Google doodles

[9A]

November 9, 2012

Paul Abadie's 200th Birthday




Paul Abadie [9 November 1812 – 3 August 1884] was a French architect and building restorer. He is considered a central representative of French historicism. He was the son of architect Paul Abadie Sr..

Abadie worked on the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris, Église Sainte-Croix of Bordeaux, Saint-Pierre of Angoulême and Saint-Front of Périgueux. He won the competition in 1873 to design the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on Montmartre in Paris, and saw construction commence on it, though he died long before its completion in 1914.

[9A]

February 11, 2021

Celebrating María Grever






Today’s Doodle celebrates Mexican singer and songwriter María Grever, considered to be one of the country’s greatest composers. Grever spent a lifetime producing hundreds of songs that went on to be covered by some of the world’s most famous artists, like Placido Domingo, Aretha Franklin, and Frank Sinatra. On this day in 1938, Grever recorded “Ti-Pi-Tin,” a waltz about serenading your loved ones that became one of her biggest hits.

María Joaquina de la Portilla Torres was born in the late 19th century in the city of León in central Mexico. As a child, she moved to Seville, where she studied English, French, and music. Grever’s natural musical abilities were evident as she composed a holiday carol for her school. This led her father to provide her some of the finest tutors, including distinguished composers, Debussy and Lehár. Her first record, “A Una Ola” [“To a Wave,” 1912], sold millions of copies, and was eventually covered by several singers.

In 1916, Grever moved to New York, where she soon composed background music in films for both Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox. All the while, Grever continued to produce songs that married folk rhythms with styles like tango to captivate audiences throughout the Americas and Spain. Some of her biggest hits included “Júrame” [“Promise, Love,” 1926] and “What a Difference a Day Makes” [originally “Cuando Vuelva a Tu Lado,” 1934]. The latter went on to win a Grammy in 1959 as sung by jazz legend, Dinah Washington.

In recognition of her contributions to music, the Union of Women of the Americas [UWA] named Grever “Woman of the Americas” in 1952.

Thanks for all the music María Grever; it continues to strike a chord with listeners around the world today!

[9A]

August 3, 2016

238th Anniversary of the inauguration of Teatro Alla Scala






Bellini’s Norma. Verdi’s Otello and Falstaff. Puccini’s Turandot. All classics from opera’s golden age - and all works that debuted at the Teatro Alla Scala in Milan, a masterpiece itself since its inauguration in 1778.

Today’s Doodle honors La Scala’s legendary stage, known both for its size and the distinction of its players. The opera house’s treasured halls have hosted some of the world’s most inspirational opera, ballet, and classical performances over its long existence. Seating more than 2,000 people, its theater has survived both a WWII bombing and restorative construction, continuing to pack houses and delight audiences for some 238 years.

[9A]

22 September 2004

Ray Charles' 74th Birthday

Ray Charles Robinson [September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004] was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer. Among friends and fellow musicians he preferred being called "Brother Ray." He was often referred to as "The Genius." Charles was blinded during childhood due to glaucoma.

Charles pioneered the soul music genre during the 1950s by combining blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel styles into the music he recorded for Atlantic. He contributed to the integration of country music, rhythm and blues, and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, notably with his two Modern Sounds albums.While he was with ABC, Charles became one of the first Black musicians to be granted artistic control by a mainstream record company.

Charles' 1960 hit "Georgia On My Mind" was the first of his three career No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. His 1962 album Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music became his first album to top the Billboard 200. Charles had multiple singles reach the Top 40 on various Billboard charts: 44 on the US R&B singles chart, 11 on the Hot 100 singles chart, 2 on the Hot Country singles charts.

Charles cited Nat King Cole as a primary influence, but his music was also influenced by Louis Jordan and Charles Brown. He had a lifelong friendship and occasional partnership with Quincy Jones. Frank Sinatra called Ray Charles "the only true genius in show business," although Charles downplayed this notion. Billy Joel said, "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley".

For his musical contributions, Charles received the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of Arts, and the Polar Music Prize. He won 18 Grammy Awards, including 5 posthumously. Charles was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987, and 10 of his recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone ranked Charles No. 10 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and No. 2 on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.




Charles in 1969

[9A]

28 Jun 2012

Sergiu Celibidache's 100th Birthday


Sergiu Celibidache was a Romanian conductor, composer, musical theorist, and teacher. Educated in his native Romania, and later in Paris and Berlin, Celibidache's career in music spanned over five decades, including tenures as principal conductor of the Munich Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Sicilian Symphony Orchestra and several other European orchestras. Later in life, he taught at Mainz University in Germany and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Celibidache frequently refused to release his performances on commercial recordings during his lifetime, claiming that a listener could not have a "transcendental experience" outside the concert hall. Many of the recordings of his performances were released posthumously. He has nonetheless earned international acclaim for his interpretations of the classical repertoire and was known for a spirited performance style informed by his study and experiences in Zen Buddhism. He is regarded as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century.

[9A]

6 Jul 2012

José María Velasco's 172nd Birthday





José María Tranquilino Francisco de Jesús Velasco Gómez Obregón, generally known as José María Velasco, was a 19th-century Mexican polymath, most famous as a painter who made Mexican geography a symbol of national identity through his paintings. He was both one of the most popular artists of the time and internationally renowned. He received many distinctions such as the gold medal of the Mexican National Expositions of Bellas Artes in 1874 and 1876; the gold medal of the Philadelphia International Exposition in 1876, on the centenary of U.S. independence; and the medal of the Paris Universal Exposition in 1889, on the centenary of the outbreak of the French Revolution. His painting El valle de México is considered Velasco's masterpiece, of which he created seven different renditions. Of all the nineteenth-century painters, Velasco was the "first to be elevated in the post-Revolutionary period as an exemplar of nationalism."

[9A]

12 January 2015

11th Anniversary of Kimani Maruge's First Day of School



It’s never too late to learn something new. On this day 11 years ago, Kenyan Kimani Maruge enrolled in primary school at the ripe age of 84, becoming the world’s oldest person to start elementary school. But Maruge’s love for education didn’t end there. In 2005, he boarded a plane–for the very first time–to address the U.N. on the importance of free primary school. 

[9A]

20 Jul 2012

Santos Dumont's 139th Birthday





Alberto Santos-Dumont was a Brazilian inventor and aviation pioneer, one of the very few people to have contributed significantly to the early development of both lighter-than-air and heavier-than-air aircraft.


The heir of a wealthy family of coffee producers, Santos-Dumont dedicated himself to aeronautical study and experimentation in Paris, where he spent most of his adult life. In his early career he designed, built, and flew hot air balloons and early dirigibles, culminating in his winning the Deutsch de la Meurthe prize on 19 October 1901 for a flight that rounded the Eiffel Tower. He then turned to heavier-than-air machines, and on 23 October 1906 his 14-bis made the first powered heavier-than-air flight in Europe to be certified by the Aéro-Club de France and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. It was also the first powered flight to be publicly witnessed by a crowd and takeoff unassisted by an external launch system. His conviction that aviation would usher in an era of worldwide peace and prosperity led him to freely publish his designs and forgo patenting his various innovations.

