13.05.2022 13:01 Date: May 3, 2022 Happy U.S. Teacher Appreciation Day! Today’s Doodle honors all the resilient teachers who have worked tirelessly to shape our future generations. Teachers today wear so many different hats—they are community builders, mentors, mediators, and even tech support for virtual and in-person learners. Finding innovative ways to connect with, motivate, and inspire students in this ever-changing environment, educators are going above and beyond to empower every student. To all educators everywhere: Thank you! Doodler Erich Nagler created today’s Doodle artwork with inspiration from the . Below, Erich shares more on his experience working with the teachers on today’s Doodle! “I was excited to work on this Doodle as a way to express my gratitude and respect for the work that teachers do. Teachers have guided, challenged, and encouraged me all throughout my journey, and my art teachers especially. It was a treat to meet with such a passionate and insightful group of teachers as part of the Doodle development process. The State Teachers of the Year shared overarching themes of their roles and specific examples from their classrooms to inform the Doodle illustration. They even took pencil to paper themselves to sketch their ideas for what the artwork could look like. One quote from our brainstorm that stuck with me was, 'Teachers empower students with tools to share their ideas.' So I tried to create a still-life of all these various tools of learning around the teacher’s desk and chalkboard. I hope that teachers who see this Doodle feel recognized and appreciated, and I hope that the Doodle might encourage more people to take up teaching in their own communities.” to hear from 2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell who shares more about his story, the importance of the teaching community, and how Google is showing up for educators. Location: Tags: , , , ,
13.05.2022 13:01 Date: May 2, 2022 Today’s Doodle celebrates the birthday of Elijah McCoy, a Black Canadian-American engineer and inventor who revolutionized train efficiency with his inventions. He held 57 patents in his lifetime, most of which were related to locomotives and railways. In 1837, McCoy’s parents bravely escaped a life of enslavement in Kentucky through the Underground Railroad and sought freedom in Canada. Elijah was born in Colchester, Ontario and returned to the U.S. with his family at a young age. He grew up with a passion for problem-solving, mechanics, and trains. At age 15, he decided to further his education in the field and moved to Edinburgh, Scotland to become a mechanical engineer apprentice. Upon his return, McCoy settled in Michigan as opportunities to find work in Canada were very limited. In 1866, Black Americans faced rampant racial discrimination, which made finding a job that aligned with his level of experience in mechanical engineering extremely difficult. He joined the Michigan Central Railroad as a fireman and oiler, and quickly identified how inefficient it was to have to stop trains every few miles in order to manually lubricate their engines. Six years into his role, McCoy addressed this issue by inventing what was colloquially known as an “oil-drip cup.” The cup caused oil to steadily flow around the engine without needing to stop the train. Consequently, McCoy obtained his first patent, “Improvement in Lubricators for Steam Engines.” Future variations of his invention were later used to revolutionize oil-drilling and mining equipment along with construction and factory tools. McCoy continued to design new inventions while working as a consultant to engineering companies, including patents for a lawn sprinkler and ironing board. He eventually founded the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company in 1920, which produced lubrication devices displaying his name. In 2001, Elijah McCoy was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio and has a dedicated exhibit in the Detroit Historical Museum. McCoy’s innovations and ingenuity kept trains chugging and have laid the tracks for the well-oiled machines of today. Happy birthday, Elijah McCoy! Location: , Tags: , , , , , ,
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13.05.2022 13:01 Date: April 30, 2022 Today’s video Doodle takes you on the ultimate American road trip, a journey along the historic Route 66. The iconic highway, known for its retro diners, quirky motels, eclectic art installations and extraordinary landscapes, connects Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. On this day in 1926, the name “U.S. 66” was first proposed for the cross-country route. Built during the start of mass car ownership in 1926, U.S. Highway 66 made cross-country travel affordable for the first time ever. It also served as an escape route for displaced families during the Dust Bowl. When severe dust storms ravaged the Great Plains in the 1930s, more than 200,000 refugees got on Route 66 to pursue a better life out West. Among these drivers was John Steinbeck, who traveled along Route 66 during this time to seek inspiration for The Grapes of Wrath. When the American economy stabilized after World War II, Route 66’s popularity surged. Millions of travelers drove through the highway to witness awe-inspiring sites—like a 50,000-year-old meteor crater in northern Arizona, and graffiti-laden Cadillacs buried nose-down in Amarillo, Texas. Although Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985, after five new interstate highways replaced it, many organizations campaigned to preserve the road to honor its historical significance. As a result, parts of Route 66 were preserved as State or National Scenic Byways. Travelers today can still find many original establishments from the heyday of the historic highway. Today's video—set to the classic music track "Route 66" by Bobby Troup—celebrates the cultural significance of one of America’s first national highways, and how it became a symbol of a changing nation. Honk if you love Route 66! Doodler Q&A with Matthew Cruickshank During the 2,400+ mile road trip along Route 66, Doodler Matthew Cruiskshank developed more than 100 paintings and sketches to create today’s animated video Doodle. Below, he shares his personal experience traveling down Route 66 and the making of this Doodle: Q. Tell us a bit about your creative process. How did you decide on the artistic style and approach for the Doodle? A. I’ve always loved sketching outdoors. Sketchbooks provide a useful source of reference & creative freedom to artists. I set out to create an animated sketchbook of my journey complete with u-turns and artistic meanderings. Q. What was your favorite stop along Route 66? You can only choose one! A. Unfair!! Exploring New Mexico would be right up there. You can still see a stretch of La Bajada, a once infamous and treacherous part of the road in which old cars only had the power to climb it in reverse! Q. What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle? A. That life in the slow lane can be incredibly worthwhile from time to time! about Matt’s experience and how you can use Google Maps to navigate the must-see spots along Route 66. Cadillac Ranch, Texas Cadillac Ranch, Texas A few of the 100+ paintings and sketches that were created for today’s Doodle Route 66 Doodle Team Art Lead & Creative Director | Matthew Cruickshank Business Affairs & Partnerships | Madeline Belliveau Producer | Colin Duffy Engineering | Jacob Howcroft Marketing | Perla Campos, Sierra Menzies Additional Video Footage | Mike Dutton Senior Contracts Manager & Music Legal | Joy Edgar Doodle Team Leads | Jessica Yu, Brian Kaas Location: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Tags:
