May 16 — Biographers' Day: history and traditions of the holiday

Every year on May 16, Russia and the world celebrate the Day of Biographers — those who write biographies and study the lives of outstanding personalities who have influenced culture, science and society. This holiday also reminds us how important the memory of the past is and how it shapes our present. In 2025, the date falls on a Friday. How it appeared, whom and how to congratulate — read in the Izvestia article.

Biographers' Day – 2025: the history of the profession, when the holiday appeared

Biographers' Day is unofficial, it was established by the International Federation of Biographers and Autobiographers in 2010. The date was chosen in honor of the first meeting of the English writer and literary critic Samuel Johnson with his biographer James Boswell on May 16, 1763 in one of the bookstores in London.

Subsequently, Boswell spent 30 years writing down phrases uttered by Johnson, following him practically on his heels. The result of their interaction was the publication of the two-volume "Life of Samuel Johnson" in 1791, which remains popular to this day and is considered by many literary critics to be the greatest biography in the English language.

The word "biography" itself comes from the ancient Greek words βίος ("life") and γράφω ("I write"). and it means a person's life story created by another person or group of people. Her goal is to help gain a deeper understanding of the main character's personality and achievements.

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The first biographies appeared in antiquity. One of the first famous biographers was the ancient Greek philosopher Plutarch, who compared the fates of Greek and Roman figures in his "Comparative Biographies".

Thanks to the tireless work of biographers, detailed information about the lives of great people, as well as the customs and customs of different eras, has reached our days.

In Russian literature, memoirists Pavel Annenkov, who studied the biography and work of Alexander Pushkin, and Pavel Biryukov, the greatest biographer of Leo Tolstoy, became prominent representatives of this profession.

Modern technologies have made it possible to significantly simplify the process of writing biographies. Many authors use digital archives and online resources to research facts and events from the lives of their characters.

Traditions of celebrating Biographers' Day — as celebrated in Russia and the world

The celebration of Biographers' Day includes various events aimed at popularizing the biographical genre. Libraries and book publishers host lectures, workshops, and exhibitions dedicated to famous biographers and their works.

Literary evenings, meetings with writers and biographers, as well as presentations of new books are held in Russia on May 16. Libraries organize thematic exhibitions where you can get acquainted with the works of famous authors working in this genre.

Biographies of great people are actively discussed on social networks, online contests and quizzes are held.

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Similar events are also held around the world. Contests for the best biographical work are popular in a number of countries, which contributes to the development of this genre and supports young authors. Public lectures on the lives of famous personalities and biography festivals are organized.

Biographers' Day: who and how to congratulate on May 16

On this day, it is customary to congratulate professional biographers, writers, historians, journalists, researchers, students of humanities, as well as all those who are interested in studying the lives of outstanding people. Izvestia has prepared several examples of how this can be done.:

"Congratulations on the Biographers' Day! Let your research inspire readers, and every page you write becomes a contribution to preserving the memory of great people!"

"Dear biographers! Congratulations on your professional holiday! We wish you good luck in discovering the secrets of the lives of outstanding personalities and inspiration for new creations!"

"Congratulations on the Biographers' Day! May your work bring joy and open up new horizons for understanding history and culture!"

Earlier, Izvestia told when and how the World Traumatologist's Day is celebrated.