1819, Moniuszko went on to become director of the Warsaw Opera House where he premiered many of his own works, including one of the most beloved operas in Polish history.

After being taught music by his mother as a child, Moniuszko was sent to study harmony, counterpoint, instrumentation, and conducting with the director of the Singakademie Music Society. There, he decided to become a composer, with a special interest in the human voice.

While working as an organist in Wilno, Moniuszko began writing his songbook, Śpiewnik Domowy [Home Songbook], publishing the first of 12 volumes in 1843. During a trip to Warsaw, he met the poet Włodzimierz Wolski, who’d written a libretto for an opera named Halka, based on a Polish folk story. Moniuszko composed the music, drawing inspiration from traditional Polish dance music known as polonaises and mazurkas. Halka premiered in Wilno in 1848 and later traveled to Prague, Moscow, and St. Petersburg. Expanded to four acts in 1858, the opera was hailed as a Polish cultural treasure, making Moniuszko a national hero.

A statue of Moniuszko stands outside Warsaw’s Opera House to this day, and his legacy lives on in The Stanislaw Moniuszko Music Academy in Gdansk. An international vocal competition in his name also takes place every three years. In it, finalists compete for a chance to sing with Poland’s National Opera on the stage where Moniuszko’s legend began.

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10 May 2019

Minarni Soedarjanto’s 75th Birthday





Today’s Doodle salutes international badminton champion Minarni Soedarjanto, hailed in her Indonesian homeland as "Queen of all badminton queens."

Born in Pasuruan, East Java, on this day in 1944, Soedarjanto began competing at the age of 13 and went on to win her first title at the 1959 National Championship in Malang at the age of 15. That same year, she was chosen for the Indonesian national team, competing in the world’s top badminton tournament for women, the Uber Cup.

Although Indonesia was defeated in 1960, Soedarjanto won singles and doubles titles for many years, including a historic win in the sport’s oldest tournament, the All-England. Teaming up with Retno Koestijah, Soedarjanto won Indonesia’s first All England title in 1968. She also went on to victory at the 1969 U.S. Open and Canada Open that same year.

Soedarjanto was part of Indonesian teams that competed for the Uber Cup trophy in 1963, 1966, and 1969—but unfortunately came up short every time. "It's hard to just leave, considering it's been 23 years playing badminton," she said in a 1972 interview. By 1975 she was a player-coach and mother of three, but refused to retire without fulfilling her goal. Finally, she beat perennial powerhouse Japan, winning Indonesia’s first Uber cup which was the last title of her illustrious career.

Thanks for paving the way, and happy 75th birthday, Minarni Soedarjanto!

[9A]

28 Oct 2018

100th Anniversary of Czechoslovakia





Today’s Doodle honors Czechoslovakia, the Central European country known for its ancient castles, classical music, and its rich art and design tradition. Founded soon after World War I, Czechoslovakia celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Although the Czech Republic and Slovakia became two independent nations in 1993, both honor the anniversary of their independence from the Austro-Hungarian empire on October 28, with schools and businesses closing in observance of the occasion.

In Prague, where the original proclamation of independence was issued, there are streets are named “October 28.” Historical exhibitions are on display at the ancient Prague Castle, official home of the Czech Republic’s president.

Bratislava Castle, a 10th century edifice named for Slovakia’s capital city, will be another focal point of festivities. Here you will find the Slovak installation of a joint exhibition curated by the Slovak National Museum and National Museum of the Czech Republic, highlighting a 100 years of shared history from both nation’s perspectives.

The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra is marking the 100th anniversary with a series of concerts by Czech composers at the Rudolfinum in Prague. The renowned orchestra will also perform at New York City’s Carnegie Hall on October 28. Outdoor concerts are also planned throughout the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Czech and Slovak celebrations alike are sure to include potato dumplings — a favorite food of both nations. And today’s a great occasion for a toast with beer made from the famous Saaz hops, the key to a great pilsner.

Happy Anniversary, Czechoslovakia!

[9A]

28 October 2022

Celebrating Haja El Hamdaouia



Today’s Doodle celebrates Moroccan singer and cultural icon Haja El Hamdaouia. The star of Moroccan chaabi music influenced multiple generations of artists with her innovative style.

Haja was born in 1930 in Casablanca, Morocco. Her father loved musicians and often hosted music troupes at their home. This inspired Haja to take theater classes where she learned how to sing and perform chaabi music, a genre that fuses urban and rural Moroccan folk music.

In the early 1950s, she developed an interest in El Aita al Marsaouiya, a sub-genre of chaabi music characterized by poetic lyrics and blues-like melodies. Haja breathed new life into the genre. With her piercing and powerful voice, Haja sang about everything from national independence to daily life.

She wasn't afraid to push boundaries as seen in 1959 when Haja had the idea to sing in front of a makeshift orchestra. She performed at cabaret venues in Casablanca neighborhoods backed by a saxophone, organ, guitar, drums and violin. During this time, she created some of her most popular songs like “Daba Yij” and “Jiti Majiti", which took on the subjects of femininity and love.

Haja continued to create and perform music for over 60 years. She headlined at festivals in Essaouira and Oujda until the late 2000s. Find her music on streaming platforms and in music stores around the world. Thank you, Haja El Hamdaouia, for singing your heart out time and time again.

[9A]

29 Oct 2022

Celebrating tempeh





Today’s Doodle celebrates Tempeh and is illustrated by guest artist Reza Dwi Setyawan who is based in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. This nutritious plant-based protein is a 400-year-old fermented food originated in Indonesia and is typically made of soybeans, but it can be made of many other beans, grains, and legumes by the same fermentation process. The Doodle features Tempeh Mendoan, one of the fried Tempeh varieties in Indonesia which is an iconic part of Indonesian cuisine and was declared as an Intangible Cultural Heritage on this day in 2021.

Tempeh was first documented in the 1600s in Tembayat Village, Klaten, Central Java, Indonesia and was recorded on Serat Centhini, a twelve volume compilation of Javanese tales and teachings, written in verse and published in 1814.

People all over the world typically consume tempeh as a meat replacement, combined with rice and vegetables. It offers a variety of health benefits, like improved gut and brain health. Rich in nutrients such as protein, fiber, prebiotics, and vitamin B12, this food made of minimally processed soybeans is a popular choice for most people in Indonesia and emerging among health-enthusiasts around the world. Various leaves can be used to wrap tempeh during fermentation. Waru, teak, and guava leaves are some of the oldest known, while banana leaf is the most popular one in Indonesia.

There are many ways to consume Tempeh, but due to its great taste, 'tempe goreng' or fried tempeh has been the most popular tempeh dish. Fried tempeh is usually combined with various types of sambal [ground and seasoned chili pepper dipping] and kecap manis [sweet soy sauce made of fermented soybean].

Tempted to try tempeh? Go ahead, give it a little taste.

[9A]

29 October 2009

Asterix Comic's 50th Anniversary © 2009 Goscinny - Uderzo


Asterix or The Adventures of Asterix is a bande dessinée comic book series about a village of indomitable Gaulish warriors who adventure around the world and fight the Roman Republic, with the aid of a magic potion, during the era of Julius Caesar, in an ahistorical telling of the time after the Gallic Wars. The series first appeared in the Franco-Belgian comic magazine Pilote on 29 October 1959.

As of 2021, 39 volumes have been released, with the most recent released in October 2021.

[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]

5 Nov 2009

40th Anniversary of Sesame Street - Cookie Monster




Cookie Monster is a blue Muppet character on the long-running PBS/HBO children's television show Sesame Street. In a song in 2004, and later in an interview in 2017, Cookie Monster revealed his real name as "Sid". He is best known for his voracious appetite and his famous eating catchphrases, such as "Me want cookie!" As his name suggests, his preferred food is cookies; though he eats almost anything, including inedible objects. Chocolate chip cookies are his favorite kind. His speech is often grammatically incorrect; he always uses "Me" to refer to himself in place of "I","My", and "Mine". Despite his voracious appetite for cookies, Cookie Monster shows awareness of healthy eating habits for young children and also enjoys fruits and vegetables.

[9A]

5 November 2002

Guy Fawkes Day 2002





Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night commemorates events that unfolded in 1605 when a small group of ambitious plotters attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London.

On November 5 this year people across the UK will light bonfires, let off fireworks, and burn effigies of a man named Guy Fawkes. The reason we do this is because it's the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot [1605]; a failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London by a group of dissident Catholics.

[9A]

7 Nov 2013

Albert Camus' 100th Birthday



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

[9A]

17 December 2021

Émilie du Châtelet's 315th birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 315th birthday of French mathematician, physicist, translator, and philosopher Émilie du Châtelet, whose contributions to Newtonian theory and mission to make scientific literature more accessible helped clear the path for modern physics.

