The First Kodak Moment

September 2, 1888 - It was on this day that George Eastman registered the trademark for Kodak, which would go on to become the pioneering brand name for photographic film.

The story goes that Eastman came up with the name with his mother’s help. They used an Anagrams game to rearrange letters until they landed on a combination that would become recognized worldwide. Eastman’s criteria for a name was that it had to be “short and euphonious and likely to stick in the public’s mind.” He also loved the letter K.

Eastman channeled much of his wealth into philanthropy, making considerable donations to many schools and institutions including Tuskeegee University and Hampton University.

In his later years, he suffered from a painful spinal condition. On March 14, 1932, at the age of 77, he shot himself in the heart. His suicide note read, "To my friends: my work is done. Why wait?"