Born in 1923 – Richard Avedon, American photographer.

Above: Ronald Fischer, Beekeeper, Davis, California, May 9, 1981. From Avedon’s collection, In the American West: 1979-1984.

Born in 1944 – George Lucas, American producer, screenwriter, and director.

In 1917–In Fatima, Portugal, three children had a vision of the Virgin Mary”. Nine year old Lúcia Santos described seeing a lady “brighter than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal goblet filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the sun”.

Above: Five months later, thousands gathered at the site, in hopes of catching a glimpse of the “Miracle of the Sun”.

Born in 1904 – Salvador Dalí, Spanish painter. 

Above: “Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea Which at Twenty Meters Becomes the Portrait of Abraham Lincoln–Homage to Rothko” (1976)

Born in 1800 – John Brown, American abolitionist who believed armed insurrection was the only way to overthrow the institution of slavery in the United States. Dissatisfied with the pacifism encouraged by the organized abolitionist movement, he said, “These men are all talk. What we need is action—action!”

Born in 1920 – Saul Bass, American graphic designer and director.

Born in 1915 – Orson Welles, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter.

Born in 1813 – Søren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher and writer.

“A fire broke out backstage in a theatre. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater. I think that’s just how the world will come to an end: to general applause from wits who believe it’s a joke.”
― from Either/Or, Part I

Born in 1796 – Horace Mann, American educator, reformer, and politician.

“After a child has arrived at the legal age for attending school–whether he be the child of noble or of peasant–the only two absolute grounds of exemption from attendance are sickness and death." 

– from Life and Works of Horace Mann: Vol. III

Born in 1969 – Wes Anderson, American director, producer, and screenwriter.

Above: Still from Anderson’s 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums.