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Historical Events 1858 - Abolitionists establish "Crispus Attucks Day" in Boston 1959 - Iran and US sign economic and military treaty 1970 - "Airport" based on the book by Arthur Hailey, directed by George Seaton and starring Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin is released 1994 - Jefffesron Airplane/Starship singer Grace Slick arrested for pointing a gun at a cop 2019 - Japanese architect Arata Isozaki wins architecture's Pritzker Prize More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1817 - Austen Henry Layard, British archaeologist and diplomat (work in Mesopotamia including rediscovery of Nineveh), born in Paris, France (d. 1894) 1921 - Elmer Valo, American baseball outfielder (one of only 4, four-decade MLB players 1939-61; Philadelphia, KC Athletics), born in Rybník Czechoslovakia (d. 1998) 1932 - Earl Woods, American author (father of Tiger Woods; 2 x books about upbringing and coaching), born in Manhattan, Kansas (d. 2006) 1948 - Eddy Grant, Guyanese–British reggae singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist ("Electric Avenue"), born in Plaisance, British Guiana 1973 - Nicole Pratt, Australian tennis star (1995 Futures Australia), born in Mackay, Queensland More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1950 - Sid Grauman, American entrepreneur, established the Chinese Theatre and Egyptian Theatre, dies from coronary occlusion at 70 1994 - Abdullah Al-Sallal, President of Yemen (1962-67), dies 2006 - Richard Kuklinski, American mafia hit man, dies at 70 2010 - Peter Woodcock, Canadian serial killer who killed three children, dies in prison at 71 2018 - Hayden White, American "literary criticism" historian (Metahistory: The Historical Imagination in Nineteenth-Century Europe), dies at 89 More Famous Deaths »

1665 - English King Charles II declares war on Netherlands 1824 - The "National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck" founded in the United Kingdom, later to be renamed The Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1858. 1918 - Terek Autonomous Republic established in RSFSR (until 1921) 1925 - Swain's Island, a remote coral atoll, is annexed by the United States and incorporated into American Samoa 1962 - AEC announces 1st atomic power plant in Antarctica in operation 1973 - 15th Grammy Awards: 1st Time Ever I Saw Your Face, America 2001 - Hintze Ribeiro disaster, a bridge collapses in northern Portugal, killing up to 70 people 2002 - Canada bans human embryo cloning but permits government-funded scientists to use embryos leftover from fertility treatments or abortions More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1841 - Dion Boucicault's stage comedy "London Assurance" opens at Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, London 1845 - James K. Polk inaugurated as 11th US President 1970 - Jacksonville is 1st college basketball team to avg 100+ pts per game 1995 - Replacement NY Yankees beat NY Mets 2-1 2023 - Andrew Tate's legal team states he has a dark spot on his lung, sparking rumors about lung cancer More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1889 - Oren E. Long, American politician and 10th Territorial Governor of Hawai'i (1951-3), born in Altoona, Kansas (d. 1965) 1907 - Maria Branyas, 2nd oldest American-Catalan supercentenarian (117 years, 168 days), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2024) 1909 - Harry B. Helmsley, American billionaire real estate developer (purchased Empire State Building, 1961), born in New York City (d. 199) 1938 - Alpha Condé, Guinean politician (President of Guinea, 2010-21), born in Boke, Lower Guinea 1973 - Jasper Somsen, Dutch jazz double bassist, composer and producer, born in was born Bennekom, Netherlands More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1193 - Saladin, 1st Sultan of Egypt and Syria and the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, dies of fever at about 55 1868 - Jesse Chisholm, American pioneer of the Chisholm Trail (b. 1805) 1927 - Ira Remsen American chemist, Johns Hopkins first Chemistry professor, dies at 81 1945 - Lucille La Verne, American actress (b. 1872) 2007 - Natalie Bodanya [Bodanskaya], American soprano, dies at 98 More Famous Deaths »

493 - Ostrogoten King Theodorik the Great beats Odoaker 1845 - US Congress authorizes ocean mail contracts for foreign mail delivery 1863 - Free city delivery replaces zone postage; 449 letter carriers hired 1883 - Congress authorizes the 1st steel vessels in US navy 1915 - US National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) created, the predecessor of NASA 1959 - The Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts opens in Yerevan, Armenia, with a collection of over 23,000 manuscripts 1966 - Kwame Nkrumah flees Ghana to exile in Conakry, Guinea 1987 - Ray Dandridge, third baseman in Negro Leagues, eleected to Hall of Fame More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1838 - Rebellion at Pelee Island, Ontario, Canada 1851 - Congress authorizes smallest US silver coin (3 cent piece) 1863 - Free city delivery replaces zone postage; 449 letter carriers hired 1939 - Mahatma Gandhi begins a fast in Bombay to protest against autocratic rule in India 2020 - World Bank pledges $12 billion in emergency aid for developing countries dealing with COVID-19 More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1838 - George William Hill, American astronomer (calculated Moon's orbit) and considered to be the greatest master of celestial mechanics of his time, born in New York (d. 1914) 1851 - Alexandros Papadiamantis, Greek author (The Murderess), born in Skiathos, Greece (d. 1911) 1911 - Jean Harlow [Harlean Carpentier], American actress and 1930s' sex goddess (Dinner at 8; Bombshell), born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 1937) 1923 - (Arthel) "Doc" Watson, American Grammy Award-winning bluegrass, folk, and blues guitarist, songwriter, and singer, born in Deep Gap, North Carolina (d. 2012) 1929 - Jim Tunney, American football official (Super Bowl VI, XI, XII; record 29 post-season assignments), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2024) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1806 - Heinrich Christian Boie, German author and editor, dies at 61 1926 - Cyril Metodej Hrazdira, Czech composer and conductor, dies at 58 1994 - Roman Haubenstock-Ramati, Polish-Israeli composer and music editor, dies at 75 2008 - Norman "Hurricane" Smith, British sound engineer (The Beatles, 1962-65), producer (Pink Floyd; The Pretty Things), and musician ("Oh, Babe, What Would You Say?"; "Don't Let It Die"), dies at 85 2014 - William R. Pogue, American astronaut, dies at 84 More Famous Deaths »

1866 - 1st US company to make sewing needles by machine incorporated in Connecticut 1893 - 1st US federal railroad legislation passed; required safety features 1895 - US Congress renames the Office of Immigration as the Bureau of Immigration 1942 - 14th Academy Awards: "How Green was My Valley", Gary Cooper, and Joan Fontaine win 1967 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site 1968 - Ice Pairs Championship at Geneva won by Belousova and Protopopov of the Soviet Union 2012 - New fiscal compact to prevent excessive debt is signed by 25 out of 27 European Union members 2021 - Governors of Texas and Mississippi both announce they are lifting mask mandates and COVID-19 health measures despite CDC warnings of complacency More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1121 - Dirk VI becomes count of Holland 1968 - USSR launches space probe Zond 4; fails to leave Earth orbit 1988 - The flaming basketball is adopted as NBA franchise Miami Heat’s official logo from over 13,000 entries; Mark Henderson submits the winning entry 1998 - Data sent from the Galileo spacecraft indicates that Jupiter's moon Europa has a liquid ocean under a thick crust of ice 2024 - Brit Music Awards: Raye wins a record six Brits, including album and song of the year, with Kylie Minogue awarded Global Icon More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1927 - John Romanides, Greek Eastern Orthodox priest and professor, born in Piraeus, Greece (d. 2001) 1929 - Sir Donald Gosling, British entrepreneur (Central Car Parks; National Car Parks), yachtsman, and WWII Royal Navy veteran, born in South London, England (d. 2019) 1941 - John Cornell, Australian screenwriter (Paul Hogan Show; Crocodile Dundee), and director (Crocodile Dundee II), born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia (d. 2021) 1956 - Eusebio Pedroza, Panamanian boxer (WBA featherweight champion 1978-85), born in Panama City, Panama (d. 2019) 1962 - Morioka Hiroyuki, Japanese science fiction writer, born in Kobe, Japan More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1074 - Yorimichi Fujiwara, Japanese imperial courtier and regent for three emperors (1016-68), dies at about 82 (b. 992) 1829 - Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, conspirator and supporter of the Mexican War of Independence (b. 1768) 1921 - Champ Clark, American politician (b. 1850) 1974 - Salvador Puig Antich, Spanish anarchist (b. 1948) 1981 - Tony Gulotta, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1927 3rd), dies at 78 More Famous Deaths »

1815 - Sunday observance in Netherlands regulated by law 1913 - David Beatty becomes Rear-Admiral Commanding the Royal Navy's 1st Battlecruiser Squadron 1941 - German troops invade Bulgaria 1976 - 11th Academy of Country Music Awards: Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn win 1990 - Steve Jackson Games is raided by the United States Secret Service, prompting the later formation of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. 1993 - New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner is reinstated as general partner of the team; banned because of his relationship with convicted gambler Howie Spira 1997 - "Mandy Patinkin in Concert" opens at Lyceum Theater, NYC; runs for limited run of 16 performances 2016 - MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred sends a strong message on the issue of domestic violence; issues a 30-game suspension to NY Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1859 - Present seal of San Francisco adopted (its 2nd) 1903 - Major League Baseball Rules Committee rule that pitcher's mound must not be more than 15 inches higher than the baselines or home plate 1970 - Kreisky's Social Democrats win Austrian parliamentary election 1995 - 37th Grammy Awards: "All I Want to Do" by Sheryl Crow; "Streets of Philadelphia" by Bruce Springsteen win 1999 - Daryll Cullinan scores South African cricket record 275no in the drawn 1st Test against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland; Gary Kirsten 128 More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1835 - Matthias Joseph Scheeben, German theologist (Natur und Gnade), born in Meckenheim (d. 1888) 1923 - Péter Kuczka, Hungarian writer, poet, and editor of science fiction, born in Székesfehérvár, Hungary (d. 1999) 1944 - Mike D'Abo, British rock vocalist (Manfred Mann - "Mighty Quinn"; Jesus Christ Superstar - "Herod"), and songwriter ("Handbags and Gladrags"), born in Betchworth, Surrey, England 1970 - Yolanda Griffith, American Women's Basketball Hall of Fame center (Olympic gold 2000, 04; WNBA Finals MVP 2005, Sacramento Monarchs; 8 × WNBA All-Star), born in Chicago, Illinois 1977 - Esther Cañadas, Spanish supermodel who has worked with Donna Karen and Balenciaga, born in Alicante, Spain More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1898 - George Bruce Malleson, English officer in India and author, dies at 72 1950 - Alfred Korzybski, Polish-American scientist and philosopher, dies at 70 1952 - Mariano Azuela, Mexican novelist (The Flies, The Bosses), dies at 79 1972 - Violet Trefusis, English writer and socialite who had a famous affair with writer Vita Sackville-West, dies at 77 2019 - Eusebio Pedroza, Panamanian boxer (WBA featherweight champion 1978-85), dies of pancreatic cancer at 62 More Famous Deaths »

1749 - 1st edition of Henry Fielding's novel "Tom Jones" is published 1882 - 1st US college cooperative store opens, at Harvard University 1900 - General Buller's troops relieve Ladysmith in Natal 1904 - Vincent d'Indy's 2nd Symphony in B, premieres 1914 - Rida Johnson Young, James Royce Shannon, and Chanucy Ollcot's musical "Shameen Dhu" closes at the Opera House, NYC, after a limited engagement of 32 performances 1981 - Columbia Records releases "Seven Year Ache," the third studio album by Rosanne Cash; it is her commercial breakthrough and goes to #1 on the country music chart 1998 - "View From the Bridge" closes at Criterion Theater NYC 2016 - Explosion at Severnaya coal mine in Vorkuta, Russia kills 36, including 5 rescuers More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1870 - The Bulgarian Exarchate (Orthodox Church) is established by decree of Sultan Abd-ul-Aziz of the Ottoman Empire 1974 - US and Egypt re-form diplomatic relations after 7 years 1981 - Calvin Murphy (Hou), sets NBA record with 78 consecutive free throws 1998 - First flight of the RQ-4 Global Hawk, the first unmanned aerial vehicle certified to file its own flight plans and fly regularly in US civilian airspace 2024 - Ghana passes new legislation making it illegal to identify as LGBTQ+ More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1704 - Louis Godin, French astronomer and seismologist who travelled to Peru, born in Paris (d. 1760) 1854 - Juliusz Zarębski, Polish pianist, composer, and pedagogue, born in Zhytomyr, Kingdom of Poland, Russian Empire (d. 1885) 1930 - Frank Malzone, American baseball third baseman (8 × MLB All-Star; 3 × Gold Glove Award; Boston Red Sox), born in the Bronx, New York (d. 2015) 1957 - John Turturro, American actor (Brain Donor, Color of Money, Jungle Fever), born in Brooklyn, New York 1957 - Ainsley Harriott, English celebrity chef (Read Steady Cook), born in London More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1737 - Hercule Brehy, Flemish composer and organist, dies at 63 1796 - Friedrich Wilhelm Rust, German violinist and composer, dies at 56 1979 - Jane Hylton [Audrey Gwendolene Clark], British actress (Adv of Sir Lancelot, Daybreak), dies of a heart attack at 52 1994 - Buster Holmes, American chef and New Orleans restaurateur, dies at 88 1999 - Bill Talbert, American tennis player (9 x Grand Slam doubles titles; US Open singles 1944, 45 runner-up; International Tennis HOF), dies at 80 More Famous Deaths »

1900 - Battle of Paardeberg: Boer General Piet Cronjé surrenders to the British after a prolonged siege 1901 - National League Rules Committee for baseball decrees that all fouls are to count as strikes except after two strikes 1997 - British singer Sade arrested in Jamaica for disobeying a police officer 1998 - FBI arrests 10 most wanted suspected serial killer Tony Ray Amati 1998 - 14th Soap Opera Digest Awards - General Hospital wins 2007 - Mark Messier's #11 jersey is retired by the Edmonton Oilers 2014 - Chaos erupts after the Swedish Public Employment Service mistakenly invites 61,000 people to a job interview in Stockholm 2014 - Unmarked Russia special forces invade neighboring Crimea, Ukraine to assist pro-Russian nationalists, occupying government buildings in preparation for annexation More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1816 - Dutch regain Suriname from the French after the defeat of Napoleon 1973 - American Indian Movement occupy Wounded Knee in South Dakota 1996 - First appearance of Pokémon in the role-playing video game "Pocket Monsters Red and Green" for Game Boy in Japan 1998 - 12th Soul Train Music Awards: Puff Daddy, Whitney Houston win 2003 - Rowan Williams is enthroned as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury. More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1867 - Irving Fisher ' America's greatest economist' (Fisher’s Theory of Interest, Monetarism), born in Saugerties, New York (d. 1947) 1901 - Horatio Luro, American horse trainer (43 x stakes winners; Decidedly, Northern Dancer), born in Buenos Aires, Argentina (d. 1991) 1950 - Julia Neuberger, British rabbi, born in Hampstead, United Kingdom 1957 - Danny Antonucci, Canadian animator, screenwriter and creator of "Ed, Edd n Eddy", born in Toronto, Ontario 1970 - David White, American NFL linebacker (Buffalo Bills), born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1942 - Karel Doorman, Dutch rear-admiral (Java Sea), KIA at 52 1977 - Allison Hayes, American model and actress (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman), dies of leukemia or lead poisoning at 47 1995 - Philip Sherrington, opus Dei Priest, dies at 51 1998 - J. T. Walsh, American actor (Good Morning, Vietnam, Pleasantville), dies of a heart attack at 54 2025 - Boris Spassky, Russian chess player (world champion 1969-72), dies at 88 More Famous Deaths »

1917 - First jazz records are recorded: "Dixie Jazz Band One Step" and "Livery Stable Blues" by the Original Dixieland Jass Band for the Victor Talking Machine Company in NYC 1917 - Russian February Revolution: Tsar Nicolas II orders army to quell civil unrest in Petrograd - army mutinies [NS Mar 11] 1955 - Leigh, Charlap, Styne, Comden and Green's musical "Peter Pan", starring Mary Martin and Cyril Ritchard, closes at Winter Garden Theater, NYC, after 152 performances 1983 - Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album goes #1 and stays #1 for 37 weeks 1991 - Signs of Iran crude now an option for US refiners, but no imports from Iran likely in near future 2004 - US lifts a ban on travel to Libya, ending restrictions that had lasted for 23 years 2017 - 59th Daytona 500: Kurt Busch wins after Kyle Larson runs out of gas on last lap; Jeffrey Earnhardt makes NASCAR history, 1st ever 4th generation driver to compete in Daytona 500 2023 - Dilbert comic strip creator Scott Adams faces widespread condemnation for his comments about African Americans in a YouTube show, prompting his strip and up-coming book to be cancelled More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1929 - US President Calvin Coolidge establishes Grand Teton National Park 1941 - Cowboys' Amateur Association of America organized (California) 1954 - First typesetting machine (photo engraving) used in Quincy, Massachusetts 2013 - A rocket launched from the Gaza strip into Israel ends the ceasefire since November 2012 2025 - First death from measles in the US occurs in Texas in a decade, and the first child to die in 22 years amid an outbreak affecting 124 people More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1939 - Josephine Tewson, British actress (Keeping Up Appearances; Last Of The Summer Wine, 2003-10), born in Hampstead, England (d. 2022) 1945 - Peter Brock, Australian auto racer (3 x Australian Touring Car C'ship; 9 x Bathurst 500/1000; 9 x Sandown Endurance), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2006) 1950 - Billy Steinberg, American lyricist and songwriter (with Tom Kelly - "Like A Virgin"; "True Colors"; "I Touch Myself"), born in Palm Springs, California (d. 2026) 1957 - David Muldrow Beasley, American politician, born in Darlington, South Carolina 1959 - Rolando Blackman, American basketball guard (NBA All-Star 1985, 86, 87, 90; Dallas Mavs, NY Knicks; Italian Cup MVP 1996 Olimpia Milano), born in Panama City, Panama More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1802 - Esek Hopkins, American Revolutionary War admiral and Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy, dies at 83 1933 - Princess Thyra, Danish princess, daughter of Christian IX of Denmark, dies at 79 1960 - Aleksandar Belic, Serbian linguist, dies at 83 2008 - Glory Mukwati, Zimbabwean politician 2023 - Fred Shabel, American basketball coach (Connecticut Huskies 1963-67) and executive (AD University of Pennsylvania 1967-75; Comcast Spectacor), dies at 90 More Famous Deaths »

1746 - The Duke of Cumberland's troops occupy Aberdeen 1892 - J. M. Barrie's stage play "Walker London" premieres in London 1960 - John Cage's musical composition "Music for Amplified Toy Pianos" premieres in Middletown, Connecticut 1980 - Coup ousts PM Henck Arron of Suriname 1981 - Rita Jenrette, wife of US "Abscam" congressman, appears on "Donahue" TV talk show 1981 - Exec Board of Baseball Players' Association votes unanimously to strike on May 29 if the issue of free-agent compensation remains unresolved 1991 - Businessman Bruce McNall, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and actor John Candy buy CFL's Toronto Argonauts 2013 - Italy Common Good, a centre left alliance, wins the Italian general election More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1925 - US Men's Figure Skating championship won by Nathaniel Niles 1961 - Paul Bikle in glider climbs from 1,208 m at release to record altitude of 1,410m 1961 - Niagara ends St Bonaventura's 99-game home college basketball win streak 1968 - 10th Daytona 500: Cale Yarborough driving for Wood Brothers Racing wins by less than a second from LeeRoy Yarbrough; grid set exclusively by qualifying times 1995 - PBA National Championship Won by Scott Alexander More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1735 - Ernst Wilhelm Wolf, German composer, born in Grossen Behringen, Thuringia, Electorate of Saxony (d. 1792) 1902 - Max Kommerell, German literary critic (Die Gefangenen), born in Münsingen, Germany (d. 1944) 1966 - Nancy O'Dell, American reporter and television personality (Entertainment Tonight), born in Sumter, South Carolina 1980 - Christy Knowings, American actress and member of the "All That" sketch comedy show (1997-2000), born in the Bronx, New York 1985 - Benji Marshall, New Zealand rugby league halfback-five eighth (31 Tests; Wests Tigers, St. George, South Sydney) and coach (Wests Tigers), born in Whakatane, New Zealand More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1655 - Daniel Heinsius, Flemish scholar and poet (Poetics), dies at 74 1860 - Chauncey Allen Goodrich, American clergyman, educator and lexicographer (edited Webster's Dictionary), dies at 69 1953 - Jesus Garcia Leoz, Spanish orchestral and film composer (The Sun Comes Out Every Day), dies at 49 1996 - Marion Farouk Political scientist-Sluglett, dies at 59 2009 - Ian Carr, Scottish jazz musician (Nucleus), dies after suffering Alzheimer's disease at 75 More Famous Deaths »

1826 - The signing of the Treaty of Yandaboo marks the end of the First Burmese War 1927 - John Golden Theater (Theatre Masque) opens at 252 W 45th St NYC 1969 - Northern Ireland Stormont parliament elections are held; the Unionist party fragments into 'Official Unionist' and 'Unofficial Unionist' 1969 - Mariner 6 launched for Mars flyby to study planet's atmosphere 1982 - Boston Celtics begin an 18 NBA game winning streak 1988 - US Supreme Court votes 8-0 Jerry Falwell cannot collect for Hustler parody 1988 - South African apartheid regime bans the UDF 2018 - Japanese speed skater Nana Takagi wins her 2nd gold medal of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in the women's mass start event; also member Japan's successful pursuit team More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1857 - LA Vineyard Society organized 1950 - Labour wins UK parliamentary election by 5 seats 1956 - Walter Piston's 5th Symphony, commissioned by the Juilliard School of Music for their 50th anniversary, premiere performance by the Juilliard Orchestra, conducted by Jean Morel 1999 - State of Arizona executes convicted murderer and bank robber, German national Karl LaGrand, despite international legal action by Germany to save him 2020 - Scientists identify the first animal that doesn't need oxygen to breathe: a tiny parasite living in salmon tissue, reported in the journal PNAS More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1910 - Clyde Hart, American swing and bebop jazz piano player and arranger (Stuff Smith; Lionel Hampton; Roy Eldridge), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 1945) 1917 - Myra Taylor (née Render), American jazz singer ("Spider and the Fly"; Wild Women of Kansas City), songwriter, and actress, born in Bonner Springs, Kansas (d. 2011) 1940 - Denis Law, Scottish soccer striker (55 caps; Manchester United 309 games; Ballon d'Or 1964; World Soccer World XI 1964), born in Aberdeen, Scotland (d. 2025) 1956 - Eddie Murray, American MLB Hall of Fame first baseman, 8x All-star, 3x Golden Glove (Baltimore Orioles, 1977-88 and 96; L.A. Dodgers, 1989-91 and 97, and three other teams), born in Los Angeles, California 1981 - Mohammad Sami, Pakistani cricket fast bowler (36 Tests, 85 wickets, BB 5/36; Karachi, Kent CCC, Sussex CCC), born in Karachi, Pakistan More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1856 - Nikolai Lobachevsky, Russian mathematician (Lobachevskian geometry), dies at 63 1919 - Josephine McGill, composer, dies at 41 1990 - Malcolm Forbes, American publisher of Forbes magazine, politician, and son of B.C. Forbes, dies of a heart attack at 70 2011 - Anant Pai, Indian educationalist and creator of comics (b. 1929) 2012 - Jan Berenstain [Janice Marian Grant], American children's literature author (The Berenstain Bears), dies from a stroke at 88 More Famous Deaths »

1668 - Fire in the Hofburg in Vienna, Emperor Leopold I rescued 1904 - Fiordland National Park in New Zealand is created, home to the Milford Track and at 4,600 square miles (12,000 square km), one of the world's largest 1923 - German Republic day with laws against worker 1954 - First mass inoculation against polio with the Jonas Salk vaccine takes place at Arsenal Elementary School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1970 - Guyana becomes a republic (National Day) 1976 - Final meeting between Chinese Communist party Chairman Mao Zedong and former US President Richard Nixon, in Beijing, China 1999 - British TV drama "Queer as Folk" written by Russell T. Davies, starring Aidan Gillen, Craig Kelly and Charlie Hunnam premieres on Channel 4 2019 - Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir declares a national emergency, dismisses the federal government and sacks all state governors More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1854 - Great Britain and Orange Free state sign Convention of Bloemfontein 1966 - Military coup in Syria ends Bitar government 2007 - A train derails on an evening express service near Grayrigg, Cumbria, England, killing one person and injuring 22. This results in hundreds of points being checked over the UK after a few similar accidents. 2014 - 56th Daytona 500: Dale Earnhardt Jr. breaks a 55-race winless streak to win his 2nd Great American Race 2019 - Sri Lanka becomes first Asian cricket team to clinch a Test series in South Africa chasing down 197 in the 2nd Test in Port Elizabeth; Kusal Mendis 84no, Oshada Fernando 75no More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1615 - Nicolas Fouquet, French politician and Superintendent of Finances (1653-61) who became fabulously wealthy and later imprisoned for maladministration of state funds, born in Paris (d. 1680) 1744 - Mayer Amschel Rothschild, German Jewish banker and founder of the Rothschild banking dynasty, born in Frankfurt (d. 1812) 1803 - John Sutter, German-Swiss-American colonist who established Sutter's Fort in what is now Sacramento and where gold was first discovered in California, born in Kandern, Margraviate of Baden, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1880) 1933 - Donna J. Stone, American poet (Wielder of Words), born in Ohio (d. 1994) 1947 - Shakira Caine, British-Guyanese actress and model (Man Who Would Be King), born in St. Cuthbert's Mission, British Guiana More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1792 - Joshua Reynolds, English portrait painter (Simplicity), dies at 68 1974 - Florence Rice, American actress (Fast Company, Double Wedding, Riding on Air), dies from lung cancer at 67 2012 - Bruce Surtees, American cinematographer (Dirty Harry, Lenny), dies at 74 2016 - Lennie Baker, American rock saxophonist musician (Sha Na Na, 1970-99), dies at 69 2020 - Stefan Florenski, Polish soccer defender (11 caps; Górnik Zabrze), dies at 86 More Famous Deaths »

1633 - St. Peter's Baldachin, the cathedral's sculptural centerpiece, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is inaugurated by Pope Urban VIII in Rome 1860 - Shoe-making workers of Lynn, Massachusetts, strike successfully for higher wages 1916 - The House-Grey Memorandum, drafted by US and Britain, states: 'Should the Allies accept [the American idea of a conference to end the war] and should Germany refuse it, the United States would "probably" enter the war against Germany' 1941 - Paul Creston's 1st Symphony premieres 1950 - Wallace Brockway and Herbert Weinstock's revised and expanded edition of reference book "Men of Music: Their Lives, Times and Achievements" is published 2013 - The UK's AAA credit rating is downgraded by Moody's Investors Service to AA+; the agency expects growth to "remain sluggish over the next few years" 2014 - Dutch speed skaters Jorien ter Mors (1,500m champion) and Ireen Wüst (3,000m winner) each claim their 2nd gold medal of the Sochi Winter Olympics as part of the women's pursuit team 2020 - Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo marks his 1,000th senior appearance by scoring in Juventus' 2-1 Serie A win over SPAL; 725 career goals in 836 club games and 164 internationals