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

On This Day / admin

30 BC – Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian’s forces, but most of his army subsequently deserts, leading to his suicide.
781 – The oldest recorded eruption of Mount Fuji (Traditional Japanese date: 6th day of the 7th month of the 1st year of the Ten’o (天応) era).
1009 – Pope Sergius IV becomes the 142nd pope, succeeding Pope John XVIII.
1201 – Attempted usurpation by John Komnenos the Fat for the throne of Alexios III Angelos.
1423 – Hundred Years’ War: Battle of Cravant: The French army is defeated by the English at Cravant on the banks of the river Yonne.
1451 – Jacques Cœur is arrested by order of Charles VII of France.
1492 – The Jews are expelled from Spain when the Alhambra Decree takes effect.
1498 – On his third voyage to the Western Hemisphere, Christopher Columbus becomes the first European to discover the island of Trinidad.
1588 – The Spanish Armada is spotted off the coast of England.
1618 – Maurice, Prince of Orange disbands the waardgelders militia in Utrecht, a pivotal event in the Remonstrant/Counter-Remonstrant tensions.
1655 – Russo-Polish War (1654–67): The Russian army enters the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Vilnius, which it holds for six years.
1658 – Aurangzeb is proclaimed Mughal emperor of India.
1703 – Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel after publishing a politically satirical pamphlet, but is pelted with flowers.
1712 – Action of 31 July 1712 (Great Northern War): Danish and Swedish ships clash in the Baltic Sea; the result is inconclusive.
1715 – Seven days after a Spanish treasure fleet of 12 ships left Havana, Cuba for Spain, 11 of them sink in a storm off the coast of Florida. A few centuries later, treasure is salvaged from these wrecks.
1741 – Charles Albert of Bavaria invades Upper Austria and Bohemia.
1763 – Odawa Chief Pontiac’s forces defeat British troops at the Battle of Bloody Run during Pontiac’s War.
1777 – The U.S. Second Continental Congress passes a resolution that the services of Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette “be accepted, and that, in consideration of his zeal, illustrious family and connexions, he have the rank and commission of major-general of the United States.”
1790 – The first U.S. patent is issued, to inventor Samuel Hopkins for a potash process.
1856 – Christchurch, New Zealand is chartered as a city.
1865 – The first narrow-gauge mainline railway in the world opens at Grandchester, Queensland, Australia.
1874 – Dr. Patrick Francis Healy became the first African-American inaugurated as president of a predominantly white university, Georgetown University.
1904 – Russo-Japanese War: Battle of Hsimucheng: Units of the Imperial Japanese Army defeat units of the Imperial Russian Army in a strategic confrontation.
1913 – The Balkan States sign an armistice in Bucharest.
1917 – World War I: The Battle of Passchendaele begins near Ypres in West Flanders, Belgium.
1919 – German national assembly adopts the Weimar Constitution, which comes into force on August 14.
1932 – The NSDAP (Nazi Party) wins more than 38% of the vote in German elections.
1938 – Bulgaria signs a non-aggression pact with Greece and other states of Balkan Antanti (Turkey, Romania, Yugoslavia).
1938 – Archaeologists discover engraved gold and silver plates from King Darius the Great in Persepolis.
1941 – The Holocaust: Under instructions from Adolf Hitler, Nazi official Hermann Göring, orders SS General Reinhard Heydrich to “submit to me as soon as possible a general plan of the administrative material and financial measures necessary for carrying out the desired Final Solution of the Jewish question.”
1941 – World War II: The Battle of Smolensk concludes with Germany capturing about 300,000 Soviet Red Army prisoners.
1945 – Pierre Laval, the fugitive former leader of Vichy France, surrenders to Allied soldiers in Austria.
1948 – At Idlewild Field in New York, New York International Airport (later renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport) is dedicated.
1948 – USS Nevada is sunk by an aerial torpedo after surviving hits from two atomic bombs (as part of post-war tests) and being used for target practice by three other ships.
1964 – Ranger program: Ranger 7 sends back the first close-up photographs of the moon, with images 1,000 times clearer than anything ever seen from earth-bound telescopes.
1970 – Black Tot Day: The last day of the officially sanctioned rum ration in the Royal Navy.
1971 – Apollo program: Apollo 15 astronauts become the first to ride in a lunar rover.
1972 – The Troubles: In Operation Motorman, the British Army re-takes the urban no-go areas of Northern Ireland. It is the biggest British military operation since the Suez Crisis of 1956, and the biggest in Ireland since the Irish War of Independence. Later that day, nine civilians are killed by car bombs in the village of Claudy.
1973 – A Delta Air Lines jetliner, flight DL 723 crashes while landing in fog at Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts killing 89.
1975 – The Troubles: three members of a popular cabaret band and two gunmen are killed during a botched paramilitary attack in Northern Ireland.
1987 – A tornado occurs in Edmonton, Canada.
1988 – Thirty-two people are killed and 1,674 injured when a bridge at the Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal collapses in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia.
1991 – The United States and Soviet Union both sign the START I Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the first to reduce (with verification) both countries’ stockpiles.
1992 – The nation of Georgia joins the United Nations.
1992 – Thai Airways International Flight 311 crashes into a mountain north of Kathmandu, Nepal killing all 113 people on board.
1999 – Discovery Program: Lunar Prospector: NASA intentionally crashes the spacecraft into the Moon, thus ending its mission to detect frozen water on the Moon’s surface.
2006 – Fidel Castro hands over power to his brother, Raúl.
2007 – Operation Banner, the presence of the British Army in Northern Ireland, and the longest-running British Army operation ever, comes to an end.
2012 – Michael Phelps breaks the record set in 1964 by Larisa Latynina for the most medals won at the Olympics.
2014 – Gas explosions in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung kill at least 20 people and injure more than 270.

Births on July 31

1143 – Emperor Nijō of Japan (d. 1165)
1396 – Philip III, Duke of Burgundy (d. 1467)
1526 – Augustus, Elector of Saxony (d. 1586)
1527 – Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1576)
1595 – Philipp Wolfgang, Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg (d. 1641)
1598 – Alessandro Algardi, Italian sculptor (d. 1654)
1686 – Charles of France, Duke of Berry (d. 1714)
1702 – Jean Denis Attiret, French missionary and painter (d. 1768)
1704 – Gabriel Cramer, Swiss mathematician and physicist (d. 1752)
1718 – John Canton, English physicist and academic (d. 1772)
1724 – Noël François de Wailly, French lexicographer and author (d. 1801)
1759 – Ignaz Anton von Indermauer, Austrian nobleman and government official (d. 1796)
1777 – Pedro Ignacio de Castro Barros, Argentinian priest and politician (d. 1849)
1796 – Jean-Gaspard Deburau, Czech-French actor and mime (d. 1846)
1800 – Friedrich Wöhler, German chemist and academic (d. 1882)
1803 – John Ericsson, Swedish-American engineer, co-designed the USS Princeton and the Novelty Locomotive (d. 1889)
1816 – George Henry Thomas, American general (d. 1870)
1826 – William S. Clark, American colonel and politician (d. 1886)
1835 – Henri Brisson, French lawyer and politician, 50th Prime Minister of France (d. 1912)
1835 – Paul Du Chaillu, French-American anthropologist and explorer (d. 1903)
1836 – Vasily Sleptsov, Russian author and activist (d. 1878)
1837 – William Quantrill, American captain (d. 1865)
1839 – Ignacio Andrade, Venezuelan general and politician, 25th President of Venezuela (d. 1925)
1843 – Peter Rosegger, Austrian poet and author (d. 1918)
1847 – Ignacio Cervantes, Cuban pianist and composer (d. 1905)
1854 – José Canalejas, Spanish academic and politician, Prime Minister of Spain (d. 1912)
1858 – Richard Dixon Oldham, English seismologist and geologist (d. 1936)
1858 – Marion Talbot, influential American educator (d. 1948)
1860 – Mary Vaux Walcott, American painter and illustrator (d. 1940)
1867 – S. S. Kresge, American businessman, founded Kmart (d. 1966)
1875 – Jacques Villon, French painter (d. 1963)
1877 – Louisa Bolus, South African botanist and taxonomist (d. 1970)
1880 – Premchand, Indian author and playwright (d. 1936)
1883 – Ramón Fonst, Cuban fencer (d. 1959)
1884 – Carl Friedrich Goerdeler, Polish-German economist and politician (d. 1945)
1886 – Salvatore Maranzano, Italian-American mob boss (d. 1931)
1886 – Fred Quimby, American animation producer (d. 1965)
1887 – Hans Freyer, German sociologist and philosopher (d. 1969)
1892 – Herbert W. Armstrong, American evangelist and publisher, founded Worldwide Church of God (d. 1986)
1892 – Joseph Charbonneau, Canadian archbishop (d. 1959)
1894 – Fred Keenor, Welsh footballer (d. 1972)
1901 – Jean Dubuffet, French painter and sculptor (d. 1985)
1902 – Gubby Allen, Australian-English cricketer and soldier (d. 1989)
1904 – Brett Halliday, American engineer, surveyor, and author (d. 1977)
1909 – Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, Austrian theorist and author (d. 1999)
1911 – George Liberace, American violinist (d. 1983)
1912 – Bill Brown, Australian cricketer (d. 2008)
1912 – Milton Friedman, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2006)
1912 – Irv Kupcinet, American football player and journalist (d. 2003)
1913 – Bryan Hextall, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1984)
1914 – Paul J. Christiansen, American conductor and composer (d. 1997)
1914 – Louis de Funès, French actor and screenwriter (d. 1983)
1916 – Sibte Hassan, Pakistani journalist, scholar, and activist (d. 1986)
1916 – Billy Hitchcock, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 2006)
1916 – Bill Todman, American screenwriter and producer (d. 1979)
1918 – Paul D. Boyer, American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2018)
1918 – Hank Jones, American pianist, composer, and bandleader (d. 2010)
1918 – Frank Renouf, New Zealand businessman and financier (d. 1998)
1919 – Hemu Adhikari, Indian cricketer (d. 2003)
1919 – Curt Gowdy, American sportscaster and actor (d. 2006)
1919 – Primo Levi, Italian chemist and author (d. 1987)
1920 – James E. Faust, American religious leader, lawyer, and politician (d. 2007)
1921 – Peter Benenson, English lawyer and activist, founded Amnesty International (d. 2005)
1921 – Donald Malarkey, American sergeant and author (d. 2017)
1921 – Whitney Young, American activist (d. 1971)
1922 – Hank Bauer, American baseball player and manager (d. 2007)
1923 – Ahmet Ertegun, Turkish-American songwriter and producer, founded Atlantic Records (d. 2006)
1923 – Stephanie Kwolek, American chemist and engineer, invented Kevlar (d. 2014)
1924 – Jimmy Evert, American tennis player and coach (d. 2015)
1925 – Carmel Quinn, Irish singer, actress and writer
1925 – John Swainson, Canadian-American jurist and politician, 42nd Governor of Michigan (d. 1994)
1926 – Bernard Nathanson, American physician and activist (d. 2011)
1926 – Hilary Putnam, American mathematician, computer scientist, and philosopher (d. 2016)
1927 – Peter Nichols, English author and playwright (d. 2019)
1928 – Bill Frenzel, American lieutenant and politician (d. 2014)
1929 – Lynne Reid Banks, English author
1929 – Gilles Carle, Canadian director and screenwriter (d. 2009)
1929 – Don Murray, American actor
1929 – José Santamaría, Uruguayan footballer and manager
1931 – Nick Bollettieri, American tennis player and coach
1931 – Kenny Burrell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1932 – Ted Cassidy, American actor and screenwriter (d. 1979)
1932 – John Searle, American philosopher and academic
1933 – Cees Nooteboom, Dutch journalist, author, and poet
1935 – Yvon Deschamps, Canadian comedian, actor, and producer
1935 – Geoffrey Lewis, American actor and screenwriter (d. 2015)
1939 – Steuart Bedford, English pianist and conductor
1939 – Susan Flannery, American actress
1939 – France Nuyen, Vietnamese-French actress
1941 – Amarsinh Chaudhary, Indian politician, 8th Chief Minister of Gujarat (d. 2004)
1943 – William Bennett, American journalist and politician, 3rd United States Secretary of Education
1943 – Lobo, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1944 – Geraldine Chaplin, American actress and screenwriter
1944 – Jonathan Dimbleby, English journalist and author
1944 – Sherry Lansing, American film producer
1944 – Robert C. Merton, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
1944 – David Norris, Irish scholar and politician
1945 – William Weld, American lawyer and politician, 68th Governor of Massachusetts
1946 – Gary Lewis, American pop-rock musician
1947 – Karl Green, English bass player and songwriter (Herman’s Hermits)
1947 – Richard Griffiths, English actor (d. 2013)
1947 – Mumtaz, Indian actress
1947 – Hubert Védrine, French politician, French Minister of Foreign Affairs
1947 – Ian Beck, English children’s illustrator and author
1948 – Russell Morris, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist
1949 – Mike Jackson, American basketball player
1949 – Alan Meale, English journalist and politician
1950 – Richard Berry, French actor, director, and screenwriter
1951 – Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Australian tennis player
1952 – Chris Ahrens, American ice hockey player
1952 – Alan Autry, American football player, actor, and politician, 23rd Mayor of Fresno, California
1952 – Helmuts Balderis, Latvian ice hockey player and coach
1952 – João Barreiros, Portuguese author and critic
1952 – Faye Kellerman, American author
1953 – Ted Baillieu, Australian architect and politician, 46th Premier of Victoria
1953 – Jimmy Cook, South African cricketer and coach
1953 – Hugh McDowell, English cellist
1954 – Derek Smith, Canadian ice hockey player
1956 – Michael Biehn, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
1956 – Bill Callahan, American football player and coach
1956 – Ron Kuby, American lawyer and radio host
1956 – Deval Patrick, American lawyer and politician, 71st Governor of Massachusetts
1956 – Lynne Rae Perkins, American author and illustrator
1957 – Daniel Ash, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
1957 – Mark Thompson, English business executive
1958 – Bill Berry, American drummer and songwriter
1958 – Mark Cuban, American businessman and television personality
1958 – Suzanne Giraud, French music editor and composer
1959 – Stanley Jordan, American guitarist, pianist, and songwriter
1959 – Andrew Marr, Scottish journalist and author
1959 – Kim Newman, English journalist and author
1960 – Dale Hunter, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
1960 – Malcolm Ross, Scottish guitarist and songwriter
1961 – Frank Gardner, English captain and journalist
1961 – Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Nigerian banker, royal
1962 – John Chiang, American lawyer and politician, 31st California State Controller
1962 – Kevin Greene, American football player and coach
1962 – Wesley Snipes, American actor and producer
1963 – Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim), English DJ and musician
1963 – Fergus Henderson, English chef and author
1963 – Brian Skrudland, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
1964 – Jim Corr, Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist
1964 – Urmas Hepner, Estonian footballer and coach
1965 – Scott Brooks, American basketball player and coach
1965 – John Laurinaitis, American wrestler and producer
1965 – Ian Roberts, English-Australian rugby league player and actor
1965 – J. K. Rowling, English author and film producer
1966 – Dean Cain, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
1967 – Tony Massenburg, American basketball player
1967 – Tim Wright, Welsh composer
1968 – Saeed-Al-Saffar, Emirati cricketer
1968 – Julian Richards, Welsh director and producer
1969 – Antonio Conte, Italian footballer and manager
1969 – Loren Dean, American actor
1969 – Kenneth D. Schisler, American lawyer and politician
1970 – Ahmad Akbarpour, Iranian author and poet
1970 – Ben Chaplin, English actor
1970 – Andrzej Kobylański, Polish footballer and manager
1970 – Giorgos Sigalas, Greek basketball player, coach, and sportscaster
1971 – Gus Frerotte, American football player and coach
1973 – Nathan Brown, Australian rugby league player and coach
1974 – Emilia Fox, English actress
1974 – Leona Naess, American-English singer-songwriter and guitarist
1974 – Jonathan Ogden, American football player
1975 – Randy Flores, American baseball player and coach
1975 – Andrew Hall, South African cricketer
1975 – Gabe Kapler, American baseball player and manager
1976 – Joshua Cain, American guitarist and producer
1976 – Paulo Wanchope, Costa Rican footballer and manager
1978 – Zac Brown, American country singer-songwriter and guitarist
1978 – Nick Sorensen, American football player and sportscaster
1978 – Justin Wilson, English race car driver (d. 2015)
1979 – Jaco Erasmus, South African-Italian rugby player
1979 – J.J. Furmaniak, American baseball player
1979 – Per Krøldrup, Danish footballer
1979 – Carlos Marchena, Spanish footballer
1979 – B.J. Novak, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
1980 – Mikko Hirvonen, Finnish race car driver
1980 – Mils Muliaina, New Zealand rugby player
1981 – Titus Bramble, English footballer
1981 – Vernon Carey, American football player
1981 – Paul Whatuira, New Zealand rugby league player
1981 – M. Shadows, American musician, lead singer of Avenged Sevenfold
1982 – Anabel Medina Garrigues, Spanish tennis player
1982 – DeMarcus Ware, American football player
1985 – Daniel Ciofani, Italian footballer
1985 – Rémy Di Gregorio, French cyclist
1986 – Evgeni Malkin, Russian ice hockey player
1986 – Brian Orakpo, American football player
1987 – Michael Bradley, American soccer player
1988 – Alex Glenn, New Zealand rugby league player
1989 – Victoria Azarenka, Belorussian tennis player
1991 – Réka Luca Jani, Hungarian tennis player
1992 – José Fernández, Cuban baseball player (d. 2016)
1992 – Ryan Johansen, Canadian ice hockey player
1992 – Kyle Larson, American race car driver
1994 – Lil Uzi Vert, American hip hop artist

Deaths on July 31

54 BC – Aurelia Cotta, Roman mother of Gaius Julius Caesar (b. 120 BC)
450 – Peter Chrysologus, Italian bishop and saint (b. 380)
910 – Feng Xingxi, Chinese warlord
975 – Fu Yanqing, Chinese general (b. 898)
1098 – Hugh of Montgomery, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury
1358 – Étienne Marcel, French rebel leader (b. 1302)
1396 – William Courtenay, English archbishop and politician, Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom (b. 1342)
1508 – Na’od, Ethiopian emperor
1556 – Ignatius of Loyola, Spanish priest and theologian, founded the Society of Jesus (b. 1491)
1616 – Roger Wilbraham, Solicitor-General for Ireland (b. 1553)
1638 – Sibylla Schwarz, German poet (b. 1621)
1653 – Thomas Dudley, English soldier and politician, 3rd Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony (b. 1576)
1693 – Willem Kalf, Dutch still life painter (b. 1619)
1726 – Nicolaus II Bernoulli, Swiss mathematician and theorist (b. 1695)
1750 – John V, king of Portugal (b. 1689)
1762 – Luis Vicente de Velasco e Isla, Spanish sailor and commander (b. 1711)
1781 – John Bligh, 3rd Earl of Darnley, British parliamentarian (b. 1719)
1784 – Denis Diderot, French philosopher and critic (b. 1713)
1805 – Dheeran Chinnamalai, Indian soldier (b. 1756)
1864 – Louis Christophe François Hachette, French publisher (b. 1800)
1875 – Andrew Johnson, American general and politician, 17th President of the United States (b. 1808)
1884 – Kiến Phúc, Vietnamese emperor (b. 1869)
1886 – Franz Liszt, Hungarian pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1811)
1891 – Jean-Baptiste Capronnier, Belgian stained glass painter (b. 1814)
1913 – John Milne, British geologist and mining engineer. (b. 1850)
1914 – Jean Jaurès, French journalist and politician (b. 1859)
1917 – Hedd Wyn, Welsh language poet (b. 1887)
1917 – Francis Ledwidge, Irish soldier and poet (b. 1881)
1920 – Ion Dragoumis, Greek philosopher and diplomat (b. 1878)
1940 – Udham Singh, Indian activist (b. 1899)
1943 – Hedley Verity, English cricketer and soldier (b. 1905)
1942 – Francis Younghusband, British Army Officer, explorer and spiritual writer (b.1863)
1944 – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French pilot and poet (b. 1900)
1953 – Robert A. Taft, American soldier and politician (b. 1889)
1954 – Onofre Marimón, Argentinian race car driver (b. 1923)
1958 – Eino Kaila, Finnish philosopher and psychologist, attendant of the Vienna circle (b. 1890)
1964 – Jim Reeves, American singer-songwriter (b. 1923)
1966 – Bud Powell, American pianist (b. 1924)
1968 – Jack Pizzey, Australian politician, 29th Premier of Queensland (b. 1911)
1971 – Walter P. Carter, American soldier and activist (b. 1923)
1972 – Paul-Henri Spaak, Belgian lawyer and politician, 40th Prime Minister of Belgium (b. 1899)
1973 – Azumafuji Kin’ichi, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 40th Yokozuna (b. 1921)
1979 – Beatrix Lehmann, English actress and director (b. 1903)
1980 – Pascual Jordan, German physicist, author, and academic (b. 1902)
1980 – Mohammed Rafi, Indian playback singer (b. 1924)
1981 – Omar Torrijos, Panamanian general and politician, Military Leader of Panama (b. 1929)
1985 – Eugene Carson Blake, American religious leader (b. 1906)
1986 – Chiune Sugihara, Japanese diplomat (b. 1900)
1987 – Joseph E. Levine, American film producer (b, 1905)
1990 – Albert Leduc, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1902)
1992 – Leonard Cheshire, English captain and pilot (b. 1917)
1992 – Md. Abdul Wajed Chowdhury, Bangladeshi politician.
1993 – Baudouin, King of Belgium (b. 1930)
2000 – William Keepers Maxwell Jr., American editor, novelist, short story writer, and essayist (b. 1908)
2001 – Francisco da Costa Gomes, Portuguese general and politician, 15th President of Portugal (b. 1914)
2001 – Friedrich Franz, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (b. 1910)
2003 – Guido Crepax, Italian author and illustrator (b. 1933)
2004 – Virginia Grey, American actress (b. 1917)
2005 – Wim Duisenberg, Dutch economist and politician, 1st President of the European Central Bank (b. 1935)
2009 – Bobby Robson, English footballer and manager (b. 1933)
2009 – Harry Alan Towers, English-Canadian screenwriter and producer (b. 1920)
2012 – Mollie Hunter, Scottish author and playwright (b. 1922)
2012 – Alfredo Ramos, Brazilian footballer and coach (b. 1924)
2012 – Gore Vidal, American novelist, screenwriter, and critic (b. 1925)
2012 – Tony Sly, American musician, singer-songwriter (b. 1970)
2013 – Michael Ansara, Syrian-American actor (b. 1922)
2013 – Michel Donnet, English-Belgian general and pilot (b. 1917)
2013 – John Graves, American captain and author (b. 1920)
2013 – Trevor Storer, English businessman, founded Pukka Pies (b. 1930)
2014 – Warren Bennis, American scholar, author, and academic (b. 1925)
2014 – Nabarun Bhattacharya, Indian journalist and author (b. 1948)
2014 – Jeff Bourne, English footballer (b. 1948)
2014 – Wilfred Feinberg, American lawyer and judge (b. 1920)
2015 – Alan Cheuse, American writer and critic (b. 1940)
2015 – Howard W. Jones, American surgeon and academic (b. 1910)
2015 – Billy Pierce, American baseball player and sportscaster (b. 1927)
2015 – Roddy Piper, Canadian wrestler and actor (b. 1954)
2015 – Richard Schweiker, American soldier and politician, 14th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (b. 1926)
2016 – Chiyonofuji Mitsugu, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 58th Yokozuna (b. 1955)
2016 – Seymour Papert, South African mathematician (b. 1928)
2017 – Jeanne Moreau, French actress (b. 1928)
2018 – Tony Bullimore, British sailor & businessman (b. 1939)
2019 – Harold Prince, noted Broadway producer and director, who received more Tony awards than anyone else in history (b. 1928)

Holidays and observances on July 31

Christian feast day:
- Abanoub
- Germanus of Auxerre
- Ignatius of Loyola
- Neot
- July 31 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Earliest day on which the Feast of Kamál (Perfection) can fall, while August 1 is the latest; observed on the first day of the eighth month of the Bahá’í calendar. (Bahá’í Faith)
End of the Trinity term (sitting of the High Court of Justice of England)
Ka Hae Hawaiʻi Day (Hawaii, United States), and its related observance:
- Sovereignty Restoration Day (Hawaiian sovereignty movement)
Martyrdom Day of Shahid Udham Singh (Haryana and Punjab, India)
Treasury Day (Poland)
Warriors’ Day (Malaysia)

July 31 – History, Events, Births, Deaths Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

July 26 – History, Events, Births, Deaths Holidays and Observances On This Day

On This Day / admin

“Mordad 5th”—day 129th in the Iranian official calendar (236 days – 237 days in leap years – till the end of the year)

July 26 in History

657 – First Fitna: In the Battle of Siffin, troops led by Ali ibn Abu Talib clash with those led by Muawiyah I.
811 – Battle of Pliska: Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros I is killed and his heir Staurakios is seriously wounded.
920 – Rout of an alliance of Christian troops from Navarre and Léon against the Muslims at the Battle of Valdejunquera.
1309 – Henry VII is recognized King of the Romans by Pope Clement V.
1469 – Wars of the Roses: The Battle of Edgecote Moor, pitting the forces of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick against those of Edward IV of England, takes place.
1509 – The Emperor Krishnadevaraya ascends to the throne, marking the beginning of the regeneration of the Vijayanagara Empire.
1529 – Francisco Pizarro González, Spanish conquistador, is appointed governor of Peru.
1581 – Plakkaat van Verlatinghe (Act of Abjuration): The northern Low Countries declare their independence from the Spanish king, Philip II.
1703 – During the Bavarian Rummel the rural population of Tyrol drove the Bavarian Prince-Elector Maximilian II Emanuel out of North Tyrol with a victory at the Pontlatzer Bridge and thus prevented the Bavarian Army, which was allied with France, from marching as planned on Vienna during the War of the Spanish Succession.
1745 – The first recorded women’s cricket match takes place near Guildford, England.
1758 – French and Indian War: The Siege of Louisbourg ends with British forces defeating the French and taking control of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
1775 – The office that would later become the United States Post Office Department is established by the Second Continental Congress. Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania takes office as Postmaster General.
1788 – New York ratifies the United States Constitution and becomes the 11th state of the United States.
1803 – The Surrey Iron Railway, arguably the world’s first public railway, opens in south London, United Kingdom.
1814 – The Swedish–Norwegian War begins.
1822 – José de San Martín arrives in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to meet with Simón Bolívar.
1822 – First day of the three-day Battle of Dervenakia, between the Ottoman Empire force led by Mahmud Dramali Pasha and the Greek Revolutionary force led by Theodoros Kolokotronis.
1847 – Liberia declares its independence.
1861 – American Civil War: George B. McClellan assumes command of the Army of the Potomac following a disastrous Union defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run.
1863 – American Civil War: Morgan’s Raid ends; At Salineville, Ohio, Confederate cavalry leader John Hunt Morgan and 360 of his volunteers are captured by Union forces.
1882 – Premiere of Richard Wagner’s opera Parsifal at Bayreuth.
1882 – The Republic of Stellaland is founded in Southern Africa.
1887 – Publication of the Unua Libro, founding the Esperanto movement.
1890 – In Buenos Aires, Argentina the Revolución del Parque takes place, forcing President Miguel Ángel Juárez Celman’s resignation.
1891 – France annexes Tahiti.
1892 – Dadabhai Naoroji is elected as the first Indian Member of Parliament in Britain.
1897 – Anglo-Afghan War: The Pashtun fakir Saidullah leads an army of more than 10,000 to begin a siege of the British garrison in the Malakand Agency of the North West Frontier Province of India.
1899 – Ulises Heureaux, the 27th President of the Dominican Republic, is assassinated.
1908 – United States Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte issues an order to immediately staff the Office of the Chief Examiner (later renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation).
1918 – Emmy Noether’s paper, which became known as Noether’s theorem was presented at Göttingen, Germany, from which conservation laws are deduced for symmetries of angular momentum, linear momentum, and energy.
1936 – Spanish Civil War: Germany and Italy decide to intervene in the war in support for Francisco Franco and the Nationalist faction.
1936 – King Edward VIII, in one of his few official duties before he abdicates the throne, officially unveils the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.
1937 – Spanish Civil War: End of the Battle of Brunete with the Nationalist victory.
1941 – World War II: In response to the Japanese occupation of French Indochina, the United States, Britain and the Netherlands freeze all Japanese assets and cut off oil shipments.
1944 – World War II: The Red Army enters Lviv, a major city in western Ukraine, capturing it from the Nazis. Only 300 Jews survive out of 160,000 living in Lviv prior to occupation.
1945 – The Labour Party wins the United Kingdom general election of July 5 by a landslide, removing Winston Churchill from power.
1945 – World War II: The Potsdam Declaration is signed in Potsdam, Germany.
1945 – World War II: HMS Vestal is the last British Royal Navy ship to be sunk in the war.
1945 – World War II: The USS Indianapolis arrives at Tinian with components and enriched uranium for the Little Boy nuclear bomb.
1946 – Aloha Airlines begins service from Honolulu International Airport.
1947 – Cold War: U.S. President Harry S. Truman signs the National Security Act of 1947 into United States law creating the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Department of Defense, United States Air Force, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the United States National Security Council.
1948 – U.S. President Harry S. Truman signs Executive Order 9981, desegregating the military of the United States.
1951 – Walt Disney’s 13th animated film, Alice in Wonderland, premieres in London, England, United Kingdom.
1952 – King Farouk of Egypt abdicates in favor of his son Fuad.
1953 – Cold War: Fidel Castro leads an unsuccessful attack on the Moncada Barracks, thus beginning the Cuban Revolution. The movement took the name of the date: 26th of July Movement
1953 – Arizona Governor John Howard Pyle orders an anti-polygamy law enforcement crackdown on residents of Short Creek, Arizona, which becomes known as the Short Creek raid.
1953 – Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment repel a number of Chinese assaults against a key position known as The Hook during the Battle of the Samichon River, just hours before the Armistice Agreement is signed, ending the Korean War.
1956 – Following the World Bank’s refusal to fund building the Aswan Dam, Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalizes the Suez Canal, sparking international condemnation.
1957 – Carlos Castillo Armas, dictator of Guatemala, is assassinated.
1958 – Explorer program: Explorer 4 is launched.
1963 – Syncom 2, the world’s first geosynchronous satellite, is launched from Cape Canaveral on a Delta B booster.
1963 – An earthquake in Skopje, Yugoslavia (present-day North Macedonia) leaves 1,100 dead.
1963 – The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development votes to admit Japan.
1968 – Vietnam War: South Vietnamese opposition leader Trương Đình Dzu is sentenced to five years hard labor for advocating the formation of a coalition government as a way to move toward an end to the war.
1971 – Apollo program: Launch of Apollo 15 on the first Apollo “J-Mission”, and first use of a Lunar Roving Vehicle.
1974 – Greek Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis forms the country’s first civil government after seven years of military rule.
1977 – The National Assembly of Quebec imposes the use of French as the official language of the provincial government.
1979 (1358 SH) – Holding the first Friday Prayer in Iran led by Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleghani
1986 (1365 SH) – Aerial bombardment of citizens of Arak by Ba’athist Iraq regime at 9:13 a.m. (local time):
1988 (1367 SH) – Mersad Operation part of Iran-Iraq war
1989 – A federal grand jury indicts Cornell University student Robert T. Morris, Jr. for releasing the Morris worm, thus becoming the first person to be prosecuted under the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
1990 – The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is signed into law by President George H.W. Bush.
1993 – Asiana Airlines Flight 733 crashes into a ridge on Mt. Ungeo on its third attempt to land at Mokpo Airport, South Korea. Sixty-eight of the 116 people onboard are killed.
1999 – Celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas. Kargil conflict officially comes to an end. The Indian Army announces the complete eviction of Pakistani intruders.
2005 – Space Shuttle program: STS-114 Mission: Launch of Discovery, NASA’s first scheduled flight mission after the Columbia Disaster in 2003.
2005 – Mumbai, India receives 99.5cm of rain (39.17 inches) within 24 hours, resulting in floods killing over 5,000 people.
2008 – Fifty-six people are killed and over 200 people are injured, in the Ahmedabad bombings in India.
2009 – The militant Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram attacks a police station in Bauchi, leading to reprisals by the Nigeria Police Force and four days of violence across multiple cities.
2016 – The Sagamihara stabbings occur in Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. Nineteen people are killed.
2016 – Hillary Clinton becomes the first female nominee for President of the United States by a major political party at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
2016 – Solar Impulse 2 becomes the first solar-powered aircraft to circumnavigate the Earth.

