CoM Moderators
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1660 - Charles XI becomes king of Sweden
1934 - Coronation of King Leopold III of Belgium
1947 - US General Eisenhower opens drive to raise $170M in aid for European Jews
1967 - Noam Chomsky's anti-Vietnam war essay "The Responsibility of Intellectuals" is published by the New York Review of Books
1969 - 11th Daytona 500: LeeRoy Yarbrough driving for Junior Johnson, catches Charlie Glotzbach on final lap to win; first Daytona 500 won on a last lap pass
1980 - Olympic giant slalom champion Hanni Wenzel of Liechtenstein wins the women's slalom, her second gold medal of the Lake Placid Winter Games
1986 - Despite losing, Boston Red Sox Wade Boggs gets largest arbitration in MLB history, $1.35M
2001 - 32nd NAACP Image Awards: "Remember the Titans" wins Outstanding Motion Picture
2012 - A series of bomb attacks across 12 Iraqi cities kills 60 and injures 200
2013 - 51 people are killed and 62 are injured in conflict between rival tribes in Darfur, Sudan -
Historical Events
1792 - Joseph Haydn's 94th Symphony in G premieres
1943 - German troops pull back through Kasserine-pass Tunisia
1945 - US Marines raise American flag on top of Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima. Pulitzer Prize winning photo of which by Joe Rosenthall later became iconic, inspiring the Marine Corps War Memorial sculpture
1975 - In response to the energy crisis, daylight saving time commences nearly two months early in the United States.
1986 - Despite losing, Boston Red Sox Wade Boggs gets largest arbitration in MLB history, $1.35M
1992 - The Socialist Labour Party is founded in Georgia
Famous Birthdays
1417 - Pope Paul II [Pietro Barbo], Italian Pope (1464-71), born in Venice, Republic of Venice (d. 1471)
1700 - Wilhelmus Schortinghuis, Dutch theologist (Profound Christianity), born in Winschoten (d. 1750)
1904 - William L. Shirer, American journalist and historian (Rise and Fall of 3rd Reich), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1993)
1914 - Mike Tresh, American baseball catcher (MLB All Star 1945; Chicago White Sox), born in Hazleton, Pennsylvania (d. 1966)
1922 - Bill Chappell Jr., American politician (Rep-D-FL, 1969-89), born in Kendrick, Florida (d. 1989)
1983 - Emily Blunt, English-American actress (The Girl on the Train, The Quiet Place), born in London
Famous Deaths
1011 - Willigis, Archbishop of Mainz
1464 - Zhu Qizhen, Chinese Emperor Yingzong of Ming (1435-49 and 1457-64), dies at 36 but not before giving an order to end the practice of burying alive concubines and palace maids so that they could follow emperors to the next world
1669 - Lieuwe van Aitzema, Dutch historian (Matters of State and War), dies at 68
1976 - L. S. Lowry, British painter of industrial scenes, dies at 88
1996 - Freddie Stocks, cricket (cent on debut and wkt on 1st ball, Notts), dies
1998 - Philip Abbott, American character actor (The FBI, Sweet Bird of Youth), dies at 73
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1415 - English King Henry V lays the foundation stone for Syon Abbey for nuns of the Bridgettine Order. Became one of the wealthiest abbeys in England.
1633 - St. Peter's Baldachin, the cathedral's sculptural centerpiece, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is inaugurated by Pope Urban VIII in Rome
1922 - London issues a unilateral declaration of Egyptian independence
1935 - Airplanes are no longer permitted to fly over the White House
1941 - German assault on El Agheila Libya
1945 - British troops take Ramree Island, Burma
1956 - 1st English soccer match at Kunstlicht: Portsmouth vs Newcastle United
1989 - UK physicist Stephen Hawking calls the proposed missile defense system known as Star Wars a "deliberate fraud"
1998 - Petr Svoboda scores the winner as the Czech Republic claims its first ever Olympic ice hockey gold medal with a 1-0 victory over Russia in Nagano, Japan
2014 - Snowboard Olympic parallel special slalom event debuts and is run for the only time at the Sochi Winter Games; Russian Vic Wild and Julia Dujmovits of Canada win unique gold medals -
Historical Events
1882 - The Serbian kingdom is refounded.
