Edward Teach was a notorious English pirate with a thick black beard who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of the American colonies. He was killed in 1718 after two legendary years of plundering.
To maintain the delicate balance of the Internet, I had to post a pirate today after yesterday’s 8-bit ninja character.
A Mexican-American labor leader who dedicated his life to social justice and used nonviolent methods to fight for the rights of migrant farm workers in the southwestern United States. He founded and led the first successful farm workers’ union in U.S. history. In 1994, Chávez was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.
I can’t help but think of Batman when I see the United Farm Workers logo (Aztec eagle) in 8-bit form. Oh well.
A pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s. He died on this day in 2004. “Georgia on My Mind” is one of his best.
An African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist. As a spokesman for the Nation of Islam he taught black supremacy. After he left the Nation of Islam in 1964, he became a Sunni Muslim, but was assassinated a few months later while giving a speech. Here is a relevant song: “Wake Up” by Rage Against the Machine.
Prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He worked to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience. When he was assassinated in 1968, his efforts had been refocused on ending poverty and stopping the Vietnam War. Watch King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech or listen to “Let Freedom Ring” by Flocabulary.
P.S. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
One of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America and inventor of the lightning rod and bifocals. Now he is on the $100 bill, so I’m making him my 100th 8-bit character. It’s all about the benjamins.
In mostly unrelated news, I launched my first website exactly 14 years ago today.
Norma Jeane was born on this day in 1926. She became a cultural icon and American sex symbol. Yankees star Joe DiMaggio was one of her three husbands. She allegedly had affairs with both John and Robert Kennedy. She died of a barbiturate overdose in 1962, but conspiracy theories about the nature of her death abound.
A glamorously elfin British actress and UNICEF humanitarian. She was a film and fashion icon of the 20th century and possibly the loveliest actress to ever grace the silver screen.
The 35th President of the United States. JFK was born on this day in 1917. He was assassinated in 1963 as he traveled in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. I remain fascinated by the many conspiracy theories.
The Dark Knight is a DC Comics superhero who first appeared in 1939. By day he is billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne; by night he is a caped crime-fighter with no actual superpowers. He successfully defeats Gotham City villains by being an excellent detective and martial artist who’s unbelievably rich.
I almost had to draw a bearded Conan, but Will Ferrell helped him out with his facial hair three weeks ago. In May of last year, Conan performed on The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour after his settlement with NBC. I am a fan of Team Coco.
I am attending WebVisions 2011 in Portland, Oregon this week.
In the Back to the Future motion picture trilogy, Doc Brown invents the first time machine, which he builds with a DeLorean DMC-12 sports car. The car could travel back in time via a “flux capacitor” when it reached 88 MPH—which seems appropriate for my 88th character.
Bettie Page was an American model from Tennessee who became famous in the 1950s for her fetish modeling and pin-up photos. After her sexual revolution days, she converted to born-again Christianity and spent time in a state psychiatric hospital.
A resident of Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood painted Page’s image on the side of a house just off of Exit 170 on I-5. It’s pretty cool.
This French professional wrestler and actor has a posse. Billed at 7′ 4″ and 520 pounds, he was born on this day in 1946 and died in 1993. Artist Shepard Fairey raised the Obey Giant image of André to iconic status.
German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity and revolutionized physics. He’s a popular model for depictions of mad scientists and absent-minded professors.
Born in Kentucky as Cassius Clay, this cultural icon was one of the greatest heavyweight championship boxers of all time. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
Air Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. He won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and holds the NBA record for highest career scoring average (among many statistical feats).
In my childhood bedroom, Jordan’s “Soaring” poster is still on the wall.
Ol’ Blue Eyes died on this day in 1998. The American singer was also a founding member of a group of actors known as the Rat Pack.
Roger Ebert – No. 114
A Chicago-based American film critic and screenwriter. Self-described on Twitter as a “film critic since time immemorial,” Ebert is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. He helped inspire and reinforce my love of cinema. Equally inspiring is how Ebert has publicly handled his post-cancer surgery appearance. Two thumbs up for this guy.
I will be in Chicago for the HOW Design Conference 2011 next week.