Births on July 26

1030 – Stanislaus of Szczepanów, Polish bishop and saint (d. 1079)
1400 – Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Worcester, English noble (d. 1439)
1502 – Christian Egenolff, German printer (d. 1555)
1612 – Murad IV, Ottoman sultan (d. 1640)
1678 – Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1711)
1711 – Lorenz Christoph Mizler, German physician, mathematician, and historian (d. 1778)
1739 – George Clinton, American general and politician, 4th Vice President of the United States (d. 1812)
1782 – John Field, Irish pianist and composer (d. 1837)
1791 – Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart, Austrian pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1844)
1796 – George Catlin, American painter, author, and traveler (d. 1872)
1802 – Mariano Arista, Mexican general and politician, 42nd President of Mexico (d. 1855)
1819 – Justin Holland, American guitarist and educator (d. 1887)
1829 – Auguste Beernaert, Belgian politician, 14th Prime Minister of Belgium, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1912)
1841 – Carl Robert Jakobson, Estonian journalist and politician (d. 1882)
1842 – Alfred Marshall, English economist and academic (d. 1924)
1844 – Stefan Drzewiecki, Ukrainian-Polish engineer and journalist (d. 1938)
1854 – Philippe Gaucher, French dermatologist and academic (d. 1918)
1855 – Ferdinand Tönnies, German sociologist and philosopher (d. 1936)
1856 – George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright and critic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1950)
1858 – Tom Garrett, Australian cricketer and lawyer (d. 1943)
1863 – Jāzeps Vītols, Latvian composer (d. 1948)
1865 – Philipp Scheidemann, German journalist and politician, 10th Chancellor of Germany (d. 1939)
1865 – Rajanikanta Sen, Indian poet and composer (d. 1910)
1874 – Serge Koussevitzky, Russian-American bassist, composer, and conductor (d. 1951)
1875 – Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist (d. 1961)
1875 – Antonio Machado, Spanish poet and academic (d. 1939)
1877 – Jesse Lauriston Livermore, American investor and security analyst, “Great Bear of Wall Street” (d. 1940)
1878 – Ernst Hoppenberg, German swimmer and water polo player (d. 1937)
1879 – Shunroku Hata, Japanese field marshal and politician, 48th Japanese Minister of War (d. 1962)
1880 – Volodymyr Vynnychenko, Ukrainian playwright and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Ukrainian People’s Republic (d. 1951)
1882 – Albert Dunstan, Australian politician, 33rd Premier of Victoria (d. 1950)
1885 – Roy Castleton, Major League Baseball player (d.1967)
1885 – André Maurois, French soldier and author (d. 1967)
1886 – Lars Hanson, Swedish actor (d. 1965)
1888 – Reginald Hands, South African cricketer and rugby player (d. 1918)
1890 – Daniel J. Callaghan, American admiral, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1942)
1892 – Sad Sam Jones, American baseball player and manager (d. 1966)
1893 – George Grosz, German painter and illustrator (d. 1959)
1894 – Aldous Huxley, English novelist and philosopher (d. 1963)
1895 – Gracie Allen, American actress and comedian (d. 1964)
1896 – Tim Birkin, English soldier and race car driver (d. 1933)
1897 – Harold D. Cooley, American lawyer and politician (d. 1974)
1897 – Paul Gallico, American journalist and author (d. 1976)
1900 – Sarah Kafrit, Israeli politician and teacher (d. 1983)
1903 – Estes Kefauver, American lawyer and politician (d. 1963)
1904 – Edwin Albert Link, American industrialist and entrepreneur, invented the flight simulator (d. 1981)
1906 – Irena Iłłakowicz, German-Polish lieutenant (d. 1943)
1908 – Lucien Wercollier, Luxembourger sculptor (d. 2002)
1909 – Peter Thorneycroft, Baron Thorneycroft, English lawyer and politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer (d. 1994)
1909 – Vivian Vance, American actress and singer (d. 1979)
1913 – Kan Yuet-keung, Hong Kong banker, lawyer, and politician (d. 2012)
1914 – C. Farris Bryant, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 34th Governor of Florida (d. 2002)
1914 – Erskine Hawkins, American trumpet player and bandleader (d. 1993)
1914 – Ellis Kinder, American baseball player (d. 1968)
1916 – Dean Brooks, American physician and actor (d. 2013)
1916 – Jaime Luiz Coelho, Brazilian archbishop (d. 2013)
1918 – Marjorie Lord, American actress (d. 2015)
1919 – Virginia Gilmore, American actress (d. 1986)
1919 – James Lovelock, English biologist and chemist
1920 – Bob Waterfield, American football player and coach (d. 1983)
1921 – Tom Saffell, American baseball player and manager (d. 2012)
1921 – Jean Shepherd, American radio host, actor, and screenwriter (d. 1999)
1922 – Blake Edwards, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2010)
1922 – Jim Foglesong, American record producer (d. 2013)
1922 – Jason Robards, American actor (d. 2000)
1923 – Jan Berenstain, American author and illustrator (d. 2012)
1923 – Hoyt Wilhelm, American baseball player and coach (d. 2002)
1925 – Jerzy Einhorn, Polish-Swedish physician and politician (d. 2000)
1925 – Joseph Engelberger, American physicist and engineer (d. 2015)
1925 – Gene Gutowski, Polish-American producer (d. 2016)
1925 – Ana María Matute, Spanish author and academic (d. 2014)
1926 – James Best, American actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2015)
1926 (1305 SH) – Sadeq Khalkhali, Shia cleric and a religious ruler in the Islamic Republic of Iran (d. 2003)
1926 – Dorothy E. Smith, Canadian sociologist
1927 – Gulabrai Ramchand, Indian cricketer (d. 2003)
1928 – Don Beauman, English race car driver (d. 1955)
1928 – Francesco Cossiga, Italian academic and politician, 8th President of Italy (d. 2010)
1928 – Elliott Erwitt, French-American photographer and director
1928 – Ibn-e-Safi, Indian-Pakistani author and poet (d. 1980)
1928 – Joe Jackson, American talent manager, father of Michael Jackson (d. 2018)
1928 – Stanley Kubrick, American director, producer, screenwriter, and cinematographer (d. 1999)
1928 – Peter Lougheed, Canadian lawyer and politician, 10th Premier of Alberta (d. 2012)
1928 – Sally Oppenheim-Barnes, Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes, Irish-born English politician
1928 – Bernice Rubens, Welsh author (d. 2004)
1929 – Marc Lalonde, Canadian lawyer and politician, 34th Canadian Minister of Justice
1929 – Alexis Weissenberg, Bulgarian-French pianist and educator (d. 2012)
1930 – Plínio de Arruda Sampaio, Brazilian lawyer and politician (d. 2014)
1930 – Barbara Jefford, English actress
1931 – Telê Santana, Brazilian footballer and manager (d. 2006)
1934 – Tommy McDonald, American football player (d. 2018)
1936 – Tsutomu Koyama, Japanese volleyball player and coach (d. 2012)
1936 – Lawrie McMenemy, English footballer and manager
1938 – Bobby Hebb, American singer-songwriter (d. 2010)
1938 – Keith Peters, Welsh physician and academic
1939 – Jun Henmi, Japanese author and poet (d. 2011)
1939 – John Howard, Australian lawyer and politician, 25th Prime Minister of Australia
1939 – Bob Lilly, American football player and photographer
1939 – Richard Marlow, English organist and conductor (d. 2013)
1940 – Dobie Gray, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2011)
1940 – Brian Mawhinney, Baron Mawhinney, Northern Irish-British academic and politician, Secretary of State for Transport
1940 – Bobby Rousseau, Canadian ice hockey player
1941 – Jean Baubérot, French historian and sociologist
1941 – Darlene Love, American singer and actress
1941 – Brenton Wood, American R&B singer-songwriter and keyboard player
1942 – Vladimír Mečiar, Slovak politician, 1st Prime Minister of Slovakia
1942 (1321 SH) – Bahman Mofid, Iranian actor
1942 – Teddy Pilette, Belgian race car driver
1943 – Peter Hyams, American director, screenwriter, and cinematographer
1943 – Mick Jagger, English singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
1944 (1323 SH) – Dariush Arjmand, Iranian actor
1945 – Betty Davis, American singer-songwriter
1945 – Helen Mirren, English actress
1946 – Emilio de Villota, Spanish race car driver
1948 – Luboš Andršt, Czech guitarist and songwriter
1948 – Herbert Wiesinger, German figure skater
1949 – Thaksin Shinawatra, Thai businessman and politician, 23rd Prime Minister of Thailand
1949 – Roger Taylor, English singer-songwriter, drummer, and producer
1950 – Nelinho, Brazilian footballer and manager
1950 – Nicholas Evans, English journalist, screenwriter, and producer
1950 – Susan George, English actress and producer
1950 – Anne Rafferty, English lawyer and judge
1950 – Rich Vogler, American race car driver (d. 1990)
1951 – Rick Martin, Canadian-American ice hockey player (d. 2011)
1952 – Glynis Breakwell, English psychologist and academic
1953 – Felix Magath, German footballer and manager
1953 – Robert Phillips, American guitarist
1953 – Henk Bleker, Dutch politician
1953 – Earl Tatum, American professional basketball player
1954 – Vitas Gerulaitis, American tennis player and coach (d. 1994)
1955 – Aleksandrs Starkovs, Latvian footballer and coach
1955 – Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistani businessman and politician, 11th President of Pakistan
1956 – Peter Fincham, English screenwriter and producer
1956 – Dorothy Hamill, American figure skater
1956 – Tommy Rich, American wrestler
1956 – Tim Tremlett, English cricketer and coach
1957 – Norman Baker, Scottish politician
1957 – Nana Visitor, American actress
1958 – Monti Davis, American basketball player (d. 2013)
1958 – Angela Hewitt, Canadian-English pianist
1959 – Rick Bragg, American author and journalist
1959 – Kevin Spacey, American actor and director
1960 (1339 SH) – Mohsen Vezvaei, Iranian commander killed in Iran-Iraq war
1961 – Gary Cherone, American singer-songwriter
1961 – Andy Connell, English keyboard player and songwriter
1961 – Felix Dexter, Caribbean-English comedian and actor (d. 2013)
1963 – Jeff Stoughton, Canadian curler
1964 – Sandra Bullock, American actress and producer
1964 – Ralf Metzenmacher, German painter and designer
1964 – Anne Provoost, Belgian author
1965 – Jeremy Piven, American actor and producer
1965 – Jim Lindberg, American singer and guitarist
1966 – Angelo di Livio, Italian footballer
1967 – Martin Baker, English organist and conductor
1967 – Tim Schafer, American video game designer, founded Double Fine Productions
1967 – Jason Statham, English actor
1968 – Frédéric Diefenthal, French actor and director
1968 – Jim Naismith, Scottish biologist and academic
1968 – Olivia Williams, English actress
1969 – Greg Colbrunn, American baseball player and coach
1969 – Tanni Grey-Thompson, Welsh baroness and wheelchair racer
1971 – Khaled Mahmud, Bangladeshi cricketer and coach
1971 – Chris Harrison, America television personality
1972 – Nathan Buckley, Australian footballer and coach
1973 – Kate Beckinsale, English actress
1973 – Mariano Raffo, Argentinian director and producer
1974 – Iron & Wine, American singer-songwriter
1974 – Kees Meeuws, New Zealand rugby player and coach
1974 – Dean Sturridge, English footballer and sportscaster
1975 – Ingo Schultz, German sprinter
1975 – Joe Smith, American basketball player
1975 – Elizabeth Truss, English accountant and politician, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
1976 – Elena Kustarova, Russian ice dancer and coach
1976 – Darius Labanauskas, Lithuanian darts player
1977 – Joaquín Benoit, Dominican baseball player
1977 – Martin Laursen, Danish footballer and manager
1977 – Tanja Szewczenko, German figure skater
1979 – Friedrich Michau, German rugby player
1979 – Derek Paravicini, English pianist
1979 – Peter Sarno, Canadian ice hockey player
1979 – Erik Westrum, American ice hockey player
1979 – Juliet Rylance, English actress
1980 – Jacinda Ardern, 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand
1980 – Dave Baksh, Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
1980 – Robert Gallery, American football player
1981 – Abe Forsythe, Australian actor, director, and screenwriter
1981 (1360 SH) Mehdi Seyed-Salehi, Iranian soccer player
1981 – Maicon Sisenando, Brazilian footballer
1982 – Gilad Hochman, Israeli composer
1982 – Christopher Kane, Scottish fashion designer
1983 – Kelly Clark, American snowboarder
1983 – Stephen Makinwa, Nigerian footballer
1983 – Roderick Strong, American wrestler
1983 – Naomi van As, Dutch field hockey player
1983 – Ken Wallace, Australian kayaker
1983 – Delonte West, American basketball player
1984 – Kyriakos Ioannou, Cypriot high jumper
1984 – Benjamin Kayser, French rugby player
1984 – Sabri Sarıoğlu, Turkish footballer
1985 – Marcus Benard, American football player
1985 – Gaël Clichy, French footballer
1985 – Audrey De Montigny, Canadian singer-songwriter
1985 – Mat Gamel, American baseball player
1986 – Leonardo Ulloa, Argentinian footballer
1986 – John White, English footballer
1987 – Panagiotis Kone, Greek footballer
1987 – Jordie Benn, Canadian ice hockey player
1987 – Fredy Montero, Colombian footballer
1988 – Yurie Omi, Japanese female announcer
1988 – Sayaka Akimoto, Filipino–Japanese actress and singer
1991 – Tyson Barrie, Canadian ice hockey player
1992 – Marika Koroibete, Fijian rugby player
1993 – Raymond Faitala-Mariner, New Zealand rugby league player
1994 – Ella Leivo, Finnish tennis player
1996 – Olivia Breen, British sprinter

Deaths on July 26

342 – Cheng of Jin, emperor of the Jin Dynasty (b. 321)
432 – Celestine I, pope of the Catholic Church
811 – Nikephoros I, Byzantine emperor
899 – Li Hanzhi, Chinese warlord (b. 842)
943 – Motoyoshi, Japanese nobleman and poet (b. 890)
990 – Fujiwara no Kaneie, Japanese statesman (b. 929)
1380 – Kōmyō, emperor of Japan (b. 1322)
1450 – Cecily Neville, duchess of Warwick (b. 1424)
1471 – Paul II, pope of the Catholic Church (b. 1417)
1533 – Atahualpa, Inca emperor abducted and murdered by Francisco Pizarro (b. ca. 1500)
1592 – Armand de Gontant, French marshal (b. 1524)
1605 – Miguel de Benavides, Spanish archbishop and sinologist (b. 1552)
1611 – Horio Yoshiharu, Japanese daimyō (b. 1542)
1630 – Charles Emmanual I, duke of Savoy (b. 1562)
1659 – Mary Frith, English female criminal (b. 1584)
1680 – John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, English poet and courtier (b. 1647)
1684 – Elena Cornaro Piscopia, Italian mathematician and philosopher (b. 1646)
1693 – Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, queen of Sweden (b. 1656)
1712 – Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, English politician, Lord High Treasurer (b. 1631)
1723 – Robert Bertie, 1st Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, English politician, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (b. 1660)
1801 – Maximilian Francis, archduke of Austria (b. 1756)
1863 – Sam Houston, American general and politician, 7th Governor of Texas (b. 1793)
1867 – Otto, king of Greece (b. 1815)
1899 – Ulises Heureaux, 22nd, 26th, and 27th President of the Dominican Republic (b. 1845)
1915 – James Murray, Scottish lexicographer and philologist (b. 1837)
1919 – Edward Poynter, English painter and illustrator (b. 1836)
1921 – Howard Vernon, Australian actor (b. 1848)
1925 – Antonio Ascari, Italian race car driver (b. 1888)
1925 – Gottlob Frege, German mathematician and philosopher (b. 1848)
1925 – William Jennings Bryan, American lawyer and politician, 41st United States Secretary of State (b. 1860)
1926 – Robert Todd Lincoln, American lawyer and politician, 35th United States Secretary of War, son of Abraham Lincoln (b. 1843)
1930 – Pavlos Karolidis, Greek historian and academic (b. 1849)
1932 – Fred Duesenberg, German-American businessman, co-founded the Duesenberg Company (b. 1876)
1934 – Winsor McCay, American cartoonist, animator, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1871)
1941 – Henri Lebesgue, French mathematician and academic (b. 1875)
1942 – Roberto Arlt, Argentinian author and playwright (b. 1900)
1951 – James Mitchell, Australian politician, 13th Premier of Western Australia (b. 1866)
1952 – Eva Perón, Argentinian politician, 25th First Lady of Argentina (b. 1919)
1953 – Nikolaos Plastiras, Greek general and politician, 135th Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1883)
1957 – Carlos Castillo Armas, Authoritarian ruler of Guatemala (1954-1957)
1960 – Cedric Gibbons, British art director and production designer (b. 1893)
1964 – Francis Curzon, 5th Earl Howe, English race car driver and politician (b. 1884)
1968 – Cemal Tollu, Turkish lieutenant and painter (b. 1899)
1970 – Robert Taschereau, Canadian lawyer and jurist, 11th Chief Justice of Canada (b. 1896)
1971 – Diane Arbus, American photographer and academic (b. 1923)
1980 (1359 SH) – Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the second shah (king) of Pahlavi dynasty
1984 – George Gallup, American mathematician and statistician, founded the Gallup Company (b. 1901)
1984 – Ed Gein, American serial killer (b. 1906)
1986 – W. Averell Harriman, American politician and diplomat, 11th United States Secretary of Commerce (b. 1891)
1988 – Fazlur Rahman Malik, Pakistani philosopher, scholar, and academic (b. 1919)
1992 – Mary Wells, American singer-songwriter (b. 1943)
1993 – Matthew Ridgway, American general (b. 1895)
1994 – James Luther Adams, American theologian and academic (b. 1901)
1995 – Laurindo Almeida, Brazilian-American guitarist and composer (b. 1917)
1995 – Raymond Mailloux, Canadian lawyer and politician (b. 1918)
1995 – George W. Romney, American businessman and politician, 43rd Governor of Michigan (b. 1907)
1996 – Max Winter, American businessman and sports executive (b. 1903)
1999 – Walter Jackson Bate, American author and critic (b. 1918)
1999 – Phaedon Gizikis, Greek general and politician, President of Greece (b. 1917)
2000 – John Tukey, American mathematician and academic (b. 1915)
2001 – Rex T. Barber, American colonel and pilot (b. 1917)
2001 – Peter von Zahn, German journalist and author (b. 1913)
2004 – William A. Mitchell, American chemist, created Pop Rocks and Cool Whip (b. 1911)
2005 – Alexander Golitzen, Russian-born American production designer and art director (b. 1908)
2005 – Jack Hirshleifer, American economist and academic (b. 1925)
2005 – Gilles Marotte, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1945)
2007 – Lars Forssell, Swedish author, poet, and playwright (b. 1928)
2007 – Skip Prosser, American basketball player and coach (b. 1950)
2009 – Merce Cunningham, American dancer and choreographer (b. 1919)
2010 – Sivakant Tiwari, Indian-Singaporean politician (b. 1945)
2011 – Joe Arroyo, Colombian singer-songwriter and composer (b. 1955)
2011 – Richard Harris, American-Canadian football player and coach (b. 1948)
2011 – Sakyo Komatsu, Japanese author and screenwriter (b. 1931)
2011 – Margaret Olley, Australian painter and philanthropist (b. 1923)
2012 – Don Bagley, American bassist and composer (b. 1927)
2012 – Karl Benjamin, American painter and educator (b. 1925)
2012 – Miriam Ben-Porat, Russian-Israeli lawyer and jurist (b. 1918)
2012 – Lupe Ontiveros, American actress (b. 1942)
2012 – James D. Watkins, American admiral and politician, 6th United States Secretary of Energy (b. 1927)
2013 – Luther F. Cole, American lawyer and politician (b. 1925)
2013 – Harley Flanders, American mathematician and academic (b. 1925)
2013 – Sung Jae-gi, South Korean philosopher and activist (b. 1967)
2013 – George P. Mitchell, American businessman and philanthropist (b. 1919)
2014 – Oleh Babayev, Ukrainian businessman and politician (b. 1965)
2014 – Charles R. Larson, American admiral (b. 1936)
2014 – Richard MacCormac, English architect, founded MJP Architects (b. 1938)
2014 – Sergei O. Prokofieff, Russian anthropologist and author (b. 1954)
2014 – Roland Verhavert, Belgian director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1927)
2015 – Bijoy Krishna Handique, Indian lawyer and politician, Indian Minister of Mines (b. 1934)
2015 – Flora MacDonald, Canadian banker and politician, 10th Canadian Minister of Communications (b. 1926)
2015 – Leo Reise, Jr., Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1922)
2015 – Ann Rule, American police officer and author (b. 1931)
2017 – June Foray, American voice actress (b. 1917)
2017 – Patti Deutsch, American voice artist and comedic actress (b. 1943)
2017 – Ronald Phillips, American criminal (b. 1973)
2018 – Adem Demaci, Kosovo Albanian politician and writer (b. 1936)
2018 – John Kline, American basketball player (b. 1931)

Holidays and observances on July 26

Christian feast day:
- Andrew of Phú Yên
- Anne (Western Christianity)
- Bartolomea Capitanio
- Blessed Maria Pierina
- Joachim (Western Christianity)
- Paraskevi of Rome (Eastern Orthodox Church)
- Venera
- July 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Day of National Significance (Barbados)
Day of the National Rebellion (Cuba)
Esperanto Day
Independence Day (Liberia), celebrates the independence of Liberia from the American Colonization Society in 1847.
Independence Day (Maldives), celebrates the independence of Maldives from the United Kingdom in 1965.
Kargil Victory Day or Kargil Vijay Diwas (India)

July 26 – History, Events, Births, Deaths Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

July 12 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

On This Day / admin

AD 70 – The armies of Titus attack the walls of Jerusalem after a six-month siege. Three days later they breach the walls, which enables the army to destroy the Second Temple.
927 – King Constantine II of Scotland, King Hywel Dda of Deheubarth, Ealdred of Bamburgh and King Owain of the Cumbrians accepted the overlordship of King Æthelstan of England, leading to seven years of peace in the north.
1191 – Third Crusade: Saladin’s garrison surrenders to Philip Augustus, ending the two-year siege of Acre.
1470 – The Ottomans capture Euboea.
1493 – Hartmann Schedel’s Nuremberg Chronicle, one of the best-documented early printed books, is published.
1527 – Lê Cung Hoàng ceded the throne to Mạc Đăng Dung, ending the Lê dynasty and starting the Mạc dynasty.
1543 – King Henry VIII of England marries his sixth and last wife, Catherine Parr, at Hampton Court Palace.
1562 – Fray Diego de Landa, acting Bishop of Yucatán, burns the sacred books of the Maya.
1576 – Mughal Empire annexes Bengal after defeating the Bengal Sultanate at the Battle of Raj Mahal.
1580 – The Ostrog Bible, one of the early printed Bibles in a Slavic language, is published.
1691 – Battle of Aughrim (Julian calendar): The decisive victory of William III of England’s forces in Ireland.
1776 – Captain James Cook begins his third voyage.
1789 – In response to the dismissal of the French finance minister Jacques Necker, the radical journalist Camille Desmoulins gives a speech which results in the storming of the Bastille two days later.
1790 – The Civil Constitution of the Clergy is passed in France by the National Constituent Assembly.
1799 – Ranjit Singh conquers Lahore and becomes Maharaja of the Punjab (Sikh Empire).
1801 – British ships inflict heavy damage on Spanish and French ships in the Second Battle of Algeciras.
1806 – At the insistence of Napoleon, Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg and thirteen minor principalities leave the Holy Roman Empire and form the Confederation of the Rhine.
1812 – The American Army of the Northwest briefly occupies the Upper Canadian settlement at what is now at Windsor, Ontario.
1862 – The Medal of Honor is authorized by the United States Congress.
1913 – Serbian forces begin their siege of the Bulgarian city of Vidin; the siege is later called off when the war ends.
1917 – The Bisbee Deportation occurs as vigilantes kidnap and deport nearly 1,300 striking miners and others from Bisbee, Arizona.
1918 – The Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Kawachi blows up at Shunan, western Honshu, Japan, killing at least 621.
1920 – The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty is signed, by which Soviet Russia recognizes the independence of Lithuania.
1943 – German and Soviet forces engage in one of the largest armored engagements of all time.
1948 – Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion orders the expulsion of Palestinians from the towns of Lod and Ramla.
1960 – Orlyonok, the main Young Pioneer camp of the Russian SFSR, is founded.
1961 – Indian city Pune floods due to failure of the Khadakwasla and Panshet dams, killing at least two thousand people.
1962 – The Rolling Stones perform their first concert, at London’s Marquee Club.
1963 – Pauline Reade, 16, disappears in Gorton, England, the first victim in the Moors murders.
1967 – Riots begin in Newark, New Jersey.
1971 – The Australian Aboriginal Flag is flown for the first time.
1973 – A fire destroys the entire sixth floor of the National Personnel Records Center of the United States.
1975 – São Tomé and Príncipe declare independence from Portugal.
1979 – The island nation of Kiribati becomes independent from the United Kingdom.
1998 – The Ulster Volunteer Force attacked a house in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a petrol bomb, killing the Quinn brothers.
2006 – The 2006 Lebanon War begins.
2007 – U.S. Army Apache helicopters engage in airstrikes against civilians in Baghdad, Iraq; footage from the cockpit is later leaked to the Internet.
2012 – Syrian Civil War: Government forces target the homes of rebels and activists in Tremseh and kill anywhere between 68 and 150 people.
2012 – A tank truck explosion kills more than 100 people in Okobie, Nigeria.
2013 – Six people are killed and 200 injured in a French passenger train derailment in Brétigny-sur-Orge.

Births on July 12

100 BC – Julius Caesar, Roman politician and general (d. 44 BC)
1394 – Ashikaga Yoshinori, Japanese shōgun (d. 1441)
1468 – Juan del Encina, Spanish poet, playwright, and composer (probable; d. 1530)
1477 – Jacopo Sadoleto, Italian cardinal (d. 1547)
1549 – Edward Manners, 3rd Earl of Rutland (d. 1587)
1628 – Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk (d. 1684)
1651 – Margaret Theresa of Spain (d. 1673)
1675 – Evaristo Felice Dall’Abaco, Italian violinist and composer (d. 1742)
1712 – Sir Francis Bernard, 1st Baronet, Colonial governor of New Jersey and Massachusetts Bay (d. 1779)
1730 – Josiah Wedgwood, English potter, founded the Wedgwood Company (d. 1795)
1803 – Peter Chanel, French priest and saint (d. 1841)
1807 – Thomas Hawksley, English engineer and academic (d. 1893)
1813 – Claude Bernard, French physiologist and academic (d. 1878)
1817 – Henry David Thoreau, American essayist, poet, and philosopher (d. 1862)
1817 – Alvin Saunders, Territorial Governor and Senator from Nebraska (d. 1899)
1821 – D. H. Hill, American general and academic (d. 1889)
1824 – Eugène Boudin, French painter (d. 1898)
1828 – Nikolay Chernyshevsky, Russian philosopher and critic (d. 1889)
1849 – William Osler, Canadian physician and author (d. 1919)
1850 – Otto Schoetensack, German anthropologist and academic (d. 1912)
1852 – Hipólito Yrigoyen, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 19th President of Argentina (d. 1933)
1854 – George Eastman, American businessman, founded Eastman Kodak (d. 1933)
1855 – Ned Hanlan, Canadian rower, academic, and businessman (d. 1908)
1857 – George E. Ohr, American potter (d. 1918)
1861 – Anton Arensky, Russian pianist, composer, and educator (d. 1906)
1863 – Albert Calmette, French physician, bacteriologist, and immunologist (d. 1933)
1863 – Paul Drude, German physicist and academic (d. 1906)
1868 – Stefan George, German poet and translator (d. 1933)
1870 – Louis II, Prince of Monaco (d. 1949)
1872 – Emil Hácha, Czech lawyer and politician, 3rd President of Czechoslovakia (d. 1945)
1876 – Max Jacob, French poet, painter, and critic (d. 1944)
1876 – Alphaeus Philemon Cole, American artist, engraver and etcher (d. 1988)
1878 – Peeter Põld, Estonian scientist and politician, 1st Estonian Minister of Education (d. 1930)
1879 – Margherita Piazzola Beloch, Italian mathematician (d. 1976)
1879 – Han Yong-un, Korean poet (d. 1944)
1880 – Tod Browning, American actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 1962)
1884 – Louis B. Mayer, Russian-born American film producer, co-founded Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (d. 1957)
1884 – Amedeo Modigliani, Italian painter and sculptor (d. 1920)
1886 – Jean Hersholt, Danish-American actor and director (d. 1956)
1892 – Bruno Schulz, Ukrainian-Polish author and painter (d. 1942)
1895 – Kirsten Flagstad, Norwegian soprano (d. 1962)
1895 – Buckminster Fuller, American architect and engineer, designed the Montreal Biosphère (d. 1983)
1895 – Oscar Hammerstein II, American director, producer, and songwriter (d. 1960)
1899 – E.D. Nixon, American civil rights leader (d. 1987)
1902 – Günther Anders, German philosopher and journalist (d. 1992)
1902 – Tony Lovink, Dutch politician; Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (d. 1995)
1902 – Vic Armbruster, Australian rugby league player (d. 1984)
1904 – Pablo Neruda, Chilean poet and diplomat, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1973)
1907 – Weary Dunlop, Australian colonel and surgeon (d. 1993)
1908 – Milton Berle, American comedian and actor (d. 2002)
1908 – Alain Cuny, French actor (d. 1994)
1908 – Paul Runyan, American golfer and sportscaster (d. 2002)
1909 – Joe DeRita, American actor (d. 1993)
1909 – Motoichi Kumagai, Japanese photographer and illustrator (d. 2010)
1909 – Fritz Leonhardt, German engineer, designed Fernsehturm Stuttgart (d. 1999)
1909 – Herbert Zim, American naturalist, author, and educator (d. 1994)
1911 – Evald Mikson, Estonian footballer (d. 1993)
1913 – Willis Lamb, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2008)
1914 – Mohammad Moin, Iranian linguist and lexicographer (d. 1971)
1915 – Emanuel Papper, American anesthesiologist, professor, and author (d. 2002)
1915 – Princess Catherine Ivanovna of Russia, (d. 2007)
1916 – Lyudmila Pavlichenko, Ukrainian-Russian soldier and sniper (d. 1974)
1917 – Luigi Gorrini, Italian soldier and pilot (d. 2014)
1917 – Satyendra Narayan Sinha, Indian statesman (d. 2006)
1917 – Andrew Wyeth, American artist (d. 2009)
1918 – Mary Glen-Haig, English fencer (d. 2014)
1918 – Vivian Mason, American actress (d. 2009)
1918 – Doris Grumbach, American novelist, memoirist, biographer, literary critic, and essayist
1918 – Rusty Dedrick, American swing and bebop jazz trumpeter (d. 2009)
1920 – Pierre Berton, Canadian journalist and author (d. 2004)
1920 – Bob Fillion, Canadian ice hockey player and manager (d. 2015)
1920 – Paul Gonsalves, American saxophonist (d. 1974)
1920 – Randolph Quirk, Manx linguist and academic (d. 2017)
1920 – Beah Richards, American actress (d. 2000)
1922 – Mark Hatfield, American soldier and politician, 29th Governor of Oregon (d. 2011)
1923 – James E. Gunn, American science fiction author
1924 – Faidon Matthaiou, Greek basketball player and coach (d. 2011)
1925 – Albert Lance, Australian-French tenor (d. 2013)
1925 – Roger Smith, American businessman (d. 2007)
1927 – Françoys Bernier, Canadian pianist, conductor, and educator (d. 1993)
1927 – Conte Candoli, American trumpet player (d. 2001)
1927 – Jack Harshman, American baseball player (d. 2013)
1927 – Harley Hotchkiss, Canadian businessman (d. 2011)
1928 – Alastair Burnet, English journalist (d. 2012)
1928 – Elias James Corey, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
1928 – Imero Fiorentino, American lighting designer (d. 2013)
1930 – Gordon Pinsent, Canadian actor, director, and screenwriter
1930 – Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
1931 – Eric Ives, English historian and academic (d. 2012)
1931 – Geeto Mongol, Canadian-American wrestler and trainer (d. 2013)
1932 – Rene Goulet, Canadian retired professional wrestler (d. 2019)
1932 – Monte Hellman, American director and producer
1932 – Otis Davis, American sprinter
1933 – Victor Poor, American engineer, developed the Datapoint 2200 (d. 2012)
1933 – Donald E. Westlake, American author and screenwriter (d. 2008)
1934 – Thomas Charlton, American competition rower and Olympic champion
1934 – Van Cliburn, American pianist and composer (d. 2013)
1935 – Satoshi Ōmura, Japanese biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
1936 – Jan Němec, Czech director and screenwriter (d. 2016)
1937 – Bill Cosby, American actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter
1937 – Mickey Edwards, American lawyer and politician
1937 – Lionel Jospin, French civil servant and politician, 165th Prime Minister of France
1937 – Robert McFarlane, American colonel and diplomat, 13th United States National Security Advisor
1937 – Guy Woolfenden, English composer and conductor (d. 2016)
1938 – Ron Fairly, American baseball player and sportscaster
1938 – Wieger Mensonides, Dutch swimmer
1938 – Eiko Ishioka, Japanese art director and graphic designer (d. 2012)
1939 – Phillip Adams, Australian journalist and producer
1939 – Arlen Ness, American motorcycle designer and entrepreneur
1941 – Benny Parsons, American race car driver and sportscaster (d. 2007)
1942 – Swamp Dogg, American R&B singer-songwriter and musician
1942 – Roy Palmer, English cricketer and umpire
1942 – Billy Smith, Australian rugby league player and coach
1942 – Steve Young, American country singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2016)
1943 – Christine McVie, English singer-songwriter and keyboard player
1943 – Paul Silas, American basketball player and coach
1944 – Simon Blackburn, English philosopher and academic
1944 – Delia Ephron, American author, playwright, and screenwriter
1944 – Pat Woodell, American actress and singer (d. 2015)
1945 – Butch Hancock, American country-folk singer-songwriter and musician
1947 – Gareth Edwards, Welsh rugby player and sportscaster
1947 – Wilko Johnson, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
1947 – Richard C. McCarty, American psychologist and academic
1948 – Ben Burtt, American director, screenwriter, and sound designer
1948 – Walter Egan, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1948 – Richard Simmons, American fitness trainer and actor
1949 – Simon Fox, English drummer
1949 – Rick Hendrick, American businessman, founded Hendrick Motorsports
1950 – Eric Carr, American drummer and songwriter (d. 1991)
1950 – Gilles Meloche, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
1951 – Joan Bauer, American author
1951 – Brian Grazer, American screenwriter and producer, founded Imagine Entertainment
1951 – Cheryl Ladd, American actress
1951 – Piotr Pustelnik, Polish mountaineer
1951 – Jamey Sheridan, American actor
1952 – Voja Antonić, Serbian computer scientist and journalist, designed the Galaksija computer
1952 – Irina Bokova, Bulgarian politician, Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs
1952 – Philip Taylor Kramer, American bass player (d. 1995)
1954 – Eric Adams, American singer-songwriter
1954 – Robert Carl, American pianist and composer
1954 – Wolfgang Dremmler, German footballer and coach
1955 – Timothy Garton Ash, English historian and author
1955 – Jimmy LaFave, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2017)
1956 – Mel Harris, American actress
1956 – Sandi Patty, American singer and pianist
1956 – Mario Soto, Dominican baseball player
1957 – Rick Husband, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut (d. 2003)
1957 – Dave Semenko, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster (d. 2017)
1958 – J. D. Hayworth, American politician and radio host
1958 – Tonya Lee Williams, English-Canadian actress and producer
1959 – David Brown, Australian meteorologist
1959 – Tupou VI, King of Tonga
1959 – Karl J. Friston, English psychiatrist and neuroscientist
1959 – Charlie Murphy, American actor and comedian (d. 2017)
1961 – Heikko Glöde, German footballer and manager
1961 – Shiva Rajkumar, Indian actor, singer, and producer
1962 – Julio César Chávez, Mexican boxer
1962 – Luc De Vos, Belgian singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2014)
1962 – Joanna Shields, American-English businesswoman
1962 – Dean Wilkins, English footballer and manager
1964 – Gaby Roslin, English television host and actress
1965 – Sanjay Manjrekar, Indian cricketer and sportscaster
1965 – Robin Wilson, American singer and guitarist
1966 – Jeff Bucknum, American race car driver
1966 – Annabel Croft, English tennis player and sportscaster
1966 – Taiji, Japanese bass player and songwriter (d. 2011)
1967 – Richard Herring, English comedian and screenwriter
1967 – Mac McCaughan, American singer and guitarist
1967 – John Petrucci, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1967 – Bruny Surin, Canadian sprinter
1968 – Catherine Plewinski, French swimmer
1969 – Lisa Nicole Carson, American actress
1969 – Chantal Jouanno, French politician, French Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports
1969 – Alan Mullally, English cricketer and sportscaster
1969 – Anne-Sophie Pic, French chef
1969 – Jesse Pintado, Mexican-American guitarist (d. 2006)
1970 – Aure Atika, Portuguese-French actress, director, and screenwriter
1970 – Lee Byung-hun, South Korean actor, singer, and dancer
1971 – Joel Casamayor, Cuban American former professional boxer
1971 – Andriy Kovalenco, Ukrainian-Spanish rugby player
1971 – Loni Love, American comedian, actress, and talk show host
1971 – Kristi Yamaguchi, American figure skater
1972 – Travis Best, American basketball player
1972 – Jake Wood, English actor
1973 – Christian Vieri, Italian footballer
1974 – Sharon den Adel, Dutch singer-songwriter
1974 – Stelios Giannakopoulos, Greek footballer and manager
1974 – Gregory Shane Helms, American professional wrestler
1975 – Phil Lord, American filmmaker
1976 – Dan Boyle, Canadian ice hockey player
1976 – Anna Friel, English actress
1976 – Tracie Spencer, American singer-songwriter and actress
1977 – Neil Harris, English footballer and manager
1977 – Steve Howey, American actor
1977 – Brock Lesnar, American mixed martial artist and wrestler
1977 – Francesca Lubiani, Italian tennis player
1978 – Topher Grace, American actor
1978 – Michelle Rodriguez, American actress
1979 – Brooke Baldwin, American journalist and television news anchor
1979 – Nikos Barlos, Greek basketball player
1979 – Maya Kobayashi, Japanese journalist
1980 – Kristen Connolly, American actress
1981 – Adrienne Camp, South African singer-songwriter
1981 – Pradeepan Raveendran, Sri Lankan director, producer, and screenwriter
1982 – Antonio Cassano, Italian footballer
1984 – Gareth Gates, English singer-songwriter
1984 – Jonathan Lewis, American football player
1984 – Natalie Martinez, American actress
1984 – Michael McGovern, Irish footballer
1984 – Sami Zayn, Canadian professional wrestler
1985 – Paulo Vitor Barreto, Brazilian footballer
1985 – Gianluca Curci, Italian footballer
1985 – Keven Lacombe, Canadian cyclist
1985 – Ismael Londt, Surinamese-Dutch kickboxer
1986 – 360, Australian rapper
1986 – Didier Digard, French footballer
1986 – Hannaliis Jaadla, Estonian footballer
1986 – JP Pietersen, South African rugby player
1986 – Simone Laudehr, German footballer
1988 – LeSean McCoy, American football player
1988 – Inbee Park, South Korean golfer
1989 – Nick Palmieri, American ice hockey player
1990 – Bebé, Portuguese footballer
1990 – Rachel Brosnahan, American actress
1990 – Chasen Shreve, American baseball player
1991 – Salih Dursun, Turkish footballer
1991 – James Rodríguez, Colombian footballer
1992 – Bartosz Bereszyński, Polish footballer
1993 – Kurt Capewell, Australian rugby league player
1994 – Kanako Momota, Japanese singer-songwriter
1995 – Luke Shaw, English footballer
1995 – Jordyn Wieber, American gymnast
1996 – Moussa Dembélé, French footballer
1996 – Jordan Romero, American mountaineer
1997 – Daniel Lawrence, English cricketer
1997 – Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani-English activist, Nobel Prize laureate

