1559

  • May 4 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 1256 – The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV issues a papal bull Licet ecclesiae catholicae.
    • 1415 – Religious reformers John Wycliffe and Jan Hus are condemned as heretics at the Council of Constance.
    • 1436 – Assassination of the Swedish rebel (later national hero) Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson
    • 1471 – Wars of the Roses: The Battle of Tewkesbury: Edward IV defeats a Lancastrian Army and kills Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales.
    • 1493 – Pope Alexander VI divides the New World between Spain and Portugal along the Line of Demarcation.
    • 1626 – Dutch explorer Peter Minuit arrives in New Netherland (present day Manhattan Island) aboard the See Meeuw.
    • 1686 – The Municipality of Ilagan is founded in the Philippines.
    • 1776 – Rhode Island becomes the first American colony to renounce allegiance to King George III.
    • 1799 – Fourth Anglo-Mysore War: The Battle of Seringapatam: The siege of Seringapatam ends when the city is invaded and Tipu Sultan killed by the besieging British army, under the command of General George Harris.
    • 1814 – Emperor Napoleon arrives at Portoferraio on the island of Elba to begin his exile.
    • 1814 – King Ferdinand VII abolishes the Spanish Constitution of 1812, returning Spain to absolutism.
    • 1836 – Formation of Ancient Order of Hibernians
    • 1859 – The Cornwall Railway opens across the Royal Albert Bridge linking Devon and Cornwall in England.
    • 1869 – The Naval Battle of Hakodate is fought in Japan.
    • 1871 – The National Association, the first professional baseball league, opens its first season in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
    • 1886 – Haymarket affair: A bomb is thrown at policemen trying to break up a labor rally in Chicago, United States, killing eight and wounding 60. The police fire into the crowd.
    • 1904 – The United States begins construction of the Panama Canal.
    • 1910 – The Royal Canadian Navy is created.
    • 1912 – Italy occupies the Greek island of Rhodes.
    • 1919 – May Fourth Movement: Student demonstrations take place in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, protesting the Treaty of Versailles, which transferred Chinese territory to Japan.
    • 1926 – The United Kingdom general strike begins.
    • 1927 – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is incorporated.
    • 1932 – In Atlanta, mobster Al Capone begins serving an eleven-year prison sentence for tax evasion.
    • 1942 – World War II: The Battle of the Coral Sea begins with an attack by aircraft from the United States aircraft carrier USS Yorktown on Japanese naval forces at Tulagi Island in the Solomon Islands. The Japanese forces had invaded Tulagi the day before.
    • 1945 – World War II: Neuengamme concentration camp near Hamburg is liberated by the British Army.
    • 1945 – World War II: The German surrender at Lüneburg Heath is signed, coming into effect the following day. It encompasses all Wehrmacht units in the Netherlands, Denmark and northwest Germany.
    • 1946 – In San Francisco Bay, U.S. Marines from the nearby Treasure Island Naval Base stop a two-day riot at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. Five people are killed in the riot.
    • 1949 – The entire Torino football team (except for two players who did not take the trip: Sauro Tomà, due to an injury and Renato Gandolfi, because of coach request) is killed in a plane crash.
    • 1953 – Ernest Hemingway wins the Pulitzer Prize for The Old Man and the Sea.
    • 1959 – The 1st Annual Grammy Awards are held.
    • 1961 – American civil rights movement: The “Freedom Riders” begin a bus trip through the South.
    • 1961 – Malcolm Ross and Victor Prather attain a new altitude record for manned balloon flight ascending in the Strato-Lab V open gondola to 113,740 feet (34.67 km).
    • 1970 – Vietnam War: Kent State shootings: The Ohio National Guard, sent to Kent State University after disturbances in the city of Kent the weekend before, opens fire killing four unarmed students and wounding nine others. The students were protesting the Cambodian Campaign of the United States and South Vietnam.
    • 1972 – The Don’t Make A Wave Committee, a fledgling environmental organization founded in Canada in 1971, officially changes its name to “Greenpeace Foundation”.
    • 1978 – The South African Defence Force attacks a SWAPO base at Cassinga in southern Angola, killing about 600 people.
    • 1979 – Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
    • 1982 – Twenty sailors are killed when the British Type 42 destroyer HMS Sheffield is hit by an Argentinian Exocet missile during the Falklands War.
    • 1988 – The PEPCON disaster rocks Henderson, Nevada, as tons of Space Shuttle fuel detonate during a fire.
    • 1989 – Iran–Contra affair: Former White House aide Oliver North is convicted of three crimes and acquitted of nine other charges; the convictions are later overturned on appeal.
    • 1990 – Latvia proclaims the renewal of its independence after the Soviet occupation.
    • 1994 – Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat sign a peace accord, granting self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho.
    • 1998 – A federal judge in Sacramento, California, gives “Unabomber” Theodore Kaczynski four life sentences plus 30 years after Kaczynski accepts a plea agreement sparing him from the death penalty.
    • 2000 – Ken Livingstone becomes the first Mayor of London (an office separate from that of the Lord Mayor of London).
    • 2007 – Greensburg, Kansas is almost completely destroyed by a 1.7-mile wide EF5 tornado. It was the first-ever tornado to be rated as such with the new Enhanced Fujita scale.
    • 2014 – Three people are killed and 62 injured in a pair of bombings on buses in Nairobi, Kenya.

    Births on May 4

    • 1006 – Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, Persian mystic and poet (d. 1088)
    • 1008 – Henry I, king of France (d. 1060)
    • 1559 – Alice Spencer, English noblewoman (d. 1637)
    • 1634 – Katherine Ferrers, English aristocrat and heiress (d. 1660)
    • 1649 – Chhatrasal, Indian ruler (d. 1731)
    • 1654 – Kangxi Emperor, Emperor of the Qing Dynasty
    • 1655 – Bartolomeo Cristofori, Italian instrument maker, invented the piano (d. 1731)
    • 1677 – Françoise-Marie de Bourbon, French noblewoman (d.1749)
    • 1715 – Richard Graves, English minister and author (d. 1804)
    • 1733 – Jean-Charles de Borda, French mathematician, physicist, and sailor (d. 1799)
    • 1752 – John Brooks, American soldier and politician, 11th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1825)
    • 1757 – Manuel Tolsá, Spanish sculptor and first director of the Academy of San Carlos in Mexico City (d. 1816)
    • 1767 – Tyagaraja, Indian composer (d. 1847)
    • 1770 – François Gérard, French painter (d. 1837)
    • 1772 – Friedrich Arnold Brockhaus, German publisher (d. 1823)
    • 1796 – Horace Mann, American educator and politician (d. 1859)
    • 1796 – William Pennington, American lawyer and politician, 13th Governor of New Jersey, 23rd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (d. 1862)
    • 1796 – William H. Prescott, American historian and scholar (d. 1859)
    • 1820 – Julia Gardiner Tyler, American wife of John Tyler, 11th First Lady of the United States (d. 1889)
    • 1820 – John Whiteaker, American soldier, judge, and politician, 1st Governor of Oregon (d. 1902)
    • 1822 – Charles Boucher de Boucherville, Canadian physician and politician, 3rd Premier of Quebec (d. 1915)
    • 1825 – Thomas Henry Huxley, English biologist, anatomist, and academic (d. 1895)
    • 1825 – Augustus Le Plongeon, English-American historian, photographer, and academic (d. 1908)
    • 1826 – Frederic Edwin Church, American painter (d. 1900)
    • 1827 – John Hanning Speke, English soldier and explorer (d. 1864)
    • 1851 – Thomas Dewing, American painter (d. 1938)
    • 1852 – Alice Liddell, English model (d. 1934)
    • 1855 – Greyfriars Bobby, faithful dog (d. 1872)
    • 1883 – Wang Jingwei, Chinese politician (d. 1944)
    • 1884 – Richard Baggallay, English army officer and cricketer (d. 1975)
    • 1887 – Andrew Dasburg, French-American painter (d. 1979)
    • 1889 – Francis Spellman, American cardinal (d. 1967)
    • 1890 – Franklin Carmichael, Canadian painter (d. 1945)
    • 1902 – Ronnie Aird, English cricketer and administrator (d. 1986)
    • 1902 – Cola Debrot, Dutch physician, lawyer, and politician (d. 1981)
    • 1903 – Luther Adler, American actor (d. 1984)
    • 1903 – Paul Demel, Czech actor (d. 1951)
    • 1905 – Al Dexter, American country singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1984)
    • 1906 – Gustav Bergmann, Austrian-American philosopher from the Vienna Circle (d. 1987)
    • 1907 – Lincoln Kirstein, American soldier and playwright, co-founded the New York City Ballet (d. 1996)
    • 1907 – Walter Walsh, American target shooter and FBI agent (d. 2014)
    • 1908 – Wolrad Eberle, German decathlete (d. 1949)
    • 1911 – Evald Seepere, Estonian boxer (d. 1990)
    • 1913 – John Broome, American author (d. 1999)
    • 1913 – Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark (d. 2007)
    • 1914 – Maedayama Eigorō, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 39th Yokozuna (d. 1971)
    • 1916 – Jane Jacobs, American-Canadian journalist, author, and activist (d. 2006)
    • 1916 – Richard Proenneke, American soldier, carpenter, and meteorologist (d. 2003)
    • 1917 – Edward T. Cone, American pianist and composer (d. 2004)
    • 1917 – Nick Joaquin, Filipino writer, journalist and historian (d. 2004)
    • 1918 – Tom Mead, Australian journalist and politician (d. 2004)
    • 1918 – Kakuei Tanaka, Japanese soldier and politician, 64th Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1993)
    • 1919 – Dory Funk, American wrestler and trainer (d. 1973)
    • 1919 – Basil Yamey, South African-English economist and academic
    • 1921 – Patsy Garrett, American actress and singer (d. 2015)
    • 1921 – John van Kesteren, Dutch-American tenor and actor (d. 2008)
    • 1921 – Edo Murtić, Croatian painter, sculptor, and illustrator (d. 2005)
    • 1922 – Paul-Émile Charbonneau, Canadian archbishop (d. 2014)
    • 1922 – Eugenie Clark, American biologist and academic (d. 2015)
    • 1923 – Stanley Biber, American soldier and physician (d. 2006)
    • 1923 – Ed Cassidy, American jazz and rock drummer (d. 2012)
    • 1923 – Assi Rahbani, Lebanese composer and producer (d. 1986)
    • 1923 – Eric Sykes, British actor and comedian (d. 2012)
    • 1923 – John Toner, American football player and coach (d. 2014)
    • 1925 – Jenő Buzánszky, Hungarian footballer and coach (d. 2015)
    • 1925 – Maurice R. Greenberg, American businessman and philanthropist
    • 1926 – David Stoddart, Baron Stoddart of Swindon, English politician
    • 1928 – Maynard Ferguson, Canadian trumpet player and bandleader (d. 2006)
    • 1928 – Thomas Kinsella, Irish poet, translator, and publisher
    • 1928 – Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian air marshal and politician, 4th President of Egypt (d. 2020)
    • 1928 – Betsy Rawls, American golfer
    • 1928 – Wolfgang von Trips, German race car driver (d. 1961)
    • 1929 – Manuel Contreras, Chilean general (d. 2015)
    • 1929 – Audrey Hepburn, Belgian-British actress and humanitarian (d. 1993)
    • 1930 – Katherine Jackson, matriarch of the Jackson family
    • 1930 – Roberta Peters, American soprano (d. 2017)
    • 1931 – Jan Pesman, Dutch speed skater (d. 2014)
    • 1931 – Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Russian conductor and educator (d. 2018)
    • 1931 – Thomas Stuttaford, English physician, journalist, and politician (d. 2018)
    • 1932 – Harlon Hill, American football player and coach (d. 2013)
    • 1932 – Alexander MacAra, Scottish epidemiologist and academic (d. 2012)
    • 1933 – J. Fred Duckett, American journalist and educator (d. 2007)
    • 1936 – El Cordobés, Spanish bullfighter
    • 1936 – Med Hondo, Mauritanian filmmaker and actor (d. 2019)
    • 1937 – Ron Carter, American bassist and educator
    • 1937 – Dick Dale, American surf-rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter (d. 2019)
    • 1937 – Wim Verstappen, Dutch director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2004)
    • 1938 – Tyrone Davis, American blues and soul singer (d. 2005)
    • 1938 – Carlos Monsiváis, Mexican journalist, author, and critic (d. 2010)
    • 1938 – Gillian Tindall, English historian and author
    • 1939 – Neil Fox, English rugby league player and coach
    • 1939 – Amos Oz, Israeli journalist and author (d. 2018)
    • 1939 – Leon Rochefort, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1940 – Robin Cook, American physician and author
    • 1940 – Peter Gregg, American race car driver and businessman (d. 1980)
    • 1941 – George Will, American journalist and author
    • 1942 – Nickolas Ashford, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (d. 2011)
    • 1943 – Georgi Asparuhov, Bulgarian footballer (d. 1971)
    • 1943 – Mihail Chemiakin, Russian painter and sculptor
    • 1943 – Prasanta Pattanaik, Indian economist and academic
    • 1944 – Steve Liebmann, Australian radio and television host
    • 1944 – Russi Taylor, American voice actress (d. 2019)
    • 1945 – Jan Mulder, Dutch footballer and journalist
    • 1946 – John Barnard, English car designer
    • 1946 – Gary Bauer, American political activist
    • 1946 – John Watson, British race car driver
    • 1947 – John Bosley, Canadian businessman and politician, 31st Canadian Speaker of the House of Commons
    • 1947 – Ronald Sørensen, Dutch historian and politician
    • 1947 – Trivimi Velliste, Estonian politician, 17th Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs
    • 1948 – Alison Britton, English sculptor and educator
    • 1948 – Hurley Haywood, American race car driver
    • 1948 – King George Tupou V of Tonga, (d. 2012)
    • 1949 – Graham Swift, English novelist and short story writer
    • 1950 – Darryl Hunt, English bass player
    • 1951 – Colin Bass, English bass player, songwriter, and producer
    • 1951 – Colleen Hanabusa, American lawyer and politician
    • 1951 – Jackie Jackson, American singer-songwriter and dancer
    • 1952 – Belinda Green, Australian beauty queen and 1972 Miss World
    • 1953 – Pia Zadora, American actress and singer
    • 1954 – Ryan Cayabyab, Filipino pianist, composer, and conductor
    • 1956 – Michael L. Gernhardt, American astronaut and engineer
    • 1956 – David Guterson, American novelist, short story writer, poet, and essayist
    • 1956 – Ken Oberkfell, American baseball player and coach
    • 1957 – Jaak Huimerind, Estonian architect
    • 1957 – Kathy Kreiner, Canadian skier
    • 1957 – Peter Sleep, Australian cricketer
    • 1957 – Marijke Vos, Dutch educator and politician
    • 1958 – Delbert Fowler, American football player
    • 1958 – Keith Haring, American painter (d. 1990)
    • 1958 – Jane Kennedy, English politician
    • 1958 – Caroline Spelman, English politician, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
    • 1959 – Valdemaras Chomičius, Lithuanian basketball player and coach
    • 1959 – Randy Travis, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1959 – Bob Tway, American golfer
    • 1960 – Werner Faymann, Austrian politician, 28th Chancellor of Austria
    • 1961 – Jay Aston, English singer-songwriter and dancer
    • 1964 – Silvia Costa, Cuban high jumper
    • 1966 – Gary Elkins, English footballer and manager
    • 1966 – Jane McGrath, English-Australian activist, co-founded the McGrath Foundation (d. 2008)
    • 1967 – Kate Garraway, English journalist
    • 1967 – Ana Gasteyer, American actress and singer
    • 1969 – Micah Aivazoff, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1969 – Franz Resch, Austrian footballer and manager
    • 1970 – Gregg Alexander, American singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1970 – Will Arnett, Canadian actor and producer
    • 1970 – Giovanni Mirabassi, Italian jazz musician
    • 1970 – Dawn Staley, American basketball player
    • 1970 – Paul Wiseman, New Zealand cricketer and coach
    • 1971 – Joe Borowski, American baseball player and sportscaster
    • 1971 – Miles Stewart, Australian triathlete
    • 1972 – Manny Aybar, Dominican baseball player
    • 1972 – Mike Dirnt, American bass player and songwriter
    • 1973 – Matthew Barnaby, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
    • 1973 – Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Argentinian footballer and coach
    • 1973 – John Madden, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1974 – Miguel Cairo, Venezuelan baseball player and coach
    • 1974 – Tony McCoy, Northern Irish jockey and sportscaster
    • 1976 – Ben Grieve, American baseball player
    • 1976 – Rory Hamill, Northern Irish international footballer
    • 1976 – Jason Michaels, American baseball player
    • 1976 – Indrek Visnapuu, Estonian basketball player and coach
    • 1977 – John Tripp, Canadian-German ice hockey player
    • 1978 – Erin Andrews, American sportscaster and journalist
    • 1978 – Igor Biscan, Croatian footballer
    • 1978 – Brett Burton, Australian footballer
    • 1978 – Vladimíra Uhlířová, Czech tennis player
    • 1979 – Lance Bass, American singer, dancer, and producer
    • 1979 – Kristin Harmel, American journalist and author
    • 1979 – Marie Poissonnier, French pole vaulter
    • 1979 – Lesley Vainikolo, Tongan rugby player
    • 1980 – Andrew Raycroft, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1981 – Eric Djemba-Djemba, Cameroon footballer
    • 1981 – Dallon Weekes, American singer-songwriter and musician
    • 1982 – Kleopas Giannou, Greek footballer
    • 1982 – Markus Rogan, Austrian swimmer
    • 1982 – Giorgos Tsiaras, Greek basketball player
    • 1983 – Dan Christian, Australian cricketer
    • 1983 – Derek Roy, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1983 – Robert Zwinkels, Dutch footballer
    • 1984 – Manjural Islam Rana, Bangladeshi cricketer (d. 2007)
    • 1984 – Brad Maddox, American wrestler and referee
    • 1984 – Sarah Meier, Swiss figure skater
    • 1984 – Montell Owens, American football player
    • 1984 – Kevin Slowey, American baseball player
    • 1985 – Ravi Bopara, English cricketer
    • 1985 – Anthony Fedorov, Ukrainian-born American singer and actor
    • 1985 – Fernandinho, Brazilian footballer
    • 1985 – Lester “Bo” McCalebb, American-Macedonian professional basketball player
    • 1985 – Jamie Adenuga, English MC and rapper
    • 1986 – Devan Dubnyk, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1986 – George Hill, American basketball player
    • 1987 – Cesc Fàbregas, Spanish footballer
    • 1987 – Jorge Lorenzo, Spanish motorcycle racer
    • 1988 – Radja Nainggolan, Belgian footballer
    • 1989 – Dániel Gyurta, Hungarian swimmer
    • 1989 – Henna Lindholm, Finnish figure skater
    • 1989 – Rory McIlroy, Northern Irish golfer
    • 1989 – Aris Tatarounis, Greek basketball player
    • 1989 – James van Riemsdyk, American ice hockey player
    • 1990 – Irina Falconi, American tennis player
    • 1990 – Ryan Morgan, Australian rugby league player
    • 1990 – Duvashen Padayachee, Australian race car driver
    • 1990 – Andrea Torres, Filipino actress and model
    • 1991 – Brianne Jenner, Canadian women’s ice hockey player
    • 1992 – Victor Oladipo, American basketball player
    • 1993 – Jānis Bērziņš, Latvian basketball player
    • 1994 – Abi Masatora, Japanese sumo wrestler
    • 1994 – Joseph Tapine, New Zealand rugby league player
    • 1996 – Pelayo Roza, Spanish sprint canoeist

    Deaths on May 4

    • 408 – Venerius, archbishop of Milan
    • 784 – Arbeo, bishop of Freising
    • 1003 – Herman II, duke of Swabia
    • 1038 – Gotthard of Hildesheim, German bishop (b. 960)
    • 1406 – Coluccio Salutati, chancellor of Florence (b. 1331)
    • 1436 – Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson, Swedish rebel leader
    • 1471 – Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales, son and heir of Henry VI of England (b. 1453)
    • 1471 – Edmund Beaufort, 4th Duke of Somerset (b. 1438)
    • 1483 – George Neville, Duke of Bedford (b. 1457)
    • 1506 – Husayn Mirza Bayqara, Timurid ruler of Herat (b. 1438)
    • 1519 – Lorenzo de’ Medici, duke of Urbino (b. 1492)
    • 1535 – John Houghton, Carthusian monk and saint
    • 1562 – Lelio Sozzini, Italian Protestant theologian (b. 1525)
    • 1566 – Luca Ghini, Italian physician and botanist (b. 1490)
    • 1571 – Pierre Viret, Swiss theologian and reformer (b. 1511)
    • 1604 – Claudio Merulo, Italian organist and composer (b. 1533)
    • 1605 – Ulisse Aldrovandi, Italian naturalist (b. 1522)
    • 1615 – Adriaan van Roomen, Flemish priest and mathematician (b. 1561)
    • 1626 – Arthur Lake, English bishop and scholar (b. 1569)
    • 1677 – Isaac Barrow, English mathematician and theologian (b. 1630)
    • 1684 – John Nevison, English criminal (b. 1639)
    • 1729 – Louis Antoine de Noailles, French cardinal (b. 1651)
    • 1734 – James Thornhill, English painter and politician (b. 1675)
    • 1737 – Eustace Budgell, English journalist and politician (b. 1686)
    • 1774 – Anthony Ulrich of Brunswick, Prussian nobleman (b. 1714)
    • 1776 – Jacques Saly, French painter and sculptor (b. 1717)
    • 1790 – Matthew Tilghman, American politician (b. 1718)
    • 1799 – Tipu, ruler of Mysore (b. 1750)
    • 1811 – Nikolay Kamensky, Russian general (b. 1776)
    • 1816 – Samuel Dexter, American lawyer and politician, 4th United States Secretary of War, 3rd United States Secretary of the Treasury (b. 1761)
    • 1824 – Joseph Joubert, French author (b. 1754)
    • 1826 – Sebastián Kindelán y O’Regan, colonial governor of East Florida, Santo Domingo and Cuba (b. 1757)
    • 1839 – Denis Davydov, Russian general and poet (b. 1784)
    • 1858 – Aimé Bonpland, French botanist and explorer (b. 1773)
    • 1859 – Joseph Diaz Gergonne, French mathematician and philosopher (b. 1771)
    • 1880 – Edward Clark, American lawyer and politician, 8th Governor of Texas (b. 1815)
    • 1901 – John Jones Ross, Canadian lawyer and politician, 7th Premier of Quebec (b. 1831)
    • 1903 – Gotse Delchev, Macedonian Bulgarian revolutionary IMRO (b. 1872)
    • 1912 – Nettie Stevens, American geneticist credited with discovering sex chromosomes (b. 1861)
    • 1916 – Ned Daly, Irish rebel commander (Easter Rising) (b. 1891)
    • 1916 – John Murray, Australian politician, 23rd Premier of Victoria (b. 1851)
    • 1916 – Joseph Plunkett, Irish rebel and writer (b. 1887)
    • 1916 – Willie Pearse, Irish rebel (b. 1891)
    • 1919 – Milan Rastislav Štefánik, Slovak general and politician (b. 1880)
    • 1922 – Viktor Kingissepp, Estonian politician (b. 1888)
    • 1923 – Ralph McKittrick, American golfer and tennis player (b. 1877)
    • 1924 – E. Nesbit, English author and poet (b. 1858)
    • 1938 – Kanō Jigorō, Japanese founder of judo (b. 1860)
    • 1938 – Carl von Ossietzky, German journalist and activist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1889)
    • 1941 – Chris McKivat, Australian rugby player and coach (b. 1880)
    • 1945 – Fedor von Bock, German field marshal (b. 1880)
    • 1953 – Alexandre Pharamond, French rugby player (b. 1876)
    • 1955 – George Enescu, Romanian pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1881)
    • 1964 – Karl Robert Pusta, Estonian politician, 4th Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1883)
    • 1969 – Osbert Sitwell, English-Italian author and poet (b. 1892)
    • 1972 – Edward Calvin Kendall, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1886)
    • 1973 – Jane Bowles, American author and playwright (b. 1917)
    • 1975 – Moe Howard, American actor, singer, and screenwriter (b. 1897)
    • 1976 – Frank Strahan, Australian public servant (b. 1886)
    • 1980 – Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslav field marshal and politician, 1st President of Yugoslavia (b. 1892)
    • 1981 – C. Loganathan, Sri Lankan banker (b. 1913)
    • 1983 – Nino Sanzogno, Italian conductor and composer (b. 1911)
    • 1984 – Diana Dors, English actress (b. 1931)
    • 1985 – Fikri Sönmez, Turkish tailor and politician (b. 1938)
    • 1985 – Clarence Wiseman, English-Canadian 10th General of The Salvation Army (b. 1907)
    • 1987 – Paul Butterfield, American singer and harmonica player (b. 1942)
    • 1987 – Cathryn Damon, American actress (b. 1930)
    • 1988 – Lillian Estelle Fisher, American historian of Spanish America (b. 1891)
    • 1990 – Emily Remler, American guitarist (b. 1957)
    • 1991 – Mohammed Abdel Wahab, Egyptian singer-songwriter and mandolin player (b. 1902)
    • 1992 – Gregor Mackenzie, Scottish politician (b. 1927)
    • 1993 – France Štiglic, Slovenian film director and screenwriter (b. 1919)
    • 1995 – Connie Wisniewski, American baseball player (b. 1922)
    • 2000 – Hendrik Casimir, Dutch physicist and academic (b. 1909)
    • 2001 – Bonnie Lee Bakley, American model, wife of Robert Blake (b. 1956)
    • 2004 – David Reimer, Canadian victim of a botched circumcision and transgender reassignment surgery (b. 1965)
    • 2005 – David Hackworth, American colonel and journalist (b. 1930)
    • 2008 – Fred Baur, American chemist and founder of Pringles (b. 1918)
    • 2009 – Dom DeLuise, American actor, director, and producer (b. 1933)
    • 2011 – Sammy McCrory, Northern Irish footballer (b. 1924)
    • 2012 – Mort Lindsey, American pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1923)
    • 2012 – Bob Stewart, American television producer, founded Stewart Tele Enterprises (b. 1920)
    • 2012 – Adam Yauch, American rapper and director (b. 1964)
    • 2012 – Rashidi Yekini, Nigerian footballer (b. 1963)
    • 2013 – Otis R. Bowen, American physician and politician, 44th Governor of Indiana (b. 1918)
    • 2013 – Christian de Duve, English-Belgian cytologist and biochemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1917)
    • 2013 – Javier Diez Canseco, Peruvian sociologist and politician (b. 1948)
    • 2013 – Mario Machado, Chinese-American journalist and actor (b. 1935)
    • 2013 – Morgan Morgan-Giles, English admiral and politician (b. 1914)
    • 2013 – César Portillo de la Luz, Cuban guitarist and composer (b. 1922)
    • 2014 – Dick Ayers, American author and illustrator (b. 1924)
    • 2014 – Elena Baltacha, Ukrainian-Scottish tennis player (b. 1983)
    • 2014 – Edgar Cortright, American scientist and engineer (b. 1923)
    • 2014 – Helga Königsdorf, German physicist and author (b. 1938)
    • 2014 – Ross Lonsberry, Canadian-American ice hockey player (b. 1947)
    • 2014 – Jean-Paul Ngoupandé, Central African politician, Prime Minister of the Central African Republic (b. 1948)
    • 2015 – William Bast, American screenwriter and author (b. 1931)
    • 2015 – Ellen Albertini Dow, American actress (b. 1913)
    • 2015 – Marv Hubbard, American football player (b. 1946)
    • 2016 – Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, Burundian politician (b. 1946)
    • 2020 – Don Shula, American football player and coach (b. 1930)
    • 2020 – Greg Zanis, American carpenter and activist (b. 1950)

    Holidays and observances on May 4

    • Anti-Bullying Day (United Nations)
    • Bird Day (United States)
    • Cassinga Day (Namibia)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Blessed Ceferino Giménez Malla
      • Blessed Michal Giedroyc
      • English Saints and Martyrs of the Reformation Era (Church of England)
      • F. C. D. Wyneken (Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod)
      • Florian
      • Gotthard of Hildesheim
      • José María Rubio
      • Judas Cyriacus
      • Monica of Hippo (1960 Roman Catholic Calendar)
      • Sacerdos of Limoges
      • Venerius of Milan
      • May 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Dave Brubeck Day
    • Death of Milan Rastislav Štefánik Day (Slovakia)
    • Greenery Day (Japan)
    • International Firefighters’ Day
    • May Fourth Movement commemorations:
      • Literary Day (Republic of China)
      • Youth Day (China)
    • Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled (Afghanistan)
    • Remembrance of the Dead (Netherlands)
    • Restoration of Independence day (Latvia)
    • Star Wars Day (International observance)
    • World Give Day
    • World Naked Gardening Day
    • Youth Day (Fiji)

  • May 2 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    May 2 in History

    • 1194 – King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter
    • 1230 – William de Braose is hanged by Prince Llywelyn the Great.
    • 1335 – Otto the Merry, Duke of Austria, becomes Duke of Carinthia.
    • 1536 – Anne Boleyn, Queen of England, is arrested and imprisoned on charges of adultery, incest, treason and witchcraft.
    • 1559 – John Knox returns from exile to Scotland to become the leader of the nascent Scottish Reformation.
    • 1568 – Mary, Queen of Scots, escapes from Loch Leven Castle.
    • 1611 – The King James Version of the Bible is published for the first time in London, England, by printer Robert Barker.
    • 1625 – Afonso Mendes, appointed by Pope Gregory XV as Latin Patriarch of Ethiopia, arrives at Beilul from Goa.
    • 1670 – King Charles II of England grants a permanent charter to the Hudson’s Bay Company to open up the fur trade in North America.
    • 1672 – John Maitland becomes Duke of Lauderdale and Earl of March.
    • 1808 – Outbreak of the Peninsular War: The people of Madrid rise up in rebellion against French occupation. Francisco de Goya later memorializes this event in his painting The Second of May 1808.
    • 1812 – The Siege of Cuautla during the Mexican War of Independence ends with both sides claiming victory after Mexican rebels under José María Morelos y Pavón abandon the city after 72 days under siege by royalist Spanish troops under Félix María Calleja.
    • 1816 – Marriage of Léopold of Saxe-Coburg and Princess Charlotte of Wales.
    • 1829 – After anchoring nearby, Captain Charles Fremantle of HMS Challenger, declares the Swan River Colony in Australia.
    • 1863 – American Civil War: Stonewall Jackson is wounded by friendly fire while returning to camp after reconnoitering during the Battle of Chancellorsville. He succumbs to pneumonia eight days later.
    • 1866 – Peruvian defenders fight off the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Callao.
    • 1876 – The April Uprising breaks out in Ottoman Bulgaria.
    • 1879 – The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party is founded in Madrid by Pablo Iglesias.
    • 1885 – Cree and Assiniboine warriors win the Battle of Cut Knife, their largest victory over Canadian forces during the North-West Rebellion.
    • 1889 – Menelik II, Emperor of Ethiopia, signs the Treaty of Wuchale, giving Italy control over Eritrea.
    • 1906 – Closing ceremony of the Intercalated Games in Athens, Greece.
    • 1918 – General Motors acquires the Chevrolet Motor Company of Delaware.
    • 1920 – The first game of the Negro National League baseball is played in Indianapolis.
    • 1933 – Germany’s independent labor unions are replaced by the German Labour Front.
    • 1941 – Following the coup d’état against Iraq Crown Prince ‘Abd al-Ilah earlier that year, the United Kingdom launches the Anglo-Iraqi War to restore him to power.
    • 1945 – World War II: The Soviet Union announces the fall of Berlin.
    • 1945 – World War II: The surrender of Caserta comes into effect, by which German troops in Italy cease fighting.
    • 1945 – World War II: The US 82nd Airborne Division liberates Wöbbelin concentration camp finding 1000 dead prisoners, most of whom starved to death.
    • 1945 – World War II: A death march from Dachau to the Austrian border is halted by the segregated, all-Nisei 522nd Field Artillery Battalion of the U.S. Army in southern Bavaria, saving several hundred prisoners.
    • 1952 – A De Havilland Comet makes the first jetliner flight with fare-paying passengers, from London to Johannesburg.
    • 1955 – Tennessee Williams wins the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
    • 1963 – Berthold Seliger launches a rocket with three stages and a maximum flight altitude of more than 100 kilometres near Cuxhaven. It is the only sounding rocket developed in Germany.
    • 1964 – Vietnam War: An explosion sinks the American aircraft carrier USNS Card while it is docked at Saigon. Two Viet Cong combat swimmers had placed explosives on the ship’s hull. She is raised and returned to service less than seven months later.
    • 1964 – First ascent of Shishapangma, the fourteenth highest mountain in the world and the lowest of the Eight-thousanders.
    • 1969 – The British ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 departs on her maiden voyage to New York City.
    • 1972 – In the early morning hours a fire breaks out at the Sunshine Mine located between Kellogg and Wallace, Idaho, killing 91 workers.
    • 1982 – Falklands War: The British nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror sinks the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano.
    • 1986 – Chernobyl disaster: The City of Chernobyl is evacuated six days after the disaster.
    • 1989 – Cold War: Hungary begins dismantling its border fence with Austria, which allows a number of East Germans to defect.
    • 1994 – A bus crashes in Gdańsk, Poland killing 32 people.
    • 1995 – During the Croatian War of Independence, the Army of the Republic of Serb Krajina fires cluster bombs at Zagreb, killing seven and wounding over 175 civilians.
    • 1998 – The European Central Bank is founded in Brussels in order to define and execute the European Union’s monetary policy.
    • 1999 – Panamanian general election, 1999: Mireya Moscoso becomes the first woman to be elected President of Panama.
    • 2000 – President Bill Clinton announces that accurate GPS access would no longer be restricted to the United States military.
    • 2004 – The Yelwa massacre concludes. It began on 4 February 2004 when armed Muslims killed 78 Christians at Yelwa. In response, about 630 Muslims were killed by Christians on May 2nd.
    • 2008 – Cyclone Nargis makes landfall in Burma killing over 138,000 people and leaving millions of people homeless.
    • 2008 – Chaitén Volcano begins erupting in Chile, forcing the evacuation of more than 4,500 people.
    • 2011 – Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind behind the September 11 attacks and the FBI’s most wanted man, is killed by the United States special forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
    • 2011 – An E. coli outbreak strikes Europe, mostly in Germany, leaving more than 30 people dead and many others sick from the bacteria outbreak.
    • 2012 – A pastel version of The Scream, by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch, sells for $120 million in a New York City auction, setting a new world record for a work of art at auction.
    • 2014 – Two mudslides in Badakhshan, Afghanistan, leave up to 2,500 people missing.

