Google doodles

[9A]

June 29, 2021

Pedro Linares López’s 115th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 115th birthday of a Mexican artist who turned his dreams into reality, Pedro Linares López. His peculiar yet playful animal sculptures known as alebrijes are beloved worldwide as unique products of Mexico’s folk art tradition.

Pedro Linares López was born in Mexico City, Mexico on this day in 1906. His father worked as a papier-mâché sculptor, or cartonero, and he trained Linares to follow in his footsteps. By the time Linares was 12 years old, he had become a skilled craftsman of papier-mâché items like piñatas and the traditional skeletal figures called calaveras which are featured in the annual Day of the Dead celebration.

In 1945, as Linares tells the story, he became very sick and drifted into a fever dream. There he encountered fantastical creatures who shouted in unison a nonsensical phrase “Alebrijes!” Upon his recovery, he set out to represent these mythical beings in sculpture. The jarring sculptures initially met little success, until over time, Linares refined his alebrijes into the colorfully patterned combinations of reptiles, insects, birds, and mammals recognized today in today’s Doodle artwork. As his reputation grew, he attracted the admiration of the iconic Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, but it was a 1975 documentary about Linares by the filmmaker Judith Bronowski that elevated him to international fame.

In 1990, Linares was honored with the first Mexican National Prize in Arts and Sciences in the category of Popular Art and Traditions.

Thank you, Pedro Linares López, for showing us the power of imagination!

[9A]

Oct 22, 2008

50th Anniversary of Deltawerken







The Delta Works [Dutch: Deltawerken] is a series of construction projects in the southwest of the Netherlands to protect a large area of land around the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta from the sea. Constructed between 1954 and 1997, the works consist of dams, sluices, locks, dykes, levees, and storm surge barriers located in the provinces of South Holland and Zeeland.

The aim of the dams, sluices, and storm surge barriers was to shorten the Dutch coastline, thus reducing the number of dikes that had to be raised. Along with the Zuiderzee Works, the Delta Works have been declared one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

[9A]

October 9, 2015

605th Anniversary of Prague astronomical clock




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

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




Old Town Square and Prague
Astronomical Clock

[9A]

Oct 11, 2019

Maria Firmina dos Reis’ 194th Birthday







“It is horrible to remember that human creatures treat their fellow men like this,” wrote Brazilian author and educator Maria Firmina dos Reis in her 1859 abolitionist novel, Úrsula. Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Porto Alegre and Berlin-based guest-artist Nik Neves, celebrates the life and work of a black woman who boldly spoke out against slavery at a time when few others would dare.

Born on the island of São Luís in Maranhão on this day in 1825, not long after Brazil declared independence from Portugal, Maria was the daughter of a black slave and a Brazilian woman. She grew up to become her nation’s first novelist.

Growing up in her aunt’s house on the mainland, Maria was raised by her mother and grandmother, attaining much of her education at home. Her cousin Sotero dos Reis became a famous writer and teacher, and Maria began teaching primary school at age 22. She eventually founded the country’s first free and mixed school, a radical concept before the passage of the 1888 “Golden Law” ending slavery in Brazil.

Maria published poetry, essays, stories, and puzzles in local newspapers and journals, as well as composing abolitionist songs. Published under the name Uma Maranhense [“a Maranhão woman”], Úrsula depicted slaves as human beings longing for freedom and exposed the evils of those who profited from the slave trade. Now recognized as the first Afro-Brazilian novel, the pseudonymous work fell into obscurity before being revived in the 1960s. Úrsula has since been reprinted, inspiring a new appreciation for this pioneering thinker and activist.

[9A]

October 11, 2016

Edgar Negret’s 96th birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates Edgar Negret, a Colombian sculptor known for depicting abstract nature scenes out of intricate metalwork. The second "o" in “Google” features some of his signature sculptures.

In 1957 Negret created one of his most famous sculpture series, “Aparatos mágicos,” or Magical Apparatuses. The magical realism of these sculptures showcase Negret’s style, which would become a major part of Colombia’s fine arts scene.

Many of Negret’s sculptures can now be found in his hometown of Popayán, Colombia, in the house where he lived, which now serves as the Negret House Museum. On the 96th anniversary of Negret’s birth, we remember his dedication to art, nature, and Colombia.

[9A]

November 1, 2017

Hannah Höch’s 128th Birthday





If a picture is worth a thousand words, Hannah Höch’s pioneering photomontages speak volumes about gender stereotypes and politics, especially during the Weimar Republic era.

Born on this day in 1889, in Gotha, Thuringia, Germany, Höch was the only female member of the Berlin Dada movement, an avant-garde band of artists that rejected the conventional German Expressionist aesthetic of the moment. As a student, Höch studied applied arts, including glass design, painting, and graphic design. Her romantic involvement with Austrian artist Raoul Hausmann introduced her to the inner circle of Dada artists, inspiring her later photomontage [or fotomontage] collage work.

