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  • August 1 – History, Events, Births, Deaths Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 30 BC – Octavian (later known as Augustus) enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Republic.
    • AD 69 – Batavian rebellion: The Batavians in Germania Inferior (Netherlands) revolt under the leadership of Gaius Julius Civilis.
    • 527 – Justinian I becomes the sole ruler of the Byzantine Empire.
    • 607 – Ono no Imoko is dispatched as envoy to the Sui court in China (Traditional Japanese date: July 3, 607).
    • 902 – Taormina, the last Byzantine stronghold in Sicily, is captured by the Aghlabids army, concluding the Muslim conquest of Sicily.
    • 1203 – Isaac II Angelos, restored Eastern Roman Emperor, declares his son Alexios IV Angelos co-emperor after pressure from the forces of the Fourth Crusade.
    • 1291 – The Old Swiss Confederacy is formed with the signature of the Federal Charter.
    • 1469 – Louis XI of France founds the chivalric order called the Order of Saint Michael in Amboise.
    • 1498 – Christopher Columbus becomes the first European to visit what is now Venezuela.
    • 1571 – The Ottoman conquest of Cyprus is concluded, by the surrender of Famagusta.
    • 1620 – Speedwell leaves Delfshaven to bring pilgrims to America by way of England.
    • 1664 – Ottoman forces are defeated in the battle of Saint Gotthard by an Austrian army led by Raimondo Montecuccoli, resulting in the Peace of Vasvár.
    • 1714 – George, Elector of Hanover, becomes King George I of Great Britain, marking the beginning of the Georgian era of British history.
    • 1759 – Seven Years’ War: The Battle of Minden, an allied Anglo-German army victory over the French. In Britain this was one of a number of events that constituted the Annus Mirabilis of 1759 and is celebrated as Minden Day by certain British Army regiments.
    • 1774 – British scientist Joseph Priestley discovers oxygen gas, corroborating the prior discovery of this element by German-Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele.
    • 1798 – French Revolutionary Wars: Battle of the Nile (Battle of Aboukir Bay): Battle begins when a British fleet engages the French Revolutionary Navy fleet in an unusual night action.
    • 1800 – The Acts of Union 1800 are passed which merge the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
    • 1801 – First Barbary War: The American schooner USS Enterprise captures the Tripolitan polacca Tripoli in a single-ship action off the coast of modern-day Libya.
    • 1834 – Slavery is abolished in the British Empire as the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 comes into force, although it remains legal in the possessions of the East India Company until the passage of the Indian Slavery Act, 1843.
    • 1842 – The Lombard Street riot erupts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
    • 1849 – Joven Daniel wrecks at the coast of Araucanía, Chile, leading to allegations that local Mapuche tribes murdered survivors and kidnapped Elisa Bravo.
    • 1855 – The first ascent of Monte Rosa, the second highest summit in the Alps.
    • 1876 – Colorado is admitted as the 38th U.S. state.
    • 1893 – Henry Perky patents shredded wheat.
    • 1894 – The First Sino-Japanese War erupts between Japan and China over Korea.
    • 1907 – The start of the first Scout camp on Brownsea Island, the origin of the worldwide Scouting movement.
    • 1911 – Harriet Quimby takes her pilot’s test and becomes the first U.S. woman to earn an Aero Club of America aviator’s certificate.
    • 1914 – The German Empire declares war on the Russian Empire at the opening of World War I. The Swiss Army mobilizes because of World War I.
    • 1927 – The Nanchang Uprising marks the first significant battle in the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang and Chinese Communist Party. This day is commemorated as the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army.
    • 1933 – Anti-Fascist activists Bruno Tesch, Walter Möller, Karl Wolff, and August Lütgens are executed by the Nazi regime in Altona.
    • 1936 – The Olympics opened in Berlin with a ceremony presided over by Adolf Hitler.
    • 1937 – Josip Broz Tito reads the resolution “Manifesto of constitutional congress of KPH” to the constitutive congress of KPH (Croatian Communist Party) in woods near Samobor.
    • 1943 – World War II: Operation Tidal Wave also known as “Black Sunday”, was a failed American attempt to destroy Romanian oil fields.
    • 1944 – World War II: The Warsaw Uprising against the Nazi German occupation breaks out in Warsaw, Poland.
    • 1946 – Leaders of the Russian Liberation Army, a force of Russian prisoners of war that collaborated with Nazi Germany, are executed in Moscow, Soviet Union for treason.
    • 1950 – Guam is organized as a United States commonwealth as President Harry S. Truman signs the Guam Organic Act.
    • 1957 – The United States and Canada form the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
    • 1960 – Dahomey (later renamed Benin) declares independence from France.
    • 1960 – Islamabad is declared the federal capital of the Government of Pakistan.
    • 1961 – U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara orders the creation of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the nation’s first centralized military espionage organization.
    • 1964 – The former Belgian Congo is renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
    • 1965 – Frank Herbert’s novel, Dune was published for the first time. It was named as the world’s best-selling science fiction novel in 2003.
    • 1966 – Charles Whitman kills 16 people at the University of Texas at Austin before being killed by the police.
    • 1966 – Purges of intellectuals and imperialists becomes official China policy at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.
    • 1968 – The coronation is held of Hassanal Bolkiah, the 29th Sultan of Brunei.
    • 1971 – The Concert for Bangladesh, organized by former Beatle George Harrison, is held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
    • 1974 – Cyprus dispute: The United Nations Security Council authorizes the UNFICYP to create the “Green Line”, dividing Cyprus into two zones.
    • 1980 – Vigdís Finnbogadóttir is elected President of Iceland and becomes the world’s first democratically elected female head of state.
    • 1980 – A train crash kills 18 people in County Cork, Ireland.
    • 1981 – MTV begins broadcasting in the United States and airs its first video, “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles.
    • 1984 – Commercial peat-cutters discover the preserved bog body of a man, called Lindow Man, at Lindow Moss, Cheshire, England.
    • 1988 – A British soldier was killed in the Inglis Barracks bombing in London, England.
    • 1993 – The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 comes to a peak.
    • 1998 – The establishment of Muslim Medics, one of the largest student-led societies in Imperial College London that provides both academic and wellbeing support to medical students of all backgrounds.
    • 2004 – A supermarket fire kills 396 people and injures 500 others in Asunción, Paraguay.
    • 2007 – The I-35W Mississippi River bridge spanning the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapses during the evening rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring 145.
    • 2008 – The Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway begins operation as the fastest commuter rail system in the world.
    • 2008 – Eleven mountaineers from international expeditions died on K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth in the worst single accident in the history of K2 mountaineering.
    • 2017 – A suicide attack on a mosque in Herat, Afghanistan kills 20 people.

