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Handy, W. C.

(Encyclopedia)Handy, W. C. (William Christopher Handy), 1873–1958, American songwriter and band leader, b. Florence, Ala. Largely self-taught, Handy began his career as a cornet player in a minstrel show in 1896,...

Gadsden, James

(Encyclopedia)Gadsden, James gădzˈdən [key], 1788–1858, American railroad promoter and diplomat, b. Charleston, S.C.; grandson of Christopher Gadsden. He served in the War of 1812, under Andrew Jackson against...

Parker, Charlie “Bird”

(Encyclopedia)Parker, Charlie “Bird” (Charles Christopher Parker, Jr.), 1920–55, American musician and composer, b. Kansas City, Kans. He began playing alto saxophone in 1933 and, shifting from one band to an...

Piccirilli

(Encyclopedia)Piccirilli pēˌchērēlˈlē [key], family of Italian-American marble cutters and sculptors. In 1888, the father and six sons, all sculptors, migrated from Italy and established a highly successful w...

Saint-Barthélemy

(Encyclopedia)Saint-Barthélemy, island and French overseas collectivity (2010 est. pop. 7,400), 8 sq mi (21 sq km), West Indies, one of the Leeward Islands; also called St. Barts in English. Gustavia is the capita...

Kyd, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Kyd or Kid, Thomas, 1558–94, English dramatist, b. London. The son of a scrivener, he evidently followed his father's profession for a few years. In the 1580s he began writing plays. His literary fa...

Mathewson, Christy

(Encyclopedia)Mathewson, Christy (Christopher Mathewson) măthˈəsən, –yəsən [key], 1880–1925, American baseball player, b. Factoryville, Pa., grad. Bucknell Univ., 1902. A righthander, he joined the Cincin...

Ashmole, Elias

(Encyclopedia)Ashmole, Elias ăshmōˈlēən [key], the first such public institution in England. He later donated his library to Oxford, and the whole was housed in a building erected by Sir Christopher Wren. The ...

Hawksmoor, Nicholas

(Encyclopedia)Hawksmoor, Nicholas, 1661–1736, English architect involved in the development of most of the great buildings of the English baroque. From the age of 21 he assisted Sir Christopher Wren in the design...

Fulton

(Encyclopedia)Fulton, city (2020 pop. 12,490), seat of Callaway co., central Mo., in an agricultural and farm area; inc. 1859. It has printing plants and factories th...