    Births on May 2

    • 1360 – Yongle Emperor of China (d. 1424)
    • 1402 – Eleanor of Aragon, Queen of Portugal (d. 1445)
    • 1451 – René II, Duke of Lorraine (d. 1508)
    • 1458 – Eleanor of Viseu (d. 1525)
    • 1476 – Charles I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels, Count of Kladsko, Governor of Bohemia and Silesia (d. 1536)
    • 1533 – Philip II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen (d. 1596)
    • 1551 – William Camden, English historian and topographer (d. 1623)
    • 1567 – Sebald de Weert, Dutch captain, vice-admiral of the Dutch East India Company (d. 1603)
    • 1579 – Tokugawa Hidetada, Japanese shōgun (d. 1632)
    • 1601 – Athanasius Kircher, German priest and scholar (d. 1680)
    • 1660 – Alessandro Scarlatti, Italian composer (d. 1725)
    • 1695 – Giovanni Niccolò Servandoni, Italian-French painter and architect (d. 1766)
    • 1702 – Friedrich Christoph Oetinger, German theologian and theosopher (d. 1782)
    • 1707 – Jean-Baptiste Barrière, French cellist and composer (d. 1747)
    • 1729 – Catherine the Great of Russia (d. 1796)
    • 1737 – William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, Irish-English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1805)
    • 1740 – Elias Boudinot, American lawyer and politician, 10th President of the Continental Congress (d. 1821)
    • 1750 – John André, English soldier and spy (d. 1780)
    • 1752 – Ludwig August Lebrun, German oboe player and composer (d. 1790)
    • 1754 – Vicente Martín y Soler, Spanish composer (d. 1806)
    • 1772 – Novalis, German author and poet (d. 1801)
    • 1773 – Henrik Steffens, Norwegian philosopher and poet (d. 1845)
    • 1797 – Abraham Pineo Gesner, Canadian physician and geologist (d. 1864)
    • 1802 – Heinrich Gustav Magnus, German chemist and physicist (d. 1870)
    • 1806 – Catherine Labouré, French nun and saint (d. 1876)
    • 1810 – Hans Christian Lumbye, Danish composer and conductor (d. 1874)
    • 1813 – Caroline Leigh Gascoigne, English novelist and poet (d. 1883)
    • 1815 – William Buell Richards, Canadian lawyer and judge, 1st Chief Justice of Canada (d. 1889)
    • 1822 – Jane Miller Thengberg, Scottish-Swedish governess and educator (d. 1902)
    • 1828 – Désiré Charnay, French archaeologist and photographer (d. 1915)
    • 1830 – Otto Staudinger, German entomologist and author (d. 1900)
    • 1843 – Elijah McCoy, Canadian-American engineer (d. 1929)
    • 1859 – Jerome K. Jerome, English author and playwright (d. 1927)
    • 1860 – John Scott Haldane, Scottish physiologist, physician, and academic (d. 1936)
    • 1860 – Theodor Herzl, Austro-Hungarian Zionist philosopher, journalist and author (d. 1904)
    • 1865 – Clyde Fitch, American playwright (d. 1909)
    • 1867 – Giuseppe Morello, Italian-American mobster (d. 1930)
    • 1873 – Jurgis Baltrušaitis, Lithuanian poet, critic, and translator (d. 1944)
    • 1879 – James F. Byrnes, American stenographer and politician, 49th United States Secretary of State (d. 1972)
    • 1880 – Bill Horr, American football player, discus thrower, and coach (d. 1955)
    • 1882 – Isabel González, Puerto Rican activist who helped pave the way for Puerto Ricans’ American citizenship (d. 1971)
    • 1885 – Hedda Hopper, American actress and gossip columnist (d. 1966)
    • 1886 – Gottfried Benn, German author and poet (d. 1956)
    • 1887 – Vernon Castle, English-American dancer (d. 1918)
    • 1887 – Eddie Collins, American baseball player and manager (d. 1951)
    • 1889 – Ki Hajar Dewantara, Indonesian philosopher, academic, and politician (d. 1959)
    • 1890 – E. E. Smith, American engineer and author (d. 1965)
    • 1892 – Manfred von Richthofen, German captain and pilot (d. 1918)
    • 1894 – Norma Talmadge, leading US actress of the silent era (d. 1957)
    • 1894 – Joseph Henry Woodger, English biologist, philosopher, and academic (d. 1981)
    • 1895 – Lorenz Hart, American playwright and lyricist (d. 1943)
    • 1897 – John Frederick Coots, American songwriter (d. 1985)
    • 1898 – Henry Hall, English bandleader, composer, and actor (d. 1989)
    • 1901 – Bob Wyatt, English cricketer (d. 1995)
    • 1901 – Edouard Zeckendorf, Belgian doctor, army officer and mathematician (d. 1983)
    • 1901 – Willi Bredel, German writer (d. 1964)
    • 1902 – Brian Aherne, English actor (d. 1986)
    • 1902 – Werner Finck, German Kabarett comedian, actor and author (d. 1978)
    • 1903 – Benjamin Spock, American rower, pediatrician, and author (d. 1998)
    • 1904 – Bill Brandt, German-English photographer and journalist (d. 1983)
    • 1905 – Alan Rawsthorne, British composer (d. 1971)
    • 1905 – Charlotte Armstrong, American author (d. 1969)
    • 1906 – Philippe Halsman, Latvian-American photographer (d. 1979)
    • 1907 – Pinky Lee, American comedian and television host (d. 1993)
    • 1908 – Frank Rowlett, American cryptologist (d. 1998)
    • 1909 – Teddy Stauffer, Swiss bandleader, musician, and actor (d. 1991)
    • 1910 – Alexander Bonnyman, Jr., American lieutenant, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1943)
    • 1910 – Edmund Bacon, American urban planner, architect, educator, and author (d. 2005)
    • 1912 – Axel Springer, German journalist and publisher, founded Axel Springer AG (d. 1985)
    • 1912 – Karl Adam, German rowing coaches (d. 1976)
    • 1912 – Marten Toonder, Dutch comic strip creator (d. 2005)
    • 1912 – Nigel Patrick, English actor and director (d. 1981)
    • 1913 – Pietro Frua, Italian coachbuilder and car designer (d. 1983)
    • 1913 – Aydın Sayılı, Turkish historian and academic (d. 1993)
    • 1915 – Doris Fisher, American singer-songwriter (d. 2003)
    • 1915 – Peggy Mount, English actress (d. 2001)
    • 1917 – Albert Castelyns, Belgian water polo player and bobsledder
    • 1917 – Văn Tiến Dũng, Vietnamese general and politician, 6th Minister of Defence for Vietnam (d. 2002)
    • 1920 – Jean-Marie Auberson, Swiss violinist and conductor (d. 2004)
    • 1920 – Otto Buchsbaum, Austrian-Brazilian journalist and activist (d. 2000)
    • 1920 – Vasantrao Deshpande, Indian singer and sitar player (d. 1983)
    • 1920 – Guinn Smith, American pole vaulter, soldier, and pilot (d. 2004)
    • 1920 – Jacob Gilboa, Israeli composer (d. 2007)
    • 1921 – B. B. Lal, Indian archaeologist
    • 1921 – Satyajit Ray, Indian director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1992)
    • 1922 – Roscoe Lee Browne, American actor and director (d. 2007)
    • 1922 – A. M. Rosenthal, Canadian-born American journalist and author (d. 2006)
    • 1922 – Serge Reggiani, Italian-born French singer and actor (d. 2004)
    • 1923 – Patrick Hillery, Irish physician and politician, 6th President of Ireland (d. 2008)
    • 1923 – Albert Nordengen, Norwegian banker and politician (d. 2004)
    • 1924 – Jamal Abro, Pakistani lawyer and author (d. 2004)
    • 1924 – Theodore Bikel, Austrian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (d. 2015)
    • 1924 – Arthur Clues, Australian rugby league player (d. 1998)
    • 1924 – Hugh Cortazzi, English soldier, historian, and diplomat, British Ambassador to Japan (d. 2018)
    • 1925 – John Neville, English-Canadian actor (d. 2011)
    • 1926 – Gérard D. Levesque, Canadian lawyer and politician, 5th Deputy Premier of Quebec (d. 1993)
    • 1927 – Ray Barrett, Australian actor and singer (d. 2009)
    • 1927 – Amos Kenan, Israeli columnist, painter, sculptor, playwright and novelist (d. 2009)
    • 1927 – Michael Broadbent, British wine critic and writer (d. 2020)
    • 1928 – Hans Trass, Estonian ecologist and botanist (d. 2017)
    • 1928 – Georges-Arthur Goldschmidt, French writer and translator of German origin
    • 1928 – Horst Stein, German conductor (d. 2008)
    • 1929 – Édouard Balladur, Turkish-French economist and politician, 162nd Prime Minister of France
    • 1929 – James Dillion, American discus thrower (d. 2010)
    • 1929 – Link Wray, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2005)
    • 1929 – Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan (d. 1972)
    • 1930 – Yoram Kaniuk, Israeli painter and critic (d. 2013)
    • 1930 – Marco Pannella, Italian journalist and politician (d. 2016)
    • 1931 – Phil Bruns, American actor and stuntman (d. 2012)
    • 1931 – Martha Grimes, American author and poet
    • 1932 – Maury Allen, American journalist, actor, and author (d. 2010)
    • 1933 – Bunk Gardner, American musician
    • 1933 – Harry Woolf, Baron Woolf, English lawyer and judge, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
    • 1934 – Manfred Durniok, German film producer, director and screenwriter (d. 2003)
    • 1935 – Luis Suárez Miramontes, Spanish footballer and manager
    • 1935 – Faisal II of Iraq, the last King of Iraq (d.1958)
    • 1936 – Norma Aleandro, Argentinian actress, director, and screenwriter
    • 1936 – Engelbert Humperdinck, English singer and pianist
    • 1936 – Michael Rabin, American violinist (d. 1972)
    • 1937 – Klaus Enders, German motorcycle sidecar racer (d. 2019)
    • 1937 – Lorenzo Music, American actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2001)
    • 1937 – Gisela Elsner, German writer (d. 1992)
    • 1938 – Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho (d. 1996)
    • 1939 – Sumio Iijima, Japanese physicist and engineer
    • 1939 – Ernesto Castano, Italian football player
    • 1940 – Jules Albert Wijdenbosch, Surinamese politician
    • 1941 – Tony Adamowicz, American race car driver (d. 2016)
    • 1941 – Bruce Cameron, Scottish bishop
    • 1941 – Clay Carroll, American baseball player
    • 1941 – Eddy Louiss, French jazz musician (d. 2015)
    • 1942 – Jacques Rogge, Belgian businessman
    • 1942 – Wojciech Pszoniak, Polish film and theater actor
    • 1944 – Robert G. W. Anderson, English chemist, historian, and curator
    • 1945 – Randy Cain, American soul singer (d. 2009)
    • 1945 – Judge Dread, English singer-songwriter (d. 1998)
    • 1945 – Bianca Jagger, Nicaraguan-American model, actress, and activist
    • 1945 – Goldy McJohn, Canadian keyboard player (d. 2017)
    • 1946 – Peter L. Benson, American psychologist and academic (d. 2011)
    • 1946 – Lesley Gore, American singer-songwriter (d. 2015)
    • 1946 – David Suchet, English actor
    • 1947 – James Dyson, English businessman, founded the Dyson Company
    • 1947 – Lynda Myles, English screenwriter and producer
    • 1947 – Philippe Herreweghe, Belgian conductor
    • 1948 – Larry Gatlin, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1949 – Alan Titchmarsh, English gardener and author
    • 1949 – Alfons Schuhbeck, German celebrity chef, author and businessman
    • 1950 – Simon Gaskell, English chemist and academic
    • 1950 – Duncan Gay, Australian businessman and politician
    • 1950 – Lou Gramm, American singer-songwriter
    • 1950 – Richard Ground, English lawyer and judge (d. 2014)
    • 1950 – Fausto Silva, Brazilian television presenter
    • 1951 – John Glascock, English singer and bass player (d. 1979)
    • 1952 – Chris Anderson, Australian rugby league player and coach
    • 1952 – Christine Baranski, American actress and singer
    • 1952 – Isla St Clair, Scottish singer and actress
    • 1953 – Valery Gergiev, Russian conductor and director
    • 1953 – Jamaal Wilkes, American basketball player
    • 1954 – Elliot Goldenthal, American composer and conductor
    • 1954 – Dawn Primarolo, English politician
    • 1954 – Stephen Venables, English mountaineer and author
    • 1955 – Willie Miller, Scottish footballer
    • 1955 – Donatella Versace, Italian fashion designer
    • 1956 – Régis Labeaume, Canadian businessman and politician, 41st Mayor of Quebec City
    • 1958 – Yasushi Akimoto, Japanese songwriter and producer
    • 1958 – Stanislav Levý, Czech footballer and manager
    • 1958 – David O’Leary, English-Irish footballer and manager
    • 1959 – Alan Best, Canadian animator, director, and producer
    • 1959 – Tony Wakeford, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1960 – Stephen Daldry, English director and producer
    • 1961 – Steve James, English snooker player
    • 1961 – Sophie Thibault, Canadian journalist
    • 1961 – Phil Vickery, English chef and author
    • 1962 – Elizabeth Berridge, American actress
    • 1962 – Michael Grandage, English director and producer
    • 1962 – Jimmy White, English snooker player
    • 1965 – Félix José, Dominican-American baseball player
    • 1966 – Uwe Freiler, German footballer
    • 1966 – Margus Kolga, Estonian diplomat
    • 1966 – Belinda Stronach, Canadian businesswoman, philanthropist, and politician
    • 1967 – Bengt Åkerblom, Swedish ice hockey player (d. 1995)
    • 1967 – Mika Brzezinski, American journalist and author
    • 1967 – David Rocastle, English footballer (d. 2001)
    • 1968 – Jeff Agoos, Swiss-American soccer player, manager, and sportscaster
    • 1968 – Julia Hartley-Brewer, English broadcaster and columnist
    • 1968 – Ziana Zain, Malaysian singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1969 – Brian Lara, Trinidadian cricketer
    • 1970 – Marco Walker, Swiss footballer and coach
    • 1971 – Musashimaru Kōyō, Samoan-American sumo wrestler, the 67th Yokozuna
    • 1971 – Fatima Yusuf, Nigerian sprinter
    • 1972 – Paul Adcock, English footballer
    • 1972 – Ahti Heinla, Estonian programmer and businessman, co-developed Skype
    • 1972 – Dwayne Johnson, American-Canadian wrestler, actor, and producer
    • 1973 – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, German director and screenwriter
    • 1974 – Horacio Carbonari, Argentinian footballer and manager
    • 1974 – Andy Johnson, English-Welsh footballer
    • 1974 – Janek Meet, Estonian footballer
    • 1975 – David Beckham, English footballer, coach, and model
    • 1975 – Joe Wilkinson, English comedian, actor and writer
    • 1976 – Jeff Gutt, American singer-songwriter
    • 1977 – Brian Cardinal, American basketball player
    • 1977 – Jan Fitschen, German runner
    • 1977 – Luke Hudson, American baseball player
    • 1977 – Fredrik Malm, Swedish journalist and politician
    • 1977 – Jenna von Oÿ, American actress and singer
    • 1977 – Kalle Palander, Finnish skier
    • 1978 – Melvin Ely, American basketball player
    • 1978 – Mike Weaver, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1979 – Jason Chimera, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1979 – Ioannis Kanotidis, Greek footballer
    • 1979 – Defne Joy Foster, Turkish-American actress, presenter and VJ (d. 2011)
    • 1980 – Tim Borowski, German footballer
    • 1980 – Pierre-Luc Gagnon, Canadian skateboarder
    • 1980 – Ellie Kemper, American actress, comedian and writer
    • 1980 – Zat Knight, English footballer
    • 1980 – Artūras Masiulis, Lithuanian basketball player
    • 1980 – Troy Murphy, American basketball player
    • 1980 – Lassaâd Ouertani, Tunisian footballer (d. 2013)
    • 1980 – Brad Richards, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1980 – Vincent Tong, Canadian actor, singer, voice actor and director
    • 1981 – Robert Buckley, American actor
    • 1981 – Chris Kirkland, English footballer
    • 1981 – Tiago Mendes, Portuguese footballer
    • 1981 – Matt Murray, English footballer
    • 1981 – Rina Satō, Japanese voice actress and singer
    • 1982 – Timothy Benjamin, Welsh sprinter
    • 1982 – Johan Botha, South African cricketer
    • 1983 – Alessandro Diamanti, Italian footballer
    • 1983 – Maynor Figueroa, Honduran footballer
    • 1983 – Tina Maze, Slovenian skier
    • 1983 – Daniel Sordo, Spanish race car driver
    • 1983 – Ove Vanebo, Norwegian politician
    • 1984 – Saulius Mikoliūnas, Lithuanian footballer
    • 1984 – Thabo Sefolosha, Swiss basketball player
    • 1985 – Lily Allen, English singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1985 – Kyle Busch, American race car driver
    • 1985 – Ashley Harkleroad, American tennis player
    • 1985 – Sarah Hughes, American figure skater
    • 1987 – Saara Aalto, Finnish singer and actress
    • 1987 – Nana Kitade, Japanese singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1987 – Pat McAfee, American football player
    • 1987 – Kris Russell, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1987 – Justin Young, English singer and songwriter
    • 1988 – Neftalí Feliz, Dominican baseball player
    • 1988 – Stephen Henderson, Irish footballer
    • 1989 – Jeanette Pohlen, American basketball player
    • 1990 – Kay Panabaker, American actress
    • 1990 – Paul George, American basketball player
    • 1991 – Jeong Jinwoon, South Korean actor and singer
    • 1992 – Sunmi, South Korean singer
    • 1992 – María Teresa Torró Flor, Spanish tennis player
    • 1993 – Owain Doull, Welsh track cyclist
    • 1993 – Isyana Sarasvati, Indonesian singer
    • 1993 – Huang Zitao, Chinese singer and rapper
    • 1996 – Cherprang Areekul, Thai singer
    • 1996 – Julian Brandt, German footballer
    • 1996 – Schuyler Bailar, American swimmer
    • 2015 – Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, British royal, and fourth in line to the British throne

    Deaths on May 2

    • 373 – Athanasius of Alexandria, Egyptian bishop and saint (b. 298)
    • 649 – Marutha of Tikrit, Persian theologian of the Syriac Orthodox Church (b. 565)
    • 821 – Liu Zong, general of the Tang Dynasty
    • 907 – Boris I of Bulgaria
    • 1219 – Leo I, King of Armenia (b. 1150)
    • 1230 – William de Braose, English son of Reginald de Braose (b. 1197)
    • 1293 – Meir of Rothenburg, German rabbi (b. c.1215)
    • 1300 – Blanche of Artois (b. 1248)
    • 1450 – William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, English admiral (b. 1396)
    • 1519 – Leonardo da Vinci, Italian painter, sculptor, and architect (b. 1452)
    • 1564 – Rodolfo Pio da Carpi, Italian cardinal (b. 1500)
    • 1627 – Lodovico Grossi da Viadana, Italian composer and educator (b. 1560)
    • 1667 – George Wither, English poet and author (b. 1588)
    • 1683 – Stjepan Gradić, Croatian philosopher and mathematician (b. 1613)
    • 1711 – Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester, English politician, First Lord of the Treasury (b. 1641)
    • 1799 – Juan Vicente de Güemes, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo (b. 1740)
    • 1802 – Herman Willem Daendels, Dutch general and politician, Governor-General of the Dutch Gold Coast (b. 1762)
    • 1810 – Henry Jerome de Salis, English priest (b. 1740)
    • 1819 – Mary Moser, English painter and academic (b. 1744)
    • 1857 – Alfred de Musset, French dramatist, poet, and novelist (b. 1810)
    • 1864 – Giacomo Meyerbeer, German composer and educator (b. 1791)
    • 1880 – Eberhard Anheuser, German-American businessman, co-founded Anheuser-Busch (b. 1805)
    • 1880 – Tom Wills, Australian cricketer, co-created Australian rules football (b. 1835)
    • 1885 – Terézia Zakoucs, Hungarian-Slovene author (b. 1817)
    • 1915 – Clara Immerwahr, German chemist (b. 1870)
    • 1918 – Jüri Vilms, Estonian lawyer and politician (b. 1889)
    • 1925 – Antun Branko Šimić, Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian poet (b. 1898)
    • 1927 – Ernest Starling, English physiologist and academic (b. 1866)
    • 1929 – Charalambos Tseroulis, Greek general and politician, Greek Minister for Military Affairs (b. 1879)
    • 1941 – Penelope Delta, Greek author (b. 1874)
    • 1945 – Martin Bormann, German politician (b. 1900)
    • 1945 – Joe Corbett, American baseball player and journalist (b. 1875)
    • 1947 – Dorothea Binz, German SS officer (b. 1920)
    • 1953 – Wallace Bryant, American archer (b. 1863)
    • 1957 – Joseph McCarthy, American captain, lawyer, judge, and politician (b. 1908)
    • 1963 – Ronald Barnes, 3rd Baron Gorell, English cricketer, peer, politician, poet, author and newspaper editor (b. 1884)
    • 1964 – Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor, American-English politician (b. 1879)
    • 1969 – Franz von Papen, German general and politician, Chancellor of Germany (b. 1879)
    • 1972 – J. Edgar Hoover, American 1st director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (b. 1895)
    • 1974 – James O. Richardson, American admiral (b. 1878)
    • 1977 – Nicholas Magallanes, American principal dancer and charter member of the New York City Ballet (b. 1922)
    • 1979 – Giulio Natta, Italian chemist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1903)
    • 1980 – Clarrie Grimmett, New Zealand-Australian cricketer (b. 1891)
    • 1980 – George Pal, Hungarian-American animator and producer (b. 1908)
    • 1983 – Norm Van Brocklin, American football player and coach (b. 1926)
    • 1984 – Jack Barry, American game show host and producer, co-founded Barry & Enright Productions (b. 1918)
    • 1984 – Bob Clampett, American animator, director, and producer (b. 1913)
    • 1985 – Attilio Bettega, Italian race car driver (b. 1951)
    • 1985 – Larry Clinton, American trumpet player and bandleader (b. 1909)
    • 1986 – Sergio Cresto, American race car driver (b. 1956)
    • 1986 – Henri Toivonen, Finnish race car driver (b. 1956)
    • 1989 – Veniamin Kaverin, Russian author (b. 1902)
    • 1989 – Giuseppe Siri, Italian cardinal (b. 1906)
    • 1990 – David Rappaport, English-American actor (b. 1951)
    • 1991 – Gauri Shankar Rai, Indian Politician(b.1924)
    • 1991 – Ronald McKie, Australian journalist and author (b. 1909)
    • 1992 – Wilbur Mills, American lawyer and politician (b. 1909)
    • 1993 – André Moynet, French race car driver, pilot, and politician (b. 1921)
    • 1994 – Dorothy Marie Donnelly, American poet and author (b. 1903)
    • 1995 – John Bunting, Australian public servant and diplomat, (b. 1918)
    • 1995 – Michael Hordern, English actor (b. 1911)
    • 1997 – John Eccles, Australian neurophysiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1903)
    • 1997 – Paulo Freire, Brazilian philosopher and academic (b. 1921)
    • 1998 – hide, Japanese singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (b. 1964)
    • 1998 – Justin Fashanu, English footballer (b. 1961)
    • 1998 – Gene Raymond, American actor (b. 1908)
    • 1998 – Lord Voldemort, English wizard and terrorist (b. 1926)
    • 1999 – Douglas Harkness, Canadian colonel and politician (b. 1903)
    • 1999 – Oliver Reed, English actor (b. 1938)
    • 2000 – Sundar Popo, Indo-Trinidadian musician (b. 1943)
    • 2002 – W. T. Tutte, English-Canadian mathematician and academic (b. 1917)
    • 2005 – Wee Kim Wee, Singaporean journalist and politician, 4th President of Singapore (b. 1915)
    • 2006 – Louis Rukeyser, American journalist and author (b. 1933)
    • 2007 – Brad McGann, New Zealand director and screenwriter (b. 1964)
    • 2008 – Beverlee McKinsey, American actress (b. 1940)
    • 2008 – Izold Pustõlnik, Ukrainian-Estonian astronomer and academic (b. 1938)
    • 2009 – Marilyn French, American author and academic (b. 1929)
    • 2009 – Kiyoshiro Imawano, Japanese singer-songwriter, producer, and actor (b. 1951)
    • 2009 – Jack Kemp, American football player and politician, 9th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (b. 1935)
    • 2010 – Lynn Redgrave, English-American actress and singer (b. 1943)
    • 2011 – Osama bin Laden, Saudi Arabian terrorist, founder of Al-Qaeda (b. 1957)
    • 2012 – Fernando Lopes, Portuguese director and screenwriter (b. 1935)
    • 2012 – Zenaida Manfugás, Cuban-born American-naturalized pianist (b. 1932)
    • 2012 – Tufan Miñnullin, Russian playwright and politician (b. 1936)
    • 2012 – Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, Indonesian physician and politician, Indonesian Minister of Health (b. 1955)
    • 2012 – Akira Tonomura, Japanese physicist, author, and academic (b. 1942)
    • 2013 – Ernie Field, English boxer (b. 1943)
    • 2013 – Jeff Hanneman, American guitarist and songwriter (b. 1964)
    • 2013 – Joseph P. McFadden, American bishop (b. 1947)
    • 2013 – Dvora Omer, Israeli author and educator (b. 1932)
    • 2013 – Ivan Turina, Croatian footballer (b. 1980)
    • 2013 – Charles Banks Wilson, American painter and illustrator (b. 1918)
    • 2014 – Tomás Balduino, Brazilian bishop (b. 1922)
    • 2014 – Žarko Petan, Slovenian director, playwright, and screenwriter (b. 1929)
    • 2014 – Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., American actor (b. 1918)
    • 2015 – Stuart Archer, English colonel and architect (b. 1915)
    • 2015 – Michael Blake, American author and screenwriter (b. 1945)
    • 2015 – Guy Carawan, American singer and musicologist (b. 1927)
    • 2015 – Maya Plisetskaya, Russian-Lithuanian ballerina, choreographer, actress, and director (b. 1925)
    • 2015 – Ruth Rendell, English author (b. 1930)
    • 2016 – Afeni Shakur, American music businesswoman, activist, and Black Panther (b. 1947)
    • 2020 – Arif Wazir, Pakistani politician, leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (b. 1982)

    Holidays and observances on May 2

    • Christian feast day:
      • Athanasius of Alexandria (Western Christianity)
      • Boris I of Bulgaria (Bulgarian Orthodox Church)
      • Germanus of Normandy
      • May 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • International Harry Potter Day
    • The last day of the Festival of Ridván (Bahá’í Faith) (Note that this date is non-Gregorian and may change according to the March equinox, see List of observances set by the Baháʼí calendar)
    • Anniversary of the Dos de Mayo Uprising (Community of Madrid, Spain)
    • Birth Anniversary of Third Druk Gyalpo (Bhutan)
    • Flag Day (Poland)
    • Indonesia National Education Day
    • Teachers’ Day (Iran) (Note that this date is non-Gregorian and may change according to the March Equinox, see List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar)

  • April 30 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 311 – The Diocletianic Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire ends.
    • 313 – Battle of Tzirallum: Emperor Licinius defeats Maximinus II and unifies the Eastern Roman Empire.
    • 642 – Chindasuinth is proclaimed king by the Visigothic nobility and bishops.
    • 1315 – Enguerrand de Marigny is hanged at the instigation of Charles, Count of Valois.
    • 1492 – Spain gives Christopher Columbus his commission of exploration.
    • 1513 – Edmund de la Pole, Yorkist pretender to the English throne, is executed on the orders of Henry VIII.
    • 1557 – Mapuche leader Lautaro is killed by Spanish forces at the Battle of Mataquito in Chile.
    • 1598 – Juan de Oñate begins the conquest of Santa Fe de Nuevo México.
    • 1598 – Henry IV of France issues the Edict of Nantes, allowing freedom of religion to the Huguenots.
    • 1636 – Eighty Years’ War: Dutch Republic forces recapture a strategically important fort from Spain after a nine-month siege.
    • 1671 – Petar Zrinski, the Croatian Ban from the Zrinski family, is executed.
    • 1789 – On the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York City, George Washington takes the oath of office to become the first elected President of the United States.
    • 1803 – Louisiana Purchase: The United States purchases the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million, more than doubling the size of the young nation.
    • 1812 – The Territory of Orleans becomes the 18th U.S. state under the name Louisiana.
    • 1838 – Nicaragua declares independence from the Central American Federation.
    • 1863 – A 65-man French Foreign Legion infantry patrol fights a force of nearly 2,000 Mexican soldiers to nearly the last man in Hacienda Camarón, Mexico.
    • 1871 – The Camp Grant massacre takes place in Arizona Territory.
    • 1885 – Governor of New York David B. Hill signs legislation creating the Niagara Reservation, New York’s first state park, ensuring that Niagara Falls will not be devoted solely to industrial and commercial use.
    • 1897 – J. J. Thomson of the Cavendish Laboratory announces his discovery of the electron as a subatomic particle, over 1,800 times smaller than a proton (in the atomic nucleus), at a lecture at the Royal Institution in London.
    • 1900 – Hawaii becomes a territory of the United States, with Sanford B. Dole as governor.
    • 1904 – The Louisiana Purchase Exposition World’s Fair opens in St. Louis, Missouri.
    • 1905 – Albert Einstein completes his doctoral thesis at the University of Zurich.
    • 1925 – Automaker Dodge Brothers, Inc is sold to Dillon, Read & Co. for US$146 million plus $50 million for charity.
    • 1927 – The Federal Industrial Institute for Women opens in Alderson, West Virginia, as the first women’s federal prison in the United States.
    • 1927 – Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford become the first celebrities to leave their footprints in concrete at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
    • 1937 – The Commonwealth of the Philippines holds a plebiscite for Filipino women on whether they should be extended the right to suffrage; over 90% would vote in the affirmative.
    • 1938 – The animated cartoon short Porky’s Hare Hunt debuts in movie theaters, introducing Happy Rabbit, an early version of Bugs Bunny.
    • 1939 – The 1939–40 New York World’s Fair opens.
    • 1939 – NBC inaugurates its regularly scheduled television service in New York City, broadcasting President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s N.Y. World’s Fair opening day ceremonial address.
    • 1943 – World War II: The British submarine HMS Seraph surfaces near Huelva to cast adrift a dead man dressed as a courier and carrying false invasion plans.
    • 1945 – World War II: Führerbunker: Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun commit suicide after being married for less than 40 hours. Soviet soldiers raise the Victory Banner over the Reichstag building.
    • 1945 – World War II: Stalag Luft I prisoner-of-war camp near Barth, Germany is liberated by Soviet soldiers, freeing nearly 9000 American and British airmen.
    • 1947 – In Nevada, Boulder Dam is renamed Hoover Dam.
    • 1948 – In Bogotá, Colombia, the Organization of American States is established.
    • 1956 – Former Vice President and Democratic Senator Alben Barkley dies during a speech in Virginia.
    • 1957 – Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery entered into force.
    • 1961 – K-19, the first Soviet nuclear submarine equipped with nuclear missiles, is commissioned.
    • 1963 – The Bristol Bus Boycott is held in Bristol to protest the Bristol Omnibus Company’s refusal to employ Black or Asian bus crews, drawing national attention to racial discrimination in the United Kingdom.
    • 1966 – The Church of Satan is formed in The Black House, San Francisco.
    • 1973 – Watergate scandal: U.S. President Richard Nixon announces that White House Counsel John Dean has been fired and that other top aides, most notably H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, have resigned.
    • 1975 – Fall of Saigon: Communist forces gain control of Saigon. The Vietnam War formally ends with the unconditional surrender of South Vietnamese president Dương Văn Minh.
    • 1980 – Beatrix is inaugurated as Queen of the Netherlands following the abdication of Juliana.
    • 1980 – The Iranian Embassy siege begins in London.
    • 1982 – The Bijon Setu massacre occurs in Calcutta, India.
    • 1993 – CERN announces World Wide Web protocols will be free.
    • 1994 – Formula One racing driver Roland Ratzenberger is killed in a crash during the qualifying session of the San Marino Grand Prix run at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari outside Imola, Italy.
    • 2000 – Canonization of Faustina Kowalska in the presence of 200,000 people and the first Divine Mercy Sunday celebrated worldwide.
    • 2004 – U.S. media release graphic photos of American soldiers abusing and sexually humiliating Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison.
    • 2008 – Two skeletal remains found near Yekaterinburg, Russia are confirmed by Russian scientists to be the remains of Alexei and Anastasia, two of the children of the last Tsar of Russia, whose entire family was executed at Yekaterinburg by the Bolsheviks.
    • 2009 – Chrysler files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
    • 2009 – Seven civilians and the perpetrator are killed and another ten injured at a Queen’s Day parade in Apeldoorn, Netherlands in an attempted assassination on Queen Beatrix.
    • 2012 – An overloaded ferry capsizes on the Brahmaputra River in India killing at least 103 people.
    • 2013 – Willem-Alexander is inaugurated as King of the Netherlands following the abdication of Beatrix.
    • 2014 – A bomb blast in Ürümqi, China kills three people and injures 79 others.

    Births on April 30

    • 1245 – Philip III of France (d. 1285)
    • 1310 – King Casimir III of Poland (d. 1368)
    • 1331 – Gaston III, Count of Foix (d. 1391)
    • 1383 – Anne of Gloucester, English countess, granddaughter of King Edward III of England (d. 1438)
    • 1425 – William III, Landgrave of Thuringia (d. 1482)
    • 1504 – Francesco Primaticcio, Italian painter (d. 1570)
    • 1553 – Louise of Lorraine (d. 1601)
    • 1623 – François de Laval, French-Canadian bishop and saint (d. 1708)
    • 1651 – Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, French priest and saint (d. 1719)
    • 1662 – Mary II of England (d. 1694)
    • 1664 – François Louis, Prince of Conti (d. 1709)
    • 1710 – Johann Kaspar Basselet von La Rosée, Bavarian general (d. 1795)
    • 1723 – Mathurin Jacques Brisson, French zoologist and philosopher (d. 1806)
    • 1758 – Emmanuel Vitale, Maltese commander and politician (d. 1802)
    • 1770 – David Thompson, English-Canadian cartographer and explorer (d. 1857)
    • 1777 – Carl Friedrich Gauss, German mathematician and physicist (d. 1855)
    • 1803 – Albrecht von Roon, Prussian soldier and politician, 10th Minister President of Prussia (d. 1879)
    • 1829 – Ferdinand von Hochstetter, Austrian geologist and academic (d. 1884)
    • 1857 – Eugen Bleuler, Swiss psychiatrist and eugenicist (d. 1940)
    • 1857 – Walter Simon, German banker and philanthropist (d. 1920)
    • 1865 – Max Nettlau, German historian and academic (d. 1944)
    • 1866 – Mary Haviland Stilwell Kuesel, American pioneer dentist (d. 1936)
    • 1869 – Hans Poelzig, German architect, designed the IG Farben Building and Großes Schauspielhaus (d. 1936)
    • 1870 – Franz Lehár, Hungarian composer (d. 1948)
    • 1870 – Dadasaheb Phalke, Indian director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1944)
    • 1874 – Cyriel Verschaeve, Flemish priest and author (d. 1949)
    • 1876 – Orso Mario Corbino, Italian physicist and politician (d. 1937)
    • 1877 – Léon Flameng, French cyclist (d. 1917)
    • 1877 – Alice B. Toklas, American memoirist (d. 1967)
    • 1878 – Władysław Witwicki, Polish psychologist, philosopher, translator, historian (of philosophy and art) and artist (d. 1948)
    • 1880 – Charles Exeter Devereux Crombie, Scottish cartoonist (d. 1967)
    • 1883 – Jaroslav Hašek, Czech soldier and author (d. 1923)
    • 1883 – Luigi Russolo, Italian painter and composer (d. 1947)
    • 1884 – Olof Sandborg, Swedish actor (d. 1965)
    • 1888 – John Crowe Ransom, American poet, critic, and academic (d. 1974)
    • 1893 – Harold Breen, Australian public servant (d. 1966)
    • 1893 – Joachim von Ribbentrop, German soldier and politician, 14th German Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs (d. 1946)
    • 1895 – Philippe Panneton, Canadian physician, academic, and diplomat (d. 1960)
    • 1896 – Reverend Gary Davis, American singer and guitarist (d. 1972)
    • 1896 – Hans List, Austrian scientist and businessman, founded the AVL Engineering Company (d. 1996)
    • 1897 – Humberto Mauro, Brazilian director and screenwriter (d. 1983)
    • 1900 – Erni Krusten, Estonian author and poet (d. 1984)
    • 1901 – Simon Kuznets, Belarusian-American economist, statistician, and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1985)
    • 1902 – Theodore Schultz, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1998)
    • 1905 – Sergey Nikolsky, Russian mathematician and academic (d. 2012)
    • 1908 – Eve Arden, American actress (d. 1990)
    • 1908 – Bjarni Benediktsson, Icelandic professor of law and politician, 13th Prime Minister of Iceland (d. 1970)
    • 1908 – Frank Robert Miller, Canadian air marshal and politician (d. 1997)
    • 1909 – F. E. McWilliam, Irish sculptor and educator (d. 1992)
    • 1909 – Juliana of the Netherlands (d. 2004)
    • 1910 – Levi Celerio, Filipino pianist, violinist, and composer (d. 2002)
    • 1914 – Charles Beetham, American middle-distance runner (d. 1997)
    • 1914 – Dorival Caymmi, Brazilian singer-songwriter, actor, and painter (d. 2008)
    • 1916 – Paul Kuusberg, Estonian journalist and author (d. 2003)
    • 1916 – Claude Shannon, American mathematician and engineer (d. 2001)
    • 1916 – Robert Shaw, American conductor (d. 1999)
    • 1917 – Bea Wain, American singer (d. 2017)
    • 1920 – Duncan Hamilton, Irish-English race car driver and pilot (d. 1994)
    • 1920 – Tom Moore, British army officer and fundraiser
    • 1921 – Roger L. Easton, American scientist, co-invented the GPS (d. 2014)
    • 1922 – Anton Murray, South African cricketer (d. 1995)
    • 1923 – Percy Heath, American bassist (d. 2005)
    • 1923 – Kagamisato Kiyoji, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 42nd Yokozuna (d. 2004)
    • 1924 – Uno Laht, Estonian KGB officer and author (d. 2008)
    • 1925 – Corinne Calvet, French actress (d. 2001)
    • 1925 – Johnny Horton, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1960)
    • 1926 – Shrinivas Khale, Indian composer (d. 2011)
    • 1926 – Cloris Leachman, American actress and comedian
    • 1928 – Hugh Hood, Canadian author and academic (d. 2000)
    • 1928 – Orlando Sirola, Italian tennis player (d. 1995)
    • 1930 – Félix Guattari, French psychotherapist and philosopher (d. 1992)
    • 1933 – Charles Sanderson, Baron Sanderson of Bowden, English politician
    • 1934 – Jerry Lordan, English singer-songwriter (d. 1995)
    • 1934 – Don McKenney, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1937 – Tony Harrison, English poet and playwright
    • 1938 – Gary Collins, American actor and talk show host (d. 2012)
    • 1938 – Juraj Jakubisko, Slovak director and screenwriter
    • 1938 – Larry Niven, American author and screenwriter
    • 1940 – Jeroen Brouwers, Dutch journalist and writer
    • 1940 – Michael Cleary, Australian rugby player and politician
    • 1941 – Stavros Dimas, Greek lawyer and politician, Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs
    • 1941 – Max Merritt, New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter
    • 1942 – Sallehuddin of Kedah, Sultan of Kedah
    • 1943 – Frederick Chiluba, Zambian politician, 2nd President of Zambia (d. 2011)
    • 1943 – Bobby Vee, American pop singer-songwriter (d. 2016)
    • 1944 – Jon Bing, Norwegian author, scholar, and academic (d. 2014)
    • 1944 – Jill Clayburgh, American actress (d. 2010)
    • 1945 – J. Michael Brady, British radiologist
    • 1945 – Annie Dillard, American novelist, essayist, and poet
    • 1945 – Mimi Fariña, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist (d. 2001)
    • 1945 – Michael J. Smith, American captain, pilot, and astronaut (d. 1986)
    • 1946 – King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
    • 1946 – Bill Plympton, American animator, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1946 – Don Schollander, American swimmer
    • 1947 – Paul Fiddes, English theologian and academic
    • 1947 – Finn Kalvik, Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1947 – Tom Køhlert, Danish footballer and manager
    • 1947 – Mats Odell, Swedish economist and politician, Swedish Minister for Financial Markets
    • 1948 – Wayne Kramer, American guitarist and singer-songwriter
    • 1948 – Pierre Pagé, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1948 – Margit Papp, Hungarian athlete
    • 1949 – Phil Garner, American baseball player and manager
    • 1949 – António Guterres, Portuguese academic and politician, 114th Prime Minister of Portugal and 9th Secretary-General of the United Nations
    • 1949 – Karl Meiler, German tennis player (d. 2014)
    • 1952 – Jacques Audiard, French director and screenwriter
    • 1952 – Jack Middelburg, Dutch motorcycle racer (d. 1984)
    • 1953 – Merrill Osmond, American singer and bass player
    • 1954 – Jane Campion, New Zealand director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1954 – Kim Darroch, English diplomat, UK Permanent Representative to the European Union
    • 1954 – Frank-Michael Marczewski, German footballer
    • 1955 – Nicolas Hulot, French journalist and environmentalist
    • 1955 – David Kitchin, English lawyer and judge
    • 1955 – Zlatko Topčić, Bosnian writer and screenwriter
    • 1956 – Lars von Trier, Danish director and screenwriter
    • 1957 – Wonder Mike, American rapper and songwriter
    • 1958 – Charles Berling, French actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1959 – Stephen Harper, Canadian economist and politician, 22nd Prime Minister of Canada
    • 1960 – Geoffrey Cox, English lawyer and politician
    • 1960 – Kerry Healey, American academic and politician, 70th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
    • 1961 – Arnór Guðjohnsen, Icelandic footballer
    • 1961 – Isiah Thomas, American basketball player, coach, and sportscaster
    • 1963 – Andrew Carwood, English tenor and conductor
    • 1963 – Michael Waltrip, American race car driver and sportscaster
    • 1964 – Tony Fernandes, Malaysian-Indian businessman, co-founded Tune Group
    • 1964 – Ian Healy, Australian cricketer, coach, and sportscaster
    • 1964 – Lorenzo Staelens, Belgian footballer and manager
    • 1964 – Abhishek Chatterjee, Indian actor
    • 1965 – Daniela Costian, Romanian-Australian discus thrower
    • 1965 – Adrian Pasdar, American actor
    • 1966 – Jeff Brown, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1966 – Dave Meggett, American football player and coach
    • 1967 – Phil Chang, Taiwanese singer-songwriter and actor
    • 1969 – Warren Defever, American bass player and producer
    • 1969 – Justine Greening, English accountant and politician, Secretary of State for International Development
    • 1969 – Paulo Jr., Brazilian bass player
    • 1972 – Takako Tokiwa, Japanese actress
    • 1973 – Leigh Francis, English comedian and actor
    • 1974 – Christian Tamminga, Dutch athlete
    • 1975 – Johnny Galecki, American actor
    • 1976 – Davian Clarke, Jamaican sprinter
    • 1976 – Amanda Palmer, American singer-songwriter and pianist
    • 1976 – Daniel Wagon, Australian rugby league player
    • 1977 – Jeannie Haddaway, American politician
    • 1977 – Meredith L. Patterson, American technologist, journalist, and author
    • 1978 – Liljay, Taiwanese singer
    • 1979 – Gerardo Torrado, Mexican footballer
    • 1980 – Luis Scola, Argentinian basketball player
    • 1980 – Jeroen Verhoeven, Dutch footballer
    • 1981 – Nicole Kaczmarski, American basketball player
    • 1981 – John O’Shea, Irish footballer
    • 1981 – Kunal Nayyar, British-Indian actor
    • 1981 – Justin Vernon, American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer
    • 1982 – Kirsten Dunst, American actress
    • 1982 – Drew Seeley, Canadian-American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actor
    • 1983 – Chris Carr, American football player
    • 1983 – Tatjana Hüfner, German luger
    • 1983 – Marina Tomić, Slovenian hurdler
    • 1983 – Troy Williamson, American football player
    • 1984 – Seimone Augustus, American basketball player
    • 1984 – Shawn Daivari, American wrestler and manager
    • 1984 – Risto Mätas, Estonian javelin thrower
    • 1984 – Lee Roache, English footballer
    • 1985 – Brandon Bass, American basketball player
    • 1985 – Gal Gadot, Israeli actress and model
    • 1985 – Ashley Alexandra Dupré, American journalist, singer, and prostitute
    • 1986 – Dianna Agron, American actress and singer
    • 1986 – Martten Kaldvee, Estonian biathlete
    • 1987 – Alipate Carlile, Australian footballer
    • 1987 – Chris Morris, South African cricketer
    • 1987 – Rohit Sharma, Indian cricketer
    • 1988 – Andy Allen, Australian chef
    • 1988 – Sander Baart, Dutch field hockey player
    • 1988 – Liu Xijun, Chinese singer
    • 1988 – Oh Hye-ri, South Korean taekwondo athlete
    • 1989 – Jang Wooyoung, South Korean singer and actor
    • 1990 – Jonny Brownlee, English triathlete
    • 1990 – Mac DeMarco, Canadian singer-songwriter
    • 1990 – Kaarel Kiidron, Estonian footballer
    • 1991 – Chris Kreider, American ice hockey player
    • 1992 – Travis Scott, American rapper and producer
    • 1992 – Marc-André ter Stegen, German footballer
    • 1993 – Dion Dreesens, Dutch swimmer
    • 1993 – Martin Fuksa, Czech canoeist
    • 1994 – Chae Seo-jin, South Korean actress
    • 1994 – Wang Yafan, Chinese tennis player
    • 1996 – Luke Friend, English singer
    • 1997 – Adam Ryczkowski, Polish footballer
    • 1999 – Jorden van Foreest, Dutch chess grandmaster
    • 2000 – Yui Hiwatashi, Japanese singer
    • 2003 – Jung Yun-Seok, South Korean actor

    Deaths on April 30

    • AD 65 – Lucan, Roman poet (b. 39)
    • 125 – An, Chinese emperor (b. 94)
    • 535 – Amalasuntha, Ostrogothic queen and regent
    • 783 – Hildegard of the Vinzgau, Frankish queen
    • 1002 – Eckard I, German nobleman
    • 1030 – Mahmud of Ghazni, Ghaznavid emir (b. 971)
    • 1063 – Ren Zong, Chinese emperor (b. 1010)
    • 1131 – Adjutor, French knight and saint
    • 1305 – Roger de Flor, Italian military adventurer (b. 1267)
    • 1341 – John III, duke of Brittany (b. 1286)
    • 1439 – Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, English commander (b. 1382)
    • 1524 – Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard, French soldier (b. 1473)
    • 1544 – Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden, English lawyer and judge, Lord Chancellor of England (b. 1488)
    • 1550 – Tabinshwehti, Burmese king (b. 1516)
    • 1632 – Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly, Bavarian general (b. 1559)
    • 1632 – Sigismund III Vasa, Swedish-Polish son of John III of Sweden (b. 1566)
    • 1637 – Niwa Nagashige, Japanese daimyō (b. 1571)
    • 1655 – Eustache Le Sueur, French painter (b. 1617)
    • 1660 – Petrus Scriverius, Dutch historian and scholar (b. 1576)
    • 1672 – Marie of the Incarnation, French-Canadian nun and saint, founded the Ursulines of Quebec (b. 1599)
    • 1696 – Robert Plot, English chemist and academic (b. 1640)
    • 1712 – Philipp van Limborch, Dutch theologian and author (b. 1633)
    • 1736 – Johann Albert Fabricius, German scholar and author (b. 1668)
    • 1758 – François d’Agincourt, French organist and composer (b. 1684)
    • 1792 – John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, English politician, Secretary of State for the Northern Department (b. 1718)
    • 1795 – Jean-Jacques Barthélemy, French archaeologist and author (b. 1716)
    • 1806 – Onogawa Kisaburō, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 5th Yokozuna (b. 1758)
    • 1841 – Peter Andreas Heiberg, Danish philologist and author (b. 1758)
    • 1847 – Charles, Austrian commander and duke of Teschen (b. 1771)
    • 1863 – Jean Danjou, French captain (b. 1828)
    • 1865 – Robert FitzRoy, English admiral, meteorologist, and politician, 2nd Governor of New Zealand (b. 1805)
    • 1870 – Thomas Cooke, Canadian bishop and missionary (b. 1792)
    • 1875 – Jean-Frédéric Waldeck, French explorer, lithographer, and cartographer (b. 1766)
    • 1879 – Emma Smith, American religious leader (b. 1804)
    • 1883 – Édouard Manet, French painter (b. 1832)
    • 1891 – Joseph Leidy, American paleontologist and author (b. 1823)
    • 1900 – Casey Jones, American engineer (b. 1863)
    • 1903 – Emily Stowe, Canadian physician and activist (b. 1831)
    • 1910 – Jean Moréas, Greek poet and critic (b. 1856)
    • 1936 – A. E. Housman, English poet and scholar (b. 1859)
    • 1939 – Frank Haller, American boxer (b. 1883)
    • 1943 – Otto Jespersen, Danish linguist and academic (b. 1860)
    • 1943 – Beatrice Webb, English sociologist and economist (b. 1858)
    • 1953 – Jacob Linzbach, Estonian linguist and author (b. 1874)
    • 1956 – Alben W. Barkley, American lawyer and politician, 35th Vice President of the United States (b. 1877)
    • 1970 – Jacques Presser, Dutch historian, writer and poet (b. 1899)
    • 1970 – Inger Stevens, Swedish-American actress (b. 1934)
    • 1972 – Gia Scala, English-American model and actress (b. 1934)
    • 1973 – Václav Renč, Czech poet and playwright (b. 1911)
    • 1974 – Agnes Moorehead, American actress (b. 1900)
    • 1980 – Luis Muñoz Marín, Puerto Rican journalist and politician, 1st Governor of Puerto Rico (b. 1898)
    • 1982 – Lester Bangs, American journalist and author (b. 1949)
    • 1983 – George Balanchine, Russian dancer and choreographer (b. 1904)
    • 1983 – Muddy Waters, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and bandleader (b. 1913)
    • 1983 – Edouard Wyss-Dunant, Swiss physician and mountaineer (b. 1897)
    • 1986 – Robert Stevenson, English director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1905)
    • 1989 – Sergio Leone, Italian director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1929)
    • 1993 – Tommy Caton, English footballer (b. 1962)
    • 1994 – Roland Ratzenberger, Austrian race car driver (b. 1960)
    • 1994 – Richard Scarry, American author and illustrator (b. 1919)
    • 1995 – Maung Maung Kha, Burmese colonel and politician, 8th Prime Minister of Burma (b. 1920)
    • 1998 – Nizar Qabbani, Syrian-English poet, publisher, and diplomat (b. 1926)
    • 2000 – Poul Hartling, Danish politician, 36th Prime Minister of Denmark (b. 1914)
    • 2002 – Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, German philanthropist, founded the Gründerzeit Museum (b. 1928)
    • 2003 – Mark Berger, American economist and academic (b. 1955)
    • 2003 – Possum Bourne, New Zealand race car driver (b. 1956)
    • 2005 – Phil Rasmussen, American lieutenant and pilot (b. 1918)
    • 2006 – Jean-François Revel, French philosopher (b. 1924)
    • 2006 – Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Indonesian author and academic (b. 1925)
    • 2007 – Kevin Mitchell, American football player (b. 1971)
    • 2007 – Tom Poston, American actor, comedian, and game show panelist (b. 1921)
    • 2007 – Gordon Scott, American film and television actor (b. 1926)
    • 2008 – John Cargher, English-Australian journalist and author (b. 1919)
    • 2008 – Juancho Evertsz, Dutch Antillean politician (b. 1923)
    • 2009 – Henk Nijdam, Dutch cyclist (b. 1935)
    • 2011 – Dorjee Khandu, Indian politician, 6th Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh (b. 1955)
    • 2011 – Evald Okas, Estonian painter (b. 1915)
    • 2011 – Ernesto Sabato, Argentinian physicist, author, and painter (b. 1911)
    • 2012 – Tomás Borge, Nicaraguan poet and politician, co-founded the Sandinista National Liberation Front (b. 1930)
    • 2012 – Alexander Dale Oen, Norwegian swimmer (b. 1985)
    • 2012 – Giannis Gravanis, Greek footballer (b. 1958)
    • 2012 – Benzion Netanyahu, Russian-Israeli historian and academic (b. 1910)
    • 2012 – Sicelo Shiceka, South African politician (b. 1966)
    • 2013 – Roberto Chabet, Filipino painter and sculptor (b. 1937)
    • 2013 – Shirley Firth, Canadian skier (b. 1953)
    • 2013 – Viviane Forrester, French author and critic (b. 1925)
    • 2013 – Mike Gray, American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1935)
    • 2014 – Khaled Choudhury, Indian painter and set designer (b. 1919)
    • 2014 – Julian Lewis, English biologist and academic (b. 1946)
    • 2014 – Carl E. Moses, American businessman and politician (b. 1929)
    • 2014 – Ian Ross, Australian journalist (b. 1940)
    • 2015 – Lennart Bodström, Swedish politician (b. 1928)
    • 2015 – Ben E. King, American singer-songwriter and producer (b. 1938)
    • 2015 – Steven Goldmann, Canadian director and producer (b. 1961)
    • 2016 – Daniel Berrigan, American priest and activist (b. 1921)
    • 2016 – Harry Kroto, English chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1939)
    • 2019 – Peter Mayhew, English-American actor (b. 1944)
    • 2020 – Tony Allen, Nigerian drummer and composer (b. 1940)

    Holidays and observances on April 30

    • Armed Forces Day (Georgia)
    • Birthday of the King Carl XVI Gustaf, one of the official flag days of Sweden.
    • Camarón Day (French Foreign Legion)
    • Children’s Day (Mexico)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Adjutor
      • Aimo
      • Amator, Peter and Louis
      • Donatus of Evorea
      • Eutropius of Saintes
      • Marie Guyart (Anglican Church of Canada)
      • Marie of the Incarnation (Ursuline)
      • Maximus of Rome
      • Blessed Miles Gerard
      • Pomponius of Naples
      • Pope Pius V
      • Quirinus of Neuss
      • Sarah Josepha Hale (Episcopal Church)
      • Suitbert the Younger
      • April 30 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Consumer Protection Day (Thailand)
    • Earliest day on which Ascension Day can fall, while June 3 is the latest; celebrated 40 days after Easter (Christianity), and its related observances:
      • Festa della Sensa (Venice)
      • Global Day of Prayer (Western Christianity)
      • Sheep Festival (Cameroon)
    • Honesty Day (United States)
    • International Jazz Day (UNESCO)
    • Martyrs’ Day (Pakistan)
    • May Eve, the eve of the first day of summer in the Northern hemisphere (see May 1):
      • Beltane begins at sunset in the Northern hemisphere, Samhain begins at sunset in the Southern hemisphere. (Neo-Druidic Wheel of the Year)
      • Carodejnice (Czech Republic and Slovakia)
      • Walpurgis Night (Central and Northern Europe)
    • National Persian Gulf Day (Iran)
    • Reunification Day (Vietnam)
    • Russian State Fire Service Day (Russia)
    • Teachers’ Day (Paraguay)

  • April 10 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 428 – Nestorius becomes the Patriarch of Constantinople.
    • 837 – Halley’s Comet makes its closest approach to Earth at a distance equal to 0.0342 AU (5.1 million kilometres/3.2 million miles).
    • 1407 – Deshin Shekpa, 5th Karmapa Lama visits the Ming dynasty capital at Nanjing. He is awarded the title “Great Treasure Prince of Dharma”.
    • 1500 – Ludovico Sforza is captured by Swiss troops at Novara and is handed over to the French.
    • 1606 – The Virginia Company of London is established by royal charter by James I of England with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America.
    • 1710 – The Statute of Anne, the first law regulating copyright, comes into force in Great Britain.
    • 1741 – War of the Austrian Succession: Prussia gains control of Silesia at the Battle of Mollwitz.
    • 1809 – Napoleonic Wars: The War of the Fifth Coalition begins when forces of the Austrian Empire invade Bavaria.
    • 1815 – The Mount Tambora volcano begins a three-month-long eruption, lasting until July 15. The eruption ultimately kills 71,000 people and affects Earth’s climate for the next two years.
    • 1816 – The Federal government of the United States approves the creation of the Second Bank of the United States.
    • 1821 – Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople is hanged by the Ottoman government from the main gate of the Patriarchate and his body is thrown into the Bosphorus.
    • 1826 – The 10,500 inhabitants of the Greek town of Missolonghi begin leaving the town after a year’s siege by Turkish forces. Very few of them survive.
    • 1858 – After the original Big Ben, a 14.5 tonnes (32,000 lb) bell for the Palace of Westminster, had cracked during testing, it is recast into the current 13.76 tonnes (30,300 lb) bell by Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
    • 1864 – Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg is proclaimed emperor of Mexico during the French intervention in Mexico.
    • 1865 – American Civil War: A day after his surrender to Union forces, Confederate General Robert E. Lee addresses his troops for the last time.
    • 1866 – The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is founded in New York City by Henry Bergh.
    • 1868 – At Arogee in Abyssinia, British and Indian forces defeat an army of Emperor Tewodros II. While 700 Ethiopians are killed and many more injured, only two British/Indian troops die.
    • 1872 – The first Arbor Day is celebrated in Nebraska.
    • 1875 – India: Arya Samaj is founded in Mumbai by Swami Dayananda Saraswati to propagate his goal of social reform.
    • 1887 – On Easter Sunday, Pope Leo XIII authorizes the establishment of the Catholic University of America.
    • 1912 – RMS Titanic sets sail from Southampton, England on her maiden and only voyage.
    • 1916 – The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) is created in New York City.
    • 1919 – Mexican Revolution leader Emiliano Zapata is ambushed and shot dead by government forces in Morelos.
    • 1925 – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is first published in New York City, by Charles Scribner’s Sons.
    • 1938 – The 1938 German parliamentary election and referendum seeks approval for a single list of Nazi candidates and the recent annexation of Austria.
    • 1939 – Alcoholics Anonymous, A.A.’s “Big Book”, is first published.
    • 1941 – World War II: The Axis powers establish the Independent State of Croatia.
    • 1944 – Rudolf Vrba and Alfréd Wetzler escape from Birkenau death camp.
    • 1957 – The Suez Canal is reopened for all shipping after being closed for three months.
    • 1963 – One hundred twenty-nine American sailors die when the submarine USS Thresher sinks at sea.
    • 1968 – The TEV Wahine, a New Zealand ferry sinks in Wellington harbour due to a fierce storm – the strongest winds ever in Wellington. Out of the 734 people on board, fifty-three died.
    • 1970 – Paul McCartney announces that he is leaving The Beatles for personal and professional reasons.
    • 1971 – Ping-pong diplomacy: In an attempt to thaw relations with the United States, China hosts the U.S. table tennis team for a week-long visit.
    • 1972 – Tombs containing bamboo slips, among them Sun Tzu’s Art of War and Sun Bin’s lost military treatise, are accidentally discovered by construction workers in Shandong.
    • 1972 – Vietnam War: For the first time since November 1967, American B-52 bombers reportedly begin bombing North Vietnam.
    • 1973 – Invicta International Airlines Flight 435 crashes in a snowstorm on approach to Basel, Switzerland, killing 108 people.
    • 1979 – Red River Valley tornado outbreak: A tornado lands in Wichita Falls, Texas killing 42 people.
    • 1988 – The Ojhri Camp explosion kills or injures more than 1,000 people in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan.
    • 1991 – Italian ferry MS Moby Prince collides with an oil tanker in dense fog off Livorno, Italy, killing 140.
    • 1991 – A rare tropical storm develops in the South Atlantic Ocean near Angola; the first to be documented by satellites.
    • 1998 – The Good Friday Agreement is signed in Northern Ireland.
    • 2009 – President of Fiji Ratu Josefa Iloilo announces the abrogation of the constitution and assumes all governance in the country, creating a constitutional crisis.
    • 2010 – Polish Air Force Tu-154M crashes near Smolensk, Russia, killing 96 people, including Polish President Lech Kaczyński, his wife, and dozens of other senior officials and dignitaries.
    • 2016 – The Paravur temple accident in which a devastating fire caused by the explosion of firecrackers stored for Vishu, kills more than one hundred people out of the thousands gathered for seventh day of Bhadrakali worship.
    • 2016 – An earthquake of 6.6 magnitude strikes 39 km west-southwest of Ashkasham, shakes up India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Srinagar and Pakistan.
    • 2019 – Scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope project announce the first ever image of a black hole, located in the centre of the M87 galaxy.

    Births on April 10

    • 401 – Theodosius II, Roman emperor (d. 450)
    • 1018 – Nizam al-Mulk, Persian scholar and vizier (d. 1092)
    • 1472 – Margaret of York, English princess (d. 1472)
    • 1480 – Philibert II, duke of Savoy (d. 1504)
    • 1487 – William I, count of Nassau-Dillenburg (d. 1559)
    • 1512 – James V, king of Scotland (d. 1542)
    • 1579 – Augustus II, duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (d. 1666)
    • 1583 – Hugo Grotius, Dutch philosopher and jurist (d. 1645)
    • 1603 – Christian, Prince-Elect of Denmark (d. 1647)
    • 1651 – Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, German mathematician, physicist, and physician (d. 1708)
    • 1656 – René Lepage de Sainte-Claire, French-Canadian settler, founded Rimouski (d. 1718)
    • 1704 – Benjamin Heath, English scholar and author (d. 1766)
    • 1707 – Michel Corrette, French organist, composer, and author (d. 1795)
    • 1713 – John Whitehurst, English geologist and clockmaker (d. 1788)
    • 1755 – Samuel Hahnemann, German-French physician and academic (d. 1843)
    • 1762 – Giovanni Aldini, Italian physicist and academic (d. 1834)
    • 1769 – Jean Lannes, French marshal (d. 1809)
    • 1778 – William Hazlitt, English essayist and critic (d. 1830)
    • 1794 – Matthew C. Perry, English-Scottish American commander (d. 1858)
    • 1806 – Juliette Drouet, French actress (d. 1883)
    • 1806 – Leonidas Polk, Scottish-American general and bishop (d. 1884)
    • 1827 – Lew Wallace, American general, lawyer, and politician, 11th Governor of New Mexico Territory (d. 1905)
    • 1829 – William Booth, English minister, founded The Salvation Army (d. 1912)
    • 1847 – Joseph Pulitzer, Hungarian-American journalist, publisher, and politician, founded Pulitzer, Inc. (d. 1911)
    • 1864 – Eugen d’Albert, Scottish-German pianist and composer (d. 1932)
    • 1865 – Jack Miner, American-Canadian farmer, hunter, and environmentalist (d. 1944)
    • 1867 – George William Russell, Irish author, poet, and painter (d. 1935)
    • 1868 – George Arliss, English actor and playwright (d. 1946)
    • 1868 – Asriel Günzig, Moravian rabbi (d. 1931)
    • 1873 – Kyösti Kallio, Finnish farmer, banker, and politician, 4th President of Finland (d. 1940)
    • 1875 – George Clawley, English footballer (d. 1920)
    • 1877 – Alfred Kubin, Austrian author and illustrator (d. 1959)
    • 1879 – Bernhard Gregory, Estonian-German chess player (d. 1939)
    • 1879 – Coenraad Hiebendaal, Dutch rower and physician (d. 1921)
    • 1880 – Frances Perkins, American sociologist, academic, and politician, 4th United States Secretary of Labor (d. 1965)
    • 1880 – Montague Summers, English clergyman and author (d. 1948)
    • 1886 – Johnny Hayes, American runner and trainer (d. 1965)
    • 1887 – Bernardo Houssay, Argentinian physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1971)
    • 1889 – Louis Rougier, French philosopher from the Vienna Circle (d. 1982)
    • 1891 – Frank Barson, English footballer and coach (d. 1968)
    • 1893 – Otto Steinböck, Austrian zoologist (d. 1969)
    • 1894 – Ben Nicholson, British painter (d. 1982)
    • 1897 – Prafulla Chandra Sen, Indian accountant and politician, 3rd Chief Minister of West Bengal (d. 1990)
    • 1900 – Arnold Orville Beckman, American chemist, inventor, and philanthropist (d. 2004)
    • 1901 – Dhananjay Ramchandra Gadgil, Indian economist (d. 1971)
    • 1903 – Clare Turlay Newberry, American author and illustrator (d. 1970)
    • 1906 – Steve Anderson, American hurdler (d. 1988)
    • 1910 – Margaret Clapp, American scholar and academic (d. 1974)
    • 1910 – Helenio Herrera, Argentinian footballer and manager (d. 1997)
    • 1910 – Paul Sweezy, American economist and publisher, founded the Monthly Review (d. 2004)
    • 1911 – Martin Denny, American pianist and composer (d. 2005)
    • 1911 – Maurice Schumann, French journalist and politician, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs for France (d. 1998)
    • 1912 – Boris Kidrič, Austrian-Slovenian politician, 1st Prime Minister of Slovenia (d. 1953)
    • 1913 – Stefan Heym, German-American soldier and author (d. 2001)
    • 1914 – Jack Badcock, Australian cricketer (d. 1982)
    • 1915 – Harry Morgan, American actor and director (d. 2011)
    • 1915 – Leo Vroman, Dutch-American hematologist, poet, and illustrator (d. 2014)
    • 1916 – Lee Jung-seob, Korean painter (d. 1956)
    • 1917 – Jagjit Singh Lyallpuri, Indian politician (d. 2013)
    • 1917 – Robert Burns Woodward, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1979)
    • 1919 – John Houbolt, American engineer and academic (d. 2014)
    • 1921 – Chuck Connors, American baseball player and actor (d. 1992)
    • 1921 – Jake Warren, Canadian soldier and diplomat, Canadian Ambassador to the United States (d. 2008)
    • 1921 – Sheb Wooley, American singer-songwriter and actor (d. 2003)
    • 1923 – Roger Gaillard, Haitian historian and author (d. 2000)
    • 1923 – Jane Kean, American actress and singer (d. 2013)
    • 1923 – Floyd Simmons, American decathlete and actor (d. 2008)
    • 1923 – Sid Tickridge, English footballer (d. 1997)
    • 1923 – John Watkins, South African cricketer
    • 1924 – Kenneth Noland, American soldier and painter (d. 2010)
    • 1925 – Linda Goodman, American astrologer and author (d. 1995)
    • 1925 – Angelo Poffo, American wrestler and promoter (d. 2010)
    • 1926 – Jacques Castérède, French pianist and composer (d. 2014)
    • 1926 – Junior Samples, American comedian (d. 1983)
    • 1927 – Norma Candal, Puerto Rican-American actress (d. 2006)
    • 1927 – Marshall Warren Nirenberg, American biochemist and geneticist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2010)
    • 1929 – Mike Hawthorn, English race car driver (d. 1959)
    • 1929 – Liz Sheridan, American actress
    • 1929 – Max von Sydow, Swedish-French actor (d. 2020)
    • 1930 – Claude Bolling, French pianist, composer, and actor
    • 1930 – Dolores Huerta, American activist, co-founded the United Farm Workers
    • 1931 – Kishori Amonkar, Indian classical vocalist (d. 2017)
    • 1932 – Delphine Seyrig, Swiss/Alsatian French actress (d. 1990)
    • 1932 – Omar Sharif, Egyptian actor and screenwriter (d. 2015)
    • 1933 – Rokusuke Ei, Japanese composer and author (d. 2016)
    • 1933 – Helen McElhone, Scottish politician (d. 2013)
    • 1934 – David Halberstam, American journalist and author (d. 2007)
    • 1935 – John A. Bennett, American soldier (d. 1961)
    • 1935 – Patrick Garland, English actor and director (d. 2013)
    • 1935 – Peter Hollingworth, Australian bishop, 23rd Governor General of Australia
    • 1936 – John Howell, English long jumper
    • 1936 – John Madden, American football player, coach, and sportscaster
    • 1936 – Bobby Smith, American singer (d. 2013)
    • 1937 – Bella Akhmadulina, Soviet and Russian poet, short story writer, and translator (d. 2010)
    • 1938 – Don Meredith, American football player and sportscaster (d. 2010)
    • 1939 – Claudio Magris, Italian scholar, author, and translator
    • 1940 – Gloria Hunniford, British radio and television host
    • 1941 – Harold Long, Canadian politician (d. 2013)
    • 1941 – Paul Theroux, American novelist, short story writer, and travel writer
    • 1942 – Nick Auf der Maur, Canadian journalist and politician (d. 1998)
    • 1942 – Ian Callaghan, English footballer
    • 1942 – Stuart Dybek, American novelist, short story writer, and poet
    • 1943 – Andrzej Badeński, Polish-German sprinter (d. 2008)
    • 1943 – Margaret Pemberton, English author
    • 1945 – Kevin Berry, Australian swimmer (d. 2006)
    • 1946 – David Angell, American screenwriter and producer (d. 2001)
    • 1946 – Bob Watson, American baseball player and manager
    • 1946 – Adolf Winkelmann, German director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1947 – David A. Adler, American author and educator
    • 1947 – Bunny Wailer, Jamaican singer-songwriter and drummer
    • 1948 – Mel Blount, American football player
    • 1949 – Daniel Mangeas, French banker and sportscaster
    • 1949 – Eric Troyer, American singer-songwriter, keyboardist and guitarist
    • 1950 – Ken Griffey, Sr., American baseball player and manager
    • 1950 – Eddie Hazel, American guitarist (d. 1992)
    • 1951 – David Helvarg, American journalist and activist
    • 1952 – Narayan Rane, Indian politician, 16th Chief Minister of Maharashtra
    • 1952 – Masashi Sada, Japanese singer, lyricist, composer, novelist, actor, and producer
    • 1952 – Steven Seagal, American actor, producer, and martial artist
    • 1953 – David Moorcroft, English runner and businessman
    • 1953 – Pamela Wallin, Swedish-Canadian journalist, academic, and politician
    • 1954 – Paul Bearer, American wrestler and manager (d. 2013)
    • 1954 – Anne Lamott, American author and educator
    • 1954 – Peter MacNicol, American actor
    • 1954 – Juan Williams, Panamanian-American journalist and author
    • 1955 – Lesley Garrett, English soprano and actress
    • 1956 – Carol V. Robinson, English chemist and academic
    • 1957 – Aliko Dangote, Nigerian businessman, founded Dangote Group
    • 1957 – John M. Ford, American author and poet (d. 2006)
    • 1957 – Steve Gustafson, Spanish-American bass player
    • 1957 – Rosemary Hill, English historian and author
    • 1958 – Bob Bell, Northern Irish engineer
    • 1958 – Yefim Bronfman, Uzbek-American pianist
    • 1958 – Brigitte Holzapfel, German high jumper
    • 1959 – Babyface, American singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1959 – Yvan Loubier, Canadian economist and politician
    • 1959 – Brian Setzer, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1960 – Steve Bisciotti, American businessman, co-founded Allegis Group
    • 1960 – Katrina Leskanich, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1960 – Terry Teagle, American basketball player
    • 1961 – Nicky Campbell, Scottish broadcaster and journalist
    • 1961 – Joe Cole, American roadie and author (d. 1991)
    • 1961 – Carole Goble, English computer scientist and academic
    • 1961 – Mark Jones, American basketball player
    • 1962 – Steve Tasker, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1963 – Warren DeMartini, American guitarist and songwriter
    • 1963 – Jeff Gray, American baseball player and coach
    • 1963 – Doris Leuthard, Swiss lawyer and politician, 162nd President of the Swiss Confederation
    • 1965 – Tim Alexander, American drummer and songwriter
    • 1966 – Steve Claridge, English footballer, manager, and sportscaster
    • 1967 – Donald Dufresne, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1967 – David Rovics, American singer-songwriter
    • 1968 – Metin Göktepe, Turkish photographer and journalist (d. 1996)
    • 1968 – Orlando Jones, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1969 – Steve Glasson, Australian lawn bowler
    • 1969 – Ekaterini Koffa, Greek sprinter
    • 1970 – Enrico Ciccone, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1970 – Leonard Doroftei, Romanian-Canadian boxer
    • 1970 – Kenny Lattimore, American singer-songwriter
    • 1970 – Q-Tip, American rapper, producer, and actor
    • 1971 – Brad William Henke, American football player and actor
    • 1971 – Indro Olumets, Estonian footballer and coach
    • 1971 – Al Reyes, Dominican-American baseball player
    • 1972 – Ian Harvey, Australian cricketer
    • 1972 – Priit Kasesalu, Estonian computer programmer, co-created Skype
    • 1972 – Gordon Buchanan, Scottish film maker
    • 1973 – Guillaume Canet, French actor and director
    • 1973 – Roberto Carlos, Brazilian footballer and manager
    • 1973 – Aidan Moffat, Scottish singer-songwriter
    • 1973 – Christopher Simmons, Canadian-American graphic designer, author, and academic
    • 1974 – Eric Greitens, American soldier, author and politician
    • 1974 – Petros Passalis, Greek footballer
    • 1975 – Chris Carrabba, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1975 – Terrence Lewis, Indian dancer and choreographer
    • 1975 – David Harbour, American actor
    • 1976 – Clare Buckfield, English actress
    • 1976 – Yoshino Kimura, Japanese actress and singer
    • 1976 – Sara Renner, Canadian skier
    • 1977 – Stephanie Sheh, Taiwanese-American voice actress, director, and producer
    • 1978 – Sir Christus, Finnish guitarist
    • 1979 – Iván Alonso, Uruguayan footballer
    • 1979 – Kenyon Coleman, American football player
    • 1979 – Rachel Corrie, American author and activist (d. 2003)
    • 1979 – Tsuyoshi Domoto, Japanese singer-songwriter and actor
    • 1979 – Sophie Ellis-Bextor, English singer-songwriter
    • 1979 – Peter Kopteff, Finnish footballer
    • 1980 – Sean Avery, Canadian ice hockey player and model
    • 1980 – Charlie Hunnam, English actor
    • 1980 – Shao Jiayi, Chinese footballer
    • 1980 – Kasey Kahne, American race car driver
    • 1980 – Bryce Soderberg, American singer-songwriter and bass player
    • 1981 – Laura Bell Bundy, American actress and singer
    • 1981 – Liz McClarnon, English singer and dancer
    • 1981 – Michael Pitt, American actor, model and musician
    • 1981 – Alexei Semenov, Russian ice hockey player
    • 1982 – Andre Ethier, American baseball player
    • 1982 – Chyler Leigh, American actress and singer
    • 1983 – Jamie Chung, American actress
    • 1983 – Andrew Dost, American guitarist and songwriter
    • 1983 – Ryan Merriman, American actor
    • 1983 – Hannes Sigurðsson, Icelandic footballer
    • 1984 – Faustina Agolley, Australian television host
    • 1984 – Jeremy Barrett, American figure skater
    • 1984 – Mandy Moore, American singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1984 – David Obua, Ugandan footballer
    • 1984 – Damien Perquis, French-Polish footballer
    • 1984 – Gonzalo Javier Rodríguez, Argentinian footballer
    • 1985 – Barkhad Abdi, Somali-American actor and director
    • 1985 – Willo Flood, Irish footballer
    • 1985 – Jesús Gámez, Spanish footballer
    • 1985 – Dion Phaneuf, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1986 – Olivia Borlée, Belgian sprinter
    • 1986 – Fernando Gago, Argentine footballer
    • 1986 – Corey Kluber, American baseball pitcher
    • 1986 – Vincent Kompany, Belgian footballer
    • 1986 – Tore Reginiussen, Norwegian footballer
    • 1987 – Shay Mitchell, Canadian actress and model
    • 1987 – Hayley Westenra, New Zealand soprano
    • 1988 – Chris Heston, American baseball pitcher
    • 1988 – Kareem Jackson, American football player
    • 1988 – Haley Joel Osment, American actor
    • 1990 – Ben Amos, English footballer
    • 1990 – Andile Jali, South African footballer
    • 1990 – Ricky Leutele, Australian-Samoan rugby league player
    • 1990 – Maren Morris, American singer
    • 1990 – Alex Pettyfer, English actor
    • 1991 – AJ Michalka, American actress and singer
    • 1992 – Jack Buchanan, Australian rugby league player
    • 1992 – Sadio Mané, Senegalese footballer
    • 1992 – Daisy Ridley, English actress
    • 1993 – Sofia Carson, American singer and actress
    • 1994 – Siobhan Hunter, Scottish footballer
    • 1995 – Ian Nelson, American actor
    • 1996 – Thanasi Kokkinakis, Australian tennis player
    • 1996 – Audrey Whitby, American actress
    • 1998 – Anna Pogorilaya, Russian figure skater
    • 2001 – Ky Baldwin, Australian singer and actor
    • 2001 – Noa Kirel, Israeli singer

    Deaths on April 10

    • 879 – Louis the Stammerer, king of West Francia (b. 846)
    • 943 – Landulf I, prince of Benevento and Capua
    • 948 – Hugh of Arles, king of Italy
    • 1008 – Notker of Liège, French bishop (b. 940)
    • 1216 – Eric X, king of Sweden (b. 1180)
    • 1282 – Ahmad Fanakati, chief minister under Kublai Khan
    • 1309 – Elisabeth von Rapperswil, Swiss countess (b. 1261)
    • 1362 – Maud, English noblewoman (b. 1339)
    • 1500 – Michael Tarchaniota Marullus, Greek scholar and poet
    • 1533 – Frederick I, king of Denmark and Norway (b. 1471)
    • 1545 – Costanzo Festa, Italian composer
    • 1585 – Gregory XIII, Pope of the Catholic Church (b. 1502)
    • 1598 – Jacopo Mazzoni, Italian philosopher (b. 1548)
    • 1599 – Gabrielle d’Estrées, French mistress of Henry IV of France (b. 1571)
    • 1601 – Mark Alexander Boyd, Scottish soldier and poet (b. 1562)
    • 1619 – Thomas Jones, English-Irish archbishop and politician, Lord Chancellor of Ireland (b. 1550)
    • 1640 – Agostino Agazzari, Italian composer and theorist (b. 1578)
    • 1644 – William Brewster, English official and pilgrim leader (b. 1566)
    • 1646 – Santino Solari, Swiss architect and sculptor (b. 1576)
    • 1667 – Jan Marek Marci, Czech physician and author (b. 1595)
    • 1704 – William Egon of Fürstenberg, German cardinal (b. 1629)
    • 1756 – Giacomo Antonio Perti, Italian composer (b. 1661)
    • 1760 – Jean Lebeuf, French historian and author (b. 1687)
    • 1786 – John Byron, English admiral and politician, 24th Commodore Governor of Newfoundland (b. 1723)
    • 1806 – Horatio Gates, English-American general (b. 1727)
    • 1813 – Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Italian mathematician and astronomer (b. 1736)
    • 1823 – Karl Leonhard Reinhold, Austrian philosopher and academic (b. 1757)
    • 1871 – Lucio Norberto Mansilla, Argentinian general and politician (b. 1789)
    • 1904 – Isabella II, Spanish queen (b. 1830)
    • 1909 – Algernon Charles Swinburne, English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic (b. 1837)
    • 1919 – Emiliano Zapata, Mexican general (b. 1879)
    • 1920 – Moritz Cantor, German mathematician and historian (b. 1829)
    • 1931 – Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese-American poet, painter, and philosopher (b. 1883)
    • 1935 – Rosa Campbell Praed, Australian novelist (b. 1851)
    • 1938 – King Oliver, American cornet player and bandleader (b. 1885)
    • 1942 – Carl Schenstrøm, Danish actor and director (b. 1881)
    • 1943 – Andreas Faehlmann, Estonian-German sailor and engineer (b. 1898)
    • 1945 – Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman, Dutch printer and typographer (b. 1882)
    • 1947 – Charles Nordhoff, English-American lieutenant and author (b. 1887)
    • 1950 – Fevzi Çakmak, Turkish field marshal and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of Turkey (b. 1876)
    • 1954 – Auguste Lumière, French director and producer (b. 1862)
    • 1954 – Oscar Mathisen, Norwegian speed skater (b. 1888)
    • 1955 – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, French priest, theologian, and philosopher (b. 1881)
    • 1958 – Chuck Willis, American singer-songwriter (b. 1928)
    • 1960 – André Berthomieu, French director and screenwriter (b. 1903)
    • 1962 – Michael Curtiz, Hungarian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1886)
    • 1962 – Stuart Sutcliffe, Scottish artist and musician (b. 1940)
    • 1965 – Lloyd Casner, American race car driver, founded Casner Motor Racing Division (b. 1928)
    • 1965 – Linda Darnell, American actress (b. 1923)
    • 1966 – Evelyn Waugh, English soldier, novelist, journalist and critic (b. 1903)
    • 1968 – Gustavs Celmiņš, Latvian lieutenant and politician (b. 1899)
    • 1969 – Harley Earl, American businessman (b. 1893)
    • 1975 – Walker Evans, American photographer (b. 1903)
    • 1975 – Marjorie Main, American actress (b. 1890)
    • 1978 – Hjalmar Mäe, Estonian politician (b. 1901)
    • 1979 – Nino Rota, Italian pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1911)
    • 1980 – Kay Medford, American actress and singer (b. 1919)
    • 1981 – Howard Thurman, American author, philosopher and civil rights activist (b. 1899)
    • 1983 – Issam Sartawi, Palestinian activist (b. 1935)
    • 1985 – Zisis Verros, Greek chieftain of the Macedonian Struggle (b. 1880)
    • 1986 – Linda Creed, American singer-songwriter (b. 1948)
    • 1991 – Kevin Peter Hall, American actor (b. 1955)
    • 1991 – Martin Hannett, English guitarist and producer (b. 1948)
    • 1991 – Natalie Schafer, American actress (b. 1900)
    • 1992 – Sam Kinison, American comedian and actor (b. 1953)
    • 1993 – Chris Hani, South African activist and politician (b. 1942)
    • 1994 – Sam B. Hall, Jr., American lawyer, judge, and politician (b. 1924)
    • 1995 – Morarji Desai, Indian politician, 4th Prime Minister of India (b. 1896)
    • 1997 – Michael Dorris, American author and academic (b. 1945)
    • 1998 – Seraphim of Athens, Greek archbishop (b. 1913)
    • 1999 – Heinz Fraenkel-Conrat, German-American biochemist and physician (b. 1910)
    • 1999 – Jean Vander Pyl, American actress and voice artist (b. 1919)
    • 2000 – Peter Jones, English actor and screenwriter (b. 1920)
    • 2000 – Larry Linville, American actor (b. 1939)
    • 2003 – Little Eva, American singer (b. 1943)
    • 2004 – Jacek Kaczmarski, Polish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and poet (b. 1957)
    • 2004 – Sakıp Sabancı, Turkish businessman and philanthropist, founded Sabancı Holding (b. 1933)
    • 2005 – Norbert Brainin, Austrian violinist (b. 1923)
    • 2005 – Scott Gottlieb, American drummer (b. 1970)
    • 2005 – Archbishop Iakovos of America (b. 1911)
    • 2005 – Al Lucas, American football player (b. 1978)
    • 2005 – Wally Tax, Dutch singer-songwriter (b. 1948)
    • 2007 – Charles Philippe Leblond, French-Canadian biologist and academic (b. 1910)
    • 2007 – Dakota Staton, American singer (b. 1930)
    • 2009 – Deborah Digges, American poet and educator (b. 1950)
    • 2010 – Casualties in the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash included:
      • Ryszard Kaczorowski, Polish soldier and politician, 6th President of the Republic of Poland (b. 1919)
      • Maria Kaczyńska, Polish economist, First Lady of Poland (b. 1942)
      • Lech Kaczyński, Polish lawyer and politician, 4th President of Poland (b. 1949)
      • Anna Walentynowicz, Ukrainian-Polish journalist and activist (b. 1929)
    • 2010 – Dixie Carter, American actress and singer (b. 1939)
    • 2012 – Raymond Aubrac, French engineer and activist (b. 1914)
    • 2012 – Barbara Buchholz, German theremin player and composer (b. 1959)
    • 2012 – Lili Chookasian, Armenian-American operatic singer (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – Luis Aponte Martínez, Puerto Rican cardinal (b. 1922)
    • 2012 – Akin Omoboriowo, Nigerian lawyer and politician (b. 1932)
    • 2013 – Lorenzo Antonetti, Italian cardinal (b. 1922)
    • 2013 – Raymond Boudon, French sociologist and academic (b. 1934)
    • 2013 – Binod Bihari Chowdhury, Bangladeshi activist (b. 1911)
    • 2013 – Robert Edwards, English physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1925)
    • 2013 – Olive Lewin, Jamaican anthropologist, musicologist, and author (b. 1927)
    • 2013 – Gordon Thomas, English cyclist (b. 1921)
    • 2013 – Angela Voigt, German long jumper (b. 1951)
    • 2014 – Dominique Baudis, French journalist and politician (b. 1947)
    • 2014 – Jim Flaherty, Canadian lawyer and politician, 37th Canadian Minister of Finance (b. 1949)
    • 2014 – Richard Hoggart, English author and academic (b. 1918)
    • 2014 – Sue Townsend, English author and playwright (b. 1946)
    • 2015 – Richie Benaud, Australian cricketer and sportscaster (b. 1930)
    • 2015 – Raúl Héctor Castro, Mexican-American politician and diplomat, 14th Governor of Arizona (b. 1916)
    • 2015 – Judith Malina, German-American actress and director, co-founded The Living Theatre (b. 1926)
    • 2015 – Rose Francine Rogombé, Gabonese lawyer and politician, President of Gabon (b. 1942)
    • 2015 – Peter Walsh, Australian farmer and politician, 6th Australian Minister for Finance (b. 1935)
    • 2016 – Howard Marks, Welsh cannabis smuggler, writer, and legalisation campaigner (b. 1945)

    Holidays and observances on April 10

    • Christian feast day:
      • Fulbert of Chartres
      • James, Azadanus and Abdicius
      • Mikael Agricola (Lutheran)
      • Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (Episcopal Church)
      • William of Ockham (Anglicanism)
      • William Law (Anglicanism)
      • April 10 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Day of the Builder (Azerbaijan)
    • Feast of the Third Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law (Thelema)
    • Siblings Day (International observance)
    • World Homeopathy Day

  • April 3 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 686 – Maya king Yuknoom Yich’aak K’ahk’ assumes the crown of Calakmul.
    • 801 – King Louis the Pious captures Barcelona from the Moors after a siege of several months.
    • 1043 – Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.
    • 1077 – The first Parliament of Friuli is created.
    • 1559 – The Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis treaty is signed, ending the Italian Wars.
    • 1860 – The first successful United States Pony Express run from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, begins.
    • 1865 – American Civil War: Union forces capture Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederate States of America.
    • 1882 – American Old West: Robert Ford kills Jesse James.
    • 1885 – Gottlieb Daimler is granted a German patent for his engine design.
    • 1888 – The first of eleven unsolved brutal murders of women committed in or near the impoverished Whitechapel district in the East End of London, occurs.
    • 1895 – The trial in the libel case brought by Oscar Wilde begins, eventually resulting in his imprisonment on charges of homosexuality.
    • 1922 – Joseph Stalin becomes the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
    • 1933 – First flight over Mount Everest, by the British Houston-Mount Everest Flight Expedition, led by the Marquis of Clydesdale, and funded by Lucy, Lady Houston.
    • 1936 – Bruno Richard Hauptmann is executed for the kidnapping and death of Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Jr., the baby son of pilot Charles Lindbergh.
    • 1942 – World War II: Japanese forces begin an assault on the United States and Filipino troops on the Bataan Peninsula.
    • 1946 – Japanese Lt. General Masaharu Homma is executed in the Philippines for leading the Bataan Death March.
    • 1948 – Cold War: U.S. President Harry S. Truman signs the Marshall Plan, authorizing $5 billion in aid for 16 countries.
    • 1948 – In Jeju Province, South Korea, a civil-war-like period of violence and human rights abuses begins, known as the Jeju uprising.
    • 1955 – The American Civil Liberties Union announces it will defend Allen Ginsberg’s book Howl against obscenity charges.
    • 1956 – Hudsonville–Standale tornado: The western half of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan is struck by a deadly F5 tornado.
    • 1968 – Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. He was assassinated the next day.
    • 1969 – Vietnam War: United States Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird announces that the United States will start to “Vietnamize” the war effort.
    • 1973 – Martin Cooper of Motorola makes the first handheld mobile phone call to Joel S. Engel of Bell Labs.
    • 1974 – The 1974 Super Outbreak occurs, the second biggest tornado outbreak in recorded history (after the 2011 Super Outbreak). The death toll is 315, with nearly 5,500 injured.
    • 1975 – Bobby Fischer refuses to play in a chess match against Anatoly Karpov, giving Karpov the title of World Champion by default.
    • 1980 – US Congress restores a federal trust relationship with the 501 members of the Shvwits, Kanosh, Koosharem, and the Indian Peaks and Cedar City bands of the Paiute people of Utah.
    • 1981 – The Osborne 1, the first successful portable computer, is unveiled at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco.
    • 1989 – The US Supreme Court upholds the jurisdictional rights of tribal courts under the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 in Mississippi Choctaw Band v. Holyfield.
    • 1996 – Suspected “Unabomber” Theodore Kaczynski is captured at his Montana cabin in the United States.
    • 1997 – The Thalit massacre begins in Algeria; all but one of the 53 inhabitants of Thalit are killed by guerrillas.
    • 2000 – United States v. Microsoft Corp.: Microsoft is ruled to have violated United States antitrust law by keeping “an oppressive thumb” on its competitors.
    • 2004 – Islamic terrorists involved in the 2004 Madrid train bombings are trapped by the police in their apartment and kill themselves.
    • 2007 – Conventional-Train World Speed Record: A French TGV train on the LGV Est high speed line sets an official new world speed record.
    • 2008 – ATA Airlines, once one of the ten largest U.S. passenger airlines and largest charter airline, files for bankruptcy for the second time in five years and ceases all operations.
    • 2008 – Texas law enforcement cordons off the FLDS’s YFZ Ranch. Eventually, 533 women and children will be taken into state custody.
    • 2009 – Jiverly Antares Wong opens fire at the American Civic Association immigration center in Binghamton, New York, killing thirteen and wounding four before committing suicide.
    • 2010 – Apple Inc. released the first generation iPad, a tablet computer.
    • 2013 – More than 50 people die in floods resulting from record-breaking rainfall in La Plata and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
    • 2016 – The Panama Papers, a leak of legal documents, reveals information on 214,488 offshore companies.
    • 2017 – A bomb explodes in the St Petersburg metro system, killing 14 and injuring several more people.
    • 2018 – YouTube headquarters shooting.

    Births on April 3

    • 1016 – Xing Zong, Chinese emperor (d. 1055)
    • 1151 – Igor Svyatoslavich, Russian prince (d. 1202)
    • 1438 – John III of Egmont, Dutch nobleman (d. 1516)
    • 1529 – Michael Neander, German mathematician and astronomer (d. 1581)
    • 1540 – Maria de’ Medici, Italian noblewoman, the eldest daughter of Cosimo I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Eleonora di Toledo. (d. 1557)
    • 1593 – George Herbert, English poet (d. 1633)
    • 1639 – Alessandro Stradella, Italian composer (d. 1682)
    • 1643 – Charles V, duke of Lorraine (d. 1690)
    • 1682 – Valentin Rathgeber, German organist and composer (d. 1750)
    • 1693 – George Edwards, English ornithologist and entomologist (d. 1773)
    • 1715 – William Watson, English physician, physicist, and botanist (d. 1787)
    • 1764 – John Abernethy, English surgeon and anatomist (d. 1831)
    • 1769 – Christian Günther von Bernstorff, Danish-Prussian politician and diplomat (d. 1835)
    • 1770 – Theodoros Kolokotronis, Greek general (d. 1843)
    • 1778 – Pierre Bretonneau, French doctor who performed the first successful tracheotomy (d. 1862)
    • 1781 – Swaminarayan, Indian religious leader (d. 1830)
    • 1782 – Alexander Macomb, American general (d. 1841)
    • 1783 – Washington Irving, American short story writer, essayist, biographer, historian (d. 1859)
    • 1791 – Anne Lister, English diarist, mountaineer, and traveller (d.1840)
    • 1798 – Charles Wilkes, American admiral, geographer, and explorer (d.1877)
    • 1807 – Mary Carpenter, English educational and social reformer (d. 1877)
    • 1814 – Lorenzo Snow, American religious leader, 5th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (d. 1901)
    • 1822 – Edward Everett Hale, American minister, historian, and author (d. 1909)
    • 1823 – George Derby, American lieutenant and journalist (d. 1861)
    • 1823 – William M. Tweed, American politician (d. 1878)
    • 1826 – Cyrus K. Holliday, American businessman (d. 1900)
    • 1837 – John Burroughs, American botanist and author (d. 1921)
    • 1842 – Ulric Dahlgren, American colonel (d. 1864)
    • 1848 – Arturo Prat, Chilean lawyer and captain (d. 1879)
    • 1858 – Jacob Gaudaur, Canadian rower (d. 1937)
    • 1860 – Frederik van Eeden, Dutch psychiatrist and author (d. 1932)
    • 1864 – Emil Kellenberger, Swiss target shooter (d. 1943)
    • 1875 – Mistinguett, French actress and singer (d. 1956)
    • 1876 – Margaret Anglin, Canadian actress, director, and producer (d. 1958)
    • 1876 – Tomáš Baťa, Czech businessman, founded Bata Shoes (d. 1932)
    • 1880 – Otto Weininger, Jewish-Austrian philosopher and author (d. 1903)
    • 1881 – Alcide De Gasperi, Italian journalist and politician, 30th Prime Minister of Italy (d. 1954)
    • 1882 – Philippe Desranleau, Canadian archbishop (d. 1952)
    • 1883 – Ikki Kita, Japanese philosopher and author (d. 1937)
    • 1885 – Allan Dwan, Canadian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1981)
    • 1885 – Bud Fisher, American cartoonist (d. 1954)
    • 1885 – Marie-Victorin Kirouac, Canadian botanist and academic (d. 1944)
    • 1885 – St John Philby, English colonial and explorer (d. 1960)
    • 1886 – Dooley Wilson, American actor and singer (d. 1953)
    • 1887 – Ōtori Tanigorō, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 24th Yokozuna (d. 1956)
    • 1887 – Nishizō Tsukahara, Japanese admiral (d. 1966)
    • 1888 – Neville Cardus, English author and critic (d. 1975)
    • 1888 – Thomas C. Kinkaid, American admiral (d. 1972)
    • 1889 – Grigoraș Dinicu, Romanian violinist and composer (d. 1949)
    • 1893 – Leslie Howard, English actor (d. 1943)
    • 1895 – Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Italian-American composer and educator (d. 1968)
    • 1895 – Zez Confrey, American pianist and composer (d. 1971)
    • 1897 – Joe Kirkwood Sr., Australian golfer (d. 1970)
    • 1897 – Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos, Greek general (d. 1989)
    • 1898 – David Jack, English footballer and manager (d. 1958)
    • 1898 – George Jessel, American actor, singer, and producer (d. 1981)
    • 1898 – Henry Luce, American publisher, co-founded Time Magazine (d. 1967)
    • 1900 – Camille Chamoun, Lebanese lawyer and politician, 7th President of Lebanon (d. 1987)
    • 1900 – Albert Walsh, Canadian lawyer and politician, 1st Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland (d. 1958)
    • 1903 – Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, Indian social reformer and freedom fighter (d. 1988)
    • 1904 – Iron Eyes Cody, American actor and stuntman (d. 1999)
    • 1904 – Sally Rand, American dancer (d. 1979)
    • 1904 – Russel Wright, American furniture designer (d. 1976)
    • 1905 – Robert Sink, American general (d. 1965)
    • 1909 – Stanislaw Ulam, Polish-American mathematician and academic (d. 1984)
    • 1910 – Ted Hook, Australian public servant (d. 1990)
    • 1911 – Nanette Bordeaux, Canadian-American actress (d. 1956)
    • 1911 – Michael Woodruff, English-Scottish surgeon and academic (d. 2001)
    • 1911 – Stanisława Walasiewicz, Polish-American runner (d. 1980)
    • 1912 – Dorothy Eden, New Zealand-English author (d. 1982)
    • 1912 – Grigoris Lambrakis, Greek physician and politician (d. 1963)
    • 1913 – Per Borten, Norwegian politician, 18th Prime Minister of Norway (d. 2005)
    • 1914 – Ray Getliffe, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2008)
    • 1914 – Sam Manekshaw, Indian field marshal (d. 2008)
    • 1915 – Piet de Jong, Dutch politician and naval officer, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 2016)
    • 1915 – İhsan Doğramacı, Turkish physician and academic (d. 2010)
    • 1916 – Herb Caen, American journalist and author (d. 1997)
    • 1916 – Cliff Gladwin, English cricketer (d. 1988)
    • 1916 – Louis Guglielmi, Catalan composer (d. 1991)
    • 1918 – Mary Anderson, American actress (d. 2014)
    • 1918 – Louis Applebaum, Canadian composer and conductor (d. 2000)
    • 1919 – Ervin Drake, American songwriter and composer (d. 2015)
    • 1919 – Clairette Oddera, French-Canadian actress and singer (d. 2008)
    • 1920 – Stan Freeman, American composer and conductor (d. 2001)
    • 1920 – Yoshibayama Junnosuke, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 43rd Yokozuna (d. 1977)
    • 1921 – Robert Karvelas, American actor (d. 1991)
    • 1921 – Jan Sterling, American actress (d. 2004)
    • 1922 – Yevhen Bulanchyk, Ukrainian hurdler (d. 1996)
    • 1922 – Doris Day, American singer and actress (d. 2019)
    • 1923 – Daniel Hoffman, American poet and academic (d. 2013)
    • 1924 – Marlon Brando, American actor and director (d. 2004)
    • 1924 – Roza Shanina, Russian sergeant and sniper (d. 1945)
    • 1925 – Tony Benn, English pilot and politician, Secretary of State for Industry (d. 2014)
    • 1926 – Alex Grammas, American baseball player, manager, and coach (d. 2019)
    • 1926 – Gus Grissom, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut (d. 1967)
    • 1927 – Wesley A. Brown, American general and engineer (d. 2012)
    • 1928 – Don Gibson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2003)
    • 1928 – Emmett Johns, Canadian priest, founded Dans la Rue (d. 2018)
    • 1928 – Earl Lloyd, American basketball player and coach (d. 2015)
    • 1928 – Jennifer Paterson, English chef and television personality (d. 1999)
    • 1929 – Fazlur Rahman Khan, Bangladeshi engineer and architect, co-designed the Willis Tower and John Hancock Center (d. 1982)
    • 1929 – Poul Schlüter, Danish lawyer and politician, 37th Prime Minister of Denmark
    • 1930 – Lawton Chiles, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 41st Governor of Florida (d. 1998)
    • 1930 – Helmut Kohl, German politician, Chancellor of Germany (d. 2017)
    • 1930 – Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Argentinian general and politician (d. 2015)
    • 1930 – Wally Moon, American baseball player and coach (d. 2018)
    • 1931 – William Bast, American screenwriter and author (d. 2015)
    • 1933 – Bob Dornan, American politician
    • 1933 – Rod Funseth, American golfer (d. 1985)
    • 1934 – Pamela Allen, New Zealand children’s writer and illustrator
    • 1934 – Jane Goodall, English primatologist and anthropologist
    • 1934 – Jim Parker, American football player (d. 2005)
    • 1936 – Jimmy McGriff, American organist and bandleader (d. 2008)
    • 1936 – Harold Vick, American saxophonist and flute player (d. 1987)
    • 1938 – Jeff Barry, American singer-songwriter, and producer
    • 1938 – Phil Rodgers, American golfer (d. 2018)
    • 1939 – François de Roubaix, French composer (d. 1975)
    • 1939 – Hawk Taylor, American baseball player and coach (d. 2012)
    • 1939 – Paul Craig Roberts, American economist and politician
    • 1941 – Jan Berry, American singer-songwriter (d. 2004)
    • 1941 – Philippé Wynne, American soul singer (d. 1984)
    • 1942 – Marsha Mason, American actress
    • 1942 – Wayne Newton, American singer
    • 1942 – Billy Joe Royal, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2015)
    • 1943 – Mario Lavista, Mexican composer
    • 1943 – Jonathan Lynn, English actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1943 – Richard Manuel, Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 1986)
    • 1943 – Hikaru Saeki, Japanese admiral, the first female star officer of the Japan Self-Defense Forces
    • 1944 – Peter Colman, Australian biologist and academic
    • 1944 – Tony Orlando, American singer
    • 1945 – Doon Arbus, American author and journalist
    • 1945 – Bernie Parent, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1945 – Catherine Spaak, French actress
    • 1946 – Nicholas Jones, English actor
    • 1946 – Dee Murray, English bass player (d. 1992)
    • 1946 – Hanna Suchocka, Polish lawyer and politician, 5th Prime Minister of Poland
    • 1947 – Anders Eliasson, Swedish composer (d. 2013)
    • 1948 – Arlette Cousture, Canadian author and screenwriter
    • 1948 – Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Dutch academic, politician, and diplomat, 11th Secretary General of NATO
    • 1948 – Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, German footballer
    • 1948 – Carlos Salinas de Gortari, Mexican economist and politician, 53rd President of Mexico
    • 1949 – Lyle Alzado, American football player and actor (d. 1992)
    • 1949 – A. C. Grayling, English philosopher and academic
    • 1949 – Richard Thompson, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1950 – Indrajit Coomaraswamy, Sri Lankan cricketer and economist
    • 1951 – Brendan Barber, English trade union leader
    • 1951 – Annette Dolphin, British academician and educator
    • 1951 – Mitch Woods, American singer-songwriter and pianist
    • 1952 – Mike Moore, American lawyer and politician
    • 1953 – Sandra Boynton, American author and illustrator
    • 1953 – Wakanohana Kanji II, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 56th Yokozuna
    • 1953 – James Smith, American boxer
    • 1953 – Craig Taubman, American singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1954 – Elisabetta Brusa, Italian composer
    • 1954 – K. Krishnasamy, Indian physician and politician
    • 1956 – Kalle Kulbok, Estonian politician
    • 1956 – Boris Miljković, Serbian director and producer
    • 1956 – Miguel Bosé, Spanish musician and actor
    • 1956 – Ray Combs, American game show host (d. 1996)
    • 1958 – Alec Baldwin, American actor, comedian, producer and television host
    • 1958 – Adam Gussow, American scholar, musician, and memoirist
    • 1958 – Francesca Woodman, Jewish-American photographer (d. 1981)
    • 1959 – David Hyde Pierce, American actor and activist
    • 1960 – Arjen Anthony Lucassen, Dutch singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
    • 1961 – Tim Crews, American baseball player (d. 1993)
    • 1961 – Eddie Murphy, American actor and comedian
    • 1962 – Dave Miley, American baseball player and manager
    • 1962 – Mike Ness, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1962 – Jaya Prada, Indian actress and politician
    • 1963 – Les Davidson, Australian rugby league player
    • 1963 – Ricky Nixon, Australian footballer and manager
    • 1963 – Criss Oliva, American guitarist and songwriter (d. 1993)
    • 1964 – Marco Ballotta, Italian footballer and manager
    • 1964 – Nigel Farage, English politician
    • 1964 – Claire Perry, English banker and politician
    • 1964 – Bjarne Riis, Danish cyclist and manager
    • 1964 – Andy Robinson, English rugby player and coach
    • 1964 – Jay Weatherill, Australian politician, 45th Premier of South Australia
    • 1965 – Nazia Hassan, Pakistani pop singer-songwriter, lawyer and social activist (d. 2000)
    • 1966 – John de Vries, Australian race car driver
    • 1967 – Cat Cora, American chef and author
    • 1967 – Pervis Ellison, American basketball player
    • 1967 – Brent Gilchrist, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1967 – Cristi Puiu, Romanian director and screenwriter
    • 1967 – Mark Skaife, Australian race car driver and sportscaster
    • 1968 – Sebastian Bach, Bahamian-Canadian singer-songwriter and actor
    • 1968 – Charlotte Coleman, English actress (d. 2001)
    • 1968 – Jamie Hewlett, English director and performer
    • 1968 – Tomoaki Kanemoto, Japanese baseball player
    • 1969 – Rodney Hampton, American football player
    • 1969 – Peter Matera, Australian footballer and coach
    • 1969 – Ben Mendelsohn, Australian actor
    • 1969 – Lance Storm, Canadian wrestler and trainer
    • 1971 – Vitālijs Astafjevs, Latvian footballer and manager
    • 1971 – Emmanuel Collard, French race car driver
    • 1971 – Picabo Street, American skier
    • 1972 – Jennie Garth, American actress and director
    • 1972 – Catherine McCormack, English actress
    • 1972 – Sandrine Testud, French tennis player
    • 1973 – Nilesh Kulkarni, Indian cricketer
    • 1973 – Adam Scott, American actor
    • 1974 – Marcus Brown, American basketball player
    • 1974 – Drew Shirley, American guitarist and songwriter
    • 1974 – Lee Williams, Welsh model and actor
    • 1975 – Shawn Bates, American ice hockey player
    • 1975 – Michael Olowokandi, Nigerian-American basketball player
    • 1975 – Aries Spears, American comedian and actor
    • 1975 – Yoshinobu Takahashi, Japanese baseball player
    • 1975 – Koji Uehara, Japanese baseball player
    • 1976 – Nicolas Escudé, French tennis player
    • 1978 – Matthew Goode, English actor
    • 1978 – Tommy Haas, German-American tennis player
    • 1978 – John Smit, South African rugby player
    • 1979 – Simon Black, Australian footballer and coach
    • 1980 – Andrei Lodis, Belarusian footballer
    • 1980 – Megan Rohrer, American pastor and transgender activist
    • 1981 – Aaron Bertram, American trumpet player
    • 1981 – DeShawn Stevenson, American basketball player
    • 1982 – Jared Allen, American football player
    • 1982 – Iain Fyfe, Australian footballer
    • 1982 – Cobie Smulders, Canadian actress
    • 1983 – Ben Foster, English footballer
    • 1983 – Stephen Weiss, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1984 – Jonathan Blondel, Belgian footballer
    • 1984 – Maxi López, Argentinian footballer
    • 1985 – Jari-Matti Latvala, Finnish race car driver
    • 1985 – Leona Lewis, English singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1986 – Amanda Bynes, American actress
    • 1986 – Stephanie Cox, American soccer player
    • 1986 – Annalisa Cucinotta, Italian cyclist
    • 1986 – Sergio Sánchez Ortega, Spanish footballer
    • 1987 – Rachel Bloom, American actress, writer, and producer
    • 1987 – Jay Bruce, American baseball player
    • 1987 – Yileen Gordon, Australian rugby league player
    • 1987 – Jason Kipnis, American baseball player
    • 1987 – Martyn Rooney, English sprinter
    • 1987 – Julie Sokolow, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1988 – Kam Chancellor, American football player
    • 1988 – Brandon Graham, American football player
    • 1988 – Peter Hartley, English footballer
    • 1988 – Tim Krul, Dutch footballer
    • 1989 – Romain Alessandrini, French footballer
    • 1989 – Israel Folau, Australian rugby player and footballer
    • 1989 – Joel Romelo, Australian rugby league player
    • 1989 – Thisara Perera, Sri Lankan cricketer
    • 1990 – Karim Ansarifard, Iranian footballer
    • 1990 – Madison Brengle, American tennis player
    • 1990 – Sotiris Ninis, Greek footballer
    • 1990 – Natasha Negovanlis, Canadian actress and singer
    • 1991 – Hayley Kiyoko, American actress and singer
    • 1992 – Simone Benedetti, Italian footballer
    • 1992 – Yuliya Yefimova, Russian swimmer
    • 1993 – Pape Moussa Konaté, Senegalese footballer
    • 1994 – Kodi Nikorima, New Zealand rugby league player
    • 1996 – Mayo Hibi, Japanese tennis player
    • 1997 – Gabriel Jesus, Brazilian footballer
    • 1998 – Paris Jackson, American actress, model and singer

    Deaths on April 3

    • 963 – William III, Duke of Aquitaine (b. 915)
    • 1153 – al-Adil ibn al-Sallar, vizier of the Fatimid Caliphate
    • 1171 – Philip of Milly, seventh Grand Master of the Knights Templar (b. c. 1120)
    • 1203 – Arthur I, Duke of Brittany (b. 1187)
    • 1253 – Saint Richard of Chichester
    • 1287 – Pope Honorius IV (b. 1210)
    • 1325 – Nizamuddin Auliya, Sufi saint (b. 1238)
    • 1350 – Odo IV, Duke of Burgundy (b. 1295)
    • 1538 – Elizabeth Boleyn, Countess of Wiltshire (b. 1480)
    • 1545 – Antonio de Guevara, Spanish chronicler and moralist (b. 1481)
    • 1606 – Charles Blount, 8th Baron Mountjoy, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (b. 1563)
    • 1630 – Christopher Villiers, 1st Earl of Anglesey, English noble (b. c.  1593)
    • 1680 – Shivaji, Indian emperor, founded the Maratha Empire (b. 1630)
    • 1682 – Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Spanish painter and educator (b. 1618)
    • 1691 – Jean Petitot, French-Swiss painter (b. 1608)
    • 1695 – Melchior d’Hondecoeter, Dutch painter (b. 1636)
    • 1717 – Jacques Ozanam, French mathematician and academic (b. 1640)
    • 1728 – James Anderson, Scottish lawyer and historian (b. 1662)
    • 1792 – George Pocock, English admiral (b. 1706)
    • 1804 – Jędrzej Kitowicz, Polish priest, historian, and author (b. 1727)
    • 1827 – Ernst Chladni, German physicist and academic (b. 1756)
    • 1838 – François Carlo Antommarchi, French physician and author (b. 1780)
    • 1844 – Edward Bigge, English cleric, 1st Archdeacon of Lindisfarne (b. 1807)
    • 1846 – William Braine, English soldier and explorer (b. 1814)
    • 1849 – Juliusz Słowacki, Polish-French poet and playwright (b. 1809)
    • 1868 – Franz Berwald, Swedish composer and surgeon (b. 1796)
    • 1882 – Jesse James, American criminal and outlaw (b. 1847)
    • 1897 – Johannes Brahms, German pianist and composer (b. 1833)
    • 1901 – Richard D’Oyly Carte, English composer and talent agent (b. 1844)
    • 1902 – Esther Hobart Morris, American lawyer and judge (b. 1814)
    • 1930 – Emma Albani, Canadian-English operatic soprano (b. 1847)
    • 1936 – Richard Hauptmann, German-American murderer (b. 1899)
    • 1941 – Tachiyama Mineemon, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 22nd Yokozuna (b. 1877)
    • 1941 – Pál Teleki, Hungarian academic and politician, 22nd Prime Minister of Hungary (b. 1879)
    • 1943 – Conrad Veidt, German actor, director, and producer (b. 1893)
    • 1946 – Masaharu Homma, Japanese general (b. 1887)
    • 1950 – Kurt Weill, German-American composer and pianist (b. 1900)
    • 1950 – Carter G. Woodson, American historian, author, and journalist, founded Black History Month (b. 1875)
    • 1951 – Henrik Visnapuu, Estonian poet and playwright (b. 1890)
    • 1952 – Miina Sillanpää, Finnish minister and politician (b. 1866)
    • 1957 – Ned Sparks, Canadian-American actor (b. 1883)
    • 1958 – Jaan Kärner, Estonian poet and author (b. 1891)
    • 1962 – Manolis Kalomiris, Greek composer and educator (b. 1883)
    • 1970 – Avigdor Hameiri, Israeli author (b. 1890)
    • 1971 – Joseph Valachi, American gangster (b. 1904)
    • 1972 – Ferde Grofé, American pianist and composer (b. 1892)
    • 1975 – Mary Ure, Scottish-English actress (b. 1933)
    • 1976 – David M. Dennison, American physicist and academic (b. 1900)
    • 1976 – Claude-Henri Grignon, Canadian journalist and politician (b. 1894)
    • 1978 – Ray Noble, English bandleader, composer, and actor (b. 1903)
    • 1978 – Winston Sharples, American composer (b. 1909)
    • 1981 – Juan Trippe, American businessman, founded Pan American World Airways (b. 1899)
    • 1982 – Warren Oates, American actor (b. 1928)
    • 1983 – Jimmy Bloomfield, English footballer and manager (b. 1934)
    • 1986 – Peter Pears, English tenor and educator (b. 1910)
    • 1987 – Tom Sestak, American football player (b. 1936)
    • 1988 – Milton Caniff, American cartoonist (b. 1907)
    • 1990 – Sarah Vaughan, American singer (b. 1924)
    • 1991 – Charles Goren, American bridge player and author (b. 1901)
    • 1991 – Graham Greene, English novelist, playwright, and critic (b. 1904)
    • 1993 – Pinky Lee, American television host (b. 1907)
    • 1994 – Frank Wells, American businessman (b. 1932)
    • 1995 – Alfred J. Billes, Canadian businessman, co-founded Canadian Tire (b. 1902)
    • 1996 – Ron Brown, American captain and politician, 30th United States Secretary of Commerce (b. 1941)
    • 1998 – Mary Cartwright, English mathematician and academic (b. 1900)
    • 1999 – Lionel Bart, English composer (b. 1930)
    • 1999 – Geoffrey Walsh, Canadian general (b. 1909)
    • 2000 – Terence McKenna, American botanist and philosopher (b. 1946)
    • 2000 – Dina Abramowicz, Librarian and YIVO and Yiddish language expert (b. 1909)
    • 2005 – François Gérin, Canadian lawyer and politician (b. 1944)
    • 2007 – Nina Wang, Chinese businesswoman (b. 1937)
    • 2008 – Hrvoje Ćustić, Croatian footballer (b. 1983)
    • 2012 – Mingote, Spanish cartoonist and journalist (b. 1919)
    • 2012 – Richard Descoings, French civil servant (b. 1958)
    • 2012 – Govind Narain, Indian politician, 8th Governor of Karnataka (b. 1917)
    • 2012 – Chief Jay Strongbow, American wrestler (b. 1928)
    • 2012 – José María Zárraga, Spanish footballer and manager (b. 1930)
    • 2013 – Mariví Bilbao, Spanish actress (b. 1930)
    • 2013 – Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, German-American author and screenwriter (b. 1927)
    • 2014 – Régine Deforges, French author, playwright, and director (b. 1935)
    • 2014 – Fred Kida, American illustrator (b. 1920)
    • 2014 – Prince Michael of Prussia (b. 1940)
    • 2014 – Jovan Pavlović, Serbian metropolitan (b. 1936)
    • 2014 – Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith, American guitarist, fiddler, and composer (b. 1921)
    • 2015 – Sarah Brady, American activist and author (b. 1942)
    • 2015 – Bob Burns, American drummer and songwriter (b. 1950)
    • 2015 – Shmuel Wosner, Austrian-Israeli rabbi and author (b. 1913)
    • 2016 – Cesare Maldini, Italian footballer and manager (b. 1932)
    • 2016 – Joe Medicine Crow, American anthropologist, historian, and author (b. 1913)
    • 2016 – Koji Wada, Japanese singer and songwriter (b. 1974)
    • 2017 – Kishori Amonkar, Indian Classical Vocalist (b. 1931)

    Holidays and observances on April 3

    • Christian feast day:
      • Agape, Chionia, and Irene
      • Burgundofara
      • Luigi Scrosoppi
      • Richard of Chichester
      • April 3 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

  • March 31 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    It is the last day of the first quarter of the year.

    March 31 in History

    • 307 – After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Maximian.
    • 1146 – Bernard of Clairvaux preaches his famous sermon in a field at Vézelay, urging the necessity of a Second Crusade. Louis VII is present, and joins the Crusade.
    • 1492 – Queen Isabella of Castile issues the Alhambra Decree, ordering her 150,000 Jewish and Muslim subjects to convert to Christianity or face expulsion.
    • 1561 – The city of San Cristóbal, Táchira is founded.
    • 1717 – A sermon on “The Nature of the Kingdom of Christ” by Benjamin Hoadly, the Bishop of Bangor, preached in the presence of King George I of Great Britain, provokes the Bangorian Controversy.
    • 1774 – American Revolutionary War: The Kingdom of Great Britain orders the port of Boston, Massachusetts closed pursuant to the Boston Port Act.
    • 1854 – Commodore Matthew Perry signs the Convention of Kanagawa with the Tokugawa Shogunate, opening the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate to American trade.
    • 1885 – The United Kingdom establishes the Bechuanaland Protectorate.
    • 1889 – The Eiffel Tower is officially opened.
    • 1899 – Malolos, capital of the First Philippine Republic, is captured by American forces.
    • 1906 – The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (later the National Collegiate Athletic Association) is established to set rules for college sports in the United States.
    • 1909 – Serbia formally withdraws its opposition to Austro-Hungarian actions in the Bosnian Crisis.
    • 1913 – The Vienna Concert Society rioted during a performance of modernist music by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Alexander von Zemlinsky, and Anton von Webern, causing a premature end to the concert due to violence; this concert became known as the Skandalkonzert.
    • 1917 – According to the terms of the Treaty of the Danish West Indies, the islands become American possessions.
    • 1918 – Massacre of ethnic Azerbaijanis is committed by allied armed groups of Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Bolsheviks. Nearly 12,000 Azerbaijani Muslims are killed.
    • 1918 – Daylight saving time goes into effect in the United States for the first time.
    • 1921 – The Royal Australian Air Force is formed.
    • 1930 – The Motion Picture Production Code is instituted, imposing strict guidelines on the treatment of sex, crime, religion and violence in film, in the U.S., for the next thirty-eight years.
    • 1931 – An earthquake in Nicaragua destroys Managua; killing 2,000.
    • 1931 – A Transcontinental & Western Air airliner crashes near Bazaar, Kansas, killing eight, including University of Notre Dame head football coach Knute Rockne.
    • 1933 – The Civilian Conservation Corps is established with the mission of relieving rampant unemployment in the United States.
    • 1942 – World War II: Japanese forces invade Christmas Island, then a British possession.
    • 1945 – World War II: A defecting German pilot delivers a Messerschmitt Me 262A-1, the world’s first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft, to the Americans, the first to fall into Allied hands.
    • 1949 – The Dominion of Newfoundland joins the Canadian Confederation and becomes the 10th Province of Canada.
    • 1951 – Remington Rand delivers the first UNIVAC I computer to the United States Census Bureau.
    • 1957 – Elections to the Territorial Assembly of the French colony Upper Volta are held. After the elections PDU and MDV form a government.
    • 1958 – In the Canadian federal election, the Progressive Conservatives, led by John Diefenbaker, win the largest percentage of seats in Canadian history, with 208 seats of 265.
    • 1959 – The 14th Dalai Lama, crosses the border into India and is granted political asylum.
    • 1964 – Brazilian General Olímpio Mourão Filho orders his troops to move towards Rio de Janeiro, beginning the coup d’état.
    • 1966 – The Soviet Union launches Luna 10 which later becomes the first space probe to enter orbit around the Moon.
    • 1968 – American President Lyndon B. Johnson speaks to the nation of “Steps to Limit the War in Vietnam” in a television address. At the conclusion of his speech, he announces: “I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President.”
    • 1970 – Explorer 1 re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere after 12 years in orbit.
    • 1980 – The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad operates its final train after being ordered to liquidate its assets because of bankruptcy and debts owed to creditors.
    • 1985 – The first WrestleMania, the biggest wrestling event from the WWE (then the WWF), takes place in Madison Square Garden in New York City.
    • 1990 – Approximately 200,000 protesters take to the streets of London to protest against the newly introduced Poll Tax.
    • 1991 – Georgian independence referendum: Nearly 99 percent of the voters support the country’s independence from the Soviet Union.
    • 1992 – The USS Missouri, the last active United States Navy battleship, is decommissioned in Long Beach, California.
    • 1992 – The Treaty of Federation is signed in Moscow.
    • 1995 – TAROM Flight 371, an Airbus A310-300, crashes near Balotesti, Romania, killing all 60 people on board.
    • 1995 – Selena is murdered by her fan club’s president Yolanda Saldívar at a Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas after accusations of Saldívar embezzling money from Selena’s fan club.
    • 1998 – Netscape releases Mozilla source code under an open source license.
    • 2004 – Iraq War in Anbar Province: In Fallujah, Iraq, four American private military contractors working for Blackwater USA, are killed after being ambushed.
    • 2018 – Start of the 2018 Armenian revolution.

    Births on March 31

    • 1360 – Philippa of Lancaster (d. 1415)
    • 1499 – Pope Pius IV (d. 1565)
    • 1504 – Guru Angad, Indian religious leader (d. 1552)
    • 1519 – Henry II of France (d. 1559)
    • 1536 – Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Japanese shōgun (d. 1565)
    • 1596 – René Descartes, French mathematician and philosopher (d. 1650)
    • 1601 – Jakov Mikalja, Italian linguist and lexicographer (d. 1654)
    • 1621 – Andrew Marvell, English poet and politician (d. 1678)
    • 1651 – Charles II, Elector Palatine, German husband of Princess Wilhelmine Ernestine of Denmark (d. 1685)
    • 1675 – Pope Benedict XIV (d. 1758)
    • 1718 – Mariana Victoria of Spain (d. 1781)
    • 1723 – Frederick V of Denmark (d. 1766)
    • 1730 – Étienne Bézout, French mathematician and theorist (d. 1783)
    • 1732 – Joseph Haydn, Austrian pianist and composer (d. 1809)
    • 1740 – Panoutsos Notaras, Greek politician (d. 1849)
    • 1747 – Johann Abraham Peter Schulz, German pianist and composer (d. 1800)
    • 1777 – Charles Cagniard de la Tour, French physicist and engineer (d. 1859)
    • 1778 – Coenraad Jacob Temminck, Dutch zoologist and ornithologist (d. 1858)
    • 1794 – Thomas McKean Thompson McKennan, American lawyer and politician, 2nd United States Secretary of the Interior (d. 1852)
    • 1809 – Edward FitzGerald, English poet and translator (d. 1883)
    • 1809 – Nikolai Gogol, Ukrainian-Russian short story writer, novelist, and playwright (d. 1852)
    • 1809 – Otto Lindblad, Swedish composer (d. 1864)
    • 1813 – Félix María Zuloaga, Mexican general and unconstitutional interim president (1858 and 1860–1862) (d. 1898)
    • 1819 – Chlodwig, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (d. 1901)
    • 1823 – Mary Boykin Chesnut, American author (d. 1886)
    • 1833 – Mary Abigail Dodge, American writer and essayist (d. 1896)
    • 1835 – John La Farge, American artist (d. 1910)
    • 1847 – Hermann de Pourtalès, Swiss sailor (d. 1904)
    • 1847 – Yegor Ivanovich Zolotarev, Russian mathematician and theorist (d. 1878)
    • 1851 – Francis Bell, Jewish New Zealand lawyer and politician, 20th Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1936)
    • 1855 – Alfred E. Hunt, American businessman (d. 1899)
    • 1859 – Emil Fenyvessy, Hungarian actor and screenwriter (d. 1924)
    • 1865 – Anandi Gopal Joshi, Indian physician (d. 1887)
    • 1871 – Arthur Griffith, Irish journalist and politician, 3rd President of Dáil Éireann (d. 1922)
    • 1872 – Sergei Diaghilev, Russian ballet manager and critic, founded the Ballets Russes (d. 1929)
    • 1874 – Benjamín G. Hill, Mexican revolutionary general, governor of Sonora (d. 1920)
    • 1874 – Henri Marteau, French violinist and composer (d. 1934)
    • 1876 – Borisav Stanković, Serbian author (d. 1927)
    • 1878 – Jack Johnson, American boxer (d. 1946)
    • 1884 – Adriaan van Maanen, Dutch-American astronomer and academic (d. 1946)
    • 1885 – Pascin, Sephardi Jewish Bulgarian-American painter and illustrator (d. 1930)
    • 1890 – Ben Adams, American jumper (d. 1961)
    • 1890 – William Lawrence Bragg, Australian-English physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1971)
    • 1891 – Victor Varconi, Hungarian-American actor and director (d. 1976)
    • 1893 – Clemens Krauss, Austrian conductor and manager (d. 1954)
    • 1893 – Herbert Meinhard Mühlpfordt, German physician and historian (d. 1982)
    • 1895 – Vardis Fisher, American author and academic (d. 1968)
    • 1900 – Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (d. 1974)
    • 1905 – Robert Stevenson, English director and screenwriter (d. 1986)
    • 1905 – George Treweek, Australian rugby league player (d. 1991)
    • 1906 – Sin-Itiro Tomonaga, Japanese physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1979)
    • 1908 – Red Norvo, American vibraphone player and composer (d. 1999)
    • 1911 – Freddie Green, American guitarist (d. 1987)
    • 1911 – Elisabeth Grümmer, German soprano (d. 1986)
    • 1912 – William Lederer, American soldier and author (d. 2009)
    • 1913 – Etta Baker, African-American singer and guitarist (d. 2006)
    • 1914 – Octavio Paz, Mexican poet and diplomat, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1998)
    • 1914 – Dagmar Lange, Swedish author (d. 1991)
    • 1915 – Albert Hourani, English historian and author (d. 1993)
    • 1915 – Shoichi Yokoi, Japanese sergeant (d. 1997)
    • 1916 – Lucille Bliss, American voice actress (d. 2012)
    • 1916 – Tommy Bolt, American golfer (d. 2008)
    • 1916 – John H. Wood, Jr., American lawyer and judge (d. 1979)
    • 1917 – Dorothy DeLay, American violinist and educator (d. 2002)
    • 1918 – Ted Post, American director (d. 2013)
    • 1919 – Frank Akins, American football player (d. 1993)
    • 1920 – Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, British aristocrat, socialite and author (d. 2014)
    • 1921 – Lowell Fulson, African-American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1999)
    • 1921 – Peggy Rea, American actress and casting director (d. 2011)
    • 1922 – Richard Kiley, American actor and singer (d. 1999)
    • 1922 – Patrick Magee, Irish actor (d. 1982)
    • 1923 – Don Barksdale, American basketball player (d. 1993)
    • 1923 – François Sermon, Belgian footballer (d. 2013)
    • 1924 – Leo Buscaglia, American author and academic (d. 1998)
    • 1924 – Charles Guggenheim, American director and producer (d. 2002)
    • 1925 – Jean Coutu, Canadian actor and director (d. 1999)
    • 1926 – John Fowles, English novelist (d. 2005)
    • 1926 – Beni Montresor, Italian director, set designer, author, and illustrator (d. 2001)
    • 1926 – Rocco Petrone, American colonel and engineer (d. 2006)
    • 1927 – Cesar Chavez, American labor union leader and activist (d. 1993)
    • 1927 – William Daniels, American actor
    • 1927 – Eduardo Martínez Somalo, Spanish cardinal
    • 1927 – Vladimir Ilyushin, Russian pilot (d. 2010)
    • 1927 – Elmer Diedtrich, American businessman and politician (d. 2013)
    • 1927 – Bud MacPherson, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1988)
    • 1928 – Lefty Frizzell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1975)
    • 1928 – Gordie Howe, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2016)
    • 1929 – Liz Claiborne, Belgian-American fashion designer, founded Liz Claiborne Inc. (d. 2007)
    • 1929 – Bert Fields, American lawyer and author
    • 1930 – Yehuda Nir, Polish Jewish-American psychiatrist (d. 2014)
    • 1930 – Jim Mutscheller, American football player and coach (d. 2015)
    • 1931 – Miller Barber, American golfer (d. 2013)
    • 1931 – Tamara Tyshkevich, Belarusian shot putter (d. 1997)
    • 1932 – John Jakes, American author
    • 1932 – Nagisa Oshima, Japanese director and screenwriter (d. 2013)
    • 1933 – Anita Carter, American singer-songwriter and bassist (d. 1999)
    • 1933 – Nichita Stănescu, Romanian poet (d. 1983)
    • 1934 – Richard Chamberlain, American actor
    • 1934 – Shirley Jones, American actress and singer
    • 1934 – John D. Loudermilk, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2016)
    • 1934 – Carlo Rubbia, Italian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1934 – Kamala Surayya, Indian poet and author (d. 2009)
    • 1935 – Herb Alpert, American singer-songwriter, trumpet player, and producer
    • 1935 – Judith Rossner, Jewish-American author (d. 2005)
    • 1936 – Marge Piercy, American poet and novelist
    • 1936 – Walter E. Williams, American economist and academic
    • 1938 – Patrick Bateson, English biologist and academic (d. 2017)
    • 1938 – Sheila Dikshit, Indian politician, 22nd Governor of Kerala (d. 2019)
    • 1938 – Antje Gleichfeld, German runner
    • 1938 – Bill Hicke, Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and manager (d. 2005)
    • 1938 – Tõnno Lepmets, Estonian basketball player (d. 2005)
    • 1938 – Arthur B. Rubinstein, American pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 2018)
    • 1938 – David Steel, Scottish academic and politician
    • 1939 – Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Georgian anthropologist and politician, 1st President of Georgia (d. 1993)
    • 1939 – Israel Horovitz, American actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1939 – Walker David Miller, American lawyer and judge (d. 2013)
    • 1939 – Volker Schlöndorff, German director and producer
    • 1939 – Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, German footballer
    • 1940 – Brian Ackland-Snow, English production designer and art director (d. 2013)
    • 1940 – Barney Frank, American lawyer and politician
    • 1940 – Patrick Leahy, American lawyer and politician
    • 1941 – Franco Bonvicini, Italian author and illustrator (d. 1995)
    • 1941 – Faith Leech, Australian swimmer (d. 2013)
    • 1942 – Ulla Hoffmann, Swedish politician
    • 1942 – Hugh McCracken, American guitarist and producer (d. 2013)
    • 1942 – Michael Savage, far-right American radio host and author
    • 1943 – Roy Andersson, Swedish director and screenwriter
    • 1943 – Deirdre Clancy, English costume designer
    • 1943 – Christopher Walken, American actor
    • 1944 – Pascal Danel, French singer-songwriter
    • 1944 – Angus King, American politician
    • 1944 – Mick Ralphs, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1945 – Edwin Catmull, American computer scientist and engineer
    • 1945 – Gabe Kaplan, American actor and comedian
    • 1945 – Myfanwy Talog, Welsh actress (d. 1995)
    • 1946 – Gonzalo Márquez, Venezuelan baseball player (d. 1984)
    • 1946 – Bob Russell, English politician
    • 1947 – Augustin Banyaga, Rwandan-American mathematician and academic
    • 1947 – Wendy Overton, American tennis player
    • 1947 – Kristian Blak, Danish-Faroese pianist, composer, and producer
    • 1947 – Don Foster, English academic and politician
    • 1947 – César Gaviria, Colombian economist and politician, 36th President of Colombia
    • 1947 – Eliyahu M. Goldratt, Israeli physicist and economist (d. 2011)
    • 1948 – Gary Doer, Canadian politician and diplomat, 20th Premier of Manitoba
    • 1948 – Al Gore, American soldier and politician, 45th Vice President of the United States and Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1948 – Rhea Perlman, American actress
    • 1948 – Gustaaf Van Cauter, Belgian cyclist
    • 1949 – Gilles Gilbert, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1950 – András Adorján, Hungarian chess player and author
    • 1950 – Ed Marinaro, American football player and actor
    • 1950 – Sandra Morgen, American anthropologist and academic (d. 2016)
    • 1953 – Dennis Kamakahi, American guitarist and composer (d. 2014)
    • 1955 – Svetozar Marović, President of Serbia and Montenegro
    • 1955 – Angus Young, Scottish-Australian guitarist and songwriter
    • 1957 – Alan Duncan, English businessman and politician, former Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
    • 1959 – Markus Hediger, Swiss poet and translator
    • 1959 – Anita Dillen, Dutch socialite and member of wealthy Dillen family, niece of Cor Dillen, Coen Dillen
    • 1961 – Ron Brown, American sprinter and football player
    • 1961 – Howard Gordon, American screenwriter and producer
    • 1962 – Olli Rehn, Finnish footballer and politician
    • 1963 – Paul Mercurio, Australian actor and dancer
    • 1964 – Mark Hoban, English accountant and politician
    • 1965 – Tom Barrasso, American ice hockey player and coach
    • 1965 – Patty Fendick, American tennis player and coach
    • 1965 – Jean-Christophe Lafaille, French mountaineer (d. 2006)
    • 1965 – William McNamara, American actor and producer
    • 1965 – Steven T. Seagle, American author and screenwriter
    • 1966 – Roger Black, English runner and journalist
    • 1966 – Nick Firestone, American race car driver
    • 1968 – César Sampaio, Brazilian footballer
    • 1969 – Nyamko Sabuni, Burundian-Swedish politician
    • 1969 – Steve Smith, American basketball player and sportscaster
    • 1970 – Alenka Bratušek, Slovenian politician, 7th Prime Minister of Slovenia
    • 1971 – Demetris Assiotis, Cypriot footballer
    • 1971 – Martin Atkinson, English footballer and referee
    • 1971 – Pavel Bure, Russian ice hockey player
    • 1971 – Craig McCracken, American animator, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1971 – Ewan McGregor, Scottish actor
    • 1972 – Alejandro Amenábar, Chilean-Spanish director and screenwriter
    • 1972 – Andrew Bowen, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1972 – Luca Gentili, Italian footballer and coach
    • 1972 – Evan Williams, American businessman, co-founded Twitter and Pyra Labs
    • 1973 – Christopher Hampson, English ballet dancer and choreographer
    • 1974 – Benjamin Eicher, German director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1974 – Natali, Russian singer, composer and songwriter
    • 1974 – Stefan Olsdal, Swedish bass player
    • 1974 – Jani Sievinen, Finnish swimmer
    • 1975 – Adam Green, American director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1975 – Nathan Grey, Australian rugby player and coach
    • 1975 – Cameron Murray, Scottish rugby player
    • 1975 – Ryan Rupe, American baseball player
    • 1976 – Howard Frier, American basketball player
    • 1976 – Igors Sļesarčuks, Latvian-Russian footballer
    • 1976 – Graeme Smith, Scottish swimmer
    • 1977 – Toshiya, Japanese bass player, songwriter, and producer
    • 1977 – Garth Tander, Australian race car driver
    • 1978 – Michael Clark, Australian cricketer and footballer
    • 1978 – Stephen Clemence, English footballer, midfeider and manager
    • 1978 – Jarrod Cooper, American football player
    • 1978 – Jérôme Rothen, French footballer
    • 1979 – Omri Afek, Israeli footballer
    • 1979 – Euan Burton, Scottish martial artist and coach
    • 1979 – Alexis Ferrero, Argentinian footballer
    • 1979 – Charlie Manning, American baseball player
    • 1979 – Jonna Mendes, American skier
    • 1979 – Rhys Wesser, Australian rugby league player
    • 1980 – Martin Albrechtsen, Danish footballer
    • 1980 – Karolina Lassbo, Swedish lawyer and blogger
    • 1980 – Matias Concha, Swedish footballer
    • 1980 – Kate Micucci, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress
    • 1980 – Michael Ryder, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1981 – Ryan Bingham, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1981 – Thomas Chatelle, Belgian footballer
    • 1981 – Han Tae-you, South Korean footballer
    • 1981 – Pa Dembo Touray, Gambian footballer
    • 1981 – Maarten van der Weijden, Dutch swimmer
    • 1982 – Tal Ben Haim, Israeli footballer
    • 1982 – Bam Childress, American football player
    • 1982 – Audrey Kawasaki, American painter
    • 1983 – Hashim Amla, South African cricketer
    • 1983 – Ashleigh Ball, Canadian voice actress and musician
    • 1983 – Sophie Hunger, Swiss-German musician
    • 1983 – Vlasios Maras, Greek gymnast
    • 1983 – Nigel Plum, Australian rugby league player
    • 1984 – David Clarkson, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1984 – Eddie Johnson, American soccer player
    • 1984 – James Jones, American football player
    • 1984 – Martins Dukurs, Latvian sled racer
    • 1984 – Kaie Kand, Estonian heptathlete
    • 1984 – Alberto Junior Rodríguez, Peruvian footballer
    • 1984 – Ed Williamson, English rugby player
    • 1985 – Steve Bernier, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1985 – Jo-Lonn Dunbar, American football player
    • 1985 – Jesper Hansen, Danish footballer
    • 1985 – Ivan Mishyn, Ukrainian race car driver
    • 1985 – Kory Sheets, American football player
    • 1985 – Jalmar Sjöberg, Swedish wrestler
    • 1986 – Andreas Dober, Austrian footballer
    • 1986 – James King, Scottish rugby player
    • 1986 – Paulo Machado, Portuguese footballer
    • 1987 – Nordin Amrabat, Dutch footballer
    • 1987 – Hugo Ayala, Mexican footballer
    • 1987 – Amaury Bischoff, Portuguese footballer
    • 1987 – Humpy Koneru, Indian chess player
    • 1987 – Kirill Starkov, Danish ice hockey player
    • 1987 – Nelli Zhiganshina, Russian figure skater
    • 1988 – Thomas De Corte, Belgian footballer
    • 1988 – Conrad Sewell, Australian singer and songwriter
    • 1988 – Dorin Dickerson, American football player
    • 1988 – DeAndre Liggins, American basketball player
    • 1988 – Louis van der Westhuizen, Namibian cricketer
    • 1989 – Alberto Martín Romo García Adámez, Spanish footballer
    • 1989 – Nejc Vidmar, Slovenian footballer
    • 1989 – Liu Zige, Chinese swimmer
    • 1990 – George Iloka, American football player
    • 1990 – Sandra Roma, Swedish tennis player
    • 1990 – Bang Yong-guk, South Korean rapper
    • 1991 – Milan Milanović, Serbian footballer
    • 1991 – Rodney Sneijder, Dutch footballer
    • 1992 – Stijn de Looijer, Dutch footballer
    • 1992 – Adam Zampa, Australian cricketer
    • 1993 – Mikael Ishak, Swedish footballer
    • 1994 – Samira Asghari, Afghan member of the International Olympic Committee
    • 1994 – Tyler Wright, Australian surfer
    • 1994 – Mads Würtz Schmidt, Danish road cyclist
    • 1995 – Fiona Brown, footballer
    • 1998 – Jakob Chychrun, American-born Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1999 – Japhet Tanganga, English footballer

    Deaths on March 31

    • 32 BC – Titus Pomponius Atticus, Roman nobleman of the Equestrian order (b. 109 BC)
    • 528 – Xiaoming, emperor of Northern Wei (b. 510)
    • 963 – Abu Ja’far Ahmad ibn Muhammad, Saffarid emir (b. 906)
    • 1241 – Pousa, voivode of Transylvania
    • 1251 – William of Modena, Italian bishop and diplomat
    • 1340 – Ivan I of Moscow, Russian Grand Duke (b. 1288)
    • 1342 – Dionigi di Borgo San Sepolcro, Italian Augustinian monk
    • 1462 – Isidore II of Constantinople, patriarch of Constantinople
    • 1491 – Bonaventura Tornielli, Italian Roman Catholic priest (b. 1411)
    • 1547 – Francis I, French king (b. 1494)
    • 1567 – Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse (b. 1504)
    • 1621 – Philip III, Spanish king (b. 1578)
    • 1622 – Gonzalo Méndez de Canço, Royal Governor of La Florida (b. 1554)
    • 1631 – John Donne, English lawyer and poet (b. 1572)
    • 1671 – Anne Hyde, wife of James II of England (b. 1637)
    • 1723 – Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon, English soldier and politician, 14th Colonial Governor of New York (b. 1661)
    • 1741 – Pieter Burman the Elder, Dutch scholar and author (b. 1668)
    • 1751 – Frederick, Prince of Wales, Hanoverian-born heir to the British throne (b. 1707)better source needed
    • 1797 – Olaudah Equiano, Nigerian merchant, author, and activist (b.1745)
    • 1837 – John Constable, English painter and educator (b. 1776)
    • 1850 – John C. Calhoun, American lawyer and politician, 7th Vice President of the United States (b. 1782)
    • 1855 – Charlotte Brontë, English novelist and poet (b. 1816)
    • 1877 – Antoine Augustin Cournot, French mathematician and philosopher (b. 1801)
    • 1880 – Henryk Wieniawski, Polish violinist and composer (b. 1835)
    • 1885 – Franz Abt, German composer and conductor (b. 1819)
    • 1907 – Galusha A. Grow, American lawyer and politician, 28th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (b. 1823)
    • 1910 – Jean Moréas, Greek poet, essayist and art critic (b. 1856)
    • 1913 – J. P. Morgan, American banker and financier (b. 1837)
    • 1915 – Wyndham Halswelle, English-Scottish runner and captain (b. 1882)
    • 1917 – Emil von Behring, German physiologist and immunologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1854)
    • 1924 – George Charles Haité, English painter and illustrator (b. 1855)
    • 1927 – Kang Youwei, Chinese scholar and political reformer (b. 1858)
    • 1930 – Ludwig Schüler, German politician, Mayor of Marburg (b. 1836)
    • 1931 – Knute Rockne, American football player and coach (b. 1888)
    • 1935 – Georges V. Matchabelli, Georgian-American businessman and diplomat, founded Prince Matchabelli perfume (b. 1885)
    • 1939 – Ioannis Tsangaridis, Greek general (b. 1887)
    • 1944 – Mineichi Koga, Japanese admiral (b. 1885)
    • 1945 – Frank Findlay, New Zealand banker and politician (b. 1884)
    • 1945 – Hans Fischer, German chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1881)
    • 1950 – Robert Natus, Estonian architect (b. 1890)
    • 1952 – Wallace H. White, Jr., American lawyer and politician (b. 1877)
    • 1956 – Ralph DePalma, Italian-American race car driver and actor (b. 1884)
    • 1968 – Grover Lowdermilk, American baseball player (b. 1885)
    • 1970 – Semyon Timoshenko, Soviet Commander during the Winter War and the Eastern Front of World War II (b. 1894)
    • 1975 – Percy Alliss, English golfer (b. 1897)
    • 1976 – Paul Strand, American photographer and director (b. 1890)
    • 1978 – Astrid Allwyn, American actress (b. 1905)
    • 1978 – Charles Herbert Best, American-Canadian physiologist and biochemist, co-discovered Insulin (b. 1899)
    • 1980 – Vladimír Holan, Czech poet and author (b. 1905)
    • 1980 – Jesse Owens, American sprinter and long jumper (b. 1913)
    • 1981 – Enid Bagnold, English author and playwright (b. 1889)
    • 1983 – Christina Stead, Australian author and academic (b. 1902)
    • 1986 – Jerry Paris, American actor and director (b. 1925)
    • 1988 – William McMahon, Australian lawyer and politician, 20th Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1908)
    • 1993 – Brandon Lee, American actor and martial artist (b. 1965)
    • 1993 – Mitchell Parish, Lithuanian-American songwriter (b. 1900)
    • 1995 – Selena, American singer-songwriter (b. 1971)
    • 1996 – Dante Giacosa, Italian automobile designer and engineer (b. 1905)
    • 1996 – Jeffrey Lee Pierce, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1958)
    • 1998 – Bella Abzug, American lawyer, activist, and politician (b. 1920)
    • 1998 – Tim Flock, American race car driver (b. 1924)
    • 1998 – Joel Ryce-Menuhin, American pianist (b. 1933)
    • 1999 – Yuri Knorozov, Russian linguist and ethnographer (b. 1922)
    • 2001 – David Rocastle, English footballer (b. 1967)
    • 2001 – Clifford Shull, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1915)
    • 2002 – Barry Took, English comedian, actor, and screenwriter (b. 1928)
    • 2002 – Moturu Udayam, Indian activist and politician (b. 1924)
    • 2003 – Harold Scott MacDonald Coxeter, English-Canadian mathematician and academic (b. 1907)
    • 2003 – Anne Gwynne, American actress (b. 1918)
    • 2003 – Tommy Seebach, Danish singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (b. 1949)
    • 2004 – Scott Helvenston, American soldier (b. 1965)
    • 2005 – Stanley J. Korsmeyer, American oncologist and academic (b. 1951)
    • 2005 – Justiniano Montano, Filipino lawyer and politician (b. 1905)
    • 2005 – Frank Perdue, American businessman (b. 1920)
    • 2006 – Jackie McLean, American saxophonist and composer (b. 1931)
    • 2007 – Paul Watzlawick, Austrian-American psychologist and philosopher (b. 1921)
    • 2008 – Jules Dassin, American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor (b. 1911)
    • 2008 – Bill Keightley, American equipment manager (b. 1926)
    • 2009 – Raúl Alfonsín, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 46th President of Argentina (b. 1927)
    • 2009 – Choor Singh, Indian-Singaporean lawyer and judge (b. 1911)
    • 2011 – Gil Clancy, American boxer and trainer (b. 1922)
    • 2011 – Alan Fitzgerald, Australian journalist and author (b. 1935)
    • 2011 – Mary Greyeyes, the first First Nations woman to join the Canadian Armed Forces (b. 1920)
    • 2011 – Oddvar Hansen, Norwegian footballer and coach (b. 1921)
    • 2011 – Ishbel MacAskill, Scottish singer and actress (b. 1941)
    • 2011 – Henry Taub, American businessman and philanthropist (b. 1927)
    • 2012 – Judith Adams, New Zealand-Australian nurse and politician (b. 1943)
    • 2012 – Dale R. Corson, American physicist and academic (b. 1914)
    • 2012 – Bernard O. Gruenke, American stained glass artist (b. 1914)
    • 2012 – Jerry Lynch, American baseball player (b. 1930)
    • 2012 – Alberto Sughi, Italian painter (b. 1928)
    • 2012 – Halbert White, American economist and academic (b. 1950)
    • 2013 – Charles Amarin Brand, French archbishop (b. 1920)
    • 2013 – Ernie Bridge, Australian singer and politician (b. 1936)
    • 2013 – Bob Clarke, American illustrator (b. 1926)
    • 2013 – Ahmad Sayyed Javadi, Iranian lawyer and politician, Iranian Minister of Interior (b. 1917)
    • 2013 – Dmitri Uchaykin, Russian ice hockey player (b. 1980)
    • 2014 – Gonzalo Anes, Spanish economist, historian, and academic (b. 1931)
    • 2014 – Roger Somville, Belgian painter (b. 1923)
    • 2015 – Betty Churcher, Australian painter, historian, and curator (b. 1931)
    • 2015 – Cocoa Fujiwara, Japanese author and illustrator (b. 1983)
    • 2015 – Carlos Gaviria Díaz, Colombian lawyer and politician (b. 1937)
    • 2015 – Dalibor Vesely, Czech-English historian, author, and academic (b. 1934)
    • 2016 – Ronnie Corbett, Scottish comedian, actor and screenwriter (b. 1930)
    • 2016 – Hans-Dietrich Genscher, German politician (b. 1927)
    • 2016 – Zaha Hadid, Iraqi-born English architect and academic, designed the Bridge Pavilion (b. 1950)
    • 2016 – Imre Kertész, Hungarian author, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1929)
    • 2016 – Denise Robertson, British writer and television broadcaster (b. 1932)
    • 2017 – Gilbert Baker, American artist and LGBT rights activist (b. 1951)
    • 2017 – James Rosenquist, American artist (b. 1933)
    • 2019 – Nipsey Hussle, American rapper (b. 1985)

    Holidays and observances on March 31

    • Cesar Chavez Day (United States)
    • Christian feast day
      • Abdas of Susa
      • Acathius of Melitene (Eastern Orthodox Church)
      • Anesius and companions
      • Benjamin
      • Balbina
      • John Donne (Anglican Communion, Lutheran)
      • March 31 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis (Azerbaijan)
    • Freedom Day (Malta)
    • International Transgender Day of Visibility
    • King Nangklao Memorial Day (Thailand)
    • Thomas Mundy Peterson Day (New Jersey, United States)
    • Transfer Day (US Virgin Islands)
    • World Backup Day

  • March 30 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 598 – Balkan Campaign: The Avars lift the siege at the Byzantine stronghold of Tomis. Their leader Bayan I retreats north of the Danube River after the Avaro-Slavic hordes are decimated by the plague.
    • 1282 – The people of Sicily rebel against the Angevin king Charles I, in what becomes known as the Sicilian Vespers.
    • 1296 – Edward I sacks Berwick-upon-Tweed, during armed conflict between Scotland and England.
    • 1699 – Guru Gobind Singh establishes the Khalsa in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab.
    • 1815 – Joachim Murat issues the Rimini Proclamation which would later inspire Italian unification.
    • 1818 – Physicist Augustin Fresnel reads a memoir on optical rotation to the French Academy of Sciences, reporting that when polarized light is “depolarized” by a Fresnel rhomb, its properties are preserved in any subsequent passage through an optically-rotating crystal or liquid.
    • 1822 – The Florida Territory is created in the United States.
    • 1841 – The National Bank of Greece is founded in Athens.
    • 1842 – Ether anesthesia is used for the first time, in an operation by the American surgeon Dr. Crawford Long.
    • 1844 – One of the most important battles of the Dominican War of Independence from Haiti takes place near the city of Santiago de los Caballeros.
    • 1855 – Origins of the American Civil War: “Border Ruffians” from Missouri invade Kansas and force election of a pro-slavery legislature.
    • 1856 – The Treaty of Paris is signed, ending the Crimean War.
    • 1861 – Discovery of the chemical elements: Sir William Crookes announces his discovery of thallium.
    • 1863 – Danish prince Wilhelm Georg is chosen as King George of Greece.
    • 1867 – Alaska is purchased from Russia for $7.2 million, about 2-cent/acre ($4.19/km²), by United States Secretary of State William H. Seward.
    • 1870 – Texas is readmitted to the United States Congress following Reconstruction.
    • 1885 – The Battle for Kushka triggers the Panjdeh Incident which nearly gives rise to war between the Russian and British Empire.
    • 1899 – German Society of Chemistry issues an invitation to other national scientific organizations to appoint delegates to the International Committee on Atomic Weights.
    • 1912 – Sultan Abd al-Hafid signs the Treaty of Fez, making Morocco a French protectorate.
    • 1918 – Outburst of bloody March Events in Baku and other locations of Baku Governorate.
    • 1939 – The Heinkel He 100 fighter sets a world airspeed record of 463 mph (745 km/h).
    • 1940 – Second Sino-Japanese War: Japan declares Nanking capital of a new Chinese puppet government, nominally controlled by Wang Jingwei.
    • 1944 – World War II: Allied bombers conduct their most severe bombing run on Sofia, Bulgaria.
    • 1944 – Out of 795 Lancasters, Halifaxes and Mosquitos sent to attack Nuremberg, 95 bombers do not return, making it the largest RAF Bomber Command loss of the war.
    • 1945 – World War II: Soviet forces invade Austria and capture Vienna; Polish and Soviet forces liberate Danzig.
    • 1949 – Cold War: A riot breaks out in Austurvöllur square in Reykjavík, when Iceland joins NATO.
    • 1959 – Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, flees Tibet for India.
    • 1961 – The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is signed in New York City.
    • 1965 – Vietnam War: A car bomb explodes in front of the United States Embassy, Saigon, killing 22 and wounding 183 others.
    • 1972 – Vietnam War: The Easter Offensive begins after North Vietnamese forces cross into the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) of South Vietnam.
    • 1976 – Israeli-Palestinian conflict: in the first organized response against Israeli policies by a Palestinian collective since 1948, Palestinians create the first Land Day.
    • 1979 – Airey Neave, a British Member of Parliament, is killed by a car bomb as he exits the Palace of Westminster. The Irish National Liberation Army claims responsibility.
    • 1981 – U.S. President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C., hotel by John Hinckley, Jr.; three others are wounded in the same incident.
    • 1982 – Space Shuttle program: STS-3 mission is completed with the landing of Columbia at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
    • 2002 – 2002 Lyon car attack takes place.
    • 2009 – Twelve gunmen attack the Manawan Police Academy in Lahore, Pakistan.
    • 2017 – SpaceX conducts the world’s first reflight of an orbital class rocket.

    Births on March 30

    • 892 – Shi Jingtang, founder of the Later Jin Dynasty (d. 942)
    • 1135 – Maimonides, Spanish rabbi and philosopher (April 6 also proposed, d. 1204)
    • 1326 – Ivan II of Moscow (d. 1359)
    • 1432 – Mehmed the Conqueror, Ottoman sultan (d. 1481)
    • 1510 – Antonio de Cabezón, Spanish composer and organist (d. 1566)
    • 1551 – Salomon Schweigger, German theologian (d. 1622)
    • 1606 – Vincentio Reinieri, Italian mathematician and astronomer (d. 1647)
    • 1632 – John Proctor, farmer hanged for witchcraft in the Salem witch trials (d. 1692)
    • 1640 – John Trenchard, English politician, Secretary of State for the Northern Department (d. 1695)
    • 1727 – Tommaso Traetta, Italian composer and educator (d. 1779)
    • 1746 – Francisco Goya, Spanish-French painter and sculptor (d. 1828)
    • 1750 – John Stafford Smith, English organist and composer (d. 1836)
    • 1793 – Juan Manuel de Rosas, Argentinian soldier and politician, 13th Governor of Buenos Aires Province (d. 1877)
    • 1805 – Ferdinand Johann Wiedemann, German-Swedish linguist and botanist (d. 1887)
    • 1811 – Robert Bunsen, German chemist and academic (d. 1899)
    • 1820 – Anna Sewell, English author (d. 1878)
    • 1820 – James Whyte, Scottish-Australian politician, 6th Premier of Tasmania (d. 1882)
    • 1844 – Paul Verlaine, French poet (d. 1896)
    • 1853 – Vincent van Gogh, Dutch-French painter and illustrator (d. 1890)
    • 1853 – Arnoldo Sartorio, German composer, pianist, and teacher (d. 1936)
    • 1857 – Léon Charles Thévenin, French engineer (d. 1926)
    • 1858 – Siegfried Alkan, German composer (d. 1941)
    • 1863 – Mary Calkins, American philosopher and psychologist (d. 1930)
    • 1864 – Franz Oppenheimer, German-American sociologist and economist (d. 1943)
    • 1874 – Charles Lightoller, English 2nd officer on the RMS Titanic (d. 1952)
    • 1874 – Josiah McCracken, American hammer thrower, shot putter, and football player (d. 1962)
    • 1874 – Nicolae Rădescu, Romanian general and politician, Prime Minister of Romania (d. 1953)
    • 1875 – Thomas Xenakis, Greek-American gymnast (d. 1942)
    • 1879 – Coen de Koning, Dutch speed skater (d. 1954)
    • 1880 – Seán O’Casey, Irish dramatist, playwright, and memoirist (d. 1964)
    • 1882 – Melanie Klein, Jewish Austrian-English psychologist and author (d. 1960)
    • 1888 – J. R. Williams, Canadian-born cartoonist (d. 1957)
    • 1891 – Chunseong, Korean monk, writer and philosopher (d. 1977)
    • 1892 – Stefan Banach, Polish mathematician and academic (d. 1945)
    • 1892 – Fortunato Depero, Italian painter and sculptor (d. 1960)
    • 1892 – Erhard Milch, German field marshal (d. 1972)
    • 1892 – Johannes Pääsuke, Estonian photographer and director (d. 1918)
    • 1892 – Erwin Panofsky, German historian and academic (d. 1968)
    • 1894 – Tommy Green, English race walker (d. 1975)
    • 1894 – Sergey Ilyushin, Russian engineer, founded Ilyushin Aircraft Company (d. 1977)
    • 1895 – Jean Giono, French author and poet (d. 1970)
    • 1895 – Carl Lutz, Swiss vice-consul to Hungary during WWII, credited with saving over 62,000 Jews (d. 1975)
    • 1895 – Charlie Wilson, English footballer (d. 1971)
    • 1899 – Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, Indian author, playwright, and screenwriter (d. 1970)
    • 1902 – Brooke Astor, American socialite and philanthropist (d. 2007)
    • 1902 – Ted Heath, English trombonist and composer (d. 1969)
    • 1903 – Joy Ridderhof, American missionary (d. 1984)
    • 1904 – Ripper Collins, American baseball player and coach (d. 1970)
    • 1905 – Archie Birkin, English motorcycle racer (d. 1927)
    • 1905 – Mikio Oda, Japanese triple jumper and academic (d. 1998)
    • 1905 – Albert Pierrepoint, English hangman (d. 1992)
    • 1907 – Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte, German general (d. 1994)
    • 1910 – Józef Marcinkiewicz, Polish soldier, mathematician, and academic (d. 1940)
    • 1911 – Ekrem Akurgal, Turkish archaeologist and academic (d. 2002)
    • 1912 – Jack Cowie, New Zealand cricketer (d. 1994)
    • 1912 – Alvin Hamilton, Canadian lieutenant and politician, 18th Canadian Minister of Agriculture (d. 2004)
    • 1913 – Marc Davis, American animator (d. 2000)
    • 1913 – Richard Helms, American soldier and diplomat, 8th Director of Central Intelligence (d. 2002)
    • 1913 – Frankie Laine, American singer-songwriter (d. 2007)
    • 1913 – Ċensu Tabone, Maltese general, physician, and politician, 4th President of Malta (d. 2012)
    • 1914 – Sonny Boy Williamson I, American singer-songwriter and harmonica player (d. 1948)
    • 1915 – Pietro Ingrao, Italian journalist and politician (d. 2015)
    • 1917 – Els Aarne, Ukrainian-Estonian pianist, composer, and educator (d. 1995)
    • 1919 – McGeorge Bundy, American intelligence officer and diplomat, 6th United States National Security Advisor (d. 1996)
    • 1919 – Robin M. Williams, New Zealand mathematician and academic (d. 2013)
    • 1921 – André Fontaine, French historian and journalist (d. 2013)
    • 1922 – Turhan Bey, American actor (d. 2012)
    • 1922 – Arthur Wightman, American physicist and academic (d. 2013)
    • 1923 – Milton Acorn, Canadian poet and playwright (d. 1986)
    • 1926 – Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish businessman, founded IKEA (d. 2018)
    • 1927 – Wally Grout, Australian cricketer (d. 1968)
    • 1928 – Robert Badinter, French lawyer and politician, French Minister of Justice
    • 1928 – Colin Egar, Australian cricket umpire (d. 2008)
    • 1928 – Tom Sharpe, English-Spanish author and educator (d. 2013)
    • 1929 – Richard Dysart, American actor (d. 2015)
    • 1929 – Ray Musto, American soldier and politician (d. 2014)
    • 1929 – István Rózsavölgyi, Hungarian runner (d. 2012)
    • 1930 – John Astin, American actor
    • 1930 – Rolf Harris, Australian singer-songwriter
    • 1933 – Jean-Claude Brialy, French actor and director (d. 2007)
    • 1934 – Paul Crouch, American broadcaster, co-founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network (d. 2013)
    • 1934 – Hans Hollein, Austrian architect and academic, designed Haas House (d. 2014)
    • 1935 – Karl Berger, German pianist and composer
    • 1935 – Willie Galimore, American football player (d. 1964)
    • 1935 – Gordon Mumma, American composer
    • 1937 – Warren Beatty, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1937 – Ian MacLaurin, Baron MacLaurin of Knebworth, English businessman
    • 1938 – John Barnhill, American basketball player and coach (d. 2013)
    • 1938 – Klaus Schwab, German economist and engineer, founded the World Economic Forum
    • 1940 – Norman Gifford, English cricketer
    • 1940 – Jerry Lucas, American basketball player and educator
    • 1940 – Hans Ragnemalm, Swedish lawyer and judge (d. 2016)
    • 1941 – Graeme Edge, English singer-songwriter and drummer
    • 1941 – Ron Johnston, English geographer and academic
    • 1941 – Wasim Sajjad, Pakistani lawyer and politician, President of Pakistan
    • 1941 – Bob Smith, American soldier and politician
    • 1942 – Ruben Kun, Nauruan lawyer and politician, 14th President of Nauru (d. 2014)
    • 1942 – Tane Norton, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1942 – Kenneth Welsh, Canadian actor
    • 1943 – Jay Traynor, American pop and doo-wop singer (d. 2014)
    • 1944 – Mark Wylea Erwin, American businessman and diplomat
    • 1944 – Brian Wilshire, Australian radio host
    • 1945 – Eric Clapton, English guitarist and singer-songwriter
    • 1947 – Dick Roche, Irish politician, Minister of State for European Affairs
    • 1947 – Terje Venaas, Norwegian bassist
    • 1948 – Nigel Jones, Baron Jones of Cheltenham, English computer programmer and politician
    • 1948 – Eddie Jordan, Irish racing driver and team owner, founded Jordan Grand Prix
    • 1948 – Mervyn King, English economist and academic
    • 1948 – Jim “Dandy” Mangrum, American rock singer
    • 1949 – Liza Frulla, Canadian talk show host and politician, 3rd Minister of Canadian Heritage
    • 1949 – Dana Gillespie, English singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1949 – Naomi Sims, American model and author (d. 2009)
    • 1950 – Janet Browne, English-American historian and academic
    • 1950 – Robbie Coltrane, Scottish actor
    • 1950 – Grady Little, American baseball player, coach, and manager
    • 1950 – Warren Snowdon, Australian educator and politician, 39th Australian Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
    • 1951 – Paul Da Vinci, English singer-songwriter
    • 1952 – Stuart Dryburgh, English-New Zealand cinematographer
    • 1952 – Peter Knights, Australian footballer and coach
    • 1955 – Randy VanWarmer, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2004)
    • 1956 – Bill Butler, Scottish educator and politician
    • 1956 – Juanito Oiarzabal, Spanish mountaineer
    • 1956 – Shahla Sherkat, Iranian journalist and author
    • 1957 – Marie-Christine Koundja, Chadian author and diplomat
    • 1957 – Paul Reiser, American actor and comedian
    • 1958 – Maurice LaMarche, Canadian voice actor and stand-up comedian
    • 1958 – Joey Sindelar, American golfer
    • 1959 – Martina Cole, English television host and author
    • 1960 – Laurie Graham, Canadian skier
    • 1960 – Bill Johnson, American skier (d. 2016)
    • 1961 – Mike Thackwell, New Zealand racing driver
    • 1961 – Doug Wickenheiser, Canadian-American ice hockey player (d. 1999)
    • 1962 – Mark Begich, American politician
    • 1962 – MC Hammer, American rapper and actor
    • 1962 – Gary Stevens, English international footballer, defender and manager
    • 1963 – Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, Mongolian journalist and politician, 4th President of Mongolia
    • 1963 – Eli-Eri Moura, Brazilian composer and conductor
    • 1963 – Panagiotis Tsalouchidis, Greek footballer
    • 1964 – Vlado Bozinovski, Macedonian-Australian footballer and manager
    • 1964 – Tracy Chapman, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1965 – Piers Morgan, English journalist and talk show host
    • 1966 – Efstratios Grivas, Greek chess player and author
    • 1966 – Dmitry Volkov, Russian swimmer
    • 1966 – Leonid Voloshin, Russian triple jumper
    • 1967 – Christopher Bowman, American figure skater and coach (d. 2008)
    • 1967 – Richard Hutten, Dutch furniture designer
    • 1967 – Julie Richardson, New Zealand tennis player
    • 1968 – Celine Dion, Canadian singer-songwriter
    • 1969 – Troy Bayliss, Australian motorcycle racer
    • 1970 – Tobias Hill, English poet and author
    • 1970 – Sylvain Charlebois, Canadian food/agriculture researcher and author
    • 1971 – Mari Holden, American cyclist
    • 1971 – Mark Consuelos, American actor and television personality
    • 1972 – Mili Avital, Israeli-American actress
    • 1972 – Emerson Thome, Brazilian footballer and scout
    • 1972 – Karel Poborský, Czech footballer
    • 1973 – Adam Goldstein, American keyboard player, DJ, and producer (d. 2009)
    • 1973 – Jan Koller, Czech footballer
    • 1973 – Kareem Streete-Thompson, Caymanian-American long jumper
    • 1974 – Martin Love, Australian cricketer
    • 1975 – Paul Griffen, New Zealand-Italian rugby player
    • 1976 – Ty Conklin, American ice hockey player
    • 1976 – Obadele Thompson, Barbadian sprinter
    • 1976 – Troels Lund Poulsen, Danish politician, Minister for Education of Denmark
    • 1977 – Abhishek Chaubey, Indian director and screenwriter
    • 1978 – Paweł Czapiewski, Polish runner
    • 1978 – Chris Paterson, Scottish rugby player and coach
    • 1978 – Bok van Blerk, South African singer-songwriter and actor
    • 1979 – Norah Jones, American singer-songwriter and pianist
    • 1979 – Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, Ukrainian footballer
    • 1980 – Ricardo Osorio, Mexican footballer
    • 1981 – Jammal Brown, American football player
    • 1981 – Andrea Masi, Italian rugby player
    • 1982 – Mark Hudson, English footballer
    • 1982 – Philippe Mexès, French footballer
    • 1982 – Javier Portillo, Spanish footballer
    • 1982 – Jason Dohring, American actor
    • 1983 – Jérémie Aliadière, French footballer
    • 1984 – Mario Ančić, Croatian tennis player
    • 1984 – Samantha Stosur, Australian tennis player
    • 1985 – Giacomo Ricci, Italian racing driver
    • 1986 – Sergio Ramos, Spanish footballer
    • 1987 – Trent Barreta, American wrestler
    • 1987 – Calum Elliot, Scottish footballer
    • 1987 – Kwok Kin Pong, Hong Kong footballer
    • 1987 – Marc-Édouard Vlasic, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1988 – Will Matthews, Australian rugby league player
    • 1988 – Thanasis Papazoglou, Greek footballer
    • 1988 – Richard Sherman, American football player
    • 1988 – Larisa Yurkiw, Canadian alpine skier
    • 1989 – Chris Sale, American baseball player
    • 1989 – João Sousa, Portuguese tennis player
    • 1990 – Thomas Rhett, American country music singer and songwriter
    • 1990 – Michal Březina, Czech figure skater
    • 1992 – Palak Muchhal, Indian playback singer
    • 1993 – Anitta, Brazilian singer and entertainer
    • 1994 – Jetro Willems, Dutch footballer
    • 1997 – Cha Eun-woo, South Korean singer and actor, A member of the South Korean boy band, Astro
    • 1998 – Kalyn Ponga, Australian rugby league player
    • 2000 – Colton Herta, American race car driver

    Deaths on March 30

    • 116 – Quirinus of Neuss, Roman martyr and saint
    • 365 – Ai of Jin, emperor of the Jin Dynasty (b. 341)
    • 943 – Li Bian, emperor of Southern Tang (b. 889)
    • 987 – Arnulf II, Count of Flanders (b. 960)
    • 1180 – Al-Mustadi, Caliph (b. 1142)
    • 1202 – Joachim of Fiore, Italian mystic and theologian (b. 1135)
    • 1465 – Isabella of Clermont, queen consort of Naples (b. c. 1424)
    • 1472 – Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy (b. 1435)
    • 1486 – Thomas Bourchier, English cardinal (b. 1404)
    • 1526 – Konrad Mutian, German humanist (b. 1471)
    • 1540 – Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg, German cardinal (b. 1469)
    • 1559 – Adam Ries, German mathematician and academic (b. 1492)
    • 1587 – Ralph Sadler, English politician, Secretary of State for England (b. 1507)
    • 1662 – François le Métel de Boisrobert, French poet and playwright (b. 1592)
    • 1689 – Kazimierz Łyszczyński, Polish atheist and philosopher (b. 1634)
    • 1707 – Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, French general and engineer (b. 1633)
    • 1764 – Pietro Locatelli, Italian violinist and composer (b. 1695)
    • 1783 – William Hunter, Scottish anatomist and physician (b. 1718)
    • 1804 – Victor-François, 2nd duc de Broglie, French general and politician, French Secretary of State for War (b. 1718)
    • 1806 – Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (b. 1757)
    • 1830 – Louis I, Grand Duke of Baden (b. 1763)
    • 1840 – Beau Brummell, English-French fashion designer (b. 1778)
    • 1842 – Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, French painter (b. 1755)
    • 1864 – Louis Schindelmeisser, German clarinet player, composer, and conductor (b. 1811)
    • 1873 – Bénédict Morel, Austrian-French psychiatrist and physician (b. 1809)
    • 1879 – Thomas Couture, French painter and educator (b. 1815)
    • 1886 – Joseph-Alfred Mousseau, Canadian judge and politician, 6th Premier of Quebec (b. 1838)
    • 1896 – Charilaos Trikoupis, Greek politician, 55th Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1832)
    • 1912 – Karl May, German author (b. 1842)
    • 1925 – Rudolf Steiner, Austrian philosopher and author (b. 1861)
    • 1935 – Romanos Melikian, Armenian composer (b. 1883)
    • 1936 – Conchita Supervía, Spanish soprano and actress (b. 1895)
    • 1940 – Sir John Gilmour, 2nd Baronet Scottish soldier and politician, Secretary of State for Scotland (b. 1876)
    • 1943 – Jan Bytnar, Polish lieutenant; WWII resistance fighter (b. 1921)
    • 1943 – Maciej Aleksy Dawidowski, Polish sergeant; WWII resistance fighter (b. 1920)
    • 1945 – Béla Balogh, Hungarian actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1885)
    • 1949 – Friedrich Bergius, German chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1884)
    • 1949 – Dattaram Hindlekar, Indian cricketer (b. 1909)
    • 1950 – Léon Blum, French lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of France (b. 1872)
    • 1952 – Jigme Wangchuck, Bhutanese king (b. 1905)
    • 1955 – Harl McDonald, American pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1899)
    • 1956 – Edmund Clerihew Bentley, English author and poet (b. 1875)
    • 1959 – Daniil Andreyev, Russian mystic and poet (b. 1906)
    • 1959 – John Auden, English solicitor, deputy coroner and a territorial soldier (b. 1894)
    • 1959 – Riccardo Zanella, Italian politician (b. 1875)
    • 1960 – Joseph Haas, German composer and educator (b. 1879)
    • 1961 – Philibert Jacques Melotte, English astronomer (b. 1880)
    • 1963 – Aleksandr Gauk, Russian conductor and composer (b. 1893)
    • 1964 – Nella Larsen, American nurse and author (b. 1891)
    • 1965 – Philip Showalter Hench, American physician and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1896)
    • 1966 – Newbold Morris, American lawyer and politician (b. 1902)
    • 1966 – Maxfield Parrish, American painter and illustrator (b. 1870)
    • 1966 – Erwin Piscator, German director and producer (b. 1893)
    • 1967 – Frank Thorpe, Australian public servant (b. 1885)
    • 1967 – Jean Toomer, American poet and novelist (b. 1894)
    • 1969 – Lucien Bianchi, Belgian racing driver (b. 1934)
    • 1970 – Heinrich Brüning, German economist and politician, Chancellor of Germany (b. 1885)
    • 1972 – Mahir Çayan, Turkish politician (b. 1946)
    • 1972 – Gabriel Heatter, American radio commentator (b. 1890)
    • 1973 – Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, Scottish pilot and politician (b. 1903)
    • 1973 – Yves Giraud-Cabantous, French racing driver (b. 1904)
    • 1975 – Peter Bamm, German journalist and author (b. 1897)
    • 1977 – Levko Revutsky, Ukrainian composer and educator (b. 1889)
    • 1978 – George Paine, English cricketer and coach (b. 1908)
    • 1978 – Memduh Tağmaç, Turkish general (b. 1904)
    • 1979 – Airey Neave, English colonel, lawyer, and politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (b. 1916)
    • 1979 – Ray Ventura, French pianist and bandleader (b. 1908)
    • 1981 – DeWitt Wallace, American publisher, co-founded Reader’s Digest (b. 1889)
    • 1984 – Karl Rahner, German-Austrian priest and theologian (b. 1904)
    • 1985 – Harold Peary, American actor and singer (b. 1908)
    • 1986 – James Cagney, American actor and dancer (b. 1899)
    • 1986 – John Ciardi, American poet and etymologist (b. 1916)
    • 1988 – Edgar Faure, French historian and politician, Prime Minister of France (b. 1908)
    • 1990 – Harry Bridges, Australian-born American activist and trade union leader (b. 1901)
    • 1992 – Manolis Andronikos, Greek archaeologist and academic (b. 1919)
    • 1993 – S. M. Pandit, Indian painter (b. 1916)
    • 1993 – Richard Diebenkorn, American painter (b. 1922)
    • 1995 – Rozelle Claxton, American pianist (b. 1913)
    • 1995 – Tony Lock, English-Australian cricketer and coach (b. 1929)
    • 1995 – Paul A. Rothchild, American record producer (b. 1935)
    • 1996 – Hugh Falkus, English pilot and author (b. 1917)
    • 1996 – Ryoei Saito, Japanese businessman (b. 1916)
    • 2000 – Rudolf Kirchschläger, Austrian judge and politician, 8th President of Austria (b. 1915)
    • 2002 – Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother of the United Kingdom (b. 1900)
    • 2002 – Anand Bakshi, Indian poet and lyricist (b. 1930)
    • 2003 – Michael Jeter, American actor (b. 1952)
    • 2003 – Valentin Pavlov, Russian banker and politician, 11th Prime Minister of the Soviet Union (b. 1937)
    • 2004 – Alistair Cooke, English-American journalist and author (b. 1908)
    • 2004 – Hubert Gregg, English actor and director (b. 1914)
    • 2004 – Michael King, New Zealand historian and author (b. 1945)
    • 2004 – Timi Yuro, American singer and songwriter (b. 1940)
    • 2005 – Robert Creeley, American novelist, essayist, and poet (b. 1926)
    • 2005 – Milton Green, American hurdler and soldier (b. 1913)
    • 2005 – Fred Korematsu, American political activist (b. 1919)
    • 2005 – O. V. Vijayan, Indian author and illustrator (b. 1930)
    • 2005 – Mitch Hedberg, American stand-up comedian (b. 1968)
    • 2006 – Red Hickey, American football player and coach (b. 1917)
    • 2006 – John McGahern, Irish author and educator (b. 1934)
    • 2007 – John Roberts, Canadian political scientist, academic, and politician, 46th Secretary of State for Canada (b. 1933)
    • 2008 – Roland Fraïssé, French mathematical logician (b. 1920)
    • 2008 – David Leslie, Scottish racing driver (b. 1953)
    • 2008 – Richard Lloyd, English racing driver (b. 1945)
    • 2008 – Dith Pran, Cambodian-American photographer and journalist (b. 1942)
    • 2010 – Jaime Escalante, Bolivian-American educator (b. 1930)
    • 2010 – Morris R. Jeppson, American lieutenant and physicist (b. 1922)
    • 2010 – Martin Sandberger, German SS officer (b. 1911)
    • 2012 – Janet Anderson Perkin, Canadian baseball player and curler (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – Aquila Berlas Kiani, Indian-Canadian sociologist and academic (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – Francesco Mancini, Italian footballer and coach (b. 1968)
    • 2012 – Granville Semmes, American businessman, founded 1-800-Flowers (b. 1928)
    • 2012 – Leonid Shebarshin, Russian KGB officer (b. 1935)
    • 2013 – Daniel Hoffman, American poet and academic (b. 1923)
    • 2013 – Bobby Parks, American basketball player and coach (b. 1962)
    • 2013 – Phil Ramone, South African-American songwriter and producer, co-founded A & R Recording (b. 1934)
    • 2013 – Edith Schaeffer, Chinese-Swiss religious leader and author, co-founded L’Abri (b. 1914)
    • 2013 – Bob Turley, American baseball player and coach (b. 1930)
    • 2014 – Ray Hutchison, American lawyer and politician (b. 1932)
    • 2014 – Kate O’Mara, English actress (b. 1939)
    • 2015 – Helmut Dietl, German director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1944)
    • 2015 – Roger Slifer, American author, illustrator, screenwriter, and producer (b. 1954)
    • 2015 – Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld, Dutch astronomer and academic (b. 1921)
    • 2018 – Bill Maynard, English actor (b. 1928)
    • 2020 – Bill Withers, American musician (b. 1938)

    Holidays and observances on March 30

    • Christian feast day:
      • Blessed Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy
      • Blessed Maria Restituta Kafka
      • John Climacus
      • Mamertinus of Auxerre
      • Quirinus of Neuss
      • Thomas Son Chasuhn, Marie-Nicolas-Antoine Daveluy (part of The Korean Martyrs)
      • Tola of Clonard
      • March 30 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Earliest day on which the first day of Hocktide can fall, while April 3 is the latest; observed on the second Monday after Easter. (Hungerford, England; popular in medieval England)
    • Land Day (Palestine)
    • National Doctors’ Day (United States)
    • Spiritual Baptist/Shouter Liberation Day (Trinidad and Tobago)
    • School Day of Non-violence and Peace (Spain)

  • March 23 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 1400 – The Trần dynasty of Vietnam is deposed, after one hundred and seventy-five years of rule, by Hồ Quý Ly, a court official.
    • 1540 – Waltham Abbey is surrendered to King Henry VIII of England; the last religious community to be closed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
    • 1568 – The Peace of Longjumeau is signed, ending the second phase of the French Wars of Religion.
    • 1708 – James Francis Edward Stuart lands at the Firth of Forth as part of the planned French invasion of Britain.
    • 1775 – American Revolutionary War: Patrick Henry delivers his speech – “Give me liberty, or give me death!” – at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia.
    • 1801 – Tsar Paul I of Russia is struck with a sword, then strangled, and finally trampled to death inside his bedroom at St. Michael’s Castle.
    • 1806 – After traveling through the Louisiana Purchase and reaching the Pacific Ocean, explorers Lewis and Clark and their “Corps of Discovery” begin their arduous journey home.
    • 1821 – Greek War of Independence: Battle and fall of city of Kalamata.
    • 1848 – The ship John Wickliffe arrives at Port Chalmers carrying the first Scottish settlers for Dunedin, New Zealand. Otago province is founded.
    • 1857 – Elisha Otis’s first elevator is installed at 488 Broadway New York City.
    • 1862 – American Civil War: The First Battle of Kernstown, Virginia, marks the start of Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign. Although a Confederate defeat, the engagement distracts Federal efforts to capture Richmond.
    • 1868 – The University of California is founded in Oakland, California when the Organic Act is signed into law.
    • 1879 – War of the Pacific: The Battle of Topáter, the first battle of the war is fought between Chile and the joint forces of Bolivia and Peru.
    • 1885 – Sino-French War: Chinese victory in the Battle of Phu Lam Tao near Hưng Hóa, northern Vietnam.
    • 1888 – In England, The Football League, the world’s oldest professional association football league, meets for the first time.
    • 1889 – The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is established by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in Qadian, British India.
    • 1901 – Emilio Aguinaldo, only President of the First Philippine Republic, was captured at Palanan, Isabela by the forces of General Frederick Funston.
    • 1905 – Eleftherios Venizelos calls for Crete’s union with Greece, and begins what is to be known as the Theriso revolt.
    • 1909 – Theodore Roosevelt leaves New York for a post-presidency safari in Africa. The trip is sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and National Geographic Society.
    • 1918 – First World War: On the third day of the German Spring Offensive, the 10th Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment is annihilated with many of the men becoming prisoners of war
    • 1919 – In Milan, Italy, Benito Mussolini founds his Fascist political movement.
    • 1931 – Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar are hanged for the killing of a deputy superintendent of police during the Indian independence movement.
    • 1933 – The Reichstag passes the Enabling Act of 1933, making Adolf Hitler dictator of Germany.
    • 1935 – Signing of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.
    • 1939 – The Hungarian air force attacks the headquarters of the Slovak air force in Spišská Nová Ves, killing 13 people and beginning the Slovak–Hungarian War.
    • 1940 – The Lahore Resolution (Qarardad-e-Pakistan or Qarardad-e-Lahore) is put forward at the Annual General Convention of the All-India Muslim League.
    • 1956 – Pakistan becomes the first Islamic republic in the world. This date is now celebrated as Republic Day in Pakistan.
    • 1965 – NASA launches Gemini 3, the United States’ first two-man space flight (crew: Gus Grissom and John Young).
    • 1977 – The first of The Nixon Interviews (12 will be recorded over four weeks) is videotaped with British journalist David Frost interviewing former United States President Richard Nixon about the Watergate scandal and the Nixon tapes.
    • 1978 – The first UNIFIL troops arrived in Lebanon for peacekeeping mission along the Blue Line.
    • 1980 – Archbishop Óscar Romero of El Salvador gives his famous speech appealing to men of the El Salvadoran armed forces to stop killing the Salvadorans.
    • 1982 – Guatemala’s government, headed by Fernando Romeo Lucas García is overthrown in a military coup by right-wing General Efraín Ríos Montt.
    • 1983 – Strategic Defense Initiative: President Ronald Reagan makes his initial proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles.
    • 1991 – The Revolutionary United Front, with support from the special forces of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia, invades Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow Joseph Saidu Momoh, sparking the 11-year Sierra Leone Civil War.
    • 1994 – At an election rally in Tijuana, Mexican presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio is assassinated by Mario Aburto Martínez.
    • 1994 – A United States Air Force (USAF) F-16 aircraft collides with a USAF C-130 at Pope Air Force Base and then crashes, killing 24 United States Army soldiers on the ground. This later became known as the Green Ramp disaster.
    • 1994 – Aeroflot Flight 593 crashed into the Kuznetsk Alatau mountain, Kemerovo Oblast, Russia, killing 75.
    • 1996 – Taiwan holds its first direct elections and chooses Lee Teng-hui as President.
    • 1999 – Gunmen assassinate Paraguay’s Vice President Luis María Argaña.
    • 2001 – The Russian Mir space station is disposed of, breaking up in the atmosphere before falling into the southern Pacific Ocean near Fiji.
    • 2003 – Battle of Nasiriyah, first major conflict during the invasion of Iraq.
    • 2008 – Official opening of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, India
    • 2009 – FedEx Express Flight 80: A McDonnell Douglas MD-11 flying from Guangzhou, China crashes at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, killing both the captain and the co-pilot.
    • 2018 – President of Peru Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigns from the presidency amid a mass corruption scandal before certain impeachment by the opposition-majority Congress of Peru.
    • 2019 – The Kazakh capital of Astana was renamed to Nur-Sultan.
    • 2019 – The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces declared military victory over the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant after four years of fighting, although the group maintains a scattered presence and sleeper cells across Syria and Iraq.

    Births on March 23

    • 1338 – Emperor Go-Kōgon of Japan (d. 1374)
    • 1430 – Margaret of Anjou (d. 1482)
    • 1514 – Lorenzino de’ Medici, Italian writer and assassin (d. 1548)
    • 1599 – Thomas Selle, German composer (d. 1663)
    • 1614 – Jahanara Begum, Mughal princess (d. 1681)
    • 1643 – Mary of Jesus de León y Delgado, Spanish Dominican lay sister and mystic (d. 1731)
    • 1699 – John Bartram, American botanist and explorer (d. 1777)
    • 1732 – Princess Marie Adélaïde of France (d. 1800)
    • 1749 – Pierre-Simon Laplace, French mathematician and astronomer (d. 1827)
    • 1750 – Johannes Matthias Sperger, Austrian bassist and composer (d. 1812)
    • 1754 – Jurij Vega, Slovene mathematician, physicist and artillery officer (d. 1802)
    • 1769 – Augustin Daniel Belliard, French general and diplomat (d. 1832)
    • 1769 – William Smith, English geologist and cartographer (d. 1839)
    • 1823 – Schuyler Colfax, American journalist and politician, 17th Vice President of the United States (d. 1885)
    • 1826 – Ludwig Minkus, Austrian violinist and composer (d. 1917)
    • 1834 – Julius Reubke, German pianist and composer (d. 1858)
    • 1838 – Marie Adam-Doerrer, Swiss women’s rights activist and unionist (d. 1908)
    • 1842 – Friedrich Amelung, Estonian-German historian, businessman and composer (d. 1909)
    • 1842 – Susan Jane Cunningham, American mathematician (d. 1921)
    • 1858 – Ludwig Quidde, German activist and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1941)
    • 1862 – Nathaniel Reed, American criminal (d. 1950)
    • 1868 – Dietrich Eckart, German journalist and politician (d. 1923)
    • 1869 – Emilio Aguinaldo, Filipino general and politician, 1st President of the Philippines (d. 1964)
    • 1869 – Calouste Gulbenkian, Turkish-Armenian businessman and philanthropist (d. 1955)
    • 1872 – Michael Joseph Savage, Australian-New Zealand union leader and politician, 23rd Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1940)
    • 1874 – Grantley Goulding, English hurdler (d. 1947)
    • 1874 – J. C. Leyendecker, German-American painter and illustrator (d. 1951)
    • 1876 – Ziya Gökalp, Turkish sociologist, poet and activist (d. 1924)
    • 1876 – Thakin Kodaw Hmaing, Burmese poet, writer and political leader (d. 1964)
    • 1878 – Franz Schreker, Austrian composer and conductor (d. 1934)
    • 1880 – Heikki Ritavuori, Finnish lawyer and politician, Finnish Minister of the Interior (d. 1922)
    • 1881 – Lacey Hearn, American sprinter (d. 1969)
    • 1881 – Roger Martin du Gard, French novelist and paleographer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1958)
    • 1881 – Hermann Staudinger, German chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1965)
    • 1882 – Emmy Noether, Jewish German-American mathematician, physicist and academic (d. 1935)
    • 1884 – Joseph Boxhall, English sailor (d. 1967)
    • 1885 – Platt Adams, American jumper and politician (d. 1961)
    • 1885 – Roque González Garza, Mexican general and acting president (1915) (d. 1962)
    • 1886 – Frank Irons, American long jumper (d. 1942)
    • 1887 – Josef Čapek, Czech painter and poet (d. 1945)
    • 1887 – Rudolf Kinau, German author (d. 1975)
    • 1887 – Juan Gris, Spanish painter and sculptor (d. 1927)
    • 1887 – Sidney Hillman, Lithuanian-born American labor leader (d. 1946)
    • 1891 – Po Kya, Burmese author and educationist (d. 1942)
    • 1893 – Cedric Gibbons, Irish-American art director and production designer (d. 1960)
    • 1893 – Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu, Indian engineer and businessman (d. 1974)
    • 1894 – Arthur Grimsdell, English international footballer wing half and cricketer (d. 1963)
    • 1895 – Encarnacion Alzona, Filipino historian and educator (d. 2001)
    • 1895 – Dane Rudhyar, French-American astrologer, author and composer (d. 1985)
    • 1898 – Louis Adamic, Slovenian-American author, translator and politician (d. 1951)
    • 1898 – Madeleine de Bourbon-Busset, Duchess of Parma (d. 1984)
    • 1899 – Dora Gerson, German actress and singer (d. 1943)
    • 1900 – Erich Fromm, German psychologist and sociologist (d. 1980)
    • 1901 – Bon Maharaja, Indian guru and religious writer (d. 1982)
    • 1903 – Frank Sargeson, New Zealand author (d. 1982)
    • 1904 – Joan Crawford, American film actress (d. 1977)
    • 1905 – Lale Andersen, German chanson singer-songwriter (d. 1972)
    • 1907 – Daniel Bovet, Swiss-Italian pharmacologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1992)
    • 1909 – Charles Werner, American cartoonist (d. 1997)
    • 1910 – Jerry Cornes, English runner, colonial officer and educator (d. 2001)
    • 1910 – Akira Kurosawa, Japanese director, producer and screenwriter (d. 1998)
    • 1912 – Eleanor Cameron, Canadian-American author and critic (d. 1996)
    • 1912 – Neil McCorkell, English-South African cricketer and coach (d. 2013)
    • 1912 – Wernher von Braun, German-American physicist and engineer (d. 1977)
    • 1913 – Abidin Dino, Turko-French painter and illustrator (d. 1993)
    • 1914 – Milbourne Christopher, American magician and author (d. 1984)
    • 1915 – Mary Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe (d. 2014)
    • 1915 – Vasily Zaytsev, Russian captain (d. 1991)
    • 1917 – Harry Cranbrook Allen, English historian (d. 1998)
    • 1918 – Stanley Armour Dunham, American sergeant (d. 1992)
    • 1918 – Helene Hale, American politician (d. 2013)
    • 1918 – Naoki Kazu, Japanese football player (d.1940s)
    • 1919 – Carl Graffunder, American architect and educator (d. 2013)
    • 1920 – Neal Edward Smith, American pilot, lawyer and politician
    • 1920 – Tetsuharu Kawakami, Japanese baseball player and manager (d. 2013)
    • 1921 – Donald Campbell, English race car driver (d. 1967)
    • 1921 – Peter Lawler, Australian public servant (d. 2017)
    • 1922 – Marty Allen, American comedian and actor (d. 2018)
    • 1922 – Ugo Tognazzi, Italian actor (d. 1990)
    • 1923 – Angelo Ingrassia, American soldier and judge (d. 2013)
    • 1924 – Rodney Mims Cook, Sr., American lieutenant and politician (d. 2013)
    • 1924 – Bette Nesmith Graham, American inventor, invented Liquid Paper (d. 1980)
    • 1924 – Olga Kennard, English crystallographer and academic
    • 1924 – John Madin, English architect (d. 2012)
    • 1925 – David Watkin, English cinematographer (d. 2008)
    • 1929 – Roger Bannister, English runner, neurologist and academic (d. 2018)
    • 1929 – Michael Manser, English architect and engineer (d. 2016)
    • 1931 – Yevgeny Grishin, Russian speed skater (d. 2005)
    • 1931 – Viktor Korchnoi, Russian chess player and author (d. 2016)
    • 1931 – Yevdokiya Mekshilo, Russian skier (d. 2013)
    • 1932 – Don Marshall, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1933 – Norman Bailey, English opera singer and educator
    • 1933 – Philip Zimbardo, American psychologist and academic
    • 1934 – Ludvig Faddeev, Russian mathematician and physicist (d. 2017)
    • 1934 – Mark Rydell, American actor, director and producer
    • 1935 – Barry Cryer, English comedian, actor and screenwriter
    • 1936 – Jannis Kounellis, Greek painter and sculptor (d. 2017)
    • 1937 – Craig Breedlove, American race car driver
    • 1937 – Tony Burton, American actor, comedian, boxer and football player (d. 2016)
    • 1937 – Robert Gallo, American physician and academic
    • 1938 – Jon Finlayson, Australian actor and screenwriter (d. 2012)
    • 1942 – Michael Haneke, Austrian director, producer and screenwriter
    • 1942 – Jimmy Miller, American record producer and musician (d. 1994)
    • 1942 – Walter Rodney, Guyanese historian, scholar and activist (d. 1980)
    • 1943 – Andrew Crockett, Scottish-English economist and banker (d. 2012)
    • 1943 – Nils-Aslak Valkeapää, Finnish singer, author and director (d. 2001)
    • 1944 – B. P. Gavrilov, Russian rugby player (d. 2006)
    • 1944 – Tony McPhee, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1944 – Michael Nyman, English composer of minimalist music and pianist
    • 1945 – Franco Battiato, Italian singer-songwriter and director
    • 1945 – David Grisman, American mandolin player and composer
    • 1946 – Alan Bleasdale, English screenwriter and producer
    • 1947 – Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, American author
    • 1948 – Wasim Bari, Pakistani cricketer
    • 1948 – Marie Malavoy, German-Canadian educator and politician
    • 1949 – Ric Ocasek, American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer (d. 2019)
    • 1950 – Corinne Cléry, French actress
    • 1950 – Phil Lanzon, English keyboard player and songwriter
    • 1950 – Ahdaf Soueif, Egyptian author and translator
    • 1951 – Ron Jaworski, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1951 – Adrian Reynard, English businessman, founded Reynard Motorsport
    • 1952 – Francesco Clemente, Italian painter and illustrator
    • 1952 – Kent Lambert, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1952 – Kim Stanley Robinson, American author
    • 1952 – Rex Tillerson, American businessman, engineer and diplomat; 69th United States Secretary of State
    • 1953 – Bo Díaz, Venezuelan baseball player (d. 1990)
    • 1953 – Chaka Khan, American singer-songwriter
    • 1953 – Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Indian zoologist and businesswoman
    • 1954 – Geno Auriemma, Italian-American basketball player and coach
    • 1954 – Kenneth Cole, American fashion designer, founded Kenneth Cole Productions
    • 1954 – Paul Price, English born, Welsh international footballer, defender and manager
    • 1955 – Moses Malone, American basketball player and sportscaster (d. 2015)
    • 1956 – José Manuel Barroso, Portuguese academic and politician, 115th Prime Minister of Portugal
    • 1957 – Lucio Gutiérrez, Ecuadorian politician, 52nd President of Ecuador
    • 1957 – Robbie James, Welsh footballer and manager (d. 1998)
    • 1957 – Amanda Plummer, American actress
    • 1958 – Etienne De Wilde, Belgian cyclist
    • 1958 – Bengt-Åke Gustafsson, Swedish ice hockey player and coach
    • 1958 – Hugh Grant, Scottish business executive
    • 1959 – Catherine Keener, American actress
    • 1960 – Nicol Stephen, Baron Stephen, Scottish lawyer and politician, 2nd Deputy First Minister of Scotland
    • 1961 – Roger Crisp, English philosopher and academic
    • 1961 – Craig Green, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1961 – Helmi Johannes, Indonesian journalist and producer
    • 1962 – Steve Redgrave, English rower
    • 1963 – Míchel, Spanish footballer and manager
    • 1963 – Juan Ramón López Caro, Spanish footballer and manager
    • 1963 – Ana Fidelia Quirot, Cuban runner
    • 1964 – Hope Davis, American actress
    • 1965 – Gary Whitehead, American poet and painter
    • 1966 – Lorenzo Daniel, American sprinter
    • 1966 – Vasilis Vouzas, Greek footballer and manager
    • 1968 – Damon Albarn, English singer-songwriter, producer and actor
    • 1968 – Mike Atherton, English cricketer and journalist
    • 1968 – Fernando Hierro, Spanish footballer and manager
    • 1968 – Pierre Palmade, French actor and screenwriter
    • 1971 – Yasmeen Ghauri, Canadian model
    • 1971 – Gail Porter, Scottish model and television host
    • 1971 – Alexander Selivanov, Russian ice hockey player
    • 1971 – Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Japanese wrestler
    • 1972 – Jonas Björkman, Swedish-Monégasque tennis player and coach
    • 1972 – Joe Calzaghe, Welsh boxer
    • 1972 – Judith Godrèche, French actress and author
    • 1973 – Jerzy Dudek, Polish footballer
    • 1973 – Wim Eyckmans, Belgian race car driver
    • 1973 – Jason Kidd, American basketball player and coach
    • 1974 – Randall Park, American actor, director and screenwriter
    • 1975 – Burak Gürpınar, Turkish drummer
    • 1975 – Andy Turner, English footballer, winger and manager
    • 1976 – Chris Hoy, Scottish cyclist and race car driver
    • 1976 – Smriti Irani, Indian actress, producer and politician, Indian Minister of Human Resource Development
    • 1976 – Dougie Lampkin, English motorcycle racer
    • 1976 – Michelle Monaghan, American actress
    • 1976 – Joel Peralta, Dominican baseball player
    • 1976 – Keri Russell, American actress
    • 1976 – Ricardo Zonta, Brazilian race car driver
    • 1976 – Sa Beining, Chinese host
    • 1977 – Miklos Perlus, Canadian actor and screenwriter
    • 1978 – Simon Gärdenfors, Swedish illustrator
    • 1978 – Walter Samuel, Argentinian footballer
    • 1979 – Mark Buehrle, American baseball player
    • 1979 – Donncha O’Callaghan, Irish rugby player
    • 1981 – Erin Crocker, American race car driver
    • 1981 – Tony Peña, Jr., Dominican baseball player
    • 1981 – Shelley Rudman, English bobsledder
    • 1981 – Giuseppe Sculli, Italian footballer
    • 1981 – Brett Young, American country music singer
    • 1982 – José Contreras Arrau, Chilean footballer
    • 1982 – Andrea Musacco, Italian footballer
    • 1982 – Evgeni Striganov, Estonian ice dancer
    • 1983 – Hakan Balta, Turkish footballer
    • 1983 – Mo Farah, Somali-English runner
    • 1983 – Sascha Riether, German international footballer
    • 1983 – Jerome Thomas, English footballer
    • 1984 – Ryan Araña, Filipino basketball player
    • 1984 – Brandon Marshall, American football player
    • 1985 – Maurice Jones-Drew, American football player
    • 1985 – Bethanie Mattek-Sands, American tennis player
    • 1986 – Patrick Bordeleau, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1986 – Andrea Dovizioso, Italian motorcycle racer
    • 1986 – Brett Eldredge, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1986 – Kangana Ranaut, Indian actress
    • 1987 – Alan Toovey, Australian footballer
    • 1988 – Dellin Betances, American baseball player
    • 1988 – Jason Kenny, English cyclist
    • 1988 – Michal Neuvirth, Czech ice hockey player
    • 1989 – Ayesha Curry, Canadian-American chef, author and television personality
    • 1989 – Nikola Gulan, Serbian footballer
    • 1989 – Sarah McKenna, English rugby player
    • 1989 – Luis Fernando Silva, Mexican footballer
    • 1990 – Jaime Alguersuari, Spanish race car driver
    • 1990 – Robert Zickert, German footballer
    • 1991 – Gregg Wylde, Scottish footballer
    • 1992 – Tolga Ciğerci, German-Turkish footballer
    • 1992 – Kyrie Irving, Australian-American basketball player
    • 1993 – Kyle Lovett, Australian rugby league player
    • 1993 – Aytaç Kara, Turkish footballer
    • 1994 – Nick Powell, English footballer
    • 1995 – Kevin Kauber, Estonian footballer
    • 1995 – Jan Lisiecki, Canadian pianist
    • 1995 – Ozan Tufan, Turkish footballer
    • 1996 – Alexander Albon, Thai-British race car driver

    Deaths on March 23

    • 851 – Zhou Chi, Chinese historian and politician (b. 793)
    • 1022 – Zhen Zong, Chinese emperor (b. 968)
    • 1103 – Eudes I, duke of Burgundy (b. 1058)
    • 1361 – Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster, English politician, Lord High Steward of England (b. 1310)
    • 1369 – Peter, king of Castile and León (b. 1334)
    • 1483 – Yolande, duchess of Lorraine (b. 1428)
    • 1548 – Itagaki Nobukata, Japanese samurai (b. 1489)
    • 1555 – Julius III, pope of the Catholic Church (b. 1487)
    • 1559 – Gelawdewos, Ethiopian emperor (b. 1521)
    • 1596 – Henry Unton, English diplomat (b. 1557)
    • 1606 – Justus Lipsius, Flemish philologist and scholar (b. 1547)
    • 1618 – James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Abercorn, Scottish police officer and politician (b. 1575)
    • 1629 – Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland, English landowner and politician (b. 1580)
    • 1675 – Anthoni van Noordt, Dutch organist and composer (b. 1619)
    • 1680 – Nicolas Fouquet, French politician (b. 1615)
    • 1742 – Jean-Baptiste Dubos, French historian and author (b. 1670)
    • 1747 – Claude Alexandre de Bonneval, French general (b. 1675)
    • 1748 – Johann Gottfried Walther, German organist and composer (b. 1684)
    • 1754 – Johann Jakob Wettstein, Swiss theologian and critic (b. 1693)
    • 1783 – Charles Carroll, English barrister and politician (b. 1723)
    • 1801 – Paul I, Russian emperor (b. 1754)
    • 1842 – Stendhal, French novelist (b. 1783)
    • 1862 – Manuel Robles Pezuela, Unconstitutional Mexican interim president, 1858–1859 (b. 1817)
    • 1883 – Arthur Macalister, Scottish-Australian politician, 2nd Premier of Queensland (b. 1818)
    • 1884 – Henry C. Lord, American businessman (b. 1824)
    • 1910 – Nadar, French photographer, journalist, and author (b. 1820)
    • 1914 – Rafqa Pietra Choboq Ar-Rayès, Lebanese saint (b. 1832)
    • 1923 – Hovhannes Tumanyan, Armenian poet and author (b. 1869)
    • 1927 – Paul César Helleu, French painter and etcher (b. 1859)
    • 1931 – Shivaram Rajguru, Indian activist (b. 1908)
    • 1931 – Bhagat Singh, Indian activist (b. 1907)
    • 1931 – Sukhdev Thapar, Indian activist (b. 1907)
    • 1953 – Raoul Dufy, French painter and illustrator (b. 1877)
    • 1953 – Oskar Luts, Estonian author and playwright (b. 1887)
    • 1955 – Arthur Bernardes, Brazilian politician, 12th President of Brazil (b. 1875)
    • 1960 – Franklin Pierce Adams, American journalist and author (b. 1881)
    • 1960 – Said Nursî, Turkish theologian and scholar (b. 1878)
    • 1961 – Albert Bloch, American painter and educator (b. 1882)
    • 1961 – Jack Russell, English cricketer (b. 1887)
    • 1963 – Thoralf Skolem, Norwegian mathematician and logician (b. 1887)
    • 1964 – Peter Lorre, American actor (b. 1904)
    • 1965 – Mae Murray, American actress, dancer, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1885)
    • 1968 – Edwin O’Connor, American journalist and author (b. 1918)
    • 1972 – Cristóbal Balenciaga, Spanish fashion designer, founded Balenciaga (b. 1895)
    • 1973 – Bertram Stevens, Australian accountant and politician, 25th Premier of New South Wales (b. 1889)
    • 1978 – Haim Ernst Wertheimer, Israeli biochemist and academic (b. 1893)
    • 1979 – Ted Anderson, English footballer (b. 1911)
    • 1980 – Arthur Melvin Okun, American economist and academic (b. 1928)
    • 1981 – Beatrice Tinsley, English-New Zealand astronomer and cosmologist (b. 1941)
    • 1981 – Mike Hailwood, English motorcyclist (b. 1940)
    • 1985 – Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching, English physicist and engineer (b. 1913)
    • 1985 – Peter Charanis, Greek-American scholar and educator (b. 1908)
    • 1987 – Olev Roomet, Estonian singer and violinist (b. 1901)
    • 1990 – John Dexter, English director and producer (b. 1925)
    • 1991 – Margaret Atwood Judson, American historian and author (b. 1899)
    • 1991 – Parkash Singh, Indian soldier, Victoria Cross recipient (b. 1913)
    • 1992 – Friedrich Hayek, Austrian-German economist, philosopher, and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1899)
    • 1992 – Ron Lapointe, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1949)
    • 1994 – Luis Donaldo Colosio, Mexican economist and politician (b. 1950)
    • 1994 – Giulietta Masina, Italian actress (b. 1921)
    • 1995 – Davie Cooper, Scottish footballer and coach (b. 1956)
    • 1999 – Luis María Argaña, Paraguayan judge and politician, Vice President of Paraguay (b. 1932)
    • 1999 – Osmond Borradaile, Canadian director and cinematographer (b. 1898)
    • 2001 – Rowland Evans, American journalist (b. 1921)
    • 2001 – Margaret Jones, British archaeologist (b. 1916)
    • 2001 – Robert Laxalt, American author (b. 1923)
    • 2001 – David McTaggart, Canadian badminton player and environmentalist (b. 1932)
    • 2002 – Eileen Farrell, American soprano (b. 1920)
    • 2002 – Ben Hollioake, Australian-English cricketer (b. 1977)
    • 2003 – Fritz Spiegl, Austrian-English flute player and journalist (b. 1926)
    • 2004 – Rupert Hamer, Australian soldier, lawyer, and politician, 39th Premier of Victoria (b. 1916)
    • 2006 – David B. Bleak, American sergeant, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1932)
    • 2006 – Desmond Doss, American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1919)
    • 2006 – Cindy Walker, American singer-songwriter and dancer (b. 1918)
    • 2007 – Paul Cohen, American mathematician and theorist (b. 1934)
    • 2007 – Eric Medlen, American race car driver (b. 1973)
    • 2008 – Vaino Vahing, Estonian psychiatrist, author, and playwright (b. 1940)
    • 2009 – Ghukas Chubaryan, Armenian sculptor (b. 1923)
    • 2009 – Raúl Macías, Mexican boxer and trainer (b. 1934)
    • 2011 – Jean Bartik, American computer scientist and engineer (b. 1924)
    • 2011 – Rosario Morales, Puerto Rican poet and writer (b.1930)
    • 2011 – Elizabeth Taylor, American-British actress, socialite and humanitarian (b. 1932)
    • 2012 – Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, Somalian politician, President of Somalia (b. 1934)
    • 2012 – Jim Duffy, American animator, director, and producer (b. 1937)
    • 2012 – Naji Talib, Iraqi politician, 52nd Prime Minister of Iraq (b. 1917)
    • 2012 – Lonnie Wright, American basketball and football player (b. 1945)
    • 2013 – Boris Berezovsky, Russian-born Soviet-British mathematician and businessman (b. 1946)
    • 2013 – Onofre Corpuz, Filipino economist, historian, and academic (b. 1926)
    • 2013 – Virgil Trucks, American baseball player and coach (b. 1917)
    • 2013 – Joe Weider, Canadian-American bodybuilder and publisher, co-founded the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness (b. 1919)
    • 2014 – Dave Brockie, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and bass player (b. 1963)
    • 2014 – Jaroslav Šerých, Czech painter and illustrator (b. 1928)
    • 2014 – Adolfo Suárez, Spanish lawyer and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Spain (b. 1932)
    • 2015 – Gian Vittorio Baldi, Italian director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1930)
    • 2015 – Lee Kuan Yew, Singaporean lawyer and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Singapore (b. 1923)
    • 2015 – Bobby Lowther, American basketball player and lieutenant (b. 1923)
    • 2015 – Lil’ Chris, English singer-songwriter, actor, and television personality (b. 1990)
    • 2016 – Joe Garagiola, Sr., American baseball player and sportscaster (b. 1926)
    • 2016 – Ken Howard, American actor (b. 1944)

    Holidays and observances on March 23

    • Christian feast day:
      • Gregory the Illuminator (Episcopal Church)
      • Gwinear
      • Joseph Oriol
      • Ottone Frangipane
      • Rafqa Pietra Choboq Ar-Rayès (Maronite Church)
      • Turibius of Mogrovejo
      • Victorian, Frumentius and Companions
      • March 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Day of Hungarian-Polish Friendship (Hungary and Poland)
    • Day of the Sea (Bolivia)
    • Earliest day on which Easter Monday can fall, while April 26 is the latest; celebrated on Monday after Easter. (Western Christianity)
      • Family Day (South Africa)
      • Śmigus-Dyngus (Poland, Ukraine), Polish diaspora communities)
    • Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Day (Azerbaijan)
    • Pakistan Day (Pakistan)
    • Promised Messiah Day (Ahmadiyya)
    • World Meteorological Day

  • March 16- History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    March 16 in History

    • 934 – Meng Zhixiang declares himself emperor and establishes Later Shu as a new state independent of Later Tang.
    • 1190 – Massacre of Jews at Clifford’s Tower, York.
    • 1244 – Over 200 Cathars who refuse to recant are burned to death after the Fall of Montségur.
    • 1322 – The Battle of Boroughbridge takes place in the Despenser Wars.
    • 1521 – Ferdinand Magellan reaches the island of Homonhon in the Philippines.
    • 1621 – Samoset, a Mohegan, visited the settlers of Plymouth Colony and greets them, “Welcome, Englishmen! My name is Samoset.”
    • 1660 – The Long Parliament of England is dissolved so as to prepare for the new Convention Parliament.
    • 1689 – The 23rd Regiment of Foot, or Royal Welch Fusiliers, is founded.
    • 1782 – American Revolutionary War: Spanish troops capture the British-held island of Roatán.
    • 1782 – Anglo-Spanish War (1779): Action of 16 March 1782.
    • 1792 – King Gustav III of Sweden is shot; he dies on March 29.
    • 1797 – French Revolutionary Wars: An Austrian column is defeated by the French in the Battle of Valvasone.
    • 1802 – The Army Corps of Engineers is established to found and operate the United States Military Academy at West Point.
    • 1812 – The Siege of Badajoz begins: British and Portuguese forces besiege and defeat the French garrison during the Peninsular War.
    • 1815 – Prince Willem proclaims himself King of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, the first constitutional monarch in the Netherlands.
    • 1818 – In the Second Battle of Cancha Rayada, Spanish forces defeated Chileans under José de San Martín.
    • 1864 – American Civil War: During the Red River Campaign, Union troops reach Alexandria, Louisiana.
    • 1865 – American Civil War: The Battle of Averasborough began as Confederate forces suffer irreplaceable casualties in the final months of the war.
    • 1870 – The first version of the overture fantasy Romeo and Juliet by Tchaikovsky receives its première performance.
    • 1872 – The Wanderers F.C. won the first FA Cup, the oldest football competition in the world, beating Royal Engineers A.F.C. 1–0 at The Oval in Kennington, London.
    • 1894 – Jules Massenet’s opera Thaïs is first performed.
    • 1898 – In Melbourne the representatives of five colonies adopted a constitution, which would become the basis of the Commonwealth of Australia.
    • 1900 – Sir Arthur Evans purchased the land around the ruins of Knossos, the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete.
    • 1916 – The 7th and 10th US cavalry regiments under John J. Pershing cross the US–Mexico border to join the hunt for Pancho Villa.
    • 1917 – World War I: A German auxiliary cruiser is sunk in the Action of 16 March 1917.
    • 1918 – Finnish Civil War: Battle of Länkipohja is infamous for its bloody aftermath as the Whites executed 70–100 capitulated Reds.
    • 1924 – In accordance with the Treaty of Rome, Fiume becomes annexed as part of Italy.
    • 1925 – An earthquake occurs in Yunnan, China.
    • 1926 – History of Rocketry: Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket, at Auburn, Massachusetts.
    • 1935 – Adolf Hitler orders Germany to rearm herself in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Conscription is reintroduced to form the Wehrmacht.
    • 1936 – Warmer-than-normal temperatures rapidly melt snow and ice on the upper Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, leading to a major flood in Pittsburgh.
    • 1939 – From Prague Castle, Hitler proclaims Bohemia and Moravia a German protectorate.
    • 1940 – First person killed (James Isbister) in a German bombing raid on the UK in World War II during a raid on Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands.
    • 1945 – World War II: The Battle of Iwo Jima ended, but small pockets of Japanese resistance persisted.
    • 1945 – Ninety percent of Würzburg, Germany is destroyed in only 20 minutes by British bombers, resulting in around 5,000 deaths.
    • 1958 – The Ford Motor Company produces its 50 millionth automobile, the Thunderbird, averaging almost a million cars a year since the company’s founding.
    • 1962 – A Flying Tiger Line Super Constellation disappears in the western Pacific Ocean, with all 107 aboard missing and presumed dead.
    • 1966 – Launch of Gemini 8, the 12th manned American space flight and first space docking with an Agena Target Vehicle.
    • 1968 – Vietnam War: My Lai Massacre occurs; between 347 and 500 Vietnamese villagers (men, women, and children) are killed by American troops.
    • 1968 – General Motors produces its 100 millionth automobile, the Oldsmobile Toronado.
    • 1969 – A Viasa McDonnell Douglas DC-9 crashes in Maracaibo, Venezuela, killing 155.
    • 1976 – British Prime Minister Harold Wilson resigns, citing personal reasons.
    • 1977 – Assassination of Kamal Jumblatt, the main leader of the anti-government forces in the Lebanese Civil War.
    • 1978 – Former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro is kidnapped. (He is later murdered by his captors.)
    • 1978 – A Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Tupolev Tu-134 crashes near Gabare, Bulgaria, killing 73.
    • 1978 – Supertanker Amoco Cadiz splits in two after running aground on the Portsall Rocks, three miles off the coast of Brittany, resulting in the largest oil spill in history at that time.
    • 1979 – Sino-Vietnamese War: The People’s Liberation Army crosses the border back into China, ends the war.
    • 1983 – Demolition of the Ismaning radio transmitter, the last wooden radio tower in Germany.
    • 1984 – William Buckley, the CIA station chief in Lebanon, is kidnapped by Hezbollah. (He later dies in captivity.)
    • 1985 – Associated Press newsman Terry Anderson is taken hostage in Beirut. He is released on December 4, 1991.
    • 1988 – Iran–Contra affair: Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North and Vice Admiral John Poindexter are indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
    • 1988 – Halabja chemical attack: The Kurdish town of Halabja in Iraq is attacked with a mix of poison gas and nerve agents on the orders of Saddam Hussein, killing 5,000 people and injuring about 10,000 people.
    • 1988 – The Troubles: Ulster loyalist militant Michael Stone attacks a Provisional IRA funeral in Belfast with pistols and grenades. Three persons, one of them a member of PIRA are killed, and more than 60 others are wounded.
    • 1991 – The airplane carrying eight members of Reba McEntire’s touring band crashed on the side of Otay Mountain.
    • 1995 – Mississippi formally ratifies the Thirteenth Amendment, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment was officially ratified in 1865.
    • 2001 – A series of bomb blasts that took place in the city of Shijiazhuang, China killed 108 people and injured 38 others, was the biggest mass murder in China in decades.
    • 2003 – American activist Rachel Corrie is killed in Rafah trying to obstruct the demolition of a home by being run over by a bulldozer.
    • 2005 – Israel officially hands over Jericho to Palestinian control.
    • 2014 – Crimea votes in a controversial referendum to secede from Ukraine to join Russia.
    • 2016 – A bomb detonates in a bus carrying government employees in Peshawar, Pakistan, killing 15 and injuring at least 54.
    • 2016 – Two suicide bombers detonate their explosives at a mosque during morning prayer on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Nigeria, killing 22 and injuring 18.

    Births on March 16

    • 1399 – The Xuande Emperor, ruler of Ming China (d. 1435)
    • 1445 – Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg, Swiss priest and theologian (d. 1510)
    • 1465 – Kunigunde of Austria, Archduchess of Austria (d. 1520)
    • 1473 – Henry IV, Duke of Saxony (d. 1541)
    • 1559 – Amar Singh I, successor of Maharana Pratap of Mewar (d. 1620)
    • 1581 – Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, Dutch historian and poet (d. 1647)
    • 1585 – Gerbrand Bredero, Dutch poet and playwright (d. 1618)
    • 1590 – Ii Naotaka, Japanese daimyō (d. 1659)
    • 1596 – Ebba Brahe, Swedish countess (d. 1674)
    • 1609 – Michael Franck, German baker, teacher, poet, and composer (d. 1667)
    • 1609 – Agostino Mitelli, Italian painter (d. 1660)
    • 1621 – Georg Neumark, German poet and composer (d. 1681)
    • 1631 – René Le Bossu, French critic (d. 1680)
    • 1638 – François Crépieul, Jesuit missionary (d. 1702)
    • 1654 – Andreas Acoluthus, German scholar (d. 1704)
    • 1670 – François de Franquetot de Coigny, French general (d. 1759)
    • 1673 – Jean Bouhier, French jurist and scholar (d. 1746)
    • 1687 – Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, queen consort of Frederick William I (d. 1757)
    • 1693 – Malhar Rao Holkar, Indian nobleman (d. 1766)
    • 1701 – Daniel Lorenz Salthenius, Swedish theologian (d. 1750)
    • 1729 – Maria Louise Albertine (d. 1818)
    • 1741 – Carlo Amoretti, Italian scientist (d. 1816)
    • 1744 – Nicolas-Germain Léonard, French poet and novelist (d. 1793)
    • 1750 – Caroline Herschel, German-English astronomer (d. 1848)
    • 1751 – James Madison, American academic and politician, 4th President of the United States (d. 1836)
    • 1753 – François Amédée Doppet, French general (d. 1799)
    • 1760 – Johann Heinrich Meyer, Swiss painter and writer (d. 1832)
    • 1766 – Jean-Frédéric Waldeck, French antiquarian, cartographer, artist and explorer (d. 1875)
    • 1771 – Antoine-Jean Gros, French painter (d. 1835)
    • 1773 – Juan Ramón Balcarce, Argentinian general and politician, 6th Governor of Buenos Aires Province (d. 1836)
    • 1774 – Matthew Flinders, English navigator and cartographer (d. 1814)
    • 1789 – Francis Rawdon Chesney, English general and explorer (d. 1872)
    • 1789 – Georg Ohm, German physicist and mathematician (d. 1854)
    • 1794 – Ami Boué, Austrian geologist and ethnographer (d. 1881)
    • 1797 – Alaric Alexander Watts, English poet and journalist (d. 1864)
    • 1799 – Anna Atkins, English botanist and photographer (d. 1871)
    • 1800 – Emperor Ninkō of Japan (d. 1846)
    • 1805 – Peter Ernst von Lasaulx, German philologist and politician (d. 1861)
    • 1806 – Félix De Vigne, Belgian painter (d. 1862)
    • 1808 – Hannah T. King, British-born American writer and pioneer (d. 1886)
    • 1813 – Gaëtan de Rochebouët, French prime minister (d. 1899)
    • 1819 – José Paranhos, Brazilian politician (d. 1880)
    • 1820 – Enrico Tamberlik, Italian tenor (d. 1889)
    • 1821 – Eduard Heine, German mathematician and academic (d. 1881)
    • 1822 – Rosa Bonheur, French painter and sculptor (d. 1899)
    • 1822 – John Pope, American general (d. 1892)
    • 1823 – William Henry Monk, English organist and composer (d. 1889)
    • 1825 – Camilo Castelo Branco, Portuguese writer (d. 1890)
    • 1828 – Émile Deshayes de Marcère, French politician (d. 1918)
    • 1834 – James Hector, Scottish geologist and surgeon (d. 1907)
    • 1836 – Andrew Smith Hallidie, English-American engineer and businessman (d. 1900)
    • 1839 – Sully Prudhomme, French poet and critic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1907)
    • 1839 – John Butler Yeats, Irish painter (d. 1922)
    • 1840 – Shibusawa Eiichi, Japanese businessman (d. 1931)
    • 1840 – Georg von der Gabelentz, German linguist and sinologist (d. 1893)
    • 1845 – Umegatani Tōtarō I, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 15th Yokozuna (d. 1928)
    • 1846 – Gösta Mittag-Leffler, Swedish mathematician and academic (d. 1927)
    • 1846 – Rebecca Cole, American physician and social reformer (d. 1922)
    • 1846 – Jurgis Bielinis, Lithuanian book smuggler (d. 1918)
    • 1848 – Axel Heiberg, Norwegian financier and diplomat (d. 1932)
    • 1851 – Otto Bardenhewer, German patrologist (d. 1935)
    • 1851 – Martinus Beijerinck, Dutch microbiologist and botanist (d. 1931)
    • 1856 – Napoléon, Prince Imperial of France (d. 1879)
    • 1857 – Charles Harding Firth, English historian and academic (d. 1936)
    • 1859 – Alexander Stepanovich Popov, Russian physicist and academic (d. 1906)
    • 1865 – Patsy Donovan, Irish-American baseball player and manager (d. 1953)
    • 1869 – Willy Burmester, German violinist (d. 1933)
    • 1871 – Hans Merensky, South African geologist and philanthropist (d. 1951)
    • 1871 – Frantz Reichel, French rugby player and hurdler (d. 1932)
    • 1874 – Frédéric François-Marsal, French prime minister (d. 1958)
    • 1877 – Léo-Ernest Ouimet, Canadian director and producer (d. 1972)
    • 1878 – Clemens August Graf von Galen, German cardinal (d. 1946)
    • 1878 – Paul Jouve, French painter (d. 1973)
    • 1881 – Fannie Charles Dillon, American composer (d. 1947)
    • 1882 – James Lightbody, American runner (d. 1953)
    • 1883 – Ethel Anderson, Australian poet, author, and painter (d. 1958)
    • 1884 – Eric P. Kelly, American journalist and author (d. 1960)
    • 1885 – Giacomo Benvenuti, Italian composer and musicologist (d. 1943)
    • 1885 – Sydney Chaplin, English actor (d. 1965)
    • 1886 – Herbert Lindström, Swedish tug of war player (d. 1951)
    • 1887 – Emilio Lunghi, Italian runner (d. 1925)
    • 1887 – S. Stillman Berry, American marine zoologist (1984)
    • 1889 – Reggie Walker, South African athlete (d. 1951)
    • 1892 – César Vallejo, Peruvian poet, playwright, and journalist (d. 1938)
    • 1895 – Ernest Labrousse, French historian (d. 1988)
    • 1897 – Antonio Donghi, Italian painter (d. 1963)
    • 1897 – Conrad Nagel, American actor (d. 1970)
    • 1900 – Cyril Hume, American novelist (d. 1966)
    • 1900 – Mencha Karnicheva, Macedonian revolutionary and assassin (d. 1964)
    • 1901 – Alexis Chantraine, Belgian footballer (d. 1987)
    • 1903 – Mike Mansfield, American politician and diplomat, 22nd United States Ambassador to Japan (d. 2001)
    • 1906 – Francisco Ayala, Spanish sociologist, author, and translator (d. 2009)
    • 1906 – Maurice Turnbull, Welsh-English cricketer and rugby player (d. 1944)
    • 1906 – Henny Youngman, English-American violinist and comedian (d. 1998)
    • 1908 – René Daumal, French author and poet (d. 1944)
    • 1908 – Ernest Rogez, French water polo player (d. 1986)
    • 1908 – Robert Rossen, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1966)
    • 1910 – Aladár Gerevich, Hungarian fencer (d. 1991)
    • 1910 – Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, Indian-English cricketer and politician, 8th Nawab of Pataudi (d. 1952)
    • 1911 – Pierre Harmel, Belgian lawyer and politician, 40th Prime Minister of Belgium (d. 2009)
    • 1911 – Josef Mengele, German physician and captain (d. 1979)
    • 1911 – Philip Pavia, American painter and sculptor (d.2005)
    • 1912 – Pat Nixon, First Lady of the United States (d. 1993)
    • 1913 – Rémy Raffalli, French soldier (d. 1952)
    • 1915 – Kunihiko Kodaira, Japanese mathematician and academic (d. 1997)
    • 1916 – Mercedes McCambridge, American actress (d. 2004)
    • 1916 – Tsutomu Yamaguchi, Japanese engineer and businessman (d. 2010)
    • 1917 – Louis C. Wyman, American lawyer and politician (d. 2002)
    • 1917 – Laure Pillay, Mauritian lawyer and jurist (d. 2017)
    • 1917 – Mehrdad Pahlbod, Iranian politician (d. 2018)
    • 1918 – Aldo van Eyck, Dutch architect (d. 1999)
    • 1918 – Frederick Reines, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1998)
    • 1920 – John Addison, English-American soldier and composer (d. 1998)
    • 1920 – Sid Fleischman, American author and screenwriter (d. 2010)
    • 1920 – Traudl Junge, German secretary (d. 2002)
    • 1920 – Leo McKern, Australian-English actor (d. 2002)
    • 1922 – Harding Lemay, American screenwriter and playwright (d. 2018)
    • 1923 – Heinz Wallberg, German conductor (d. 2004)
    • 1925 – Cornell Borchers, Lithuanian-German actress and singer (d. 2014)
    • 1925 – Mary Hinkson, American dancer and choreographer (d. 2014)
    • 1925 – Ervin Kassai, Hungarian basketball player and referee (d. 2012)
    • 1925 – Luis E. Miramontes, Mexican chemist and engineer (d. 2004)
    • 1926 – Charles Goodell, American lawyer and politician (d. 1987)
    • 1926 – Jerry Lewis, American actor and comedian (d. 2017)
    • 1927 – Vladimir Komarov, Russian pilot, engineer, and astronaut (d. 1967)
    • 1927 – Daniel Patrick Moynihan, American sociologist and politician, 12th United States Ambassador to the United Nations (d. 2003)
    • 1927 – Olga San Juan, American actress and dancer (d. 2009)
    • 1928 – Wakanohana Kanji I, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 45th Yokozuna (d. 2010)
    • 1928 – Christa Ludwig, German soprano and actress
    • 1929 – Betty Johnson, American singer
    • 1929 – Tihomir Novakov, Serbian-American physicist and academic (d. 2015)
    • 1929 – Nadja Tiller, Austrian actress
    • 1930 – Tommy Flanagan, American pianist and composer (d. 2001)
    • 1930 – Minoru Miki, Japanese composer (d. 2011)
    • 1931 – Augusto Boal, Brazilian theatre director, writer and politician (d. 2009)
    • 1931 – Alan Heyman, American-South Korean musicologist and composer (d. 2014)
    • 1931 – Anthony Kenny, English philosopher and academic
    • 1931 – John Munro, Canadian lawyer and politician, 22nd Canadian Minister of Labour (d. 2003)
    • 1932 – Don Blasingame, American baseball player and manager (d. 2005)
    • 1932 – Walter Cunningham, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut
    • 1932 – Kurt Diemberger, Austrian mountaineer and author
    • 1932 – Herbert Marx, Canadian politician (d. 2020)
    • 1933 – Keith Critchlow, English architect and academic, co-founded Temenos Academy
    • 1933 – Sanford I. Weill, American banker, financier, and philanthropist
    • 1934 – Jean Cournoyer, Canadian politician
    • 1934 – Ray Hnatyshyn, Canadian lawyer and politician, 24th Governor General of Canada (d. 2002)
    • 1934 – Roger Norrington, English violinist and conductor
    • 1935 – Teresa Berganza, Spanish soprano and actress
    • 1935 – Pepe Cáceres, Colombian bullfighter (d. 1987)
    • 1936 – Raymond Vahan Damadian, Armenian-American inventor, invented the MRI
    • 1936 – Fred Neil, American folk singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2001)
    • 1937 – David Frith, English historian, journalist, and author
    • 1937 – Attilio Nicora, Italian cardinal (d. 2017)
    • 1937 – Amos Tversky, Israeli-American psychologist and academic (d. 1996)
    • 1938 – Carlos Bilardo, Argentinian footballer and manager
    • 1939 – Yvon Côté, Canadian teacher
    • 1940 – Bernardo Bertolucci, Italian director and screenwriter (d. 2018)
    • 1940 – Vagif Mustafazadeh, Azerbaijani pianist and composer (d. 1979)
    • 1940 – Jan Pronk, Dutch academic and politician, Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment
    • 1940 – Keith Rowe, English guitarist
    • 1941 – Robert Guéï, Ivorian soldier and politician, 3rd President of Côte d’Ivoire (d. 2002)
    • 1941 – Chuck Woolery, American game show host and television personality
    • 1942 – Roger Crozier, Canadian-American ice hockey player and coach (d. 1996)
    • 1942 – Gijs van Lennep, Dutch race car driver
    • 1942 – Jean-Pierre Schosteck, French politician
    • 1942 – James Soong, Chinese-Taiwanese politician, Governor of Taiwan Province
    • 1942 – Jerry Jeff Walker, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1943 – Ursula Goodenough, American biologist, zoologist, and author
    • 1943 – Hans Heyer, German racing driver
    • 1943 – Álvaro de Soto, Peruvian diplomat
    • 1944 – Andrew S. Tanenbaum, American computer scientist and academic
    • 1946 – Sigmund Groven, Norwegian harmonica player and composer
    • 1946 – Mary Kaldor, English economist and academic
    • 1946 – J. Z. Knight, American New Age teacher and author
    • 1946 – Guesch Patti, French singer
    • 1948 – Michael Owen Bruce, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1948 – Richard Desjardins, Canadian singer-songwriter and director
    • 1948 – Catherine Quéré, French politician
    • 1949 – Erik Estrada, American actor
    • 1949 – Victor Garber, Canadian actor and singer
    • 1949 – Elliott Murphy, American-French singer-songwriter and journalist
    • 1950 – Peter Forster, English bishop
    • 1950 – Kate Nelligan, Canadian actress
    • 1950 – Edhem Šljivo, Bosnian footballer
    • 1951 – Ray Benson, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
    • 1951 – Abdelmajid Bourebbou, Algerian footballer
    • 1951 – Oddvar Brå, Norwegian skier
    • 1951 – Joe DeLamielleure, American football player
    • 1951 – Alexandre Gonzalez, French long-distance runner
    • 1953 – Claus Peter Flor, German conductor
    • 1953 – Isabelle Huppert, French actress
    • 1953 – Rainer Knaak, German chess player
    • 1953 – Richard Stallman, American computer scientist and programmer
    • 1954 – David Heath, English politician
    • 1954 – Jimmy Nail, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1954 – Tim O’Brien, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1954 – Dav Whatmore, Sri Lankan-Australian cricketer and coach
    • 1954 – Nancy Wilson, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actress
    • 1955 – Svetlana Alexeeva, Russian ice dancer and coach
    • 1955 – Rimantas Astrauskas, Lithuanian physicist
    • 1955 – Bruno Barreto, Brazilian director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1955 – Linda Lepomme, Belgian actress and singer
    • 1955 – Bob Ley, American sports anchor and reporter
    • 1955 – Andy Scott, Canadian politician (d. 2013)
    • 1955 – Jiro Watanabe, Japanese boxer
    • 1956 – Ozzie Newsome, American football player and manager
    • 1956 – Clifton Powell, American actor, director, and producer
    • 1956 – Yoriko Shono, Japanese writer
    • 1956 – Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, Swiss lawyer and politician
    • 1958 – Phillip Wilcher, Australian pianist and composer
    • 1958 – Kate Worley, American author (d. 2004)
    • 1958 – Jorge Ramos, Mexican-American journalist and author
    • 1959 – Michael J. Bloomfield, American astronaut
    • 1959 – Sebastian Currier, American composer and educator
    • 1959 – Greg Dyer, Australian cricketer
    • 1959 – Flavor Flav, American rapper and actor
    • 1959 – Charles Hudson, American baseball player
    • 1959 – Steve Marker, American musician
    • 1959 – Jens Stoltenberg, Norwegian economist and politician, 27th Prime Minister of Norway, 13th Secretary General of NATO
    • 1960 – John Hemming, English businessman and politician
    • 1960 – Duane Sutter, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1960 – Jenny Eclair, English comedian, actress and screenwriter
    • 1961 – Brett Kenny, Australian rugby league player and coach
    • 1961 – Todd McFarlane, Canadian author, illustrator, and businessman, founded McFarlane Toys
    • 1962 – Franck Fréon, French race car driver
    • 1962 – Liliane Gaschet, French athlete
    • 1963 – Jerome Flynn, English actor and singer
    • 1963 – Kevin Smith, New Zealand actor and singer (d. 2002)
    • 1964 – Patty Griffin, American singer-songwriter
    • 1964 – Jaclyn Jose, Filipino actress
    • 1964 – Pascal Richard, Swiss racing cyclist
    • 1964 – Gore Verbinski, American director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1965 – Steve Armstrong, American wrestler
    • 1965 – Cindy Brown, American basketball player
    • 1965 – Mark Carney, Canadian-English economist and banker
    • 1965 – Cristiana Reali, Italian-Brazilian actress
    • 1966 – Chrissy Redden, Canadian cross-country cyclist
    • 1967 – Tracy Bonham, American singer and violinist
    • 1967 – John Darnielle, American musician and novelist
    • 1967 – Lauren Graham, American actress and producer
    • 1967 – Ronnie McCoury, American bluegrass mandolin player, singer and songwriter
    • 1967 – Heidi Zurbriggen, Swiss alpine skier
    • 1968 – Trevor Wilson, American basketball player and police officer
    • 1969 – Judah Friedlander, American comedian and actor
    • 1969 – Ottis Gibson, Barbadian cricketer and coach
    • 1969 – Alina Ivanova, Russian athlete
    • 1969 – Evangelos Koronios, Greek basketball player and coach
    • 1970 – Joakim Berg, Swedish singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1971 – Franck Comba, French rugby player
    • 1971 – Alan Tudyk, American actor
    • 1972 – Ismaïl Sghyr, French-Moroccan long-distance runner
    • 1973 – Andrey Mizurov, Kazakhstani road bicycle racer
    • 1973 – Vonda Ward, American boxer
    • 1974 – Georgios Anatolakis, Greek footballer and politician
    • 1974 – Anne Charrier, French actress
    • 1974 – Heath Streak, Zimbabwean cricketer
    • 1975 – Luciano Castro, Argentine actor
    • 1975 – Sienna Guillory, English model and actress
    • 1975 – Lionel Torres, French archer
    • 1976 – Blu Cantrell, American singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1976 – Leila Lejeune, French handballer
    • 1976 – Susanne Ljungskog, Swedish cyclist
    • 1976 – Abraham Núñez, Dominican baseball player
    • 1976 – Zhu Chen, Qatari chess Grandmaster
    • 1977 – Mónica Cruz, Spanish actress and dancer
    • 1977 – Thomas Rupprath, German swimmer
    • 1978 – Brooke Burns, American fashion model and actress
    • 1978 – Annett Renneberg, German actress and singer
    • 1979 – Christina Liebherr, Swiss equestrian
    • 1979 – Rashad Moore, American football player
    • 1979 – Sébastien Ostertag, French handball player
    • 1979 – Leena Peisa, Finnish keyboard player and songwriter
    • 1979 – Andrei Stepanov, Estonian footballer
    • 1980 – Todd Heap, American football player
    • 1980 – Felipe Reyes, Spanish basketball player
    • 1981 – Andrew Bree, Irish swimmer
    • 1981 – Curtis Granderson, American baseball player
    • 1981 – Julien Mazet, French road bicycle racer
    • 1981 – Fabiana Murer, Brazilian pole vaulter
    • 1982 – Miguel Comminges, Guadeloupean footballer
    • 1982 – Riley Cote, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1982 – Tommy Hansen, Czech actor
    • 1982 – Jesús Del Nero, Spanish road bicycle racer
    • 1982 – Brian Wilson, American baseball player
    • 1983 – Stephen Drew, American baseball player
    • 1983 – Brandon League, American baseball player
    • 1983 – Nicolas Rousseau, French road bicycle racer
    • 1983 – Tramon Williams, American football player
    • 1984 – Levi Brown, American football player
    • 1984 – Aisling Bea, Irish comedienne and actress
    • 1984 – Sharon Cherop, Kenyan long-distance runner
    • 1984 – Michael Ennis, Australian rugby player
    • 1984 – Hosea Gear, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1984 – Brandon Prust, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1985 – Teddy Atine-Venel, French athlete
    • 1985 – Eddy Lover, Panamanian singer-songwriter
    • 1985 – Aleksei Sokirskiy, Russian hammer thrower
    • 1986 – Alexandra Daddario, American actress
    • 1986 – Toney Douglas, American basketball player
    • 1986 – Kenny Dykstra, American wrestler
    • 1986 – T. J. Jordan, American basketball player
    • 1986 – Boaz Solossa, Indonesian footballer
    • 1986 – Daisuke Takahashi, Japanese figure skater
    • 1987 – Fabien Lemoine, French football player
    • 1988 – Jessica Gregg, Canadian speed skater
    • 1988 – Patrick Herrmann, German footballer
    • 1989 – Blake Griffin, American basketball player
    • 1989 – Jung So-min, South Korean actress
    • 1989 – Magalie Pottier, French racing cyclist
    • 1989 – Theo Walcott, English footballer
    • 1990 – Andre Young, American basketball player
    • 1991 – Reggie Bullock, American basketball player
    • 1991 – Wolfgang Van Halen, American bassist
    • 1993 – George Ford, English rugby union player
    • 1993 – Marine Lorphelin, Miss France
    • 1994 – Joel Embiid, Cameroonian basketball player
    • 1995 – Inga Janulevičiūtė, Lithuanian figure skater
    • 1997 – Florian Neuhaus, German football player

    Deaths on March 16

    • AD 37 – Tiberius, Roman emperor (b. 42 BC)
    • 455 – Valentinian III, Roman emperor (assassinated; b. 419)
    • 455 – Heraclius, Roman courtier (primicerius sacri cubiculi )
    • 842 – Xiao Mian, chancellor of the Tang Dynasty
    • 933 – Takin al-Khazari, Egyptian commander and politician, Abbasid Governor of Egypt
    • 943 – Pi Guangye, Chinese official and chancellor (b. 877)
    • 1021 – Heribert of Cologne, German archbishop and saint (b. 970)
    • 1072 – Adalbert of Hamburg, German archbishop (b. 1000)
    • 1181 – Henry I, Count of Champagne
    • 1185 – Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (b. 1161)
    • 1279 – Jeanne of Dammartin, Queen consort of Castile and León (b. 1216)
    • 1322 – Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford, English general and politician, Lord High Constable of England (b. 1276)
    • 1405 – Margaret III, Countess of Flanders (b. 1350)
    • 1410 – John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset, French-English admiral and politician, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (b. 1373)
    • 1457 – Ladislaus Hunyadi, Hungarian politician (b. 1433)
    • 1485 – Anne Neville, queen of Richard III of England (b. 1456)
    • 1559 – Anthony St. Leger, English-Irish politician Lord Deputy of Ireland (b. 1496)
    • 1649 – Jean de Brébeuf, French-Canadian missionary and saint (b. 1593)
    • 1679 – John Leverett, English general and politician, 19th Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony (b. 1616)
    • 1721 – James Craggs the Elder, English politician, Postmaster General of the United Kingdom (b. 1657)
    • 1736 – Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Italian organist and composer (b. 1710)
    • 1737 – Benjamin Wadsworth, American minister and academic (b. 1670)
    • 1738 – George Bähr, German architect, designed the Dresden Frauenkirche (b. 1666)
    • 1747 – Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (b. 1690)
    • 1838 – Nathaniel Bowditch, American captain and mathematician (b. 1773)
    • 1841 – Félix Savart, French physicist and psychologist (d. 1791)
    • 1868 – David Wilmot, American politician, sponsor of Wilmot Proviso (b. 1814)
    • 1884 – Art Croft, American baseball player (b. 1855)
    • 1888 – Hippolyte Carnot, French politician (b. 1801)
    • 1892 – Samuel F. Miller, American lawyer and politician (b. 1827)
    • 1898 – Aubrey Beardsley, English author and illustrator (b. 1872)
    • 1899 – Joseph Medill, American journalist and politician, 26th Mayor of Chicago (b. 1823)
    • 1903 – Roy Bean, American lawyer and judge (b. 1825)
    • 1907 – John O’Leary, Irish politician (b. 1830)
    • 1912 – Max Burckhard, Austrian theater director (b. 1854)
    • 1914 – Gaston Calmette, French journalist (b. 1858)
    • 1914 – Charles Albert Gobat, Swiss lawyer and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1843)
    • 1914 – John Murray, Scottish oceanographer, biologist, and limnologist (b. 1841)
    • 1925 – August von Wassermann, German bacteriologist and hygienist (b. 1866)
    • 1930 – Miguel Primo de Rivera, Spanish general and politician, Prime Minister of Spain (b. 1870)
    • 1935 – John James Rickard Macleod, Scottish physician and physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1876)
    • 1935 – Aron Nimzowitsch, Latvian-Danish chess player (b. 1886)
    • 1936 – Marguerite Durand, French actress, journalist, and activist (b. 1864)
    • 1937 – Alexander von Staël-Holstein, Estonian orientalist and sinologist (b. 1877)
    • 1940 – Selma Lagerlöf, Swedish author and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1858)
    • 1945 – Börries von Münchhausen, German poet (b. 1874)
    • 1955 – Nicolas de Staël, French-Russian painter and illustrator (b. 1914)
    • 1957 – Constantin Brâncuși, Romanian-French sculptor, painter, and photographer (b. 1876)
    • 1958 – Leon Cadore, American baseball player (b. 1891)
    • 1961 – Chen Geng, Chinese general and politician (b. 1903)
    • 1961 – Václav Talich, Czech violinist and conductor (b. 1883)
    • 1963 – Laura Adams Armer, American author and photographer (b. 1874)
    • 1965 – Alice Herz, German activist (b. 1882)
    • 1967 – Thomas MacGreevy, Irish poet (b. 1893)
    • 1968 – Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Italian-American pianist and composer (b. 1895)
    • 1968 – Gunnar Ekelöf, Swedish poet and translator (b. 1907)
    • 1970 – Tammi Terrell, American singer (b. 1945)
    • 1971 – Bebe Daniels, American actress (b. 1901)
    • 1971 – Thomas E. Dewey, American lawyer and politician, 47th Governor of New York (b. 1902)
    • 1972 – Pie Traynor, American baseball player (b. 1898)
    • 1975 – T-Bone Walker, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1910)
    • 1977 – Kamal Jumblatt, Lebanese lawyer and politician (b. 1917)
    • 1979 – Jean Monnet, French economist and politician (b. 1888)
    • 1980 – Tamara de Lempicka, Polish-American painter (b. 1898)
    • 1983 – Arthur Godfrey, American actor and television host (b. 1903)
    • 1983 – Fred Rose, Polish-Canadian politician (b. 1907)
    • 1985 – Roger Sessions, American composer, critic, and educator (b. 1896)
    • 1985 – Eddie Shore, Canadian-American ice hockey player (b. 1902)
    • 1988 – Jigger Statz, American baseball player (b.1897)
    • 1988 – Mickey Thompson, American race car driver (b. 1928)
    • 1990 – Ernst Bacon, American pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1898)
    • 1991 – Chris Austin, American country singer (b .1964)
    • 1991 – Jean Bellette, Australian artist (b. 1908)
    • 1992 – Yves Rocard, French physicist and engineer (b. 1903)
    • 1994 – Eric Show, American baseball player (b. 1956)
    • 1998 – Derek Barton, English-American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1918)
    • 1998 – Esther Bubley, American photographer (b. 1921)
    • 1999 – Gratien Gélinas, Canadian actor, director, and playwright (b. 1909)
    • 2000 – Thomas Ferebee, American colonel and pilot (b. 1918)
    • 2000 – Pavel Prudnikau, Belarusian poet and author (b. 1911)
    • 2000 – Michael Starr, Canadian judge and politician, 16th Canadian Minister of Labour (b. 1910)
    • 2000 – Carlos Velázquez, Puerto Rican pitcher (b. 1948)
    • 2001 – Bob Wollek, French race car driver (b. 1943)
    • 2003 – Rachel Corrie, American activist (b. 1979)
    • 2003 – Ronald Ferguson, English captain, polo player, and manager (b. 1931)
    • 2004 – Vilém Tauský, Czech conductor and composer (b. 1910)
    • 2005 – Todd Bell, American football player (b. 1958)
    • 2005 – Ralph Erskine, English architect, designed The London Ark (b. 1914)
    • 2005 – Dick Radatz, American baseball player (b. 1937)
    • 2007 – Manjural Islam Rana, Bangladeshi cricketer (b. 1984)
    • 2008 – Bill Brown, Australian cricketer and soldier (b. 1912)
    • 2008 – Ivan Dixon, American actor, director, and producer (b. 1931)
    • 2008 – Gary Hart, American wrestler and manager (b. 1942)
    • 2010 – Ksenija Pajčin, Serbian singer, dancer and model (b. 1977)
    • 2011 – Richard Wirthlin, American religious leader (b. 1931)
    • 2012 – Donald E. Hillman, American colonel and pilot (b. 1918)
    • 2012 – Takaaki Yoshimoto, Japanese poet, philosopher, and critic (b. 1924)
    • 2013 – Jamal Nazrul Islam, Bangladeshi physicist and cosmologist (b. 1939)
    • 2013 – José Alfredo Martínez de Hoz, Argentinian economist and politician, Minister of Economy of Argentina (b. 1925)
    • 2013 – Yadier Pedroso, Cuban pitcher (b. 1986)
    • 2013 – Ruchoma Shain, American-born teacher and author (b. 1914)
    • 2013 – Marina Solodkin, Russian-Israeli academic and politician (b. 1952)
    • 2013 – Frank Thornton, English actor (b. 1921)
    • 2014 – Gary Bettenhausen, American race car driver (b. 1941)
    • 2014 – Donald Crothers, American chemist and academic (b. 1937)
    • 2014 – Yulisa Pat Amadu Maddy, Sierra Leonean author, poet, and playwright (b. 1936)
    • 2014 – Steve Moore, English author and illustrator (b. 1949)
    • 2014 – Alexander Pochinok, Russian economist and politician (b. 1958)
    • 2015 – Jack Haley, American basketball player, coach, and sportscaster (b. 1964)
    • 2015 – Don Robertson, American pianist and composer (b. 1922)
    • 2016 – Alexander Esenin-Volpin, Russian-American mathematician and poet (b. 1924)
    • 2016 – Frank Sinatra Jr., American singer and actor (b. 1944)
    • 2017 – Lewis Rowland, American neurologist (b. 1925)
    • 2018 – Louise Slaughter, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York (b. 1929)
    • 2019 – Dick Dale, American surf-rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter (b. 1937)

    Holidays and observances on March 16

    • Christian feast day:
      • Abbán
      • Finian Lobhar (Finian the Leper)
      • Heribert of Cologne
      • Hilarius of Aquileia
      • Julian of Antioch
      • March 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Day of the Book Smugglers (Lithuania)
    • Remembrance day of the Latvian legionnaires (Latvia)
    • Saint Urho’s Day (Finnish Americans and Finnish Canadians)
    • Austin 3:16 Day (Not official, but leisure day)

  • February 21 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 1245 – Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland, is granted resignation after confessing to torture and forgery.
    • 1440 – The Prussian Confederation is formed.
    • 1613 – Mikhail I is unanimously elected Tsar by a national assembly, beginning the Romanov dynasty of Imperial Russia.
    • 1797 – A force of 1,400 French soldiers invaded Britain at Fishguard in support of the Society of United Irishmen. They were defeated by 500 British reservists.
    • 1804 – The first self-propelling steam locomotive makes its outing at the Pen-y-Darren Ironworks in Wales.
    • 1808 – Without a previous declaration of war, Russian troops cross the border to Sweden at Abborfors in eastern Finland, thus beginning the Finnish War, in which Sweden will lose the eastern half of the country (i.e. Finland) to Russia.
    • 1828 – Initial issue of the Cherokee Phoenix is the first periodical to use the Cherokee syllabary invented by Sequoyah.
    • 1842 – John Greenough is granted the first U.S. patent for the sewing machine.
    • 1848 – Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish The Communist Manifesto.
    • 1862 – American Civil War: Battle of Valverde is fought near Fort Craig in New Mexico Territory.
    • 1866 – Lucy Hobbs Taylor becomes the first American woman to graduate from dental school.
    • 1874 – The Oakland Daily Tribune publishes its first edition.
    • 1878 – The first telephone directory is issued in New Haven, Connecticut.
    • 1885 – The newly completed Washington Monument is dedicated.
    • 1896 – An Englishman raised in Australia, Bob Fitzsimmons, fought an Irishman, Peter Maher, in an American promoted event which technically took place in Mexico, winning the 1896 World Heavyweight Championship in boxing.
    • 1913 – Ioannina is incorporated into the Greek state after the Balkan Wars.
    • 1916 – World War I: In France, the Battle of Verdun begins.
    • 1918 – The last Carolina parakeet dies in captivity at the Cincinnati Zoo.
    • 1919 – German socialist Kurt Eisner is assassinated. His death results in the establishment of the Bavarian Soviet Republic and parliament and government fleeing Munich, Germany.
    • 1921 – Constituent Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Georgia adopts the country’s first constitution.
    • 1921 – Rezā Shāh takes control of Tehran during a successful coup.
    • 1925 – The New Yorker publishes its first issue.
    • 1929 – In the first battle of the Warlord Rebellion in northeastern Shandong against the Nationalist government of China, a 24,000-strong rebel force led by Zhang Zongchang was defeated at Zhifu by 7,000 NRA troops.1934 – Augusto Sandino is executed.
    • 1937 – The League of Nations bans foreign national “volunteers” in the Spanish Civil War.
    • 1945 – World War II: During the Battle of Iwo Jima, Japanese kamikaze planes sink the escort carrier USS Bismarck Sea and damage the USS Saratoga.
    • 1945 – World War II: the Brazilian Expeditionary Force defeat the German forces in the Battle of Monte Castello on the Italian front.
    • 1947 – In New York City, Edwin Land demonstrates the first “instant camera”, the Polaroid Land Camera, to a meeting of the Optical Society of America.
    • 1948 – NASCAR is incorporated.
    • 1952 – The British government, under Winston Churchill, abolishes identity cards in the UK to “set the people free”.
    • 1952 – The Bengali Language Movement protests occur at the University of Dhaka in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
    • 1958 – The CND symbol, aka peace symbol, commissioned by the Direct Action Committee in protest against the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, is designed and completed by Gerald Holtom.
    • 1965 – Malcolm X is assassinated while giving a talk at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem.
    • 1971 – The Convention on Psychotropic Substances is signed at Vienna.
    • 1972 – United States President Richard Nixon visits the People’s Republic of China to normalize Sino-American relations.
    • 1972 – The Soviet unmanned spaceship Luna 20 lands on the Moon.
    • 1973 – Over the Sinai Desert, Israeli fighter aircraft shoot down Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 jet killing 108 people.
    • 1974 – The last Israeli soldiers leave the west bank of the Suez Canal pursuant to a truce with Egypt.
    • 1975 – Watergate scandal: Former United States Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman are sentenced to prison.
    • 1995 – Steve Fossett lands in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada becoming the first person to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon.
    • 2013 – At least 17 people are killed and 119 injured following several bombings in the Indian city of Hyderabad.

    Births on February 21

    • 921 – Abe no Seimei, Japanese astrologer (d. 1005)
    • 1397 – Isabella of Portugal (d. 1471)
    • 1462 – Joanna la Beltraneja, princess of Castile (d. 1530)
    • 1484 – Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg (d. 1535)
    • 1498 – Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland, English Earl (d. 1549)
    • 1541 – Philipp V, Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg (d. 1599)
    • 1556 – Sethus Calvisius, German astronomer, composer, and theorist (d. 1615)
    • 1559 – Nurhaci, Manchu emperor (d. 1626)
    • 1609 – Raimondo Montecuccoli, Italian military commander (d. 1680)
    • 1621 – Rebecca Nurse, Massachusetts colonist, executed as a witch (d. 1692)
    • 1705 – Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke, English admiral and politician (d. 1781)
    • 1728 – Peter III of Russia (d. 1762)
    • 1783 – Catharina of Württemberg (d. 1835)
    • 1788 – Francis Ronalds, British scientist, inventor and engineer who was knighted for developing the first working electric telegraph (d. 1873)
    • 1791 – Carl Czerny, Austrian pianist and composer (d. 1857)
    • 1794 – Antonio López de Santa Anna, Mexican general and politician, 8th President of Mexico (d. 1876)
    • 1801 – John Henry Newman, English cardinal (d. 1890)
    • 1817 – José Zorrilla, Spanish poet and playwright (d. 1893)
    • 1821 – Charles Scribner I, American publisher, founded Charles Scribner’s Sons (d. 1871)
    • 1836 – Léo Delibes, French pianist and composer (d. 1891)
    • 1844 – Charles-Marie Widor, French organist and composer (d. 1937)
    • 1860 – Goscombe John, Welsh-English sculptor and academic (d. 1952)
    • 1865 – John Haden Badley, English author and educator, founded the Bedales School (d. 1967)
    • 1867 – Otto Hermann Kahn, German banker and philanthropist (d. 1934)
    • 1875 – Jeanne Calment, French super-centenarian, oldest verified person ever (d. 1997)
    • 1878 – Mirra Alfassa, French-Indian spiritual leader (d. 1973)
    • 1881 – Kenneth J. Alford, English soldier, bandmaster, and composer (d. 1945)
    • 1885 – Sacha Guitry, Russian-French actor, director, and playwright (d. 1957)
    • 1887 – Korechika Anami, Japanese general and politician, 54th Japanese Minister of War (d. 1945)
    • 1888 – Clemence Dane, English author and playwright (d. 1965)
    • 1892 – Harry Stack Sullivan, American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst (d. 1949)
    • 1893 – Celia Lovsky, Austrian-American actress (d. 1979)
    • 1893 – Andrés Segovia, Spanish guitarist (d. 1987)
    • 1894 – Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar, Indian chemist and academic (d. 1955)
    • 1895 – Henrik Dam, Danish biochemist and physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1976)
    • 1896 – Nirala, Indian poet and author (d. 1961)
    • 1900 – Jeanne Aubert, French singer and actress (d. 1988)
    • 1902 – Arthur Nock, English theologian and academic (d. 1963)
    • 1903 – Anaïs Nin, French-American essayist and memoirist (d. 1977)
    • 1903 – Raymond Queneau, French poet and author (d. 1976)
    • 1907 – W. H. Auden, English-American poet, playwright, and composer (d. 1973)
    • 1909 – Hans Erni, Swiss painter, sculptor, and illustrator (d. 2015)
    • 1910 – Douglas Bader, English captain and pilot (d. 1982)
    • 1912 – Arline Judge, American actress and singer (d. 1974)
    • 1914 – Ilmari Juutilainen, Finnish soldier and pilot (d. 1999)
    • 1914 – Zachary Scott, American actor (d. 1965)
    • 1914 – Jean Tatlock, American psychiatrist and physician (d. 1944)
    • 1915 – Claudia Jones, Trinidad-British journalist and activist (d. 1964)
    • 1915 – Ann Sheridan, American actress and singer (d. 1967)
    • 1915 – Anton Vratuša, Prime Minister of Slovenia (1978–1980) (d. 2017)
    • 1917 – Lucille Bremer, American actress and dancer (d. 1996)
    • 1917 – Tadd Dameron, American pianist and composer (d. 1965)
    • 1921 – John Rawls, American philosopher and academic (d. 2002)
    • 1921 – Richard T. Whitcomb, American aeronautical engineer (d. 2009)
    • 1924 – Thelma Estrin, American computer scientist and engineer (d. 2014)
    • 1924 – Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwean educator and politician, 2nd President of Zimbabwe (d. 2019)
    • 1924 – Dorothy Blum, American computer scientist and cryptanalyst (d. 1980)
    • 1925 – Sam Peckinpah, American director and screenwriter (d. 1984)
    • 1925 – Jack Ramsay, American basketball player, coach, and sportscaster (d. 2014)
    • 1927 – Erma Bombeck, American journalist and author (d. 1996)
    • 1929 – Chespirito, Mexican actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2014)
    • 1933 – Nina Simone, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 2003)
    • 1934 – Rue McClanahan, American actress (d. 2010)
    • 1935 – Richard A. Lupoff, American author
    • 1936 – Barbara Jordan, American lawyer and politician (d. 1996)
    • 1937 – Ron Clarke, Australian runner and politician, Mayor of the Gold Coast (d. 2015)
    • 1937 – Harald V of Norway
    • 1938 – Bobby Charles, American singer-songwriter (d. 2010)
    • 1938 – Kel Tremain, New Zealand rugby player (d. 1992)
    • 1940 – Peter Gethin, English race car driver (d. 2011)
    • 1940 – John Lewis, American activist and politician
    • 1942 – Tony Martin, Trinidadian-American historian and academic (d. 2013)
    • 1942 – Margarethe von Trotta, German actress, director, and screenwriter
    • 1943 – David Geffen, American businessman, co-founded DreamWorks and Geffen Records
    • 1945 – Maurice Bembridge, English golfer
    • 1946 – Tyne Daly, American actress and singer
    • 1946 – Anthony Daniels, English actor and producer
    • 1946 – Alan Rickman, English actor and director (d. 2016)
    • 1946 – Bob Ryan, American journalist and author
    • 1947 – Johnny Echols, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1947 – Olympia Snowe, American politician
    • 1948 – Bill Slayback, American baseball player and singer (d. 2015)
    • 1949 – Frank Brunner, American illustrator
    • 1949 – Jerry Harrison, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
    • 1949 – Ronnie Hellström, Swedish footballer
    • 1950 – Larry Drake, American actor (d. 2016)
    • 1951 – Vince Welnick, American keyboard player (d. 2006)
    • 1952 – Jean-Jacques Burnel, English bass player, songwriter, and producer
    • 1952 – Vitaly Churkin, Russian diplomat, former Ambassador of Russia to the United Nations (d. 2017)
    • 1953 – Christine Ebersole, American actress and singer
    • 1953 – William Petersen, American actor and producer
    • 1954 – Christina Rees, British politician
    • 1955 – Kelsey Grammer, American actor, singer, and producer
    • 1958 – Jake Burns, Northern Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1958 – Mary Chapin Carpenter, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1958 – Kim Coates, Canadian actor
    • 1958 – Alan Trammell, American baseball player, coach, and manager
    • 1959 – José María Cano, Spanish singer-songwriter and painter
    • 1960 – Plamen Oresharski, Bulgarian economist and politician, 52nd Prime Minister of Bulgaria
    • 1960 – Steve Wynn, American singer-songwriter
    • 1961 – Christopher Atkins, American actor and businessman
    • 1962 – Chuck Palahniuk, American novelist and journalist
    • 1962 – David Foster Wallace, American novelist, short story writer, and essayist (d. 2008)
    • 1963 – William Baldwin, American actor
    • 1963 – Ranking Roger, English singer-songwriter and musician (d. 2019)
    • 1963 – Greg Turner, New Zealand golfer
    • 1964 – Mark Kelly, American captain, pilot, and astronaut
    • 1964 – Scott Kelly, American captain, pilot, and astronaut
    • 1965 – Mark Ferguson, Australian journalist
    • 1967 – Leroy Burrell, American runner and coach
    • 1967 – Sari Essayah, Finnish athlete and politician
    • 1969 – James Dean Bradfield, Welsh singer-songwriter and guitarist (Manic Street Preachers)
    • 1969 – Aunjanue Ellis, American actress and producer
    • 1969 – Petra Kronberger, Austrian skier
    • 1969 – Tony Meola, American soccer player and manager
    • 1969 – Cathy Richardson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1970 – Michael Slater, Australian cricketer and sportscaster
    • 1970 – Eric Wilson, American bass player and drummer
    • 1971 – Pierre Fulke, Swedish golfer
    • 1972 – Seo Taiji, South Korean singer-songwriter
    • 1973 – Heri Joensen, Faroese singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1973 – Brian Rolston, American ice hockey player and coach
    • 1974 – Iván Campo, Spanish footballer
    • 1975 – Scott Miller, Australian swimmer
    • 1976 – Ryan Smyth, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1976 – Michael McIntyre, English comedian, actor and television presenter
    • 1977 – Jonathan Safran Foer, American novelist
    • 1977 – Steve Francis, American basketball player
    • 1977 – Owen King, American author
    • 1977 – Kevin Rose, American businessman and television host, founded Digg
    • 1978 – Kumail Nanjiani, Pakistani-American stand-up comedian, actor, writer and podcast host
    • 1979 – Pascal Chimbonda, Guadeloupean-French footballer, defender
    • 1979 – Shane Gibson, American guitarist (stOrk and Jonathan Davis and the SFA) (d. 2014)
    • 1979 – Jennifer Love Hewitt, American actress and producer
    • 1979 – Carly Colón, Puerto Rican professional wrestler
    • 1979 – Jordan Peele, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1980 – Brad Fast, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1980 – Tiziano Ferro, Italian singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1980 – Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 5th King of Bhutan
    • 1980 – Justin Roiland, American animator, writer and voice actor
    • 1981 – Floor Jansen, Dutch singer, songwriter, and vocal coach
    • 1982 – Andre Barrett, American basketball player
    • 1982 – Chantal Claret, American singer-songwriter
    • 1982 – Tebogo Jacko Magubane, South African DJ and producer
    • 1983 – Braylon Edwards, American football player
    • 1983 – Franklin Gutiérrez, Venezuelan baseball player
    • 1983 – Mélanie Laurent, French actress
    • 1984 – Andrew Ellis, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1984 – David Odonkor, German footballer
    • 1984 – Marco Paoloni, Italian footballer
    • 1984 – James Wisniewski, American ice hockey player
    • 1985 – Georgios Samaras, Greek footballer
    • 1985 – Jamaal Westerman, American football player
    • 1986 – Charlotte Church, Welsh singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1987 – Ellen Page, Canadian actress
    • 1989 – Corbin Bleu, American actor, model, dancer, film producer and singer-songwriter
    • 1990 – Mattias Tedenby, Swedish ice hockey player
    • 1991 – Joe Alwyn, English actor
    • 1991 – Riyad Mahrez, Algerian footballer
    • 1991 – Ji So-yun, South Korean footballer
    • 1991 – Devon Travis, American baseball player
    • 1991 – Suppasit Jongcheveevat, Thai actor
    • 1993 – Steve Leo Beleck, Cameroonian footballer
    • 1993 – Davy Klaassen, Dutch footballer
    • 1993 – Masaki Suda, Japanese actor
    • 1994 – Tang Haochen, Chinese tennis player
    • 1994 – Charalampos Mavrias, Greek footballer
    • 1996 – Sophie Turner, English actress

    Deaths on February 21

    • 4 AD – Gaius Caesar, Roman consul and grandson of Augustus (b. 20 BC)
    • 675 – Randoald of Grandval, prior of the Benedictine monastery of Grandval
    • 1184 – Minamoto no Yoshinaka, Japanese shōgun (b. 1154)
    • 1267 – Baldwin of Ibelin, Seneschal of Cyprus
    • 1437 – James I of Scotland (b. 1394; assassinated)
    • 1471 – Jan Rokycana, Czech bishop and theologian (b. 1396)
    • 1513 – Pope Julius II (b. 1443)
    • 1543 – Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, Somalian general (b. 1507)
    • 1554 – Hieronymus Bock, German botanist and physician (b. 1498)
    • 1572 – Cho Shik, Korean poet and scholar (d. 1501)
    • 1590 – Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, English nobleman and general (b. 1528)
    • 1595 – Robert Southwell, English priest and poet (b. 1561)
    • 1677 – Baruch Spinoza, Dutch philosopher and scholar (b. 1632)
    • 1715 – Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore, English politician (b. 1637)
    • 1730 – Pope Benedict XIII (b. 1649)
    • 1821 – Georg Friedrich von Martens, German jurist and diplomat (b. 1756)
    • 1824 – Eugène de Beauharnais, French general (b. 1781)
    • 1829 – Kittur Chennamma, Indian queen and freedom fighter (b. 1778)
    • 1846 – Emperor Ninkō of Japan (b. 1800)
    • 1862 – Justinus Kerner, German poet and physician (b. 1786)
    • 1888 – William Weston, English-Australian politician, 3rd Premier of Tasmania (b. 1804)
    • 1891 – James Timberlake, American lieutenant and police officer (b. 1846)
    • 1919 – Kurt Eisner, German journalist and politician, Minister-President of Bavaria (b. 1867)
    • 1926 – Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, Dutch physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1853)
    • 1934 – Augusto César Sandino, Nicaraguan rebel leader (b. 1895)
    • 1938 – George Ellery Hale, American astronomer and academic (b. 1868)
    • 1941 – Frederick Banting, Canadian physician and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1891)
    • 1944 – Ferenc Szisz, Hungarian-French race car driver (b. 1873)
    • 1945 – Eric Liddell, Scottish rugby player and runner (b. 1902)
    • 1946 – José Streel, Belgian journalist (b. 1911)
    • 1958 – Duncan Edwards, English footballer (b. 1936)
    • 1965 – Malcolm X, American minister and activist (b. 1925; assassinated)
    • 1967 – Charles Beaumont, American author and screenwriter (b. 1929)
    • 1968 – Howard Florey, Australian pathologist and pharmacologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1898)
    • 1972 – Zhang Guohua, Chinese general and politician (b. 1914)
    • 1972 – Bronislava Nijinska, Russian-American dancer and choreographer (b. 1891)
    • 1972 – Eugène Tisserant, French cardinal (b. 1884)
    • 1974 – Tim Horton, Canadian ice hockey player and businessman, co-founded Tim Hortons (b. 1930)
    • 1980 – Alfred Andersch, German-Swiss author (b. 1914)
    • 1982 – Gershom Scholem, German-Israeli historian and philosopher (b. 1897)
    • 1984 – Mikhail Sholokhov, Russian novelist and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1905)
    • 1985 – Louis Hayward, South African-American actor (b. 1909)
    • 1986 – Helen Hooven Santmyer, American novelist (b. 1895)
    • 1991 – Dorothy Auchterlonie Green, Australian poet, critic, and academic (b. 1915)
    • 1993 – Inge Lehmann, Danish seismologist and geophysicist (b. 1888)
    • 1994 – Johannes Steinhoff, German general and pilot (b. 1913)
    • 1996 – Morton Gould, American pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1913)
    • 1999 – Gertrude B. Elion, American biochemist and pharmacologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1918)
    • 1999 – Ilmari Juutilainen, Finnish soldier and pilot (b. 1914)
    • 1999 – Wilmer Mizell, American baseball player and politician (b. 1930)
    • 2002 – John Thaw, English actor and producer (b. 1942)
    • 2004 – John Charles, Welsh footballer and manager (b. 1931)
    • 2005 – Guillermo Cabrera Infante, Cuban author, screenwriter, and critic (b. 1929)
    • 2005 – Zdzisław Beksiński, Polish painter, photographer, and sculptor (b. 1929)
    • 2008 – Ben Chapman, American actor (b. 1928)
    • 2011 – Dwayne McDuffie, American author and screenwriter, co-founded Milestone Media (b. 1962)
    • 2011 – Bernard Nathanson, American physician and activist (b. 1926)
    • 2012 – H. M. Darmstandler, American general (b. 1922)
    • 2013 – Hasse Jeppson, Swedish footballer (b. 1925)
    • 2014 – Héctor Maestri, Cuban-American baseball player (b. 1935)
    • 2014 – Matthew Robinson, Australian snowboarder (b. 1985)
    • 2014 – Cornelius Schnauber, German–American historian, playwright, and academic (b. 1939)
    • 2015 – Aleksei Gubarev, Russian general, pilot, and astronaut (b. 1931)
    • 2015 – Sadeq Tabatabaei, Iranian journalist and politician (b. 1943)
    • 2015 – Clark Terry, American trumpet player, composer, and educator (b. 1920)
    • 2016 – Eric Brown, Scottish-English captain and pilot (b. 1919)
    • 2017 – Jeanne Martin Cissé, Guinean teacher and politician (b. 1926)
    • 2018 – Billy Graham, American evangelist (b. 1918)
    • 2019 – Stanley Donen, American film director (b. 1924)
    • 2019 – Peter Tork, American musician and actor (b. 1942)

    Holidays and observances on February 21

    • Armed Forces Day (South Africa)
    • Birthday of King Harald V (Norway)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Felix of Hadrumetum
      • Pepin of Landen
      • Peter Damian
      • Randoald of Grandval
      • February 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Father Lini Day (Vanuatu)
    • Language Movement Day (Bangladesh)
      • International Mother Language Day (UNESCO)
    • The first day of the Birth Anniversary of Fifth Druk Gyalpo, celebrated until February 23. (Bhutan)
    • The first day of the Musikahan Festival, celebrated until February 27. (Tagum City, Philippines)
    • Feralia (Ancient Rome)