Höch showed her most famous photomontage, Cut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany, at the First International Dada Fair in 1920. Juxtaposing fragmented images culled from newspapers and magazines, including bits and pieces of movie star Pola Negri, philosopher Karl Marx, and a map of European countries where women could vote, this large-scale piece conveyed her stance on women’s roles in society, art-world misogyny, and current affairs. Later works further revealed Höch’s incisive perspective as a 1920s New Woman who lived by her own rules.

Created by Berlin-based collage artist Patrick Bremer, today’s Doodle uses photomontage imagery and the feeling of brushstrokes to capture Höch’s likeness as one of her own collage characters. “Höch and many other Dadaists have long been an influence in my work, as I expect she is to most artists working in collage,” says Bremer. “Taking on this project meant delving back into her work and visiting it in person at the Berlinische Gallery, and it has been fascinating to surround myself with her unique dada vision of the world.”

Happy birthday, Hannah Höch!

[9A]

11 August 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.

In today’s Doodle drawn by Kevin Laughlin, Gustavo strums his guitar while we thank him with his iconic words, “Gracias totales!” Take a listen to Gustavo Cerati and the musicians he influenced on his Google Play Music radio channel.

[9A]

16 June 2013

Father's Day 2013




Music: "Vegas Glitz" by Kevin MacLeod

[9A]

16 June 2007

Father's Day 2007

[9A]

16 June 2019

Father's Day 2019 [Multiple Countries]

[9A]

17 June 2012

Father's Day, 17 June 2012
[plus some past Father's Days]





What can we get our folks for Mothers/Fathers day right? We've given them tools, ties, flowers, drawings, letter pressed cards [last year's doodle] all classic gifts that they never seem to get tired of. This year we thought why not give Mom and Dad something a little more special... an animated doodle!

For fathers day the team and I brainstormed ideas like learning to ride a bike [across the homepage] or going to the game, maybe learning to tie a bow tie, pretend shaving... moments we'll remember sharing with our dads forever. Above are some of the sketches I drew up after our brainstorm.

I personally have always been a fan of giving my dad a coffee mug... especially one showing off his 'best dad on the planet' status A functional gift made of perfectly spun ceramic that'll let dads enjoy their favorite hot drink.

Dads everywhere would enjoy a #1 coffee mug right? Delivered by a remote controlled, kid assembled, state of the art robot, right? Is that too geeky and googley? Yes. It's perfect. Above are storyboards showing some of the steps in the animation. 1: Dad reads the paper as robot carrying coffee mug appears from behind couch 2: Dad looks on in delight 3: Robot arm extends around revealing #1printed on the mug [while revealing kid controlling the robot from behind dad's chair] 4: Dad's surprised and very proud of his kid... offering up a hi-five and a hug of approval. Happy Fathers Day to all the #1 Dads out there! Thanks for all you've done. We love you!

[9A]

17 June 2015

130th Anniversary of France delivering the
Statue of Liberty to the United States




Born in France, made in the USA. Relive the creation of the Statue of Liberty on the Google Cultural Institute.

Nearly 130 years ago, France gifted the U.S. with one of the most prolific symbols of freedom the world over. Since then, it has welcomed millions of people searching for a new life on unfamiliar shores.

Today, the Statue of Liberty is more than just a symbol of solidarity. It’s a reminder that all countries thrive on the exchange of ideas and culture. The National Park Service's dedication to maintaining and restoring the statue ensures that message will live on.

Though the statue was actually shipped in separate pieces and then assembled upon delivery, we've drawn a more playful take on the occasion by portraying Lady Liberty crossing the Atlantic fully constructed on a steamer much too small for her.

[9A]

17 June 2015

Father's Day 2015 [Guatemala, El Salvador]




Happy Father’s Day to dads of all shapes, sizes, and species! Today’s Doodle represents the universality of familial love. I had a few separate concepts, some with animals, some with people, and looking at them all, I thought it would be fun to try to tie them together.

I was working on Mother’s and Father’s day simultaneously, so it made sense to keep them in a similar style and theme. Plus, once I started coming up with animal-related antics it was hard to stop.

Once I settled on the concept I did a quick rough pass at animation to make sure it would work visually. I decided to go with a watercolor texture because I think there’s something very comforting and familiar about it, that shows a more human hand.

Thank you to dads everywhere, for carrying us until we've learned to stand on our own, and sometimes even after.

Olivia When, Doodler

[9A]

17 June 2022

Father's Day 2022 [17 June]

[9A]

17 June 2016

Father's Day 2016 [El Salvador, Guatemala]

[9A]

15 June 2015

800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta




It’s 1215 in Runnymede, England. On the banks of the River Thames, King John sits nervously with a group of powerful barons. The mood at the negotiation table is tense, and the country teeters on the precipice of civil war. It’s no wonder the barons are hot under the collar--for years, the despotic King John has been doling out prison sentences with impunity, and the barons have descended upon him to demand their rights be recognized.

The ensuing negotiations would result in the sealing of the Magna Carta. For the first time, a monarch entered a written contract that limited his power and made him answerable to his subjects. This was a profound idea, and one that would inspire political thinkers in some of history’s most pivotal moments.

Despite its significance as a symbol of democracy, little of the original agreement dealt with liberty or universal freedom, and most of it was eventually changed or cut. When the dust of antiquity settled, however, what remained was one of its most important contributions: the right to due process. Protection against illegal imprisonment was one of the cornerstones of this agreement. Doodler Matt Cruickshank has captured a cartoon interpretation of the scene with today’s doodle as post-sealing an unjustly detained baron finds an unlikely ally in the King’s knight and scurries to freedom.

[9A]

15 June 2014

World Cup 2014 #9 and Father's Day




Having a ball with my dad on Father’s Day!

[9A]

15 June 2021

Doodle for Google 2021 – US Winner


“I am strong because I have hope. I once asked my father how he overcame obstacles and became who he wanted to be. He replied, ‘Hope, hope keeps me strong.’"


Today we congratulate the U.S. 2021 Doodle for Google contest winner—Kentucky-based 11th grader Milo Golding! Milo’s winning artwork was recently announced on NBC’s TODAY show and is featured on the U.S. Google homepage today for 24 hours.





Milo wants his Doodle to inspire hope and encourage others to overcome obstacles in the face of life’s hardships. After losing his dad at 13 due to a heart attack, holding onto hope helped him overcome grief, and now he supports other children in similar situations. Through his charity Sanguine Path, he serves children 18 and under who have lost loved ones by providing them with holiday gifts, care packages and back-to-school kits.

As the U.S. 2021 Doodle for Google contest national winner, Milo has won a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology package for his school.

Congrats again to Milo! And thank you again to the thousands of students across the US who shared what makes them strong with us this year!

To all upcoming K-12 teachers, parents, and students: be sure to bookmark our website for updates around the 2022 Doodle for Google contest, set to open again this Fall.

Keep on Doodling!

[9A]

19 June 2023

Juneteenth 2023


Today’s Doodle celebrates Juneteenth and was created by guest artist illustrator Laura Freeman. On this day in 1865 Black enslaved people in Galveston, Texas received news of their liberation through the Emancipation Proclamation. The executive order mandated the end of slavery in Confederate states and marked the official end of the Civil War.

When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, several confederate-controlled states including Texas, continued to oppose it. Union troops marched to the port city of Galveston and issued the now-famous General Orders, Number 3, which informed hundreds of thousands of Black Texans of their freedom. Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas in 1980 and a national federal holiday in June 2021.

Every year, Black Americans acknowledge Juneteenth with events and gatherings that honor the struggles of those who came before and the ongoing efforts to build a more just and equitable country. Today’s artwork depicts a multi-generational community celebration of the holiday with symbols of freedom including a dove, Juneteenth flag and Kente cloth patterns.

Happy Juneteenth!

[9A]

June 19, 2020

155th Anniversary of Juneteenth





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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[9A]

19 June 2021

Juneteenth 2021



Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Detroit-based guest artist Rachelle Baker, honors Juneteenth, an annual federal holiday celebrating the liberation of Black enslaved people in the United States. On this day in 1865, enslaved people in Galveston, Texas received news of the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order that mandated the end of slavery in Confederate states during the American Civil War.

Despite its passage on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation remained opposed for years by several states still under Confederate control. Texas represented the westernmost edge of the Confederate territories and was thus among the American regions with the least Union presence. It was in the Lone Star State’s port town of Galveston that some 1,800 Union troops finally arrived to establish Union authority on June 19, 1865.

Here, the now-famous “General Orders, Number 3” was dispatched, which proclaimed the end of slavery to over 250,000 Black Texans. Although this decree did not guarantee immediate independence or equality for Texas’s Black community, an unprecedented freedom and civil rights movement followed in its wake–the legacy of which persists today.

Today’s Doodle artwork celebrates joy within the Black community, as well as the perseverance foundational to this journey toward liberation. With each letter, the Doodle transitions from historical Juneteenth parades to modern-day traditions such as education through storytelling, outdoor gatherings with family and friends, and commemorative festivals and parades. These scenes of celebration and community are brightened by bluebonnets—the state flower of Texas—and forget-me-nots that are layered upon backgrounds of decorative ironwork commonly found on buildings throughout the southern states. This ironwork highlights the often forgotten contributions made by enslaved Black Americans and symbolizes their strength and resilience.

While Juneteenth recognizes over a century and a half of progress, it also reminds Americans to continue to build a more equitable and unified nation.

Happy Juneteenth!

[9A]

20 June 2022

Juneteenth 2022





Today’s Doodle, illustrated by father-son artist duo Jerome and Jeromyah Jones, commemorates Juneteenth, an annual federal holiday that celebrates the liberation of Black enslaved people in the United States. On this day in 1865, over 250,000 enslaved people in Galveston, Texas received news of their freedom, marking the official end of the Civil War.

Although the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln in early 1863, many Black Americans were kept enslaved in the western-most Confederate states like Texas. General Granger, and his Union troops, marched to Texas and issued General Order No. 3, which announced the news of the Proclamation.

Upon hearing the news, former slaves became free Americans by executive decree, and many migrated north in search of new lives and in hopes of reuniting their families torn apart by slavery. In 1866, thousands traveled back to Galveston on June 19 in recognition of their newfound freedom, calling the gathering Jubilee Day. In 1872, when faced with backlash for their pilgrimage back to the island city, a group of Black Americans purchased 10 acres of land in Houston and named it Emancipation Park. It was devoted specifically as a Juneteenth celebration site and is still around to this day.

Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas in 1980. When Juneteenth was officially named a national federal holiday in June 2021, the city of Galveston dedicated a 5,000 square-foot mural titled “Absolute Equality” near the location where General Granger announced the news of freedom.

All throughout the country, Black Americans celebrate Juneteenth with parades, gatherings, and marches that honor the struggles of those who came before and the futures of those who continue to pave the way forward. This year, Juneteenth falls on Father’s Day in the U.S. and today’s Doodle artwork pays homage to this bridge between multiple generations, exploring education, joy, community, and the meaning of emancipation.

Juneteenth is a holiday meant for remembrance and resilience, and a call-to-action for progress towards a more just, unified and equitable nation.

Happy Juneteenth!



Today’s Doodle was illustrated by guest artists Jerome and Jeromyah Jones, a father-son duo based in Virginia.

[9A]

8 February 2023

Celebrating Mama Cax


Cacsmy Brutus [November 20, 1989 – December 16, 2019], known as Mama Cax, was a Haitian American model and disability rights activist.

In honor of Black History Month, today's Doodle celebrates Haitian American model and disability rights advocate Mama Cax. Illustrated by Brooklyn-based guest artist Lyne Lucien, Mama Cax is best known for shattering expectations around beauty. The model and advocate proudly strutted down catwalks on her prosthetic leg, often designed with colors and patterns. On this day in 2019, Mama Cax made her debut on a runway at New York Fashion Week.

Mama Cax was born Cacsmy Brutus on November 20, 1989, in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. At age 14, she was diagnosed with bone and lung cancer. As a result of her cancer, she underwent an unsuccessful hip replacement surgery at age 16 which led to the amputation of her right leg. At first, Mama Cax was depressed and struggled to accept herself with a prosthetic leg, as she wanted it to look realistic and match her skin tone.

As time passed, Mama Cax began accepting and loving her new body. She started wearing stylish prosthetic covers with pride incorporating it as part of her personal style. She also began expressing her love for fashion and style with colorful outfits, hair dyes, and bold makeup. During this time of embracing her disability, Cax also leaned into her athleticism and learned to handcycle — she went on to complete the New York City Marathon!

As the body positivity movement grew, Mama Cax noticed that Black women and women with disabilities were underrepresented in social media. She began posting regularly and advocating for inclusivity in fashion and using social media to discuss her body insecurities. She officially broke into the fashion industry as a model in an advertising campaign in 2017 and was signed by Jag Models shortly after. In 2018, she landed a Teen Vogue cover, and the following year, Mama Cax walked in both the February and October New York Fashion Weeks.

Mama Cax’s life was tragically cut short by medical complications in 2019. The model and activist is remembered for expanding the image of what people with disabilities should be or look like. Today’s vibrant Doodle artwork is a reflection of her bright life. The artwork highlights the many facets of her identity including her Haitian heritage, her NYC hometown, and her fashion career with her prosthetic incorporated into the look.

Thank you for being a positive role model and advocating for inclusion in the fashion and beauty world, Mama Cax.

[9A]

18 February 2021

Audre Lorde's 87th birthday






Audre Lorde was an American writer, feminist, librarian, and civil rights activist. She was a self-described "Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet," who dedicated both her life and her creative talent to confronting and addressing injustices of racism, sexism, classism, capitalism, heterosexism, and homophobia.

In honor of U.S. Black History Month, today’s Doodle—illustrated by Los Angeles-based guest artist Monica Ahanonu—celebrates internationally-acclaimed American poet, feminist, professor, and civil rights champion Audre Lorde, a key figure of the Black and LGBTQ+ cultural movements of 20th century. For Lorde, poetry was more than just a form of emotional expression, it was a way of life–providing the vehicle for her lifetime advocacy against discrimination and racial injustice.