Deaths on July 12

524 – Viventiolus, archbishop of Lyon (b. 460)
783 – Bertrada of Laon, Frankish queen (b. 720)
965 – Meng Chang, emperor of Later Shu (b. 919)
981 – Xue Juzheng, Chinese scholar-official and historian
1067 – John Komnenos, Byzantine general
1441 – Ashikaga Yoshinori, Japanese shōgun (b. 1394)
1441 – Kyōgoku Takakazu, Japanese nobleman
1489 – Bahlul Lodi, sultan of Delhi
1536 – Desiderius Erasmus, Dutch priest and philosopher (b. 1466)
1584 – Steven Borough, English navigator and explorer (b. 1525)
1623 – William Bourchier, 3rd Earl of Bath (b. 1557)
1664 – Stefano della Bella, Italian illustrator and engraver (b. 1610)
1682 – Jean Picard, French priest and astronomer (b. 1620)
1691 – Marquis de St Ruth, French general
1693 – John Ashby, English admiral (b. 1640)
1712 – Richard Cromwell, English academic and politician (b. 1626)
1742 – Evaristo Felice Dall’Abaco, Italian violinist and composer (b. 1675)
1749 – Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois, French navy officer and politician, Governor General of New France (b. 1671)
1773 – Johann Joachim Quantz, German flute player and composer (b. 1697)
1804 – Alexander Hamilton, American general, economist, and politician, 1st United States Secretary of the Treasury (b. 1755)
1845 – Henrik Wergeland, Norwegian linguist, poet, and playwright (b. 1808)
1850 – Robert Stevenson, Scottish engineer (b. 1772)
1855 – Pavel Nakhimov, Russian admiral (b. 1802)
1870 – John A. Dahlgren, American admiral (b. 1809)
1892 – Alexander Cartwright, American firefighter, invented baseball (b. 1820)
1910 – Charles Rolls, English engineer and businessman, co-founded Rolls-Royce Limited (b. 1887)
1926 – Gertrude Bell, English archaeologist and spy (b. 1868)
1926 – Charles Wood Irish composer (b. 1866)
1929 – Robert Henri, American painter and educator (b. 1865)
1931 – Nathan Söderblom, Swedish archbishop, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1866)
1934 – Ole Evinrude, Norwegian-American inventor and businessman, invented the outboard motor (b. 1877)
1935 – Alfred Dreyfus, French colonel (b. 1859)
1944 – Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., American general and politician, Governor of Puerto Rico (b. 1887)
1945 – Boris Galerkin, Russian mathematician and engineer (b. 1871)
1945 – Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen, German field marshal (b. 1895)
1946 – Ray Stannard Baker, American journalist and author (b. 1870)
1947 – Jimmie Lunceford, American saxophonist and bandleader (b. 1902)
1949 – Douglas Hyde, Irish scholar and politician, 1st President of Ireland (b. 1860)
1950 – Elsie de Wolfe, American actress, author, and interior decorator (b. 1865)
1956 – John Hayes, Australian politician, 25th Premier of Tasmania (b. 1868)
1961 – Mazo de la Roche, Canadian author and playwright (b. 1879)
1962 – Roger Wolfe Kahn, American composer and bandleader (b. 1907)
1965 – Christfried Burmeister, Estonian speed skater (b. 1898)
1966 – D. T. Suzuki, Japanese philosopher and author (b. 1870)
1969 – Henry George Lamond, Australian farmer and author (b. 1885)
1971 – Yvon Robert, Canadian wrestler (b. 1914)
1973 – Lon Chaney, Jr., American actor (b. 1906)
1975 – James Ormsbee Chapin, American painter and illustrator (b. 1887)
1979 – Olive Morris, Jamaican-English civil rights activist (d. 1979)
1979 – Minnie Riperton, American singer-songwriter (b. 1947)
1982 – Kenneth More, English actor (b. 1914)
1983 – Chris Wood, English saxophonist (b. 1944)
1990 – João Saldanha, Brazilian footballer, manager, and journalist (b. 1917)
1992 – Caroline Pafford Miller, American journalist and author (b. 1903)
1993 – Dan Eldon, English photographer and journalist (b. 1970)
1994 – Eila Campbell, English geographer and cartographer (b. 1915)
1996 – John Chancellor, American journalist (b. 1927)
1997 – François Furet, French historian and author (b. 1927)
1998 – Jimmy Driftwood, American singer-songwriter and banjo player (b. 1907)
1998 – Arkady Ostashev, Soviet/Russian scientist and engineer (b. 1925)
1998 – Serge Lemoyne, Canadian painter (b. 1941)
1999 – Rajendra Kumar, Bollywood actor, (b. 1921)
2000 – Charles Merritt, Canadian colonel and politician, Victoria Cross recipient (b. 1908)
2001 – Fred Marcellino, American author and illustrator (b. 1939)
2003 – Benny Carter, American trumpet player, saxophonist, and composer (b. 1907)
2003 – Mark Lovell, English race car driver (b. 1960)
2004 – Betty Oliphant, English-Canadian ballerina, co-founded the National Ballet School of Canada (b. 1918)
2005 – John King, Baron King of Wartnaby, English businessman (b. 1917)
2007 – Robert Burås, Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1975)
2007 – Stan Zemanek, Australian radio and television host (b. 1947)
2008 – Bobby Murcer, American baseball player, coach, and sportscaster (b. 1946)
2008 – Tony Snow, American journalist, 26th White House Press Secretary (b. 1955)
2010 – Olga Guillot, Cuban-American singer (b. 1922)
2010 – James P. Hogan, English-American author (b. 1941)
2010 – Paulo Moura, Brazilian clarinetist and saxophonist (b. 1932)
2010 – Pius Njawé, Cameroonian journalist (b. 1957)
2010 – Harvey Pekar, American author and critic (b. 1939)
2011 – Sherwood Schwartz, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1916)
2012 – Alimuddin, Pakistani cricketer (b. 1930)
2012 – Dara Singh, Indian wrestler, actor, and politician (b. 1928)
2012 – Eddy Brown, English footballer and manager (b. 1926)
2012 – Else Holmelund Minarik, Danish-American author and illustrator (b. 1920)
2012 – Roger Payne, English mountaineer (b. 1956)
2012 – Hamid Samandarian, Iranian director and playwright (b. 1931)
2012 – George C. Stoney, American director and producer (b. 1916)
2013 – Amar Bose, American businessman, founded the Bose Corporation (b. 1929)
2013 – Takako Takahashi, Japanese author (b. 1932)
2013 – Elaine Morgan, Welsh writer (b. 1920)
2013 – Alan Whicker, Egyptian-English journalist (b. 1925)
2014 – Jamil Ahmad, Pakistani author (b. 1931)
2014 – Nestor Basterretxea, Spanish painter and sculptor (b. 1924)
2014 – Emil Bobu, Romanian politician (b. 1927)
2014 – Alfred de Grazia, American political scientist and author (b. 1919)
2014 – Kenneth J. Gray, American soldier and politician (b. 1924)
2014 – Valeriya Novodvorskaya, Russian journalist and politician (b. 1950)
2015 – D’Army Bailey, American lawyer, judge, and actor (b. 1941)
2015 – Chenjerai Hove, Zimbabwean journalist, author, and poet (b. 1956)
2015 – Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, Tibetan monk and activist (b. 1950)
2015 – Cheng Siwei, Chinese engineer, economist, and politician (b. 1935)
2016 – Goran Hadžić, Serbian politician (b. 1958)
2018 – Dada J. P. Vaswani, Indian spiritual leader (b. 1918)

Holidays and observances on July 12

Birthday of the Heir to the Crown of Tonga (Tonga)
Christian feast day:
- Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (Eastern Orthodox)
- Hermagoras and Fortunatus
- Jason of Thessalonica (Catholic Church)
- John Gualbert
- Louis Martin and Marie-Azélie Guérin
- Nabor and Felix
- Nathan Söderblom (Lutheran, Episcopal Church (USA))
- Veronica
- Viventiolus
- July 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Kiribati from the United Kingdom in 1979.
Independence Day, celebrates the independence of São Tomé and Príncipe from Portugal in 1975.
The second day of Naadam (Mongolia)
The Twelfth, also known as Orangemen’s Day (Northern Ireland, Scotland, Newfoundland and Labrador)

July 12 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

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

On This Day / admin

The Aphelion, the point in the year when the Earth is farthest from the Sun, occurs around this date.

July 4 in History

362 BC – Battle of Mantinea: The Thebans, led by Epaminondas, defeated the Spartans.
414 – Emperor Theodosius II, age 13, yields power to his older sister Aelia Pulcheria, who reigned as regent and proclaimed herself empress (Augusta) of the Eastern Roman Empire.
836 – Pactum Sicardi, a peace treaty between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples, is signed.
993 – Ulrich of Augsburg is canonized as a saint.
1054 – A supernova, called SN 1054, is seen by Chinese Song dynasty, Arab, and possibly Amerindian observers near the star Zeta Tauri. For several months it remains bright enough to be seen during the day. Its remnants form the Crab Nebula.
1120 – Jordan II of Capua is anointed as prince after his infant nephew’s death.
1187 – The Crusades: Battle of Hattin: Saladin defeats Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem.
1253 – Battle of West-Capelle: John I of Avesnes defeats Guy of Dampierre.
1359 – Francesco II Ordelaffi of Forlì surrenders to the Papal commander Gil de Albornoz.
1456 – Ottoman–Hungarian wars: The Siege of Nándorfehérvár (Belgrade) begins.
1534 – Christian III is elected King of Denmark and Norway in the town of Rye.
1584 – Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe arrive at Roanoke Island
1610 – The Battle of Klushino is fought between forces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russia during the Polish–Muscovite War.
1634 – The city of Trois-Rivières is founded in New France (now Quebec, Canada).
1744 – The Treaty of Lancaster, in which the Iroquois cede lands between the Allegheny Mountains and the Ohio River to the British colonies, was signed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
1774 – Orangetown Resolutions are adopted in the Province of New York, one of many protests against the British Parliament’s Coercive Acts.
1776 – American Revolution: The United States Declaration of Independence is adopted by the Second Continental Congress.
1778 – American Revolutionary War: U.S. forces under George Clark capture Kaskaskia during the Illinois campaign.
1802 – At West Point, New York, the United States Military Academy opens.
1803 – The Louisiana Purchase is announced to the American people.
1817 – In Rome, New York, construction on the Erie Canal begins.
1826 – John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, respectively the second and third presidents of the United States, die the same day, on the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence. Adams’ last words were, “Thomas Jefferson survives.”
1827 – Slavery is abolished in the State of New York.
1831 – Samuel Francis Smith writes “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” for the Boston, Massachusetts July 4 festivities.
1837 – Grand Junction Railway, the world’s first long-distance railway, opens between Birmingham and Liverpool.
1838 – The Iowa Territory is organized.
1845 – Henry David Thoreau moves into a small cabin on Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau’s account of his two years there, Walden, will become a touchstone of the environmental movement.
1855 – The first edition of Walt Whitman’s book of poems, Leaves of Grass, is published In Brooklyn.
1862 – Lewis Carroll tells Alice Liddell a story that would grow into Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequels.
1863 – American Civil War: Siege of Vicksburg: Vicksburg, Mississippi surrenders to U.S. forces under Ulysses S. Grant after 47 days of siege. One hundred fifty miles up the Mississippi River, a Confederate army is repulsed at the Battle of Helena, Arkansas.
1863 – American Civil War: The Army of Northern Virginia withdraws from the battlefield after losing the Battle of Gettysburg, signalling an end to the Confederate invasion of U.S. territory.
1879 – Anglo-Zulu War: The Zululand capital of Ulundi is captured by British troops and burned to the ground, ending the war and forcing King Cetshwayo to flee.
1881 – In Alabama, the Tuskegee Institute opens.
1886 – The Canadian Pacific Railway’s first scheduled train from Montreal arrives in Port Moody on the Pacific coast, after six days of travel.
1887 – The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, joins Sindh-Madrasa-tul-Islam, Karachi.
1892 – Western Samoa changes the International Date Line, causing Monday (July 4) to occur twice, resulting in a year with 367 days.
1894 – The short-lived Republic of Hawaii is proclaimed by Sanford B. Dole.
1898 – En route from New York to Le Havre, the SS La Bourgogne collides with another ship and sinks off the coast of Sable Island, with the loss of 549 lives.
1901 – William Howard Taft becomes American governor of the Philippines.
1903 – The Philippine–American War is officially concluded.
1910 – The Johnson–Jeffries riots occur after African-American boxer Jack Johnson knocks out white boxer Jim Jeffries in the 15th round. Between 11 and 26 people are killed and hundreds more injured.
1911 – A massive heat wave strikes the northeastern United States, killing 380 people in eleven days and breaking temperature records in several cities.
1913 – President Woodrow Wilson addresses American Civil War veterans at the Great Reunion of 1913.
1914 – The funeral of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie takes place in Vienna, six days after their assassinations in Sarajevo.
1918 – Mehmed V died at the age of 73 and Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI ascends to the throne.
1918 – World War I: The Battle of Hamel, a successful attack by the Australian Corps against German positions near the town of Le Hamel on the Western Front.
1918 – Bolsheviks kill Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his family (Julian calendar date).
1927 – First flight of the Lockheed Vega.
1939 – Lou Gehrig, recently diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, informs a crowd at Yankee Stadium that he considers himself “The luckiest man on the face of the earth”, then announces his retirement from major league baseball.
1941 – Nazi crimes against the Polish nation: Nazi troops massacre Polish scientists and writers in the captured Ukrainian city of Lviv.
1941 – World War II: The Burning of the Riga synagogues: The Great Choral Synagogue in German occupied Riga is burnt with 300 Jews locked in the basement.
1942 – World War II: The 250-day Siege of Sevastopol in the Crimea ends when the city falls to Axis forces.
1943 – World War II: The Battle of Kursk, the largest full-scale battle in history and the world’s largest tank battle, begins in the village of Prokhorovka.
1943 – World War II: In Gibraltar, a Royal Air Force B-24 Liberator bomber crashes into the sea in an apparent accident moments after takeoff, killing sixteen passengers on board, including general Władysław Sikorski, the commander-in-chief of the Polish Army and the Prime Minister of the Polish government-in-exile; only the pilot survives.
1946 – The Kielce pogrom against Jewish Holocaust survivors in Poland.
1946 – After 381 years of near-continuous colonial rule by various powers, the Philippines attains full independence from the United States.
1947 – The “Indian Independence Bill” is presented before the British House of Commons, proposing the independence of the Provinces of British India into two sovereign countries: India and Pakistan.
1950 – Cold War: Radio Free Europe first broadcasts.
1951 – Cold War: A court in Czechoslovakia sentences American journalist William N. Oatis to ten years in prison on charges of espionage.
1951 – William Shockley announces the invention of the junction transistor.
1954 – Rationing ends in the United Kingdom.
1960 – Due to the post-Independence Day admission of Hawaii as the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959, the 50-star flag of the United States debuts in Philadelphia, almost ten and a half months later (see Flag Acts (United States)).
1961 – On its maiden voyage, the Soviet nuclear-powered submarine K-19 suffers a complete loss of coolant to its reactor. The crew are able to effect repairs, but 22 of them die of radiation poisoning over the following two years.
1966 – U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Freedom of Information Act into United States law. The act went into effect the next year.
1976 – Israeli commandos raid Entebbe airport in Uganda, rescuing all but four of the passengers and crew of an Air France jetliner seized by Palestinian terrorists.
1976 – The U.S. celebrates its Bicentennial.
1977 – The George Jackson Brigade plants a bomb at the main power substation for the Washington state capitol in Olympia, in solidarity with a prison strike at the Walla Walla State Penitentiary Intensive Security Unit.
1982 – Three Iranian diplomats and a journalist are kidnapped in Lebanon by Phalange forces, and their fate remains unknown.
1987 – In France, former Gestapo chief Klaus Barbie (a.k.a. the “Butcher of Lyon”) is convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life imprisonment.
1994 – Rwandan genocide: Kigali, the Rwandan capital, is captured by the Rwandan Patriotic Front, ending the genocide in the city.
1997 – NASA’s Pathfinder space probe lands on the surface of Mars.
1998 – Japan launches the Nozomi probe to Mars, joining the United States and Russia as a space exploring nation.
2001 – Vladivostock Air Flight 352 crashes on approach to Irkutsk Airport killing all 145 people on board.
2004 – The cornerstone of the Freedom Tower is laid on the World Trade Center site in New York City.
2004 – Greece beats Portugal in the UEFA Euro 2004 Final and becomes European Champion for first time in its history.
2005 – The Deep Impact collider hits the comet Tempel 1.
2006 – Space Shuttle program: Discovery launches STS-121 to the International Space Station. The event gained wide media attention as it was the only shuttle launch in the program’s history to occur on the United States’ Independence Day.
2009 – The Statue of Liberty’s crown reopens to the public after eight years of closure due to security concerns following the September 11 attacks.
2009 – The first of four days of bombings begins on the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao.
2012 – The discovery of particles consistent with the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider is announced at CERN.
2015 – Chile claims its first title in international soccer by defeating Argentina in the 2015 Copa América Final.

Births on July 4

AD 68 – Salonina Matidia, Roman daughter of Ulpia Marciana (d. 119)
1095 – Usama ibn Munqidh, Muslim poet, author and faris (Knight) (d. 1188)
1330 – Ashikaga Yoshiakira, Japanese shōgun (d. 1367)
1477 – Johannes Aventinus, Bavarian historian and philologist (d. 1534)
1546 – Murad III, Ottoman sultan (d. 1595)
1656 – John Leake, Royal Navy admiral (d. 1720)
1694 – Louis-Claude Daquin, French organist and composer (d. 1772)
1715 – Christian Fürchtegott Gellert, German poet and academic (d. 1769)
1719 – Michel-Jean Sedaine, French playwright (d. 1797)
1729 – George Leonard, American lawyer, jurist and politician (d. 1819)
1753 – Jean-Pierre Blanchard, French inventor, best known as a pioneer in balloon flight (d. 1809)
1790 – George Everest, Welsh geographer and surveyor (d. 1866)
1799 – Oscar I of Sweden (d. 1859)
1804 – Nathaniel Hawthorne, American novelist and short story writer (d. 1864)
1807 – Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italian general and politician (d. 1882)
1816 – Hiram Walker, American businessman, founded Canadian Club whisky (d. 1899)
1826 – Stephen Foster, American songwriter and composer (d. 1864)
1842 – Hermann Cohen, German philosopher (d. 1918)
1845 – Thomas John Barnardo, Irish philanthropist and humanitarian (d. 1905)
1847 – James Anthony Bailey, American circus ringmaster, co-founded Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (d. 1906)
1854 – Victor Babeș, Romanian physician and biologist (d. 1926)
1868 – Henrietta Swan Leavitt, American astronomer and academic (d. 1921)
1871 – Hubert Cecil Booth, English engineer (d. 1955)
1872 – Calvin Coolidge, American lawyer and politician, 30th President of the United States (d. 1933)
1874 – John McPhee, Australian journalist and politician, 27th Premier of Tasmania (d. 1952)
1880 – Victor Kraft, Austrian philosopher from the Vienna Circle (d. 1975)
1881 – Ulysses S. Grant III, American general (d. 1968)
1883 – Rube Goldberg, American sculptor, cartoonist, and engineer (d. 1970)
1887 – Pio Pion, Italian engineer and businessman (d. 1965)
1888 – Henry Armetta, Italian-American actor and singer (d. 1945)
1895 – Irving Caesar, American songwriter and composer (d. 1996)
1896 – Mao Dun, Chinese journalist, author, and critic (d. 1981)
1897 – Alluri Sitarama Raju, Indian activist (d. 1924)
1898 – Pilar Barbosa, Puerto Rican-American historian and activist (d. 1997)
1898 – Gertrude Lawrence, British actress, singer, and dancer (d. 1952)
1898 – Gulzarilal Nanda, Indian politician (d. 1998)
1898 – Gertrude Weaver, American supercentenarian (d. 2015)
1900 – Belinda Dann, Indigenous Australian who was one of the Stolen Generation, reunited with family aged 107 (d. 2007)
1900 – Nellie Mae Rowe, American folk artist (d. 1982)
1902 – Meyer Lansky, American gangster (d. 1983)
1902 – George Murphy, American actor and politician (d. 1992)
1903 – Flor Peeters, Belgian organist, composer, and educator (d. 1986)
1904 – Angela Baddeley, English actress (d. 1976)
1905 – Irving Johnson, American sailor and author (d. 1991)
1905 – Robert Hankey, 2nd Baron Hankey, British diplomat and public servant (d. 1996)
1905 – Lionel Trilling, American critic, essayist, short story writer, and educator (d. 1975)
1906 – Vincent Schaefer, American chemist and meteorologist (d. 1993)
1907 – John Anderson, American discus thrower (d. 1948)
1907 – Howard Taubman, American author and critic (d. 1996)
1909 – Alec Templeton, Welsh composer, pianist and satirist (d. 1963)
1910 – Robert K. Merton, American sociologist and scholar (d. 2003)
1910 – Gloria Stuart, American actress (d. 2010)
1911 – Bruce Hamilton, Australian public servant (d. 1989)
1911 – Mitch Miller, American singer and producer (d. 2010)
1914 – Nuccio Bertone, Italian automobile designer (d. 1997)
1915 – Timmie Rogers, American actor and singer-songwriter (d. 2006)
1916 – Iva Toguri D’Aquino, American typist and broadcaster (d. 2006)
1918 – Eppie Lederer, American journalist and radio host (d. 2002)
1918 – Johnnie Parsons, American race car driver (d. 1984)
1918 – King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV of Tonga, (d. 2006)
1918 – Alec Bedser, English cricketer (d. 2010)
1918 – Eric Bedser, English cricketer (d. 2006)
1918 – Pauline Phillips, American journalist and radio host, created Dear Abby (d. 2013)
1920 – Norm Drucker, American basketball player and referee (d. 2015)
1920 – Leona Helmsley, American businesswoman (d. 2007)
1920 – Fritz Wilde, German footballer and manager (d. 1977)
1920 – Paul Bannai, American politician (d. 2019)
1921 – Gérard Debreu, French economist and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2004)
1921 – Nasser Sharifi, Iranian sports shooter
1921 – Metropolitan Mikhail of Asyut (d. 2014)
1921 – Philip Rose, American actor, playwright, and producer (d. 2011)
1921 – Tibor Varga, Hungarian violinist and conductor (d. 2003)
1922 – R. James Harvey, American politician (d. 2019)
1923 – Rudolf Friedrich, Swiss lawyer and politician (d. 2013)
1924 – Eva Marie Saint, American actress
1924 – Delia Fiallo, Cuban author and screenwriter
1925 – Ciril Zlobec, Slovene poet, writer, translator, journalist and politician (d. 2018)
1925 – Dorothy Head Knode, American tennis player (d. 2015)
1926 – Alfredo Di Stéfano, Argentinian-Spanish footballer and coach (d. 2014)
1926 – Lake Underwood, American race car driver and businessman (d. 2008)
1927 – Gina Lollobrigida, Italian actress and photographer
1927 – Neil Simon, American playwright and screenwriter (d. 2018)
1928 – Giampiero Boniperti, Italian footballer and politician
1928 – Teofisto Guingona Jr., Filipino politician; 11th Vice President of the Philippines
1928 – Jassem Alwan, Syrian Army Officer (d. 2018)
1928 – Shan Ratnam, Sri Lankan physician and academic (d. 2001)
1928 – Chuck Tanner, American baseball player and manager (d. 2011)
1929 – Ron Casey, Australian journalist and sportscaster (d. 2018)
1929 – Al Davis, American football player, coach, and manager (d. 2011)
1929 – Bill Tuttle, American baseball player (d. 1998)
1930 – George Steinbrenner, American businessman (d. 2010)
1931 – Stephen Boyd, Northern Ireland-born American actor (d. 1977)
1931 – Rick Casares, American football player and soldier (d. 2013)
1931 – Sébastien Japrisot, French author, director, and screenwriter (d. 2003)
1931 – Peter Richardson, English cricketer (d. 2017)
1932 – Aurèle Vandendriessche, Belgian runner
1934 – Yvonne B. Miller, American academic and politician (d. 2012)
1934 – Colin Welland, English actor and screenwriter (d. 2015)
1935 – Paul Scoon, Grenadian politician, 2nd Governor-General of Grenada (d. 2013)
1936 – Zdzisława Donat, Polish soprano and actress
1937 – Thomas Nagel, American philosopher and academic
1937 – Queen Sonja of Norway
1937 – Richard Rhodes, American journalist and historian
1937 – Eric Walters, Australian journalist (d. 2010)
1938 – Steven Rose, English biologist and academic
1938 – Bill Withers, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2020)
1940 – Pat Stapleton, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2020)
1941 – Sam Farr, American politician
1941 – Tomaž Šalamun, Croatian-Slovenian poet and academic (d. 2014)
1941 – Pavel Sedláček, Czech singer-songwriter and guitarist
1941 – Brian Willson, American soldier, lawyer, and activist
1942 – Hal Lanier, American baseball player, coach, and manager
1942 – Floyd Little, American football player and coach
1942 – Stefan Meller, French-Polish academic and politician, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs (d. 2008)
1942 – Prince Michael of Kent
1942 – Peter Rowan, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1943 – Conny Bauer, German trombonist
1943 – Emerson Boozer, American football player and sportscaster
1943 – Adam Hart-Davis, English historian, author, and photographer
1943 – Geraldo Rivera, American lawyer, journalist, and author
1943 – Fred Wesley, American jazz and funk trombonist
1943 – Alan Wilson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1970)
1945 – Andre Spitzer, Romanian-Israeli fencer and coach (d. 1972)
1946 – Ron Kovic, American author and activist
1946 – Michael Milken, American businessman and philanthropist
1947 – Lembit Ulfsak, Estonian actor and director (d. 2017)
1948 – René Arnoux, French race car driver
1948 – Tommy Körberg, Swedish singer and actor
1948 – Jeremy Spencer, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
1950 – Philip Craven, English basketball player and swimmer
1950 – David Jensen, Canadian-English radio and television host
1951 – John Alexander, Australian tennis player and politician
1951 – Ralph Johnson, American R&B drummer and percussionist
1951 – Vladimir Tismăneanu, Romanian-American political scientist, sociologist, and academic
1951 – Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, American lawyer and politician, 6th Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
1952 – Álvaro Uribe, Colombian lawyer and politician, 39th President of Colombia
1952 – Carol MacReady, English actress
1952 – John Waite, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
1952 – Paul Rogat Loeb, American author and activist
1953 – Francis Maude, English lawyer and politician, Minister for the Cabinet Office
1954 – Jim Beattie, American baseball player, coach, and manager
1954 – Morganna, American model, actress, and dancer
1954 – Devendra Kumar Joshi, 21st Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
1955 – Kevin Nichols, Australian cyclist
1956 – Robert Sinclair MacKay, British academic and educator
1957 – Rein Lang, Estonian politician and diplomat, 25th Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs
1958 – Vera Leth, Greenlandic Ombudsman
1958 – Kirk Pengilly, Australian guitarist, saxophonist, and songwriter
1958 – Carl Valentine, English-Canadian footballer, coach, and manager
1959 – Victoria Abril, Spanish actress and singer
1960 – Roland Ratzenberger, Austrian race car driver (d. 1994)
1961 – Richard Garriott, English-American video game designer, created the Ultima series
1962 – Pam Shriver, American tennis player and sportscaster
1963 – Henri Leconte, French tennis player and sportscaster
1963 – Laureano Márquez, Spanish-Venezuelan political scientist and journalist
1963 – José Oquendo, Puerto Rican-American baseball player and coach
1963 – Sonia Pierre, Hatian-Dominican human rights activist (d. 2011)
1964 – Cle Kooiman, American soccer player and manager
1964 – Elie Saab, Lebanese fashion designer
1964 – Edi Rama, Albanian politician
1964 – Mark Slaughter, American singer-songwriter and producer
1964 – Mark Whiting, American actor, director, and screenwriter
1965 – Harvey Grant, American basketball player and coach
1965 – Horace Grant, American basketball player and coach
1965 – Kiriakos Karataidis, Greek footballer and manager
1965 – Gérard Watkins, English actor and playwright
1966 – Ronni Ancona, Scottish actress and screenwriter
1966 – Minas Hantzidis, German-Greek footballer
1966 – Lee Reherman, American actor (d. 2016)
1967 – Vinny Castilla, Mexican baseball player and manager
1967 – Sébastien Deleigne, French athlete
1969 – Al Golden, American football player and coach
1969 – Todd Marinovich, American football player and coach
1969 – Wilfred Mugeyi, Zimbabwean footballer and coach
1972 – Stephen Giles, Canadian canoe racer and engineer
1972 – Mike Knuble, Canadian-American ice hockey player and coach
1973 – Keiko Ihara, Japanese race car driver
1973 – Gackt, Japanese musician, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor
1973 – Michael Johnson, English-Jamaican footballer and manager
1973 – Anjelika Krylova, Russian ice dancer and coach
1973 – Jan Magnussen, Danish race car driver
1973 – Tony Popovic, Australian footballer and manager
1974 – Jill Craybas, American tennis player
1974 – La’Roi Glover, American football player and sportscaster
1974 – Adrian Griffin, American basketball player and coach
1976 – Daijiro Kato, Japanese motorcycle racer (d. 2003)
1976 – Yevgeniya Medvedeva, Russian skier
1978 – Marcos Daniel, Brazilian tennis player
1978 – Émile Mpenza, Belgian footballer
1979 – Siim Kabrits, Estonian politician
1979 – Josh McCown, American football player
1979 – Renny Vega, Venezuelan footballer
1980 – Kwame Steede, Bermudan footballer
1981 – Dedé, Angolan footballer
1981 – Brock Berlin, American football player
1981 – Christoph Preuß, German footballer
1981 – Francisco Cruceta, Dominican baseball player
1981 – Will Smith, American football player (d. 2016)
1982 – Vladimir Boisa, Georgian basketball player
1982 – Vladimir Gusev, Russian cyclist
1982 – Jeff Lima, New Zealand rugby league player
1982 – Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino, American model, author and television personality
1983 – Melanie Fiona, Canadian singer-songwriter
1983 – Amantle Montsho, Botswanan sprinter
1983 – Miguel Pinto, Chilean footballer
1983 – Amol Rajan, Indian-English journalist
1983 – Mattia Serafini, Italian footballer
1984 – Jin Akanishi, Japanese singer-songwriter
1984 – Miguel Santos Soares, Timorese footballer
1985 – Kane Tenace, Australian footballer
1985 – Dimitrios Mavroeidis, Greek basketball player
1985 – Wason Rentería, Colombian footballer
1986 – Ömer Aşık, Turkish basketball player
1986 – Nguyen Ngoc Duy, Vietnamese footballer
1986 – Rafael Arévalo, Salvadoran tennis player
1986 – Willem Janssen, Dutch footballer
1986 – Terrance Knighton, American football player
1986 – Marte Elden, Norwegian skier
1987 – Wude Ayalew, Ethiopian runner
1987 – Guram Kashia, Georgian footballer
1988 – Angelique Boyer, French-Mexican actress
1989 – Benjamin Büchel, Liechtensteiner footballer
1990 – Jake Gardiner, American ice hockey player
1990 – Richard Mpong, Ghanaian footballer
1990 – Naoki Yamada, Japanese footballer
1990 – Ihar Yasinski, Belarusian footballer
1992 – Ángel Romero, Paraguayan footballer
1992 – Óscar Romero, Paraguayan footballer
1993 – Tom Barkhuizen, English footballer
1995 – Post Malone, American singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer
1999 – Moa Kikuchi, Japanese musician
2003 – Polina Bogusevich, Russian singer

