Google doodles

[9A]

May 19, 2023

Celebrating Poutine





Today’s Doodle celebrates a delicious Québécois dish you’ll surely want to pout-ine your mouth! On this day in 2014, the word “poutine” was added to the English Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Poutine originated in Québec, however, its origin story is debated! Several restaurant owners in the province claim to have invented it. One restaurant owner stumbled upon the surprising trio of white cheese curds, brown gravy, and double-fried russet potatoes because they observed customers adding a side of cheese curds on top of their gravy fries. Enticed by the combination, the owner added it to their menu in 1964. Another restauranter in Québec was asked by a customer to add cheese curds to a bag of fries, and the owner responded, “It will make a mess!” The “mess” began to intrigue him and he started to serve the fries and cheese curds together topped with gravy to keep them warm.

The etymology [or origin] of the word “poutine” is also debated. The two most common theories are that it’s related to the English word “pudding,” or that it’s derived from the slang word “poutine” meaning “mess.” A legend of the first poutine served corroborates both theories.

As more people tasted the delicious fusion, poutine grew in popularity across Canada and beyond. Specialty chains and bistros serve it, and some high-end restaurants might offer lobster or foie gras poutine. Within Canada, regional variations include Montréal-style poutine which contains smoked meat, and poutine galvaude prepared with chicken and green peas. Across the globe, even more types of poutine exist, such as Italian poutine with tomato sauce instead of gravy, and veggie poutine with mushroom sauce.

No matter where poutine came from, Canadians [and non-Canadians] agree that it’s a favorite comfort food!

[9A]

Mar 15, 2023

Celebrating Filipino Adobo



Every bite is tender, juicy, and soulful. Today’s animated Doodle celebrates adobo, a way of cooking and a favorite Filipino dish! Adobo can be found far and wide, whether it’s at a five-star restaurant in Manila or inside the homes of Filipino families around the world. The word ‘adobo’ was first added to the Oxford English Dictionary [OED] in December 2006, and was included on the word list of the next OED quarterly update, released on this day in 2007.

There are many different kinds of adobo in the Philippines but they all share the same basic elements: marinated meat or vegetables braised into a stew. Common ingredients include vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper. The local flavors make Filipino adobo much sweeter, sourer, and saltier in taste compared to other versions.

Several areas within the Philippines give their adobo a regional twist. Locals in Visayas enjoy adobong puti [white adobo], considered by some to be the original indigenous style, which exclusively uses vinegar without any soy sauce. In places like Southern Luzon, where coconut milk is a food staple, creamier adobo recipes like adobong manok sa gata [chicken adobo with coconut milk] are extremely popular. Others substitute meat with seafood like squid, or locally available vegetables like kangkong [water spinach] or sitaw [string beans].

After evolving throughout the centuries, this iconic dish is now enjoyed worldwide. It’s a symbol and expression of Filipino pride that varies from region to region, family to family, palate to palate. The history is rich, the taste is unmatched, and the aromas are enticing – the children in today’s artwork would definitely agree! Wherever and however it’s served, adobo leaves stomachs happy and mouths watering for more.

[9A]

29 October 2022

Celebrating Tempeh



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

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

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

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

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

[9A]

May 23, 2024


Celebrating the Accordion



This animated Doodle celebrates the accordion, a free-reed instrument with bellows that has made an impact on music genres including pop, jazz, folk, and classical.

Throughout the late 1800s, manufacturers in Germany increased their accordion production due to its popularity among folk musicians across Europe. Early accordions had buttons on just one side, and each of these buttons created the sound of an entire chord. Another impressive feature is that the same button could produce two chords — one when the bellows were expanding and another when the bellows were contracting.

As Europeans emigrated around the world, the accordion’s use in music expanded. Modern versions can be played with either buttons or a piano-style keyboard, and some even have both options. They also sometimes incorporate electronic elements so they can be plugged into an amplifier or create synthesized sounds.

Today the instrument can be heard in folk music, the Latino polka, the tango, cajun music, and more! One event that the accordion is always present at is Oktoberfest. This lively festival is full of carnival fun, music, and traditional clothing like Dirndl dresses and lederhosen.

With this melody maker in hand, everything goes accordion to plan! The traditional sound continues to influence German celebrations and music across the world 200 years later.

[9A]

May 28, 2024

Celebrating Mina Witkojc




This Doodle celebrates Sorbian writer, journalist, and poet Mina Witkojc, who is widely considered one of the most important poets and activist for the Lower Sorbian language and culture.

On this day in 1893, Witkojc was born in Burg, Germany.
She grew up there, worked in Berlin as a day laborer for several years, and became interested in her Sorbian identity when she met a group of Czech and Upper Sorbian intellectuals. She moved to Bautzen, a town with a higher population of Sorbs, shortly after.

In that town of Saxony, Witkojc worked as a journalist and became the chief editor of the Lower Sorbian newspaper, Serbski Casnik and through her work on the Wendish book calendar, Pratyja she worked to promote the Wendish and Sorbian people in a positive light. She also translated poems from other Slavic languages and wrote her own poetry, which often used images of nature to show her deep love for her culture and homeland.

Witkojc was forced to leave Serbski Casnik when the national socialist government banned the Sorbian languages and banned her from writing altogether. Years later, she was expelled from Lusatia through residence bans and later arrested for putting up Sorbian-language posters.

She returned to Burg in 1954 and continued to write, maintaining pride in her identity despite the systemic attempts of suppression of her culture She published poems and stories in Nowy Casnik and released a poetry book called K swětłu a słyńcu [To the Light, to the Sun]. Witkojc was honored with the Ćišinski Prize in 1964, and two schools and a library carry her name in Burg. A street in Cottbus is named after her, and the Mina Witkojc Award is given to Sorbian language activists.

Happy birthday Mina Witkojc, you’ll always be remembered for your moving prose and love for your heritage.

[9A]

May 26, 2024

2024 Indian Premier League Final


This Doodle celebrates the 2024 Indian Premier League Finals match taking place in Chennai.