Audre Geraldin Lorde was born the daughter of Caribbean immigrants on this day in 1934 in Harlem, New York City. Introverted as a child, she learned how to read and write from her neighborhood librarian Augusta Baker, who influenced her profoundly. Poetry soon became second nature for Lorde. When asked how she was, her response was often a poem she had memorized, and by eighth grade, she began to write her own verse.

A precocious student, she became the first Black student at Hunter High School, a public school for gifted girls. Her 1951 love poem “Spring” was rejected as unsuitable by the school’s literary journal, but was printed by Seventeen magazine when she was just 15—making it her first published poem. Lorde went on to earn her Master's of Library Science from Columbia University in 1961, and continued to write poetry as a librarian and English teacher in New York public schools throughout the ‘60s.

Describing herself as a “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet” Lorde emerged as an essential voice in the confrontation of homophobia and racism when she published her first collection of poems, ”The First Cities” [1968]. Throughout her career, Lorde published poetry that explored identity and sexuality, while demanding social and racial justice—not only in the United States, but also abroad.

Between 1984 and 1992, Lorde spent extensive time in West Germany teaching poetry at the Free University in Berlin and organizing the local feminist movement. While in Germany, Lorde led numerous lectures and workshops on feminism, homophobia, classism, and racism. She also connected and mentored Black German women, encouraging them to define and own their identities; Lorde’s guidance was influential in sparking the Afro-German movement of the ‘80s.

Poetry wasn’t the only literary medium that Lorde was fluent in; she also earned great acclaim for her prose. Her book “Sister Outsider” [1984] is a notable collection of her essays and speeches—including “Learning from the 60s” [excerpts of which are featured in today’s Doodle artwork]. In this speech and throughout her career, Lorde explored how the complexities of contemporary social justice activism lie at the intersections of our individual differences, which include gender, class, race, and sexuality. She noted that personal identity isn’t shaped by a single factor, rather that it’s the result of the myriad aspects of experience exclusive to each individual. Lorde felt that understanding this concept was the best way to make progress against oppression; understanding that the prejudices others face vary greatly from person to person, as they are unique to their own life’s journey. Lorde is often regarded as one of the forefront voices of intersectionality and its role within the global feminist movement.

For her literary achievements, Audre Lorde was awarded the American Book Award in 1989. She was later honored as the poet laureate of New York State through the Walt Whitman Citation of Merit in 1991.

Happy birthday, Audre Lorde!

[9A]

22 October 2021

Celebrating Theodor Wonja Michael





Today’s Doodle celebrates Afro-German author, journalist, actor, government official, and social activist Theodor Wonja Michael, who survived a German labor camp to become the nation’s first Black federal civil service officer. Dedicated throughout his wide-ranging career to the struggle against racism, he lived to become one of the oldest remaining representatives of a historic generation of Black German people. On this day in 2013, Michael published his emotive memoir “Black German: An Afro-German Life in the Twentieth Century.”

In 1925, Theodor Wonja Michael was born on January 15 in Berlin, Germany to a father of Cameroonian birth and a native German mother. After elementary school, he was denied occupational training due to Germany’s discriminatory Nuremberg Laws. He pursued acting instead, but at 18 he was sent to work in a forced labor camp.

After the end of World War II, Michael went on to earn a master’s degree in political science. He pursued a career in journalism and founded and edited the journal “Afrika-Bulletin.” In 1971, he agreed to contribute his expertise of African issues to West Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service, where he worked as a secret agent and retired as a director in 1987. Initially hesitant to join, Michael used his government service to fight discrimination from within and open doors for other Black Germans. He eventually returned to acting and became one of Germany’s most renowned Shakespearean stage actors.

In honor of his role as a representative of the Black German community, Michael became the first recipient of the nation’s Black History Month Award in 2009.

Thank you, Theodor Wonja Michael! Your story continues to inspire new generations to stand firm in the fight against racial prejudice.

[9A]

1 December 2022

Gerald "Jerry" Lawson's 82nd Birthday







Today’s interactive game Doodle celebrates the 82nd birthday of Gerald “Jerry” Lawson, one of the fathers of modern gaming who led the team that developed the first home video gaming system with interchangeable game cartridges. The Doodle features games designed by three American guest artists and game designers: Davionne Gooden, Lauren Brown, and Momo Pixel.

Lawson was born in Brooklyn, New York on this day in 1940. He tinkered with electronics from an early age, repairing televisions around his neighborhood and creating his own radio station using recycled parts. He attended Queens College and City College of New York before departing early to start his career in Palo Alto, California. At the time, the city and its surrounding region had become known as “Silicon Valley” due to the explosion of new, innovative tech companies starting up in the area.

