(Encyclopedia) Bandaranaike, Solomon West Ridgeway Dias, 1899–1959, prime minister (1956–59) of Ceylon (later Sri Lanka); husband of Sirimavo Bandaranaike. A lawyer educated in England, he entered…
(Encyclopedia) almond, name for a small tree (Prunus amygdalus) of the family Rosaceae (rose family) and for the nutlike, edible seed of its drupe fruit. The “nuts” of sweet-almond varieties are…
(Encyclopedia) Aaron, Hank (Henry Louis Aaron), 1934–2021, U.S. baseball player, b. Mobile, Ala. A durable outfielder and consistent hitter noted for his powerful wrists and explosive swing, Aaron…
Most wedding traditions, like throwing rice and eating cake, started long ago. Here are some of the stories behind the rituals.Bridal dressWearing a new white dress to be used only for a wedding…
musicianBorn: 3/17/1967Birthplace: Elk Grove, Illinois Lead singer of the rock band Smashing Pumpkins, which rose to popularity during the heyday of the grunge era. After playing with a band in…
ship captain, merchant, and abolitionistBorn: January 17, 1759 Birthplace: Cuttyhunk, Mass. Paul Cuffe was born in colonial Massachusetts as a free Black person. Cuffe's mother was an American…
film, television and stage actorBorn: 19/19/1928Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York Though Hickey had been acting since the 1940s, it wasn't until 1985 that he gained fame for his role as the aging,…
(John Herndon Mercer)lyricist, songwriterBorn: 11/18/1909Birthplace: Savannah, Georgia This prolific lyricist wrote words for some of the most memorable songs of the 1940s and 1950s, many made…
DOOLEY, Calvin M., a Representative from California; born in Visalia, Tulare County, Calif., January 11, 1954; B.S., University of California, Davis, Calif., 1977; M.A., Stanford University,…
businessmanDied: December 27, 2007 (Burr Ridge, Illinois) Best Known as: former chairman and CEO of Sears Edward Brennan was the chairman and chief executive of…