Birth Locations – Page 108 – The Exasperated Historian

313) General Ann E Dunwoody

313: Ann E Dunwoody

The First Woman to Attain the Rank of Four-Star General in the US Army

Born: 14 January 1953, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, United States of America

Ann earned two master’s degrees while in the service—one in logistics management and one in national resource strategy.

In 1992, she became the first female battalion commander for the 82nd Airborne Division and in 2000 she became the first female general at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Ann has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the Defense Superior Service Medal among other accolades.

She was awarded the rank of Four-Star General after thirty-three years in the service, in 2008.

Ann retired from the US Army in 2012.

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ann-E-Dunwoody

https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/144029

https://www.army.mil/article/14177/gen_ann_e_dunwoody_who_became_the_first_female_four_star_general_in_us_military_history_friday

312) Sigourney Weaver

312: Sigourney Weaver

Actress who has been dubbed the “Sci-Fi Queen”

Born: 8 October 1949, Manhattan, New York, United States of America

Original Name: Susan Alexandra Weaver

Sigourney has been given the title because of her numerous roles in the genre—most prominently as Ellen Ripley in the Alien Franchise.

She stands at nearly six feet tall—and at the age of thirteen she had already reached five foot ten.

Sigourney has also notably appeared in the Ghostbusters franchise, the Avatar franchise, and the Disney Channel Original Movie Holes. Her voice can also be heard in the Disney Pixar Film Finding Dory.

She has been nominated for the Academy Award three times over her career. Sigourney is married and has one child.

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000244/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

https://www.biography.com/actor/sigourney-weaver

311) Laila Ali

311: Laila Ali

Retired Professional Boxer

Born: 30 December 1977, Miami Beach, Florida, United States of America

Laila is the daughter of the internationally famous boxer Muhammad Ali.

She worked as a manicurist and owned a nail salon before making it big in the boxing realm.

Laila holds a degree in business management.

In her first professional boxing match she knocked out her opponent in the first thirty-one seconds.

Her boxing record was 24-0 with 21 knockouts.

Laila has appeared on several TV shows including The Celebrity Apprentice and Chopped. She has founded her own lifestyle brand and is a mother of two.

In 2012, she became the first woman to ever be a professional commentator on NBS Sports.

Badges Earned:

Located In My Personal Library:

Killing the Legends: The Lethal Danger of Celebrity by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1296595/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

https://www.biography.com/athlete/laila-ali

310) Queen Latifah

310: Queen Latifah

Singer, Songwriter, Rapper, Actress, and Producer,

Born: 18 March 1970, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America

Original Name: Dana Owens

She is a Grammy award winner and known for her roles in the films Chicago, Bessie, and Hairspray.

Queen Latifah received an Oscar nomination for her role in Chicago but lost out to co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones. Her first album sold over one million copies, and she has worked as a spokesman for Covergirl Cosmetics.

Badges Earned:

Located In My Personal Library:

The Book of Awesome Women: Boundary Breakers, Freedom Fighters, Sheroes, and Female Firsts by Becca Anderson

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001451/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

https://www.biography.com/musician/queen-latifah

309) Marie “Mimi” Haist

309: Marie “Mimi” Haist

Star of the documentary Queen Mimi

Born: 25 August 1925, Los Angeles, California, United States of America

Died: November 2021, Santa Monica, California, United States of America

Not much is known about Marie other than the fact she was known for being a homeless woman who lived in a Santa Monica laundromat for twenty years. She slept between the washers and dryers, and helped the patrons with their washing needs.

In the 1990's, Zach Galifanakis met Mimi in the laundromat and the pair became fast friends. Once he had enough money himself, Zach got Mimi an apartment of her own, and soon after, another friend, Renée Zellweger, helped furnish the place for Mimi.

Before becoming homeless, Marie had been married for many years and had two children; but she divorced her husband after finding out he cheated on her.

The Trailer for Queen Mimi can be viewed to the left. Mimi passed away at the age of ninety-six.

