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May 20 Dateline

Birthdays


1759Dr. William Thornton, British-American physician, inventor, painter and architect who designed the United States Capitol. He also served as the first Architect of the Capitol and first Superintendent of the United States Patent Office.
 
1799 - Honore de Balzac,  French novelist and playwright. His novel sequence La Comédie humaine, which presents a panorama of post-Napoleonic French life, is generally viewed as his magnum opus. (French author spotlight Balzac. Uploaded by The Medieval Reader. Accessed May 20, 2019.) 

1806 - John Stuart Mill (usually cited as J. S. Mill), British philosopher, political economist, and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of classical liberalism, he contributed widely to social theory, political theory, and political economy. Dubbed "the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century", Mill's conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state and social control. He was a proponent of utilitarianism, an ethical theory developed by his predecessor Jeremy Bentham. He contributed to the investigation of scientific methodology, though his knowledge of the topic was based on the writings of others, notably William Whewell, John Herschel, and Auguste Comte.

1903 - Jerzy Fitelberg, Polish-American composer. He said that his style of composition was similar to the energy and high voltage music of Stravinsky, a focus on linear and harmonic complexity as in Hindemith, and colors of contemporary French music such as Milhaud. In 1927 Fitelberg re-orchestrated Arthur Sullivan's music for The Mikado for Erik Charell's re-staging as an operetta-revue in Berlin's Grosses Schauspielhaus. (Review in the Times (London) September 2, 1927. In 1928, his String Quartet no. 2 won first prize in a competition organized by the Association of Young Polish Musicians in Paris. His first violin concerto made a major impression on the 1929 International Society for Contemporary Music concert.

1908 - James Maitland Stewart, American actor and military officer. Known for his distinctive drawl and every man screen persona, Stewart had a film career that spanned over 55 years and 80 films. With the strong morality he portrayed both on and off the screen, Stewart epitomized the "American ideal" in 20th-century United States. In 1999, the American Film Institute (AFI) ranked him third on its list of the greatest American male actors. 

1946 - Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian), American singer, actress and TV personality. Commonly referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop", Cher is known for her distinctive contralto singing voice, as well as adopting a variety of styles and appearances. Cher gained popularity in 1965 as one-half of the folk rock husband-wife duo Sonny & Cher after their song "I Got You Babe" peaked at number one on the US and UK charts. By the end of 1967, they had sold 40 million records worldwide. She became a TV with her CBS shows The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, watched by over 30 million viewers weekly during its three-year run, and Cher. She emerged as a fashion trendsetter by wearing elaborate outfits on her television shows.

Leftie:
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More birthdays and historical events, May 20 - On This Day

 
Feature:
 
Enjoy the music of  Jerzy Fitelberg (1903-1951): Sonata per pianoforte No.1 (1926).  Pianist: Kolja Lessing.  Accessed May 20, 2017



Historical Events


1773 - Captain James Cook, explorer, releases the first sheep in New Zealand.

1873 - Levi Strauss of San Francisco and Jacob Davis of Nevada receive a patent for miners' work pants, marking the birthday of a quintessential American garment - blue jeans. 

1902 - Cuba gains independence from the United States.

1959 - Ford wins a battle with Chrysler to call its new car "Falcon." The Falcon becomes one of the biggest-selling names in  world automotive history.

1996 - The U.N. and Iraq sign a memorandum for the revenue from oil sales to be exchanged for humanitarian aid, otherwise known as Oil For Food Program.


Resources:

1. Asiado, Tel. The World's Movers and Shapers. New Hampshire: Ore Mountain Publishing House (2005)
2. Britannica. www.britannica.com
3. Chambers Biographical Dictionary, 19th Ed. London: Chambers Harrap, 2011
4. Dateline. Sydney: Millennium House, (2006)
5. Grun, Bernard. The Timestables of History, New 3rd Revised Ed. Simon and Schuster/Touchstone (1991)
6. Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org


 
(c) June 2007. Updated May 20, 2023. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.

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