Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Sirleaf, Ellen Johnson

(Encyclopedia)Sirleaf, Ellen Johnson sĭrlēfˈ [key], 1938–, Liberian economist and political leader. Educated in the United States (M.P.A. Harvard, 1971), she worked in the Liberian government (1964–67, 1977�...

Bunche, Ralph Johnson

(Encyclopedia)Bunche, Ralph Johnson bŭnch [key], 1904–71, U.S. government official and UN diplomat, b. Detroit, Ph.D., Harvard, 1934. He taught political science at Howard Univ. (1928–40). In government servic...

Stern, David Joel

(Encyclopedia)Stern, David Joel, 1942–2020, American basketball executive, b. New York City. A lawyer, he worked (1966–78) as outside counsel to the National Basketball Association (NBA) before he became NBA ge...

Johnson, Samuel, English author

(Encyclopedia)Johnson, Samuel, 1709–84, English author, b. Lichfield. The leading literary scholar and critic of his time, Johnson helped to shape and define the Augustan Age. He was equally celebrated for his br...

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

(Encyclopedia)Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, charitable organization devoted exclusively to health care issues. It was established in 1936 by Robert Wood Johnson (1893–1968), board chairman of the Johnson & ...

Mulholland, John

(Encyclopedia)Mulholland, John mŭlˈhŏlˌənd [key], 1898–1970, American magician, b. Chicago, Ill. Mulholland came to be one of the most celebrated of stage performers of magic. Among his written works are Qui...

incantation

(Encyclopedia)incantation, set formula, spoken or sung, for the purpose of working magic. An incantation is normally an invocation to beneficent supernatural spirits for aid, protection, or inspiration. It may also...

stereopticon

(Encyclopedia)stereopticon stĕrēŏpˈtĭkən [key], optical projection instrument making multiple use of the magic lantern. The magic lantern uses lenses to throw on a screen a magnified image from a transparent ...

enchantment

(Encyclopedia)enchantment: see magic.

Cadmus, Paul

(Encyclopedia)Cadmus, Paul, 1904–99, American painter, b. N.Y.C.; studied National Academy of Design (1919–26), Art Students' League (1928). From 1933–35 he and painter Jared French traveled to Europe, where ...