13.05.2022 13:01 Date: April 29, 2022 A small instrument delivered soulful sounds when it was in the hands of Belgian musician and composer Toots Thielemans. Known for his chromatic harmonica skills, he made a name for himself in the genre of jazz. He also played guitar and professionally whistled his way up international charts throughout his musical career. Today’s Doodle—illustrated by guest artist —hits all the right notes by celebrating Toots Thielemans’ contributions to the jazz world on what would be his 100th birthday. Toots picked up the accordion at three years old and quickly found himself entertaining people at an early age. He would eventually grow up and become a performing musician at his parents’ cafe. As a teenager, he got his hands on a harmonica, but it wasn’t until he heard Louis Armstrong on record that he discovered jazz. In the early 1940s, he picked up the guitar and began performing and touring with other talented musicians. Playing next to jazz and blues figures like Quincy Jones, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and Frank Sinatra, Toots made himself a staple on radio and television. He recorded 21 records, was featured in Old Spice and Firestone commercials as well as motion-picture soundtracks. One of his most recognizable harmonica solos was for the theme song on PBS-TV’s Sesame Street. Toots is widely considered an unrivaled harmonica player and a true Jazz Master. He continued recording with other artists and performing publicly late into his life. After his passing, many collected and showcased his records, ticket stubs and autographs while museums displayed donated items and instruments from his personal collection. Happy birthday, Toots Thielemans! Location: , , , , , , , , , Tags: , , , ,
13.05.2022 13:01 Date: April 27, 2022 Today’s Doodle celebrates the 91st birthday of Krzysztof Komeda, an influential film composer, jazz pianist and medical doctor from Poland. He’s widely remembered as one of the immortals of Polish music and an influential artist in the history of Polish jazz, despite the fact he was never formally trained in composition, harmony or orchestration. From an early age, Komeda was surrounded by music—he started piano lessons at age 7 and played in his first jam session at 19. While attending the Medical Academy in Poznań, he kept his passion for music a secret from his colleagues since it was frowned upon for medical professionals to play western music. It was then that he chose to use a childhood nickname as his artistic alter-ego, Komeda. In 1956, the rising jazz star debuted his Komeda Sextet and found their first major success that year at the 1st Jazz Festival in Sopot. The following year, they won a silver medal at the 6th International Youth Festival in Moscow. He eventually set up his own trio, quartet, and quintet during this decade, rotating between the same few trusted musicians to play alongside him. The 60’s saw Komeda’s influence and success as a composer flourish all throughout Europe and the world. He wrote over 40 scores for major films, was named Jazzman of the Year by “Jazz” magazine and released his critically acclaimed album, titled “Astigmatic”. The album is widely accepted as his best work, and cemented him as one of the founding fathers of European jazz. Komeda’s signature aesthetic and groundbreaking style of jazz composition is still celebrated to this day, and his memory is honored by the annual Komeda Jazz Festival in Poland. Happy Birthday Krzysztof Komeda! Location: Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
13.05.2022 13:01 Date: April 27, 2022 Today’s Doodle celebrates South Africa’s Freedom Day, a commemoration of the country’s first democratic elections held on this day in 1994. The elections established a new democratic government and ended more than 300 years of segregation and colonial rule. Between 1948 and 1994, South Africans lived under apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation that promoted political and economic discrimination against non-whites. Today’s Doodle artwork features a democratic ballot box surrounded by South Africa’s national flower, proteas—paying homage to the 1994 elections and the first time the majority of South Africans could vote. Today we celebrate South Africa’s democracy and reflect on the hard decades it took to get there. Many families recognize the day by having a braai or visiting places that honor the fight for democracy. A landmark destination is Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held as a political prisoner for many years. There are often local parades and street parties throughout the country. Happy Freedom Day, South Africa. Location: Tags: , , , , ,
13.05.2022 13:01 Date: April 27, 2022 Today’s Doodle celebrates King’s Day, or Koningsdag. Every year on the 27th of April, Dutch communities gather to celebrate their heritage and honor the birthday of the Dutch king. Previously known as Queensday, this national holiday’s name was changed when Queen Beatrix crowned her son Willem-Alexander as king in 2013. King’s Day festival goers can be seen wearing orange clothes and enjoying the national drink known as Oranjebitter, all to honor the royal House of Orange. Street carnivals and flea markets—the day is filled with various lively events and activities. Got a sweet tooth? Stop by a bakery for a quick, sugary bite. Need to do some shopping? Explore the many open-air free markets set up along the streets. Kids are even encouraged to trade their old toys, games and books for new ones. Show your Dutch pride and appreciation on Koningsdag this year by donning bright orange apparel. Fijne Koningsdag! Location: Tags: , , , , ,
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