Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Rossellini, Roberto

(Encyclopedia)Rossellini, Roberto rōbĕrˈtō rōs-sĕl-lēˈnē [key], 1906–77, Italian film director and producer. He first received international attention in 1946 with Open City, which was made clandestinely...

Norman, Jessye

(Encyclopedia)Norman, Jessye, 1945–2019, American soprano, b. Augusta, Ga., studied Howard Univ. (B.A., 1967), Univ. of Michigan, and Peabody Conservatory. Making her early reputation in Europe, Norman won first ...

Berlin, Conference of

(Encyclopedia)Berlin, Conference of, 1884–85, international meeting aimed at settling the problems connected with European colonies in Africa. At the invitation of the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck, represe...

Morse code

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Morse code [for S. F. B. Morse], the arbitrary set of signals used on the telegraph (see code). It may also be used with a flash lamp for visible signaling. The international (or continental) M...

Grotius, Hugo

(Encyclopedia)Grotius, Hugo grōˈshəs [key], 1583–1645, Dutch jurist and humanist, whose Dutch name appears as Huigh de Groot. He studied at the Univ. of Leiden and became a lawyer when 15 years old. In Dutch p...

seas, freedom of the

(Encyclopedia)seas, freedom of the, in international law, the principle that outside its territorial waters (see waters, territorial) a state may not claim sovereignty over the seas, except with respect to its own ...

prize

(Encyclopedia)prize, in maritime law, the private property of an enemy that a belligerent captures at sea. For the capture of the vessel or cargo to be lawful it must be made outside neutral waters and by authority...

Theodorakis, Mikis

(Encyclopedia) Theodorakis, Mikis , 1925-2021, Greek composer and politician, b. Chios island, Greece, Athens Conservatoire (1950). Theodorakis showed interest in mus...

Herndon

(Encyclopedia)Herndon, town (2020 pop. 24,655), Fairfax co., N Va., inc. 1874, rechartered 1938. A suburb of Washington, D.C., Herndon has a mix of light and high-tec...

Freeport, city, Bahamas

(Encyclopedia)Freeport, city, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas. A popular resort area, it developed out of a 1955 agreement between the Bahamian colonial government and a...