This Doodle celebrates the final match of the 2024 Indian Premier League season, also known as IPL17 or TATA IPL 2024, taking place in Chennai. This year’s tournament has been brimming with excitement, and many are eager to see which team will be crowned champion.

The tournament started with ten teams from all over India split into two different groups. Every team played a total of 14 games — seven home and seven away. After the group stage, the top four teams advanced to the high-stakes Qualifier and Eliminator stages. Through perseverance and teamwork, both teams have come out on top to face off in the IPL17 finals.

Good luck!

[9A]

May 01, 2024

Celebrating Meena Alexander



This Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Doodle celebrates Indian American poet and scholar Meena Alexander, who was known for her work exploring migration and identity.

Alexander was born in 1951 in Allahabad, India. Her family home was in Kerala, but she spent most of her childhood in Sudan where her father was stationed as a visiting meteorologist. She excelled in school and began writing poems in both English and French.

At only 13, Alexander enrolled at the University of Khartoum. Although she couldn’t read Arabic, a local newspaper translated and published some of her poems. Alexander graduated with a degree in English and French and then pursued a PhD in England. She returned to India with a doctorate in British Romantic literature. While writing poetry, Alexander held faculty positions in Delhi and Hyderabad.

In 1979, Alexander moved to New York to work as an assistant professor at Fordham University. She went on to become Distinguished Professor of English at Hunter College and the Graduate Center at the City University of New York.

Among her early books, the novel Nampally Road [1991] explored Alexander’s experiences and feelings in modern India. She published many well-received poetry collections, including Illiterate Heart [2002] and Raw Silk [2004]. With her signature cross-cultural perspective, Alexander dissected trauma and migration.

Alexander’s poetry and books have been translated into Malayalam, as well as Hindi, Urdu, German, Swedish, Arabic and Spanish. Illiterate Heart won the PEN Open Book Award in 2022. Her contributions to American literature earned her the Distinguished Achievement Award from the South Asian Literary Association. Her artful command of language continues to inspire poets to this day.

[9A]

May 29, 2024

Double Cicada Brood 2024


This animated Doodle celebrates the Double Cicada Brood Event, in which two groups of cicadas will emerge from the earth at the same time.

This Doodle celebrates “cicada-geddon” where two broods of cicadas — brood XIII and XIX — will start to crawl up from the soil. This event is as uncommon as it is strange to witness. The last time the U.S. saw these two broods flying together was over 200 years ago! Brood XII comes out every 17 years in the Midwest, while brood XIX emerges every 13 years and will swarm across the Midwest and Southeast. That means some states, like Illinois, will see both groups of cicadas at once!

These bugs are about 2 inches long with bright red eyes and iridescent wings, and they begin to surface when it hits about 64° F. Cicadas are only above ground for about 5 weeks and then disappear again for 13 or 17 years. This underground period is why cicadas have some of the longest lifespans amongst insects ’ even though we only see them briefly.

As the cicada shells pile up on trees and sidewalks and the buzzing fills your ears, try not to let them bug you. These clumsy insects fly by the trillions but don’t sting, bite, or poison. Plus, many predictions show they’ll be out of your hair by late June, leaving behind a feast for local animals like birds and raccoons.

So there’s no need to brood when this cicada party ends — a different group will be back before you know it!

[9A]

May 30, 2022

Celebrating Edmond Rostand




Today’s Doodle celebrates Edmond Rostand, a Neo-Romantic French poet and playwright. His most famous work was Cyrano de Bergerac, a play about a chivalrous swordsman with an oversized nose. The play’s sentimental hero—plagued by a love triangle—went on to symbolize the spirit of the French. On this day in 1901, Rostand was elected to the French Academy [l’Académie Française].

Born in 1868 in a southern port city called Marseille, Rostand grew up in a wealthy and cultured family. His father, a poet and an economist, was a member of scholarly societies such as Académie de Marseille and Institute de France. As a young adult, Rostand attended Collège Stanislas in Paris, where he studied literature, history and philosophy. By the time he was 20-years-old, he had completed his first play, a one-act comedy called Le Gant Rouge. The play was performed at Cluny Theatre in 1888. Although Rostand’s first play received little fanfare, it didn’t discourage him from continuing to write.

A few years later, Rostand created his first successful play, Les Romanesques, which was a parody of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The satirical play follows two families who fake a feud to encourage their children to fall in love. When it premiered in 1894, it put Rostand on the map. Les Romanesques became so popular—even outside of France—that it was later adapted into The Fantasticks, the world's longest-running musical.

Three years after Les Romanesques, Rostand produced his most beloved work, Cyrano de Bergerac, in 1897. To this day, Cyrano de Bergerac remains one of the most popular plays in France, and people all over the world still seek modern versions of this tale.

Today’s artwork celebrates Rostand’s literary brilliance. More than a century later, his endearing tales continue to be performed and resonate with hopeless romantics all over the world.

[9A]

May 30, 2014

35th Anniversary of Nezha Conquers the Dragon King




Our homepage in Hong Kong and Taiwan marks the 35th anniversary of Nezha Conquers the Dragon King. A source of pride in China, Nezha was the first Chinese-language animated film to be screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

[9A]

May 30, 2013

Potato Day 2013 [Peru]


The Doodle Potato Day 2013 launched May 30, 2013

The year 2008 was declared the International Year of the Potato by the United Nations, noting that the potato is a staple food in the diet of the world's population, and affirming the need to focus world attention on the role that the potato can play in providing food security and eradicating poverty. Food and Agriculture Organization was invited to facilitate its implementation.

The corresponding resolution adopted on 25 November 2005 by the Food and Agriculture Organization, which was to facilitate the implementation of the year, affirmed "the need to revive public awareness of the relationship that exists between poverty, food security, malnutrition and the potential contribution of the potato to defeating hunger."

On May 30th 2024 the first International Potato Day was held to focus on the contribution of the potato to the lives of producers and consumers with the theme: Harvesting diversity, feeding hope.

[9A]

Jun 01, 2024

2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup




This Doodle celebrates the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup! This tournament is the ninth edition since it started in 2009. The United States is the host nation this year, and a record 20 teams from around the world will compete on the big stage. The tournament starts today.

The teams are divided into four groups of five for the group stage, and face off against every other country in their group once. The ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup gives the best men’s cricketers in the world the opportunity to show off their skills and represent their nation. Good luck to all of the teams competing this year!

[9A]

Jun 01, 2024

Celebrating Bibi Ferreira


Today’s Doodle celebrates Brazilian singer and actress Bibi Ferreira, who helped popularize musical theater in South America.

Ferreira was born on this day in 1922 in Rio de Janeiro to an artistic family.
Her father was a director and her mother was a dancer. At just one month old, Ferreira made her stage debut as a last-second stand-in for a baby doll in one of her father’s plays. By three years old, Ferreira toured South America dancing in a ballet troupe.

While studying at an American Diplomatic school in Rio, Ferreira became entranced with ballet and opera. She also learned to play piano, violin, and guitar — and in her little free time, learned different languages.

In 1941, Ferreira starred in her first lead role alongside her father in the play, The Mistress of the Inn. After spending three more years in her father’s theater company, she decided to start her own. Her group performed Portuguese translations of famous plays as well as her original creation Angelus.

It was the 60s when Ferreira really became a Brazilian star. She played the lead in Portuguese translations of My Fair Lady, Hello, Dolly! and Man of La Mancha. These renditions ushered in a new era of Brazilian theater.

Ferreira continued to star in and even direct musicals for the rest of her career. Her play Piaf: Uma Estrela da Canção [Piaf: A Star of Song] toured across Europe, ultimately earning her the French government’s Commendation of Arts and Letters. Ferreira kept singing well into her 90s, inspiring women of every age to pick up her melodies.

Happy Birthday, Bibi Ferreira!

[9A]

Jun 01, 2022

Celebrating José de Almada Negreiros




Today’s Doodle, illustrated by guest artist Melissa Crowton, celebrates the life, works and creative legacy of José de Almada Negreiros. He was a multi-faceted artist, writer and choreographer of Futurism, and widely considered one of the most influential Portuguese and European artists of the 20th century. On this day in 1911, Almada Negreiros made his artistic debut at the age of 18 by publishing a cartoon titled “A Weighty Reason” in the 4th issue of A Sátira, a Lisbon magazine.

He was born on the island of São Tomé and Príncipe in 1893, and began his creative journey as a caricaturist. What started off with satirical sketches turned into a self-taught love for all things art. At just 20 years old, Almada Negreiros hosted his first exhibition in Lisbon. A year later, in 1914, he published his first poem and, in 1915, started a progressive literary magazine called Orpheu, which promoted Portuguese Modernism.

In the 1920’s, Almada Negreiros lived in Paris and Madrid, honing his craft and skills through collaboration and sometimes even isolation. When he returned to Portugal in 1932, he expanded his artistic repertoire to include stained-glass pieces, mosaic panels, theater plays, ballets, graphic designs and more.

Almada Negreiros was awarded the Columbano Prize by the National Secretariat of Propaganda in 1942 and the Domingos Sequeira Award in 1946, as well as numerous other honors and decorations throughout his lifetime. His works are displayed far and wide around Europe, most notably in the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon, the port terminals of Alcântara and Rocha do Conde de Óbidos, and in the lounge bar of the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon.

[9A]

9 June 2023

Celebrating Willi Ninja








Today’s video Doodle celebrates Willi Ninja, an iconic dancer and choreographer known as the “Godfather of Voguing.” An acclaimed performer, Willi paved a path for Black LGBTQ+ representation and acceptance in the 1980s and ’90s. The community he created, “The Iconic House of Ninja,” lives on to this day. The Doodle video was illustrated by Rob Gilliam, and edited by Xander Opiyo,with original music by Vivacious. The performers featured are current members of the House of Ninja [Archie Burnett Ninja, Javier Madrid Ninja, Kiki Ninja, and Akiko Tokuoka aka KiT Ninja] dancing in celebration of Willi’s legacy. On this day in 1990, the documentary Paris is Burning — which features Willi and the Iconic House of Ninja — was released in the US at the NewFest New York LGBT Film Festival.

Willi Ninja was born in 1961 and grew up in Flushing, Queens. He had a loving mother who supported his identity. She encouraged his interest in dance by taking him to ballet performances at the Apollo Theater. Although she couldn’t afford expensive dance lessons, it didn’t stop Willi from teaching himself the moves that would make him a star.

Willi went on to master the art of voguing, a dance style that blends fashion poses with intricate, mime and martial arts-like movements. The dance form emerged from the Harlem ballroom scene, which was a safe space founded by LGBTQ+ Black and Latino folks to celebrate self expression and togetherness.

Most Black and Latino ballroom participants belong to groups known as houses, which offer an extended social family and safety net for those who face rejection from biological relatives. Willi co-founded his very own community called the House of Ninja in 1982, and continued to provide support and guidance for his house members even after he became famous.

Inspired by Egyptian hieroglyphs and martial arts, Willi introduced new dance techniques that redefined voguing standards. Catapulted to stardom in the ’90s, Willi went on to perform in films, music videos, and luxury runway shows around the world. His moves inspired celebrities ranging from Madonna to Jean-Paul Gaultier.

Willi was prominently featured in the 1990 documentary, Paris Is Burning, where his unique dance style was showcased on the big screen. The film was a big success and exposed Willi’s work to a wider audience.

When Willi wasn’t dancing, he was a powerful advocate for his community. One of the first to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention at drag balls, Willi played a pivotal role in helping to reduce stigma surrounding the disease.

Thank you Willi Ninja for your contributions to the world of dance and for how you brought visibility to Black and Latino LGBTQ+ identities all over the world. The House of Ninja carries on dancing in your name.

[9A]

May 22, 2023

Barbara May Cameron's 69th Birthday


Today’s Doodle celebrates Barbara May Cameron, a Native American photographer, poet, writer, and human rights activist. The Doodle artwork is illustrated by queer Mexican and Chitimachan artist Sienna Gonzales. On this day in 1954, Barbara Cameron was born in Fort Yates, North Dakota.

Cameron was born a member of the Hunkpapa group, one of the seven council fires of the Lakota tribe, and raised on the Standing Rock Reservation by her grandparents. After graduating high school, she studied photography and film at the American Indian Art Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was here that Cameron began winning awards in theater and media arts.

After coming out as a lesbian, Cameron moved to San Francisco in 1973 and advocated for LGBTQIA+ acceptance in the Native American community and addressed racism in queer spaces. In 1975, she co-founded Gay American Indians — the first ever dedicated Native American LGBTQIA+ group — with her friend and fellow activist Randy Burns.

Cameron took part in various programs to promote human welfare. From 1980 through 1985, she organized the Lesbian Gay Freedom Day Parade and Celebration. She also co-led a lawsuit against the Immigration & Naturalization Service which had a policy of turning away gay people. The case went before the Supreme Court and ruled in favor of Barbara and her co-plaintiffs who made persuasive arguments for change.

A few years later, she became an executive director at Community United Against Violence, where she supported people affected by hate crimes and domestic violence. The San Francisco Mayor appointed Cameron to both the Citizens Committee on Community Development and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission in 1988, and the next mayor appointed her to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

HIV/AIDS disproportionately impacted Native people in the early 1990s, so Cameron stepped up to lead the charge. She was active within the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the American Indian AIDS Institute, and served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control, helping with AIDS and childhood immunization programs.

Cameron is remembered for her passionate writing and speeches, many of which are housed at the San Francisco Public Library. Her words live on through her essay, No Apologies: A Lakota Lesbian Perspective which is featured in Our Right To Love: A Lesbian Resource Book.

Happy birthday Barbara May Cameron, thank you for working tirelessly to improve human rights and for giving queer Indigenous people a place to feel safe and belong.

[9A]

Mar 29, 2023

Jorge Lafond's 71st Birthday





Today’s Doodle celebrates the 71st birthday of Brazilian actor, drag queen, comedian, and dancer Jorge Lafond. Jorge Luiz Souza Lima was born in Rio de Janeiro on this day in 1952.

Jorge realized he was gay at a very young age, and tried to hide it in his adolescence. What he never disguised was his love for dancing. He studied classical ballet and African Dance, and later graduated in performing arts from the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro. He began dancing at nightclubs and cabarets, then toured the United States and several countries in Europe with a folk group he belonged to for 10 years.

In 1974, he landed one of his first TV jobs and became a dancer for the Globo TV program Fantástico. After his television break, he went on to appear in various programs including Viva o Gordo, the soap opera Sassaricando, and the telenovela Kananga do Japan. With his rising popularity on television shows, he was soon casted in several films and received praise for his roles in Rio Babilônia, Sonhei com Você, and Bar Esperança.

Lafond began openly practicing his drag artistry in 1992 on the SBT program A Praça é Nossa as the character Vera Verão. The humorous Vera put Jorge in the spotlight, but he sometimes wasn’t invited to show up as his full authentic self. Many spaces did not welcome Jorge as an openly gay man who wore non-traditional clothing.

Nonetheless, Lafond was a trailblazer who introduced new identity representation into the culture which helped break down traditional, homophobic ways of thinking. He was and continues to be a role model for other gay in South America and around the world. He showed off his dance, fashion, and comedy skills and never apologized for being outside of anyone’s expectations about what an entertainer should be.

Happy birthday, Jorge Lafond! Thank you for showing us all how to show up in the world as our true selves.

[9A]

Jun 02, 2017

Gilbert Baker's 66th Birthday




Today’s doodle is a little more colorful thanks to Gilbert Baker, creator of the rainbow flag, a symbol of pride and freedom for the LGBTQA+ community.

Teaching himself to sew, Baker put his skills to work for the San Francisco gay community, making banners for marches and protests. In 1978 Baker used those skills to create a new symbol for the LGBT Community to replace the pink triangle, a symbol of oppression and devastation from the Nazi’s classification of LGBT people in World War II. Baker’s Rainbow was a more positive and celebratory symbol.

“We needed something beautiful, something from us,” Baker explained. “The rainbow is so perfect because it really fits our diversity in terms of race, gender, ages, all of those things. Plus, it’s a natural flag—it’s from the sky!”

Making the flag was no small task. Baker gathered thirty people in the attic of the Gay Community Center in San Francisco to hand-dye and sew together over 1000 yards of cotton. The modern day rainbow flag features six colors, but the original used eight, each representing a different aspect of the community. The iconic symbol stuck and soon Baker was flooded with requests for more flags.

Baker’s sister, Ardonna Cook, also reflects on his life and legacy by sharing, “Our family is so proud of the legacy of activism and artistry that Gilbert has left to the world. He touched millions across the globe and empowered them to become stronger and more visible LGBT people. Gilbert led a bold and inspiring life by bringing The Rainbow Flag to life and it is that legacy which should guide us in respecting and celebrating diversity.”

[9A]

Jun 02, 2021

Celebrating Frank Kameny




In celebration of Pride Month, today’s Doodle honors American astronomer, veteran, and gay rights activist Dr. Frank Kameny, widely hailed as one of the most prominent figures of the U.S. LGBTQ rights movement.

Franklin Edward Kameny was born in Queens, New York, on May 21, 1925. Gifted from a young age, Kameny enrolled at Queens College to study physics at just 15 years old. He saw combat during World War II and upon his return to the U.S. obtained a doctorate in astronomy at Harvard University. In 1957, Kameny accepted a job as an astronomer with the Army Map Service, but he was fired just months later based on an executive order effectively barring members of the LGBTQ community from federal employment.

In response to his termination, Kameny sued the federal government and in 1961 filed the first gay rights appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Denied but undeterred, Kameny embarked upon a lifelong fight for equal rights. Years before the Stonewall Riots, he organized one of the country’s first gay rights advocacy groups. In the early ‘70s, he also successfully challenged the American Psychiatric Association’s classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder, and in 1975, the Civil Service Commission finally reversed its ban on LGBTQ employees.

In 2009, over 50 years after his dismissal, Kameny received a formal apology from the U.S. government. In June 2010, Washington D.C. named a stretch of 17th Street NW near Dupont Circle “Frank Kameny Way” in his honor.