Upon arriving in California, Lawson joined Fairchild Semiconductor as an engineering consultant. A few years later, Lawson was promoted to Director of Engineering and Marketing of Fairchild’s video game department where he led the development of the Fairchild Channel F system [the “F” stood for fun!]. This was the first home video game system console that featured interchangeable game cartridges, an 8-way digital joystick and a pause menu. The Channel F paved the way for future gaming systems like the Atari, SNES, Dreamcast and more.

In 1980, Lawson left Fairchild to start his own company, VideoSoft—one of the earliest Black-owned video game development companies. The company created software for the Atari 2600, which popularized the cartridge Lawson and his team developed. Although they closed five years later, Lawson had solidified himself as a pioneer in the industry and continued to consult multiple engineering and video game companies throughout the rest of his career.

In 2011, the International Game Developers Association recognized Lawson as an industry trailblazer for his contributions to gaming. The University of Southern California also created the Gerald A. Lawson Fund to support underrepresented students who wish to pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees in game design or computer science. Lawson’s achievements are memorialized at the World Video Game Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York.

Here’s to you, Jerry!

[9A]

April 20, 2021

Luther Vandross's 70th Birthday





Today’s video Doodle, created by Atlanta-based guest artist Sam Bass, celebrates the 70th birthday of multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer Luther Vandross—the “Velvet Voice” whose silky-smooth tenor ballads romanced generations with inimitable style and grace.

Born on this day in 1951 in New York City, Luther Ronzoni Vandross grew up inspired by soul music giants such as Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, and Dionne Warwick. At the age of five, he showed a sharp interest in singing, often using the coin-operated recording booths found in stores sprinkled throughout New York City at the time. He truly knew music was his destiny after a Warwick performance blew him away at 13—so he began to write his own songs. After high school, Vandross showcased his tunes at Amateur Night at Harlem’s Apollo Theater. Although he never won first place, he joined the theater’s performing arts group “Listen My Brother Revue,” who sang on the 1969 pilot episode of the children’s show “Sesame Street” and gave Vandross his first taste of widespread exposure.

Vandross’s next big break came when his original composition “Everybody Rejoice” was featured in “The Wiz,” a 1974 Broadway musical later adapted into an Academy Award-winning film. From there, Vandross launched himself into dozens of collaborative projects with artists like David Bowie, Ringo Starr, Whitney Houston, and Ben E. King. His knack for infectious hooks also landed him gigs singing commercial jingles for Juicy Fruit and several other major brands.

In 1981, Vandross launched his solo career and took full creative control to compose, write, and produce his debut studio album “Never Too Much”—the soundtrack of today’s Doodle and the first of 14 studio albums that went either platinum or multi-platinum! A fine-tuned maestro of performance, Vandross took his passionate songs on world-wide tours, where he poured his style into all aspects of live production, from the design of background singers sparkling gowns to the mood-setting stage lights. In 1989, Vandross’s devotion to the live experience set an international milestone when he became the first male artist to sell out 10 consecutive shows at London’s Wembley Arena.

Vandross’s successful music career culminated in eight Grammy Awards [out of 33 nominations], a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a 1997 Super Bowl half-time show performance, and eight Billboard Top 10 albums.

Happy birthday, Luther Vandross! The joy your music brings to the world is never too much.

Special thanks to the family of Luther Vandross for their collaboration on this project. Below they share their thoughts on the Doodle and Luther Vandross’s legacy.

It is a true reflection of Luther Vandross’s musical legacy around the world to be honored by Google with an animated video Doodle that fittingly captures the joy Luther has brought the world. Luther made each of his songs about one simple, universal subject—love; an emotion and feeling common to the human experience no matter who you are, where you’re from or what you look like.

No one else has expressed this emotion, in song, at the level Luther did for over 35 years. To have Google broadcast that around the world is a wonderful showcase of his immeasurable talent.

[9A]

12 May 2022

Mazisi Kunene's 92nd birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 92nd birthday of Mazisi Kunene, an anti-apartheid activist and South African poet laureate whose work recorded the history of the Zulu people.

Kunene was born and raised in Durban, an eastern South African province now called KwaZulu-Natal. As a child, he loved writing short stories and poetry in Zulu. By age 11, he was publishing his writings in local newspapers and magazines. As he grew older, he became a strong advocate for the preservation of indigenous Zulu poetic traditions. His master’s thesis notably critiqued how Western literary traditions were diluting Zulu literature.

At the start of apartheid, Kunene used his works to resist the government’s racist segregation system. When South African government reacted with violence toward the resistance movement in 1959, and exiled Kunene, he fled to the U.K. [and later the USA], where he helped start anti-apartheid movement. During this time, his work was banned in South Africa.

In exile, Kunene went on to publish monumental works of literature such as “Emperor Shaka the Great,” “Anthem of the Decades” and “The Ancestors and the Sacred Mountain.” His work is known for exploring South African culture, religion and history in the context of colonialism, apartheid and slavery.

