Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Ussher, James

(Encyclopedia)Ussher or Usher, James both: ŭshˈər [key], 1581–1656, Irish prelate and scholar. While a fellow (1599–1605) of Trinity College, Dublin, he was ordained (1601). By 1605 he was chancellor of St. ...

Kirby, Jack

(Encyclopedia)Kirby, Jack, 1917–94, American comic-book artist famous for the strongly drawn, brilliantly colored, and surprisingly human superheroes and villains he created or co-created, b. New York City as Jac...

Taylor, James Vernon

(Encyclopedia) Taylor, James Vernon, 1948-, American singer-songwriter, b. Boston, Ma. Taylor was born in Boston but raised in Chapel Hill, N.C. As a teenager, he be...

Franklin, John Hope

(Encyclopedia)Franklin, John Hope, 1915–2009, the dean of 20th-century African-American historians, b. Rentiesville, Okla., grad. Fisk Univ. (A.B., 1935), Harvard (M.A., 1936; Ph.D., 1941). Franklin served on the...

James, LeBron Raymone

(Encyclopedia)James, LeBron Raymone, 1984–, American basketball player, b. Akron, Ohio. The number-one draft pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers at age 18, “King James” has become one of the National Basketball A...

hula

(Encyclopedia)hula, traditional Hawaiian dance usually performed standing with symbolically descriptive arm and hand movements and gracefully sensual undulations of the hips; it is also done in a sitting position. ...

Foster, Jodie

(Encyclopedia)Foster, Jodie (Alicia Christian Foster), 1962–, American actress and film director, b. Los Angeles, Yale Univ. (B.A., 1985). A child model, she began ...

Penn, William, founder of Pennsylvania

(Encyclopedia)Penn, William, 1644–1718, English Quaker, founder of Pennsylvania, b. London, England; son of Sir William Penn. Penn became involved in the affairs of the American colonies when in 1675 he was ap...

Stevens

(Encyclopedia)Stevens, family of U.S. inventors. John Stevens, 1749–1838, b. New York City, was graduated from King's College (now Columbia Univ.) in 1768. He studied law (1768–71) and soon joined his father, a...

Browse by Subject