    Births on August 1

    • 10 BC – Claudius, Roman emperor (d. 54)
    • 126 – Pertinax, Roman emperor (d. 193)
    • 845 – Sugawara no Michizane, Japanese scholar and politician (d. 903)
    • 992 – Hyeonjong, Korean king (d. 1031)
    • 1068 – Taizu, Chinese emperor (d. 1123)
    • 1313 – Kōgon, Japanese emperor (d. 1364)
    • 1377 – Go-Komatsu, Japanese emperor (d. 1433)
    • 1385 – John FitzAlan, 13th Earl of Arundel (d. 1421)
    • 1410 – Jan IV, count of Nassau-Dillenburg (d. 1475)
    • 1492 – Wolfgang, German prince (d. 1566)
    • 1520 – Sigismund II, Polish king (d. 1572)
    • 1545 – Andrew Melville, Scottish theologian and scholar (d. 1622)
    • 1555 – Edward Kelley, English spirit medium (d. 1597)
    • 1579 – Luis Vélez de Guevara, Spanish author and playwright (d. 1644)
    • 1626 – Sabbatai Zevi, Montenegrin rabbi and theorist (d. 1676)
    • 1630 – Thomas Clifford, 1st Baron Clifford of Chudleigh, English politician, Lord High Treasurer (d. 1673)
    • 1659 – Sebastiano Ricci, Italian painter (d. 1734)
    • 1713 – Charles I, German duke and prince (d. 1780)
    • 1714 – Richard Wilson, Welsh painter and academic (d. 1782)
    • 1738 – Jacques François Dugommier, French general (d. 1794)
    • 1744 – Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, French soldier, biologist, and academic (d. 1829)
    • 1770 – William Clark, American soldier, explorer, and politician, 4th Governor of Missouri Territory (d. 1838)
    • 1778 – Mary Jefferson Eppes, daughter of Thomas Jefferson who died in childbirth (d. 1804)
    • 1779 – Francis Scott Key, American lawyer, author, and poet (d. 1843)
    • 1779 – Lorenz Oken, German-Swiss botanist, biologist, and ornithologist (d. 1851)
    • 1809 – William B. Travis, American colonel and lawyer (d. 1836)
    • 1815 – Richard Henry Dana, Jr., American lawyer and politician (d. 1882)
    • 1818 – Maria Mitchell, American astronomer and academic (d. 1889)
    • 1819 – Herman Melville, American novelist, short story writer, and poet (d. 1891)
    • 1831 – Antonio Cotogni, Italian opera singer and educator (d. 1918)
    • 1843 – Robert Todd Lincoln, American lawyer and politician, 35th United States Secretary of War (d. 1926)
    • 1856 – George Coulthard, Australian footballer and cricketer (d. 1883)
    • 1858 – Gaston Doumergue, French lawyer and politician, 13th President of France (d. 1937)
    • 1858 – Hans Rott, Austrian organist and composer (d. 1884)
    • 1860 – Bazil Assan, Romanian engineer and explorer (d. 1918)
    • 1861 – Sammy Jones, Australian cricketer (d. 1951)
    • 1865 – Isobel Lilian Gloag, English painter (d. 1917)
    • 1871 – John Lester, American cricketer and soccer player (d. 1969)
    • 1877 – George Hackenschmidt, Estonian-English wrestler and strongman (d. 1968)
    • 1878 – Konstantinos Logothetopoulos, Greek physician and politician, Prime Minister of Greece (d. 1961)
    • 1881 – Otto Toeplitz, German mathematician and academic (d. 1940)
    • 1885 – George de Hevesy, Hungarian-German chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1966)
    • 1889 – Walter Gerlach, German physicist and academic (d. 1979)
    • 1891 – Karl Kobelt, Swiss lawyer and politician, 52nd President of the Swiss Confederation (d. 1968)
    • 1893 – Alexander of Greece (d. 1920)
    • 1894 – Ottavio Bottecchia, Italian cyclist (d. 1927)
    • 1898 – Morris Stoloff, American composer and musical director (d. 1980)
    • 1899 – Raymond Mays, English race car driver and businessman (d. 1980)
    • 1900 – Otto Nothling, Australian cricketer and rugby player (d. 1965)
    • 1901 – Francisco Guilledo, Filipino boxer (d. 1925)
    • 1903 – Paul Horgan, American historian, author, and academic (d. 1995)
    • 1905 – Helen Sawyer Hogg, American-Canadian astronomer and academic (d. 1993)
    • 1907 – Eric Shipton, Sri Lankan-English mountaineer and explorer (d. 1977)
    • 1910 – James Henry Govier, English painter and illustrator (d. 1974)
    • 1910 – Walter Scharf, American pianist and composer (d. 2003)
    • 1910 – Gerda Taro, German war photographer (d. 1937)
    • 1911 – Jackie Ormes, American journalist and cartoonist (d. 1985)
    • 1912 – David Brand, Australian politician, 19th Premier of Western Australia (d. 1979)
    • 1912 – Gego, German-Venezuelan sculptor and academic (d. 1994)
    • 1912 – Henry Jones, American actor (d. 1999)
    • 1914 – Jack Delano, American photographer and composer (d. 1997)
    • 1914 – Alan Moore, Australian painter and educator (d. 2015)
    • 1914 – J. Lee Thompson, English-Canadian director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2002)
    • 1916 – Fiorenzo Angelini, Italian cardinal (d. 2014)
    • 1916 – Anne Hébert, Canadian author and poet (d. 2000)
    • 1918 – T. J. Jemison, American minister and activist (d. 2013)
    • 1919 – Stanley Middleton, English author (d. 2009)
    • 1920 – Raul Renter, Estonian economist and chess player (d. 1992)
    • 1921 – Jack Kramer, American tennis player, sailor, and sportscaster (d. 2009)
    • 1921 – Pat McDonald, Australian actress (d. 1990)
    • 1922 – Arthur Hill, Canadian-American actor (d. 2006)
    • 1923 – Val Bettin, American actor
    • 1924 – Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (d. 2015)
    • 1924 – Frank Havens, American canoeist (d. 2018)
    • 1924 – Marcia Mae Jones, American actress and singer (d. 2007)
    • 1924 – Frank Worrell, Barbadian cricketer (d. 1967)
    • 1925 – Ernst Jandl, Austrian poet and author (d. 2000)
    • 1926 – George Hauptfuhrer, American basketball player and lawyer (d. 2013)
    • 1926 – Hannah Hauxwell, English TV personality (d. 2018)
    • 1927 – María Teresa López Boegeholz, Chilean oceanographer (d. 2006)
    • 1927 – Anthony G. Bosco, American bishop (d. 2013)
    • 1928 – Jack Shea, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2013)
    • 1929 – Hafizullah Amin, Afghan educator and politician, Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs (d. 1979)
    • 1929 – Ann Calvello, American roller derby racer (d. 2006)
    • 1929 – Leila Abashidze, Georgian actress (d. 2018)
    • 1930 – Lionel Bart, English composer (d. 1999)
    • 1930 – Pierre Bourdieu, French sociologist, anthropologist, and philosopher (d. 2002)
    • 1930 – Julie Bovasso, American actress and writer (d. 1991)
    • 1930 – Lawrence Eagleburger, American lieutenant and politician, 62nd United States Secretary of State (d. 2011)
    • 1930 – Károly Grósz, Hungarian politician, 51st Prime Minister of Hungary (d. 1996)
    • 1930 – Geoffrey Holder, Trinidadian-American actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer (d. 2014)
    • 1931 – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1931 – Trevor Goddard, South African cricketer (d. 2016)
    • 1932 – Meir Kahane, American-Israeli rabbi and activist, founded the Jewish Defense League (d. 1990)
    • 1932 – Meena Kumari, Indian actress (d. 1972)
    • 1933 – Dom DeLuise, American actor, singer, director, and producer (d. 2009)
    • 1933 – Masaichi Kaneda, Japanese baseball player and manager (d. 2019)
    • 1933 – Teri Shields, American actress, producer, and agent (d. 2012)
    • 1933 – Dušan Třeštík, Czech historian and author (d. 2007)
    • 1934 – John Beck, New Zealand cricketer (d. 2000)
    • 1934 – Derek Birdsall, English graphic designer
    • 1935 – Geoff Pullar, English cricketer (d. 2014)
    • 1936 – W. D. Hamilton, Egyptian born British biologist, psychologist, and academic (d. 2000)
    • 1936 – Yves Saint Laurent, Algerian-French fashion designer, co-founded Yves Saint Laurent (d. 2008)
    • 1936 – Laurie Taylor, English sociologist, radio host, and academic
    • 1937 – Al D’Amato, American lawyer and politician
    • 1939 – Bob Frankford, English-Canadian physician and politician (d. 2015)
    • 1939 – Terry Kiser, American actor
    • 1939 – Stephen Sykes, English bishop and theologian (d. 2014)
    • 1939 – Robert James Waller, American author and photographer (d. 2017)
    • 1940 – Mervyn Kitchen, English cricketer and umpire
    • 1940 – Henry Silverman, American businessman, founded Cendant
    • 1940 – Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, Iranian writer and actor
    • 1941 – Ron Brown, American captain and politician, 30th United States Secretary of Commerce (d. 1996)
    • 1941 – Étienne Roda-Gil, French songwriter and screenwriter (d. 2004)
    • 1942 – Jerry Garcia, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1995)
    • 1942 – Giancarlo Giannini, Italian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1944 – Dmitry Nikolayevich Filippov, Russian banker and politician (d. 1998)
    • 1945 – Douglas Osheroff, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1946 – Boz Burrell, English singer-songwriter, bass player, and guitarist (d. 2006)
    • 1946 – Rick Coonce, American drummer (d. 2011)
    • 1946 – Richard O. Covey, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut
    • 1946 – Fiona Stanley, Australian epidemiologist and academic
    • 1947 – Lorna Goodison, Jamaican poet and author
    • 1947 – Chantal Montellier, French comics creator and artist
    • 1948 – Avi Arad, Israeli-American screenwriter and producer, founded Marvel Studios
    • 1948 – Cliff Branch, American football player
    • 1948 – David Gemmell, English journalist and author (d. 2006)
    • 1949 – Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Kyrgyzstani politician, 2nd President of Kyrgyzstan
    • 1949 – Jim Carroll, American poet, author, and musician (d. 2009)
    • 1949 – Ray Nettles, American football player (d. 2009)
    • 1950 – Roy Williams, American basketball player and coach
    • 1951 – Tim Bachman, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1951 – Tommy Bolin, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1976)
    • 1951 – Pete Mackanin, American baseball player, coach, and manager
    • 1952 – Zoran Đinđić, Serbian philosopher and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Serbia (d. 2003)
    • 1953 – Robert Cray, American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1953 – Howard Kurtz, American journalist and author
    • 1954 – Trevor Berbick, Jamaican-Canadian boxer (d. 2006)
    • 1954 – James Gleick, American journalist and author
    • 1954 – Benno Möhlmann, German footballer and manager
    • 1957 – Taylor Negron, American actor and screenwriter (d. 2015)
    • 1958 – Rob Buck, American guitarist and songwriter (d. 2000)
    • 1958 – Michael Penn, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1958 – Kiki Vandeweghe, American basketball player and coach
    • 1959 – Joe Elliott, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
    • 1960 – Chuck D, American rapper and songwriter
    • 1960 – Suzi Gardner, American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1962 – Jacob Matlala, South African boxer (d. 2013)
    • 1963 – Demián Bichir, Mexican-American actor and producer
    • 1963 – Coolio, American rapper, producer, and actor
    • 1963 – John Carroll Lynch, American actor
    • 1963 – Koichi Wakata, Japanese astronaut and engineer
    • 1963 – Dean Wareham, New Zealand singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1964 – Adam Duritz, American singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1964 – Fiona Hyslop, Scottish businesswoman and politician
    • 1964 – Augusta Read Thomas, American composer, conductor and educator
    • 1965 – Brandt Jobe, American golfer
    • 1965 – Sam Mendes, English director and producer
    • 1966 – James St. James, American club promoter and author
    • 1967 – Gregg Jefferies, American baseball player and coach
    • 1967 – José Padilha, Brazilian director, producer and screenwriter
    • 1968 – Stacey Augmon, American basketball player and coach
    • 1968 – Dan Donegan, American heavy metal guitarist and songwriter
    • 1968 – Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Japanese baseball player and sportscaster
    • 1969 – Andrei Borissov, Estonian footballer and manager
    • 1969 – Kevin Jarvis, American baseball player and scout
    • 1969 – Graham Thorpe, English cricketer and journalist
    • 1970 – Quentin Coryatt, American football player
    • 1970 – David James, English footballer and manager
    • 1970 – Eugenie van Leeuwen, Dutch cricketer
    • 1972 – Nicke Andersson, Swedish singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1972 – Christer Basma, Norwegian footballer and coach
    • 1972 – Todd Bouman, American football player and coach
    • 1972 – Thomas Woods, American historian, economist, and academic
    • 1973 – Gregg Berhalter, American soccer player and coach
    • 1973 – Veerle Dejaeghere, Belgian runner
    • 1973 – Edurne Pasaban, Spanish mountaineer
    • 1974 – Cher Calvin, American journalist
    • 1974 – Marek Galiński, Polish cyclist (d. 2014)
    • 1974 – Tyron Henderson, South African cricketer
    • 1974 – Dennis Lawrence, Trinidadian footballer and coach
    • 1974 – Beckie Scott, Canadian skier
    • 1975 – Vhrsti, Czech author and illustrator
    • 1976 – Don Hertzfeldt, American animator, producer, screenwriter, and voice actor
    • 1976 – Søren Jochumsen, Danish footballer
    • 1976 – Nwankwo Kanu, Nigerian footballer
    • 1976 – David Nemirovsky, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1976 – Hasan Şaş, Turkish footballer and manager
    • 1976 – Cristian Stoica, Romanian-Italian rugby player
    • 1977 – Marc Denis, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
    • 1977 – Haspop, French-Moroccan dancer, choreographer, and actor
    • 1977 – Darnerien McCants, American-Canadian football player
    • 1977 – Damien Saez, French singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1977 – Yoshi Tatsu, Japanese wrestler and boxer
    • 1978 – Andy Blignaut, Zimbabwean cricketer
    • 1978 – Björn Ferry, Swedish biathlete
    • 1978 – Dhani Harrison, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1978 – Chris Iwelumo, Scottish footballer
    • 1978 – Edgerrin James, American football player
    • 1979 – Junior Agogo, Ghanaian footballer
    • 1979 – Nathan Fien, Australian-New Zealand rugby league player
    • 1979 – Jason Momoa, American actor, director, and producer
    • 1980 – Mancini, Brazilian footballer
    • 1980 – Romain Barras, French decathlete
    • 1980 – Esteban Paredes, Chilean footballer
    • 1981 – Dean Cox, Australian footballer
    • 1981 – Pia Haraldsen, Norwegian journalist and author
    • 1981 – Christofer Heimeroth, German footballer
    • 1981 – Stephen Hunt, Irish footballer
    • 1981 – Jamie Jones-Buchanan, English rugby player
    • 1982 – Basem Fathi, Jordanian footballer
    • 1982 – Montserrat Lombard, English actress, director, and screenwriter
    • 1983 – Bobby Carpenter, American football player
    • 1983 – Craig Clarke, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1983 – Julien Faubert, French footballer
    • 1983 – David Gervasi, Swiss decathlete
    • 1984 – Steve Feak, American game designer
    • 1984 – Francesco Gavazzi, Italian cyclist
    • 1984 – Brandon Kintzler, American baseball player
    • 1984 – Bastian Schweinsteiger, German footballer
    • 1985 – Stuart Holden, Scottish-American soccer player
    • 1985 – Adam Jones, American baseball player
    • 1985 – Cole Kimball, American baseball player
    • 1985 – Tendai Mtawarira, South African rugby player
    • 1985 – Kris Stadsgaard, Danish footballer
    • 1985 – Dušan Švento, Slovak footballer
    • 1986 – Damien Allen, English footballer
    • 1986 – Anton Strålman, Swedish ice hockey player
    • 1986 – Andrew Taylor, English footballer
    • 1986 – Elena Vesnina, Russian tennis player
    • 1986 – Mike Wallace, American football player
    • 1987 – Iago Aspas, Spanish footballer
    • 1987 – Karen Carney, English women’s football winger
    • 1987 – Sébastien Pocognoli, Belgian footballer
    • 1987 – Lee Wallace, Scottish footballer
    • 1988 – Mustafa Abdellaoue, Norwegian footballer
    • 1988 – Patryk Małecki, Polish footballer
    • 1988 – Bodene Thompson, New Zealand rugby league player
    • 1989 – Madison Bumgarner, American baseball player
    • 1989 – Tiffany Hwang, Korean American singer, songwriter, and actress
    • 1990 – Aledmys Díaz, Cuban baseball player
    • 1990 – Jean Hugues Gregoire, Mauritian swimmer
    • 1990 – Elton Jantjies, South African rugby player
    • 1991 – Piotr Malarczyk, Polish footballer
    • 1991 – Marco Puntoriere, Italian footballer
    • 1992 – Austin Rivers, American basketball player
    • 1992 – Mrunal Thakur, Indian actress
    • 1993 – Álex Abrines, Spanish basketball player
    • 1993 – Leon Thomas III, American actor and singer
    • 1994 – Sergeal Petersen, South African rugby player
    • 1994 – Ayaka Wada, Japanese singer
    • 1996 – Katie Boulter, English tennis player
    • 2001 – Park Si-eun, South Korean actress

    Deaths on August 1

    • 30 BC – Mark Antony, Roman general and politician (b. 83 BC)
    • 371 – Eusebius of Vercelli, Italian bishop and saint (b. 283)
    • 527 – Justin I, Byzantine emperor (b. 450)
    • 873 – Thachulf, duke of Thuringia
    • 946 – Ali ibn Isa al-Jarrah, Abbasid vizier (b. 859)
    • 946 – Lady Xu Xinyue, Chinese queen (b. 902)
    • 953 – Yingtian, Chinese Khitan empress (b. 879)
    • 984 – Æthelwold, bishop of Winchester
    • 1098 – Adhemar of Le Puy, French papal legate
    • 1137 – Louis VI, king of France (b. 1081)
    • 1146 – Vsevolod II of Kiev, Russian prince
    • 1227 – Shimazu Tadahisa, Japanese warlord (b. 1179)
    • 1252 – Giovanni da Pian del Carpine, Italian archbishop and explorer (b. 1180)
    • 1299 – Conrad de Lichtenberg, Bishop of Strasbourg (b. 1240)
    • 1402 – Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, English politician, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (b. 1341)
    • 1457 – Lorenzo Valla, Italian author and educator (b. 1406)
    • 1464 – Cosimo de’ Medici, Italian ruler (b. 1386)
    • 1494 – Giovanni Santi, artist and father of Raphael (b. c. 1435)
    • 1541 – Simon Grynaeus, German theologian and scholar (b. 1493)
    • 1543 – Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg (b. 1488)
    • 1546 – Peter Faber, French Jesuit theologian (b. 1506)
    • 1557 – Olaus Magnus, Swedish archbishop, historian, and cartographer (b. 1490)
    • 1580 – Albrecht Giese, Polish-German politician and diplomat (b. 1524)
    • 1589 – Jacques Clément, French assassin of Henry III of France (b. 1567)
    • 1603 – Matthew Browne, English politician (b. 1563)
    • 1714 – Anne, Queen of Great Britain (b. 1665)
    • 1787 – Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori, Italian bishop and saint (b. 1696)
    • 1795 – Clas Bjerkander, Swedish meteorologist, botanist, and entomologist (b. 1735)
    • 1796 – Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet, English colonel and politician (b. 1720)
    • 1798 – François-Paul Brueys d’Aigalliers, French admiral (b. 1753)
    • 1807 – John Boorman, English cricketer (b. c. 1754)
    • 1807 – John Walker, English actor, philologist, and lexicographer (b. 1732)
    • 1808 – Lady Diana Beauclerk, English painter and illustrator (b. 1734)
    • 1812 – Yakov Kulnev, Russian general (b. 1763)
    • 1851 – William Joseph Behr, German publicist and academic (b. 1775)
    • 1863 – Jind Kaur Majarani (Regent) of the Sikh Empire (b. 1817)
    • 1866 – John Ross, American tribal chief (b. 1790)
    • 1869 – Peter Julian Eymard, French Priest and Founder Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (b. 1811)
    • 1869 – Richard Dry, Australian politician, 7th Premier of Tasmania (b. 1815)
    • 1903 – Calamity Jane, American frontierswoman and scout (b. 1853)
    • 1911 – Edwin Austin Abbey, American painter and illustrator (b. 1852)
    • 1911 – Samuel Arza Davenport, American lawyer and politician (b. 1843)
    • 1918 – John Riley Banister, American cowboy and police officer (b. 1854)
    • 1920 – Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Indian lawyer and journalist (b. 1856)
    • 1921 – T.J. Ryan, Australian politician, 19th Premier of Queensland (b. 1876)
    • 1922 – Donát Bánki, Hungarian engineer (b. 1856)
    • 1929 – Syd Gregory, Australian cricketer (b. 1870)
    • 1938 – Edmund C. Tarbell, American painter and academic (b. 1862)
    • 1943 – Lydia Litvyak, Russian lieutenant and pilot (b. 1921)
    • 1944 – Manuel L. Quezon, Filipino soldier, lawyer, and politician, 2nd President of the Philippines (b. 1878)
    • 1959 – Jean Behra, French race car driver (b. 1921)
    • 1963 – Theodore Roethke, American poet (b. 1908)
    • 1966 – Charles Whitman, American murderer (b. 1941)
    • 1967 – Richard Kuhn, Austrian-German biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1900)
    • 1970 – Frances Farmer, American actress (b. 1913)
    • 1970 – Doris Fleeson, American journalist (b. 1901)
    • 1970 – Otto Heinrich Warburg, German physician and physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1883)
    • 1973 – Gian Francesco Malipiero, Italian composer and educator (b. 1882)
    • 1973 – Walter Ulbricht, German soldier and politician (b. 1893)
    • 1974 – Ildebrando Antoniutti, Italian cardinal (b. 1898)
    • 1977 – Francis Gary Powers, American captain and pilot (b. 1929)
    • 1980 – Patrick Depailler, French race car driver (b. 1944)
    • 1980 – Strother Martin, American actor (b. 1919)
    • 1981 – Paddy Chayefsky, American author, playwright, and screenwriter (b. 1923)
    • 1982 – T. Thirunavukarasu, Sri Lankan lawyer and politician (b. 1933)
    • 1989 – John Ogdon, English pianist and composer (b. 1937)
    • 1990 – Norbert Elias, German-Dutch sociologist, author, and academic (b. 1897)
    • 1996 – Tadeusz Reichstein, Polish-Swiss chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1897)
    • 1996 – Lucille Teasdale-Corti, Canadian physician and surgeon (b. 1929)
    • 1998 – Eva Bartok, Hungarian-British actress (b. 1927)
    • 2001 – Korey Stringer, American football player (b. 1974)
    • 2003 – Guy Thys, Belgian footballer, coach, and manager (b. 1922)
    • 2003 – Marie Trintignant, French actress and screenwriter (b. 1962)
    • 2004 – Philip Abelson, American physicist and author (b. 1913)
    • 2005 – Al Aronowitz, American journalist (b. 1928)
    • 2005 – Wim Boost, Dutch cartoonist and educator (b. 1918)
    • 2005 – Constant Nieuwenhuys, Dutch painter and sculptor (b. 1920)
    • 2005 – Fahd of Saudi Arabia (b. 1923)
    • 2006 – Bob Thaves, American illustrator (b. 1924)
    • 2006 – Iris Marion Young, American political scientist and activist (b. 1949)
    • 2007 – Tommy Makem, Irish singer-songwriter and banjo player (b. 1932)
    • 2008 – Gertan Klauber, Czech-English actor (b. 1932)
    • 2008 – Harkishan Singh Surjeet, Indian lawyer and politician (b. 1916)
    • 2009 – Corazon Aquino, Filipino politician, 11th President of the Philippines (b. 1933)
    • 2010 – Lolita Lebrón, Puerto Rican-American activist (b. 1919)
    • 2010 – Eric Tindill, New Zealand rugby player and cricketer (b. 1910)
    • 2012 – Aldo Maldera, Italian footballer and agent (b. 1953)
    • 2012 – Douglas Townsend, American composer and musicologist (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – Barry Trapnell, English cricketer and academic (b. 1924)
    • 2013 – John Amis, English journalist and critic (b. 1922)
    • 2013 – Gail Kobe, American actress and producer (b. 1932)
    • 2013 – Babe Martin, American baseball player (b. 1920)
    • 2013 – Toby Saks, American cellist and educator (b. 1942)
    • 2013 – Wilford White, American football player (b. 1928)
    • 2014 – Valyantsin Byalkevich, Belarusian footballer and manager (b. 1973)
    • 2014 – Jan Roar Leikvoll, Norwegian author (b. 1974)
    • 2014 – Charles T. Payne, American soldier (b. 1925)
    • 2014 – Mike Smith, English radio and television host (b. 1955)
    • 2015 – Stephan Beckenbauer, German footballer and manager (b. 1968)
    • 2015 – Cilla Black, English singer and actress (b. 1943)
    • 2015 – Bernard d’Espagnat, French physicist, philosopher, and author (b. 1921)
    • 2015 – Bob Frankford, English-Canadian physician and politician (b. 1939)
    • 2015 – Hong Yuanshuo, Chinese footballer and manager (b. 1948)
    • 2016 – Queen Anne of Romania (b. 1923)

    Holidays and observances on August 1

    • Armed Forces Day (Lebanon)
    • Armed Forces Day (China) or Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Liberation Army (People’s Republic of China)
    • Azerbaijani Language and Alphabet Day (Azerbaijan)
    • Celebration of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 which ended the slavery in the British Empire, generally celebrated as a part of Carnival, as the Caribbean Carnival takes place at this time (British West Indies):
      • Earliest day on which Caribana celebration can fall, celebrated on the first Weekend of August. (Toronto)
      • Earliest day on which Emancipation Day can fall, celebrated on the first Monday of August. (Anguilla, the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands)
      • Emancipation Day (Barbados, Bermuda, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Abgar V of Edessa (Syrian Church)
      • Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori
      • Æthelwold of Winchester
      • Bernard Võ Văn Duệ (one of Vietnamese Martyrs)
      • Blessed Gerhard Hirschfelder
      • Eusebius of Vercelli
      • Exuperius of Bayeux
      • Felix of Girona
      • Peter Apostle in Chains
      • Procession of the Cross and the beginning of Dormition Fast (Eastern Orthodoxy)
      • The Holy Maccabees
      • August 1 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Earliest day on which August Bank Holiday (Ireland) can fall, while August 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday of August.
    • Earliest day on which Civic Holiday can fall, while August 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday of August. (Canada)
    • Earliest day on which Commerce Day, or Frídagur verslunarmanna, can fall, while August 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday of August. (Iceland)
    • Earliest day on which Constitution Day (Cook Islands) can fall, while August 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday of August.
    • Earliest day on which Farmers’ Day can fall, while August 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday of August. (Zambia)
    • Earliest day on which International Beer Day can fall, while August 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Friday of August.
    • Earliest day on which Friendship Day can fall, while August 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Sunday of August. (United States)
    • Earliest day on which Kadooment Day can fall, while August 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday of August (Barbados)
    • Earliest day on which Labor Day (Samoa) can fall, while August 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday of August (Samoa)
    • Minden Day (United Kingdom)
    • National Day, celebrates the independence of Benin from France in 1960.
    • National Day, commemorates Switzerland becoming a single unit in 1291.
    • Official Birthday and Coronation Day of the King of Tonga (Tonga)
    • Parents’ Day (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
    • Statehood Day (Colorado)
    • Swiss National Day (Switzerland)
    • The beginning of autumn observances in the Northern hemisphere and spring observances in the Southern hemisphere (Neopagan Wheel of the Year):
      • Lughnasadh in the Northern hemisphere, Imbolc in the Southern hemisphere; traditionally begins on the eve of August 1. (Gaels, Ireland, Scotland, Neopagans)
      • Lammas (England, Scotland, Neopagans)
      • Pachamama Raymi (Quechuan in Ecuador and Peru)
    • The first day of Carnaval del Pueblo (Burgess Park, London, England)
    • Victory Day (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam)
    • World Scout Scarf Day
    • Yorkshire Day (Yorkshire, England)

  • April 8 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 217 – Roman Emperor Caracalla is assassinated. He is succeeded by his Praetorian Guard prefect, Marcus Opellius Macrinus.
    • 632 – King Charibert II is assassinated at Blaye (Gironde), along with his infant son Chilperic.
    • 876 – The Battle of Dayr al-‘Aqul saves Baghdad from the Saffarids.
    • 1093 – The new Winchester Cathedral is dedicated by Walkelin.
    • 1139 – Roger II of Sicily is excommunicated.
    • 1149 – Pope Eugene III takes refuge in the castle of Ptolemy II of Tusculum.
    • 1232 – Mongol–Jin War: The Mongols begin their siege on Kaifeng, the capital of the Jin dynasty.
    • 1271 – In Syria, sultan Baibars conquers the Krak des Chevaliers.
    • 1665 – English colonial patents are granted for the establishment of the Monmouth Tract, for what would eventually become Monmouth County in northeastern New Jersey.
    • 1730 – Shearith Israel, the first synagogue in New York City, is dedicated.
    • 1740 – War of Jenkins’ Ear: Three British ships capture the Spanish third-rate Princesa, taken into service as HMS Princess.
    • 1808 – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Baltimore is promoted to an archdiocese, with the founding of the dioceses of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Bardstown (now Louisville) by Pope Pius VII.
    • 1820 – The Venus de Milo is discovered on the Aegean island of Milos.
    • 1832 – Black Hawk War: Around three-hundred United States 6th Infantry troops leave St. Louis, Missouri to fight the Sauk Native Americans.
    • 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Mansfield: Union forces are thwarted by the Confederate army at Mansfield, Louisiana.
    • 1866 – Italy and Prussia ally against the Austrian Empire.
    • 1886 – William Ewart Gladstone introduces the first Irish Home Rule Bill into the British House of Commons.
    • 1895 – In Pollock v. Farmers’ Loan & Trust Co. the Supreme Court of the United States declares unapportioned income tax to be unconstitutional.
    • 1904 – The French Third Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland sign the Entente cordiale.
    • 1904 – Longacre Square in Midtown Manhattan is renamed Times Square after The New York Times.
    • 1906 – Auguste Deter, the first person to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, dies.
    • 1908 – H. H. Asquith of the Liberal Party takes office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, succeeding Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman.
    • 1908 – Harvard University votes to establish the Harvard Business School.
    • 1911 – Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovers superconductivity.
    • 1913 – The 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution, requiring direct election of Senators, becomes law.
    • 1916 – In Corona, California, race car driver Bob Burman crashes, killing three (including himself), and badly injuring five spectators.
    • 1918 – World War I: Actors Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin sell war bonds on the streets of New York City’s financial district.
    • 1924 – Sharia courts are abolished in Turkey, as part of Atatürk’s Reforms.
    • 1929 – Indian independence movement: At the Delhi Central Assembly, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt throw handouts and bombs to court arrest.
    • 1935 – The Works Progress Administration is formed when the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 becomes law.
    • 1942 – World War II: Siege of Leningrad: Soviet forces open a much-needed railway link to Leningrad.
    • 1942 – World War II: The Japanese take Bataan in the Philippines.
    • 1943 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in an attempt to check inflation, freezes wages and prices, prohibits workers from changing jobs unless the war effort would be aided thereby, and bars rate increases by common carriers and public utilities.
    • 1943 – Otto and Elise Hampel are executed in Berlin for their anti-Nazi activities.
    • 1945 – World War II: After an air raid accidentally destroys a train carrying about 4,000 Nazi concentration camp internees in Prussian Hanover, the survivors are massacred by Nazis.
    • 1946 – Électricité de France, the world’s largest utility company, is formed as a result of the nationalisation of a number of electricity producers, transporters and distributors.
    • 1950 – India and Pakistan sign the Liaquat–Nehru Pact.
    • 1952 – U.S. President Harry Truman calls for the seizure of all domestic steel mills in an attempt to prevent the 1952 steel strike.
    • 1953 – Mau Mau leader Jomo Kenyatta is convicted by British Kenya’s rulers.
    • 1954 – A Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair Harvard collides with a Trans-Canada Airlines Canadair North Star over Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, killing 37 people.
    • 1954 – South African Airways Flight 201 A de Havilland DH.106 Comet 1 crashes into the sea during night killing 21 people.
    • 1959 – A team of computer manufacturers, users, and university people led by Grace Hopper meets to discuss the creation of a new programming language that would be called COBOL.
    • 1959 – The Organization of American States drafts an agreement to create the Inter-American Development Bank.
    • 1960 – The Netherlands and West Germany sign an agreement to negotiate the return of German land annexed by the Dutch in return for 280 million German marks as Wiedergutmachung.
    • 1961 – A large explosion on board the MV Dara in the Persian Gulf kills 238.
    • 1964 – The Gemini 1 test flight is conducted.
    • 1968 – BOAC Flight 712 catches fire shortly after takeoff. As a result of her actions in the accident, Barbara Jane Harrison is awarded a posthumous George Cross, the only GC awarded to a woman in peacetime.
    • 1970 – Bahr El-Baqar primary school bombing: Israeli bombers strike an Egyptian school. Forty-six children are killed.
    • 1974 – At Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, Hank Aaron hits his 715th career home run to surpass Babe Ruth’s 39-year-old record.
    • 1975 – Frank Robinson manages the Cleveland Indians in his first game as major league baseball’s first African American manager.
    • 1987 – Los Angeles Dodgers executive Al Campanis resigns amid controversy over racially charged remarks he had made while on Nightline.
    • 1992 – Retired tennis great Arthur Ashe announces that he has AIDS, acquired from blood transfusions during one of his two heart surgeries.
    • 1993 – The Republic of North Macedonia joins the United Nations.
    • 1999 – Haryana Gana Parishad, a political party in the Indian state of Haryana, merges with the Indian National Congress.
    • 2004 – War in Darfur: The Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement is signed by the Sudanese government and two rebel groups.
    • 2006 – Shedden massacre: The bodies of eight men, all shot to death, are found in a field in Shedden, Elgin County, Ontario. The murders are soon linked to the Bandidos Motorcycle Club.
    • 2008 – The construction of the world’s first skyscraper to integrate wind turbines is completed in Bahrain.
    • 2013 – The Islamic State of Iraq enters the Syrian Civil War and begins by declaring a merger with the Al-Nusra Front under the name Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham.

    Births on April 8

    • 1320 – Peter I of Portugal (d. 1367)
    • 1408 – Jadwiga of Lithuania, Polish princess (d. 1431)
    • 1435 – John Clifford, 9th Baron de Clifford, English noble (d. 1461)
    • 1533 – Claudio Merulo, Italian organist and composer (d. 1604)
    • 1536 – Barbara of Hesse (d. 1597)
    • 1541 – Michele Mercati, Italian physician and archaeologist (d. 1593)
    • 1580 – William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, English noble, courtier and patron of the arts (d. 1630)
    • 1596 – Juan van der Hamen, Spanish artist (d. 1631)
    • 1605 – Philip IV of Spain (d. 1665)
    • 1605 – Mary Stuart, English-Scottish princess (d. 1607)
    • 1641 – Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney, English general and politician, Secretary of State for the Northern Department (d. 1704)
    • 1692 – Giuseppe Tartini, Italian violinist and composer (d. 1770)
    • 1726 – Lewis Morris, American judge and politician (d. 1798)
    • 1732 – David Rittenhouse, American astronomer and mathematician (d. 1796)
    • 1761 – William Joseph Chaminade, French priest, founded the Society of Mary (d. 1850)
    • 1770 – John Thomas Campbell, Irish-Australian banker and politician (d. 1830)
    • 1798 – Dionysios Solomos, Greek poet and author (d. 1857)
    • 1818 – Christian IX of Denmark (d. 1906)
    • 1818 – August Wilhelm von Hofmann, German chemist and academic (d. 1892)
    • 1826 – Pancha Carrasco, Costa Rican soldier (d. 1890)
    • 1827 – Ramón Emeterio Betances, Puerto Rican ophthalmologist, journalist, and politician (d. 1898)
    • 1842 – Elizabeth Bacon Custer, American author and educator (d. 1933)
    • 1859 – Edmund Husserl, German Jewish-Austrian mathematician and philosopher (d. 1938)
    • 1864 – Carlos Deltour, French rower and rugby player (d. 1920)
    • 1867 – Allen Butler Talcott, American painter and educator (d. 1908)
    • 1869 – Harvey Cushing, American surgeon and academic (d. 1939)
    • 1871 – Clarence Hudson White, American photographer and educator (d. 1925)
    • 1874 – Manuel Díaz, Cuban fencer (d. 1929)
    • 1874 – Stanisław Taczak, Polish general (d. 1960)
    • 1875 – Albert I of Belgium (d. 1934)
    • 1882 (O.S. 27 March) – Dmytro Doroshenko, Lithuanian-Ukrainian historian and politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Prime Minister of Ukraine (d. 1951)
    • 1883 – R. P. Keigwin, English cricketer and academic (d. 1972)
    • 1883 – Julius Seljamaa, Estonian journalist and politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia (d. 1936)
    • 1885 – Dimitrios Levidis, Greek-French soldier, composer, and educator (d. 1951)
    • 1886 – Margaret Ayer Barnes, American author and playwright (d. 1967)
    • 1888 – Dennis Chávez, American journalist and politician (d. 1962)
    • 1889 – Adrian Boult, English conductor (d. 1983)
    • 1892 – Richard Neutra, Austrian-American architect, designed the Los Angeles County Hall of Records (d. 1970)
    • 1892 – Mary Pickford, Canadian-American actress, producer, and screenwriter, co-founded United Artists (d. 1979)
    • 1896 – Yip Harburg, American composer (d. 1981)
    • 1900 – Marie Byles, Australian solicitor (d. 1979)
    • 1902 – Andrew Irvine, English mountaineer and explorer (d. 1924)
    • 1902 – Maria Maksakova Sr., Russian soprano (d. 1974)
    • 1904 – John Hicks, English economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1989)
    • 1904 – Hirsch Jacobs, American horse trainer (d. 1970)
    • 1905 – Joachim Büchner, German sprinter and graphic designer (d. 1978)
    • 1905 – Helen Joseph, English-South African activist (d. 1992)
    • 1905 – Erwin Keller, German field hockey player (d. 1971)
    • 1906 – Raoul Jobin, Canadian tenor and educator (d. 1974)
    • 1908 – Hugo Fregonese, Argentinian director and screenwriter (d. 1987)
    • 1909 – John Fante, American author and screenwriter (d. 1983)
    • 1910 – George Musso, American football player and police officer (d. 2000)
    • 1911 – Melvin Calvin, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1997)
    • 1911 – Emil Cioran, Romanian-French philosopher and academic (d. 1995)
    • 1912 – Alois Brunner, Austrian-German SS officer (d. 2001 or 2010)
    • 1912 – Sonja Henie, Norwegian-American figure skater and actress (d. 1969)
    • 1914 – María Félix, Yaqui/Basque-Mexican actress (d. 2002)
    • 1915 – Ivan Supek, Croatian physicist, philosopher and writer (d. 2007)
    • 1917 – Winifred Asprey, American mathematician and computer scientist (d. 2007)
    • 1917 – Lloyd Bott, Australian public servant (d. 2004)
    • 1917 – Hubertus Ernst, Dutch bishop (d. 2017)
    • 1917 – Grigori Kuzmin, Russian-Estonian astronomer (d. 1988)
    • 1918 – Betty Ford, American wife of Gerald Ford, 40th First Lady of the United States (d. 2011)
    • 1918 – Glendon Swarthout, American author and academic (d. 1992)
    • 1919 – Ian Smith, Zimbabwean lieutenant and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Rhodesia (d. 2007)
    • 1921 – Franco Corelli, Italian tenor and actor (d. 2003)
    • 1921 – Jan Novák, Czech composer (d. 1984)
    • 1921 – Herman van Raalte, Dutch footballer (d. 2013)
    • 1922 – Carmen McRae, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress (d. 1994)
    • 1923 – George Fisher, American cartoonist (d. 2003)
    • 1923 – Edward Mulhare, Irish-American actor (d. 1997)
    • 1924 – Frédéric Back, German-Canadian animator, director, and screenwriter (d. 2013)
    • 1924 – Anthony Farrar-Hockley, English general and historian (d. 2006)
    • 1924 – Kumar Gandharva, Hindustani classical singer (d. 1992)
    • 1924 – Sara Northrup Hollister, American occultist (d. 1997)
    • 1926 – Henry N. Cobb, American architect and academic, co-founded Pei Cobb Freed & Partners (d. 2020)
    • 1926 – Shecky Greene, American actor
    • 1926 – Jürgen Moltmann, German theologian and academic
    • 1927 – Tilly Armstrong, English author (d. 2010)
    • 1927 – Ollie Mitchell, American trumpet player and bandleader (d. 2013)
    • 1928 – Fred Ebb, American lyricist (d. 2004)
    • 1929 – Jacques Brel, Belgian singer-songwriter and actor (d. 1978)
    • 1929 – Renzo De Felice, Italian historian and author (d. 1996)
    • 1930 – Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma (d. 2010)
    • 1931 – John Gavin, American actor and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Mexico (d. 2018)
    • 1932 – Iskandar of Johor (d. 2010)
    • 1933 – James Lockhart, American scholar of colonial Latin America, especially Nahua peoples (d. 2014)
    • 1934 – Kisho Kurokawa, Japanese architect, designed the Nakagin Capsule Tower and Singapore Flyer (d. 2007)
    • 1935 – Oscar Zeta Acosta, American lawyer and politician (d. 1974)
    • 1935 – Albert Bustamante, American soldier, educator, and politician
    • 1937 – Tony Barton, English footballer, outside right and manager (d. 1993)
    • 1937 – Seymour Hersh, American journalist and author
    • 1937 – Momo Kapor, Serbian author and painter (d. 2010)
    • 1938 – Kofi Annan, Ghanaian economist and diplomat, 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations (d. 2018)
    • 1938 – John Hamm, Canadian physician and politician, 25th Premier of Nova Scotia
    • 1938 – Mary W. Gray, American mathematician, statistician, and lawyer
    • 1939 – John Arbuthnott, Scottish microbiologist and academic
    • 1939 – Trina Schart Hyman, American author and illustrator (d. 2004)
    • 1940 – John Havlicek, American basketball player (d. 2019)
    • 1941 – J. J. Jackson, American soul/R&B singer, songwriter, and arranger
    • 1941 – Vivienne Westwood, English fashion designer
    • 1942 – Tony Banks, Baron Stratford, Northern Irish politician, Minister for Sport and the Olympics (d. 2006)
    • 1942 – Roger Chapman, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1942 – Douglas Trumbull, American director, producer, and special effects artist
    • 1943 – Michael Bennett, American dancer, choreographer, and director (d. 1987)
    • 1943 – Miller Farr, American football player
    • 1943 – James Herbert, English author and illustrator (d. 2013)
    • 1943 – Chris Orr, English painter and illustrator
    • 1944 – Hywel Bennett, Welsh actor (d. 2017)
    • 1944 – Odd Nerdrum, Swedish-Norwegian painter and illustrator
    • 1945 – Derrick Walker, Scottish businessman
    • 1945 – Jang Yong, South Korean actor
    • 1946 – Catfish Hunter, American baseball player (d. 1999)
    • 1946 – Tim Thomerson, American actor and producer
    • 1947 – Tom DeLay, American lawyer and politician
    • 1947 – Steve Howe, English guitarist, songwriter, and producer
    • 1947 – Robert Kiyosaki, American businessman, co-founded Cashflow Technologies
    • 1947 – Pascal Lamy, French businessman and politician, European Commissioner for Trade
    • 1947 – Larry Norman, American singer-songwriter, and producer (d. 2008)
    • 1948 – Barbara Young, Baroness Young of Old Scone, Scottish academic and politician
    • 1949 – K. C. Kamalasabayson, Sri Lankan lawyer and politician, 39th Attorney General of Sri Lanka (d. 2007)
    • 1949 – John Madden, English director and producer
    • 1949 – Brenda Russell, African-American-Canadian singer-songwriter and keyboard player
    • 1949 – John Scott, English sociologist and academic
    • 1950 – Grzegorz Lato, Polish footballer and coach
    • 1951 – Gerd Andres, German politician
    • 1951 – Geir Haarde, Icelandic economist, journalist, and politician, 23rd Prime Minister of Iceland
    • 1951 – Mel Schacher, American bass player
    • 1951 – Joan Sebastian, Mexican singer-songwriter and actor (d. 2015)
    • 1952 – Ahmet Piriştina, Turkish politician (d. 2004)
    • 1954 – Gary Carter, American baseball player and coach (d. 2012)
    • 1954 – Princess Lalla Amina of Morocco (d. 2012)
    • 1954 – G.V. Loganathan, Indian-American engineer and academic (d. 2007)
    • 1955 – Ricky Bell, American football player (d. 1984)
    • 1955 – Gerrie Coetzee, South African boxer
    • 1955 – Ron Johnson, American businessman and politician
    • 1955 – Barbara Kingsolver, American novelist, essayist and poet
    • 1955 – David Wu, Taiwanese-American lawyer and politician
    • 1956 – Michael Benton, Scottish-English paleontologist and academic
    • 1956 – Christine Boisson, French actress
    • 1956 – Roman Dragoun, Czech singer-songwriter and keyboard player
    • 1956 – Jim Piddock, English actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1957 – Fred Smerlas, American football player and radio host
    • 1958 – Detlef Bruckhoff, German footballer
    • 1958 – Tom Petranoff, American javelin thrower and coach
    • 1959 – Alain Bondue, French cyclist
    • 1960 – John Schneider, American actor and country singer
    • 1961 – Richard Hatch, American reality contestant
    • 1961 – Brian McDermott, English footballer and manager
    • 1962 – Paddy Lowe, English engineer
    • 1962 – Izzy Stradlin, American guitarist and songwriter
    • 1963 – Tine Asmundsen, Norwegian bassist
    • 1963 – Julian Lennon, English singer-songwriter
    • 1963 – Terry Porter, American basketball player and coach
    • 1963 – Donita Sparks, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1963 – Alec Stewart, English cricketer
    • 1963 – Seth Tobias, American businessman (d. 2007)
    • 1964 – Biz Markie, American rapper, producer, and actor
    • 1964 – John McGinlay, Scottish footballer and manager
    • 1965 – Steven Blaney, Canadian businessman and politician, 5th Canadian Minister of Public Safety
    • 1965 – Michael Jones, New Zealand rugby player and coach
    • 1966 – Iveta Bartošová, Czech singer and actress (d. 2014)
    • 1966 – Mark Blundell, English race car driver
    • 1966 – Andy Currier, English rugby league player
    • 1966 – Charlotte Dawson, New Zealand-Australian television host (d. 2014)
    • 1966 – Dalton Grant, English high jumper
    • 1966 – Mazinho, Brazilian footballer, coach, and manager
    • 1966 – Harri Rovanperä, Finnish race car driver
    • 1966 – Evripidis Stylianidis, Greek lawyer and politician, Greek Minister for the Interior
    • 1966 – Robin Wright, American actress, director, producer
    • 1967 – Kenny Benjamin, Antiguan cricketer
    • 1968 – Patricia Arquette, French-Canadian Russian/Polish Jewish-American actress and director
    • 1968 – Patricia Girard, French runner and hurdler
    • 1968 – Tracy Grammer, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1971 – Darren Jessee, American singer-songwriter and drummer
    • 1972 – Paul Gray, American bass player and songwriter (d. 2010)
    • 1972 – Sergei Magnitsky, Russian lawyer and accountant (d. 2009)
    • 1973 – Khaled Badra, Tunisian footballer
    • 1973 – Emma Caulfield, American actress
    • 1974 – Toutai Kefu, Tongan-Australian rugby player
    • 1974 – Nnedi Okorafor, Nigerian-American author and educator
    • 1975 – Anouk, Dutch singer
    • 1975 – Francesco Flachi, Italian footballer
    • 1975 – Timo Pérez, Dominican-American baseball player
    • 1975 – Funda Arar, Turkish singer
    • 1977 – Ana de la Reguera, Mexican actress
    • 1977 – Mehran Ghassemi, Iranian journalist and author (d. 2008)
    • 1977 – Mark Spencer, American computer programmer and engineer
    • 1978 – Daigo, Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, and voice actor
    • 1978 – Bernt Haas, Austrian-Swiss footballer
    • 1978 – Rachel Roberts, Canadian model and actress
    • 1978 – Jocelyn Robichaud, Canadian tennis player and coach
    • 1978 – Evans Rutto, Kenyan runner
    • 1979 – Alexi Laiho, Finnish singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1979 – Amit Trivedi, Indian singer-songwriter
    • 1980 – Manuel Ortega, Austrian singer
    • 1980 – Katee Sackhoff, American actress
    • 1980 – Mariko Seyama, Japanese announcer, photographer, and model
