U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for April 8

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Apr 08, 2012, 12:01 ET

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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SUNDAY, APRIL 8: SONJA HENIE'S 100TH

Profile America — Sunday, April 8th. One of the 20th century's greatest women's figure skaters, Sonja Henie, was born 100 years ago on this date in Norway. She won three gold medals in the Olympics and 10 consecutive world titles, a record still unmatched. Henie also made an impact on the aesthetics of skating, introducing the short skirt, white boots, and choreography into her routines. Ending her amateur status in 1936, she became a Hollywood movie star and was featured in ice shows in many countries. Her success was such that she became one of the richest women in the world. Sonja Henie died of leukemia at the age of 57. In the U.S., more than a million people attend competitive figure skating events each year. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources: Kane's Famous First Facts, 1245
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 1246

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau