Evangelist Billy Graham with his son Franklin.

On July 14, 1952, William Franklin Graham III was born in
North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains. At that time, his         
father Billy Graham’s international ministry was growing—
and the evangelist founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association.

On January 10, 1982, Franklin Graham was ordained before
3,000 people at Grace Community Church in Tempe, Arizona.

William Franklin Graham III is 73 years old today.

On July 14th, 1946, at the dawn of the post-World War II baby
boom, Dr. Benjamin Spock published The Common Sense
Book of Baby and Child Care. It would become a foundational
work on the topic of parenting, transforming how generations
of children were raised.

The book, which has sold more than 50 million copies and been translated into more than 50 languages, stands as one of the
best-selling nonfiction works of the 20th century.

Dr. Benjamin McLane Spock
(May 2, 1903–March 15, 1998)

In the decades after publishing what would become
a worldwide childcare bible, Benjamin Spock gained
renown for his political activism.

He became a prominent opponent of the Vietnam War,
the military draft and nuclear weapons; in 1968, he was
convicted for aiding draft resisters. In 1972, he ran—
and lost—as the People’s Party’s presidential candidate.

MIKE GRACIA

Ringo Starr (Sir Richard Starkey) achieved international
fame as the drummer for the Beatles. He is 85 years old
today.

      
TIM MAGUIRE

Les Paul records with wife Mary Ford in his home studio
in the 1950s.

Les Paul  (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009)

Les Paul, was a jazz, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter,
and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-body
electric guitar, and his prototype, called the Log, served as
inspiration for the Gibson Les Paul.

Paul is credited with many recording innovations. His early
experiments with overdubbing (also known as sound on
sound), delay effects such as tape delay, phasing, and
multitrack recording.

George Orwell’s novel of a dystopian future, 1984, was
published on June 8, 1949. The novel’s all-seeing leader,
known as “Big Brother,” becomes a universal symbol
for intrusive government and oppressive bureaucracy.

Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950)