(Encyclopedia) Updike, John, 1932–2009, American author, one of the nation's most distinguished 20th-century men of letters, b. Shillington, Pa., grad. Harvard, 1954. In his many novels and stories,…
(Encyclopedia) Wayne, John, 1907–79, American movie actor, b. Winterset, Iowa, as Marion Michael Morrison. An enduringly popular movie star from his debut in 1930, Wayne combined the toughness…
(Encyclopedia) Webster, John, 1580?–1634, English dramatist, b. London. Although little is known of his life, there is evidence that he worked for Philip Henslowe, collaborating with such playwrights…
(Encyclopedia) Zizka, JohnZizka, Johnzĭsˈkə [key], Czech Jan ŽižkaZizka, Johnyän zhēshˈkä [key], d. 1424, Bohemian military leader and head of the Hussite forces during the anti-Hussite crusades of…
(Encyclopedia) Berryman, JohnBerryman, Johnbĕrˈēmən [key], 1914–72, American poet and critic, b. McAlester, Okla., as John Allyn Smith, Jr., grad. Columbia, 1936, also studied at Cambridge. His…
(Encyclopedia) Groote SchuurGroote Schuurkhr&oobreve;ˈtə skür [key] [Afrik.,=large barn], estate, Cape Town, Western Cape, SW South Africa. The main building of the estate, which is a good…
(Encyclopedia) EsperantoEsperantoĕspəränˈtō [key], an artificial language introduced in 1887 and intended by its inventor, Dr. Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof (1859–1917), a Polish oculist and linguist, to…
(Encyclopedia) Bugenhagen, JohannBugenhagen, Johannyōˈhän b&oomacr;ˈgənhäˌgən [key], 1485–1558, German Protestant reformer. Born in Pomerania, he is sometimes called Dr. Pomeranus. Bugenhagen, an…
Who originated the idea of a national holiday in honor of MLK?
by Shmuel Ross and David Johnson Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday observed on the third Monday in January.…