Santos-Dumont is a national hero in Brazil, where it is popularly held that he preceded the Wright brothers in demonstrating a practical airplane. Countless roads, plazas, schools, monuments, and airports there are dedicated to him, and his name is inscribed on the Tancredo Neves Pantheon of the Fatherland and Freedom. He was a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters from 1931 until his suicide in 1932.

[9A]

25 Jul 2012

Jaakonpäivä






The day of Jaakko , corresponding to 25 July [in Italy it is the day of St. James ], is at the center of a Finnish popular belief that justifies the lowering of the temperatures of the lakes which usually occurs in the third week of July.

Legend has it, in fact, that it is Jaakko who throws a cold stone into the water.

[9A]

15 Aug 2012

Julia Child's 100th Birthday









The scene in our living room in the early ‘60s will be familiar to many. I can picture my dad sitting in hischair, glued to the new black-and-white miracle of technology in our house, watching The French Chef...for the sheer fun of the show. Fast-forward nearly 15 years and I would find myself, as a young student at La Varenne cooking school in Paris, standing in front of Julia Child herself.

At that first meeting, for a moment, I had Julia’s undivided attention and her intent interest in my goals and plans as a cook. [Happily, that encounter would lead to opportunities to work as a member of Julia’s team, to travel with her around the U.S. and in France, and to a treasured friendship until her death in 2004. I would even become executive director of that esteemed cooking school – due, in large measure, to her influence and support.] Countless times throughout the years that’s the scene which would became familiar to me – Julia engaging and encouraging both professional chefs and home cooks. She would rarely leave a restaurant without a visit to the kitchen or exit a book signing without having communed with everyone in line; she was an active mentor to many of us. Julia was so approachable that people felt they knew her – no one hesitated to stride right up and start a conversation – and in fact, they did know her. After all, she’d been in our living rooms taking us by the hand in the kitchen for years. [Ever-embracing of new technologies, I believe Julia would be thrilled to know that she’s now literally in people’s hands, on digital devices.] But more than that, what people saw on camera was what they’d experience in person.

It was all pure Julia. Especially on the occasion of what would have been her 100th birthday, it’s clear that Julia Child is simply someone we love to love. For good reason – there are many qualities that endear her to us. She came into her own later in life and helped to redefine age. [One of her secrets to aging, I discovered, is that she never saw herself as old. After attending a Smith College reunion in her late 70s, she told me she’d never go to another. “Too many old people,” she said].

Julia loved hard and worked hard [more than anyone I have ever known] and accomplished great things that endure. [How many authors have a New York Times best seller nearly 50 years after publication?] She was opinionated, utterly authentic, and a self-professed ham. She managed to be both serious and a showman, making things look easy while never compromising her incredibly disciplined approach. She demystified and democratized French cooking [[the gold standard and height of sophistication when she took the stage) and appeared to have a ball doing it. Julia dedicated her support to the organizations and causes that mattered to her most, particularly those related to cooking and the pleasures of the table. In 1995, Julia created the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts [juliachildfoundation.org] for the purpose of continuing that support after she’d “slipped off the raft”, as she would often refer to dying.

The Foundation is proud to help further Julia’s life’s work. Julia believed in all of us. She felt that if she could show us how to cook well, we’d do just that. She wanted us to experience the pleasures – in both life and work – that she had, and to revel in good food. “The thing about food,” she said in a 1966 Time Magazine cover story, “is you’re a much happier person if you eat well and treasure your meals.” So to quote Julia once again – on the occasion of her 100th birthday – “Bon Appétit!”

[9A]

29 January 2018

Teresa Teng’s 65th Birthday







Pop singer Teresa Teng was born on this day in 1953 in Taiwan. Her music and talent was a dominant and influential force in Asia throughout most of the 1970s and 1980s. Teng was able to move her audiences as much with the sweetness of her voice as with the power of melancholy emotion. One of the “Five Great Asian Divas”, she was known for driving her audience into rapture, and often tears, over a career that spanned three decades.

Teng’s widespread popularity was also driven by her ability to sing in several languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Indonesian, and English. Evoking for many precious memories of childhood and happier times, her legacy endures to this day.

Today’s Doodle pays tribute to one of Teng’s most well-known songs, "The Moon Represents My Heart." By providing an alternative to the mostly revolutionary songs then prevalent in mainland China, Teng’s emotional rendition of this old Mandarin favorite catapulted her to instant and long-lasting fame that lingers to this day.

[9A]

8 Feb 2018

Paula Modersohn-Becker’s 142nd Birthday







Renowned German expressionist painter Paula Modersohn-Becker was born on this day in 1876. Her art bears witness to her courage, boldness, and ambition — a temperament that greatly influenced her short but prolific career.

Exposed to the intellectual world from the time she was a young child growing up in Dresden-Friedrichstadt, Modersohn-Becker began her artistic endeavors as a student in Bremen, and at the age of 18, moved to an artist’s colony in Worpswede. There she met her future husband, but hungry to learn more, she moved to Paris to study and urged him to join her.

In the years that followed, her personal life underwent many changes. But through all the turbulence, she continued to paint, producing more than 80 pictures in 1906 alone. Her writings explain this frenetic pace as a necessity to make up for the first two ‘lost’ decades of her life.

An early expressionist, she joined the likes of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse in introducing modernism to the world. Modersohn-Becker was known for her bold choices as an artist — be it her depictions of nude female figures [among the very first women artists to do so], or those of women breastfeeding their children. She tenaciously resisted the strict expectations held of women of her era, preferring exploration and painting over more traditional pastimes.

Today’s Doodle reflects her artistic style depicting domestic subjects, and is illustrated by Berlin-based duo Golden Cosmos.

[9A]

10 December 2019

Anatoly Tarasov’s 101st Birthday







"Even though there is a limit on how fast a hockey player can skate… there is no limit to creative endeavors and progress."
–Anatoly Tarasov

Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Marseille-based guest artist Nadya Mira, celebrates Russian coach Anatoly Tarasov, widely known as the “father of Russian hockey,” on his 101st birthday. Under his leadership, the Russian [then USSR] national team won every Ice Hockey World Championship for 9 consecutive years, won 11 European championships, and took home 3 Olympic gold medals. Tarasov’s visionary tactics and will to win put his opponents on ice.

A proficient bandy player, Tarasov was given the task to implement a Soviet hockey program from the ground up after World War II. The Moscow native developed a unique coaching style, focusing both on the individual player’s mastery while demanding a team-first attitude, as well as integrating modified elements from other sports like bandy, soccer, and even ballet to produce champions.