Badges Earned:

Find a Grave Marked

Sources:

https://www.coolimba.com/view/mimi-laundromat/

https://americancoinop.com/articles/homeless-famous-meet-queen-mimi-conclusion

https://news.amomama.com/292267-zach-galifianakis-has-paid-rent-old-home.html

https://www.mamamia.com.au/zach-galifianakis-mimi-haist/

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/246119036/marie-elizabeth-haist

308) Tyra Banks

308: Tyra Banks

Model, Television Personality, Producer, and Author

Born: 4 December 1973, Inglewood, California, United States of America

Tyra is most known for being a Victoria’s Secret model and host of America’s Next Top Model and the Tyra Banks Show.

She was the first African American woman to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, in 1997. A year previously, she also earned the distinction of being the first African American woman on the cover of GQ Magazine.

Tyra has also launched her own cosmetics line and is the current host of America’s Got Talent.

In 2016, Tyra and her then partner Erik welcomed a son via a surrogate, York Banks Asla, after many years of being open and honest with her struggles with infertility issues.

Sources:

https://www.today.com/parents/tyra-banks-welcomes-miracle-baby-boy-york-surrogate-boyfriend-erik-t69641

https://www.biography.com/personality/tyra-banks

307) Maggie Smith

307: Maggie Smith

Actress on Stage, Film, and Television

Born: 28 December 1934, Ilford, Essex, United Kingdom

Died: 27 September 2024, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom

Original Name: Margaret Smith

Maggie has appeared in over fifty films—most notably in all eight Harry Potter films as Professor McGonagall and the Downtown Abbey television series.

She was an Academy Award winning actress having won in both 1969 and 1978.

Maggie was married twice and was widowed in 1998. She left behind two sons and five grandchildren.

In 1990 she was named Dame Commander Order of the British Empire.

In 2008, while filming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Maggie was simultaneously undergoing chemotherapy to battle Breast Cancer. She not only survived her fight but continued to act without letting it stop her.

Badges Earned:

Find a Grave Marked

Located In My Personal Library:

The Rough Guide to Film Musicals by David Parkinson

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001749/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

https://www.biography.com/actor/maggie-smith

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/sep/27/maggie-smith-oscar-winning-star-of-stage-and-screen-dies-aged-89

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/275118402/maggie-smith

306) Catherine Zeta-Jones

306: Catherine Zeta-Jones

Academy Award and Tony Award Winning Actress

Born: 25 September 1969, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom

Catherine has starred in blockbusters like Chicago, Traffic, The Mask of Zorro and many more.

In 2010 she was awarded the title Commander of the British Empire (CBE).

Catherine is married to fellow actor Michael Douglas and they have two children together.

Catherine has also spoken publicly about her struggles with Bipolar II Disorder.

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001876/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/BipolarDisorder/catherine-zeta-jones-sheds-light-bipolar-disorder/story?id=13373202

305) Linda Hamilton

305: Linda Hamilton

Actress Best Known for her Portrayal of Sarah Connor in the Terminator Franchise

Born: 26 September 1956, Salisbury, Maryland, United States of America

Linda is also known for her role in the television series Beauty and The Beast (for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy).

Outside of acting, Linda is known for speaking publicly about her struggles with Bipolar Disorder.

She was formerly married to blockbuster director James Cameron. She has a daughter with him and a son with her first husband.

In 2019, Linda Hamilton returned to the spotlight after the trailer dropped for the latest Terminator film, Terminator: Dark Fate, which picks up after the second Terminator film left off (effectively eliminating films three, four, and five from the chronology of the franchise). Also returning to the latest film in the franchise are actors Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator himself) and Edward Furlong (John Connor). The trailer for Dark Fate can be viewed to the left.

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000157/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

https://www.today.com/health/linda-hamilton-says-she-has-bipolar-disorder-2D80555887

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6450804/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_2

304) Lisa Ling

304: Lisa Ling

Journalist, Television Presenter, and Author

Born: 30 August 1973, Sacramento, California, United States of America

Lisa is a former co-host on The View.

She has produced and starred in documentaries covering a range of subjects including the issues women and girls face around the world.

In 2009, her sister and fellow journalist Laura was captured for illegally entering North Korea and remained a prisoner for several months. Lisa fought to bring Laura home and once that finally happened, they wrote a book together documenting the experience.

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lisa-Ling

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005149/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm