Wikipedia:Today's featured list/April 2023
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April 3
John Buchan was a Scottish novelist, historian, biographer and editor. Outside the field of literature he was, at various times, a barrister, a publisher, a lieutenant colonel in the Intelligence Corps, the director of information during the First World War, and a Unionist MP who served as Governor General of Canada. Born in Perth, Scotland, Buchan was admitted to the University of Glasgow in 1892 to study classics; during his first year at university he edited the works of Francis Bacon, which were published in 1894. By the time he left the university he had published five books. Much of Buchan's non-fiction mirrored his circumstances: his time in South Africa resulted in The African Colony, and the First World War led to a series of books about the war in general, and the Scottish and South African forces in particular. He interspersed his non-fiction with novels, and wrote ten biographies and four volumes of poetry, as well as numerous articles and stories for magazines and journals. (Full list...)
April 7
There are nine castles in Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. They consist of four motte-and-bailey castles, three fortified manor houses, an enclosure castle, and a possible shell keep. Four of Greater Manchester's castles are scheduled monuments: Buckton, Bury, Radcliffe Tower (pictured), and Watch Hill. The purpose of a castle was not simply militaristic, but was also considered to be a stamp of authority over the population of an area and a status symbol. Some would have acted as centres of trade and administration for a manor. The earliest castles in Greater Manchester are Dunham and Watch Hill in Trafford, Ullerwood in Manchester, and Stockport Castle in Stockport. They were first recorded in 1173 as belonging to barons who had rebelled against Henry II. (Full list...)
April 10
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April 14
Alexander the Great founded numerous settlements on his military campaigns (map pictured), during which he created one of the largest empires in history. His settlements have been the subject of intense debate, as the accounts of historical scholars differ wildly and are often contradictory. Plutarch provides the maximum estimate of seventy cities in his Life of Alexander, but most texts attest to between ten and twenty foundations, which Alexander named after himself or his close companions. The accounts of Alexander's campaigns, primarily those of Arrian, Plutarch, Diodorus, Curtius Rufus, and Justin, help to provide evidence. The most important of the settlements he founded include Alexandria in Egypt, Boukephala and Nikaia on the Indus River, Alexandria Eschate in Central Asia, and Alexandria Ariana in modern Afghanistan. (Full list...)
April 17
The Branch Rickey Award was given annually to an individual in Major League Baseball (MLB) in recognition of his exceptional community service from 1992 to 2014. The award was named in honor of former player and executive Branch Rickey, who broke the major league color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson, while president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Rickey also created the Knothole Gang, a charity that allowed children to attend MLB games. The award, created by the Rotary Club of Denver in 1991, was first awarded to Dave Winfield in 1992 at their annual banquet. Each winner received a bronze sculpture of a baseball player measuring 24 inches (610 mm), named "The Player", designed by sculptor George Lundeen. A larger version of "The Player", standing 13 feet (4.0 m) tall, was erected at Coors Field in Denver. (Full list...)
April 21
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There are thirty-three species in Viverridae, a family of mammals in the order Carnivora, split into fourteen genera within four subfamilies: the three civet subfamilies Viverrinae, Hemigalinae, and Paradoxurinae, and the genet subfamily Genettinae. A member of this family is called a viverrid. They are widespread primarily throughout Africa, India, and southeast Asia, and are found primarily in forests, shrublands, and grasslands, though some species can be found in savannas or wetlands. Most viverrids are 40 to 65 cm (16 to 26 in) long, plus a 35 to 60 cm (14 to 24 in) tail. Most species do not have population estimates, though three viverrids are classified as endangered, and one, the Malabar large-spotted civet (example pictured), with a population size of around 200, is classified as Critically Endangered. (Full list...)
April 24
One hundred and twelve films are known to have been produced in the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia) between 1926 and the colony's dissolution in 1949. The earliest motion pictures, imported from abroad, were shown in late 1900, and by the early 1920s imported serials and fictional films were being shown, often with localised names. The first locally produced film, Loetoeng Kasaroeng (poster pictured), was directed by L. Heuveldorp and released on 31 December 1926. Between 1926 and 1933 numerous other local productions were released. Although Dutchmen like Heuveldorp and G. Krugers continued to be active in the industry, the majority of filmmakers and producers were ethnic Chinese. The Tan brothers and The Teng Chun were major producers during this period, while the Wong brothers were among the more prominent directors. (Full list...)
April 28
The Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award is an honor that is presented by the music magazine Billboard to an artist or a group with "an enduring and exceptional career, encompassing artistic and personal contributions that have had a major impact on Latin music worldwide". The recipient is decided by the Billboard editorial committee. The Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award was first given to Morton Gould, the president of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), during the fourth annual Billboard Latin Music Conference in 1993. Since 1994, the Lifetime Achievement Award has been presented during the Billboard Latin Music Awards. The accolade is usually awarded to a recording artist, but may be presented to industry figures who have helped raise the awareness of Spanish-language music globally, including Emilio Estefan (pictured), Ralph Mercado, and Jorge Pinos. (Full list...)