Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) hooks, bell, 1952–2021, American author, poet, social critic, and Black feminist, b. Hopkinsville, Ky., as Gloria Jean Watkins, Stanford Univ. (B.A., ...

(Encyclopedia) Stakhanovism stäkäˈnəvĭzm, stə– [key], movement begun (1935) in the Soviet Union aimed at increasing industrial production by the use of efficient working techniques. It was named for Aleksey ...

(Encyclopedia) Peabody, George pēˈbädē, –bədē [key], 1795–1869, American financier and philanthropist, b. South Danvers (now Peabody), Mass. At the age of 11 he was apprenticed to a grocer, and later (1814...

(Encyclopedia) Holstein-Friesian cattle hōlˈstēn-frēˈzhən, –stīn– [key], breed of dairy cattle originated in N Holland and Friesland. Commonly called Holsteins in the United States, these large cattle wit...

(Encyclopedia) age of consent, the age at which, according to the law, persons are bound by their words and acts. There are different ages at which one acquires legal capacity to consent to marriage, to choose a gua...

(Encyclopedia) Ásgeirsson, Ásgeir äsˈkĕr äsˈkĕrsôn [key], 1894–1972, Icelandic statesman, president of Iceland (1952–68). He was a member of the Icelandic parliament from 1923 to 1952, headed the govern...

(Encyclopedia) Batoni, Pompeo Girolamo pōmpĕˈō jērôˈlämō bätôˈnē [key], 1708–87, Italian painter. Batoni studied and worked in Rome, learning much from the work of Corregio and Raphael. His paintings ...

(Encyclopedia) Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, charitable organization devoted exclusively to health care issues. It was established in 1936 by Robert Wood Johnson (1893–1968), board chairman of the Johnson & ...

(Encyclopedia) Day, Thomas, 1748–89, English social reformer and author. He supported the American Revolution and the abolition of slavery and was interested in improving the lot of the small farmer. His moralisti...

(Encyclopedia) Cambridge, University of, at Cambridge, England, one of the oldest English-language universities in the world. Originating in the early 12th cent. (legend places its origin even earlier than that of t...