Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Blackwell, Elizabeth

(Encyclopedia)Blackwell, Elizabeth, 1821–1910, American physician, b. England; sister of Henry Brown Blackwell. She was the first woman in the United States to receive a medical degree, which was granted (1849) t...

de Kooning, Willem

(Encyclopedia)de Kooning, Willem də ko͞oˈnĭng [key], 1904–97, American painter, b. Netherlands; studied Rotterdam Academy of Fine Arts and Techniques. De Kooning immigrated to the United States, arriving as a...

Madero, Francisco Indalecio

(Encyclopedia)Madero, Francisco Indalecio fränsēˈskō ēndälāˈsyō mäᵺāˈrō [key], 1873–1913, Mexican statesman and president (1911–13). A champion of democracy and social reform, he established vari...

general strike

(Encyclopedia)general strike, sympathetic cessation of work by a majority of the workers in all industries of a locality or nation. Such a stoppage is economic if it is for the purpose of redressing some grievance ...

Episcopal Church

(Encyclopedia)Episcopal Church, Anglican church of the United States. Its separate existence as an American ecclesiastical body with its own episcopate began in 1789. During the American Revolution the personal l...

Neel, Alice

(Encyclopedia)Neel, Alice, 1900–84, American painter, b. Merion Square, Pa., grad. Philadelphia School of Design for Women (1925). She worked (1933–43) for various Depression-era government arts programs, paint...

North Carolina, University of

(Encyclopedia)North Carolina, University of, main campus at Chapel Hill; state supported; coeducational; chartered 1789, opened 1795, the first state college to open as a university. In 1931 the North Carolina Stat...

Arnold, Eve

(Encyclopedia)Arnold, Eve, 1912–2012, American photographer, b. Philadelphia as Eve Cohen. She moved to New York City at 28, and soon was studying photography at the New School; during this period she sold her fi...

Lewis, Matthew Gregory

(Encyclopedia)Lewis, Matthew Gregory, 1775–1818, English author, b. London. In addition to his writing he pursued a diplomatic career and served for a time in Parliament. He was often called “Monk” Lewis from...

Mitchell, Maria

(Encyclopedia)Mitchell, Maria, 1818–89, American astronomer and educator, b. Nantucket, Mass. Mitchell taught school in Nantucket, and later became a librarian. On Oct. 1, 1847, Mitchell discovered a comet (1847 ...

Browse by Subject