Deaths on July 4

673 – Ecgberht, king of Kent
907 – Luitpold, margrave of Bavaria
907 – Dietmar I, archbishop of Salzburg
910 – Luo Shaowei, Chinese warlord (b. 877)
940 – Wang Jianli, Chinese general (b. 871)
943 – Taejo of Goryeo, Korean king (b. 877)
945 – Zhuo Yanming, Chinese Buddhist monk and emperor
965 – Benedict V, pope of the Catholic Church
973 – Ulrich of Augsburg, German bishop and saint (b. 890)
975 – Gwangjong of Goryeo, Korean king (b. 925)
1187 – Raynald of Châtillon, French knight (b. 1125)
1307 – Rudolf I of Bohemia (b. 1281)
1336 – Saint Elizabeth of Portugal (b. 1271)
1429 – Carlo I Tocco, ruler of Epirus (b. 1372)
1533 – John Frith, English priest, writer, and martyr (b. 1503)
1541 – Pedro de Alvarado, Spanish general and explorer (b. 1495)
1546 – Hayreddin Barbarossa, Ottoman admiral (b. 1478)
1551 – Gregory Cromwell, 1st Baron Cromwell, English politician (b. 1514)
1603 – Philippe de Monte, Flemish composer and educator (b. 1521)
1623 – William Byrd, English composer (b. c. 1540)
1644 – Brian Twyne, English academic, antiquarian and archivist (b. 1581)
1648 – Antoine Daniel, French missionary and saint, one of the eight Canadian Martyrs (b. 1601)
1742 – Luigi Guido Grandi, Italian monk, mathematician, and engineer (b. 1671)
1754 – Philippe Néricault Destouches, French playwright and author (b. 1680)
1761 – Samuel Richardson, English author and painter (b. 1689)
1780 – Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine (b. 1712)
1787 – Charles, Prince of Soubise, Marshal of France (b. 1715)
1821 – Richard Cosway, English painter and academic (b. 1742)
1826 – John Adams, American lawyer and politician, 2nd President of the United States (b. 1735)
1826 – Thomas Jefferson, American architect, lawyer, and politician, 3rd President of the United States (b. 1743)
1831 – James Monroe, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 5th President of the United States (b. 1758)
1848 – François-René de Chateaubriand, French historian and politician (b. 1768)
1850 – William Kirby, English entomologist and author (b. 1759)
1854 – Karl Friedrich Eichhorn, German academic and jurist (b. 1781)
1857 – William L. Marcy, American lawyer, judge, and politician, 21st United States Secretary of State (b. 1786)
1881 – Johan Vilhelm Snellman, Finnish philosopher and politician (b. 1806)
1882 – Joseph Brackett, American composer and author (b. 1797)
1886 – Poundmaker, Canadian tribal chief (b. 1797)
1891 – Hannibal Hamlin, American lawyer and politician, 15th Vice President of the United States (b. 1809)
1901 – Johannes Schmidt, German linguist and academic (b. 1843)
1902 – Vivekananda, Indian monk and saint (b. 1863)
1905 – Élisée Reclus, French geographer and author (b. 1830)
1910 – Melville Fuller, American lawyer and jurist, Chief Justice of the United States (b. 1833)
1910 – Giovanni Schiaparelli, Italian astronomer and historian (b. 1835)
1916 – Alan Seeger, American soldier and poet (b. 1888)
1922 – Lothar von Richthofen, German lieutenant and pilot (b. 1894)
1926 – Pier Giorgio Frassati, Italian activist and saint (b. 1901)
1934 – Marie Curie, French-Polish physicist and chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1867)
1938 – Otto Bauer, Austrian philosopher and politician, Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1881)
1938 – Suzanne Lenglen, French tennis player (b. 1899)
1941 – Antoni Łomnicki, Polish mathematician and academic (b. 1881)
1943 – Władysław Sikorski, Polish general and politician, 9th Prime Minister of the Second Republic of Poland (b. 1881)
1946 – Taffy O’Callaghan, Welsh footballer and coach (b. 1906)
1948 – Monteiro Lobato, Brazilian journalist and author (b. 1882)
1949 – François Brandt, Dutch rower and engineer (b. 1874)
1963 – Bernard Freyberg, 1st Baron Freyberg, New Zealand general and politician, 7th Governor-General of New Zealand (b. 1889)
1963 – Clyde Kennard, American activist and martyr (b. 1927)
1963 – Pingali Venkayya, Indian activist, designed the Flag of India (b. 1876)
1964 – Gaby Morlay, French actress and singer (b. 1893)
1969 – Henri Decoin, French director and screenwriter (b. 1890)
1970 – Barnett Newman, American painter and illustrator (b. 1905)
1970 – Harold Stirling Vanderbilt, American sailor and businessman (b. 1884)
1971 – August Derleth, American anthologist and author (b. 1909)
1971 – Thomas C. Hart, American admiral and politician (b. 1877)
1974 – Georgette Heyer, English author (b. 1902)
1974 – André Randall, French actor (b. 1892)
1976 – Yonatan Netanyahu, Israeli colonel (b. 1946)
1976 – Antoni Słonimski, Polish poet and playwright (b. 1895)
1977 – Gersh Budker, Ukrainian physicist and academic (b. 1918)
1979 – Lee Wai Tong, Chinese footballer and manager (b. 1905)
1980 – Maurice Grevisse, Belgian linguist and author (b. 1895)
1984 – Jimmie Spheeris, American singer-songwriter (b. 1949)
1986 – Paul-Gilbert Langevin, French musicologist, critique musical and physicist (b. 1933)
1986 – Flor Peeters, Belgian organist and composer (b. 1903)
1986 – Oscar Zariski, Belarusian-American mathematician and academic (b. 1899)
1988 – Adrian Adonis, American wrestler (b. 1954)
1990 – Olive Ann Burns, American journalist and author (b. 1924)
1991 – Victor Chang, Chinese-Australian surgeon and physician (b. 1936)
1991 – Art Sansom, American cartoonist (b. 1920)
1992 – Astor Piazzolla, Argentinian bandoneon player and composer (b. 1921)
1993 – Bona Arsenault, Canadian historian, genealogist, and politician (b. 1903)
1994 – Joey Marella, American wrestling referee (b. 1964)
1995 – Eva Gabor, Hungarian-American actress and singer (b. 1919)
1995 – Bob Ross, American painter and television host (b. 1942)
1997 – Charles Kuralt, American journalist (b. 1934)
1997 – John Zachary Young, English zoologist and neurophysiologist (b. 1907)
1999 – Leo Garel, American illustrator and educator (b. 1917)
2000 – Gustaw Herling-Grudziński, Polish journalist and author (b. 1919)
2002 – Gerald Bales, Canadian organist and composer (b. 1919)
2002 – Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., American general (b. 1912)
2003 – Larry Burkett, American author and radio host (b. 1939)
2003 – André Claveau, French singer (b. 1915)
2003 – Barry White, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (b. 1944)
2004 – Jean-Marie Auberson, Swiss violinist and conductor (b. 1920)
2005 – Cliff Goupille, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1915)
2005 – Hank Stram, American football player and coach (b. 1923)
2007 – Bill Pinkney, American singer (b. 1925)
2008 – Thomas M. Disch, American author and poet (b. 1940)
2008 – Jesse Helms, American politician (b. 1921)
2008 – Evelyn Keyes, American actress (b. 1916)
2008 – Terrence Kiel, American football player (b. 1980)
2008 – Charles Wheeler, German-English soldier and journalist (b. 1923)
2009 – Brenda Joyce, American actress (b. 1917)
2009 – Allen Klein, American businessman and talent agent, founded ABKCO Records (b. 1931)
2009 – Drake Levin, American guitarist (b. 1946)
2009 – Steve McNair, American football player (b. 1973)
2009 – Lasse Strömstedt, Swedish author and actor (b. 1935)
2009 – Jean-Baptiste Tati Loutard, Congolese poet and politician (b. 1938)
2010 – Robert Neil Butler, American physician and author (b. 1927)
2012 – Hiren Bhattacharyya, Indian poet and author (b. 1932)
2012 – Jimmy Bivins, American boxer (b. 1919)
2012 – Jeong Min-hyeong, South Korean footballer (b. 1987)
2012 – Eric Sykes, English actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1923)
2013 – Onllwyn Brace, Welsh rugby player and sportscaster (b. 1932)
2013 – Jack Crompton, English footballer and manager (b. 1921)
2013 – James Fulton, American dermatologist and academic (b. 1940)
2013 – Charles A. Hines, American general (b. 1935)
2013 – Bernie Nolan, Irish singer (b. 1960)
2014 – Giorgio Faletti, Italian author, screenwriter, and actor (b. 1950)
2014 – C. J. Henderson, American author and critic (b. 1951)
2014 – Earl Robinson, American baseball player (b. 1936)
2014 – Richard Mellon Scaife, American businessman (b. 1932)
2015 – Nedelcho Beronov, Bulgarian judge and politician (b. 1928)
2015 – William Conrad Gibbons, American historian, author, and academic (b. 1926)
2016 – Abbas Kiarostami, Iranian film director, screenwriter, poet, and photographer (b. 1940)
2017 – John Blackwell, American R&B, funk, and jazz drummer (b. 1973)
2017 – Daniil Granin, Soviet and Russian author (b. 1919)
2018 – Henri Dirickx, Belgian footballer (b. 1927)
2018 – Robby Müller, Dutch cinematographer (b. 1940)

Holidays and observances on July 4

Christian feast day:
- Andrew of Crete
- Bertha of Artois
- Blessed Catherine Jarrige
- Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati
- Elizabeth of Aragon (or of Portugal)
- Oda of Canterbury
- Ulrich of Augsburg
- July 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Birthday of Queen Sonja (Norway)
The first evening of Dree Festival, celebrated until July 7 (Apatani people, Arunachal Pradesh, India)
Independence Day, celebrates the Declaration of Independence of the United States from Great Britain in 1776. (United States and its dependencies)
Liberation Day (Northern Mariana Islands)
Liberation Day (Rwanda)
Republic Day (Philippines)

July 4 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

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

On This Day / admin

This day is the midpoint of a common year because there are 182 days before and 182 days after it in common years, and 183 before and 182 after in leap years. The exact time of the middle of the year is at noon. In countries that use summertime the actual exact time of the midpoint in a common year is at 1:00 p.m for locations in the northern hemisphere or 11:00 a.m for locations in the southern hemisphere; this is when 182 days and 12 hours have elapsed and there are 182 days and 12 hours remaining. In a leap year in those countries, the middle of the year is at midnight. In countries that use summer time, the midpoint occurs at 1:00 a.m. on July 2, or 11:00 p.m. on July 1 in the southern hemisphere. This is due to summertime having advanced the time by one hour. It falls on the same day of the week as New Year’s Day in common years.

437 – Emperor Valentinian III begins his reign over the Western Roman Empire. His mother Galla Placidia ends her regency, but continues to exercise political influence at the court in Rome.
626 – Li Shimin, the future Emperor Taizong of Tang, ambushes and kills his rival brothers Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng in the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
706 – In China, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang inters the bodies of relatives in the Qianling Mausoleum, located on Mount Liang outside Chang’an.
866 – Battle of Brissarthe: The Franks led by Robert the Strong are defeated by a joint Breton-Viking army.
936 – King Henry the Fowler dies in his royal palace in Memleben. He is succeeded by his son Otto I, who becomes the ruler of East Francia.
963 – The Byzantine army proclaims Nikephoros II Phokas Emperor of the Romans on the plains outside Cappadocian Caesarea.
1298 – The Battle of Göllheim is fought between Albert I of Habsburg and Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg.
1494 – The Treaty of Tordesillas is ratified by Spain.
1504 – Bogdan III the One-Eyed becomes Voivode of Moldavia.
1555 – Ottoman Admiral Turgut Reis sacks the Italian city of Paola.
1561 – Menas, emperor of Ethiopia, defeats a revolt in Emfraz.
1582 – Battle of Yamazaki: Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeats Akechi Mitsuhide.
1613 – The first English expedition (from Virginia) against Acadia led by Samuel Argall takes place.
1644 – English Civil War: Battle of Marston Moor.
1645 – Battle of Alford: Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
1698 – Thomas Savery patents the first steam engine.
1776 – American Revolution: The Continental Congress adopts a resolution severing ties with the Kingdom of Great Britain although the wording of the formal Declaration of Independence is not published until July 4.
1816 – The French frigate Méduse strikes the Bank of Arguin and 151 people on board have to be evacuated on an improvised raft, a case immortalised by Géricault’s painting The Raft of the Medusa.
1822 – Thirty-five slaves, including Denmark Vesey, are hanged in South Carolina after being accused of organizing a slave rebellion.
1823 – Bahia Independence Day: The end of Portuguese rule in Brazil, with the final defeat of the Portuguese crown loyalists in the province of Bahia.
1839 – Twenty miles off the coast of Cuba, 53 kidnapped Africans led by Joseph Cinqué mutiny and take over the slave ship Amistad.
1853 – The Russian Army crosses the Pruth river into the Danubian Principalities, Moldavia and Wallachia—providing the spark that will set off the Crimean War.
1871 – Victor Emmanuel II of Italy enters Rome after having conquered it from the Papal States.
1881 – Charles J. Guiteau shoots and fatally wounds U.S. President James A. Garfield (who will die of complications from his wounds on September 19).
1890 – The U.S. Congress passes the Sherman Antitrust Act.
1897 – British-Italian engineer Guglielmo Marconi obtains a patent for radio in London.
1900 – The first Zeppelin flight takes place on Lake Constance near Friedrichshafen, Germany.
1900 – Jean Sibelius’ Finlandia receives its première performance in Helsinki with the Helsinki Philharmonic Society conducted by Robert Kajanus.
1921 – World War I: U.S. President Warren G. Harding signs the Knox–Porter Resolution formally ending the war between the United States and Germany.
1934 – The Night of the Long Knives ends with the death of Ernst Röhm.
1937 – Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan are last heard from over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first equatorial round-the-world flight.
1940 – Indian independence leader Subhas Chandra Bose is arrested and detained in Calcutta.
1940 – The SS Arandora Star is sunk by U-47 in the North Atlantic with the loss of over 800 lives, mostly civilians.
1962 – The first Walmart store, then known as Wal-Mart, opens for business in Rogers, Arkansas.
1964 – Civil rights movement: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964 meant to prohibit segregation in public places.
1966 – France conducts its first nuclear weapon test in the Pacific, on Moruroa Atoll.
1976 – End of South Vietnam; Communist North Vietnam annexes the former South Vietnam to form the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
1986 – Rodrigo Rojas and Carmen Gloria Quintana are burnt alive during a street demonstration against the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet in Chile.
1990 – In the 1990 Mecca tunnel tragedy, 1,400 Muslim pilgrims are suffocated to death and trampled upon in a pedestrian tunnel leading to the holy city of Mecca.
1994 – USAir Flight 1016 crashes near Charlotte Douglas International Airport, killing 37 of the 57 people on board.
1997 – The Bank of Thailand floats the baht, triggering the Asian financial crisis.
2000 – Vicente Fox Quesada is elected the first President of México from an opposition party, the Partido Acción Nacional, after more than 70 years of continuous rule by the Partido Revolucionario Institucional.
2001 – The AbioCor self-contained artificial heart is first implanted.
2002 – Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly solo around the world nonstop in a balloon.
2005 – The Live 8 benefit concerts takes place in the G8 states and in South Africa. More than 1,000 musicians perform and are broadcast on 182 television networks and 2,000 radio networks.
2008 – Colombian conflict: Íngrid Betancourt, a member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia, is released from captivity after being held for six and a half years by FARC.
2010 – The South Kivu tank truck explosion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo kills at least 230 people.
2013 – The International Astronomical Union names Pluto’s fourth and fifth moons, Kerberos and Styx.
2013 – A magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes Aceh, Indonesia, killing at least 42 people and injuring 420 others.

Births on July 2

419 – Valentinian III, Roman emperor (d. 455)
1363 – Maria, Queen of Sicily (d. 1401)
1478 – Louis V, Elector Palatine (d. 1544)
1486 – Jacopo Sansovino, Italian sculptor and architect (d. 1570)
1489 – Thomas Cranmer, English archbishop, theologian, and saint (d. 1556)
1492 – Elizabeth Tudor, English daughter of Henry VII of England (d. 1495)
1500 – Federico Cesi (cardinal), Italian cardinal (d. 1565)
1575 – Elizabeth de Vere, Countess of Derby, English noblewoman and head of state of the Isle of Man (d. 1627)
1597 – Theodoor Rombouts, Flemish painter (d. 1637)
1647 – Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, English politician, Lord President of the Council (d. 1730)
1648 – Arp Schnitger, German organ builder (d. 1719)
1665 – Samuel Penhallow, English-American soldier and historian (d. 1726)
1667 – Pietro Ottoboni, Italian cardinal and art collector (d. 1740)
1714 – Christoph Willibald Gluck, German composer (d. 1787)
1724 – Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, German poet and author (d. 1803)
1797 – Francisco Javier Echeverría, Mexican businessman and politician. President of Mexico (1841) (d. 1852)
1819 – Charles-Louis Hanon, French pianist and composer (d. 1900)
1820 – George Law Curry, American publisher and politician, 5th Governor of the Oregon Territory (d. 1878)
1820 – Juan N. Méndez, Mexican general and interim president, 1876-1877 (d. 1894)
1821 – Charles Tupper, Canadian physician and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1915)
1825 – Émile Ollivier, French statesman (d. 1913)
1834 – Hendrick Peter Godfried Quack, Dutch economist and historian (d. 1917)
1849 – Maria Theresa of Austria-Este (d. 1919)
1862 – William Henry Bragg, English physicist, chemist, and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1942)
1865 – Lily Braun, German author and publicist (d. 1916)
1869 – Liane de Pougy, French-Swiss dancer and author (d. 1950)
1876 – Harriet Brooks, Canadian physicist and academic (d. 1933)
1876 – Wilhelm Cuno, German businessman and politician, Chancellor of Germany (d. 1933)
1877 – Hermann Hesse, German-born Swiss poet, novelist, and painter, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1962)
1877 – Rinaldo Cuneo, American artist (“the painter of San Francisco”) (d. 1939)
1881 – Royal Hurlburt Weller, American lawyer and politician (d. 1929)
1884 – Alfons Maria Jakob, German neurologist and author (d. 1931)
1893 – Ralph Hancock, Welsh gardener and author (d. 1950)
1900 – Tyrone Guthrie, English actor and director (d. 1971)
1900 – Sophie Harris, English costume and scenic designer for theatre and opera (d. 1966)
1902 – K. Kanapathypillai, Sri Lankan author and academic (d. 1968)
1902 – Germaine Thyssens-Valentin, Dutch-French pianist (d. 1987)
1903 – Alec Douglas-Home, English cricketer and politician, 66th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1995)
1903 – Olav V of Norway (d. 1991)
1904 – René Lacoste, French tennis player and businessman, created the polo shirt (d. 1996)
1906 – Hans Bethe, German-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2005)
1906 – Károly Kárpáti, Hungarian Jewish wrestler (d. 1996)
1906 – Séra Martin, French middle-distance runner (d. 1993)
1908 – Thurgood Marshall, American lawyer and jurist, 32nd Solicitor General of the United States (d. 1993)
1911 – Reg Parnell, English race car driver and manager (d. 1964)
1913 – Max Beloff, Baron Beloff, English historian and academic (d. 1999)
1914 – Frederick Fennell, American conductor and educator (d. 2004)
1914 – Ethelreda Leopold, American actress (d. 1988)
1914 – Mário Schenberg, Brazilian physicist and engineer (d. 1990)
1914 – Erich Topp, German admiral (d. 2005)
1915 – Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington, British peer, politician and soldier (d. 2014)
1916 – Ken Curtis, American actor and singer (d. 1991)
1916 – Hans-Ulrich Rudel, German colonel and pilot (d. 1982)
1916 – Reino Kangasmäki, Finnish wrestler (d. 2010)
1916 – Zélia Gattai, Brazilian author and photographer (d. 2008)
1917 – Leonard J. Arrington, American author and academic, founded the Mormon History Association (d. 1999)
1918 – Athos Bulcão, Brazilian painter and sculptor (d. 2008)
1918 – Indumati Bhattacharya, Indian politician
1919 – Jean Craighead George, American author (d. 2012)
1920 – John Kneubuhl, Samoan-American historian, screenwriter, and playwright (d. 1992)
1922 – Pierre Cardin, Italian-French fashion designer
1922 – Paula Valenska, Czech actress
1923 – Cyril M. Kornbluth, American soldier and author (d. 1958)
1923 – Wisława Szymborska, Polish poet and translator, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2012)
1925 – Medgar Evers, American soldier and activist (d. 1963)
1925 – Patrice Lumumba, Congolese politician, 1st Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (d. 1961)
1925 – Marvin Rainwater, American singer-songwriter (d. 2013)
1926 – Octavian Paler, Romanian journalist and politician (d. 2007)
1927 – Lee Allen, American saxophone player (d. 1994)
1927 – James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern, Scottish lawyer and politician, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
1927 – Brock Peters, American actor (d. 2005)
1929 – Imelda Marcos, Filipino politician; 10th First Lady of the Philippines
1930 – Carlos Menem, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 50th President of Argentina
1931 – Mohammad Yazdi, Iranian cleric
1932 – Dave Thomas, American businessman and philanthropist, founded Wendy’s (d. 2002)
1933 – Peter Desbarats, Canadian journalist, author, and playwright
1933 – Kenny Wharram, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2017)
1934 – Tom Springfield, English musician
1935 – Gilbert Kalish, American pianist and educator
1936 – Omar Suleiman, Egyptian general and politician, 16th Vice President of Egypt (d. 2012)
1937 – Polly Holliday, American actress
1937 – Richard Petty, American race car driver and sportscaster
1938 – David Owen, English physician and politician, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
1939 – Alexandros Panagoulis, Greek poet and politician (d. 1976)
1939 – John H. Sununu, American engineer and politician, 14th White House Chief of Staff
1939 – Paul Williams, American singer and choreographer (d. 1973)
1940 – Kenneth Clarke, English politician, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
1941 – William Guest, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2015)
1941 – Wendell Mottley, Trinidadian sprinter, economist, and politician
1942 – John Eekelaar, South African-English lawyer and scholar
1942 – Vicente Fox, Mexican businessman and politician, 35th President of Mexico (2000-2006)
1943 – Ivi Eenmaa, Estonian politician, 36th Mayor of Tallinn
1943 – Larry Lake, American-Canadian trumpet player and composer (d. 2013)
1946 – Richard Axel, American neuroscientist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate
1946 – Ron Silver, American actor, director, and political activist (d. 2009)
1947 – Larry David, American actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter
1947 – Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton, English politician, Minister for International Security Strategy
1948 – Mutula Kilonzo, Kenyan lawyer and politician (d. 2013)
1949 – Greg Brown, American musician
1949 – Robert Paquette, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
1950 – Lynne Brindley, English librarian and academic
1950 – Jon Trickett, English politician
1952 – Sylvia Rivera, American transgender rights activist (d. 2002)
1952 – Anatoliy Solomin, Ukrainian race walker and coach
1954 – Chris Huhne, English journalist and politician, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
1955 – Kim Carr, Australian educator and politician, 31st Australian Minister for Human Services
1956 – Jerry Hall, American model and actress
1957 – Bret Hart, Canadian wrestler
1957 – Jüri Raidla, Estonian lawyer and politician, Estonian Minister of Justice
1957 – Purvis Short, American basketball player
1958 – Pavan Malhotra, Indian actor
1960 – Maria Lourdes Sereno, Filipino lawyer and jurist, 24th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
1961 – Clark Kellogg, American basketball player and sportscaster
1962 – Neil Williams, English cricketer (d. 2006)
1964 – Jose Canseco, Cuban-American baseball player and mixed martial artist
1964 – Ozzie Canseco, Cuban-American baseball player, coach, and manager
1964 – Joe Magrane, American baseball player and sportscaster
1964 – Alan Tait, English-Scottish rugby player and coach
1965 – Norbert Röttgen, German lawyer and politician
1969 – Tim Rodber, English rugby player
1970 – Derrick Adkins, American hurdler
1970 – Steve Morrow, Northern Irish footballer and manager
1971 – Troy Brown, American football player and actor
1971 – Bryan Redpath, Scottish rugby player and coach
1972 – Darren Shan, English author
1974 – Sean Casey, American baseball player and sportscaster
1975 – Éric Dazé, Canadian ice hockey player
1975 – Kristen Michal, Estonian lawyer and politician
1975 – Erik Ohlsson, Swedish singer and guitarist
1975 – Stefan Terblanche, South African rugby player
1976 – Krisztián Lisztes, Hungarian footballer
1976 – Tomáš Vokoun, Czech-American ice hockey player
1977 – Deniz Barış, Turkish footballer
1978 – Jüri Ratas, Estonian politician, 42nd Mayor of Tallinn
1979 – Walter Davis, American triple jumper
1979 – Ahmed al-Ghamdi, Saudi Arabian terrorist, hijacker of United Airlines Flight 175 (d. 2001)
1979 – Sam Hornish Jr., American race car driver
1979 – Joe Thornton, Canadian ice hockey player
1980 – Nyjer Morgan, American baseball player
1981 – Nathan Ellington, English footballer
1981 – Carlos Rogers, American football player
1983 – Michelle Branch, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1983 – Kyle Hogg, English cricketer
1984 – Thomas Kortegaard, Danish footballer
1984 – Johnny Weir, American figure skater
1985 – Rhett Bomar, American football player
1985 – Chad Henne, American football player
1985 – Ashley Tisdale, American actress, singer, and producer
1986 – Brett Cecil, American baseball player
1986 – Lindsay Lohan, American actress and singer
1987 – Esteban Granero, Spanish footballer
1988 – Lee Chung-yong, South Korean footballer
1989 – Nadezhda Grishaeva, Russian basketball player
1989 – Alex Morgan, American soccer player
1990 – Kayla Harrison, American judoka
1990 – Merritt Mathias, American soccer player
1990 – Morag McLellan, Scottish field hockey player
1990 – Margot Robbie, Australian actress and producer
1990 – Danny Rose, English footballer
1990 – Bill Tupou, New Zealand rugby league player
1992 – Madison Chock, American ice dancer
1993 – Vince Staples, American rapper and actor
1994 – Henrik Kristoffersen, Norwegian skier
1995 – Ryan Murphy, American swimmer
1996 – Julia Grabher, Austrian tennis player

Deaths on July 2

626 – Li Jiancheng, Chinese prince (b. 589)
626 – Li Yuanji, Chinese prince (b. 603)
649 – Li Jing, Chinese general (b. 571)
862 – Swithun, English bishop and saint (b. 789)
866 – Robert the Strong, Frankish nobleman
936 – Henry the Fowler, German king (b. 876)
1215 – Eisai, Japanese Buddhist priest (b. 1141)
1298 – Adolf of Germany (b. 1220)
1504 – Stephen III of Moldavia (b. 1434)
1566 – Nostradamus, French astrologer and author (b. 1503)
1578 – Thomas Doughty, English explorer
1582 – Akechi Mitsuhide, Japanese samurai and warlord (b. 1528)
1591 – Vincenzo Galilei, Italian lute player and composer (b. 1520)
1619 – Francis II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg (b. 1547)
1621 – Thomas Harriot, English astronomer, mathematician, and ethnographer (b. 1560)
1656 – François-Marie, comte de Broglie, Italian-French general (b. 1611)
1674 – Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg (b. 1614)
1743 – Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, English lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1673)
1746 – Thomas Baker, English antiquarian and author (b. 1656)
1778 – Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Swiss philosopher and composer (b. 1712)
1833 – Gervasio Antonio de Posadas, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 1st Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (b. 1757)
1843 – Samuel Hahnemann, German physician and academic (b. 1755)
1850 – Robert Peel, English lieutenant and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1788)
1857 – Carlo Pisacane, Italian soldier and philosopher (b. 1818)
1903 – Ed Delahanty, American baseball player (b. 1867)
1912 – Tom Richardson, English cricketer (b. 1870)
1914 – Joseph Chamberlain, English businessman and politician, Secretary of State for the Colonies (b. 1836)
1915 – Porfirio Díaz, Mexican general and politician, 29th President of Mexico (b. 1830)
1920 – William Louis Marshall, American general and engineer (b. 1846)
1926 – Émile Coué, French psychologist and pharmacist (b. 1857)
1929 – Gladys Brockwell, American actress (b. 1894)
1932 – Manuel II of Portugal (b. 1889)
1950 – Thomas William Burgess, English swimmer and water polo player (b. 1872)
1955 – Edward Lawson, English soldier, Victoria Cross recipient (b. 1873)
1961 – Ernest Hemingway, American novelist, short story writer, and journalist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1899)
1963 – Alicia Patterson, American publisher, co-founded Newsday (b. 1906)
1964 – Fireball Roberts, American race car driver (b. 1929)
1966 – Jan Brzechwa, Polish poet and author (b. 1900)
1970 – Jessie Street, Australian suffragette and feminist (b. 1889)
1972 – Joseph Fielding Smith, American religious leader, 10th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (b. 1876)
1973 – Betty Grable, American actress, singer, and dancer (b. 1916)
1973 – George McBride, American baseball player and manager (b. 1880)
1973 – Ferdinand Schörner, German field marshal (b. 1892)
1975 – James Robertson Justice, English actor (b. 1907)
1977 – Vladimir Nabokov, Russian-born novelist and critic (b. 1899)
1978 – Aris Alexandrou, Greek author and poet (b. 1922)
1986 – Peanuts Lowrey, American baseball player and manager (b. 1917)
1988 – Vibert Douglas, Canadian astronomer and astrophysicist (b. 1894)
1989 – Andrei Gromyko, Soviet economist and politician, Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1909)
1990 – Snooky Lanson, American singer (b. 1914)
1991 – Lee Remick, American actress (b. 1935)
1993 – Fred Gwynne, American actor (b. 1926)
1994 – Andrés Escobar, Colombian footballer (b. 1967)
1995 – Lloyd MacPhail, Canadian businessman and politician, 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island (b. 1920)
1997 – James Stewart, American actor (b. 1908)
1999 – Mario Puzo, American author and screenwriter (b. 1920)
2000 – Joey Dunlop, Northern Irish motorcycle racer (b. 1952)
2002 – Ray Brown, American bassist and composer (b. 1926)
2003 – Briggs Cunningham, American race car driver and businessman (b. 1907)
2004 – Mochtar Lubis, Indonesian journalist and author (b. 1922)
2005 – Ernest Lehman, American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1915)
2005 – Norm Prescott, American actor, composer, and producer, co-founded Filmation Studios (b. 1927)
2006 – Jan Murray, American comedian, actor, and game show host (b. 1916)
2007 – Beverly Sills, American operatic soprano and television personality (b. 1929)
2008 – Natasha Shneider, Russian-American singer, keyboard player, and actress (b. 1956)
2008 – Elizabeth Spriggs, English actress and screenwriter (b. 1929)
2010 – Beryl Bainbridge, English screenwriter and author (b. 1932)
2011 – Itamar Franco, Brazilian engineer and politician, 33rd President of Brazil (b. 1930)
2012 – Maurice Chevit, French actor and screenwriter (b. 1923)
2012 – Julian Goodman, American journalist (b. 1922)
2012 – Angelo Mangiarotti, Italian architect and academic (b. 1921)
2012 – Betty Meggers, American archaeologist and academic (b. 1921)
2012 – Ed Stroud, American baseball player (b. 1939)
2013 – Anthony G. Bosco, American bishop (b. 1927)
2013 – Douglas Engelbart, American computer scientist, invented the computer mouse (b. 1925)
2013 – Armand Gaudreault, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1921)
2013 – Anthony Llewellyn, Welsh-American chemist, academic, and astronaut (b. 1933)
2014 – Emilio Álvarez Montalván, Nicaraguan ophthalmologist and politician (b. 1919)
2014 – Manuel Cardona, Spanish physicist and academic (b. 1934)
2014 – Mary Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe (b. 1915)
2014 – Harold W. Kuhn, American mathematician and academic (b. 1925)
2014 – Louis Zamperini, American runner and World War II US Army Air Forces captain (b. 1917)
2015 – Ronald Davison, New Zealand lawyer and judge, 10th Chief Justice of New Zealand (b. 1920)
2015 – Charlie Sanders, American football player and sportscaster (b. 1946)
2015 – Jim Weaver, American football player and coach (b. 1945)
2015 – Jacobo Zabludovsky, Mexican journalist (b. 1928)
2016 – Caroline Aherne, English actress and comedian (b. 1963)
2016 – Michael Cimino, American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1939)
2016 – Patrick Manning, 4th & 6th Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago (b. 1946)
2016 – Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, activist, and author (b. 1928)
2020 – Ángela Jeria, Chilean archaeologist (b. 1926)
2020 – Byron Bernstein Reckful, gamer, Twitch streamer, investor (b. 1989)

