MS Kungsholm was a combined ocean liner / cruise ship built in 1953 by the De Schelde shipyard in Vlissingen, The Netherlands for the Swedish American Line. Between 1965 and 1981 she sailed for the North German Lloyd and their successor Hapag-Lloyd as MS Europa. From 1981 until 1984 she sailed for Costa Cruises as MS Columbus C. She sank in the port of Cadiz, Spain after ramming a breakwater on 29 July 1984. The vessel was refloated later that year, but sent to a Barcelona shipbreaker in 1985 for scrapping.

After the end of World War II the Swedish American Line, the company that had been pioneers of cruising during the 1920s, was left in a difficult situation. MS Stockholm, the large newbuild that had been planned during the late 1930s, never entered service for them because of the war, with the remaining fleet consisting of ageing ships. The company took delivery of their first post-war ship, the fourth MS Stockholm, in 1948. She was a small cargo/passenger liner far removed from the luxury of her pre-war predecessors.

Swedish Americans are Americans of Swedish descent, especially the descendants of about 1.2 million immigrants from Sweden during 1885–1915. Most were Lutherans who were affiliated with predecessor bodies of what are now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) or Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod or North American Lutheran Church (NALC); some were Methodists. Historically Swedish Americans are concentrated in the Midwest, roughly in the area west and northwest of Chicago.

The first Swedish Americans were the settlers of New Sweden. A colony established by Queen Christina of Sweden in 1638, it centered around the Delaware Valley including parts of the present-day states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. New Sweden was incorporated into New Netherland in 1655 and ceased to be an official territory of the Realm of Sweden. However, many Swedish and Finnish colonists remained and were allowed some political and cultural autonomy.

Present day reminders of the history of New Sweden are reflected in the presence of the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia, Fort Christina State Park in Wilmington, Delaware, Governor Printz Park and The Printzhof in Essington, Pennsylvania.

Amanda Dunbar (born 1982) is a Texas-based artist who gained notoriety at an early age for her oil painting skills. Amanda Dunbar began painting in an after school art class at the age of 13. Her spontaneous and advanced works acquired significant interest immediately. Amanda is currently listed as a prodigy of the visual arts in the current textbooks for advanced university education entitled “Child Psychology” by John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.

Amanda Dunbar is an altruistic young living American artist who has gained notoriety for her art and philanthropy at a very young age. Amanda Dunbar began painting spontaneously at the age of 13 and began her professional career as an artist with a solo exhibit in Dallas at the age of 16. Of the 68 paintings on display, most sold on the opening night with sales totaling over $500,000.00. The success of her showing prompted national media attention and she has been profiled since in numerous magazines and print media including (but not limited to) People Magazine, Southern Living and ArtNews. She has appeared on numerous high profileTV shows as well including Oprah (twice). Dunbar publicly credits the talk show host for inspiring her business model and philanthropic goals particularly after she took over control of her studio art business from what she considered bad management at the age of 18. Amanda Dunbar is the Founder and CEO of Dunbar Studios in Dallas Texas, a multimillion dollar privately owned company that is supported by several members of her family. She is also the lead designer for the Precious Rebels line of art guitars that launched with Neiman Marcus and Art Basel Miami in 2008. Her art guitars from the collection are among the most expensive guitars in the world. The artist admits that the collection is named as a subtle tribute to Oprah Winfrey, whom the artist states is “the most precious rebel on earth” and remains a significant influence to the artist’s life today.

Bessie Regina Norris, better known by her stage name, Betty Wright (born December 21, 1953), is a Miami-based soul and R&B singer-songwriter, who won fame in the 1970s with hits such as "Clean Up Woman" and "Tonight Is the Night". A pioneering singer-songwriter and entrepreneur, she remains one of the few black female musicians to have a gold record on her own vanity label. She possesses a four-octave vocal range and is adept at using the whistle register.

Born Bessie Regina Norris on December 21, 1953, Wright was the youngest of seven children to Rosa Akins Braddy-Wright and her second husband, McArthur Norris. Wright began her professional career at the age of two when her siblings formed the gospel group, the Echoes of Joy. Wright contributed to vocals on the group's first album, released in 1956. Wright and her siblings performed together until the mid-1960s.

In 1965, following the group's break-up, 11-year-old Wright, who was already using the name Betty Wright, decided to switch musical styles from gospel to rhythm and blues, singing in local talent shows until being spotted by a local Miami record label owner, who signed her to her first label in 1966 at twelve. She released the singles, "Thank You Baby" and "Paralyzed", which found Wright local fame in Miami.

 Birger Jarl (help·info) (c. 1200 – 21 October 1266), or Birger Magnusson, was a Swedish statesman, Jarl of Sweden and a member of the House of Bjelbo, who played a pivotal role in the consolidation of Sweden. Birger also led the Second Swedish Crusade, which established Swedish rule in Finland. Additionally, he is traditionally attributed to have founded the Swedish capital, Stockholm around 1250. Birger used the Latin title of Dux Sweorum which in English equals Duke of Sweden, and the design of his coronet combined those used by continental European and English dukes.

It is known that Birger grew up and spent his adolescence in Bjälbo, Östergötland but the exact date of his birth remains uncertain and available historical sources are contradictory. Examinations of his mortal remains indicate that he was probably about 50 upon his death in 1266 which would indicate a birth around 1216. However, his father Magnus Minnesköld is assumed to have died no later than 1210, which would lead to an assumed birth a few years earlier. Under any circumstance, he was the son of Ingrid Ylva, who according to Olaus Petri was a daughter of Sune Sik and granddaughter to Sverker the Elder, which would make Birger a matrilineal member of the House of Sverker. His brothers or half-brothers — Eskil, Karl, and Bengt — were all born long before 1200, and it can therefore be assumed that they had another mother. He was also a nephew of the jarl Birger Brosa from the House of Bjelbo. The combination of this background proved to be of vital importance.