Thank you, Frank Kameny, for courageously paving the way for decades of progress!

[9A]

11 February 2021

Fredy Hirsch's 105th birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates the 105th birthday of German-Jewish educator and athlete Fredy Hirsch. Known for his charismatic spirit and commitment in supporting children, Hirsch helped save Jewish youth during World War II and enriched their lives with the arts.

Alfred “Fredy” Hirsch was born on this day in 1916 in Aachen, Germany, where he started his career as a teacher at several Jewish youth organizations and sports associations. He was openly gay at a time when queer people were being prosecuted by the growing Nazi party. In an effort to escape, Hirsch sought refuge in Czechoslovakia, until the Nazi regime invaded the country and deported him to the Terezin Ghetto and later Auschwitz in 1943.

Against all odds, Hirsch continued teaching at Auschwitz and set up a children’s daycare. He did everything in his power to give hope to the youth in his block—organizing concerts, encouraging children to paint scenes from fairy tales, and even salvaging tin cans to help children create sculptures. Many of the children that Hirsch taught credit him for sparking their creative pursuits, like Zuzana Růžičková who survived Auschwitz and later became one of the world’s greatest harpsichordists.

On February 11, 2016, in commemoration of Hirsch’s 100th birthday, the high school he attended in Aachen renamed its gymnasium and cafeteria in his honor. Today, these buildings stand as testaments to his unbreakable spirit and carry forward his legacy of improving the lives of young people.

Happy birthday, Fredy Hirsch. Here’s to an indomitable hero who reminds the world to push forth with courage and optimism, even during the most trying of times.

[9A]

Jun 04, 2019

Celebrating 50 Years Of Pride




The Pride Parade is a symbol of celebration and liberation for the entire LGBTQ+ community. From its early days of activism on Christopher Street in New York City, to the worldwide celebrations of today, it has empowered and given voice to a bright and vibrant community.

Google Doodle Art Director Erich Nagler, who also partnered on this project, shares his thoughts on the Doodle below:

When I was 18 years old, I went to college in New York City. Even as I was still finding my way out of the closet, I found myself on a walk through Greenwich Village, across Seventh Avenue where the street grid shifts and the streets get names instead of numbers. I passed Sheridan Square onto Christopher Street, the historic gay heart of the city. Here was the Stonewall Inn, the Lucille Loretta Theatre, the entrance to the PATH train, and the piers out into the Hudson River. Here was a neighborhood and a community where I could begin to love myself more and hate myself less, where I finally felt accepted, where I didn’t have to hide or pretend, where I could fully be me and find others like me. Over the past 50 years, that powerful spirit of pride has spread from Christopher Street to other streets and neighborhoods and communities, connecting people all around the world. That expanding spirit of love and acceptance is something we've hoped to capture in today's Doodle.

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>>>>> https://pride.google/ <<<<<<

Pride in Belonging

This year, we’re supporting LGBTQ+ communities with commitments to help fund and celebrate inclusive spaces that foster belonging for all.

[9A]

Jun 30, 2020

Celebrating Marsha P. Johnson


Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Los Angeles-based guest artist Rob Gilliam, celebrates LGBTQ+ rights activist, performer, and self-identified drag queen Marsha P. Johnson, who is widely credited as one of the pioneers of the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States. On this day in 2019, Marsha was posthumously honored as a grand marshal of the New York City Pride March.

Marsha P. Johnson was born on August 24th, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. After graduating high school in 1963, she moved to New York City’s Greenwich Village, a burgeoning cultural hub for LGBTQ+ people. Here, she legally changed her name to Marsha P. Johnson. Her middle initial—“P.”—allegedly stood for her response to those who questioned her gender: “Pay It No Mind.”

A beloved and charismatic fixture in the LGBTQ+ community, Johnson is credited as one of the key leaders of the 1969 Stonewall uprising— widely regarded as a critical turning point for the international LGBTQ+ rights movement. The following year, she founded the Street Transvestite [now Transgender] Action Revolutionaries [STAR] with fellow transgender activist Sylvia Rivera. STAR was the first organization in the U.S. to be led by a trans woman of color and was the first to open North America’s first shelter for LGBTQ+ youth.

In 2019, New York City announced plans to erect statues of Johnson and Rivera in Greenwich Village, which will be one of the world’s first monuments in honor of transgender people.

Thank you, Marsha P. Johnson, for inspiring people everywhere to stand up for the freedom to be themselves.

[9A]

Jun 06, 2024

Celebrating Jeanne Córdova


In honor of Pride Month this Doodle celebrates Chicana lesbian activist, feminist, and author Jeanne Córdova, a pioneering leader of the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Córdova was born on July 18, 1948, in Bremerhaven, Germany.
During her time in college, she began to advocate for lesbian rights. While earning her master's degree in social work from UCLA, she became president of the Los Angeles chapter of the lesbian rights organization Daughters of Bilitis [DOB] and was a key organizer for the first West Coast Lesbian Conference in 1971. The DOB newsletter she edited evolved into The Lesbian Tide, a national record for the lesbian feminist generation.


She brought passion and inclusion to each of the publications she founded. In 1981, Córdova started the Community Yellow Pages, which became the largest LGBTQ+ directory in the U.S. She also co-founded Square Peg Magazine which was devoted to queer culture and literature.


Córdova devoted much of her time to activism and community organizing, participating in the 1978 National Lesbian Feminist Organization Conference and the campaign to defeat the 1986 California Proposition 64, which would force HIV-positive people into quarantine. She also served on the board of several organizations including the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Press Association.


In 1999, Córdova and her partner Lynn Harris Ballen moved to Todos Santos, BCS Mexico. In her new home, Córdova worked on When We Were Outlaws: A Memoir of Love and Revolution. She and Ballen also co-founded the first non-profit organization in their town which was dedicated to children’s education and literacy.


Córdova returned to her first loves - journalism and writing - when she moved back to Los Angeles. And, with her partner, created The Lesbian Exploratorium which was dedicated to queer art and history projects.