Holidays and observances on July 2

Christian feast day:
- Aberoh and Atom (Coptic Church)
- Bernardino Realino
- Feast of the Visitation (Anglicanism; Levoča at Mariánska hora)
- Monegundis
- Otto of Bamberg
- Oudoceus
- Martinian and Processus
- Pishoy (Coptic Church)
- Stephen III of Moldavia
- July 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Earliest day on which Unity Day can fall, while July 8 is the latest; celebrated on Tuesday following Heroes’ Day. (Zambia)
Flag Day (Curaçao)
Palio di Provenzano (Siena, Italy)
Police Day (Azerbaijan)

July 2 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

June 28 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

On This Day / admin

1098 – Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul.
1360 – Muhammed VI becomes the tenth Nasrid king of Granada after killing his brother-in-law Ismail II.
1461 – Edward, Earl of March, is crowned King Edward IV of England.
1519 – Charles V is elected Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
1575 – Sengoku period of Japan: The combined forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu are victorious in the Battle of Nagashino.
1635 – Guadeloupe becomes a French colony.
1651 – The Battle of Berestechko between Poland and Ukraine starts.
1709 – Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden at the Battle of Poltava.
1745 – A New England colonial army captures the French fortifications at Louisbourg (New Style).
1776 – American Revolutionary War: The Battle of Sullivan’s Island ends with the American victory, leading to the commemoration of Carolina Day.
1776 – American Revolutionary War: Thomas Hickey, Continental Army private and bodyguard to General George Washington, is hanged for mutiny and sedition.
1778 – American Revolutionary War: The American Continentals engage the British in the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse resulting in standstill and British withdrawal under cover of darkness.
1797 – French troops disembark in Corfu, beginning the French rule in the Ionian Islands.
1807 – Second British invasion of the Río de la Plata; John Whitelocke lands at Ensenada on an attempt to recapture Buenos Aires and is defeated by the locals.
1838 – Coronation of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
1841 – The Paris Opera Ballet premieres Giselle in the Salle Le Peletier.
1846 – Adolphe Sax patents the saxophone.
1855 – Sigma Chi fraternity is founded in North America.
1859 – The first conformation dog show is held in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
1865 – The Army of the Potomac is disbanded.
1880 – Australian bushranger Ned Kelly is captured at Glenrowan.
1881 – The Austro–Serbian Alliance of 1881 is secretly signed.
1882 – The Anglo-French Convention of 1882 marks the territorial boundaries between Guinea and Sierra Leone.
1894 – Labor Day becomes an official US holiday.
1895 – The United States Court of Private Land Claims rules James Reavis’s claim to Barony of Arizona is “wholly fictitious and fraudulent.”
1896 – An explosion in the Newton Coal Company’s Twin Shaft Mine in Pittston, Pennsylvania results in a massive cave-in that kills 58 miners.
1902 – The U.S. Congress passes the Spooner Act, authorizing President Theodore Roosevelt to acquire rights from Colombia for the Panama Canal.
1904 – The SS Norge runs aground on Hasselwood Rock in the North Atlantic 430 kilometres (270 mi) northwest of Ireland. More than 635 people die during the sinking.
1911 – The Nakhla meteorite, the first one to suggest signs of aqueous processes on Mars, falls to Earth, landing in Egypt.
1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie are assassinated in Sarajevo; this is the casus belli of World War I.
1917 – World War I: Greece joins the Allied powers.
1919 – The Treaty of Versailles is signed, ending the state of war between Germany and the Allies of World War I.
1921 – Serbian King Alexander I proclaims the new constitution of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, known thereafter as the Vidovdan Constitution.
1922 – The Irish Civil War begins with the shelling of the Four Courts in Dublin by Free State forces.
1926 – Mercedes-Benz is formed by Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz merging their two companies.
1936 – The Japanese puppet state of Mengjiang is formed in northern China.
1940 – Romania cedes Bessarabia (current-day Moldova) to the Soviet Union after facing an ultimatum.
1942 – World War II: Nazi Germany starts its strategic summer offensive against the Soviet Union, codenamed Case Blue.
1945 – Poland’s Soviet-allied Provisional Government of National Unity is formed over a month after V-E Day.
1948 – Cold War: The Tito–Stalin Split results in the expulsion of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia from the Cominform.
1948 – Boxer Dick Turpin beats Vince Hawkins at Villa Park in Birmingham to become the first black British boxing champion in the modern era.
1950 – Korean War: Suspected communist sympathizers (between 60,000 to 200,000) are executed in the Bodo League massacre.
1950 – Korean War: Packed with its own refugees fleeing Seoul and leaving their 5th Division stranded, South Korean forces blow up the Hangang Bridge in an attempt to slow North Korea’s offensive. The city falls later that day.
1950 – Korean War: North Korean Army conducts the Seoul National University Hospital massacre.
1956 – in Poznań, workers from HCP factory go to the streets, sparking one of the first major protests against communist government both in Poland and Europe.
1964 – Malcolm X forms the Organization of Afro-American Unity.
1969 – Stonewall riots begin in New York City, marking the start of the Gay Rights Movement.
1973 – Elections are held for the Northern Ireland Assembly, which will lead to power-sharing between unionists and nationalists in Northern Ireland for the first time.
1976 – The Angolan court sentences US and UK mercenaries to death sentences and prison terms in the Luanda Trial.
1978 – The United States Supreme Court, in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke bars quota systems in college admissions.
1981 – A powerful bomb explodes in Tehran, killing 73 officials of the Islamic Republican Party.
1987 – For the first time in military history, a civilian population is targeted for chemical attack when Iraqi warplanes bombed the Iranian town of Sardasht.
1989 – On the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo, Slobodan Milošević delivers the Gazimestan speech at the site of the historic battle.
1997 – Holyfield–Tyson II: Mike Tyson is disqualified in the third round for biting a piece off Evander Holyfield’s ear.
2001 – Slobodan Milošević is extradited to the ICTY in The Hague to stand trial.
2004 – Iraq War: Sovereign power is handed to the interim government of Iraq by the Coalition Provisional Authority, ending the U.S.-led rule of that nation.
2009 – Honduran president Manuel Zelaya is ousted by a local military coup following a failed request to hold a referendum to rewrite the Honduran Constitution. This was the start of the 2009 Honduran constitutional crisis.
2016 – A terrorist attack in Turkey’s Istanbul Atatürk Airport kills 42 people and injures more than 230 others.

Births on June 28

751 – Carloman I, king of the Franks (d. 771)
1243 – Emperor Go-Fukakusa of Japan (d. 1304)
1444 – Charlotte, Queen of Cyprus (d. 1487)
1476 – Pope Paul IV (d. 1559)
1490 – Albert of Brandenburg, German archbishop (d. 1545)
1491 – Henry VIII of England (d. 1547)
1503 – Giovanni della Casa, Italian author and poet (d. 1556)
1547 – Cristofano Malvezzi, Italian organist and composer (d. 1599)
1557 – Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel, English nobleman (d. 1595)
1560 – Giovanni Paolo Lascaris, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller (d. 1657)
1573 – Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby, English noble (d. 1644)
1577 – Peter Paul Rubens, Flemish painter and diplomat (d. 1640)
1582 – William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele, English politician (d. 1662)
1604 – Heinrich Albert, German composer and poet (d. 1651)
1641 – Marie Casimire Louise de La Grange d’Arquien, consort to King John III Sobieski (d. 1716)
1653 – Muhammad Azam Shah, Mughal emperor (d. 1707)
1703 – John Wesley, English cleric and theologian (d. 1791)
1712 – Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Swiss philosopher and polymath (d. 1778)
1719 – Étienne François, duc de Choiseul, French general and politician, Prime Minister of France (d. 1785)
1734 – Jean-Jacques Beauvarlet-Charpentier, French organist and composer (d. 1794)
1742 – William Hooper, American physician, lawyer, and politician (d. 1790)
1824 – Paul Broca, French physician, anatomist, and anthropologist (d. 1880)
1825 – Emil Erlenmeyer, German chemist (d. 1909)
1831 – Joseph Joachim, Austrian violinist, composer, and conductor (d. 1907)
1836 – Emmanuel Rhoides, Greek journalist and author (d. 1904)
1844 – John Boyle O’Reilly, Irish-born poet, journalist and fiction writer (d. 1890)
1852 – Charles Cruft, English showman, founded Crufts Dog Show (d. 1938)
1867 – Luigi Pirandello, Italian dramatist, novelist, and poet, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1936)
1873 – Alexis Carrel, French surgeon and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1944)
1875 – Henri Lebesgue, French mathematician and academic (d. 1941)
1879 – Wilhelm Steinkopf, German chemist (d. 1949)
1880 – John Meyers, American swimmer and water polo player (d. 1971)
1883 – Pierre Laval, French soldier and politician, 101st Prime Minister of France (d. 1945)
1884 – Lamina Sankoh, Sierra Leonean banker and politician (d. 1964)
1888 – George Challenor, Barbadian cricketer (d. 1947)
1888 – Stefi Geyer, Hungarian violinist and educator (d. 1956)
1891 – Esther Forbes, American historian and author (d. 1968)
1891 – Carl Spaatz, American general (d. 1974)
1892 – Carl Panzram, American serial killer (d. 1930)
1893 – August Zamoyski, Polish-French sculptor (d. 1970)
1894 – Francis Hunter, American tennis player (d. 1981)
1902 – Richard Rodgers, American playwright and composer (d. 1979)
1906 – Maria Goeppert Mayer, Polish-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1972)
1907 – Jimmy Mundy, American saxophonist and composer (d. 1983)
1907 – Yvonne Sylvain, First female Haitian physician (d. 1989)
1909 – Eric Ambler, English author and screenwriter (d. 1998)
1912 – Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, German physicist and philosopher (d. 2007)
1913 – Franz Antel, Austrian director and producer (d. 2007)
1913 – George Lloyd, English soldier and composer (d. 1998)
1913 – Walter Oesau, German colonel and pilot (d. 1944)
1914 – Aribert Heim, Austrian SS physician and Nazi war criminal (d. 1992)
1917 – A. E. Hotchner, American author and playwright (d. 2020)
1918 – William Whitelaw, 1st Viscount Whitelaw, Scottish-English politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1999)
1919 – Joseph P. Lordi, American government official (d. 1983)
1920 – Clarissa Eden, Spouse of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1921 – P. V. Narasimha Rao, Indian lawyer and politician, 9th Prime Minister of India (d. 2004)
1922 – Hans Frauenfelder, American physicist and biophysicist
1923 – Pete Candoli, American trumpet player (d. 2008)
1923 – Adolfo Schwelm Cruz, Argentinian racing driver (d. 2012)
1923 – Gaye Stewart, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2010)
1926 – George Booth, American cartoonist
1926 – Mel Brooks, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
1926 – Robert Ledley, American academic and inventor (d. 2012)
1927 – Correlli Barnett, English historian and author
1927 – Frank Sherwood Rowland, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2012)
1928 – Hans Blix, Swedish politician and diplomat, 33rd Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs
1928 – Patrick Hemingway, American writer
1928 – Harold Evans, English-American historian and journalist
1928 – Peter Heine, South African cricketer (d. 2005)
1928 – Cyril Smith, English politician (d. 2010)
1929 – Alfred Miodowicz, Polish politician
1930 – William C. Campbell, Irish-American biologist and parasitologist, Nobel Prize laureate
1930 – Itamar Franco, Brazilian engineer and politician, 33rd President of Brazil (d. 2011)
1930 – Jack Gold, English director and producer (d. 2015)
1931 – Hans Alfredson, Swedish actor, director, and screenwriter
1931 – Junior Johnson, American race car driver (d. 2019)
1931 – Lucien Victor, Belgian cyclist (d. 1995)
1932 – Pat Morita, American actor (d. 2005)
1933 – Gusty Spence, Northern Irish loyalist and politician (d. 2011)
1934 – Robert Carswell, Baron Carswell, Northern Irish lawyer and judge, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
1934 – Roy Gilchrist, Jamaican cricketer (d. 2001)
1934 – Bette Greene, American journalist and author
1934 – Carl Levin, American lawyer and politician
1934 – Georges Wolinski, Tunisian-French journalist and cartoonist (d. 2015)
1935 – John Inman, English actor (d. 2007)
1936 – Chuck Howley, American football player
1937 – George Knudson, Canadian golfer (d. 1989)
1937 – Fernand Labrie, Canadian endocrinologist and academic
1937 – Ron Luciano, American baseball player and umpire (d. 1995)
1938 – John Byner, American actor and comedian
1938 – Leon Panetta, American lawyer and politician, 23rd United States Secretary of Defense
1938 – S. Sivamaharajah, Sri Lankan Tamil newspaper publisher and politician (d. 2006)
1938 – Simon Douglas-Pennant, 7th Baron Penrhyn, British baron
1939 – Klaus Schmiegel, German chemist
1940 – Karpal Singh, Malaysian lawyer and politician (d. 2014)
1940 – Muhammad Yunus, Bangladeshi economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
1941 – Al Downing, American baseball player and sportscaster
1941 – Joseph Goguen, American computer scientist and academic, developed the OBJ language (d. 2006)
1941 – David Johnston, Canadian academic, lawyer, and politician, 28th Governor General of Canada
1942 – Chris Hani, South African politician (d. 1993)
1942 – Hans-Joachim Walde, German decathlete (d. 2013)
1942 – Frank Zane, American professional bodybuilder and author
1943 – Jens Birkemose, Danish painter
1943 – Donald Johanson, American paleontologist and academic
1943 – Klaus von Klitzing, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
1945 – Ken Buchanan, Scottish boxer
1945 – David Knights, English bass player and producer
1945 – Raul Seixas, Brazilian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (d. 1989)
1945 – Türkan Şoray, Turkish actress, director, and screenwriter
1946 – Robert Asprin, American soldier and author (d. 2008)
1946 – Bruce Davison, American actor and director
1946 – David Duckham, English rugby player
1946 – Robert Xavier Rodríguez, American classical composer
1946 – Jaime Guzmán, Chilean lawyer and politician (d. 1991)
1946 – Gilda Radner, American actress and comedian (d. 1989)
1947 – Mark Helprin, American novelist and journalist
1947 – Laura Tyson, American economist and academic
1948 – Kathy Bates, American actress
1948 – Sergei Bodrov, Russian-American director, producer, and screenwriter
1948 – Deborah Moggach, English author and screenwriter
1948 – Daniel Wegner, Canadian-American psychologist and academic (d. 2013)
1949 – Don Baylor, American baseball player and coach (d. 2017)
1950 – Philip Fowke, English pianist and educator
1950 – Mauricio Rojas, Chilean-Swedish economist and politician
1950 – Chris Speier, American baseball player and coach
1951 – Mick Cronin, Australian rugby league player and coach
1951 – Mark Shand, English conservationist and author (d. 2014)
1951 – Lalla Ward, English actress and author
1952 – Enis Batur, Turkish poet and author
1952 – Pietro Mennea, Italian sprinter and politician (d. 2013)
1952 – Jean-Christophe Rufin, French physician and author
1954 – A. A. Gill, Scottish author and critic (d. 2016)
1954 – Alice Krige, South African actress
1955 – Shirley Cheriton, British actress
1956 – Amira Hass, Israeli journalist and author
1956 – Noel Mugavin, Australian footballer and coach
1957 – Lance Nethery, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
1957 – Georgi Parvanov, Bulgarian historian and politician, 4th President of Bulgaria
1957 – Mike Skinner, American race car driver
1957 – Jim Spanarkel, American basketball player and sportscaster
1958 – Donna Edwards, American lawyer and politician
1958 – Félix Gray, Tunisian-French singer-songwriter
1959 – Clint Boon, English singer and keyboard player
1959 – John Shelley, British illustrator
1960 – John Elway, American football player and manager
1960 – Roland Melanson, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
1961 – Jeff Malone, American basketball player and coach
1962 – Anișoara Cușmir-Stanciu, Romanian long jumper
1962 – Artur Hajzer, Polish mountaineer (d. 2013)
1962 – Ann-Louise Skoglund, Swedish hurdler
1963 – Peter Baynham, Welsh actor, producer, and screenwriter
1963 – Charlie Clouser, American keyboard player, songwriter, and producer
1964 – Christina Ashcroft, Canadian sport shooter
1964 – Mark Grace, American baseball player and sportscaster
1964 – Bernie McCahill, New Zealand rugby player
1964 – Dan Stains, Australian rugby league player and coach
1964 – Steve Williamson, English saxophonist and composer
1965 – Jessica Hecht, American actress
1965 – Tiaan Strauss, South African rugby player
1966 – Peeter Allik, Estonian painter and illustrator (d. 2019)
1966 – Bobby Bare Jr., American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1966 – John Cusack, American actor and screenwriter
1966 – Mary Stuart Masterson, American actress
1967 – Leona Aglukkaq, Canadian politician, 7th Canadian Minister of Health
1967 – Gil Bellows, Canadian actor and producer
1967 – Zhong Huandi, Chinese runner
1967 – Lars Riedel, German discus thrower
1968 – Chayanne, Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter and actor
1969 – Tichina Arnold, American actress and singer
1969 – Stéphane Chapuisat, Swiss footballer
1969 – Fabrizio Mori, Italian hurdler
1970 – Mushtaq Ahmed, Pakistani cricketer and coach
1970 – Tom Merritt, American journalist
1970 – Mike White, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
1971 – Lorenzo Amoruso, Italian footballer
1971 – Fabien Barthez, French footballer
1971 – Bobby Hurley, American basketball player and coach
1971 – Ron Mahay, American baseball player and scout
1971 – Elon Musk, South African-born American businessman
1971 – Aileen Quinn, American actress and singer
1972 – Ngô Bảo Châu, Vietnamese-French mathematician and academic
1972 – Chris Leslie, English politician, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
1972 – Geeta Tripathee, Nepali poet, lyricist and literary critic
1972 – Alessandro Nivola, American actor
1973 – Adrián Annus, Hungarian hammer thrower
1973 – Corey Koskie, Canadian baseball player
1974 – Rob Dyrdek, American skateboarder, entrepreneur, and reality television star
1975 – Jon Nödtveidt, Swedish singer-songwriter, and guitarist (d. 2006)
1976 – Shinobu Asagoe, Japanese tennis player
1976 – Seth Wescott, American snowboarder
1977 – Chris Spurling, American baseball player
1977 – Mark Stoermer, American bass player, songwriter, and producer
1977 – Harun Tekin, Turkish singer and guitarist
1978 – Simon Larose, Canadian tennis player
1979 – Randy McMichael, American football player
1979 – Neil Shanahan, Irish racing driver (d. 1999)
1979 – Florian Zeller, French author and playwright
1980 – Jevgeni Novikov, Estonian footballer
1981 – Savage, New Zealand rapper
1981 – Michael Crafter, Australian singer-songwriter
1981 – Guillermo Martínez, Cuban javelin thrower
1981 – Brandon Phillips, American baseball player
1982 – Ibrahim Camejo, Cuban long jumper
1985 – Phil Bardsley, English footballer
1985 – Colt Hynes, American baseball player
1986 – Kellie Pickler, American singer-songwriter
1987 – Sonata Tamošaitytė, Lithuanian hurdler
1987 – Terrence Williams, American basketball player
1989 – Jason Clark, Australian rugby league player
1989 – Andrew Fifita, Australian rugby league player
1989 – David Fifita, Australian rugby league player
1989 – Julia Zlobina, Russian-Azerbaijani figure skater
1989 – Markiplier, American internet personality
1989 – Nicole Rottmann, Austrian tennis player
1991 – Seohyun, South Korean singer, dancer, and actress
1991 – Kevin De Bruyne, Belgian footballer
1991 – Kang Min-hyuk, South Korean singer, drummer, and actor
1992 – Oscar Hiljemark, Swedish footballer
1992 – Elaine Thompson, Jamaican sprinter
1993 – Bradley Beal, American basketball player
1994 – Hussein, Crown Prince of Jordan
1994 – Emily Blue, American singer-songwriter
1996 – Donna Vekić, Croatian tennis player
1996 – Larissa Werbicki, Canadian rower
1999 – Markéta Vondroušová, Czech tennis player
2002 – Marta Kostyuk, Ukrainian tennis player

Deaths on June 28

202 – Yuan Shao, Chinese warlord
548 – Theodora I, Byzantine empress
572 – Alboin, King of the Lombards
683 – Leo II, pope of the Catholic Church (b. 611)
767 – Paul I, pope of the Catholic Church (b. 700)
928 – Louis the Blind, Holy Roman emperor (b. 880)
975 – Cyneweard, bishop of Wells
1031 – Taira no Tadatsune, Japanese governor
1061 – Floris I, count of Holland
1175 – Andrey Bogolyubsky, Russian Grand Prince (b. 1111)
1189 – Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony, (b. 1156)
1194 – Xiao Zong, Chinese emperor (b. 1127)
1385 – Andronikos IV, Byzantine emperor (b. 1348)
1497 – James Tuchet, 7th Baron Audley, English rebel leader (b. c. 1463)
1575 – Yonekura Shigetsugu, Japanese samurai
1586 – Primož Trubar, Slovenian author and reformer (b. 1508)
1598 – Abraham Ortelius, Flemish cartographer and geographer (b. 1527)
1607 – Domenico Fontana, Italian architect (b. 1543)
1716 – George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire (b. 1665)
1757 – Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, queen consort of Frederick William I (b. 1687)
1798 – John Henry Colclough, Irish revolutionary (b. c. 1769)
1813 – Gerhard von Scharnhorst, Prussian general and politician, Prussian Minister of War (b. 1755)
1834 – Joseph Bové, Russian architect, designed the Triumphal Arch of Moscow (b. 1784)
1836 – James Madison, American academic and politician, 4th President of the United States (b. 1751)
1880 – Texas Jack Omohundro, American soldier and hunter (b. 1846)
1881 – Jules Armand Dufaure, French politician, 33rd Prime Minister of France (b. 1798)
1889 – Maria Mitchell, American astronomer and academic (b. 1818)
1892 – Alexandros Rizos Rangavis, Greek poet and politician, Greek Foreign Minister (b. 1810)
1913 – Manuel Ferraz de Campos Sales, Brazilian lawyer and politician, 4th President of Brazil (b. 1841)
1914 – Sophie, duchess of Hohenberg (b. 1868)
1914 – Franz Ferdinand, archduke of Austria (b. 1863)
1915 – Victor Trumper, Australian cricketer (b. 1877)
1917 – Ștefan Luchian, Romanian painter and educator (b. 1868)
1922 – Velimir Khlebnikov, Russian poet and playwright (b. 1885)
1929 – Edward Carpenter, English poet and philosopher (b. 1844)
1936 – Alexander Berkman, American author and activist (d. 1870)
1939 – Douglas H. Johnston, governor of the Chickasaw Nation (b. 1856)
1940 – Italo Balbo, Italian air marshal and politician (b. 1896)
1944 – Friedrich Dollmann, German general (b. 1882)
1945 – Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu, Turkish journalist (b. 1879)
1947 – Stanislav Kostka Neumann, Czech writer, poet and journalist (b. 1875)
1960 – Jake Swirbul, American businessman, co-founded the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation (b. 1898)
1962 – Mickey Cochrane, American baseball player and manager (b. 1903)
1962 – Cy Morgan, American baseball player (b. 1878)
1965 – Red Nichols, American cornet player, bandleader, and composer (b. 1905)
1966 – Mehmet Fuat Köprülü, Turkish historian and politician, 21st Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey (b. 1890)
1971 – Franz Stangl, Austrian SS officer (b. 1908)
1974 – Vannevar Bush, American engineer and academic (b. 1890)
1975 – Constantinos Apostolou Doxiadis, Greek architect (b. 1913)
1975 – Rod Serling, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1924)
1978 – Clifford Dupont, English-Rhodesian lawyer and politician, 1st President of Rhodesia (b. 1905)
1980 – José Iturbi, Spanish pianist and conductor (b. 1895)
1981 – Terry Fox, Canadian runner and activist (b. 1958)
1983 – Alf Francis, German-English motor racing mechanic and racing car constructor (b. 1918)
1984 – Yigael Yadin, Israeli archaeologist, general, and politician (b. 1917)
1985 – Lynd Ward, American author and illustrator (b. 1905)
1989 – Joris Ivens, Dutch journalist, director, and producer (b. 1898)
1992 – Guy Nève, Belgian racing driver (b. 1955)
1992 – Mikhail Tal, Latvian chess player (b. 1936)
1995 – Petri Walli, Finnish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (b. 1969)
2000 – Jane Birdwood, Baroness Birdwood, Canadian-English publisher and politician (b. 1913)
2000 – Nils Poppe, Swedish actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1908)
2001 – Mortimer J. Adler, American philosopher and author (b. 1902)
2003 – Joan Lowery Nixon, American journalist and author (b. 1927)
2004 – Anthony Buckeridge, English author (b. 1912)
2005 – Brenda Howard, American activist (b. 1946)
2005 – Michael P. Murphy, American lieutenant, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1976)
2006 – Jim Baen, American publisher, founded Baen Books (b. 1943)
2006 – Peter Rawlinson, Baron Rawlinson of Ewell, English lawyer and politician, Attorney General for England and Wales (b. 1919)
2006 – George Unwin, English pilot and commander (b. 1913)
2007 – Eugene B. Fluckey, American admiral, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1913)
2007 – Kiichi Miyazawa, Japanese lawyer and politician, 78th Prime Minister of Japan (b. 1919)
2009 – A. K. Lohithadas, Indian director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1955)
2009 – Billy Mays, American TV personality (b. 1958)
2010 – Robert Byrd, American lawyer and politician (b. 1917)
2012 – Richard Isay, American psychiatrist and author (b. 1934)
2012 – Leontine T. Kelly, American bishop (b. 1920)
2012 – Robert Sabatier, French author and poet (b. 1923)
2012 – Doris Sams, American baseball player (b. 1927)
2013 – Ted Hood, American sailor and architect (b. 1927)
2013 – Tamás Katona, Hungarian historian and politician (b. 1932)
2013 – Kenneth Minogue, New Zealand-Australian political scientist and academic (b. 1930)
2013 – F. D. Reeve, American author and academic (b. 1928)
2013 – David Rubitsky, American sergeant (b. 1917)
2014 – Seymour Barab, American cellist and composer (b. 1921)
2014 – Jim Brosnan, American baseball player (b. 1929)
2014 – On Kawara, Japanese painter (b. 1933)
2014 – Meshach Taylor, American actor (b. 1947)
2015 – Jack Carter, American actor and comedian (b. 1922)
2015 – Jope Seniloli, Fijian politician, Vice-President of Fiji (b. 1939)
2015 – Wally Stanowski, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1919)
2016 – Scotty Moore, American guitarist (b. 1931)
2016 – Pat Summitt, American women’s college basketball head coach (b. 1952)
2016 – Buddy Ryan, American football coach (b. 1931)
2018 – Harlan Ellison, American writer (b. 1934)

Holidays and observances on June 28

Christian feast day:
- Basilides and Potamiana
- Irenaeus of Lyon (Western Christianity)
- Heimerad
- Blessed Maria Pia Mastena
- Paulus I
- Vincenza Gerosa
- June 28 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Constitution Day (Ukraine)
Earliest day on which Vardavar can fall, while August 1 is the latest; celebrated on the 14th weeks after Easter (Armenia)
Family Day (Vietnam)
Poznań Remembrance Day (Poland)
Vidovdan, celebrating St. Vitus and an important day in Serbian history. (Eastern Orthodox Church)
Tau Day, a day similar to Pi Day celebrating the number Tau, which is equivalent to 2*Pi.

June 28 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

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

On This Day / admin

This day usually marks the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, which is the day of the year with the most hours of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere and the fewest hours of daylight in the Southern Hemisphere.

June 21 in History

533 – A Byzantine expeditionary fleet under Belisarius sails from Constantinople to attack the Vandals in Africa, via Greece and Sicily (approximate date).
1307 – Külüg Khan is enthroned as Khagan of the Mongols and Wuzong of the Yuan.
1529 – French forces are driven out of northern Italy by Spain at the Battle of Landriano during the War of the League of Cognac.
1582 – Sengoku period: Oda Nobunaga, the most powerful of the Japanese daimyōs, is forced to commit suicide by his own general Akechi Mitsuhide.
1621 – Execution of 27 Czech noblemen on the Old Town Square in Prague as a consequence of the Battle of White Mountain.
1734 – In Montreal in New France, a slave known by the French name of Marie-Joseph Angélique is put to death, having been convicted of setting the fire that destroyed much of the city.
1749 – Halifax, Nova Scotia, is founded.
1768 – James Otis Jr. offends the King and Parliament in a speech to the Massachusetts General Court.
1788 – New Hampshire becomes the ninth state to ratify the Constitution of the United States.
1791 – King Louis XVI of France and his immediate family begin the Flight to Varennes during the French Revolution.
1798 – Irish Rebellion of 1798: The British Army defeats Irish rebels at the Battle of Vinegar Hill.
1813 – Peninsular War: Wellington defeats Joseph Bonaparte at the Battle of Vitoria.
1824 – Greek War of Independence: Egyptian forces capture Psara in the Aegean Sea.
1826 – Maniots defeat Egyptians under Ibrahim Pasha in the Battle of Vergas.
1848 – In the Wallachian Revolution, Ion Heliade Rădulescu and Christian Tell issue the Proclamation of Islaz and create a new republican government.
1864 – American Civil War: The Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road begins.
1898 – The United States captures Guam from Spain. The few warning shots fired by the U.S. naval vessels are misinterpreted as salutes by the Spanish garrison, which was unaware that the two nations were at war.
1900 – Boxer Rebellion. China formally declares war on the United States, Britain, Germany, France and Japan, as an edict issued from the Empress Dowager Cixi.
1915 – The U.S. Supreme Court hands down its decision in Guinn v. United States 238 US 347 1915, striking down Oklahoma grandfather clause legislation which had the effect of denying the right to vote to blacks.
1919 – The Royal Canadian Mounted Police fire a volley into a crowd of unemployed war veterans, killing two, during the Winnipeg general strike.
1919 – Admiral Ludwig von Reuter scuttles the German fleet at Scapa Flow, Orkney. The nine sailors killed are the last casualties of World War I.
1929 – An agreement brokered by U.S. Ambassador Dwight Whitney Morrow ends the Cristero War in Mexico.
1930 – One-year conscription comes into force in France.
1940 – World War II: Italy begins an unsuccessful invasion of France.
1942 – World War II: Tobruk falls to Italian and German forces.
1942 – World War II: A Japanese submarine surfaces near the Columbia River in Oregon, firing 17 shells at Fort Stevens in one of only a handful of attacks by Japan against the United States mainland.
1945 – World War II: The Battle of Okinawa ends when the organized resistance of Imperial Japanese Army forces collapses in the Mabuni area on the southern tip of the main island.
1952 – The Philippine School of Commerce, through a republic act, is converted to Philippine College of Commerce, later to be the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
1957 – Ellen Fairclough is sworn in as Canada’s first female Cabinet Minister.
1963 – Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini is elected as Pope Paul VI.
1964 – Three civil rights workers, Andrew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner, are murdered in Neshoba County, Mississippi, United States, by members of the Ku Klux Klan.
1970 – Penn Central declares Section 77 bankruptcy in what was the largest U.S. corporate bankruptcy to date.
1973 – In its decision in Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15, the Supreme Court of the United States establishes the Miller test for determining whether something is obscene and not protected speech under the U.S. constitution.
1978 – The original production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, Evita, based on the life of Eva Perón, opens at the Prince Edward Theatre, London.
1982 – John Hinckley is found not guilty by reason of insanity for the attempted assassination of U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
1989 – The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397, that American flag-burning is a form of political protest protected by the First Amendment.
2000 – Section 28 (of the Local Government Act 1988), outlawing the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality in the United Kingdom, is repealed in Scotland with a 99 to 17 vote.
2001 – A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, indicts 13 Saudis and a Lebanese in the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 American servicemen.
2004 – SpaceShipOne becomes the first privately funded spaceplane to achieve spaceflight.
2005 – Edgar Ray Killen, who had previously been unsuccessfully tried for the murders of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Mickey Schwerner, is convicted of manslaughter 41 years afterwards (the case had been reopened in 2004).
2006 – Pluto’s newly discovered moons are officially named Nix and Hydra.
2009 – Greenland assumes self-rule.
2012 – A boat carrying more than 200 migrants capsizes in the Indian Ocean between the Indonesian island of Java and Christmas Island, killing 17 people and leaving 70 others missing.