Rival nations often attempted to mimic Tarasov’s approach. A coach from the U.S. asked Tarasov to reveal his secrets and was met with: “There is no secret in hockey. There is imagination, hard work, discipline, and dedication to achieving whatever the goal is.”

His ingenious methods influenced the game worldwide and left a mark on hockey that is still felt globally to this day. In 1974, Tarasov became the first European coach to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, as well as the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1997.

[9A]

11 Dec 2019

Noel Rosa’s 109th Birthday








Today’s Doodle celebrates the 109th birthday of the beloved Brazilian singer and songwriter Noel Rosa. Known as the “Poeta da Vila” [Poet from Vila], his observational and comedic style earned him a special place in the history of samba, the popular music of the Brazilian people.

Born in the Vila Isabel neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on this day in 1910, Rosa grew up in a musical family. He started playing the mandolin at age 13 and soon learned the guitar as well.

A gifted student, he entered medical school in 1931. However, when he had to choose between medicine and music, Rosa’s choice became clear. Rosa devoted his energy to writing music and created his own style of samba by mixing witty lyrics with unpredictable twists and turns of melody and bridging the gap between rural Afro-Brazilian traditions and the sound of urban nightlife.

He had his breakthrough with "Com que roupa?," which became one of the biggest hits in 1931 in Brazil and the first of many memorable songs. With his songwriting partner Vadico, he also wrote a series of popular compositions such as "Feitiço da Vila" ["Witchcraft of the Villa"] and "Feitio de Oração" ["In the Form of a Prayer"].

[9A]

8 March 2023

International Women's Day 2023



Today’s Doodle honors International Women’s Day by celebrating many ways in which women support women. The vignettes within each “GOOGLE” letter highlight just a few of the many areas in which women around the world support each other to progress and improve each other's quality of life.

Women in positions of influence who advocate for progress across issues central to the lives of women everywhere. Women who come together to explore, learn, and rally for their rights. Women who are primary caregivers to people of all walks of life. Women who are critical support systems for each other in motherhood.

In honor of women across the globe who are supporting each other across all aspects of life — Happy International Women’s Day!

[9A]

November 24, 2021

Celebrating Isala Van Diest



Today’s Doodle celebrates the first woman to become a doctor in Belgium—Isala Van Diest. On this day in 1884, a government decree went into effect that allowed Van Diest to practice medicine in Belgium.

Isala Van Diest was born in Leuven, Belgium in 1842. Her father was a doctor who owned a medical practice and her mother was active in progressive, feminist organizations. Van Diest made the decision early on to take over her father’s practice, marking a departure from gender conventions of the era. Unable to enroll in medical school in Belgium due to gender discrimination, Diest left home to study in Bern, Switzerland, where she became the first Belgian woman to graduate with a university degree in 1879.

After a short stint in a British women’s hospital, Van Diest shifted her focus to opening her own practice, but many societal and institutional obstacles hindered her progress. Belgium finally began to allow women to formally study medicine in 1880, and in 1883, Van Diest graduated as a doctor of medicine, surgery, and obstetrics. Following years of working in a women’s refuge hospital and advocating for women’s rights, Diest at last opened her own practice in 1886.

In honor of the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day in 2011, the Belgian government issued a €2 coin in Van Diest’s honor alongside Belgium's first woman lawyer, Marie Popelin. In Brussels, the street of Van Diest's former practice was named in her honor in 2018.

Here’s to a medical trailblazer—Isala Van Diest!

[9A]

Mar 8, 2014

International Women's Day 2014








Women have historically been underrepresented in almost all fields: science, school curricula, business, politics — and, sadly, doodles. In addition to our continued effort for doodle diversity and inclusion, this truly International Women’s Day doodle features a host of over a 100 inspiring women from around the world.

Here is the full list [in order of appearance]:


Cee Chatpawee, TV host, IT Princess, Thailand
Chinaza Godwin Christiana, Student, Nigeria
Easkey Britton, Surfer and the first woman to surf in Iran, PhD and doctoral candidate, Ireland
Rahimah Yussof, Developer group leader, Brunei
Chen Yuhong, School teacher, China
Naho Okamoto, Jewelry designer, Japan
Mary Kom, Five-time World Boxing champion, India
Funlayo Adewale, Canteen owner, Nigeria
Jennifer Luo & Yi-hsin Chen, Mothers to be, Taiwan
Alifiyah Ganjee, Developer group leader, Kenya
Karnataka State Home Guard, India
Ana Cecilia Castillo, Developer group leader, Guatemala
Rivka Carmi, President of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
Camila Batmanghelidjh, Founded the place2be and Kids Company, caring for 17,000 children, UK/Iran
Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of Lithuania
Sarah Sechan, TV personality and entertainer, Indonesia
Shoko Uemura, Under-23 Women's Football Team member, Japan
Janet Mock, Trans woman rights activist and author, USA
Harusoga Fujima, Professional Nihon Buyo dancer [traditional dance], Japan
Mara Gabrilli, Congresswoman & Brazil's spokesperson for people with disabilities, Brazil
Maria da Penha, Women's rights advocate, named the law protecting women from domestic violence, Brazil
Viviane Senna, Entrepreneur and founder of NGOs, Brazil
Marta Silva, Awarded multiple times by FIFA golden ball as best female soccer player in the world, Brazil
Students, Guatemala
Maia Sandu, Minister of education, Moldova
Chamki, Adventurous and inquisitive schoolgirl muppet, India
Christine Van Broeckhoven, Molecular biologist, Belgium
Tanha Islam, Aspiring engineer, Bangladesh
Jake Feinler, Former head of Network Information Center at Stanford and Internet Hall of Fame member, USA
Iryna Velychko, Galyna Korniyenko & Marina Derkach, Developer group organizers, Ukraine
Marisa Millán, Proud grandma, Spain
Noelle Wenceslao, Janet Belarmino & Carina Dayondon, First Filipinas to climb Mount Everest, Philippines
Clarisse Reille, Managing Director of French Professional Committee for Apparel Economy Development, France
Gesche Joost, Professor of Design Research and one of Germany's "100 masterminds of tomorrow", Germany
Dora, Explorer
Nogah Dufresne, Multinational baby, France/Israel
Tooba Shaikh, Aspiring Developer, Pakistan
Katelyn Donnelly, Executive Director of the Pearson Affordable Learning Fund, USA/UK
Catherine Koo, Chairlady of United Christian College Parents Teachers Association, Hong Kong
Roba Al Assi, Blogger, Jordan
SOS Lambrate, Ambulance volunteers, Italy
Camila Bernal Villegas, Director of the CRAN Foundation and cancer survivor, Colombia
Malala Yousafzai, Education activist, Pakistan
Ashaji, Holds a Guinness World Record as most recorded artist in music history, India
Nonna Grishaeva, Actress, comedian and singer, Russia
Ndileka Xameni, Runs an orphanage, South africa
İpek Hanım's Farm, Business woman turned farmer and her village , Turkey
Prof. Jacqueline A. Oduol, Gender expert fighting for Women's and children's rights, Kenya
Martha Debayle, Radio personality, named one of the 50th most powerful women in Mexico by Forbes, Mexico
Alenka Godec, One of the most prominent jazz and pop singers in Slovenia, Slovenia
Zakeeya Patel, Actress, dancer and winner of South Africa's Strictly Come Dancing 2013, South Africa
Astrid Sartiasari, Singer, Indonesia
Jenny Chan, Ella Wong & Ching Hoi Man, Spokeswomen, Hong Kong
Isadora Faber, Education activist, 14 years old, Brazil
Refiloe Khaoli, Copyrighter, South Africa
Serena Gu, Grace Liang & Sharon Tam, University start-ups advocates, Hong Kong
Anne Geddes, Renowned photographer and women's advocate, Australia
Cecilia Chung, Social justice & human rights activist, HK/US
Diaa Elyaacoubi, Serial entrepreneur, named Entrepreneur of the Year 2004, France
Ros Juan, Entrepreneur and Social advocate, Philippines
Funmi Victor-Okigbo, Events Production Designer, Nigeria
Chen Junlan and QiQiGe, Office workers, China
Tarryn Tomlinson, Inspiring quadriplegic working with disadvantaged youth, South Africa
Zahira Asmal, Founder of Design South Africa, South Africa
Foluso Olaniyan, Agricultural pioneer, Nigeria
Jirawadee Sudta, Awarded National Excellent Youth in law and protection of children's rights, Thailand

Thanks to our amazing editor Morgan Stiff, Zap Mama for the wonderful music, and all the women and girls who participated.

[9A]

Mar 8, 2016

International Women's Day 2016





Over the years, Doodles have commemorated the achievements of women in science, civil rights, journalism, sports, arts, technology and beyond. It’s always an honor to pay tribute to women who have changed the course of history, sometimes in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But for this year’s International Women’s Day, we wanted to celebrate the Doodle-worthy women of the future. So we gathered our cameras and pencils and visited 13 countries where we spoke to 337 women and girls and asked them to complete the sentence, “One day I will…”

From toddlers to grandmothers, the women in San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Lagos, Moscow, Cairo, Berlin, London, Paris, Jakarta, Bangkok, New Delhi and Tokyo all sparkled with personality. Each new city brought more “One day I will”s, more signature dance moves, more hugs, more high-fives. The aspirations we heard were as varied as the women and girls who shared them, from the very personal—swim with pigs in the Bahamas—to the very global—give a voice to those who can’t speak—and everything in between. When it was done, we found that our own “One day I will…”s had grown bigger and richer, inspired by the women we had met.

Even women who are already accomplished aren’t done dreaming. Jane Goodall shared her hope to one day discuss the environment with the Pope, while Nobel Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai and activist Muzoon Almellehan continue to work fearlessly toward a future where every girl can go to school.

[9A]

March 8, 2021

International Women's Day 2021







Today’s annual International Women’s Day Doodle takes a journey through a series of firsts in women’s history—highlighting female pioneers who have challenged the status quo and paved the way in education, ci vil rights, science, art, and so much more.

The video Doodle pays homage to these [s]heroes by depicting the hands that have opened the doors for generations of women. While some firsts achieve something spectacularly new, others are receiving a recognition or right that is long overdue.

Suffragists, academics, gold medalists, entrepreneurs and more—today’s Doodle celebrates the women around the world who overcame the obstacles of their time to create a lasting legacy. These firsts stand on the shoulders of countless others—women who laid the foundation, in the past, for today’s doors to be finally opened and glass ceilings broken.

[9A]

February 27, 2018

Celebrating May Ayim







Today’s Doodle celebrates author, poet, and activist May Ayim. It was on this date in 2010 that "May Ayim Ufer" or "May Ayim Street" was named in her honor in Berlin.
Born in 1960 to a Ghanaian father and a German mother, Ayim drew inspiration from a difficult childhood to become a prominent figure in the Black German movement.

Ayim’s pioneering work helped lay the groundwork for the field of Black German history. Her 1986 thesis, “Afro-Germans: Their Cultural and Social History on the Background of Social Change,” was the first scholarly work on Afro-German history from the Middle Ages to the present. This thesis also provided the foundation of her renowned book, “Farbe Bekennen.” In addition to her scholarly publications, Ayim’s poetry collections brought the Black German struggle for equality to an international stage.

[9A]

Jul 10, 2017

Eva Ekeblad’s 293rd Birthday





Today we celebrate Eva Ekeblad’s 293rd birthday. The Swedish scientist brought potatoes, then a greenhouse curiosity, to the people. Eva discovered the starch was humble but mighty – potatoes could be ground into flour or distilled into spirits. Her discovery helped reduce famine in years to come.

For her scientific and delicious work, Eva Ekeblad became the first woman elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1748. She was truly a pioneer - the next woman recognized in those ranks would come 203 years later.

[9A]

13 September 2016

Yma Sumac’s 94th birthday



Born Zoila Augusta Emperatriz Chávarri del Castillo in the mountains of Peru, Yma Sumac, or the “Peruvian songbird,” came into the world on this day in 1922. As a young girl, Yma would sing to rocks on her mountainside home, pretending they were her audience. As a teenager, Yma’s audience became very real when she was invited to sing on an Argentine radio station. After that moment, her astonishing five-octave vocal range captivated audiences in South America and beyond.

Yma arrived in the United States in 1946 and was signed by Capitol Records shortly after. During her 1950s prime, she sung at Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and Royal Albert Hall - to name a few.

Here’s to Yma, whose captivating voice will always be remembered.

[9A]

23 Apr 2015

Shoen Uemura’s 140th birthday






Uemura Shōen was the pseudonym of an important artist in Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period Japanese painting. Her real name was Uemura Tsune. Shōen was known primarily for her bijin-ga paintings of beautiful women in the nihonga style, although she produced numerous works on historical themes and traditional subjects. Shōen is considered a major innovator in the bijin-ga genre despite the fact she often still used it to depict the traditional beauty standards of women. Bijin-ga gained criticism during the Taisho era while Shōen worked due to its lack of evolution to reflect the more modern statuses of women in Japan. During bijin-ga's conception in the Tokugawa, or Edo, period, women were regarded as lower class citizens and the genre often reflected this implication onto its female subjects. Within the Taisho era, women had made several advancements into the Japanese workforce, and artistry specifically was becoming more popular outside of pass times for the elite, which opened way for Shōen's success.

Shōen received many awards and forms of recognition during her lifetime within Japan, being the first female recipient of the Order of Culture award, as well as being hired as the Imperial Household's official artist, which had previously only employed one other official woman in the position. In 1949 she died of cancer just a year after receiving the Order of Culture Award.

