Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 September 22

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Today's featured article
Mary Martha Sherwood (1775–1851) was a prolific and influential writer of children's literature in 19th-century Britain. She composed over 400 books, tracts, magazine articles, and chapbooks; among the most famous are The History of Little Henry and his Bearer and The History of the Fairchild Family. Sherwood is known primarily for the strong evangelicalism that colored her early writings; however, her later works are characterized by common Victorian themes, such as domesticity. Sherwood's childhood was uneventful, although she recalled it as the happiest part of her life. After she married Captain Henry Sherwood and moved to India, she converted to evangelical Christianity and began to write for children. The Sherwoods returned to England after a decade in India and, building upon her popularity, Sherwood opened a boarding school and published scores of texts for children and the poor. Many of Sherwood's books were bestsellers and she has been described as "one of the most significant authors of children's literature of the nineteenth century." (more...) Recently featured: Spanish conquest of Guatemala – StarCraft: Ghost – The Concert in Central Park Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Haesindang Park, on the eastern coast of South Korea, is also known as "Penis Park", due to its statues representative of phallic architecture (pictured)? ... that Yair Shamir, who has recently entered politics in Israel, served as the director of Israel Aerospace Industries from 2005 to 2011 without pay? ... that the vegetarian philanthropist Arnold Hills planned to contest the Walthamstow by-election in 1897 as a temperance candidate? ... that Franz Lehrndorfer was the organist of the Munich Frauenkirche cathedral for over three decades? ... that the Syrian village of al-Mushannaf has a well-preserved temple, dated to the first century BC, that was dedicated to Zeus and Athena? ... that Harley Peyton, writer of "Episode 6" of Twin Peaks, found it difficult to write for Kyle MacLachlan's character Dale Cooper? ... that the Swedish feminist network Bara Bröst won the right for women to bare breasts at swimming pools in Malmö, but the city's ruling did not result in any significant difference? ... that it was known as early as the 16th century that water held in a cup made of lignum nephriticum from New Spain would become brightly blue? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Anticipating violent reactions to a series of cartoons depicting Muhammad in the magazine Charlie Hebdo, France announces plans to temporarily close its embassies in 20 Muslim countries. Silver Linings Playbook, directed by David O. Russell (pictured), wins the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Attacks on diplomatic missions and widescale protests occur following the release of a short film critical of Islam. British Prime Minister David Cameron apologises after an independent panel on the 1989 Hillsborough disaster finds that negligent police and emergency services manipulated evidence to blame the victims. The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy gains a plurality in the Dutch general election. Syrian civil war – Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
September 22: Independence Day in Bulgaria (1908) and Mali (1960); Day of Baltic Unity in Latvia and Lithuania 1862 – U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (pictured) issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring the freedom of all slaves in Confederate territory by January 1, 1863. 1939 – A joint military parade by the troops of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union took place in Brest-Litovsk to celebrate their partition of Poland. 1957 – François "Papa Doc" Duvalier was elected President of Haiti as a populist before consolidating power and ruling as a dictator for the rest of his life. 1975 – Sara Jane Moore attempted to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford, but failed due to unfamiliarity with her weapon. 1979 – An American Vela satellite detected an unidentified flash of light, thought to be a nuclear weapons test. More anniversaries: September 21 – September 22 – September 23 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now September 22, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

Batak warriors in 1870. The term "Batak" is used to collectively identify a number of ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia. It includes the Toba, Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Angkola and Mandailing, which are distinct but related groups with distinct, albeit related, languages and customs (adat).

Photo: Kristen Feilberg; Restoration: Peter Weis

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