More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1860 - Shoe-making workers of Lynn, Massachusetts, strike successfully for higher wages 1928 - First solo flight from England to Australia lands in Darwin 15½ days after takeoff, piloted by Australian aviator Bert Hinkler 1936 - Sonja Henie of Norway follows up her Winter Olympics victory with an incredible 10th consecutive women’s World Championship figure skating gold medal in Paris, France 1960 - German skier Georg Thoma becomes the first non-Nordic athlete to win the Nordic combined event at the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics 1982 - NYC Mayor Koch announces he will run for NY governor (unsuccessful) More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1542 - Santino Garsi da Parma, Italian lutenist and composer, born in Parma, Papal States (d. 1604) 1920 - Del Wood [Adelaide Hazelwood], American country musician, born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 1989) 1950 - Miou-Miou [Sylvette Herry], French actress (Dog Day, My Other Husband), born in Paris, France 1969 - Joaquín Cortés, Spanish dancer, born in Córdoba, Spain 1971 - Mohammed Sylla, Guinean football player (Willem II, FC Martigues), born in Conakry, Guinea (d. 2010) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1968 - Omer CFL Tulippe, Belgian geographer, dies at 71 2001 - John Farley, American folk singer and guitarist (Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death), dies at 61 2002 - Charles "Chuck" Jones, American animator and cartoonist best known for his work with Warner Bros. (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, Porky Pig), dies of congestive heart failure at 89 2024 - Jean-Guy Talbot, Canadian ice hockey defenceman (7 x Stanley Cup Montreal Canadiens; 6 x NHL All Star) and coach (St. Louis Blues, NY Rangers), dies at 91 2025 - Joe Fusco, American College Football HOF coach (Westminster College 1972-90), dies at 87 More Famous Deaths »

1821 - Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire begins 1861 - Steeple of Chichester Cathedral collapses despite the desperate efforts of 70 workmen 1921 - Constituent Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Georgia adopts the country's first constitution 1931 - Alka Seltzer introduced 1957 - Dodgers (Fort Worth) and Cubs (LA) "trade" minor league franchises 1987 - Syrian army marches into Beirut 1991 - Neil Simon's stage comic-drama "Lost in Yonkers", starring Mercedes Ruehl and Kevin Spacey, opens at Richard Rodgers Theater, NYC; runs for 780 performances, winning 5 Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize 2022 - 60 people die in an explosion at an unregulated gold mine near Gaoua, Burkina Faso More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1173 - Pope Alexander III canonizes Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury 1782 - US Congress resolves establishment of a US mint 1916 - Battle of Verdun begins with a German offensive, leads to an estimated 1 million casualties, and becomes the longest battle of the entire war (9 months) 1988 - Televangelist Jimmy Swaggert confesses his sins to his congregation 1997 - "Empire Strikes Back, special edition" premieres More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1929 - Henry Kloss, American audio engineer (acoustic loudspeaker), born in Altoona, Pennsylvania (d. 2002) 1939 - Richard Beymer, American stage actor and singer (West Side Story; Diary of Anne Frank), born in Avoca, Iowa 1950 - Sahle-Work Zewde, Ethiopian diplomat, President of Ethiopia (2018-), born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 1961 - Christopher Atkins, American actor (Peter-Dallas, Blue Lagoon), born in Rye, New York 1969 - Tony Meola, American footballer, born in Belleville, New Jersey More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1790 - Johann Friedrich Klöffler, German composer, dies at 64 1901 - George Francis FitzGerald, Irish mathematician (b. 1851) 2011 - Bernard Nathanson, American abortionist turned pro-life activist (b. 1926) 2015 - Aleksei Gubarev, Soviet-Russian cosmonaut (Soyuz 17, 28), dies at 83 2023 - Amancio Amaro, Spanish soccer outside right (42 caps; Deportivo de La Coruña, Real Madrid), dies at 83 More Famous Deaths »