Émilie du Châtelet was born Gabrielle-Émilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil in Paris on this day in 1706—a time when it was rare for women to publicly pursue intellectual careers. Raised in an aristocratic household, Châtelet learned avidly from the distinguished scientists and mathematicians whom her family often entertained. She complemented her formal math and science studies with fencing and linguistics lessons, learning six languages by age 12. Despite society’s discouragement of women pursuing the sciences, Châtelet broke convention.

In her 20s, she married Marquis Florent-Claude du Châtelet, a prominent military officer, and their estate library housed approximately 21,000 books! After months of clandestine research and experimentation, Châtelet submitted a groundbreaking physics paper to the French Academy of Sciences in 1737 that predicted the existence of infrared radiation. Voltaire, an eminent writer of the French enlightenment, recognized her talents, and in 1738, the pair published “Elements of Newton’s Philosophy” under Voltaire’s name. This pioneering book broke down complex Newtonian physics into easy-to-understand terms for French readers.

Châtelet’s magnum opus came in 1740 with the anonymous publication of “The Foundations of Physics,” a work of natural philosophy that married Newtonian physics with metaphysics. Her work played an instrumental role in the acceptance of Newtonian physics across Europe. Albeit anonymously, Châtelet continued to revolutionize physics by translating “Principia,” Newton’s manifesto for the laws of motion and gravity. Published posthumously in 1759, it remains the leading French translation to this day.

Here’s to an unstoppable force in the progression of physics!

[9A]

31 Oct 2018

40th Anniversary of Titicaca National Reserve



Today’s Doodle honors the 40th anniversary of the La Reserva Nacional del Titicaca [Titicaca National Reserve], which protects one of the rarest ecosystems on earth. Lake Titicaca is one of the planet’s few remaining ancient lakes, estimated to be 3 million years old. Situated in the Andes mountains some 3,810 meters above sea level, it holds the title for highest elevation of any major lake in the world and largest freshwater lake in South America.

Funded by the Peruvian state, the Titicaca National Reserve also supports the ancient civilization of the Uros people, who live on floating islands made from reeds, like the one seen in today’s Doodle. The Uros moved to these islands when the Incas expanded onto their land, and still live and fish there.

The National Reserve is also a living zoo of rare animals that require protection, including the Lake Titicaca frog, whose baggy skin enables it breathe under the surface of the lake. In the national reserve there’s also the Ballivian Sponge, which has been living there for 7,000 years; 60 species of birds; and mammals including the wild guinea pig, the vizcacha [a chinchilla-like rodent], and Andean wolves, llamas, alpacas, skunks, and foxes.

This truly amazing place is unlike any other on Earth, rich in biodiversity and culture — and the reserve is invaluable to its continued survival.

Happy anniversary to the Titicaca National Reserve!

[9A]

11 November 2021

Veterans' Day 2021




Today’s Doodle, created by Phenix City, AL-based Army veteran and guest artist Steven Tette, celebrates Veterans Day in honor of the efforts and sacrifices made by members of the U.S. armed forces. The occasion first celebrated the end of the first World War, which concluded with a peace treaty that took effect at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918—the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. The first “Armistice Day” was observed one year later before being declared an official federal holiday in 1938 and renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

Veterans Day is an expression of gratitude to those who have served in the military, whether the Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, Army, or Space Force—each represented by veterans of their respective branch who have also transitioned to civilian life to serve the nation in other ways in today’s Doodle artwork. Many public buildings fly the American flag at half-mast, and some communities observe a moment of silence at 11 a.m. in remembrance of the moment when the Armistice first took effect in 1918.

Happy Veterans Day, and thank you for your service!

[9A]

11 November 2022

Veterans' Day 2022


Today’s Doodle, created by Diné [Navajo Nation member] and Marine Corps veteran Monty Little, celebrates US Veterans Day. Anchored by a 3D paper sculpture of the American flag, the art features Google letters in military camouflage woven throughout, representing how integral our veterans are to the fabric of our nation.

In 1919, the United States government established this day to commemorate those who served in World War I and called it Armistice Day. After World War II, soldiers advocated for Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans. President Dwight D. Eisenhower officially changed the name of the holiday in 1954.

Today, communities across the country hold luncheons, military demonstrations, and educational events to honor the efforts and sacrifices of all past and present members of the US military. Many people observe a moment of silence at 11 a.m., which marks the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month—the exact time when World War I ended. Many veterans and their loved ones spend the day visiting monuments in Washington D.C. or attending official ceremonies at the Veteran Association’s National Cemetery.

Thank you to all those who have protected our country.

Happy Veterans Day, USA!

[9A]

11 November 2009
​
Veterans' Day 2009

[9A]

11 November 2019

Veterans Day 2019



Today’s Doodle, painted by Massachusetts-based veteran and guest artist Pete Damon, celebrates Veterans Day in the United States. One of the country’s 10 federal holidays, this day specifically honors members of the nation’s armed forces.

Below, Pete shares his story and thinking behind the Doodle:

As a severely injured Iraq War veteran, the celebration of all those who serve is of paramount importance to me. In 2003, I lost parts of both arms while serving in-theater as a helicopter mechanic. I would not be alive today were it not for my fellow service members who sprang into action to save my life.

I started painting as a form of therapy, which led me to pursue a career in art. I've been painting scenes of children planting flags for some time now. As a young Cub Scout, my son's troop would often be recruited to plant flags to honor veterans. My wife and I would often tag along. I found the scene of those children honoring veterans to be very moving and profound. I would ask my wife Jenn to take photos for possible future paintings.

I've witnessed children taking part in similar displays of patriotism on Veterans Day when large fields, usually in public spaces, are filled with a sea of little flags. I thought it would make for the perfect painting subject. I asked permission from a friend and fellow veteran, Hillary Moll, who captured these scenes in photographs to use some of them as a reference.

Those photographs provided me with the perfect inspiration for this Doodle. When I was approached about the project, I was extremely honored and more than a little apprehensive. I was not sure I was up to the task, but was willing to give it my best.

I named this piece “Paying Tribute,” showing two children, one wearing camouflage and the other with a sailor’s cap and navy blue shirt, setting up a Veterans Day flag display. It is meant to honor all of those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

With this piece, I hope people will realize and appreciate the personal sacrifice that all who serve in the military endure securing the liberty of all Americans. I particularly hope that people will recognize the importance of teaching children to honor their service.

[9A]

11 November 2014

Veteran's Day 2014



Happy Veterans Day to the people who go above and beyond to protect our country.

[9A]

11 November 2008

Veterans Day 2008

[9A]

11 November 2017

Veterans Day 2017




In 1954, President Eisenhower changed Armistice Day - a holiday honoring WWI veterans - to Veterans Day, a day to honor all American Veterans. The day, which celebrates living U.S. Veterans as opposed to Memorial Day which honors Veterans who have passed, marks a special time of reflection, gratitude, and remembrance.

Today's Doodle, developed in collaboration with VetNet [a network of Googler Veterans and Veteran family members and friends], incorporates silhouettes referencing the various uniforms and ranks throughout each branch of the military. From left to right these include: the Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy, and Army.

In celebration of the day, feel free to explore some of the ways in which Google is honoring our Veterans:

-Visit the Google Arts & Culture Veterans Day page to explore the National WWI Museum, works from the U.S. National Archives, and more.

-Watch YouTube’s tribute to Veterans for their service.

-Learn more about the recently launched Grow with Google initiative, which awarded Student Veterans of America with a Google.org grant to provide full scholarships for Veterans wishing to participate in a first-of-its-kind IT Support Certificate program.

-Check out “Bravo Tango,” the newly released meditation app specifically geared toward vets, created in partnership between Google, National Geographic, and 360i.

Today we honor and thank both Veterans and their families for their bravery and sacrifice for the Red, White and Blue.

Happy Veterans Day from Google!

[9A]

11 November 2016

Veterans Day 2016




Today’s Doodle honors the contributions and sacrifices of Veterans and their families across the country. Doodler and veteran Diana Tran shares what this day means for her:

Veterans Day is always special for me. Every year on this day, I spend a little extra time reflecting on my service in the United States Marine Corps. I remember the moments when the task placed before me seemed impossible. Whether that task was traversing an obstacle in training or making it through a mission in Iraq, there was one constant that gave me confidence and strength. I knew that the men and women next to me had my back and together we were focused on achieving our goal. There was comfort in that camaraderie that I haven't experienced anywhere else.

The artwork for today's doodle was created by Doodler Olivia When in collaboration with myself and the network of veterans at Google. She's done a wonderful job of capturing the celebratory and inclusive nature of Veterans Day. Today, I hope you'll join us in honoring our veterans who sacrificed so that we can enjoy our freedom.

To all veterans everywhere, thank you for your service.

Diana Tran, Doodle Designer
United States Marine Corps [2004-2010]

[9A]

11 November 2013

Veterans' Day 2013