1906 - Black evangelist William J Seymour arrives in Los Angeles, California
1922 - London issues a unilateral declaration of Egyptian independence
1979 - Billy Martin named manager of Oakland A's
2003 - Pakistani pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar bowls the fastest ball recorded in cricket history at 100.2 mph (161.3 km/h)
2014 - Viktor Yanukovych is ousted as President of Ukraine by the parliament following the Euromaidan revolution
Famous Birthdays
1881 - Joseph B. Ely, American politician (d. 1956)
1920 - Del Wood [Adelaide Hazelwood], American country musician, born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 1989)
1929 - Rebecca Schull [Wattenberg], American actress (Wings, United 93), born in New York City
1949 - Olga Morozova, Russian tennis player, born in Moscow, Soviet Union
1962 - Lenda Murray, American body builder (4X Ms Olympia), born in Detroit, Michigan
1962 - Mark Arm [McLaughlin], American grunge rock singer-songwriter, (Green River; Mudhoney), born at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Famous Deaths
1213 - Wibert of Gembloers, benediction/writer/abbot of Gembloers, dies
1849 - Alexander Fesca, German pianist and composer, dies at 28
1960 - Paul-Émile Borduas, Canadian abstract painter, dies at 54
1983 - Christina E "Christine" Auwen, singer and wife of John Kelly, dies at 75
1993 - Pieter A H Bos, Dutch lawyer/procureur-general (Aruba), dies at 63
2009 - Günter Kochan, German composer, dies at 78
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1797 - Trinidad, West Indies, a Spanish colony, surrenders to the British
1821 - Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire begins
1828 - 1st American Indian newspaper in US, "Cherokee Phoenix", published
1916 - World War I: 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)
1921 - Constituent Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Georgia adopts the country's first constitution
1927 - Franz Lehár's opera "Der Zarewitsch" premieres
1958 - Egypt-Syria as United Arab Republic elect Nasser president (99.9% vote)
1969 - Ted Williams signs 5-year contract to manage Washington Senators
1978 - Electrical workers accidentally discover the Aztec Templo Mayor, or High Temple, two blocks from Mexico City's central square, the Zócalo
2015 - 35th Golden Raspberry Awards: "Saving Christmas" wins worst film -
Historical Events
1440 - The Prussian Confederation is formed
1911 - Gustav Mahler conducts his last concerto, Berceuse élégiaque, in New York City
1982 - "Little Me" closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC after 36 performances
1993 - Sergei Bubka pole vaults world record indoor (6.15 m)
1995 - RAF-pilot Jo Salter is 1st woman to fly in a tornado
1997 - NASA's STS 82 (Space Shuttle Discovery 22) lands
Famous Birthdays
1880 - Frank Orth, American actor (Boston Blackie, Brothers), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1962)
1887 - Savielly Tartakower, Austrian-Polish-French chess player, born in Rostov-on-Don, Russian Empire (d. 1956)
1925 - Al Fann, American actor (Alvin-He's the Mayor), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 2018)
1949 - Jerry Harrison, American rock keyboardist and guitarist (Talking Heads; solo "Rev It Up"), and record producer (Kenny Wayne Shepherd; Bo-Deans; The String Cheese Incident), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1958 - Steve Nieve [Nason], British session and touring keyboard player and composer (Elvis Costello), born in Bishop’s Stortford, England
1970 - Marc Woodard, American NFL linebacker (Philadelphia Eagles), born in Kosciusko, Mississippi
Famous Deaths
1846 - Emperor Ninko, 120th Emperor of Japan (1817-46), dies at 45
1918 - Neltje Blanchan, American nature writer, dies at 52
1919 - Mary Edwards Walker, American surgeon and feminist, only woman awarded Medal of Honor (US Civil War), dies at 86
1941 - Frederick Banting, Canadian physician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, dies in a plane crash at 49
1985 - Ina Claire [Fagan], American stage and screen actress (Ninotchika), dies of a heart attack at 91
1993 - Dick White, British intelligence officer (Director General of MI5 1953–1956; Head of the Secret Intelligence Service 1956–1968), dies at 86
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1865 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology forms 1st US collegiate architectural school
1956 - WOSU TV channel 34 in Columbus, OH (PBS) begins broadcasting
1963 - Australian cricket greats Neil Harvey and Alan Davidson play final Test match in drawn 5th Test vs England at the Sydney Cricket Ground
1975 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
1989 - Members of 1949 Oklahoma football team cancel an April reunion because of the deplorable conduct of Oklahoma players
1998 - Vancouver Canucks' right wing Pavel Bure scores 5 goals for Russia in a 7-4 semi-final win over Finland at the Nagano Winter Olympics
1999 - Toronto Maple Leafs play their first NHL home game at Air Canada Centre; Steve Thomas scores overtime winner in a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens
2013 - Estonia becomes the first country to establish a national system of fast chargers for electric cars
2014 - Marie-Philip Poulin scores in overtime to lead Canada to a 3-2 win over the US and 4th consecutive Olympic women's ice hockey gold medal at the Sochi Winter Games
2017 - Famine is declared in Unity State, South Sudan, affecting 4.9 million -
Historical Events
1926 - Montreal and Ottawa battle out just the second 0-0 tie in NHL history; dominant goalies are Clint Benedict (Maroons) and Alex Connell (Senators)
1971 - National Emergency Center erroneously orders US radio and TV stations to go off the air. Mistake wasn't resolved for 30 minutes
1976 - The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization disbands.
