Hendrik Willem van Loon
A Dutch-born storyteller who made world history a vivid, accessible adventure for millions of American readers.
1882–1944 (age 62)·Dutch-American historian, journalist and author·Birthday: January 14·The Gilded Age
Biography
Hendrik Willem van Loon was a man of boundless curiosity and a contagious enthusiasm for the human story. Emigrating to the United States as a young man, he worked as a journalist and correspondent, witnessing the tumult of early 20th-century Europe firsthand. His breakthrough came with 'The Story of Mankind,' a sweeping, personally voiced history book for young people that won the first Newbery Medal in 1922. Van Loon wrote and illustrated dozens of books, covering everything from geography to the arts, with a charming, discursive style and his own simple line drawings. He became a radio personality and a friend to Franklin D. Roosevelt, using his platform to advocate for liberal democracy as fascism rose. More than a historian, he was a popularizer who believed knowledge of our past was essential for an informed citizenry.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Hendrik was born in 1882, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hendrik Was Born
The biggest hits of 1882
Hendrik's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1882Born
First electrical power plant opens in New York
President: Chester A. Arthur
1887Started school
President: Grover Cleveland
1895Became a teenager
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1898Could drive
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1900Could vote
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1903Turned 21
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Turned 30
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1922Turned 40
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1932Turned 50
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 60
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1944Died at 62
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
Key Achievements
- Awarded the inaugural Newbery Medal in 1922 for 'The Story of Mankind,' which remained in print for decades.
- Authored and illustrated over 40 books, selling millions of copies and making complex subjects engaging for general audiences.
- Served as a radio commentator for NBC, explaining current events and history to a broad American public during the 1930s and 40s.
Did You Know?
He illustrated all of his own major works with distinctive pen-and-ink drawings.
He was a classmate of future U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt at Harvard.
During World War I, he was a correspondent for The Associated Press and witnessed the Russian Revolution.
“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.”