[9A]

27 November 2018

Fe del Mundo’s 107th Birthday





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

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

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

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

[9A]

8 Mar 2013

Women's Day 2013







Creating this Doodle, while lots of fun, was quite a challenge. After all, women make up more than half of the population. How can they be fairly represented in just one illustration? While no attempt is perfect, it took a number of tries to arrive at the final concept that you see on the homepage.

I initially thought it might be fun to simply depict some ladies having fun outside. I then tried to anthropomorphize the Google letters into women from different backgrounds and lifestyle choices. Ultimately, I didn’t feel that any of these fairly represented women as a whole.

The idea for the final illustration came to me while I was doing one of my favorite things -- sketching in a coffee shop. When drawing from life, you really observe how each human face is unique. People come in all shapes and sizes!

I realized that I could use a similar concept with the Women’s Day Doodle. Using simple shapes to write “Google” with negative space seemed to be the best way to approach this assignment; I now had far more to work with than simply replacing the 6 letters in “Google”.

I had fun painting this Doodle, and hope that others enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the creative process!

Posted by Betsy Bauer, Doodler.

[9A]

May 26, 2015

Sally Ride’s 64th Birthday







Today’s guest blog post is from Tam O’Shaughnessy—life partner of astronaut Sally Ride, and co-founder & CEO of Sally Ride Science. Over the past few months, Tam worked with our Doodle team to create a doodle for Sally’s 64th birthday. In this post, she tells us more about Sally’s life, her flight aboard the space shuttle Challenger, and her passion for helping kids stay excited about science and technology.

As the first American woman in space, Sally Ride—who would have been 64 today—captured the nation’s imagination as a symbol of the ability of women to break barriers. But her historic flight represented just one aspect of a remarkable and multifaceted life. She was also a physicist, a science writer, and an inspirational advocate for keeping kids excited about science as they go through school.

Sally was born on May 26, 1951, in Los Angeles. She grew up playing with a chemistry set and small telescope—and playing football in the streets with the neighborhood kids. Later she considered playing professional tennis, but decided instead to study science.

In 1977, Sally was finishing her Ph.D. in physics at Stanford University when she saw an article in the student newspaper saying that NASA was looking for astronauts—and for the first time was allowing women to apply. Sally didn’t hesitate to send in her application, and became one of six women selected as part of the new crop of astronaut candidates. On June 18, 1983, she soared into history as the first American woman in space.

Looking back at Earth through the window of the space shuttle, Sally was moved by the view of our beautiful blue planet wrapped in its thin blanket of air. She realized how important it is for all of us to take care of our fragile home in space, and became an environmentalist. Many years later, we wrote books for young adults about Earth’s changing climate.

After leaving NASA, Sally became a professor of physics at the University of California, San Diego. She loved being a scientist, but she was concerned that many young people—especially girls and minority students—abandon their early interest in science and math.

Studies show that the reason kids turn away from STEM [science, technology, engineering, and math] is not that they don’t like it or aren’t good it. Instead, young people get turned off because society sends false messages about who scientists are, what they do, and how they work. So Sally decided to use her high profile to motivate young people to stick with their interest in science and to consider pursuing STEM careers.

In 2001, Sally and I and three friends started Sally Ride Science to create programs and publications that bring science to life and show young people that STEM is fascinating, creative, and fun. Since then, we’ve trained thousands of teachers on how to spark and sustain interest in STEM and reached millions of students with our books and programs.

Sally died almost three years ago on July 23, 2012, from pancreatic cancer. But I know she would be honored by today’s Google Doodle. With whimsy, it expresses Sally’s sense of fun and adventure, and her ability to inspire young people. And who knows—maybe her Doodle will motivate some girl or boy somewhere in the world to become a scientist and adventurer just like Sally.
Sally said it best . . .

Everywhere I go I meet girls and boys who want to be astronauts and explore space, or they love the ocean and want to be oceanographers, or they love animals and want to be zoologists, or they love designing things and want to be engineers. I want to see those same stars in their eyes in 10 years and know they are on their way!

[9A]

Feb 12, 2018

Rosenmontag 2018

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While Carnival is observed by countries all across the world, celebrations in Germany are marked by delightful traditions, and take on different names in different parts of the country.

For Karneval celebrators in Rhineland, the Rosenmontag [Rose Monday] parade takes center stage on the Monday before Ash Wednesday. Every town hosts a parade complete with floats and candy-tossing, while participants dress up in Funkenmariechen [traditional costumes]. Shouts of "Alaaf!" [the fool’s call], which translates roughly to “may he live well” and "Helau!" [a call representing the fun of joy] fill the streets until Veilchendienstag, [Violet Tuesday] the next day.

In Berlin, Brandenburg or Saxony, Fasching celebrations take a similar form, but begin in earnest on Schmutziger Donnerstag, or ‘Fat Thursday’. In southwestern Germany and northern Bavaria, you may find yourself celebrating Fastnacht, sporting elaborately carved masks depicting witches and other animals in the wild.

[9A]

March 1, 2018

St. David's Day 2018







March 1st is celebrated in the UK as St. David’s Day [Dewi Sant], named after the patron saint of Wales. The musical country earned the title “Land of Song” through its rich history of choral singing, dating all the way back to the 19th century.

Today’s Doodle was created by Sander Berg, an illustrator from Sweden who now makes his home in Wales. It features a woman in historic Welsh dress—now traditionally worn on St. David’s Day—plays the Welsh National Anthem on a Welsh Triple Harp. The harpist plays in front of Mt. Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, and is surrounded by Cenhinen Pedr [St. Peter’s Leek], also known as the daffodil. As one of the first signs of spring, the cheerful flowers are an important symbol on Welsh National Day, and can be seen popping up in fields and on lapels throughout the country.

Wales boasts several well-known musical institutions, including The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the Welsh National Opera, the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, and a myriad of Welsh Male Voice Choirs. Eisteddfod, an eight-day festival of literature, music, and performance, is a common way for Welsh communities around the world to honor their patron saint and celebrate their musical heritage.

[9A]

Mar 6, 2018

Celebrating Semla




Semla season is in full swing, sending fans of these storied Swedish buns, flavored with cardamom and filled with almond paste and whipped cream, into a frenzy!

Dating back to around 1541, semlor [plural of semla, because who could consume just one?] were originally eaten by Sweden’s monarchy and upper-classes, usually every Tuesday between Shrove Tuesday and Easter, prior to Lenten fasting.

King Adolf Frederick, a ruler with an enormous appetite, devoured 14 semlor in one sitting, shortly before his demise on February 12, 1771. Unlike typical buns of the time, his were soaked in hot milk [known as hetvägg], and fancified with cinnamon and raisins. Alas, they were to be his last.