In 1975, Kunene became an African literature professor at University of California, Los Angeles, where he taught for nearly two decades. He also served as a cultural advisor to UNESCO during this time.

Post-apartheid, Kunene returned to South Africa to continue writing in isiZulu. In 1993, UNESCO honored him as Africa’s poet laureate. He later also became the first poet laureate of democratic South Africa. His legacy lives on not only in his poetry, but also the Mazisi Kunene Foundation Trust, which is dedicated to nurturing Africa’s next generation of literary talent.

Happy birthday, Mazisi Kunene!

[9A]

20 Jun 2023

Magdalena Abakanowicz's 93rd Birthday


Is it a tapestry or a sculpture? Magdalena Abakanowicz’s figures of woven fiber broke the mold when she pioneered a new category of art known as Abakans. Today’s Doodle celebrates the Polish sculptor and multi-element artist. On this day in 1930, Abakanowicz was born in Poland.

She belongs to the generation of artists whose childhood ended with the outbreak of World War II, and were forced into maturity at a young age. The impacts of her abbreviated childhood were many–sided and included a unique worldview that influenced her art.

Abakanowicz graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw in 1954, initially painting 3 × 4 m gouaches on canvas. In the 1960s she created a series of monumental soft sculptures. Traditionally flat and hung on a wall, she turned fabric into three-dimensional forms that filled a room when hung — these flexible sculptures were called Abakans [based on the creator's last name]. They earned her the top prize at the 1965 São Paulo International Art Biennale and made Abakanowicz an internationally-acclaimed artist.

From the 1970s onward, the major topic of her work became the human condition. The artist was inspired by “The Crowd” sociological phenomenon — the idea that crowds act as a whole and individuals lose their individuality within it. Taking this idea, Abakanowicz began to create more than a thousand figures, or rather, human trunks, over the years. The raw materials used by the artist comprised sack fabric and bronze. Her collection Agora, a group of 106 iron cast figures, is considered her most important statement about humanity and is permanently installed at Chicago Grant Park.

Prestigious museums and exhibitions across the world have featured Abakanowicz’s work. More than 100 one-person exhibitions were organized in museums and art galleries across Europe, both Americas, Japan, and Australia, day. She won many awards for her art, notably the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Sculpture Center in New Jersey, the Award for Distinction in Sculpture from the Sculpture Center in New York, and the Commander Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta in Poland. Her rich body of artwork is now under the care of the Marta Magdalena Abakanowicz Kosmowska and Jan Kosmowski Foundation, based in Warsaw.

Happy birthday Magdalena Abakanowicz, thank you for sharing the fabric of your life with the world.

[9A]

20 Jun 2020

Swedish Midsummer 2020



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

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

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

Glad Midsommar! HOP-py Midsummer!

[9A]

20 June 2023

Maria Luisa Aguilar's 85th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 85th birthday of Maria Luisa Aguilar, a world-famous astronomer. She reached for the stars and became the first professional astronomer in Peru.

She was born on this day in Jauja, Peru, and from a young age, she was a stargazer who dreamed of studying the night sky.

She graduated from the School of Mathematics at the National University of San Marcos in Lima. It seemed unlikely that Aguilar would ever become a professional astronomer as Peru had no astronomy programs at the time. But she traveled to Argentina to study astronomy at the National University of La Plata in Argentina, where she became a star student [pun intended!].

In 1969, she returned to her homeland to teach at the National University of Engineering and the National University of San Marcos. She helped establish astronomy as a professional discipline in Peru by creating a series of talks and conferences called Astronomical Fridays. Still a popular event today, it is the longest-running series of its kind.

In 1981, she became founding director of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Seminar at the National University of San Marcos. Soon after, she helped forge an agreement between San Marcos University and the International Astronomical Union [IAU]. This allowed the IAU to send visiting lecturers to Peru for the first time. In 1985, she coordinated the visits of three prominent astronomy lectures — which helped promote astronomy as a legitimate field of study.

Happy 85th birthday, Maria Luisa Aguilar! Thank you for following your dreams, even when they seemed out of this world.

[9A]

20 June 2020

Winter 2020 [Southern Hemisphere]

[9A]

20 June 2016

Summer Solstice 2016 [Northern Hemisphere]




Today is the first day of summer! Doodler Nate Swinehart created a family of anthropomorphized rocks to commemorate the change of season. Happy summer!

[9A]

20 June 2016

Winter Solstice 2016 [Southern Hemisphere]




Today is the first day of winter in the Southern hemisphere. Doodler Nate Swinehart created a family of anthropomorphized rocks to commemorate the winter equinox. Happy winter!

