Arzella Purnell (1903 - 1988)

Arzella Purnell’s biography is built and maintained by people like you. Create an online profile of Arzella so that their life is remembered forever. If any factual information is incorrect, please edit Arzella’s biography.

Pictures really do say a thousand words. Add photos of Arzella during various points of their life.

1903 - In the year that Arzella Purnell was born, the Ford Motor Company was incorporated in June after Henry Ford left another car company he founded in 1901 (which became the Cadillac Motor Company). He began Ford Motor Company with $28,000 in cash from twelve investors, two of whom (the Dodge brothers) later began their own car company. Henry Ford improved on assembly line techniques and has been so successful that his family still controls a very popular Ford line of cars and trucks.

1907 - At the age of only 4 years old, Arzella was alive when the showman Florenz Ziegfeld introduced his Ziegfeld Follies. Ziegfeld was inspired by the Folies Bergère of Paris and the show was a step up from the then current vaudeville shows. The top entertainers of the time played in the Follies but the stars were the Ziegfeld girls - beautiful chorus girls in elaborate costumes. For almost a quarter of a century, the Ziegfeld follies were the toast of Broadway.

1941 - When this person was 38 years old, in his State of the Union address on January 6th, President Roosevelt detailed the "four freedoms" that everyone in the world should have: Freedom of speech, Freedom of worship, Freedom from want, and Freedom from fear. In the same speech, he outlined the benefits of democracy which he said were economic opportunity, employment, social security, and the promise of "adequate health care".

1967 - At the age of 64 years old, Arzella was alive when on October 2nd, Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first black US Supreme Court justice. Marshall was the great-grandson of a slave and graduated first in his class at Howard University Law School. His nomination to the Supreme Court was approved by the Senate, 69 to 11.

1988 - In the year of Arzella Purnell's passing, on December 16th, 1988 the popular film Rain Man was released. Featuring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. this film brought attention to autistic savants and was based on the "megasavant" Laurence Kim Peek. The film would later go to win four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director and Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Who was Arzella’s parents? Did they get married and did they have children? Share Arzella’s family tree to share their legacy and genealogy pedigree.

What do you remember about Arzella Purnell? Share your memories of special moments and stories you have heard about them. Or just leave a comment to show the world that Arzella is remembered.