March 26

Born in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, in 1850, Bellamy studied law before turning to writing and social reform. In 1888, he published the utopian novel "Looking Backward: 2000–1887", which became an international bestseller. The book imagined a cooperative, industrially efficient society without poverty or class distinctions. Bellamy’s vision inspired the formation of "Bellamy Clubs" advocating nationalization and economic equality. He authored essays on labor rights, progressive politics, and democratic social organization. Although he died in 1898, his ideas significantly influenced American progressivism and later social movements.

J. L. Austin was a leading figure at Oxford University whose work revolutionized the study of language and meaning. His seminal lectures on speech acts were published posthumously as 'How to Do Things with Words', introducing concepts like locutionary and illocutionary acts. Austin championed ordinary language philosophy, arguing that philosophical problems often arise from misunderstandings of everyday speech. He held the prestigious Knightbridge Professorship of Philosophy and influenced fields ranging from linguistics to legal theory. Though his life was cut short by illness, his theories remain foundational in contemporary philosophy of language.