Today marks 189 years since the birth of Hasan bey Zardabi, the founder of the Azerbaijani national press and an enlightener.
Hasan bey Zardabi was born on June 28, 1837, in the village of Zardab, Goychay district. He received his primary education at a religious school, finished secondary school in Tiflis, and later studied natural sciences at Moscow University.
From 1869, he taught natural science at a Russian-language secondary school in Baku, actively working for the development of education and culture. In 1873, together with Najaf bey Vazirov and Asgar agha Adigozalov, he staged Mirza Fatali Akhundov's comedies "Haji Gara" and "The Vizier of the Lankaran Khan," playing a key role in the formation of Azerbaijani theater.
In 1901, he participated in establishing the first school for Azerbaijani girls in Baku.
His greatest historical contribution was the launch of the first national newspaper in Azerbaijani, "Ekinchi," on July 22, 1875. Serving the enlightenment of the common people, the newspaper operated for only two years, ceasing publication on September 29, 1877.
During the 1880s-1890s, he contributed scientific-popular articles in Azerbaijani and Russian to influential newspapers like "Ziya," "Kashkul," "Kaspi," and "Novoye Obozreniye."
In his later years, he worked at the education department of the Baku City Duma. He died on November 28, 1907, and was buried near Bibiheybat Mosque. His grave was moved to the Alley of Honor in 1957.
Today, the Azerbaijan Museum of Natural History and the Ganja Pedagogical Institute bear his name.