Almond paste and whipped cream further sweetened the bun in the 1930s. and over the years semlor in all shapes and sizes have filled bakery windows, from traditional semlor with cut-off tops and powdered sugar to modern takes like semmelwrap, made with flattened dough and the Princess semla, a cross between the Prinsesstårta, a traditional green layer cake, and the cardamom bun. [In other parts of Scandinavia, semlor are known as fastlagsbulle or fastelavnsbolle.]

[9A]

March 18, 2018

Erich Ohser's 115th Birthday











Cartoonist Erich Ohser’s mighty pen was not only his sword, but his shield. Born on this day in Vogtland, Germany, in 1903, Ohser was raised in the industrial town of Plauen. He attended art school at Leipzig’s esteemed Academy of Graphic Arts and Book Trade [Akademie für graphische Künste und Buchgewerbe] before finding his voice as a cartoonist and book illustrator in Weimar Republic–era Berlin.

The artist’s work blossomed through his bond with writer Erich Kästner and journalist Erich Knauf, who shared his political ideology and modern sense of aesthetics. Ohser’s impassioned cartoons and caricatures, which appeared in Knauf’s articles and other popular publications, became his vehicle for expressing his antipathy towards the National Socialists. As making such declarations became increasingly dangerous, Ohser found refuge in drawing the lighthearted, and highly successful, comic strip Vater und Sohn [Father and Son].

From 1934 through 1937, Vater und Sohn captivated readers of the weekly news magazine Berliner Illustrirte Zeitungwith its irreverent wit, scratchy pen strokes, and playful antics. Plucking a page from his past, Ohser signed it with a pseudonym that stuck: E.O. Plauen.

[9A]

March 29, 2005

Vincent van Gogh's 152nd Birthday






Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch post-impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of which date from the last two years of his life. They include landscapes, still lifes, portraits and self-portraits, and are characterised by bold colours and dramatic, impulsive and expressive brushwork that contributed to the foundations of modern art. He was not commercially successful, and his suicide at 37 came after years of mental illness, depression and poverty.

[9A]

August 11, 2015

Gustavo Cerati’s 56th Birthday







When he was 9 years old, Gustavo Cerati’s parents gave him his first guitar. Thus began the long career of one of the most unique, inspiring, and cherished Ibero-American rock musicians of all time.

Gustavo Cerati started his first band only a few years later. When Soda Stereo formed in 1982, Gustavo and his bandmates broke the mold on Latin rock, captivating Spanish-speaking audiences throughout the Americas, all the way across the ocean to Spain. After 15 years as a band, they said an emotional goodbye with El Último Concierto [The Last Concert].

Gustavo wasn’t done setting the stage for Latin rock. As a solo act, he’d release 5 albums and receive dozens of awards for his influence on Latin rock. His larger-than-life musical persona was so beloved that his passing in 2014 inspired tributes from musicians like Shakira and U2.

[9A]

Aug 5, 2015

101st Anniversary of the First Electric Traffic Signal System






The early twentieth-century intersection was a strange scene. While the world’s largest automobile manufacturer sold over 20,000 cars a month in 1914, horse-drawn wagons and carts still crowded the streets, and accidents became increasingly frequent. Intersections in major cities were congested, and traffic was directed by police officers who stood in the middle of chaotic highways waving their arms--an unenviable beat, to say the least, especially during a blustery winter in the Midwest.

A solution to the problem was woefully overdue. Gas-lit stoplights appeared in England before the turn of the century, but these had a tendency to explode, and mechanically operated signs that displayed the words “stop” and “move” still relied on traffic attendants. Enter the inspiration of today’s Doodle, the electric traffic signal, which was first installed at the corner of 105th and Euclid in Cleveland, Ohio on August 5th, 1914.

Doodler Nate Swinehart hearkens back to an earlier time with shades of black and white, and uses the background colors to make the red and green signals particularly luminous. It’s not an artistic coincidence that the cars leap forward and screech wildly to a halt, either--the yellow light wouldn’t appear for several years, and overzealous motorists had to stop on a dime.

[9A]

May 19, 2014

Rubik's Cube




The Rubik's Cube is a 3-D combination puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. Originally called the Magic Cube, the puzzle was licensed by Rubik to be sold by Ideal Toy Corp. in 1980. Rubik's Cube won the 1980 German Game of the Year special award for Best Puzzle. As of January 2009, 350 million cubes had been sold worldwide, making it the world's top-selling puzzle game. It is widely considered to be the world's best-selling toy.

[9A]

March 5, 2015

Momofuku Ando’s 105th Birthday





If you’ve ever needed to eat something quickly and cheaply, you may be familiar with this mantra:

"Peel off the lid.Pour boiling water into the cup.Let sit for three minutes.Stir well and serve.”

With these four simple steps, Taiwanese-Japanese inventor Momofuku Ando introduced to the world instant ramen, a dish that not only revolutionized food but also serves as a testament to what hard work and perseverance can achieve. Our doodle for the inventor’s 105th birthday showcases Momofuku’s efforts to make instant noodles, but don’t let the speed of the animations fool you – it took Ando years to figure out the recipe!

[9A]

7 March 2021

Celebrating Masako Katsura



Today’s Doodle celebrates ambidextrous Japanese sharpshooter Masako “The First Lady of Billiards” Katsura, who made history as the first woman to compete for an international billiards title on this day in 1952.

Born in Tokyo in 1913, Katsura picked up billiards at age 12 from her brother-in-law, a game room owner, and by 15 she was the Japanese women’s champion in straight rail—a challenging variation of carom billiards in which the cue ball must hit two balls in a row to score points. After 19, she only competed in men’s tournaments; racking up 10,000 points at one exhibition in a mind-boggling four and a half hour run.

By the time Katsura moved to the United States in 1937, word of her unprecedented talent had reached eight-time world champion Welker Cochran. He came out of retirement to challenge her in a series of three-cushion matches, an even tougher version of carom billiards, depicted in the Doodle artwork, that calls for the cue ball to hit at least three cushions before striking the two object balls for points. Katsura so impressed Welker, he organized the World Championship Billiards tournament in 1952 to watch her compete against world’s foremost billiards aficionados. Katsura upset some of the sport’s best players to finish seventh in the tournament, while the progress she made for women in a traditionally male-dominated game was a first.

To celebrate her historic achievements, Katsura was inducted into the Women’s Professional Billiard Association Hall of Fame in 1976 as one of the sport’s all-time greatest players.

So here’s to you, First Lady of Billiards! Thanks for cueing up this sport for generations of women to come.

[9A]

Mar 7, 2011

Sendung mit der Maus 40th Anniversary






Die Sendung mit der Maus [The Show with the Mouse] is a children's series on German television that has been called "the school of the nation". The show first aired on 7 March 1971. Originally called Lach- und Sachgeschichten für Fernsehanfänger ["Laughing and Learning Stories for Television Beginners"], it was controversial because German law prohibited television for children under six years of age.The program was initially condemned by teachers and childcare professionals as bad for children's development, but is now hailed for its ability to convey information to children. The show has received over 75 awards. The first doctoral dissertation on the program was written in 1991. On 7 March 1999 the program's Internet site was launched and received 2,400 e-mails and 4 million hits on the first day.