Thank you to Jeanne Córdova for her fearless commitment to freedom and dignity for the LGBTQ+ community — the difference she made is felt. Happy Pride to all!

[9A]

May 31, 2021

Akira Ifukube's 107th Birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 107th birthday of Japanese composer Akira Ifukube—a prodigious talent in classical music and cinematic film scores widely known for his work on the original soundtrack for the “Godzilla” movies of the 1950s.

Akira Ifukube was born on this day in 1914 in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, into a distinguished family lineage that traces its origins back to at least the 7th-century. A passionate listener of European musical scores as a teenager, he aspired to intertwine his deep-rooted national identity into original compositions, an idea further solidified after listening to Russian composer Stravinsky’s 1913 emotive orchestral piece “The Rite of Spring” at 14 years old.

In 1935, Akira left home to study forestry at Hokkaido University, where he wrote ”Japanese Rhapsody,” his first original orchestral number. Following a brief stint as a forestry officer and lumber processor, he chose to pursue music composition full time. In 1947, he released the first of his more than 250 film scores that he produced over the next half-century. The height of his film score career came in 1954 when he wrote the soundtrack for “Godzilla,” whose signature roar he created by taking a resin-covered leather glove and dragging it against the loose string of a double bass.

Outside of his lifelong work as a composer, Akira served as president of the Tokyo College of Music starting in 1976 and published a 1,000-page book on theory entitled “Orchestration.” The Japanese government honored his lifetime achievements with both the Order of Culture and the Order of the Sacred Treasure.

Happy birthday, Akira Ifukube!

[9A]

Jun 10, 2024

Dragon Boat Festival 2024




Happy Dragon Boat Festival 2024

Anywhere with a view of the water will be packed with people watching the main event of the day: dragon boat racing. Teams of up to 90 people pile into long wooden boats painted to resemble colorful dragons. After painting the eyes on the dragon to bring it to life, it’s time to paddle along to a drumbeat and get to the finish line before the other teams.

Besides the lively competition, traditional activities on this day ward off bugs and maladies as the summer heat brings an uptick in pest activities. Children often wear five-color silk threads for protection, and at home, people hang sachets of herbs and plants that repel bugs. Some try their hand at egg balancing at noon, which is said to bring good luck.

When it’s time for a snack, many will pull out realgar wine and sticky rice dumplings called zongzi, the latter of which honors the legacy of ancient Chinese poet Qu Yuan.

Here’s to good fortune this summer and happy Dragon Boat Festival to all!

[9A]

Jun 22, 2023

Dragon Boat Festival 2023


On your mark, get set, row! Today’s Doodle celebrates the Dragon Boat Festival. This traditional holiday occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, so it is sometimes referred to as the Double Fifth Festival. The origins of this holiday date back to third century BCE, and it commemorates the life and death of poet Qu Yuan. Today’s Doodle is a hand-made Dragon Boat replica crafted from yarn and cardboard.

When Qu learned the Chu State was defeated, he was overcome with sorrow and threw himself into the Miluo River. Legend has it that locals rushed out in boats hoping to find and save him. When they couldn’t, they threw sticky rice dumplings into the water to keep fish away from the poet. This is said to be the origin of eating zongzi, rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves that form a pyramid shape, during the festival. The dragon boat races may stem from this story as well, symbolic of how the boaters raced out to find Qu.

While many activities and events occur on this day, the dragon boat races are the most spectacular. People across Asia gather to watch teams pile into long, multicolored, wooden boats and race toward a finish line or flag. Each of the boats hold anywhere between 12 and 32 people, including paddlers, drummers to keep the rowing synchronized, and someone to reach out and grab the flag. The intricate boats feature a dragon head at the front, and before the race begins, teams paint eyes on the dragon to bring their vessel to life.

Other activities on this day aim to bring prosperity. The fifth lunar month is considered an unlucky and unhealthy month, as the summer brings insects and other pests. people may carry sachets full of herbs and plants that deter bugs, or hang plants like mugwort, calamus, or wormwood on doors and windows. Another way to bring good fortune is to partake in an egg-balancing challenge. Balancing an egg on its end at noon is said to bring good luck for a whole year.

And that's what the Dragon Boat Festival is all a-boat! Good luck to everyone racing today.

[9A]

Jun 03, 2022

Dragon Boat Festival 2022




Today’s Doodle celebrates the annual Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Jie. The festival always occurs on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. This year, June 3rd marks the day when people across Asia gather to watch dragon-shaped boats race along river banks and lakes.

The holiday originated over 2,000 years ago in China to commemorate a beloved poet named Qu Yuan. When the Chu State was defeated in 278 B.C., Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River as a final act of loyalty to the King of Chu. As legend has it, villagers boarded their boats and threw rice dumplings in the water to keep fish away from the body of the poet. The fifth lunar month is also considered a “poisonous” month in Chinese agriculture since summer is the high season for insects and pests. That’s why traditional Duanwu Jie customs involve hanging mugwort leaves and herbs on doors and windows to repel insects.

Today, the festival’s most popular tradition is, of course, the exciting dragon boat race. The boats seat a crews of up to 90, which includes a drummer for morale and pace setting. Locals often watch the race while drinking realgar wine and eating zongi, a sticky rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves.

Happy Dragon Boat Festival to all! Let’s get ready to row.

The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the oldest traditional festivals in the world.

[9A]

Jun 14, 2021


Dragon Boat Festival 2021


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


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


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

[9A]

Jun 14, 2021

Dragon Boat Festival 2021


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

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

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

[9A]

Jun 25, 2020


Dragon Boat Festival 2020


Explore a Random Theme
Each year on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, revelers flock to the banks of rivers and canals to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, or Duanwujie. Dating back more than 2,000 years, the holiday is honored with unique customs in countries all across Asia. Among the most popular traditions in many countries are the dragon boat races, which draw teams from around the world to compete in colorfully painted boats, like those depicted in today’s Doodle artwork.


Percussion rings out across the water as a drummer on each boat keeps the rowers in sync. As the teams approach the finish, the most nimble racers can often be seen stretching far off the fronts of their boats; the first to snatch a flag from a buoy or cross the finish line earns their team the victory.


Meanwhile, spectators are known to enjoy one of the holiday’s most popular treats called zongzi. These triangular dumplings of sticky rice can be topped with meat or egg yolk and are typically tied up in leaves. And it’s believed that if you can balance an egg upright at noon, you’ll have good luck for a year.

[9A]

Jun 25, 2020

Dragon Boat Festival 2020




Each year on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, revelers flock to the banks of rivers and canals to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, or Duanwujie. Dating back more than 2,000 years, the holiday is honored with unique customs in countries all across Asia. Among the most popular traditions in many countries are the dragon boat races, which draw teams from around the world to compete in colorfully painted boats, like those depicted in today’s Doodle artwork.

Percussion rings out across the water as a drummer on each boat keeps the rowers in sync. As the teams approach the finish, the most nimble racers can often be seen stretching far off the fronts of their boats; the first to snatch a flag from a buoy or cross the finish line earns their team the victory.

Meanwhile, spectators are known to enjoy one of the holiday’s most popular treats called zongzi. These triangular dumplings of sticky rice can be topped with meat or egg yolk and are typically tied up in leaves. And it’s believed that if you can balance an egg upright at noon, you’ll have good luck for a year.

[9A]

Jun 07, 2019

Dragon Boat Festival 2019


Today’s Doodle celebrates the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Jie, which begins on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The exciting three-day event has occurred for over 2,000 years, and 10 years ago was inscribed on UNESCO’s list representing the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

The festival’s practice of racing boats originated from stories of people rowing on China’s Miluo River to try and rescue the ancient poet Qu Yuan from drowning during the third century B.C. Since then, the races have grown in popularity and spread throughout the world.

The boats are traditionally made of teak wood and can range up to 100 feet in length, accommodating as many as 80 rowers. Boats are usually decorated with dragon heads at the bow and scaly tails at the stern. A sacred ritual is held before the race when the eyes are painted on, which is said to “bring the boat to life.” During the race, a drummer sits in the front of each boat, helping the rowers to work in unison.

Families clean their homes and property in preparation for the festival, hanging bunches of mugwort and calamus on doors to ward off bad luck and disease. Aside from the race itself, there are many time-honored customs associated with the festival: eating sticky rice dumplings wrapped in lotus leaves, called zongzi; drinking wine made with the ruby-colored crystal realgar; and wearing “perfume pouches,” colorful silk bags filled with fragrant medicinal herbs.

端午节快乐!

[9A]

Apr 14, 2023

Sanda Bunsidth's 104th Birthday

Today’s Doodle celebrates the 104th birthday of Thai artist Sanda Bunsidth. A skilled and creative weaver, her innovative methods are forever intertwined with her culture.

Bunsidth was born in Ban Tha Muang, Thailand on this day in 1919. Although she never received a formal education, family members taught her how to read and write. She started weaving at a young age under the guidance of her grandma, a skilled craftsperson who often worked with dyes and ancient herbs.

After marrying, Bunsidth developed a method of weaving called “bark cloth,” to create khaki-colored uniforms for her husband’s job as a civil servant. Wives in her town took notice of her impressive work, and Bunsidth offered to teach them. Eventually, she organized and taught a weaving group called "Ban Rai Phai Ngam Housewives Group,” which grew to over 40 members.

The group’s designs earned praise from the public and Bunisdth reached folk-hero status across Thailand. She was lauded for her ability to use her surroundings as inspiration and keep the environment top-of-mind throughout the creation process. She instructed the group to use pure herbal dyes in fabric without any chemical additives while still managing to develop entirely new designs.

Bunsidth earned the Outstanding Folk Artist Award in 1985 and in 1986, she won the Science Society of Thailand’s award for Outstanding Lanna science and technology worker in the field of textiles. Her work continues to inspire generations of Thai weavers.

[9A]

Dec 28, 2023

Venu Chitale's 111st Birthday


This Doodle celebrates Indian broadcaster and public servantVenu Chitale, who is widely remembered as an influential radio personality in the UK during World War II.

As a child, Chitale attended schools in Mumbai but eventually moved to England to study at both University College London and Oxford University. During the years leading up to World War II, she volunteered at a local air raid shelter warning residents of imminent bombings and helping with rescue-and-aid missions. This was the beginning of her legacy as a voice of the people.

Soon after, Chitale became secretary to George Orwell and a translator-broadcaster for the newly established Indian Section of BBC Radio’s Eastern Services in 1940. Chitale masterfully integrated commentary that challenged stereotypes and misperceptions of Indians into her broadcasts. She also frequently shared stories that brought awareness to the struggles of British women and children.

Beyond her work with BBC, Chitale was also an activist, humanitarian, and author. In 1944, she joined the India League in London, an organization that campaigned for the country’s freedom and self-governance. Three years later, she returned to Bombay to help care for people living in Delhi refugee camps after the Partition of India. And in 1950, she started penning novels about the interwar experiences of Indians.

Throughout her life, Chitale accomplished several feats that proved her dedication to public service. She faced many odds and led an unconventional yet inspiring life ultimately helping India achieve independence.

Happy birthday, Venu Chitale!

[9A]

August 30, 2010

Mary Shelley's 213th Birthday





Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus [1818], which is considered an early example of science fiction and one of her best-known works. She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley. Her father was the political philosopher William Godwin and her mother was the philosopher and women's rights advocate Mary Wollstonecraft

[9A]

May 27, 2022

Celebrating Jimmy Little






Today’s Doodle illustrated by guest artist Dixon Patten—a traditional descendant from the Gunnai, Yorta Yorta, Gunditjmara, and Dhuduroa people—celebrates Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and advocate Dr. James “Jimmy” Oswald Little. Over an illustrious 60-year career, Little championed the music, health, and education of Indigenous Australian communities as a cultural ambassador and musical sensation. On this day in 2003, Little was awarded the Red Ochre Award for his lifelong contribution to the recognition of Indigenous arts in Australia and around the world.

