The birthday of a famous intellect
Stephen Gary Wozniak (later known by his nickname, “Woz”) was born on August 11, 1950, in San Jose, California. From an early age, he demonstrated an interest in electronics, and during his teenage years, became involved in designing and building his own computers. In 1968, Woz graduated from high school and enrolled in engineering at …
Sir Almroth Edward Wright was born on August 10, 1861, in Middleton Tyas, North Yorkshire, England. In 1882, he graduated from Trinity College Dublin, with first-class honors in modern literature, while also taking courses in medicine that led to a degree in medicine the following year. Wright’s friend and fellow-Irishman George Bernard Shaw would later …
Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin, Italy, on July 9, 1776 into a noble family. He initially pursued a legal career and obtained a doctorate in ecclesiastical law. However, he had a strong interest in science and mathematics, that prompted him to pursue studies in those fields. One of his most significant contributions to science …
Ralph Bunche (1904-1971) was born on August 7, 1904, in Detroit, Michigan, but he grew up in Los Angeles. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he excelled academically and became involved in various campus activities. Despite facing racial discrimination, he earned his bachelor’s degree in international relations in 1927, becoming the …
Johann Bernoulli was born on August 6, 1667 in Basel, Switzerland. The son of Nicholaus Bernoulli, Johann was one of the most accomplished mathematicians in a family that spawned several of the most eminent mathematicians in history. His father had hoped that Johann would study business at the university, so that he could take over …
William Rowan Hamilton was born on August 4, 1805 in Dublin, Ireland. The fourth of nine children, he was sent at age three to live with his uncle James Hamilton, who ran a school in Talbots Castle, in County Meath. His uncle James observed that William, from an early age, had displayed a special proclivity …
Martha Kostyra was born on August 3, 1941 in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her dad, a pharmaceutical salesman, was considered quite bright and known as “Eddie the dictionary” because of his extensive reading. But Eddie Kostyra felt his status as a Polish immigrant had hindered his ability to get ahead. It led him to groom …
Carroll O’Connor, was born on August 2, 1924, in Manhattan New York City, the oldest of three sons of Edward Joseph O’Connor, a lawyer, and his wife, Elise Patricia O’Connor (née O’Connor. Carroll was raised in Forest Hills, Queens and attended Newtown High School. On graduation from Newtown, in 1941, he attended Wake Forest University but …
Joanne Rowling, known by her pen name “J. K. Rowling” was born on July 31, 1965, in Yate, Gloucestershire, England. Joanne’s mother Anne, was an avid reader and shared her passion for storytelling with Joanne and her younger sister, Dianne. She introduced Joanne to the animals featured in the books of Richard Scarry, prompting the …
Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863 in Dearborn, Michigan. America was in the throes of the Civil War, and the tide had turned in favor of the Union army at the Battle of Gettysburg as the strength of the industrial North was beginning to assert itself. Henry, the eldest of eight children born …