[9A]

7 December 2015

Matilde Pérez's 99th Birthday







Borrowing ideas from the kinetic style that made Matilde Pérez an internationally recognized artist, Nate Swinehart added some movement to today’s homepage. Born in 1916, Pérez painted and sculpted into her nineties, using the interplay of abstract shapes and sharp colors to create optical and aesthetic effects of motion. Today would have been her 99th birthday. Feliz cumpleaños, Matilde.

[9A]

9 Dec 2015

Whina Cooper’s 120th Birthday







When she was 18, Whina Cooper organized her first demonstration, rallying a small group to protest the leasing of land where the Maori people traditionally fished. When she was close to 80, Cooper led another protest, this time organizing thousands of people on a landmark march from the Far North to Parliament in Wellington to publicly decry the loss of millions of acres of Maori land. Not only did the march unite many different groups--a major feat at the time--, but it also attracted significant national attention, taking public awareness of Maori land rights to new heights.

Whina Cooper was an activist for most of her life. She fought tirelessly for the rights of Maori people, especially women, serving as the first president of the Maori Women’s Welfare League. In recognition of her efforts, she was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1981, and a member of the Order of New Zealand in 1991. Today, on what would have been her 120th birthday, we honor Dame Whina Cooper with a Doodle that pays tribute to her most historic achievement, that famous land march. Doodler Olivia When took inspiration from photos of the time, highlighting the fact that the march involved people of all ages, all brought together by a passionate and tenacious leader: Whina Cooper.

[9A]

9 December 2018

Sir Douglas Nicholls’ 112th Birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates Sir Douglas Nicholls, the athlete, pastor, and political leader who championed the upliftment of Australia’s Indigenous people and went on to become the first Aboriginal Australian to be knighted by the Queen of England.

Born in Yorta Yorta Country, New South Wales, on this day in 1906, Nicholls was raised in Cummeragunga Mission Station, an Aboriginal reserve on the Murray River. After receiving a basic education he worked as a “tar boy,” preparing sheep for shearing, and later joined a dredging team building levees on the river.

Although he stood just 5’2” Nicholls was a gifted athlete who won various sprinting titles, was an expert boomerang thrower, and who excelled in football. As the first Indigenous Australian to play football professionally, Nicholls endured scorn from teammates and trainers, but eventually found his team and helped the Northcote club reach the grand finals for three seasons—winning the title in 1929.

Motivated by the founder of the Australian Aborigines’ League, Sir Nicholls got involved in politics and began speaking out for the rights of Indigenous people. “I know we can proudly hold our own with others if given the chance,” Nicholls proclaimed in 1938 at Australia’s first gathering to advance the cause of Aboriginal civil rights.

In 1940, Nicholls retired as a football player due to knee injuries. Drawn to the church after the loss of his mother, he became the first pastor of Aboriginal Church of Christ in Australia. “Pastor Doug” held regular meetings that led to a thriving community center. He was appointed to a parliamentary committee which investigated abuses towards Indigenous people and edited Smoke Signals, the journal of the Aboriginal Advancement League.

In 1976 Nicholls was appointed governor of South Australia, becoming the first Indigenous Australian to hold the office. Nicholls was named a Member of the British Empire, Victorian Father of the Year, Order of the British Empire, and in 1972 traveled to London to be knighted by the Queen of England.

Happy Birthday, Sir Douglas Nicholls!

[9A]

20 December 2010

Mehmet Akif Ersoy's Birthday





Mehmet Akif Ersoy [20 December 1873 – 27 December 1936] was a Turkish poet, writer, academic, politician, and the author of the Turkish National Anthem. Widely regarded as one of the premiere literary minds of his time, Ersoy is noted for his command of the Turkish language, as well as his patriotism and role in the Turkish War of Independence.

A framed version of the national anthem by Ersoy typically occupies the wall above the blackboard in the classrooms of every public as well as most private schools around Turkey, along with a Turkish flag, a photograph of the country's founding father Atatürk, and a copy of Atatürk's speech to the nation's youth.

A university in Burdur was named after him. Ersoy's portrait was depicted on the reverse of the Turkish 100 lira banknotes of 1983–1989.

[9A]

14 Dec 2008

Shinkansen 2008






The Shinkansen, colloquially known in English as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. Initially, it was built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital, to aid economic growth and development. Beyond long-distance travel, some sections around the largest metropolitan areas are used as a commuter rail network. It is operated by five Japan Railways Group companies.

Over the Shinkansen's 50-plus-year history, carrying over 10 billion passengers, there has been not a single passenger fatality or injury on board due to derailments or collisions.

[9A]

14 December 2012

Xul Solar's 125th Birthday






Xul Solar was the adopted name of Oscar Agustín Alejandro Schulz Solari, Argentine painter, sculptor, writer, and inventor of imaginary languages.

[9A]

7 December 2014

250th Anniversary of the Hermitage Museum







The State Hermitage Museum is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is the largest art museum in the world by gallery space. it was founded in 1764 when Empress Catherine the Great acquired an impressive collection of paintings from the Berlin merchant Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky. The museum celebrates the anniversary of its founding each year on 7 December, Saint Catherine's Day. It has been open to the public since 1852. It attracted 968,604 visitors in 2020, a drop of eighty percent from 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 it ranked eleventh on the list of most visited art museums in the world.

Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display, comprise over three million items [the numismatic collection accounts for about one-third of them].The collections occupy a large complex of six historic buildings along Palace Embankment, including the Winter Palace, a former residence of Russian emperors. Apart from them, the Menshikov Palace, Museum of Porcelain, Storage Facility at Staraya Derevnya, and the eastern wing of the General Staff Building are also part of the museum. The museum has several exhibition centers abroad. The Hermitage is a federal state property. Since July 1992, the director of the museum has been Mikhail Piotrovsky.

Of the six buildings in the main museum complex, five—namely the Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage, New Hermitage, and Hermitage Theatre—are open to the public. The entrance ticket for foreign tourists costs more than the fee paid by citizens of Russia and Belarus. However, entrance is free of charge the third Thursday of every month for all visitors, and free daily for students and children. The museum is closed on Mondays. The entrance for individual visitors is located in the Winter Palace, accessible from the Courtyard.

[9A]

7 December 2016

Abd al-Rahman Al-Sufi's [Azophi] 1113th Birthday



Abd al-Rahman Al-Sufi forever changed the way we look at the stars in the sky. As one of the world’s most influential astronomers, he dedicated his life to furthering our understanding of the stars and constellations. The lunar crater "Azophi" and the minor planet "12621 Alsufi" are named after him.

One of Al-Sufi's greatest works involved fact-checking the Greek astronomer Ptolemy's measurements of the brightness and size of stars. In the year 964 AD, Al-Sufi published his findings in a book titled Kitab al-Kawatib al-Thabit al-Musawwar, or The Book of Fixed Stars. In many cases, he confirmed Ptolemy’s discoveries, but he also improved upon his work by illustrating the constellations and correcting some of Ptolemy’s observations about the brightness of stars.

Today's Doodle celebrates Al-Sufi on what would be his 1,113th birthday with a representation of the constellation Cancer, also known as “the crab.” The artwork closely mirrors what appeared in Al-Sufi’s manuscript, The Book of Fixed Stars.The words around the crabs indicate the cardinal directions of North, South, East, and West, with the smaller labels providing additional assistance in viewing the constellations.

More than a millennium later, Al-Sufi's keen observations and detailed work still informs our view of the night sky.

[9A]

4 May 2012

Keith Haring's 54th Birthday







In the early 1980s, as a native Manhattanite raised by and among artists, I was aware of Keith Haring and his work, but my 1984 job interview would be the first time we would meet. After some awkward small talk, we quickly realized that we had many friends and social activities in common. At that age [we were both just 25], such things meant a great deal. He hired me as his personal assistant and studio manager, and I worked alongside him until his premature death from AIDS-related illnesses in 1990. We shared many interests, worked well together, and established a deep, reciprocal trust. When he became ill and decided to create the Keith Haring Foundation, I was honored to accept his offer to be its executive director. I have now held that position for 23 years, and my responsibility and privilege is to promote and manage a legacy: respecting past connections and relationships, cultivating and nurturing new ones, staying true to Keith's artistic and philanthropic goals, and doing whatever is needed to ensure his place in history.

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

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

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

Julia Gruen, Executive Direct of the Keith Haring Foundation




Tower [1987] mural at Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital in Paris, France




The Boxers [1987] sculpture in Berlin, Germany




Barking dog sculpture by Haring in Dortmund, Germany




Tuttomondo [1989] mural at the church of Sant'Antonio Abate in Pisa, Italy




Haring painting a mural at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1986

[9A]

4 May 2016

Jane Jacobs’ 100th birthday




Happy Birthday Jane Jacobs!

“Why have cities not, long since, been identified, understood and treated as problems of organized complexity?”




Jane Jacobs was a self-taught journalist and community organizer that supported keeping the city of New York diverse in shape and function. She stood by beloved neighborhoods that were unjustly slated for "renewal" and revealed political biases in the permit process for new projects. In Jacob's opinion, cities are for the people, and they're safest when residents mingle on the street and in local businesses.



Jacobs developed her philosophy through living and interacting with the city itself, and described life on the city streets as a kind of social ballet. Her book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities [1961] still sits in the American Library of Congress. Today's Doodle honors the 100th birthday of this fierce protector of New York City's urban landscape.

[9A]

18 Sept 2017

55th Anniversary of Khao Yai National Park







Today we celebrate the 55th anniversary of one of Thailand’s treasures, Khao Yai National Park. Khao Yai is the oldest national Park in Thailand, nestled in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, about 3 hours outside of Bangkok. With the help of renowned Thai conservationist, Boonsong Lekakul, the Thai government declared the park protected land on September 18, 1962. The sprawling 837 square mile park is a treasure to visitors from around the world.

Today’s slideshow Doodle will take you on a journey through the park to catch a glimpse of wildlife unique to Thailand, such as gaurs, ottors, and gibbons. Khao Yai is a sanctuary for over 70 types of mammals, including elephants, bears, and deer, as well as hundreds of species of birds. Visitors are even known to come across macaque monkeys in the winding roads as they venture into the park! Khao Yai is also home to magnificent waterfalls, hiking trails, and even white water rafting.

If you’re planning a visit to the park, you’re not alone – Khao Yai welcomes over a million visitors each year to take in nature, seek out wildlife sightings, and sleep under the stars. As a place with so many natural wonders to behold, we celebrate the 55 years of Khao Yai and hope for many more to come.
Today we celebrate the 55th anniversary of one of Thailand’s treasures, Khao Yai National Park. Khao Yai is the oldest national Park in Thailand, nestled in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, about 3 hours outside of Bangkok. With the help of renowned Thai conservationist, Boonsong Lekakul, the Thai government declared the park protected land on September 18, 1962. The sprawling 837 square mile park is a treasure to visitors from around the world.

[9A]

1 Jul 2017

Canada National Day 2017





On July 1, 1867, the British North America Act was passed, uniting the three distinct colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Originally called Dominion Day, Canada Day was not officially celebrated until its 50th anniversary in 1917.


The diversity of those three distinct colonies was not lost or diminished. Canadians take great pride in their country’s multicultural, integrated, and inclusive citizenship. In recognition of these fundamental beliefs, Canada enacted the Multiculturalism Policy of Canada in 1971. The first of its kind in the world, this policy confirmed the rights of Aboriginal peoples and the status of Canada’s two official languages.

Today’s Doodle depicts celebratory desserts that reflect the country’s vast regional and ethnic diversity by highlighting the 13 provinces and territories. Bonne Fête Canada! Indulge your sweet tooth with the delights depicted in the Doodle:


German krapfen
Chinese mooncake
Portuguese pasteis
Italian tiramisu
English jelly
French chocolate eclairs
Turkish delight
Spanish churros
Inuit bannock
Punjab jalebi
American doughnuts

[9A]

23 March 2017

Hassan Fathy’s 117th birthday







Today's Doodle celebrates Hassan Fathy, an Egyptian architect known for pioneering new methods, respecting tradition, and valuing all walks of life. Fathy is known to be a poet, musician, and inventor, but he spent his life's work in architecture, after training in Cairo.

At the beginning of his career, Fathy focused on teaching architecture to others, but soon began to take on architectural projects of his own. He was convinced that Egypt could look to its past to create a valuable future. He researched ancient methods of building, and began working with traditional materials like mud and earth. He made use of traditional structures as well, relying on archways for strong support and malqaf, or windcatchers, which take in natural ventilation through open windows and direct air throughout a home.

Beyond preserving Egypt's architectural legacy, Fathy trusted in the power of community to look after itself. He trained community members to create their own materials from scratch and build their own structures, so that they would be able to sustain their homes long after Fathy was gone. In this way, he was invested in more than building homes - he was building communities. For his ambitious New Gourna project in Luxor, he built diverse homes with the understanding that different families would have different needs. He also built a theater, school, market, and mosque, since a community is based on more than houses. His work in Egypt and beyond inspired others all over the world to find innovative ways to respect their local traditions and resources.

Today’s Doodle honors Fathy’s legacy on what would have been his 117th birthday. In the Doodle, see if you can find the traditional adobe process, a woman planting shrubs, geese and cows, and Hassan Fathy himself shaking hands with a member of his community!