Births on June 21

598 – Pope Martin I (d. 656)
906 – Abu Ja’far Ahmad ibn Muhammad, Saffarid emir (d. 963)
1002 – Pope Leo IX (d. 1054)
1226 – Bolesław V the Chaste of Poland (d. 1279)
1521 – John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev (d. 1580)
1528 – Maria of Austria, Holy Roman Empress (d. 1603)
1535 – Leonhard Rauwolf, German physician and botanist (d. 1596)
1630 – Samuel Oppenheimer, German Jewish banker and diplomat (d. 1703)
1636 – Godefroy Maurice de La Tour d’Auvergne, Duke of Bouillon, French noble (d. 1721)
1639 – Increase Mather, American minister and author (d. 1723)
1676 – Anthony Collins, English philosopher and author (d. 1729)
1706 – John Dollond, English optician and astronomer (d. 1761)
1710 – James Short, Scottish-English mathematician and optician (d. 1768)
1712 – Luc Urbain de Bouëxic, comte de Guichen, French admiral (d. 1790)
1730 – Motoori Norinaga, Japanese poet and scholar (d. 1801)
1732 – Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach, German pianist and composer (d. 1791)
1736 – Enoch Poor, American general (d. 1780)
1741 – Prince Benedetto, Duke of Chablais (d. 1808)
1750 – Pierre-Nicolas Beauvallet, French sculptor and illustrator (d. 1818)
1759 – Alexander J. Dallas, American lawyer and politician, 6th United States Secretary of the Treasury (d. 1817)
1763 – Pierre Paul Royer-Collard, French philosopher and academic (d. 1845)
1764 – Sidney Smith, English admiral and politician (d. 1840)
1774 – Daniel D. Tompkins, American lawyer and politician, 6th Vice President of the United States (d. 1825)
1781 – Siméon Denis Poisson, French mathematician and physicist (d. 1840)
1786 – Charles Edward Horn, English singer-songwriter (d. 1849)
1792 – Ferdinand Christian Baur, German theologian and scholar (d. 1860)
1797 – Wilhelm Küchelbecker, Russian poet and author (d. 1846)
1802 – Karl Zittel, German theologian (d. 1871)
1805 – Karl Friedrich Curschmann, German composer and singer (d. 1841)
1805 – Charles Thomas Jackson, American physician and geologist (d. 1880)
1811 – Carlo Matteucci, Italian physicist and neurophysiologist (d. 1868)
1814 – Anton Nuhn, German anatomist and academic (d. 1889)
1823 – Jean Chacornac, French astronomer (d. 1873)
1825 – Thomas Edward Cliffe Leslie, Irish economist and jurist (d. 1882)
1825 – William Stubbs, English bishop and historian (d. 1901)
1828 – Ferdinand André Fouqué, French geologist and academic (d. 1904)
1828 – Nikolaus Nilles, German Catholic writer and teacher (d. 1907)
1834 – Frans de Cort, Flemish poet and author (d. 1878)
1836 – Luigi Tripepi, Italian theologian (d. 1906)
1839 – Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, Brazilian author, poet, and playwright (d. 1908)
1845 – Samuel Griffith, Welsh-Australian politician, 9th Premier of Queensland (d. 1920)
1845 – Arthur Cowper Ranyard, English astrophysicist and astronomer (d. 1894)
1846 – Marion Adams-Acton, Scottish-English author and playwright (d. 1928)
1846 – Enrico Coleman, Italian painter (d. 1911)
1850 – Daniel Carter Beard, American author and illustrator, co-founded the Boy Scouts of America (d. 1941)
1858 – Giuseppe De Sanctis, Italian painter (d. 1924)
1858 – Medardo Rosso, Italian sculptor and educator (d. 1928)
1859 – Henry Ossawa Tanner, American-French painter and illustrator (d. 1937)
1862 – Damrong Rajanubhab, Thai historian and author (d. 1943)
1863 – Max Wolf, German astronomer and academic (d. 1932)
1864 – Heinrich Wölfflin, Swiss historian and critic (d. 1945)
1867 – Oscar Florianus Bluemner, German-American painter and illustrator (d. 1938)
1867 – William Brede Kristensen, Norwegian historian of religion (d. 1953)
1868 – Edwin Stephen Goodrich, English zoologist and anatomist (d. 1946)
1870 – Clara Immerwahr, Jewish-German chemist and academic (d. 1915)
1870 – Anthony Michell, English-Australian engineer (d. 1959)
1870 – Julio Ruelas, Mexican painter (d. 1907)
1876 – Swami Kalyan Dev, philosopher (d. 2004)
1876 – Willem Hendrik Keesom, Dutch physicist and academic (d. 1956)
1880 – Arnold Gesell, American psychologist and pediatrician (d. 1961)
1880 – Josiah Stamp, 1st Baron Stamp, English economist and civil servant (d. 1941)
1881 – (O.S.) Natalia Goncharova, Russian painter, costume designer, and illustrator (d. 1962)
1882 – Lluís Companys, Spanish lawyer and politician, 123rd President of Catalonia (d. 1940)
1882 – Adrianus de Jong, Dutch fencer and soldier (d. 1966)
1882 – Rockwell Kent, American painter and illustrator (d. 1971)
1883 – Feodor Gladkov, Russian author and educator (d. 1958)
1884 – Claude Auchinleck, English field marshal (d. 1981)
1887 – Norman L. Bowen, Canadian geologist and petrologist (d. 1956)
1889 – Ralph Craig, American sprinter and sailor (d. 1972)
1891 – Pier Luigi Nervi, Italian architect and engineer, co-designed the Pirelli Tower and Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption (d. 1979)
1891 – Hermann Scherchen, German-Swiss viola player and conductor (d. 1966)
1892 – Reinhold Niebuhr, American theologian and academic (d. 1971)
1893 – Alois Hába, Czech composer and educator (d. 1973)
1894 – Milward Kennedy, English journalist and civil servant (d. 1968)
1896 – Charles Momsen, American admiral, invented the Momsen lung (d. 1967)
1898 – Donald C. Peattie, American botanist and author (d. 1964)
1899 – Pavel Haas, Czech composer (d. 1944)
1903 – Hermann Engelhard, German runner and coach (d. 1984)
1903 – Al Hirschfeld, American caricaturist, painter and illustrator (d. 2003)
1905 – Jacques Goddet, French journalist (d. 2000)
1905 – Jean-Paul Sartre, French philosopher and author (d. 1980)
1908 – William Frankena, American philosopher and academic (d. 1994)
1910 – Aleksandr Tvardovsky, Russian poet and author (d. 1971)
1911 – Irving Fein, American producer and manager (d. 2012)
1912 – Kazimierz Leski, Polish pilot and engineer (d. 2000)
1912 – Mary McCarthy, American novelist and critic (d. 1989)
1912 – Vishnu Prabhakar, Indian author and playwright (d. 2009)
1913 – Madihe Pannaseeha Thero, Sri Lankan monk and scholar (d. 2003)
1913 – Luis Taruc, Filipino political activist (d. 2005)
1914 – William Vickrey, Canadian-American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1996)
1915 – Wilhelm Gliese, German soldier and astronomer (d. 1993)
1916 – Joseph Cyril Bamford, English businessman, founded J. C. Bamford (d. 2001)
1916 – Tchan Fou-li, Chinese photographer (d. 2018)
1916 – Herbert Friedman, American physicist and astronomer (d. 2000)
1916 – Buddy O’Connor, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1977)
1918 – Robert A. Boyd, Canadian engineer (d. 2006)
1918 – James Joll, English historian, author, and academic (d. 1994)
1918 – Eddie Lopat, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 1992)
1918 – Dee Molenaar, American mountaineer (d. 2020)
1918 – Robert Roosa, American economist and banker (d. 1993)
1918 – Tibor Szele, Hungarian mathematician and academic (d. 1955)
1918 – Josephine Webb, American engineer
1919 – Antonia Mesina, Italian martyr and saint (d. 1935)
1919 – Gérard Pelletier, Canadian journalist and politician (d. 1997)
1919 – Vladimir Simagin, Russian chess player and coach (d. 1968)
1919 – Paolo Soleri, Italian-American architect, designed the Cosanti (d. 2013)
1920 – Hans Gerschwiler, Swiss figure skater (d. 2017)
1921 – Judy Holliday, American actress and singer (d. 1965)
1921 – Jane Russell, American actress and singer (d. 2011)
1921 – William Edwin Self, American actor, producer, and production manager (d. 2010)
1922 – Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkinabé historian, politician and writer (d. 2006)
1923 – Jacques Hébert, Canadian journalist and politician (d. 2007)
1924 – Pontus Hultén, Swedish art collector and historian (d. 2006)
1924 – Ezzatolah Entezami, Iranian actor (d. 2018)
1924 – Wally Fawkes, British-Canadian jazz clarinetist and a satirical cartoonist
1924 – Jean Laplanche, French psychoanalyst and academic (d. 2012)
1925 – Larisa Avdeyeva, Russian mezzo-soprano (d. 2013)
1925 – Stanley Moss, American poet, publisher, and art dealer
1925 – Giovanni Spadolini, Italian journalist and politician, 45th Prime Minister of Italy (d. 1994)
1925 – Maureen Stapleton, American actress (d. 2006)
1926 – Fred Cone, American football player
1926 – Conrad Hall, French-American cinematographer (d. 2003)
1927 – Carl Stokes, American lawyer, politician, and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Seychelles (d. 1996)
1928 – Wolfgang Haken, German-American mathematician and academic
1928 – Fiorella Mari, Brazilian-Italian actress
1928 – Margit Bara, Hungarian actress (d. 2016)
1929 – Alexandre Lagoya, Egyptian-Greek guitarist and composer (d. 1999)
1930 – Gerald Kaufman, English journalist and politician, Shadow Foreign Secretary (d. 2017)
1930 – Mike McCormack, American football player and coach (d. 2013)
1931 – Zlatko Grgić, Croatian-Canadian animator, director, and screenwriter (d. 1988)
1931 – Margaret Heckler, American journalist, lawyer, and politician, 15th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
1931 – David Kushnir, Israeli Olympic long-jumper
1932 – Bernard Ingham, English journalist and civil servant
1932 – Lalo Schifrin, Argentinian pianist, composer, and conductor
1932 – O.C. Smith, American R&B/jazz singer (d. 2001)
1933 – Bernie Kopell, American actor and comedian
1935 – Françoise Sagan, French author and playwright (d. 2004)
1937 – John Edrich, English cricketer and coach
1938 – Don Black, English songwriter
1938 – John W. Dower, American historian and author
1938 – Michael M. Richter, German mathematician and computer scientist
1940 – Mariette Hartley, American actress and television personality
1940 – Michael Ruse, Canadian philosopher and academic
1941 – Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Indian bishop
1941 – Joe Flaherty, American-Canadian actor, producer, and screenwriter
1941 – Lyman Ward, Canadian actor
1942 – Clive Brooke, Baron Brooke of Alverthorpe, English businessman and politician
1942 – Marjorie Margolies, American journalist and politician
1942 – Henry S. Taylor, American author and poet
1942 – Togo D. West, Jr., American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 3rd United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
1943 – Eumir Deodato, Brazilian pianist, composer, and producer
1943 – Diane Marleau, Canadian accountant and politician, Canadian Minister of Health (d. 2013)
1943 – Brian Sternberg, American pole vaulter (d. 2013)
1944 – Ray Davies, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
1944 – Tony Scott, English-American director and producer (d. 2012)
1945 – Robert Dewar, English-American computer scientist and academic (d. 2015)
1945 – Adam Zagajewski, Polish author and poet
1946 – Per Eklund, Swedish race car driver
1946 – Kate Hoey, Northern Irish-British academic and politician, Minister for Sport and the Olympics
1946 – Brenda Holloway, American singer-songwriter
1946 – Trond Kirkvaag, Norwegian actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2007)
1946 – Malcolm Rifkind, Scottish lawyer and politician, Secretary of State for Scotland
1946 – Maurice Saatchi, Baron Saatchi, Iraqi-British businessman, founded M&C Saatchi and Saatchi & Saatchi
1947 – Meredith Baxter, American actress
1947 – Shirin Ebadi, Iranian lawyer, judge, and activist, Nobel Prize laureate
1947 – Michael Gross, American actor
1947 – Joey Molland, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
1947 – Wade Phillips, American football coach
1947 – Fernando Savater, Spanish philosopher and author
1948 – Jovan Aćimović, Serbian footballer and manager
1948 – Ian McEwan, British novelist and screenwriter
1948 – Andrzej Sapkowski, Polish author and translator
1948 – Philippe Sarde, French composer and conductor
1949 – John Agard, Guyanese-English author, poet, and playwright
1949 – Derek Emslie, Lord Kingarth, Scottish lawyer and judge
1950 – Anne Carson, Canadian poet and academic
1950 – Joey Kramer, American rock drummer and songwriter (Aerosmith)
1950 – Enn Reitel, Scottish actor and screenwriter
1950 – Trygve Thue, Norwegian guitarist and record producer
1950 – John Paul Young, Scottish-Australian singer-songwriter
1951 – Jim Douglas, American academic and politician, 80th Governor of Vermont
1951 – Terence Etherton, English lawyer and judge
1951 – Alan Hudson, English footballer
1951 – Nils Lofgren, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1951 – Lenore Manderson, Australian anthropologist and academic
1951 – Mona-Lisa Pursiainen, Finnish sprinter (d. 2000)
1952 – Judith Bingham, English singer-songwriter
1952 – Jeremy Coney, New Zealand cricketer and sportscaster
1952 – Patrick Dunleavy, English political scientist and academic
1952 – Kōichi Mashimo, Japanese director and screenwriter
1953 – Benazir Bhutto, Pakistani financier and politician, 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan (d. 2007)
1954 – Már Guðmundsson, Icelandic economist, former Governor of Central Bank of Iceland
1954 – Mark Kimmitt, American general and politician, 16th Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
1954 – Robert Menasse, Austrian author and academic
1955 – Tim Bray, Canadian software developer and businessman
1955 – Michel Platini, French footballer and manager
1956 – Rick Sutcliffe, American baseball player and broadcaster
1957 – Berkeley Breathed, American author and illustrator
1957 – Luis Antonio Tagle, Filipino cardinal
1958 – Víctor Montoya, Bolivian journalist and author
1958 – Gennady Padalka, Russian colonel, pilot, and astronaut
1959 – John Baron, English captain and politician
1959 – Tom Chambers, American basketball player and sportscaster
1959 – Marcella Detroit, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1959 – Kathy Mattea, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1960 – Kate Brown, American politician, 38th Governor of Oregon
1960 – Karl Erjavec, Slovenian politician
1961 – Manu Chao, French singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
1961 – Sascha Konietzko, German keyboard player and producer
1961 – Joko Widodo, Indonesian businessman and politician, 7th President of Indonesia
1961 – Kip Winger, American rock singer-songwriter and musician
1961 – Iztok Mlakar, Slovenian actor and singer-songwriter
1962 – Shōhei Takada, Japanese shogi player and theoretician
1962 – Viktor Tsoi, Russian singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1990)
1963 – Dario Marianelli, Italian pianist and composer
1963 – Mike Sherrard, American football player
1964 – David Morrissey, English actor and director
1964 – Dimitris Papaioannou, Greek director and choreographer
1964 – Dean Saunders, Welsh footballer and manager
1964 – Doug Savant, American actor
1965 – David Beerling, English biologist and academic
1965 – Yang Liwei, Chinese general, pilot, and astronaut
1965 – Ewen McKenzie, Australian rugby player and coach
1965 – Lana Wachowski, American director, producer, and screenwriter
1966 – Gretchen Carlson, American model and television journalist, Miss America 1989
1967 – Jim Breuer, American comedian, actor, and producer
1967 – Derrick Coleman, American basketball player and sportscaster
1967 – Pierre Omidyar, French-American businessman, founded eBay
1967 – Carrie Preston, American actress, director, and producer
1967 – Yingluck Shinawatra, Thai businesswoman and politician, 28th Prime Minister of Thailand
1968 – Sonique, English singer-songwriter and DJ
1970 – Eric Reed, American pianist and composer
1971 – Tyronne Drakeford, American football player
1972 – Nobuharu Asahara, Japanese sprinter and long jumper
1972 – Neil Doak, Northern Irish cricketer and rugby player
1972 – Irene van Dyk, South African-New Zealand netball player
1973 – Juliette Lewis, American actress and singer-songwriter
1973 – John Mitchell, English guitarist, vocalist and songwriter
1974 – Rob Kelly, American football player
1974 – Craig Lowndes, Australian race car driver
1974 – Flavio Roma, Italian footballer
1975 – Brian Simmons, American football player
1976 – Shelley Craft, Australian television host
1976 – Mike Einziger, American guitarist and songwriter
1976 – Nigel Lappin, Australian footballer and coach
1977 – Michael Gomez, Irish boxer
1977 – Al Wilson, American football player
1978 – Thomas Blondeau, Flemish writer (d. 2013)
1978 – Matt Kuchar, American golfer
1978 – Cristiano Lupatelli, Italian footballer
1978 – Gervase Markham, British software engineer (d. 2018)
1978 – Dejan Ognjanović, Montenegrin footballer
1978 – Rim’K, French rapper
1979 – Kostas Katsouranis, Greek footballer
1979 – Chris Pratt, American actor
1980 – Michael Crocker, Australian rugby league player and sportscaster
1980 – Łukasz Cyborowski, Polish chess player
1980 – Richard Jefferson, American basketball player
1980 – Sendy Rleal, Dominican baseball player
1981 – Yann Danis, Canadian ice hockey player
1981 – Garrett Jones, American baseball player
1981 – Brandon Flowers, American singer-songwriter
1981 – Brad Walker, American pole vaulter
1982 – Lee Dae-ho, South Korean baseball player
1982 – Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
1982 – Jussie Smollett, American actor and singer
1983 – Edward Snowden, American activist and academic
1985 – Lana Del Rey, American singer-songwriter
1985 – Sentayehu Ejigu, Ethiopian runner
1985 – Byron Schammer, Australian footballer
1986 – Kathleen O’Kelly-Kennedy, Australian wheelchair basketball player
1986 – Hideaki Wakui, Japanese baseball player
1987 – Pablo Barrera, Mexican footballer
1987 – Sebastian Prödl, Austrian footballer
1987 – Dale Thomas, Australian footballer
1988 – Allyssa DeHaan, American basketball and volleyball player
1988 – Paolo Tornaghi, Italian footballer
1988 – Thaddeus Young, American basketball player
1989 – Abubaker Kaki, Sudanese runner
1990 – Ričardas Berankis, Lithuanian tennis player
1990 – Lunar C, English rapper
1990 – François Moubandje, Swiss footballer
1990 – Håvard Nordtveit, Norwegian footballer
1991 – Gaël Kakuta, French footballer
1992 – MAX, American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer and model
1994 – Başak Eraydın, Turkish tennis player
1996 – Tyrone May, Australian rugby league player
1997 – Rebecca Black, American singer-songwriter
1997 – Derrius Guice, American football player
2011 – Lil Bub, American celebrity cat

Deaths on June 21

532 – Emperor Jiemin of Northern Wei, former Northern Wei emperor
866 – Rodulf, Frankish archbishop
868 – Ali al-Hadi, the tenth Imam of Shia Islam (b. 829)
870 – Al-Muhtadi, Muslim caliph
947 – Zhang Li, official of the Liao Dynasty
1040 – Fulk III, Count of Anjou (b. 972)
1171 – Walter de Luci, French-English monk (b. 1103)
1208 – Philip of Swabia (b. 1177)
1305 – Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (b. 1271)
1359 – Erik Magnusson, king of Sweden (b. 1339)
1377 – Edward III of England (b. 1312)
1421 – Jean Le Maingre, French general (b. 1366)
1527 – Niccolò Machiavelli, Italian historian and author (b. 1469)
1529 – John Skelton, English poet and educator (b. 1460)
1547 – Sebastiano del Piombo, Italian painter and educator (b. 1485)
1558 – Piero Strozzi, Italian general (b. 1510)
1582 – Oda Nobunaga, Japanese warlord (b. 1534)
1585 – Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland (b. 1532)
1591 – Aloysius Gonzaga, Italian saint (b. 1568)
1596 – Jean Liebault, French agronomist and physician (b. 1535)
1621 – Louis III, Cardinal of Guise (b. 1575)
1621 – Kryštof Harant, Czech soldier and composer (b. 1564)
1622 – Salomon Schweigger, German theologian (b. 1551)
1631 – John Smith, English admiral and explorer (b. 1580)
1652 – Inigo Jones, English architect, designed the Queen’s House and Wilton House (b. 1573)
1661 – Andrea Sacchi, Italian painter (b. 1599)
1737 – Matthieu Marais, French author, critic, and jurist (b. 1664)
1738 – Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, English politician, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (b. 1674)
1796 – Richard Gridley, American soldier and engineer (b. 1710)
1824 – Étienne Aignan, French playwright and translator (b. 1773)
1865 – Frances Adeline Seward, American wife of William H. Seward (b. 1824)
1874 – Anders Jonas Ångström, Swedish physicist and astronomer (b. 1814)
1876 – Antonio López de Santa Anna, Mexican general and politician 8th President of Mexico (b. 1794)
1880 – Theophilus H. Holmes, American general (b. 1804)
1893 – Leland Stanford, American businessman and politician, 8th Governor of California (b. 1824)
1908 – Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Russian composer and educator (b. 1844)
1914 – Bertha von Suttner, Austrian journalist and author, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1843)
1929 – Leonard Trelawny Hobhouse, English sociologist, journalist, and academic (b. 1864)
1934 – Thorne Smith, American author (b. 1892)
1940 – Smedley Butler, American general, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1881)
1940 – Édouard Vuillard, French painter (b. 1868)
1951 – Charles Dillon Perrine, American astronomer (b. 1867)
1951 – Gustave Sandras, French gymnast (b. 1872)
1952 – Wop May, Canadian captain and pilot (b. 1896)
1954 – Gideon Sundback, Swedish-American engineer, developed the zipper (b. 1880)
1957 – Claude Farrère, French captain and author (b. 1876)
1957 – Johannes Stark, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1874)
1964 – James Chaney, American civil rights activist (b. 1943)
1964 – Andrew Goodman, American civil rights activist (b. 1943)
1964 – Michael Schwerner, American civil rights activist (b. 1939)
1967 – Theodore Sizer, American professor of the history of art (b. 1892)
1969 – Maureen Connolly, American tennis player (b. 1934)
1970 – Sukarno, Indonesian engineer and politician, 1st President of Indonesia (b. 1901)
1970 – Piers Courage, English race car driver (b. 1942)
1976 – Margaret Herrick, American librarian (b. 1902)
1980 – Bert Kaempfert, German conductor and composer (b. 1923)
1981 – Don Figlozzi, American illustrator and animator (b. 1909)
1985 – Hector Boyardee, Italian-American chef and businessman, founded Chef Boyardee (b. 1897)
1985 – Tage Erlander, Swedish lieutenant and politician, 25th Prime Minister of Sweden (b. 1901)
1986 – Assi Rahbani, Lebanese singer-songwriter and producer (b. 1923)
1987 – Madman Muntz, American engineer and businessman, founded the Muntz Car Company (b. 1914)
1988 – Bobby Dodd, American football coach (b. 1908)
1990 – Cedric Belfrage, English journalist and author, co-founded the National Guardian (b. 1904)
1990 – June Christy, American singer (b. 1925)
1992 – Ben Alexander, Australian rugby league player (b. 1971)
1992 – Arthur Gorrie, Australian hobby shop proprietor (b. 1922)
1992 – Rudra Mohammad Shahidullah, Bangladeshi poet, author, and playwright (b. 1956)
1992 – Li Xiannian, Chinese captain and politician, 3rd President of the People’s Republic of China (b. 1909)
1994 – William Wilson Morgan, American astronomer and astrophysicist (b. 1906)
1997 – Shintaro Katsu, Japanese actor, singer, director, and producer (b. 1931)
1997 – Fidel Velázquez Sánchez, Mexican trade union leader (b. 1900)
1998 – Harry Cranbrook Allen, English historian (b. 1917)
1998 – Anastasio Ballestrero, Italian cardinal (b. 1913)
1998 – Al Campanis, American baseball player and manager (b. 1916)
1999 – Kami, Japanese drummer (b. 1973)
2000 – Alan Hovhaness, Armenian-American pianist and composer (b. 1911)
2001 – John Lee Hooker, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1917)
2001 – Soad Hosny, Egyptian actress and singer (b. 1942)
2001 – Carroll O’Connor, American actor and producer (b. 1924)
2002 – Timothy Findley, Canadian author and playwright (b. 1930)
2003 – Roger Neilson, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1934)
2003 – Leon Uris, American soldier and author (b. 1924)
2004 – Leonel Brizola, Brazilian engineer and politician, Governor of Rio de Janeiro (b. 1922)
2004 – Ruth Leach Amonette, American businesswoman (b. 1916)
2005 – Jaime Sin, Filipino cardinal (b. 1928)
2006 – Jared C. Monti, American sergeant, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1975)
2007 – Bob Evans, American businessman, founded Bob Evans Restaurants (b. 1918)
2008 – Scott Kalitta, American race car driver (b. 1962)
2010 – Russell Ash, English author (b. 1946)
2010 – Irwin Barker, Canadian actor and screenwriter (b. 1956)
2010 – İlhan Selçuk, Turkish lawyer, journalist, and author (b. 1925)
2011 – Robert Kroetsch, Canadian author and poet (b. 1927)
2012 – Richard Adler, American composer and producer (b. 1921)
2012 – Abid Hussain, Indian economist and diplomat, Indian Ambassador to the United States (b. 1926)
2012 – Sunil Janah, Indian photographer and journalist (b. 1918)
2012 – Anna Schwartz, American economist and author (b. 1915)
2013 – James P. Gordon, American physicist and academic (b. 1928)
2013 – Elliott Reid, American actor and screenwriter (b. 1920)
2014 – Yozo Ishikawa, Japanese politician, Japanese Minister of Defense (b. 1925)
2014 – Walter Kieber, Austrian-Liechtenstein politician, 7th Prime Minister of Liechtenstein (b. 1931)
2014 – Wong Ho Leng, Malaysian lawyer and politician (b. 1959)
2015 – Darryl Hamilton, American baseball player and sportscaster (b. 1964)
2015 – Veijo Meri, Finnish author and poet (b. 1928)
2015 – Remo Remotti, Italian actor, playwright, and poet (b. 1924)
2015 – Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski, German soldier and politician (b. 1932)
2015 – Gunther Schuller, American horn player, composer, and conductor (b. 1925)
2016 – Pierre Lalonde, Canadian television host and singer (b. 1941)
2018 – Charles Krauthammer, American columnist and conservative political commentator (b.1950)

Holidays and observances on June 21

Christian feast day:
- Alban of Mainz
- Aloysius Gonzaga
- Engelmund of Velsen
- Martin of Tongres
- Onesimos Nesib (Lutheran)
- June 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Day of the Martyrs (Togo)
Father’s Day (Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Uganda, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates)
Go Skateboarding Day
International Yoga Day (international)
National Aboriginal Day (Canada)
Solstice-related observances (see also June 20):
- Day of Private Reflection
- International Surfing Day
- National Day (Greenland)
- We Tripantu, a winter solstice festival in the southern hemisphere. (Mapuche, southern Chile)
- Willkakuti, an Andean-Amazonic New Year (Aymara)
- Fête de la Musique
World Humanist Day (Humanism)
World Hydrography Day (international)

June 21 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

June 19 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

On This Day / admin

325 – The original Nicene Creed is adopted at the First Council of Nicaea.
1179 – The Battle of Kalvskinnet takes place outside Nidaros (now Trondheim), Norway. Earl Erling Skakke is killed, and the battle changes the tide of the civil wars.
1306 – The Earl of Pembroke’s army defeats Bruce’s Scottish army at the Battle of Methven.
1586 – English colonists leave Roanoke Island, after failing to establish England’s first permanent settlement in North America.
1770 – New Church Day: Emanuel Swedenborg writes: “The Lord sent forth His twelve disciples, who followed Him in the world into the whole spiritual world to preach the Gospel that the Lord God Jesus Christ reign. This took place on the 19th day of June, in the year 1770.”
1800 – War of the Second Coalition Battle of Höchstädt results in a French victory over Austria.
1816 – Battle of Seven Oaks between North West Company and Hudson’s Bay Company, near Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
1821 – Decisive defeat of the Filiki Eteria by the Ottomans at Drăgășani (in Wallachia).
1846 – The first officially recorded, organized baseball game is played under Alexander Cartwright’s rules on Hoboken, New Jersey’s Elysian Fields with the New York Base Ball Club defeating the Knickerbockers 23–1. Cartwright umpired.
1850 – Princess Louise of the Netherlands marries Crown Prince Karl of Sweden–Norway.
1862 – The U.S. Congress prohibits slavery in United States territories, nullifying Dred Scott v. Sandford.
1865 – Over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves in Galveston, Texas, United States, are finally informed of their freedom. The anniversary is still officially celebrated in Texas and 41 other contiguous states as Juneteenth.
1867 – Maximilian I of the Second Mexican Empire is executed by a firing squad in Querétaro, Querétaro.
1875 – The Herzegovinian rebellion against the Ottoman Empire begins.
1903 – Benito Mussolini, at the time a radical Socialist, is arrested by Bern police for advocating a violent general strike.
1910 – The first Father’s Day is celebrated in Spokane, Washington.
1913 – Natives Land Act, 1913 in South Africa implemented.
1934 – The Communications Act of 1934 establishes the United States’ Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
1943 – The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL merge for one season due to player shortages caused by World War II.
1953 – Cold War: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed at Sing Sing, in New York.
1960 – The first NASCAR race was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
1961 – Kuwait declares independence from the United Kingdom.
1964 – The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is approved after surviving an 83-day filibuster in the United States Senate.
1965 – Nguyễn Cao Kỳ becomes Prime Minister of South Vietnam at the head of a military junta; General Nguyễn Văn Thiệu becomes the figurehead chief of state.
1985 – Members of the Revolutionary Party of Central American Workers, dressed as Salvadoran soldiers, attack the Zona Rosa area of San Salvador.
1987 – Basque separatist group ETA commits one of its most violent attacks, in which a bomb is set off in a supermarket, Hipercor, killing 21 and injuring 45.
1988 – Pope John Paul II canonizes 117 Vietnamese Martyrs.
1990 – The current international law defending indigenous peoples, Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989, is ratified for the first time by Norway.
1990 – The Communist Party of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic is founded in Moscow.
1991 – The last Soviet army units in Hungary are withdrawn.
2007 – The al-Khilani Mosque bombing in Baghdad leaves 78 people dead and another 218 injured.
2009 – Mass riots involving over 10,000 people and 10,000 police officers break out in Shishou, China, over the dubious circumstances surrounding the death of a local chef.
2009 – War in North-West Pakistan: The Pakistani Armed Forces open Operation Rah-e-Nijat against the Taliban and other Islamist rebels in the South Waziristan area of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
2012 – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange requested asylum in London’s Ecuadorian Embassy for fear of extradition to the US after publication of previously classified documents including footage of civilian killings by the US army.
2018 – The 10,000,000th United States Patent is issued.

Births on June 19

1301 – Prince Morikuni, shōgun of Japan (d. 1333)
1417 – Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, lord of Rimini (d. 1468)
1566 – James VI and I of the United Kingdom (d. 1625)
1590 – Philip Bell, British colonial governor (d. 1678)
1595 – Hargobind, sixth Sikh guru (d. 1644)
1598 – Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1677)
1606 – James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton, Scottish soldier and politician, Lord Chancellor of Scotland (d. 1649)
1623 – Blaise Pascal, French mathematician and physicist (d. 1662)
1633 – Philipp van Limborch, Dutch author and theologian (d. 1712)
1701 – François Rebel, French violinist and composer (d. 1775)
1731 – Joaquim Machado de Castro, Portuguese sculptor (d. 1822)
1764 – José Gervasio Artigas, Uruguayan general and politician (d. 1850)
1771 – Joseph Diaz Gergonne, French mathematician and philosopher (d. 1859)
1776 – Francis Johnson, American lawyer and politician (d. 1842)
1783 – Friedrich Sertürner, German chemist and pharmacist (d. 1841)
1793 – Joseph Earl Sheffield, American businessman and philanthropist (d. 1882)
1795 – James Braid, Scottish-English surgeon (d. 1860)
1797 – Hamilton Hume, Australian explorer (d. 1873)
1815 – Cornelius Krieghoff, Dutch-Canadian painter (d. 1872)
1816 – William H. Webb, American shipbuilder and philanthropist, founded the Webb Institute (d. 1899)
1833 – Mary Tenney Gray, American editorial writer, club-woman, philanthropist, and suffragette (d. 1904)
1834 – Charles Spurgeon, English pastor and author (d. 1892)
1840 – Georg Karl Maria Seidlitz, German entomologist and academic (d. 1917)
1843 – Mary Sibbet Copley, American philanthropist (d. 1929)
1845 – Cléophas Beausoleil, Canadian journalist and politician (d. 1904)
1846 – Antonio Abetti, Italian astronomer and academic (d. 1928)
1850 – David Jayne Hill, American historian and politician, 24th United States Assistant Secretary of State (d. 1932)
1851 – Billy Midwinter, English-Australian cricketer (d. 1890)
1851 – Silvanus P. Thompson, English physicist, engineer, and academic (d. 1916)
1854 – Alfredo Catalani, Italian composer and academic (d. 1893)
1854 – Hjalmar Mellin, Finnish mathematician and theorist (d. 1933)
1855 – George F. Roesch, American lawyer and politician (d. 1917)
1858 – Sam Walter Foss, American poet and librarian (d. 1911)
1861 – Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, Scottish-English field marshal (d. 1928)
1861 – Émile Haug, French geologist and paleontologist (d. 1927)
1861 – José Rizal, Filipino journalist, author, and poet (d. 1896)
1865 – May Whitty, English actress (d. 1948)
1871 – Alajos Szokolyi, Hungarian hurdler, jumper, and physician (d. 1932)
1872 – Theodore Payne, English-American gardener and botanist (d. 1963)
1874 – Peder Oluf Pedersen, Danish physicist and engineer (d. 1941)
1876 – Nigel Gresley, Scottish-English engineer (d. 1941)
1877 – Charles Coburn, American actor (d. 1961)
1881 – Maginel Wright Enright, American illustrator (d. 1966)
1883 – Gladys Mills Phipps, American horse breeder (d. 1970)
1884 – Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, French painter and historian (d. 1974)
1886 – Finley Hamilton, American lawyer and politician (d. 1940)
1888 – Arthur Massey Berry, Canadian soldier and pilot (d. 1970)
1891 – John Heartfield, German photographer and activist (d. 1968)
1896 – Rajani Palme Dutt, English journalist and politician (d. 1974)
1896 – Wallis Simpson, American wife of Edward VIII (d. 1986)
1897 – Cyril Norman Hinshelwood, English chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1967)
1897 – Moe Howard, American comedian (d. 1975)
1902 – Guy Lombardo, Canadian-American violinist and bandleader (d. 1977)
1903 – Mary Callery, American-French sculptor and academic (d. 1977)
1903 – Lou Gehrig, American baseball player (d. 1941)
1903 – Wally Hammond, English cricketer and coach (d. 1965)
1903 – Hans Litten, German lawyer (d. 1938)
1905 – Mildred Natwick, American actress (d. 1994)
1906 – Ernst Boris Chain, German-Irish biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1979)
1906 – Knut Kroon, Swedish footballer (d. 1975)
1906 – Walter Rauff, German SS officer (d. 1984)
1907 – Clarence Wiseman, Canadian 10th General of the Salvation Army (d. 1985)
1909 – Osamu Dazai, Japanese author (d. 1948)
1909 – Rūdolfs Jurciņš, Latvian basketball player (d. 1948)
1910 – Sydney Allard, English race car driver, founded the Allard Company (d. 1966)
1910 – Paul Flory, American chemist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1985)
1910 – Abe Fortas, American lawyer and jurist (d. 1982)
1912 – Don Gutteridge, American baseball player and manager (d. 2008)
1912 – Virginia MacWatters, American soprano and actress (d. 2005)
1913 – Helene Madison, American swimmer (d. 1970)
1914 – Alan Cranston, American journalist and politician (d. 2000)
1914 – Lester Flatt, American bluegrass singer-songwriter, guitarist, and mandolin player (d. 1979)
1915 – Pat Buttram, American actor (d. 1994)
1915 – Julius Schwartz, American publisher and agent (d. 2004)
1917 – Joshua Nkomo, Zimbabwean guerrilla leader and politician, Vice President of Zimbabwe (d. 1999)
1919 – Pauline Kael, American film critic (d. 2001)
1920 – Yves Robert, French actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2002)
1921 – Louis Jourdan, French-American actor and singer (d. 2015)
1922 – Aage Bohr, Danish physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2009)
1922 – Marilyn P. Johnson, American educator and diplomat, 8th United States Ambassador to Togo
1923 – Bob Hank, Australian footballer and coach (d. 2012)
1926 – Erna Schneider Hoover, American mathematician and inventor
1927 – Luciano Benjamín Menéndez, Argentine general and human rights violator (d. 2018)
1928 – Tommy DeVito, American singer and guitarist
1928 – Nancy Marchand, American actress (d. 2000)
1930 – Gena Rowlands, American actress
1932 – Pier Angeli, Italian actress (d. 1971)
1932 – José Sanchis Grau, Spanish author and illustrator (d. 2011)
1932 – Marisa Pavan, Italian actress
1933 – Viktor Patsayev, Kazakh engineer and astronaut (d. 1971)
1934 – Gérard Latortue, Haitian politician, 12th Prime Minister of Haiti
1936 – Marisa Galvany, American soprano and actress
1937 – André Glucksmann, French philosopher and author (d. 2015)
1938 – Wahoo McDaniel, American football player and wrestler (d. 2002)
1939 – Bernd Hoss, German footballer and manager (d. 2016)
1939 – John F. MacArthur, American minister and theologian
1941 – Václav Klaus, Czech economist and politician, 2nd President of the Czech Republic
1942 – Merata Mita, New Zealand director and producer (d. 2010)
1944 – Chico Buarque, Brazilian singer, composer, writer and poet
1945 – Radovan Karadžić, Serbian-Bosnian politician and convicted war criminal, 1st President of Republika Srpska
1945 – Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese politician, Nobel Prize laureate
1945 – Tobias Wolff, American short story writer, memoirist, and novelist
1946 – Jimmy Greenhoff, English footballer and manager
1947 – Salman Rushdie, Indian-English novelist and essayist
1947 – John Ralston Saul, Canadian philosopher and author
1948 – Nick Drake, English singer-songwriter (d. 1974)
1948 – Phylicia Rashad, American actress
1950 – Neil Asher Silberman, American archaeologist and historian
1950 – Ann Wilson, American singer-songwriter and musician
1951 – Ayman al-Zawahiri, Egyptian terrorist
1951 – Francesco Moser, Italian cyclist
1952 – Bob Ainsworth, English politician, Secretary of State for Defence
1954 – Mike O’Brien, English lawyer and politician, Solicitor General for England and Wales
1954 – Lou Pearlman, American music producer and fraudster (d. 2016)
1954 – Kathleen Turner, American actress
1954 – Richard Wilkins, New Zealand-Australian journalist and television presenter
1955 – Mary O’Connor, New Zealand runner
1955 – Mary Schapiro, American lawyer and politician
1957 – Anna Lindh, Swedish politician, 39th Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs (d. 2003)
1957 – Jean Rabe, American journalist and author
1958 – Sergei Makarov, Russian-American ice hockey player and coach
1959 – Mark DeBarge, American singer-songwriter and trumpet player
1959 – Christian Wulff, German lawyer and politician, 10th President of Germany
1960 – Andrew Dilnot, English economist and academic
1960 – Johnny Gray, American runner and coach
1960 – Luke Morley, English guitarist, songwriter, and producer
1960 – Patti Rizzo, American golfer
1962 – Paula Abdul, American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, and presenter
1962 – Jeremy Bates, English tennis player
1962 – Ashish Vidyarthi, Indian actor
1963 – Laura Ingraham, American radio host and author
1963 – Margarita Ponomaryova, Russian hurdler
1963 – Rory Underwood, English rugby player, lieutenant, and pilot
1964 – Brent Goulet, American soccer player and manager
1964 – Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and former Mayor of London
1964 – Brian Vander Ark, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1965 – Sabine Braun, German heptathlete
1965 – Sadie Frost, English actress and producer
1966 – Michalis Romanidis, Greek basketball player
1967 – Bjørn Dæhlie, Norwegian skier and businessman
1968 – Alastair Lynch, Australian footballer and sportscaster
1968 – Timothy Morton, American philosopher and academic
1968 – Kimberly Anne “Kim” Walker, American film and television actress (d. 2001)
1970 – Rahul Gandhi, Indian politician
1970 – Quincy Watts, American sprinter and football player
1970 – Brian Welch, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1971 – José Emilio Amavisca, Spanish footballer
1971 – Chris Armstrong, English footballer
1972 – Jean Dujardin, French actor
1972 – Ilya Markov, Russian race walker
1972 – Brian McBride, American soccer player and coach
1972 – Poppy Montgomery, Australian-American actress
1972 – Robin Tunney, American actress
1973 – Jahine Arnold, American football player
1973 – Yuko Nakazawa, Japanese singer
1973 – Yasuhiko Yabuta, Japanese baseball player
1974 – Doug Mientkiewicz, American baseball player, coach, and manager
1974 – Mustaque Ahmed Ruhi, Bangladeshi member of parliament
1975 – Hugh Dancy, English actor and model
1975 – Anthony Parker, American basketball player
1976 – Anar Baghirov, Azerbaijani lawyer
1976 – Dennis Crowley, American businessman, co-founded Foursquare
1976 – Bryan Hughes, English footballer and manager
1976 – Anita Wilson, American singer-songwriter and producer
1978 – Dirk Nowitzki, German basketball player
1978 – Zoe Saldana, American actress
1978 – Claudio Vargas, Dominican baseball player
1979 – José Kléberson, Brazilian footballer
1980 – Jean Carroll, Irish cricketer
1980 – Dan Ellis, Canadian ice hockey player
1980 – Robbie Neilson, Scottish footballer and manager
1980 – Nuno Santos, Portuguese footballer
1981 – Mohammed Al-Khuwalidi, Saudi Arabian long jumper
1981 – Moss Burmester, New Zealand swimmer
1982 – Alexander Frolov, Russian ice hockey player
1982 – Chris Vermuelen, Australian motorcycle racer
1983 – Macklemore, American rapper
1983 – Aidan Turner, Irish actor
1984 – Paul Dano, American actor
1984 – Wieke Dijkstra, Dutch field hockey player
1984 – Andri Eleftheriou, Cypriot sport shooter
1985 – Ai Miyazato, Japanese golfer
1985 – José Ernesto Sosa, Argentinian footballer
1985 – Dire Tune, Ethiopian runner
1986 – Aoiyama Kōsuke, Bulgarian sumo wrestler
1986 – Lázaro Borges, Cuban pole vaulter
1986 – Diego Hypólito, Brazilian gymnast
1986 – Marvin Williams, American basketball player
1987 – Rashard Mendenhall, American football player
1988 – Jacob deGrom, American baseball player
1990 – Moa Hjelmer, Swedish sprinter
1990 – Xavier Rhodes, American football player
1992 – Keaton Jennings, South African-English cricketer
1992 – C. J. Mosley, American football player
1993 – Olajide Olatunji, English YouTuber

Deaths on June 19

404 – Huan Xuan, Jin-dynasty warlord and emperor of Huan Chu (b. 369)
626 – Soga no Umako, Japanese son of Soga no Iname (b. 551)
930 – Xiao Qing, chancellor of Later Liang (b. 862)
1027 – Romuald, Italian mystic and saint (b. 951)
1185 – Taira no Munemori, Japanese soldier (b. 1147)
1282 – Eleanor de Montfort, Welsh princess (b. 1252)
1312 – Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall, English politician (b. 1284)
1341 – Juliana Falconieri, Italian nun and saint (b. 1270)
1364 – Elisenda of Montcada, queen consort and regent of Aragon (b. 1292)
1504 – Bernhard Walther, German astronomer and humanist (b. 1430)
1542 – Leo Jud, Swiss theologian and reformer (b. 1482)
1545 – Abraomas Kulvietis, Lithuanian-Russian lawyer and jurist (b. 1509)
1567 – Anna of Brandenburg, Duchess of Mecklenburg (b. 1507)
1584 – Francis, Duke of Anjou (b. 1555)
1608 – Alberico Gentili, Italian lawyer and jurist (b. 1551)
1650 – Matthäus Merian, Swiss-German engraver and publisher (b. 1593)
1747 – Alessandro Marcello, Italian composer and educator (b. 1669)
1747 – Nader Shah, Persian leader (b. 1688)
1762 – Johann Ernst Eberlin, German organist and composer (b. 1702)
1768 – Benjamin Tasker Sr., American soldier and politician, 10th Colonial Governor of Maryland (b. 1690)
1786 – Nathanael Greene, American general (b. 1742)
1805 – Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée, French painter and educator (b. 1724)
1820 – Joseph Banks, English botanist and author (b. 1743)
1844 – Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, French zoologist and biologist (b. 1772)
1864 – Richard Heales, English-Australian politician, 4th Premier of Victoria (b. 1822)
1864 – Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, American soldier (b. 1843)
1865 – Evangelos Zappas, Greek-Romanian businessman and philanthropist (b. 1800)
1867 – Miguel Miramón, Unconstitutional president of Mexico, 1859-1860 (b. 1832)
1867 – Maximilian I of Mexico (b. 1832)
1874 – Ferdinand Stoliczka, Moravian palaeontologist and ornithologist (b. 1838)
1884 – Juan Bautista Alberdi, Argentinian-French politician and diplomat (b. 1810)
1903 – Herbert Vaughan, English cardinal (b. 1832)
1918 – Francesco Baracca, Italian fighter pilot (b. 1888)
1921 – Ramón López Velarde, Mexican poet and author (b. 1888)
1922 – Hitachiyama Taniemon, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 19th Yokozuna (b. 1874)
1932 – Sol Plaatje, South African journalist and activist (b. 1876)
1937 – J. M. Barrie, Scottish novelist and playwright (b. 1860)
1939 – Grace Abbott, American social worker and activist (b. 1878)
1940 – Maurice Jaubert, French composer and conductor (b. 1900)
1941 – C. V. Hartman, Swiss botanist and anthropologist (b. 1862)
1941 – Otto Hirsch, German jurist and politician (b. 1885)
1949 – Syed Zafarul Hasan, Indian philosopher and academic (b. 1885)
1951 – Angelos Sikelianos, Greek poet and playwright (b. 1884)
1953 – Ethel Rosenberg, American spy (b. 1915)
1953 – Julius Rosenberg, American spy (b. 1918)
1956 – Thomas J. Watson, American businessman (b. 1874)
1962 – Frank Borzage, American film director and actor (b. 1894)
1966 – Ed Wynn, American actor and comedian (b. 1886)
1968 – James Joseph Sweeney, American bishop (b. 1898)
1975 – Sam Giancana, American mob boss (b. 1908)
1977 – Ali Shariati, Iranian sociologist and philosopher (b. 1933)
1979 – Paul Popenoe, American explorer and scholar, founded Relationship counseling (b. 1888)
1981 – Anya Phillips, Chinese-American band manager and co-founder of the Mudd Club (b. 1955)
1984 – Lee Krasner, American painter and educator (b. 1908)
1986 – Len Bias, American basketball player (b. 1963)
1987 – Margaret Carver Leighton, American author (b. 1896)
1988 – Fernand Seguin, Canadian biochemist and academic (b. 1922)
1988 – Gladys Spellman, American lawyer and politician (b. 1918)
1989 – Betti Alver, Estonian author and poet (b. 1906)
1990 – George Addes, American trade union leader, co-founded United Automobile Workers (b. 1911)
1990 – Isabella Smith Andrews, New Zealand writer (b. 1905)
1991 – Jean Arthur, American actress (b. 1900)
1993 – William Golding, British novelist, playwright, and poet, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1911)
1995 – Peter Townsend, Burmese-English captain and pilot (b. 1914)
2001 – Stanley Mosk, American lawyer, jurist, and politician (b. 1912)
2001 – John Heyer, Australian director and producer (b. 1916)
2004 – Clayton Kirkpatrick, journalist and newspaper editor (b. 1915)
2007 – Antonio Aguilar, Mexican singer-songwriter, actor, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1919)
2007 – Alberto Mijangos, Mexican-American painter and educator (b. 1925)
2007 – Terry Hoeppner, American football player and coach (b. 1947)
2007 – Ze’ev Schiff, Israeli journalist and author (b. 1932)
2008 – Barun Sengupta, Bengali journalist, founded Bartaman (b. 1934)
2009 – Tomoji Tanabe, Japanese engineer and surveyor (b. 1895)
2010 – Manute Bol, Sudanese-American basketball player and activist (b. 1962)
2010 – Anthony Quinton, Baron Quinton, English philosopher and academic (b. 1925)
2010 – Carlos Monsiváis, Mexican writer, journalist and political activist (b. 1938)
2012 – Norbert Tiemann, American soldier and politician, 32nd Governor of Nebraska (b. 1924)
2013 – Vince Flynn, American author (b. 1966)
2013 – James Gandolfini, American actor and producer (b. 1961)
2013 – Gyula Horn, Hungarian politician, 37th Prime Minister of Hungary (b. 1932)
2013 – Dave Jennings, American football player and sportscaster (b. 1952)
2013 – Filip Topol, Czech singer-songwriter and pianist (b. 1965)
2013 – Slim Whitman, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1923)
2014 – Oskar-Hubert Dennhardt, German general (b. 1915)
2014 – Gerry Goffin, American songwriter (b. 1939)
2014 – Ibrahim Touré, Ivorian footballer (b. 1985)
2015 – James Salter, American novelist and short-story writer (b. 1925)
2016 – Anton Yelchin, American actor (b. 1989)
2017 – Otto Warmbier, American college student detained in North Korea (b. 1994)
2018 – Koko, western lowland gorilla and user of American Sign Language (b. 1971)
2019 – Etika, American YouTuber and streamer (b. 1990)

Holidays and observances on June 19

Christian feast day:
- Deodatus (or Didier) of Nevers (or of Jointures)
- Gervasius and Protasius (Catholic Church)
- Hildegrim of Châlons
- Juliana Falconieri
- Romuald
- Ursicinus of Ravenna
- Zosimus
- June 19 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
New Church feast day
- New Church Day
Day of the Independent Hungary (Hungary)
Feast of Forest (Palawan)
Juneteenth (United States, especially African Americans)
Labour Day (Trinidad and Tobago)
Laguna Day (Laguna)
Never Again Day (Uruguay)
World Sickle Cell Day (International)

June 19 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

June 16 – History, Events, Births, Deaths Holidays and Observances On This Day

On This Day / admin

363 – Emperor Julian marches back up the Tigris and burns his fleet of supply ships. During the withdrawal, Roman forces suffer several attacks from the Persians.
632 – Yazdegerd III ascends the throne as king (shah) of the Persian Empire. He becomes the last ruler of the Sasanian dynasty (modern Iran).
1407 – Ming–Hồ War: Retired King Hồ Quý Ly and his son King Hồ Hán Thương of Hồ dynasty are captured by the Ming armies.
1487 – Battle of Stoke Field: King Henry VII of England defeats the leaders of a Yorkist rebellion in the final engagement of the Wars of the Roses.
1586 – Mary, Queen of Scots, recognizes Philip II of Spain as her heir and successor.
1745 – War of the Austrian Succession: New England colonial troops under the command of William Pepperrell capture the Fortress of Louisbourg in Louisbourg, New France (Old Style date).
1746 – War of the Austrian Succession: Austria and Sardinia defeat a Franco-Spanish army at the Battle of Piacenza.
1755 – French and Indian War: The French surrender Fort Beauséjour to the British, leading to the expulsion of the Acadians.
1779 – Spain declares war on the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Great Siege of Gibraltar begins.
1795 – French Revolutionary Wars: In what became known as Cornwallis’s Retreat, a British Royal Navy squadron led by Vice Admiral William Cornwallis strongly resists a much larger French Navy force and withdraws largely intact, setting up the French Navy defeat at the Battle of Groix six days later.
1811 – Survivors of an attack the previous day by Tla-o-qui-aht on board the Pacific Fur Company’s ship Tonquin, intentionally detonate a powder magazine on the ship, destroying it and killing about 100 attackers.
1815 – Battle of Ligny and Battle of Quatre Bras, two days before the Battle of Waterloo.
1819 – A major earthquake strikes the Kutch district of western India, killing over 1,543 people and raising a 6 m high, 6 km wide, ridge, extending for at least 80 km, that was known as the Allah Bund (“Dam of God”).
1836 – The formation of the London Working Men’s Association gives rise to the Chartist Movement.
1846 – The Papal conclave of 1846 elects Pope Pius IX, beginning the longest reign in the history of the papacy.
1858 – Abraham Lincoln delivers his House Divided speech in Springfield, Illinois.
1871 – The Universities Tests Act 1871 allows students to enter the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Durham without religious tests (except for those intending to study theology).
1883 – The Victoria Hall theatre panic in Sunderland, England, kills 183 children.
1884 – The first purpose-built roller coaster, LaMarcus Adna Thompson’s “Switchback Railway”, opens in New York’s Coney Island amusement park.
1897 – A treaty annexing the Republic of Hawaii to the United States is signed; the Republic would not be dissolved until a year later.
1903 – The Ford Motor Company is incorporated.
1903 – Roald Amundsen leaves Oslo, Norway, to commence the first east-west navigation of the Northwest Passage.
1904 – Eugen Schauman assassinates Nikolay Bobrikov, Governor-General of Finland.
1904 – Irish author James Joyce begins a relationship with Nora Barnacle and subsequently uses the date to set the actions for his novel Ulysses; this date is now traditionally called “Bloomsday”.
1911 – IBM founded as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company in Endicott, New York.
1922 – General election in the Irish Free State: The pro-Treaty Sinn Féin party wins a large majority.
1925 – The most famous Young Pioneer camp of the Soviet Union, Artek, is established.
1930 – Sovnarkom establishes decree time in the USSR.
1933 – The National Industrial Recovery Act is passed in the United States, allowing businesses to avoid antitrust prosecution if they establish voluntary wage, price, and working condition regulations on an industry-wide basis.
1940 – World War II: Marshal Henri Philippe Pétain becomes Chief of State of Vichy France (Chef de l’État Français).
1940 – A Communist government is installed in Lithuania.
1944 – In a gross miscarriage of justice, George Junius Stinney Jr., age 14, becomes the youngest person executed in the United States in the 20th century after being convicted in a two-hour trial for the rape and murder of two teenage white girls.
1948 – Members of the Malayan Communist Party kill three British plantation managers in Sungai Siput; in response, British Malaya declares a state of emergency.
1955 – In a futile effort to topple Argentine President Juan Perón, rogue aircraft pilots of the Argentine Navy drop several bombs upon an unarmed crowd demonstrating in favor of Perón in Buenos Aires, killing 364 and injuring at least 800. At the same time on the ground, some soldiers attempt to stage a coup but are suppressed by loyal forces.
1958 – Imre Nagy, Pál Maléter and other leaders of the 1956 Hungarian Uprising are executed.
1961 – While on tour with the Kirov Ballet in Paris, Rudolf Nureyev defects from the Soviet Union.
1963 – Soviet Space Program: Vostok 6 mission: Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space.
1972 – The largest single-site hydroelectric power project in Canada is inaugurated at Churchill Falls Generating Station.
1976 – Soweto uprising: A non-violent march by 15,000 students in Soweto, South Africa, turns into days of rioting when police open fire on the crowd.
1977 – Oracle Corporation is incorporated in Redwood Shores, California, as Software Development Laboratories (SDL), by Larry Ellison, Bob Miner and Ed Oates.
1981 – US President Ronald Reagan awards the Congressional Gold Medal to Ken Taylor, Canada’s former ambassador to Iran, for helping six Americans escape from Iran during the hostage crisis of 1979–81; he is the first foreign citizen bestowed the honor.
1989 – Revolutions of 1989: Imre Nagy, the former Hungarian prime minister, is reburied in Budapest following the collapse of Communism in Hungary.
1997 – Fifty people are killed in the Daïat Labguer (M’sila) massacre in Algeria.
2000 – The Secretary-General of the UN reports that Israel has complied with United Nations Security Council Resolution 425, 22 years after its issuance, and completely withdrew from Lebanon. The Resolution does not encompass the Shebaa farms, which is claimed by Israel, Syria and Lebanon.
2010 – Bhutan becomes the first country to institute a total ban on tobacco.
2012 – China successfully launches its Shenzhou 9 spacecraft, carrying three astronauts, including the first female Chinese astronaut Liu Yang, to the Tiangong-1 orbital module.
2012 – The United States Air Force’s robotic Boeing X-37B spaceplane returns to Earth after a classified 469-day orbital mission
2013 – A multi-day cloudburst, centered on the North Indian state of Uttarakhand, causes devastating floods and landslides, becoming the country’s worst natural disaster since the 2004 tsunami.
2016 – Shanghai Disneyland Park, the first Disney Park in Mainland China, opens to the public.
2019 – Upwards of 2,000,000 people participate in the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, the largest in Hong Kong’s history.

Births on June 16

1139 – Emperor Konoe of Japan (d. 1155)
1332 – Isabella de Coucy, English daughter of Edward III of England (d. 1379)
1454 – Joanna of Aragon, Queen of Naples (d. 1517)
1514 – John Cheke, English academic and politician, English Secretary of State (d. 1557)
1516 – Yang Jisheng, Ming dynasty official and Confucian martyr (d. 1555)
1583 – Axel Oxenstierna, Swedish politician, Lord High Chancellor of Sweden (d. 1654)
1591 – Joseph Solomon Delmedigo, Greek-Italian physician, mathematician, and theorist (d. 1655)
1606 – Arthur Chichester, 1st Earl of Donegall, Irish soldier and politician (d. 1675)
1613 – John Cleveland, English poet and educator (d. 1658)
1625 – Samuel Chappuzeau, French scholar (d. 1701)
1633 – Jean de Thévenot, French linguist and botanist (d. 1667)
1644 – Henrietta Anne Stuart, Princess of Scotland, England and Ireland (d. 1670)
1653 – James Bertie, 1st Earl of Abingdon, English nobleman (d. 1699)
1713 – Meshech Weare, American farmer, lawyer, and politician, 1st Governor of New Hampshire (d. 1786)
1723 – Adam Smith, Scottish philosopher and economist (d. 1790)
1738 – Mary Katherine Goddard, American publisher (d. 1816)
1754 – Salawat Yulayev, Russian poet (d. 1800)
1792 – John Linnell, English painter and engraver (d. 1882)
1801 – Julius Plücker, German mathematician and physicist (d. 1868)
1806 – Edward Davy, English physician and chemist (d. 1885)
1813 – Otto Jahn, German archaeologist and philologist (d. 1869)
1820 – Athanase Josué Coquerel, Dutch-French preacher and theologian (d. 1875)
1821 – Old Tom Morris, Scottish golfer and architect (d. 1908)
1826 – Constantin von Ettingshausen, Austrian geologist and botanist (d. 1897)
1829 – Geronimo, American tribal leader (d. 1909)
1836 – Wesley Merritt, American general and politician, Military Governor of the Philippines (d. 1910)
1837 – Ernst Laas, German philosopher and academic (d. 1885)
1838 – Frederic Archer, English organist, composer, and conductor (d. 1901)
1838 – Cushman Kellogg Davis, American lieutenant and politician, 7th Governor of Minnesota (d. 1900)
1840 – Ernst Otto Schlick, German engineer and author (d. 1913)
1850 – Max Delbrück, German chemist and academic (d. 1919)
1857 – Arthur Arz von Straußenburg, Austrian-Hungarian general (d. 1935)
1858 – Gustaf V of Sweden (d. 1950)
1863 – Francisco León de la Barra, Mexican politician and diplomat (d. 1939)
1866 – Germanos Karavangelis, Greek-Austrian metropolitan (d. 1935)
1874 – Arthur Meighen, Canadian lawyer and politician, 9th Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1960)
1880 – Otto Eisenschiml, Austrian-American chemist and author (d. 1963)
1882 – Mohammad Mosaddegh, Iranian educator and politician, 60th Prime Minister of Iran (d. 1967)
1885 – Erich Jacoby, Estonian-Polish architect (d. 1941)
1888 – Alexander Friedmann, Russian physicist and mathematician (d. 1925)
1888 – Peter Stoner, American mathematician and astronomer (d. 1980)
1890 – Stan Laurel, English actor and comedian (d. 1965)
1896 – Murray Leinster, American author and screenwriter (d. 1976)
1897 – Georg Wittig, German chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1987)
1899 – Helen Traubel, American operatic soprano (d. 1972)
1902 – Barbara McClintock, American geneticist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1992)
1902 – George Gaylord Simpson, American paleontologist and author (d. 1984)
1906 – Alan Fairfax, Australian cricketer (d. 1955)
1907 – Jack Albertson, American actor (d. 1981)
1909 – Archie Carr, American ecologist and zoologist (d. 1987)
1910 – Juan Velasco Alvarado, Peruvian general and politician, 1st President of Peru (d. 1977)
1912 – Albert Chartier, Canadian illustrator (d. 2004)
1912 – Enoch Powell, English soldier and politician, Secretary of State for Health (d. 1998)
1914 – Eleanor Sokoloff, American pianist and teacher
1915 – John Tukey, American mathematician and academic (d. 2000)
1915 – Marga Faulstich, German glass chemist (d. 1998)
1917 – Phaedon Gizikis, Greek general and politician, President of Greece (d. 1999)
1917 – Katharine Graham, American publisher (d. 2001)
1917 – Aurelio Lampredi, Italian automobile and aircraft engine designer (d. 1989)
1917 – Irving Penn, American photographer (d. 2009)
1920 – Isabelle Holland, Swiss-American author (d. 2002)
1920 – Raymond Lemieux, Canadian chemist and academic (d. 2002)
1920 – José López Portillo, Mexican lawyer and politician, 31st President of Mexico (d. 2004)
1920 – Hemanta Mukharjee, Indian singer and music director
1922 – Ilmar Kullam, Estonian basketball player and coach (d. 2011)
1923 – Ron Flockhart, Scottish race car driver (d. 1962)
1924 – Faith Domergue, American actress (d. 1999)
1925 – Jean d’Ormesson, French journalist and author (d. 2017)
1925 – Otto Muehl, Austrian-Portuguese painter and director (d. 2013)
1926 – Efraín Ríos Montt, Guatemalan general and politician, 26th President of Guatemala (d. 2018)
1927 – Tom Graveney, English cricketer and sportscaster (d. 2015)
1927 – Herbert Lichtenfeld, German author and screenwriter (d. 2001)
1927 – Ariano Suassuna, Brazilian author and playwright (d. 2014)
1929 – Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait
1930 – Vilmos Zsigmond, Hungarian-American cinematographer and producer (d. 2016)
1934 – Eileen Atkins, English actress and screenwriter
1934 – Roger Neilson, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 2003)
1935 – Jim Dine, American painter and illustrator
1937 – Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Bulgarian politician, 48th Prime Minister of Bulgaria
1937 – Erich Segal, American author and screenwriter (d. 2010)
1938 – Thomas Boyd-Carpenter, English general
1938 – Torgny Lindgren, Swedish author and poet (d. 2017)
1938 – Joyce Carol Oates, American novelist, short story writer, critic, and poet
1939 – Billy “Crash” Craddock, American singer-songwriter
1940 – Māris Čaklais, Latvian poet, writer, and journalist (d. 2003)
1940 – Neil Goldschmidt, American lawyer and politician, 33rd Governor of Oregon
1941 – Rosalind Baker, Australian author
1941 – Lamont Dozier, American songwriter and producer
1941 – Tommy Horton, English golfer (d. 2017)
1941 – Mumtaz Hamid Rao, Pakistani journalist (d. 2011)
1942 – Giacomo Agostini, Italian motorcycle racer and manager
1942 – Eddie Levert, American R&B/soul singer-songwriter, musician, and actor
1944 – Henri Richelet, French painter and etcher
1945 – Claire Alexander, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
1945 – Lucienne Robillard, Canadian social worker and politician, 59th Secretary of State for Canada
1946 – Rick Adelman, American basketball player and coach
1946 – John Astor, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever, English businessman and politician
1946 – Karen Dunnell, English statistician and academic
1946 – Tom Harrell, American trumpet player and composer
1946 – Neil MacGregor, Scottish historian and curator
1946 – Iain Matthews, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
1946 – Jodi Rell, American politician, 87th Governor of Connecticut
1946 – Mark Ritts, American actor, puppeteer, and producer (d. 2009)
1946 – Derek Sanderson, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
1946 – Simon Williams, English actor and playwright
1947 – Tom Malone, American trombonist, composer, and producer
1947 – Buddy Roberts, American wrestler (d. 2012)
1947 – Al Cowlings, American ex-NFL player and close friend of O.J. Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson
1947 – Tom Wyner, English-American voice actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
1948 – Ron LeFlore, American baseball player and manager
1949 – Paulo Cézar Caju, Brazilian footballer
1949 – Ralph Mann, American hurdler and author
1950 – Mithun Chakraborty, Indian actor and politician
1950 – Michel Clair, Canadian lawyer and politician
1950 – Jerry Petrowski, American politician and farmer
1951 – Charlie Dominici, American singer and guitarist
1951 – Roberto Durán, Panamanian boxer
1952 – George Papandreou, Greek sociologist and politician, 182nd Prime Minister of Greece
1952 – Gino Vannelli, Canadian singer-songwriter
1953 – Valerie Mahaffey, American actress
1953 – Ian Mosley, English drummer
1954 – Matthew Saad Muhammad, American boxer and trainer (d. 2014)
1954 – Garry Roberts, Irish guitarist
1955 – Grete Faremo, Norwegian politician, Norwegian Minister of Defence
1955 – Laurie Metcalf, American actress
1955 – Artemy Troitsky, Russian journalist and critic
1957 – Ian Buchanan, Scottish-American actor
1957 – Leeona Dorrian, Lady Dorrian, Scottish lawyer and judge
1958 – Darrell Griffith, American basketball player
1958 – Ulrike Tauber, German swimmer
1958 – Warren Rodwell, Australian soldier, educator and musician
1959 – The Ultimate Warrior, American wrestler (d. 2014)
1960 – Peter Sterling, Australian rugby league player and sportscaster
1961 – Can Dündar, Turkish journalist and author
1961 – Robbie Kerr, Australian cricketer
1961 – Steve Larmer, Canadian ice hockey player
1961 – Margus Metstak, Estonian basketball player and coach
1962 – Wally Joyner, American baseball player and coach
1962 – Arnold Vosloo, South African-American actor
1962 – Anthony Wong, Hong Kong singer
1963 – The Sandman, American wrestler
1964 – Danny Burstein, American actor and singer
1965 – Michael Richard Lynch, Irish computer scientist and entrepreneur; co-founded HP Autonomy
1965 – Richard Madaleno, American politician
1966 – Mark Occhilupo, Australian surfer
1966 – Olivier Roumat, French rugby player
1966 – Phil Vischer, American voice actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, co-created VeggieTales
1966 – Jan Železný, Czech javelin thrower and coach
1967 – Charalambos Andreou, Cypriot footballer
1967 – Jürgen Klopp, German footballer and manager
1968 – Adam Schmitt, American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer
1969 – Shami Chakrabarti, English lawyer and academic
1969 – Mark Crossley, English-Welsh footballer and manager
1970 – Younus AlGohar, Pakistani poet and academic, co-founded Messiah Foundation International
1970 – Clifton Collins Jr., American actor
1970 – Cobi Jones, American soccer player and manager
1970 – Phil Mickelson, American golfer
1971 – Tupac Shakur, American rapper and producer (d. 1996)
1972 – Kiko Loureiro, Brazilian guitarist
1973 – Eddie Cibrian, American actor
1974 – Glenicia James, Saint Lucian cricketer
1975 – Anthony Carter, American basketball player and coach
1977 – Craig Fitzgibbon, Australian rugby league player and coach
1977 – Duncan Hames, English accountant and politician
1977 – Kerry Wood, American baseball player
1978 – Daniel Brühl, Spanish-German actor
1978 – Dainius Zubrus, Lithuanian ice hockey player
1978 – Fish Leong, Malaysian singer
1980 – Brandon Armstrong, American basketball player
1980 – Phil Christophers, German-English rugby player
1980 – Henry Perenara, New Zealand rugby league player and referee
1980 – Martin Stranzl, Austrian footballer
1980 – Joey Yung, Hong Kong singer
1981 – Benjamin Becker, German tennis player
1981 – Kevin Bieksa, Canadian ice hockey player
1981 – Alexandre Giroux, Canadian ice hockey player
1981 – Ola Kvernberg, Norwegian violinist
1981 – Miguel Villalta, Peruvian footballer
1982 – May Andersen, Danish model and actress
1982 – Missy Peregrym, Canadian model and actress
1983 – Armend Dallku, Albanian footballer
1984 – Rick Nash, Canadian ice hockey player
1984 – Dan Ryckert, American writer and entertainer
1984 – Steven Whittaker, Scottish footballer
1986 – Rodrigo Defendi, Brazilian footballer
1986 – Urby Emanuelson, Dutch footballer
1986 – Fernando Muslera, Uruguayan footballer
1987 – Diana DeGarmo, American singer-songwriter and actress
1987 – Per Ciljan Skjelbred, Norwegian footballer
1987 – Christian Tshimanga Kabeya, Belgian footballer
1988 – Keshia Chante, Canadian singer
1988 – Jermaine Gresham, American football player
1990 – John Newman, English musician, singer, songwriter and record producer
1991 – Joe McElderry, English singer-songwriter
1991 – Siya Kolisi, South African rugby player
1991 – Matt Moylan, Australian rugby league player
1992 – Vladimir Morozov, Russian swimmer
1993 – Park Bo-gum, South Korean actor
1993 – Gnash, American singer, songwriter, rapper, DJ and record producer
1994 – Grete-Lilijane Küppas, Estonian footballer
1994 – Rezar, Albanian professional wrestler
1995 – Euan Aitken, Australian rugby league player
1995 – Joseph Schooling, Singaporean swimmer
1995 – Akira Ioane, New Zealand rugby Union player
2000 – Bianca Andreescu, Canadian tennis player

Deaths on June 16

840 – Rorgon I, Frankish nobleman (or 839)
924 – Li Cunshen, general of Later Tang (b. 862)
956 – Hugh the Great, Frankish nobleman (b. 898)
1185 – Richeza of Poland, queen of León (b. c. 1140)
1286 – Hugh de Balsham, English bishop
1332 – Adam de Brome, founder of Oriel College, Oxford
1361 – Johannes Tauler, German mystic theologian
1397 – Philip of Artois, Count of Eu, French soldier (b. 1358)
1424 – Johannes Ambundii, archbishop of Riga
1468 – Jean Le Fèvre de Saint-Remy, Burgundian historian and author (b. 1395)
1487 – John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln (b. c. 1463)
1540 – Konrad von Thüngen, German nobleman (b. c. 1466)
1622 – Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline, Scottish lawyer, judge, and politician, Lord Chancellor of Scotland (b. 1555)
1626 – Christian, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg-Wolfenbüttel, German Protestant military leader (b. 1599)
1666 – Sir Richard Fanshawe, 1st Baronet, English poet and diplomat, English Ambassador to Spain (b. 1608)
1722 – John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire (b. 1650)
1743 – Louise-Françoise de Bourbon, eldest daughter of King Louis XIV of France (b. 1673)
1752 – Joseph Butler, English bishop and philosopher (b. 1692)
1762 – Anne Russell, Countess of Jersey (formerly Duchess of Bedford) (b. c.1705)
1777 – Jean-Baptiste-Louis Gresset, French poet and playwright (b. 1709)
1779 – Sir Francis Bernard, 1st Baronet, English lawyer and politician, Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay (b. 1712)
1804 – Johann Adam Hiller, German composer and conductor (b. 1728)
1824 – Charles-François Lebrun, duc de Plaisance, French lawyer and politician (b. 1739)
1849 – Wilhelm Martin Leberecht de Wette, German theologian and scholar (b. 1780)
1850 – William Lawson, English-Australian explorer and politician (b. 1774)
1858 – John Snow, English epidemiologist and physician (b. 1813)
1862 – Hidenoyama Raigorō, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 9th Yokozuna (b. 1808)
1869 – Charles Sturt, Indian-English botanist and explorer (b. 1795)
1872 – Norman MacLeod, Scottish minister and author (b. 1812)
1878 – Crawford Long, American surgeon and pharmacist (b. 1815)
1878 – Kikuchi Yōsai, Japanese painter (b. 1781)
1881 – Josiah Mason, English businessman and philanthropist (b. 1795)
1885 – Wilhelm Camphausen, German painter and academic (b. 1818)
1886 – Alexander Stuart, Scottish-Australian politician, 9th Premier of New South Wales (b. 1824)
1902 – Ernst Schröder, German mathematician and academic (b. 1841)
1918 – Bazil Assan, Romanian engineer and explorer (b. 1860)
1925 – Chittaranjan Das, Indian lawyer and politician (b. 1870)
1929 – Bramwell Booth, English 2nd General of The Salvation Army (b. 1856)
1929 – Vernon Louis Parrington, American historian and scholar (b. 1871)
1930 – Ezra Fitch, American lawyer and businessman, co-founded Abercrombie & Fitch (b. 1866)
1930 – Elmer Ambrose Sperry, American inventor, co-invented the gyrocompass (b. 1860)
1939 – Chick Webb, American drummer and bandleader (b. 1905)
1940 – DuBose Heyward, American author (b. 1885)
1944 – Marc Bloch, French historian and academic (b. 1886)
1945 – Aris Velouchiotis, Greek general (b. 1905)
1946 – Gordon Brewster, Irish cartoonist (b 1889)
1952 – Andrew Lawson, Scottish-American geologist and academic (b. 1861)
1953 – Margaret Bondfield, English politician, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (b. 1873)
1955 – Ozias Leduc, Canadian painter (b. 1864)
1958 – Pál Maléter, Hungarian general and politician, Minister of Defence of Hungary (b. 1917)
1958 – Imre Nagy, Hungarian politician, 3rd Prime Minister of Hungary (b. 1895)
1959 – George Reeves, American actor and director (b. 1914)
1961 – Marcel Junod, Swiss physician and anesthesiologist (b. 1904)
1967 – Reginald Denny, English actor (b. 1891)
1969 – Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis, English field marshal and politician, 17th Governor General of Canada (b. 1891)
1970 – Sydney Chapman, English mathematician and geophysicist (b. 1888)
1970 – Brian Piccolo, American football player (b. 1943)
1971 – John Reith, 1st Baron Reith, Scottish broadcaster, co-founded BBC (b. 1889)
1974 – Amalie Sara Colquhoun, Australian landscape and portrait painter (b. 1894)
1977 – Wernher von Braun, German-American physicist and engineer (b. 1912)
1979 – Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, Ghanaian general and politician, 6th Head of state of Ghana (b. 1931)
1979 – Nicholas Ray, American actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1911)
1981 – Thomas Playford IV, Australian politician, 33rd Premier of South Australia (b. 1896)
1982 – James Honeyman-Scott, English guitarist and songwriter (b. 1956)
1984 – Lew Andreas, American football player and coach (b. 1895)
1984 – Erni Krusten, Estonian author and poet (b. 1900)
1986 – Maurice Duruflé, French organist and composer (b. 1902)
1987 – Marguerite de Angeli, American author and illustrator (b. 1889)
1988 – Miguel Piñero, Puerto Rican-American actor and playwright (b. 1946)
1993 – Lindsay Hassett, Australian cricketer and soldier (b. 1913)
1994 – Kristen Pfaff, American bass player and songwriter (b. 1967)
1996 – Mel Allen, American sportscaster and game show host (b. 1913)
1997 – Dal Stivens, Australian soldier and author (b. 1911)
1998 – Fred Wacker, American race car driver and engineer (b. 1918)
1999 – Screaming Lord Sutch, English singer and activist (b. 1940)
2003 – Pierre Bourgault, Canadian journalist and politician (b. 1934)
2003 – Georg Henrik von Wright, Finnish–Swedish philosopher and author (b. 1916)
2004 – Thanom Kittikachorn, Thai field marshal and politician, 10th Prime Minister of Thailand (b. 1911)
2004 – Jacques Miquelon, Canadian lawyer and judge (b. 1911)
2005 – Enrique Laguerre, Puerto Rican-American author and critic (b. 1906)
2008 – Mario Rigoni Stern, Italian soldier and author (b. 1921)
2010 – Marc Bazin, Haitian lawyer and politician, 49th President of Haiti (b. 1932)
2010 – Maureen Forrester, Canadian singer and academic (b. 1930)
2010 – Ronald Neame, English director, producer, cinematographer, and screenwriter (b. 1911)
2011 – Östen Mäkitalo, Swedish engineer and academic (b. 1938)
2012 – Nils Karlsson, Swedish skier (b. 1917)
2012 – Jorge Lankenau, Mexican banker and businessman (b. 1944)
2012 – Sławomir Petelicki, Polish general (b. 1946)
2012 – Susan Tyrrell, American actress (b. 1945)
2013 – Sam Farber, American businessman, co-founded OXO (b. 1924)
2013 – Hans Hass, Austrian biologist and diver (b. 1919)
2013 – Khondakar Ashraf Hossain, Bangladesh poet and academic (b. 1950)
2013 – Norman Ian MacKenzie, English journalist and author (b. 1921)
2013 – Ottmar Walter, German footballer (b. 1924)
2014 – Tony Gwynn, American baseball player and coach (b. 1960)
2014 – Cándido Muatetema Rivas (b. 1960), Equatoguinean politician and diplomat, Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea
2015 – Charles Correa, Indian architect and urban planner (b. 1930)
2015 – Jean Vautrin, French director, screenwriter, and critic (b. 1933)
2016 – Jo Cox, English political activist and MP (b. 1974)
2017 – Helmut Kohl, German politician, 6th Chancellor of Germany (b. 1930)
2020 – Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. (b. 1935), Filipino businessman and politician

Holidays and observances on June 16

Juneteenth (United States)
Birthday of Leonard P. Howell (Rastafari)
Bloomsday (Dublin, Ireland)
Christian feast days:
- Aurelianus of Arles
- Aureus of Mainz (and his sister Justina)
- Benno
- Cettin of Oran
- Curig of Llanbadarn
- Ferreolus and Ferrutio
- George Berkeley and Joseph Butler (Episcopal Church)
- Lutgardis
- Quriaqos and Julietta
- June 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Engineer’s Day (Argentina)
Father’s Day (Seychelles)
International Day of the African Child (Organisation of African Unity)
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikhism)
Sussex Day (Sussex)
Youth Day (South Africa)

June 16 – History, Events, Births, Deaths Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

June 15 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

On This Day / admin

763 BC – Assyrians record a solar eclipse that is later used to fix the chronology of Mesopotamian history.
844 – Louis II is crowned as king of Italy at Rome by pope Sergius II.
923 – Battle of Soissons: King Robert I of France is killed and King Charles the Simple is arrested by the supporters of Duke Rudolph of Burgundy.
1184 – The naval Battle of Fimreite is won by the Birkebeiner pretender Sverre Sigurdsson. Sigurdsson takes the Norwegian throne and King Magnus V of Norway is killed.
1215 – King John of England puts his seal to Magna Carta.
1219 – Northern Crusades: Danish victory at the Battle of Lindanise (modern-day Tallinn) establishes the Danish Duchy of Estonia.
1246 – With the death of Frederick II, Duke of Austria, the Babenberg dynasty ends in Austria.
1300 – The city of Bilbao is founded.
1312 – At the Battle of Rozgony, King Charles I of Hungary wins a decisive victory over the family of Palatine Amade Aba.
1389 – Battle of Kosovo: The Ottoman Empire defeats Serbs and Bosnians.
1410 – In a decisive battle at Onon River, the Mongol forces of Oljei Temur were decimated by the Chinese armies of the Yongle Emperor.
1502 – Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Martinique on his fourth voyage.
1520 – Pope Leo X threatens to excommunicate Martin Luther in Exsurge Domine.
1648 – Margaret Jones is hanged in Boston for witchcraft in the first such execution for the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
1667 – The first human blood transfusion is administered by Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys.
1670 – The first stone of Fort Ricasoli is laid down in Malta.
1752 – Benjamin Franklin proves that lightning is electricity (traditional date, the exact date is unknown).
1776 – Delaware Separation Day: Delaware votes to suspend government under the British Crown and separate officially from Pennsylvania.
1800 – The Provisional Army of the United States is dissolved.
1804 – New Hampshire approves the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratifying the document.
1808 – Joseph Bonaparte becomes King of Spain.
1836 – Arkansas is admitted as the 25th U.S. state.
1844 – Charles Goodyear receives a patent for vulcanization, a process to strengthen rubber.
1846 – The Oregon Treaty extends the border between the United States and British North America, established by the Treaty of 1818, westward to the Pacific Ocean.
1859 – Ambiguity in the Oregon Treaty leads to the “Northwestern Boundary Dispute” between American and British/Canadian settlers.
1864 – American Civil War: The Second Battle of Petersburg begins.
1864 – Arlington National Cemetery is established when 200 acres (0.81 km²) of the Arlington estate (formerly owned by Confederate General Robert E. Lee) are officially set aside as a military cemetery by U.S. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton.
1877 – Henry Ossian Flipper becomes the first African American cadet to graduate from the United States Military Academy.
1878 – Eadweard Muybridge takes a series of photographs to prove that all four feet of a horse leave the ground when it runs; the study becomes the basis of motion pictures.
1888 – Crown Prince Wilhelm becomes Kaiser Wilhelm II; he will be the last Emperor of the German Empire. Due to the death of his predecessors Wilhelm I and Frederick III, 1888 is the Year of the Three Emperors.
1896 – The deadliest tsunami in Japan’s history kills more than 22,000 people.
1904 – A fire aboard the steamboat SS General Slocum in New York City’s East River kills 1,000.
1916 – United States President Woodrow Wilson signs a bill incorporating the Boy Scouts of America, making them the only American youth organization with a federal charter.
1919 – John Alcock and Arthur Brown complete the first nonstop transatlantic flight when they reach Clifden, County Galway, Ireland.
1920 – Following the 1920 Schleswig plebiscites, Northern Schleswig is transferred from Germany to Denmark.
1921 – Bessie Coleman earns her pilot’s license, becoming the first female pilot of African-American descent.
1934 – The United States Great Smoky Mountains National Park is founded.
1936 – First flight of the Vickers Wellington bomber.
1937 – A German expedition led by Karl Wien loses sixteen members in an avalanche on Nanga Parbat. It is the worst single disaster to occur on an 8000m peak.
1940 – World War II: Operation Ariel begins: Allied troops start to evacuate France, following Germany’s takeover of Paris and most of the nation.
1944 – World War II: The United States invades Saipan, capital of Japan’s South Seas Mandate.
1944 – In the Saskatchewan general election, the CCF, led by Tommy Douglas, is elected and forms the first socialist government in North America.
1970 – Charles Manson goes on trial for the Sharon Tate murders.
1972 – Red Army Faction co-founder Ulrike Meinhof is captured by police in Langenhagen.
1977 – After the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, the first democratic elections took place in Spain.
1978 – King Hussein of Jordan marries American Lisa Halaby, who takes the name Queen Noor.
1985 – Rembrandt’s painting Danaë is attacked by a man (later judged insane) who throws sulfuric acid on the canvas and cuts it twice with a knife.
1991 – In the Philippines, Mount Pinatubo erupts in the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, killing over 800 people.
1992 – The United States Supreme Court rules in United States v. Álvarez-Machaín that it is permissible for the United States to forcibly extradite suspects in foreign countries and bring them to the United States for trial, without approval from those other countries.
1994 – Israel and Vatican City establish full diplomatic relations.
1996 – The Troubles: The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) detonates a powerful truck bomb in the middle of Manchester, England, devastating the city centre and injuring 200 people.
2001 – Leaders of the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan formed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
2012 – Nik Wallenda becomes the first person to successfully tightrope walk directly over Niagara Falls.
2013 – A bomb explodes on a bus in the Pakistani city of Quetta, killing at least 25 people and wounding 22 others.

Births on June 15

1330 – Edward, the Black Prince of England (d. 1376)
1479 – Lisa del Giocondo, Italian model, subject of the Mona Lisa (d. 1542)
1519 – Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset, English politician, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (d. 1536)
1542 – Richard Grenville, English captain and explorer (d. 1591)
1549 – Elizabeth Knollys, English noblewoman (d. 1605)
1553 – Archduke Ernest of Austria (d. 1595)
1605 – Thomas Randolph, English poet and playwright (d. 1635)
1618 – François Blondel, French architect (d. 1686)
1623 – Cornelis de Witt, Dutch politician (d. 1672)
1624 – Hiob Ludolf, German orientalist and philologist (d. 1704)
1640 – Bernard Lamy, French mathematician and theologian (d. 1715)
1645 – Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin, English politician (d. 1712)
1749 – Georg Joseph Vogler, German organist, composer, and theorist (d. 1814)
1754 – Juan José Elhuyar, Spanish chemist and mineralogist (d. 1796)
1755 – Antoine François, comte de Fourcroy, French chemist and entomologist (d. 1809)
1763 – Franz Danzi, German cellist, composer, and conductor (d. 1826)
1763 – Kobayashi Issa, Japanese priest and poet (d. 1827)
1765 – Martin Baum, American businessman and politician, Mayor of Cincinnati (d. 1831)
1765 – Johann Gottlieb Friedrich von Bohnenberger, German astronomer and mathematician (d. 1831)
1767 – Rachel Jackson, American wife of Andrew Jackson (d. 1828)
1777 – David Daniel Davis, Welsh physician and academic (d. 1841)
1789 – Josiah Henson, American minister, author, and activist (d. 1883)
1792 – Thomas Mitchell, Scottish-Australian colonel and explorer (d. 1855)
1801 – Benjamin Wright Raymond, American merchant and politician, 3rd Mayor of Chicago (d. 1883)
1805 – William B. Ogden, American businessman and politician, 1st Mayor of Chicago (d. 1877)
1809 – François-Xavier Garneau, Canadian poet and historian (d. 1866)
1835 – Adah Isaacs Menken, American actress, painter, and poet (d. 1868)
1843 – Edvard Grieg, Norwegian pianist and composer (d. 1907)
1848 – Gheevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala, Indian bishop and saint (d. 1902)
1872 – Thomas William Burgess, English swimmer and water polo player (d. 1950)
1875 – Herman Smith-Johannsen, Norwegian-Canadian skier (d. 1987)
1878 – Margaret Abbott, Indian-American golfer (d. 1955)
1881 – Kesago Nakajima, Japanese lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army (d. 1945)
1884 – Harry Langdon, American actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 1944)
1886 – Frank Clement, British racing driver (d. 1970)
1888 – Ramón López Velarde, Mexican poet and author (d. 1921)
1890 – Georg Wüst, German oceanographer and academic (d. 1977)
1894 – Robert Russell Bennett, American composer and conductor (d. 1981)
1894 – Nikolai Chebotaryov, Ukrainian-Russian mathematician and theorist (d. 1947)
1898 – Hubertus Strughold, German-American physiologist and academic (d. 1986)
1900 – Gotthard Günther, German philosopher and academic (d. 1984)
1900 – Otto Luening, German-American composer and conductor (d. 1996)
1901 – Elmar Lohk, Russian-Estonian architect (d. 1963)
1902 – Erik Erikson, German-American psychologist and psychoanalyst (d. 1994)
1906 – Gordon Welchman, English-American mathematician and author (d. 1985)
1906 – Léon Degrelle, Belgian SS officer (d. 1994)
1907 – James Robertson Justice, English actor and educator (d. 1975)
1909 – Elena Nikolaidi, Greek-American soprano and educator (d. 2002)
1910 – David Rose, English-American pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1990)
1911 – Wilbert Awdry, English author, co-created Thomas the Tank Engine (d. 1997)
1913 – Tom Adair, American songwriter, composer, and screenwriter (d. 1988)
1914 – Yuri Andropov, Russian politician (d. 1984)
1914 – Saul Steinberg, Romanian-American cartoonist (d. 1999)
1914 – Hilda Terry, American cartoonist (d. 2006)
1915 – Nini Theilade, Danish ballet dancer, choreographer, and educator (d. 2018)
1915 – Thomas Huckle Weller, American biologist and virologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2008)
1916 – Olga Erteszek, Polish-American fashion designer (d. 1989)
1916 – Horacio Salgán, Argentinian pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 2016)
1916 – Herbert A. Simon, American political scientist and economist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2001)
1917 – John Fenn, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2010)
1917 – Michalis Genitsaris, Greek singer-songwriter (d. 2005)
1917 – Lash LaRue, American actor and producer (d. 1996)
1918 – François Tombalbaye, Chadian politician, 1st President of Chad (d. 1975)
1920 – Keith Andrews, American race car driver (d. 1957)
1920 – Alla Kazanskaya, Russian actress (d. 2008)
1920 – Sam Sniderman, Canadian businessman, founded Sam the Record Man (d. 2012)
1920 – Alberto Sordi, Italian actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2003)
1921 – Erroll Garner, American pianist and composer (d. 1977)
1922 – Jaki Byard, American pianist and composer (d. 1999)
1923 – Erland Josephson, Swedish actor and director (d. 2012)
1923 – Ninian Stephen, English-Australian lieutenant, judge, and politician, 20th Governor-General of Australia (d. 2017)
1924 – Hédi Fried, Swedish author and psychologist
1924 – Ezer Weizman, Israeli general and politician, 7th President of Israel (d. 2005)
1925 – Richard Baker, English journalist and author (d. 2018)
1925 – Attilâ İlhan, Turkish poet, author, and critic (d. 2005)
1926 – Alfred Duraiappah, Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer and politician (d. 1975)
1927 – Ross Andru, American illustrator (d. 1993)
1927 – Ibn-e-Insha, Indian-Pakistani poet and author (d. 1978)
1927 – Hugo Pratt, Italian author and illustrator (d. 1995)
1930 – Miguel Méndez, American author and academic (d. 2013)
1930 – Marcel Pronovost, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 2015)
1931 – Joseph Gilbert, English air marshal
1931 – Brian Sewell, English art dealer and critic (d. 2015)
1932 – David Alliance, Baron Alliance, Iranian-English businessman and politician
1932 – Mario Cuomo, American lawyer and politician, 52nd Governor of New York (d. 2015)
1932 – Zia Fariduddin Dagar, Indian singer (d. 2013)
1932 – Bernie Faloney, American-Canadian football player and sportscaster (d. 1999)
1933 – Mohammad-Ali Rajai, Iranian politician, 2nd President of Iran (d. 1981)
1933 – Predrag Koraksić Corax, Serbian political caricaturist
1934 – Ruby Nash Garnett, American R&B singer
1936 – William Levada, American cardinal
1937 – Pierre Billon, Swiss-Canadian author and screenwriter
1937 – Waylon Jennings, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2002)
1938 – Billy Williams, American baseball player and coach
1939 – Ward Connerly, American activist and businessman, founded the American Civil Rights Institute
1941 – Neal Adams, American illustrator
1941 – Harry Nilsson, American singer-songwriter (d. 1994)
1942 – Ian Greenberg, Canadian broadcaster, founded Astral Media
1942 – John E. McLaughlin, American diplomat
1942 – Peter Norman, Australian sprinter (d. 2006)
1943 – Johnny Hallyday, French singer and actor (d. 2017)
1943 – Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, Danish politician, 38th Prime Minister of Denmark
1944 – Robert D. Keppel, American police officer and academic
1945 – Miriam Defensor Santiago, Filipino judge and politician (d. 2016)
1945 – Robert Sarah, Guinean cardinal
1945 – Lawrence Wilkerson, American colonel
1946 – Noddy Holder, English rock singer-songwriter, musician, and actor
1946 – John Horner, American paleontologist and academic
1946 – Demis Roussos, Egyptian-Greek singer-songwriter and bass player (d. 2015)
1947 – John Hoagland, American photographer and journalist (d. 1984)
1948 – Mike Holmgren, American football player and coach
1948 – Alan Huckle, English politician and diplomat, Governor of Anguilla
1948 – Henry McLeish, Scottish footballer, academic, and politician, 2nd First Minister of Scotland
1949 – Dusty Baker, American baseball player and manager
1949 – Simon Callow, English actor and director
1949 – Russell Hitchcock, Australian singer-songwriter
1949 – Jim Varney, American actor, comedian, and screenwriter (d. 2000)
1950 – Uğur Erdener, Turkish ophthalmologist and professor
1950 – Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Ghanaian nurse and politician
1950 – Deney Terrio, American choreographer and host of the television musical variety series Dance Fever
1950 – Lakshmi Mittal, Indian-English businessman
1951 – Jane Amsterdam, American magazine and newspaper editor (Manhattan, inc., New York Post)
1951 – Vance A. Larson, American painter (d. 2000)
1951 – John Redwood, English politician, Secretary of State for Wales
1951 – Steve Walsh, American rock singer-songwriter and musician
1952 – Satya Pal Jain, Indian lawyer and politician, Additional Solicitor General of India
1953 – Vilma Bardauskienė, Lithuanian long jumper
1953 – Marc Brickman, American lighting and production designer
1953 – Eje Elgh, Swedish racing driver and sportscaster
1953 – Xi Jinping, Chinese engineer and politician, General Secretary of the Communist Party and President of China
1953 – Raphael Wallfisch, English cellist and educator
1954 – Jim Belushi, American actor
1954 – Terri Gibbs, American country music singer and keyboard player
1954 – Paul Rusesabagina, Rwandan humanitarian
1954 – Zdeňka Šilhavá, Czech discus thrower and shot putter
1954 – Beverley Whitfield, Australian swimmer (d. 1996)
1955 – Polly Draper, American actress, producer, and screenwriter
1955 – Julie Hagerty, American model and actress
1956 – Yevgeny Kiselyov, Russian-Ukrainian journalist
1956 – Lance Parrish, American baseball player, coach, and manager
1958 – Wade Boggs, American baseball player
1958 – Riccardo Paletti, Italian racing driver (d. 1982)
1959 – Alan Brazil, Scottish footballer and sportscaster
1959 – Eileen Davidson, American model and actress
1960 – Michèle Laroque, French actress, producer, and screenwriter
1960 – Marieke van Doorn, Dutch field hockey player and coach
1961 – Dave McAuley, Irish boxer and sportscaster
1961 – Scott Norton, American wrestler
1962 – Brad Armstrong, American wrestler (d. 2012)
1962 – Chris Morris, English actor, satirist, director, and producer
1962 – Andrea Rost, Hungarian soprano
1963 – Marina Azyabina, Russian hurdler
1963 – Mario Gosselin, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
1963 – Helen Hunt, American actress, director, and producer
1964 – Courteney Cox, American actress and producer
1964 – Michael Laudrup, Danish footballer and manager
1965 – Annelies Bredael, Belgian rower
1965 – Karim Massimov, Kazakhstani politician, 7th Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
1965 – Adam Smith, American lawyer and politician
1966 – Raimonds Vējonis, Latvian politician, 9th President of Latvia
1968 – Károly Güttler, Hungarian swimmer
1969 – Jesse Bélanger, Canadian ice hockey player
1969 – Ice Cube, American rapper, producer, and actor
1969 – Idalis DeLeón, American singer and actress
1969 – Nasos Galakteros, Greek basketball player
1969 – Oliver Kahn, German footballer and sportscaster
1969 – Maurice Odumbe, Kenyan cricketer
1969 – Cédric Pioline, French tennis player
1970 – Christian Bauman, American soldier and author
1970 – David Bayssari, Australian rugby league player
1970 – Gaëlle Méchaly, French soprano
1970 – Leah Remini, American actress and producer
1970 – Žan Tabak, Croatian basketball player and coach
1971 – Christos Myriounis, Greek basketball player
1971 – Jake Busey, American actor, musician, and film producer
1972 – Justin Leonard, American golfer
1972 – Andy Pettitte, American baseball player
1973 – Tore Andre Flo, Norwegian footballer and coach
1973 – Neil Patrick Harris, American actor and singer
1973 – Pia Miranda, Australian actress
1976 – Jiří Ryba, Czech decathlete
1977 – Michael Doleac, American basketball player and manager
1978 – Wilfred Bouma, Dutch footballer
1978 – Zach Day, American baseball player
1979 – Yulia Nestsiarenka, Belarusian sprinter
1979 – Christian Rahn, German footballer
1979 – Charles Zwolsman, Jr., Dutch racing driver
1980 – David Lyons, Australian rugby player
1981 – John Paintsil, Ghanaian footballer
1982 – Mike Delany, New Zealand rugby player
1982 – Abdur Razzak, Bangladeshi cricketer
1983 – Julia Fischer, German violinist and pianist^{[citation needed]}
1983 – Laura Imbruglia, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist^{[citation needed]}
1983 – Josh McGuire, Canadian fencer
1984 – Luke Hodge, Australian footballer
1984 – Eva Hrdinová, Czech tennis player
1984 – Tim Lincecum, American baseball player
1984 – Edison Toloza, Colombian footballer
1985 – Ashley Nicole Black, American comedian, actress, and writer
1986 – James Maloney, Australian rugby league player
1986 – Trevor Plouffe, American baseball player
1989 – Víctor Cabedo, Spanish cyclist (d. 2012)
1989 – Bryan Clauson, American race car driver (d. 2016)
1992 – Michał Kopczyński, Polish footballer
1992 – Mohamed Salah, Egyptian footballer
1992 – Dafne Schippers, Dutch heptathlete and sprinter
1993 – Irfan Hadžić, Bosnian footballer
1994 – Inaki Williams, Basque footballer
1997 – Madison Kocian, American gymnast

Deaths on June 15

923 – Robert I of France (b. 866)
948 – Romanos I Lekapenos, Byzantine Emperor (b. c. 870)
952 – Murong Yanchao, Chinese general
960 – Eadburh of Winchester, English princess and saint
970 – Adalbert, bishop of Passau
991 – Theophanu, Byzantine wife of Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 960)
1073 – Emperor Go-Sanjō of Japan (b. 1034)
1184 – Magnus Erlingsson, King of Norway (b. 1156)
1189 – Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Japanese general (b. 1159)
1246 – Frederick II, Duke of Austria (b. 1219)
1337 – Angelo da Clareno, Italian Franciscan and leader of a group of Fraticelli (b. 1247)
1341 – Andronikos III Palaiologos, Byzantine emperor (b. 1297)
1381 – John Cavendish, English lawyer and judge (b. 1346)
1381 – Wat Tyler, English rebel leader (b. 1341)
1383 – John VI Kantakouzenos, Byzantine emperor (b. 1292)
1383 – Matthew Kantakouzenos, Byzantine emperor
1389 – Lazar of Serbia (b. 1329)
1389 – Murad I, Ottoman Sultan (b. 1319)
1389 – Miloš Obilić, Serbian knight.
1416 – John, Duke of Berry (b. 1340)
1467 – Philip III, Duke of Burgundy (b. 1396)
1521 – Tamás Bakócz, Hungarian cardinal (b. 1442)
1614 – Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton, English courtier and politician, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (b. 1540)
1724 – Henry Sacheverell, English minister and politician (b. 1674)
1768 – James Short, Scottish mathematician and optician (b. 1710)
1772 – Louis-Claude Daquin, French organist and composer (b. 1694)
1844 – Thomas Campbell, Scottish poet and academic (b. 1777)
1849 – James K. Polk, American lawyer and politician, 11th President of the United States (b. 1795)
1858 – Ary Scheffer, Dutch-French painter and academic (b. 1795)
1888 – Frederick III, German Emperor (b. 1831)
1889 – Mihai Eminescu, Romanian journalist, author, and poet (b. 1850)
1890 – Unryū Kyūkichi, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 10th Yokozuna (b. 1822)
1917 – Kristian Birkeland, Norwegian physicist and academic (b. 1867)
1934 – Alfred Bruneau, French cellist and composer (b. 1857)
1938 – Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, German painter and illustrator (b. 1880)
1941 – Otfrid Foerster, German neurologist and physician (b. 1873)
1941 – Evelyn Underhill, English mystic and author (b. 1875)
1945 – Count Albert von Mensdorff-Pouilly-Dietrichstein, Austrian diplomat
1961 – Giulio Cabianca, Italian racing driver (b. 1923)
1961 – Peyami Safa, Turkish journalist and author (b. 1899)
1962 – Alfred Cortot, Swiss pianist and conductor (b. 1877)
1967 – Tatu Kolehmainen, Finnish runner (b. 1885)
1968 – Sam Crawford, American baseball player, coach, and umpire (b. 1880)
1968 – Wes Montgomery, American guitarist and songwriter (b. 1925)
1971 – Wendell Meredith Stanley, American biochemist and virologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1904)
1976 – Jimmy Dykes, American baseball player, coach, and manager (b. 1896)
1984 – Meredith Willson, American playwright, composer, and conductor (b. 1902)
1985 – Andy Stanfield, American sprinter (b. 1927)
1989 – Maurice Bellemare, Canadian lawyer and politician (b. 1912)
1989 – Ray McAnally, Irish actor (b. 1926)
1991 – Happy Chandler, American businessman and politician, 49th Governor of Kentucky (b. 1898)
1991 – Arthur Lewis, Saint Lucian economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1915)
1992 – Chuck Menville, American animator, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1940)
1992 – Brett Whiteley, Australian painter (b. 1939)
1993 – John Connally, American commander, lawyer, and politician, 61st United States Secretary of the Treasury (b. 1917)
1993 – James Hunt, English racing driver and sportscaster (b. 1947)
1994 – Manos Hatzidakis, Greek composer and theorist (b. 1925)
1995 – John Vincent Atanasoff, American physicist and inventor, invented the Atanasoff–Berry computer (b. 1903)
1996 – Ella Fitzgerald, American singer and actress (b. 1917)
1996 – Sir Fitzroy Maclean, 1st Baronet, Scottish general and politician (b. 1911)
1996 – Dick Murdoch, American wrestler (b. 1946)
1999 – Omer Côté, Canadian lawyer and politician (b. 1906)
2000 – Jules Roy, French author, poet, and playwright (b. 1907)
2001 – Henri Alekan, French cinematographer (b. 1909)
2002 – Choi Hong Hi, South Korean general and martial artist, founded Taekwondo (b. 1918)
2003 – Hume Cronyn, Canadian-American actor (b. 1911)
2004 – Ahmet Piriştina, Turkish politician and mayor of İzmir (b. 1952)
2005 – Suzanne Flon, French actress (b. 1918)
2006 – Raymond Devos, Belgian-French comedian and clown (b. 1922)
2006 – Herb Pearson, New Zealand cricketer (b. 1910)
2008 – Ray Getliffe, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1914)
2011 – Bill Haast, American herpetologist and academic (b. 1910)
2012 – Phillip D. Cagan, American economist and author (b. 1927)
2012 – Capitola Dickerson, American pianist and educator (b. 1913)
2012 – Barry MacKay, American tennis player and sportscaster (b. 1935)
2012 – Israel Nogueda Otero, Mexican economist and politician, 10th Governor of Guerrero (b. 1935)
2012 – Jerry Tubbs, American football player and coach (b. 1935)
2013 – Heinz Flohe, German footballer and manager (b. 1948)
2013 – José Froilán González, Argentinian racing driver (b. 1922)
2013 – Dennis O’Rourke, Australian director and producer (b. 1945)
2013 – Kenneth G. Wilson, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1936)
2014 – Jacques Bergerac, French actor and businessman (b. 1927)
2014 – Casey Kasem, American radio host, producer, and voice actor, co-created American Top 40 (b. 1932)
2014 – Daniel Keyes, American short story writer and novelist (b. 1927)
2014 – Moise Safra, Brazilian businessman and philanthropist, co-founded Banco Safra (b. 1934)
2015 – Kirk Kerkorian, American businessman, founded the Tracinda Corporation (b. 1917)
2016 – Lois Duncan, American author (b. 1934)
2018 – Matt “Guitar” Murphy, American Blues guitarist (The Blues Brothers) (b. 1929)
2019 – Franco Zeffirelli, Italian film director (b. 1923)

Holidays and observances on June 15

Arbor Day (Costa Rica)
Christian feast day:
- Abraham of Clermont (or of St Cyriacus)
- Alice (or Adelaide) of Schaerbeek
- Augustine of Hippo (Eastern Orthodox Church)
- Blessed Albertina Berkenbrock
- Blessed Clement Vismara
- Edburga of Winchester
- Evelyn Underhill (Church of England and The Episcopal Church)
- Germaine Cousin
- Landelin (of Crespin or of Lobbes)
- Trillo
- Vitus (Guy), Modestus and Crescentia
- June 15 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Day of Valdemar and Reunion Day (Flag Day) (Denmark)
Earliest day on which Father’s Day can fall, while June 21 is the latest; celebrated on the third Sunday in June. (United States, and most other countries.)
Engineer’s Day (Italy)
Global Wind Day (international)
National Beer Day (United Kingdom)
National Salvation Day (Azerbaijan)

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