James Oswald Little was born to a Yorta Yorta mother and Yuin Monaro Father in 1937, on the Cummeragunja Mission Station, an Indigenous Australian reserve located in New South Wales. in 1955, Little left home to pursue his dreams of becoming a musician in Sydney. His recording career began the following year, and his breakout hit song “Royal Telephone” became the first song by an Indigenous Australian to hit number one on the pop music charts in 1963.

“Royal Telephone” sold over 75,000 copies—a platinum achievement by today’s standards that earned him the title of Australian Pop Star of the Year in 1964. Little also began acting during this era and became a household name through national tours, radio playtime, and TV appearances into the 1970s. By the 1980s, Little began to use his influence to mentor Indigenous youth and advocate for literacy and health programs throughout the rest of his career.

Little’s reinterpretations of contemporary hits released on over 29 albums earned him the title of one of the founding fathers of Australian country music, an achievement honored by his induction into Tamworth’s Country Music Roll of Renown. For his lifetime of advocacy for Indigenous peoples in Australia, he earned three honorary doctorates and was named a National Living Treasure. Today, his legacy lives on through the work of the Jimmy Little Foundation, an organisation he founded in 2006 with the aim of promoting health, education, and access to opportunity in Indigenous Australian communities.

Special thanks to the family of Jimmy Little for their partnership on this project. Below, his family reflects on Little’s life, legacy, and today’s Doodle:

Jimmy was a celebrated and beloved Australian Aboriginal musician, actor and advocate whose career spanned six decades. A Yorta Yorta man, he was born on Cummeragunja Mission but grew up on the south coast of NSW, from Nowra to Wallaga Lake. Jimmy recorded his first single in 1956 and rose to prominence as an Aboriginal entertainer throughout the 1960s, topped the charts and became a household name with “Royal Telephone” in 1963. In 1999, Jimmy received an ARIA award for Adult Contemporary album with Messenger, which reached the top 10 of the alternative music charts, introducing Jimmy to a new, younger audience. That same year, Jimmy was inducted into the ARIA Australian Music Hall of Fame.

Throughout his illustrious career Jimmy received every major Australian music industry award, plus three honorary doctorates. Jimmy was the recipient of the National Aboriginal Day of Observance Committee’s 'Aboriginal of the Year' award in 1989, was named NSW Senior Australian of the Year in 2002, and received the Australia Council’s Red Ochre Award in 2004. He was awarded an AO [Order of Australia] for his continued work with Indigenous Health and Education programs, and in 2004, a public vote named him “a living Australian treasure.” Jimmy was the patron of The Indigenous Doctors Association of Australia, an ambassador for The Fred Hollows Foundation and Kidney Health Australia. Dr. Little was also an ambassador for literacy and numeracy with the Federal Department of Education Science and Training In 2006 Jimmy founded the Jimmy Little Foundation to improve renal health across Indigenous communities in regional and remote Australia.

—Frances Peters-Little [daughter]

"I just want people to remember me as a nice person who was fair-minded and had a bit of talent that put it to good use."

—Jimmy Little



Jimmy Little at his first recording at EMI Records in 1956
Courtesy of the Jimmy Little Foundation




Jimmy Little drinking water while completing work for the Jimmy Little Foundation
Courtesy of the Jimmy Little’s Family

[9A]

Oct 02, 2023

Celebrating the Appalachian Trail




Today’s slideshow Doodle celebrates the Appalachian Trail — click the Doodle to explore the 2,190-mile footpath that spans across 14 U.S. states! The Appalachian trail is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, and has served sightseeing hikers for nearly 100 years. It traverses through dense forests, across rushing rivers, and over mountain summits along the east coast. On this day in 1968 The National Trails System Act established the Appalachian Trail as one of the country’s first National Scenic Trails.

Benton MacKaye, a forester, conservationist, and lifelong outdoorsman, first proposed the idea in 1921. His original plan, titled An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning, outlined a stretch of several self-sustaining agricultural camps along the way. Many like-minded people started joining his cause, and the community eventually became known as the Appalachian Trail Conference.

In 1937, thanks to combined efforts of many trailblazers, the Appalachian Trail became fully connected from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Ten years later, a hiker named Earl Shaffer reported the first thru-hike from end-to-end and ignited a wave of interest. Over fourteen thousand people have completed the trek since.

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Trails System Act in 1968, which declared the Appalachian Trail as one of the first national scenic trails and recognized it as federal land. Finally, in 2014, the last major stretch of land was acquired, turning initial dreams for the trail into reality.

Nowadays, in a collaborative effort to conserve its natural glory, the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and many volunteers maintain and manage the historic footpath. Thousands of pathfinders visit the route each year with the intention of completing the four- to six-month long thru-hike.

Happy trails!

[9A]

April 30, 2022

Celebrating Route 66



Today’s video Doodle takes you on the ultimate American road trip, a journey along the historic Route 66. The iconic highway—known for its retro diners, quirky motels, eclectic art installations and extraordinary landscapes—connects Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. On this day in 1926, the name “U.S. 66” was first proposed for the cross-country route.

Built during the start of mass car ownership in 1926, U.S. Highway 66 made cross-country travel affordable for the first time ever. It also served as an escape route for displaced families during the Dust Bowl. When severe dust storms ravaged the Great Plains in the 1930s, more than 200,000 refugees got on Route 66 to pursue a better life out West. Among these drivers was John Steinbeck, who traveled along Route 66 during this time to seek inspiration for The Grapes of Wrath.

When the American economy stabilized after World War II, Route 66’s popularity surged. Millions of travelers drove through the highway to witness awe-inspiring sites—like a 50,000-year-old meteor crater in northern Arizona, and graffiti-laden Cadillacs buried nose-down in Amarillo, Texas.

Although Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985, after five new interstate highways replaced it, many organizations campaigned to preserve the road to honor its historical significance. As a result, parts of Route 66 were preserved as State or National Scenic Byways. Travelers today can still find many original establishments from the heyday of the historic highway.

Today’s artwork celebrates the cultural significance of one of America’s first national highways, and how it became a symbol of a changing nation.
Honk if you love Route 66!

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During the 2,400+ mile road trip along Route 66, Doodler Matthew Cruiskshank developed more than 100 paintings and sketches to create today’s animated video Doodle.