jazz bass playerBorn: 1912Birthplace: New York City Peer began plucking the strings for the Chick Webb Orchestra in 1937. He backed up stars such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Lena Horne,…
(Encyclopedia) Laptev SeaLaptev Sealäpˈtyĭf [key], section of the Arctic Ocean, c.250,900 sq mi (649,800 sq km), N Siberian Russia, between the Taymyr Peninsula and the New Siberian Islands. It is…
(Encyclopedia) Tunguska Basin, c.400,000 sq mi (1,036,000 sq km), Krasnoyarsk Territory and Sakha Republic, E central Siberian Russia, between the Yenisei and Lena rivers. It has a huge untapped coal…
(Encyclopedia) De Long, George WashingtonDe Long, George Washingtondə lôngˈ [key], 1844–81, American arctic explorer, b. New York City, grad. Annapolis, 1865. In 1873 he was assigned to the Juniata,…
(Encyclopedia) Calloway, Cab (Cabell Calloway)Calloway, Cabkălˈəwāˌ [key], 1907–94, jazz singer and band leader, b. Rochester, N.Y. Known for his inventive creativity, he hired some of the top…
American Revolution (1775–1783)Last veteran, Daniel F. Bakeman, died 4/5/1869, age 109Last widow, Catherine S. Damon, died 11/11/1906, age 92Last dependent, Phoebe M. Palmeter, died 4/25/1911, age 90…
(Encyclopedia) Büchner, GeorgBüchner, Georggāˈôrk bükhˈnər [key], 1813–37, German dramatist. He was a student of medicine and a political agitator. He died at the age of 24, leaving a powerful drama…
