Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia)  Washington, Denzel (Denzel Hayes Washington Jr.), 1954- , African-American actor, b. Mount Vernon, N.Y., Fordham Univ. (B.A., 1977). Washington’s fa...

(Encyclopedia) Holly, Buddy, 1936–59, American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, b. Lubbock, Tex., as Charles Hardin Holley. He performed country and western m...

(Encyclopedia) Kincaid, Jamaica, 1949–, West Indian–American writer, b. Antigua as Elaine Potter Richardson. She immigrated to the United States at 16 and later became a U.S. citizen. Changing her name (1973), s...

(Encyclopedia) Chambersburg, borough (2020 pop. 21,903), seat of Franklin co., S Pa.; settled 1730, inc. 1803. Food products, apparel, construction materials, and tran...

(Encyclopedia) Ord, Edward Otho Cresap, 1818–83, Union general in the American Civil War, b. Cumberland, Md. He commanded a brigade in Virginia (1861–62), was promoted to major general of volunteers, and fought ...

(Encyclopedia) Deerfield. 1 Village (2020 pop. 18,456), Cook and Lake counties, NE Ill., a residential suburb of Chicago; inc. 1903. The huge Sara Lee Bakery, which ...

(Encyclopedia) Dillard, James Hardy dĭlˈərd [key], 1856–1940, American educator, b. Nansemond co., Va., grad. Washington and Lee Univ., 1876. Professor (1891–1907) of Latin at Tulane, where he was also dean (...

(Encyclopedia) Berlioz, Louis-Hector lwē ĕktôrˈ bĕrlyôzˈ [key], 1803–69, French romantic composer. He abandoned medical study to enter the Paris Conservatory as a composition student. In 1830 his Symphonie ...

(Encyclopedia) Salem. 1 City (1990 pop. 38,091), seat of Essex co., NE Mass., on an inlet of Massachusetts Bay; inc. 1629. Its once famous harbor has silted up. Salem has electronic, leather, and machinery industrie...

(Encyclopedia) Petty, Richard, 1937–, American auto racing driver, b. Level Cross, N.C. The son of Lee Petty, a champion stock car race driver, he won a record 200 National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ra...