1988 - Stefka Kostadinova of Bulgaria sets high jumps indoor world record (2.06 m)
1988 - Andre Hoffmann skates world record 1500m (1:52.06)
2014 - Aberdeen, Washington unveils statue of a weeping Kurt Cobain at park named after the singer
Famous Birthdays
1779 - Augustus Callcott, English landscape painter, born in Kensington Gravel Pits, England (d. 1844)
1794 - William Carleton, Irish novelist (d. 1869)
1802 - Charles-Auguste de Beriot, Belgian violinist and composer, born in Leuven, Belgium (d. 1870)
1967 - Kurt Knudsen, American baseball pitcher (Detroit Tigers)
1971 - Shawn McKenzie, American programmer
1978 - Julia Jentsch, German actress
Famous Deaths
1855 - Joseph Hume, Scottish doctor and social reformer, dies at 78
1860 - Henry Drummond, English banker and religious leader, dies at 69
1911 - (Peter) Nicolai von Wilm, German-Baltic pianist and composer, dies at 76
1976 - Kathryn Kuhlman, religious leader/faith healer, dies
2004 - J. J. Malone, American soul singer ("It's A Shame"), dies of cancer at 68
2005 - John Raitt, American stage and screen singer and actor (Carousel; Pajama Game), dies from pneumonia at 88
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1574 - Spanish troops plunder Krommenie, Wormerveer and Jisp, Netherlands
1600 - Peruvian stratovolcano Huaynaputina explodes in the most violent eruption in South American recorded history
1900 - British troops occupy Hlangwane, Natal
1928 - II Winter Olympic Games close at St Moritz, Switzerland
1946 - New York Giants outfielder Danny Gardella is 1st major leaguer to announce he is jumping to the "outlaw" Mexican Baseball League for a fee of $10,000
1950 - Groundbreaking ceremony held for Mississippi Vocational College (later Mississippi Valley State University)
1953 - William Inge's "Picnic" premieres in NYC
1985 - ADM of Amsterdam declares bankruptcy
1995 - Kenneth Koch wins Bollingen Prize for One Train (1994) and On The Great Atlantic Rainway: Selected Poems 1950-1988 (1994)
2023 - Brazilian state of Sao Paulo hit by flooding and landslides after heavy rain, with at least 44 killed and 800 homeless -
Historical Events
1594 - Having already inherited the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth through his mother, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa is crowned King of Sweden, succeeding his father John III of Sweden.
1897 - Inaugural meeting of the Women's Institute at Stoney Creek, Ontario, set at the suggestion of Adelaide Hoodless, the organization will rapidly spread around the world
1928 - World champion French team Andrée Joly and Pierre Brunet win the Olympic pairs figure skating gold medal at the St. Moritz Winter Games; the couple marry in 1929 and take 2nd straight gold in 1932
1943 - German tanks under Major General Karl Buelowius attack Kasserine Pass, Tunisia
1977 - France performs nuclear test at Mururoa atoll
1987 - Musical revue "Stardust - The Mitchell Parish Musical", featuring songs of the Lithuanian-American lyricist, opens at Biltmore Theater, NYC; runs for 101 performances
Famous Birthdays
1755 - Pieter Gerardus van Overstraten, Dutch Governor-General of Dutch East Indies (1796-1801), born in Bergen op Zoom (d. 1801)
1881 - Evert Gorter, Dutch children's pioneering paediatrician (founder of Dutch medical child care), born in Utrecht, Netherlands (d. 1954)
1916 - Eddie Arcaro, American Racing Hall of Fame jockey (Triple Crown 1941 Whirlaway, 1948 Citation), born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 1997)
1952 - Gaëtan Dugas, French Canadian flight attendant and HIV patient erroneously vilifed as "Patient Zero", born in Quebec City, Quebec (d. 1984)
1970 - Ruwan Kalpage, Sri Lankan cricket off-spinner
1983 - Assunta De Rossi, Filipino actress
Famous Deaths
1936 - Charles Harding Firth, British historian (b. 1857)
1994 - Vittorio Rieti, Jewish Italian-American composer, dies at 96
1995 - John Howard, American actor (The Philadelphia Story; My Three Sons), dies of heart failure at 81
1996 - Brenda Bruce, actress (December Bride, Nightmare), dies at 77
2016 - [Nelle] Harper Lee, American author (To Kill a Mockingbird), dies at 89
2023 - Richard Belzer, American comedian, actor (Homicide: Life on the Street; Law and Order: SVU - both shows "Det. John Munch") and author (How To Be A Stand-Up; UFOs, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have to Be Crazy to Believe), dies at 78
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1503 - Henry Tudor (later Henry VIII) appointed Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the English throne
1884 - General Charles Gordon arrives in Khartoum
1899 - San Francisco named as a port of dispatch for Army transports
1924 - US Men's Figure Skating championship won by Sherwin Badger
1928 - Norway goes 1-2 in the ski jumping at the St. Moritz Winter Olympics with Alf Andersen taking gold ahead of Sigmund Ruud
1928 - USA 2 beats USA 1 by 0.5s for the 5-man bobsleigh gold medal at the St. Moritz Winter Olympics; Germany 2 takes bronze
1930 - US astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto
2007 - 56th NBA All-Star Game, Thomas and Mack Center, Paradise, NV: West beats East, 153-132; MVP: Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers, F
2013 - 15 people are killed by flooding and landslides in Indonesia
2023 - Global financial system is "dysfunctional and unfair" and is "failing developing countries" according to UN Secretary General António Guterres at opening of African Union leaders' summit in Ethiopia -
Historical Events
1856 - The American Party (Know-Nothings) convenes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to nominate its first Presidential candidate, former President Millard Fillmore.
1900 - British troops occupy Monte Christo, Natal
1943 - Members of student non-violent resistance group "White Rose" arrested by Nazis after distributing pamphlets in Munich, Germany
1951 - Netherlands Radio School forms
1953 - "Maggie" opens at National Theater NYC for 5 performances
2019 - British parliamentary committee issues scathing report on Facebook, accusing company of breaking privacy laws, calling for new regulations
Famous Birthdays
1543 - Charles III, Duke of Lorraine (d. 1608)
1898 - Luis Muñoz Marín, Puerto Rican poet (d. 1980)
1922 - Rolf "Hazy" Osterwald, Swiss jazz bandleader, trumpeter, and vibraphonist, born in Bern, Switzerland (d. 2012)
1964 - Paul Hanley, British musician (The Fall, Tom Hingley and the Lovers), born in Manchester, England
1967 - Harry Van Barneveld, Belgian judoka, born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
1974 - Jamey Carroll, American baseball player, born in Evansville, Indiana
Famous Deaths
1915 - Frank James, American outlaw (member of the James-Younger gang), dies at 72
1976 - Anton Betzner, writer, dies at 81
1977 - Maria Realino [Frederikus Janssen], teacher (Botany of Curacao), dies at 87
1995 - John Rhea "Yank" Lawson, American jazz trumpeter (Dogtown Blues, Stormy Weather), dies of a heart attack at 84
2006 - Richard Bright, American actor (Al Neri-Godfather), dies at 68
2008 - Alain Robbe-Grillet, French novelist (Voyeur) and film maker, dies of heart failure at 85
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1776 - 1st volume of Edward Gibbon's seminal work "The Decline and Fall of Roman Empire" published
1933 - First issue of American news magazine "Newsweek" is published
1940 - Altmark Incident: Crew of the British destroyer "Cossack" board German "Altmark" in Jøssingfjord, Norway, releasing 299 British prisoners after hand-to-hand fighting with bayonets and the last recorded Royal Naval action with cutlass
1956 - Ice Pairs Championship at Garmisch won by Schwarz and Oppelt of AUT
1969 - Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash record an album; it is never released
1976 - Macau adopts constitution (Organic Law of Macau)
1986 - 1st Francophone Summit convenes at Versailles
1996 - Garry Kasparov defeats chess-playing computer Deep Blue 4-2
2012 - The President of Germany, Christian Wulff, resigns over a corruption scandal
2013 - 5 people are killed and 11 are injured after a gas explosion destroyed an apartment complex in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm, Czech Republic -
Historical Events
1854 - Britain recognises independence of Orange Free State (South Africa)
1878 - 1st telephone exchange in San Francisco, California opens with 18 phones
1916 - Sigmund Romberg, James Hanley, Harold R. Atteridge and Edgar Smith's musical "Robinson Crusoe Jr", featuring Al Jolson, opens at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC; runs for 139 performances
1924 - American swimmer Johnny Weissmuller sets 100m world freestyle record 57.4s at Miami, Florida
1928 - American brothers, Jennison and John Heaton fight out the top placings in the cresta (now known as skeleton) at the St. Moritz Winter Olympics; Jennison takes the gold by 1.0s
2020 - Amazon boss Jeff Bezos pledges $10 billion to help fight climate change
Famous Birthdays
1850 - Anton Urspruch, German composer, born in Frankfurt (d. 1907)
1892 - Theodor Plievier, German writer (Des Kaisers Kulis [The Kaiser's Coolies]; Stalingrad), born in Berlin, German Empire (d. 1955)
1906 - Ramon Tapales, Filipino composer and conductor, born in Baybay, Philippines (d. 1995)
1934 - Alan Bates, British actor (Zorba the Greek; An Unmarried Woman; The Rose), born in Allestree, Derby, England (d. 2003)
1969 - Levon Kirkland, American NFL linebacker (Pittsburgh Steelers), born in Lamar, South Carolina
1971 - Jeremy Edwards, British actor (Holby City), born in London, England
Famous Deaths
1609 - Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, dies at 59
1924 - Henry Bacon, American architect (Lincoln Memorial), dies at 57
1970 - Alfred Newman, American film music arranger, conductor and composer, winner of 9 Academy Awards (The Robe; How The West Was Won; Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing), dies at 69
1985 - Wanda Perry, actress (Roberta, Death of a Salesman), dies at 67
1993 - Alfredo de Leon, leader (Philippines Red Scorpio Gang), killed
2021 - Gianluigi Saccaro, Italian fencer (Olympic gold épée team 1960; silver épée team 1964; bronze épée 1968), dies at 82
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1646 - Battle of Great Torrington, Devon - the last major battle of the first English Civil War
1804 - US Navy Lt Stephen Decatur raids Tripoli Harbor and burns Navy frigate "Philadelphia" after it is seized by pirates
1824 - Athenaeum club founded in London
1892 - Opera "Werther" by Jules Massenet premieres in Vienna
1951 - San Francisco City Hall dome fire
1966 - France performs underground nuclear test at Ecker, Algeria
1975 - 17th Daytona 500: Benny Parsons wins after Cale Yarborough sends race leader David Pearson spinning on the backstretch; Parsons avoids the accident and takes the victory
1984 - 3-time men's figure skating world champion Scott Hamilton of the US wins the gold medal at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics from Brian Orser of Canada and Jozef Sabovčík of Czechoslovakia
1992 - Ethiopia finds the remains of former Emperor Haile Selassie on the grounds of the Imperial Palace, under the private lavatory of dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, who overthrew the Emperor
2016 - China announces it will relocate 9,000 people in Guizhou province, before completion of world's largest telescope (FAST), designed to look for extraterrestrial life -
Historical Events
1854 - Franz Liszt's symphony "Orpheus" premieres
1903 - -59°F (-51°C), Pokegama Dam, Minnesota (state record)
1914 - 1st airplane flight from LA to SF
1943 - Withdrawing Afrika Korps reaches Mareth-line in North Africa
2005 - 2004-05 NHL season is cancelled by Commissioner Gary Bettman; first time a North American professional sports league has called off a season due to labor dispute
2018 - Swiss cross country skier Dario Cologna wins 4th career Olympic gold medal in the 15k freestyle in Pyeongchang; wins event in Vancouver (2010), and 15k classical and 30k skiathlon in Sochi (2014)
Famous Birthdays
1620 - Frederick William, Great Elector, ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia (1640-88), born in Berlin (d. 1688)
1916 - Charlie Fowlkes, American baritone saxophonist (Count Basie Orchestra, 1953-80), born in New York City (d. 1980)
1931 - George E. Sangmeister, American politician (Rep-D-Illinois 1989-95), born in Frankfort, Illinois (d. 2007)
1938 - John Corigliano, American composer (Fern Hill, Ghosts of Versailles), born in New York City
1954 - Margaux Hemingway, actress (Lipstick, They Call Me Bruce), born in Portland, Oregon
1954 - Michael Holding, West Indian cricket fast bowler (60 Tests, 249 wickets, BB 8/92; Jamaica, Derbyshire CCC, Lancashire CCC) and broadcaster (Sky Sports), born in Kingston, Jamaica
Famous Deaths
1279 - Afonso III, King of Portugal (1248-79), dies at 68
1560 - Jean du Bellay, French Catholic cardinal and diplomat
1993 - Donald Phelps, American actor (Ghost Ship), dies of AIDS at 61
1993 - Richard Salant, news president (CBS-60 Minutes), dies at 78
2018 - Hubert Doggart, English cricket batsman (2 Tests; Cambridge University CC, Sussex CCC) and executive (President MCC 1981–82), dies at 92
2020 - Barry Hulshoff, Dutch soccer defender (14 caps; European Cup 1971, 72, 73; Ajax Amsterdam), dies at 73
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1676 - Isaac Newton writes to Robert Hooke “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants” (O.S. 5 Feb)
1848 - Sarah Roberts barred from white school in Boston
1954 - WRDW TV channel 12 in Augusta, GA (CBS) begins broadcasting
1958 - Ice Dance Championship at Paris won by June Markham/Courtney Jones GRB
1972 - Sound recordings are granted U.S. federal copyright protection for the first time.
1972 - Newly-formed NHL franchise New York Islanders hire Bill Torrey as their first General Manager
1996 - NFL coaching maestro Bill Belichick is fired by Cleveland, finishing his Browns coaching career with a record of 36-44
1999 - 7th ESPY Awards: Mark McGwire, Chamique Holdsclaw win
2018 - First known case of transgender woman breastfeeding reported in "Transgender Health Journal" in US
2019 - US President Donald Trump declares a national emergency to divert funds to build a border wall, after signing bipartisan spending agreement to avoid another government shutdown -
Historical Events
1686 - Jean Baptiste Lully's opera "Armide" premieres in Paris
1950 - WM Inge's "Come Back, Little Sheba" premieres in NYC
1954 - WRDW TV channel 12 in Augusta, GA (CBS) begins broadcasting
1978 - England all out 64 for 1st loss to NZ in cricket (Geoffrey Boycott captain)
1979 - 21st Grammy Awards: Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are"; A Taste of Honey win
1989 - Soviet military occupation of Afghanistan ends as the last Soviet troops cross the Soviet-Afghan border
Famous Birthdays
1739 - Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart, French architect (d. 1813)
1931 - [Patricia] Claire Bloom, British actress (Charly, Look Back in Anger), born in London, England
1931 - W K Reid, British ombudsman
1937 - Terry Everett, American politician (Rep-R-Alabama 1993-2009), born in Dothan, Alabama
1939 - Robert Hansen, American serial killer
1979 - Adam Granduciel [Granofsky], American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer (The War on Drugs - "Thinking Of A Place"; "Holding On": The Violators, 2003-11), born in Dover, Massachusetts
Famous Deaths
1923 - Josephine Beall Bruce, African-American activist (NACW), dies at 69
1932 - Minnie Maddern Fiske, American actress (Henrik Ibsen's plays), dies at 66
1961 - Dudley Richards, American figure skater (U.S. Pairs champion, 1961), dies in a plane crash at 29
2005 - Pierre Bachelet, French singer and songwriter, dies of lung cancer at 60
2021 - Vincent Jackson, American NFL wide receiver (Pro Bowl 2009, 11, 12; SD Chargers, TB Buccaneers), dies at 38
2023 - Raquel Welch (née Tejada), American stage and screen (Myra Breckenridge; One Million Years B.C.; 100 Rifles), and nightclub singer, dies at 82
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842 - Charles II and Louis the German sign The Oaths of Strasbourg, a pact uniting their armies in fights against their older brother Lothar
1670 - Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I chases Jews out of Vienna
1804 - Jean Victor Marie Moreau, French general who plotted to overthrow Napoleon in the Pichegru Conspiracy, arrested, and exiled to the United States
1918 - Harold R. Atteridge and Sigmund Romberg's musical "Sinbad", starring Al Jolson, opens at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC; runs for 164 performances
1945 - Peru, Paraguay, Chile and Ecuador joins UN
1949 - 1st session of Knesset (Jerusalem Israel)
1956 - Verhoeven, Nauta and De King/Wijnhout win Dutch 11 city skate
1959 - $3.6 million heroin seizure in NYC
1984 - Canadian speed skater Gaétan Boucher takes out the 1,000m gold medal at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics; also wins 1,500m; narrowly beats Soviet skater Sergey Khlebnikov in both events
1989 - World's 1st satellite Skyphone opens -
Historical Events
1076 - Pope Gregory VII excommunicates Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV (for the 1st time)
1872 - 1st US state bird refuge authorized (Lake Merritt, California)
1929 - St Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago, 7 gangsters killed, allegedly on Al Capone's orders
1968 - WHKY TV channel 14 in Hickory, NC (IND) begins broadcasting
1980 - US launches Solar Maximum Mission Observatory to study solar flares
2002 - Fishing vessel Tullaghmurray Lass sinks off the coast of Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland killing three members of the same family on board
Famous Birthdays
1895 - Max Horkheimer, German philosopher and sociologist (Dialectic of Enlightenment, Eclipse of Reason), born in Zuffenhausen, Stuttgart, Germany (d. 1973)
1926 - (Alexander) "Bobby" Kok, Boer-British classical and session cellist (BBC Symphony; George Harrison - "When We Was Fab"), born in Brakpan, Union of South Africa, (d. 2015)
1943 - Griselda Blanco 'Cocaine Godmother', Colombian drug lord, born in Cartagena, Colombia (d. 2012)
1958 - Perry Stephens, German actor (Loving, All My Children), born in Frankfurt, Germany
1972 - Erika Rachael Schwarz, Miss America (Louisiana-2nd-1997), born in Folsom, Louisiana
1983 - Rhydian Roberts, Welsh Singer (X Factor runner up), born in Sennybridge, United Kingdom
Famous Deaths
1760 - François Colin de Blamont, French composer, dies at 69
1870 - St. John Richardson Liddell, American Civil War Confederate General, dies at 54
1884 - Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt, 1st wife of Theodore Roosevelt, dies of Bright's disease at 22
1955 - Charles Cuvillier, French composer of operetta (The Naughty Princess), dies at 77
1994 - Andrei Chikatilo, Soviet-Russian serial killer who murdered at least 52 women and children between 1978 and 1990, executed by a single gunshot at 57
2010 - Dick Francis, British jockey and detective writer (Whip Hand, High Stakes), dies at 89
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1349 - Jews are expelled from Burgdorf, Switzerland, accused of spreading the Bubonic Plague
1899 - -1°F (-18°C) New Orleans, La
1929 - Cruiser Act, USA, approves the construction of 19 new cruisers and an aircraft carrier
1940 - Bradman scores 209* in 161 minutes for South Aust at the WACA
1965 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Gary Visconti
1979 - Formation of Guardian Angels crime fighters in New York City
1994 - Inna Lassovskaya jumps world record 14.9m
1995 - West Indies beat NZ by innings and 332, Courtney Walsh 13-55
2014 - Polish cross country skier Justyna Kowalczyk follows her Vancouver (2010) Olympic women's 30k classical title with a gold medal in the 10k classical in Sochi
2020 - Premier of Tania León's "Stride" for the New York Philharmonic at the David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center, New York City (2021 Pulitzer Prize for Music) -
Historical Events
1502 - Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, new Governor of the Indies sets sail for the Indies with fleet of 30 ships, largest-ever fleet to the New World
1968 - US sends 10,500 additional soldiers to Vietnam
1980 - NZ beats West Indies by one wicket in cricket at Dunedin
1995 - 3rd ESPY Awards: Steve Young, Bonnie Blair win
2000 - 49th NBA All-Star Game, Oakland Arena, Oakland, CA: West beats East, 137-127; MVPs: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs, F; Shaquille O'Neal, LA Lakers, C
2009 - The Dutch Statistics agency confirms the Netherlands are in recession
Famous Birthdays
1610 - Jean de la Badie, French theologian, founder of Labadists, born in Bourg, Bordeaux, France (d. 1674)
1728 - John Hunter, Scottish surgeon and founder of pathological anatomy in England, born in Long Calderwood, Scotland (d. 1793)
1769 - Ivan Krylov, Russian fabulist, born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1844)
1870 - Leopold Godowsky, Polish-American pianist, composer (Java Suite; Triakontameron; 53 Studies on Chopin's Études), and pedagogue, born in Žasliai, Russian Empire (now Lithuania), (d. 1938)
1888 - Georgios Papandreou, Greek politician and Prime Minister of Greece (1944–45, 1963, 1964–65), born in Kalentzi, Achaea, Greece (d. 1968)
1908 - Lennie Hayton, American pianist, composer, conductor and arranger (Paul Whiteman; Bing Crosby; MGM), born in New York City (d. 1971)
Famous Deaths
1914 - Alphonse Bertillon, French police officer and anthropologist (devised crime ID system), dies at 60
1927 - Brooks Adams, American philosopher (New Empire), dies at 78
1966 - Marguerite Long, French concert pianist (Ravel) and teacher (Paris Conservatoire, 1906-40), dies at 91
1966 - Elio Vittorini, Italian writer (Conversations in Sicily), dies at 57
2002 - Pauline Trigère, French-American fashion designer (Bell Bottoms), dies at 93
2023 - Conrad Dobler, American football guard (Pro Bowl 1975, 76, 77; St. Louis Cardinals; famous for unsportsmanlike play), dies at 72
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1855 - Michigan State University established
1934 - The four-day February Uprising, sometimes called the Austrian Civil War, begins
1964 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Allen
1964 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Peggy Fleming
1981 - Pete Squires sets record for 1575 steps of Empire State Building, 10m
2012 - Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is re-elected President of Turkmenistan with 97% of the vote
2013 - North Korea allegedly conducts its third nuclear test, saying it was a nuclear device that could be weaponized
2016 - Fiji becomes the first country to ratify the UN climate deal (signed Paris, December 2015)
2019 - US national debt tops 22 trillion for the first time according to US Treasury
2023 - Super Bowl LVII, State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona: Kansas City Chiefs beat Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35; MVP: Patrick Mahomes, KC, QB -
Historical Events
1793 - 1st US fugitive slave law passed; requires return of escaped slaves
1818 - Chile gains independence from Spain
1925 - E. Thieffry departs with Handley Page for the Belgian Congo
1938 - Austrian chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg visits Adolf Hitler in Berchtesgaden
1997 - Fred Goldman says he will settle for a signed murder confession from O.J. Simpson in lieu of his $20.5 million judgement
2007 - A gunman opens fire in a mall in Salt Lake City, killing 5 people in the Trolley Square shooting.
Famous Birthdays
1907 - Clifton C. Edom, American photojournalism educator (d. 1991)
1920 - Pran Krishan Sikand, Indian actor often cast as the villain in Hindi cinema (Khandaan, Be-Imaan), born in New Delhi (d. 2013)
1938 - Judy Blume, American author (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret), born in Elizabeth, New Jersey
1969 - Byron Stroud, Canadian heavy metal bassist, born in New Westminster, British Columbia
1976 - Christian Cullen, New Zealand rugby union footballer, born in Paraparaumu, New Zealand
1985 - Saskia Burmeister Croft, Australian actress, born in Sydney, Australia
Famous Deaths
1903 - Gaspar Núñez de Arce, Spanish dramatist and statesman (b. 1834)
1981 - Jean Dixon, American actress (Joy of Living, You Only Live Once), dies at 87
1996 - Bob Shaw, Northern Irish novelist (b. 1931)
2000 - (Jalacy) "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins, American blues-rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter ("I Put a Spell On You"), and actor, dies of an aneurysm at 70
2004 - Robert A. Bruce, American cardiologist and pioneer (exercise cardiology), dies at 87
2022 - Brian Kan, Chinese thoroughbred horse trainer (5 x Hong Kong champion trainer; 5 x HK Derby winners), dies at 84
Today in History for 24th February 2024
in Today in History
Posted
Historical Events
1855 - US Court of Claims forms for cases against government
1857 - 1st perforated US postage stamps delivered to government
1920 - NSDAP begins at Hofbrauhaus Munich
1938 - Du Pont begins commercial production of nylon toothbrush bristles
1968 - Gary Unger begins NHL consecutive game record of 914 games
1980 - US ice hockey team clinches gold medal with 4-2 win over Finland at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics; comes after 4-3 "Miracle on Ice" victory against hot favorite Soviet Union
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Famous Birthdays
1885 - Bert Lytell, American actor (One Man's Family), born in New York City (d. 1954)
1939 - George Bain, principal (London Business School)
1951 - Derek Randall, English cricket batsman (47 Tests, 7 x 100, HS 174; Nottinghamshire CCC, Suffolk CCC), born in Retford, England
1968 - John Velddman, soccer player (Sparta)
1970 - Jonathan Ward, American actor (Doug-Charles in Charge; Beans Baxter), born in Baltimore, Maryland
1973 - Chris Fehn, American heavy metal percussionist (Slipknot, 1998-2019), born in Des Moines, Iowa
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Famous Deaths
1975 - Nikolai A Bulganin, Soviet-Russian marshal and 6th Premier of the Soviet Union (1955-58), dies at 79
1986 - Rukmini Devi Arundale (née Sastri), Indian dancer, educator (co-founder of Kalakshetra Academy), politician (Member or Parliament, 1952-62), and animal rights activist, dies at 81
1997 - Isabelle Harriet Lucas, Canadian-born British actress and singer (Outland, Comics), dies at 69
2006 - Octavia E. Butler, American sci-fi author (Hugo, Wild Seed), dies at 58
2020 - Ben Cooper, American western actor (The Rose Tattoo; Outcast; Arizona Raiders), dies at 86
2021 - Peter Ostroushko, American fiddler, mandolin player, and composer (A Prairie Home Companion), dies of heart failure at 67
More Famous Deaths »