[9A]

20 June 2016

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


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

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

[9A]

June 20, 2013

Aleksander Fredro's 220th birthday







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

[9A]

21 Jun 2013

First Day of Summer 2013 [Northern Hemisphere]

[9A]

21 June 2013

First Day of Winter 2013 [Southern Hemisphere]

[9A]

21 June 2023

Celebrating Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk





Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Ottawa-based Inuk guest artist Gayle Uyagaqi Kabloona, celebrates Canadian Inuk historian and writer Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk on National Indigenous Peoples Day. Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk championed Inuit culture throughout her life and authored the groundbreaking Inuktitut novel Sanaaq—which was later translated, and featured on bestseller lists around the world.

Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk was born in 1931 in the small village of Kangiqsujuaq, in the northern Quebec region of Nunavik, in Canada. She spent her early years living a traditional Inuit lifestyle. As the oldest child, she was tasked with fishing and preserving skins for the village but became interested in storytelling.

She didn’t receive a formal education until the age of twenty when local missionaries taught her to write Inuktitut in syllabics. In exchange, Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk helped them develop an Inuktitut dictionary of words, legends, and history. Impressed with her work, the missionaries asked her to write stories in her language. Despite having never read a novel, Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk began writing Sanaaq—one of the first books recorded in the Inuktitut language.

While writing Sanaaq and the Inkituit dictionary, Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk worked as a consultant for the Kativik School Commission and as a teacher in Nunavik schools. Later in her career, the Kativik School Board enlisted Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk to create the language curriculum and instruct teachers about cultural awareness.

In 1984, Sanaaq was finally published in Inuktitut. The book detailed an authentic day-to-day life of an extended Inuit family and quickly became the most influential novel in her culture. It was later translated into other languages including French, which placed it on Montreal’s French bestseller list.

Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk earned the Aboriginal Achievement Award in 1999 for her life's work and was named a member of the Order of Canada in 2004. Her curriculum, books, and essays are still widely used throughout Inuit schools in Northern Canada. Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk remains a cultural icon and her efforts have inspired current and future generations of Inuit storytellers. We honour her contributions towards education, preservation of language and culture, and as a role model for aspiring Inuit writers and historians - today, and every day.

Thank you, Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk!

[9A]

21 June 2018

Summer Solstice 2018 [Northern Hemisphere]





To-do list filling up? Been putting off that pesky task for far too long? Well, today’s the day to finally get it done — June 21 marks this year’s summer solstice: the longest day of the year for the northern hemisphere.

Each year on the summer solstice, the sun hits its annual altitudinal peak directly over the Tropic of Cancer. This year, that moment occurs at exactly 10:07 am UTC. When it happens, the tilt of the earth’s North Pole is at its closest to the sun, marking the first day of summer on the astronomical calendar.

Throughout history, the summer solstice has been the impetus for numerous cultural celebrations, many of which we see variations of today. From Astrofest in Croatia, to Midsommar in Sweden, to the Summer Solstice Celebration in Santa Barbara, U.S.A., the summer solstice remains a day of celebration around the world.

As you enjoy today’s extra bit of sunlight, check out what our neighbors to the South are up to on their shortest day of the year.

Happy Summer!

[9A]

21 June 2010

First Day of Summer 2010

[9A]

21 June 2018

Winter Solstice 2018 [Southern Hemisphere]




Time to get cracking on those to-do lists, for today marks the shortest day of the year.

Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere all comes down to one moment in time when the sun reaches its northernmost point and the North Pole tilts directly toward the sun at about 23.4 degrees [but who’s counting?].

You may feel pressed for time these next few days, but not to fear - the days will only get longer as the Earth continues to orbit and the Southern Hemisphere gets closer to the Sun as it approaches the December summer solstice.

So while we’ve still got time to spare, let’s take a look at what our neighbors to the North are doing their longest day of the year.

[9A]

21 June 2019

Summer 2019 [Northern Hemisphere]

[9A]

21 June 2021

Summer 2021 [Northern Hemisphere]

[9A]

21 June 2021

Winter 2021 [Southern Hemisphere]

[9A]

21 June 2009

First Day of Summer 2009 [Northern Hemisphere]

[9A]

21 June 2017

Winter Solstice 2017 [Southern Hemisphere]

[9A]

21 June 2015

Summer Solstice 2015 [Northern Hemisphere]



Sticky fingers? It must be summer!

Today marks the beginning of the year’s sweetest season, a time of hot days, short nights, and soaking up the sun: the Summer Solstice.

What is Solstice, you ask? it’s an astronomical event that creates the longest day of the year in one of the two hemispheres. Today, the Earth’s northern half will be bathed in light for the greatest percentage of a single day. Giving us all a good excuse to stay outside for another hour. Or two. Or until the fireflies come out!

So get out of the house, slather on some sunscreen, and enjoy the summer, before it melts away…

Doodle by guest artist, Kirsten Lepore.

[9A]

21 June 2011

First Day of Summer by Takashi Murakami




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

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

Posted by Ryan Germick

[9A]

21 June 2011

First Day of Winter by Takashi Murakami



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

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

Posted by Ryan Germick