    • 1981 – Frédérick Bousquet, French swimmer
    • 1981 – Ofer Shechter, Israeli model, actor, and screenwriter
    • 1982 – Gennady Golovkin, Kazakhstani boxer
    • 1982 – Brett White, Australian rugby league player
    • 1983 – Tatyana Petrova Arkhipova, Russian runner
    • 1984 – Michelle Donelan, British politician
    • 1984 – Ezra Koenig, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1984 – Pablo Portillo, Mexican singer and actor
    • 1984 – Taran Noah Smith, American actor
    • 1985 – Patrick Schliwa, German rugby player
    • 1985 – Yemane Tsegay, Ethiopian runner
    • 1986 – Igor Akinfeev, Russian footballer
    • 1986 – Félix Hernández, Venezuelan-American baseball player
    • 1987 – Royston Drenthe, Dutch footballer
    • 1987 – Jeremy Hellickson, American baseball player
    • 1987 – Sam Rapira, New Zealand rugby league player
    • 1988 – Jenni Asserholt, Swedish ice hockey player
    • 1988 – Kim Myung-sung, South Korean baseball player
    • 1990 – Kim Jong-hyun, South Korean singer (d. 2017)
    • 1993 – Viktor Arvidsson, Swedish ice hockey player
    • 1993 – Zac Santo, Australian rugby league player
    • 1994 – Josh Chudleigh, Australian rugby league player
    • 1995 – Cedi Osman, Turkish professional basketball player
    • 1997 – Saygrace, Australian singer and songwriter
    • 1997 – Arno Verschueren, Belgian professional football player

    Deaths on April 8

    • 217 – Caracalla, Roman emperor (b. 188)
    • 622 – Shōtoku, Japanese prince (b. 572)
    • 632 – Charibert II, Frankish king (b. 607)
    • 894 – Adalelm, Frankish nobleman
    • 944 – Wang Yanxi, Chinese emperor
    • 956 – Gilbert, Frankish nobleman
    • 967 – Mu’izz al-Dawla, Buyid emir (b. 915)
    • 1143 – John II Komnenos, Byzantine emperor (b. 1087)
    • 1150 – Gertrude of Babenberg , duchess of Bohemia (b. 1118)
    • 1321 – Thomas of Tolentino, Italian-Franciscan missionary (b. c. 1255)
    • 1338 – Stephen Gravesend, bishop of London
    • 1364 – John II, French king (b. 1319)
    • 1450 – Sejong the Great, Korean king (b. 1397)
    • 1461 – Georg von Peuerbach, German mathematician and astronomer (b. 1423)
    • 1492 – Lorenzo de’ Medici, Italian ruler (b. 1449)
    • 1551 – Oda Nobuhide, Japanese warlord (b. 1510)
    • 1586 – Martin Chemnitz, Lutheran theologian and reformer (b. 1522)
    • 1608 – Magdalen Dacre, English noble (b. 1538)
    • 1612 – Anne Catherine of Brandenburg (b. 1575)
    • 1691 – Carlo Rainaldi, Italian architect, designed the Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto (b. 1611)
    • 1697 – Niels Juel, Norwegian-Danish admiral (b. 1629)
    • 1704 – Hiob Ludolf, German orientalist and philologist (b. 1624)
    • 1704 – Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney, English colonel and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (b. 1641)
    • 1709 – Wolfgang Dietrich of Castell-Remlingen, German nobleman (b. 1641)
    • 1725 – John Wise, American minister (b. 1652)
    • 1735 – Francis II Rákóczi, Hungarian prince (b. 1676)
    • 1848 – Gaetano Donizetti, Italian composer (b. 1797)
    • 1860 – István Széchenyi, Hungarian statesman and reformer (b.1791)
    • 1861 – Elisha Otis, American businessman, founded the Otis Elevator Company (b. 1811)
    • 1870 – Charles Auguste de Bériot, Belgian violinist and composer (b. 1802)
    • 1894 – Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Indian journalist, author, and poet (b. 1838)
    • 1906 – Auguste Deter, German woman, first person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (b. 1850)
    • 1919 – Loránd Eötvös, Hungarian physicist, academic, and politician, Hungarian Minister of Education (b. 1848)
    • 1920 – Charles Griffes, American pianist and composer (b. 1884)
    • 1931 – Erik Axel Karlfeldt, Swedish poet Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1864)
    • 1936 – Róbert Bárány, Austrian physician and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1876)
    • 1936 – Božena Benešová, Czech poet and novelist (b. 1873)
    • 1941 – Marcel Prévost, French novelist and playwright (b. 1862)
    • 1942 – Kostas Skarvelis, Greek guitarist and composer (b. 1880)
    • 1947 – Olaf Frydenlund, Norwegian target shooter (b. 1862)
    • 1950 – Vaslav Nijinsky, Polish dancer and choreographer (b. 1890)
    • 1959 – Marios Makrionitis, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Athens (b. 1913)
    • 1961 – Joseph Carrodus, Australian public servant (b. 1885)
    • 1962 – Juan Belmonte, Spanish bullfighter (b. 1892)
    • 1965 – Lars Hanson, Swedish actor (b. 1886)
    • 1969 – Zinaida Aksentyeva, Ukrainian astronomer (b. 1900)
    • 1973 – Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter and sculptor (b. 1881)
    • 1974 – James Charles McGuigan, Canadian cardinal (b. 1894)
    • 1979 – Breece D’J Pancake, American short story writer (b. 1952)
    • 1981 – Omar Bradley, American general (b. 1893)
    • 1983 – Isamu Kosugi, Japanese actor and director (b. 1904)
    • 1984 – Pyotr Kapitsa, Russian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1894)
    • 1985 – John Frederick Coots, American pianist and composer (b. 1897)
    • 1990 – Ryan White, American activist, inspired the Ryan White Care Act (b. 1971)
    • 1991 – Per Ohlin, Swedish musician (b. 1969)
    • 1992 – Daniel Bovet, Swiss-Italian pharmacologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1907)
    • 1993 – Marian Anderson, American operatic singer (b. 1897)
    • 1994 – François Rozet, French-Canadian actor (b. 1899)
    • 1996 – Ben Johnson, American actor and stuntman (b. 1918)
    • 1996 – León Klimovsky, Argentinian-Spanish actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1906)
    • 1996 – Mick Young, Australian politician (b. 1936)
    • 1997 – Laura Nyro, American singer-songwriter and pianist (b. 1947)
    • 2000 – František Šťastný, Czech motorcycle racer (b. 1927)
    • 2000 – Claire Trevor, American actress (b. 1910)
    • 2002 – María Félix, Mexican actress (b. 1914)
    • 2002 – Harvey Quaytman, American painter (b. 1937)
    • 2004 – Werner Schumacher, German actor (b. 1921)
    • 2005 – Onna White, Canadian choreographer and dancer (b. 1922)
    • 2006 – Gerard Reve, Dutch author and poet (b. 1923)
    • 2007 – Sol LeWitt, American painter and sculptor (b. 1928)
    • 2008 – Kazuo Shiraga, Japanese painter (b. 1924)
    • 2009 – Richard de Mille, American Scientologist, author, investigative journalist, and psychologist (b. 1922)
    • 2009 – Piotr Morawski, Polish mountaineer (b. 1976)
    • 2010 – Malcolm McLaren, English singer-songwriter (b. 1946)
    • 2010 – Teddy Scholten, Dutch singer (b. 1926)
    • 2011 – Hedda Sterne, Romanian-American painter and photographer (b. 1910)
    • 2012 – Blair Kiel, American football player and coach (b. 1961)
    • 2012 – Jack Tramiel, Polish-American businessman, founded Commodore International (b. 1928)
    • 2012 – Janusz K. Zawodny, Polish-American soldier, historian, and political scientist (b. 1921)
    • 2013 – Mikhail Beketov, Russian journalist (b. 1958)
    • 2013 – Annette Funicello, American actress and singer (b. 1942)
    • 2013 – Sara Montiel, Spanish-Mexican actress and singer (b. 1928)
    • 2013 – José Luis Sampedro, Spanish economist and author (b. 1917)
    • 2013 – Margaret Thatcher, English lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1925)
    • 2014 – Emmanuel III Delly, Iraqi patriarch (b. 1927)
    • 2014 – Karlheinz Deschner, German author and activist (b. 1924)
    • 2014 – Ivan Mercep, New Zealand architect, designed the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum (b. 1930)
    • 2015 – Jayakanthan, Indian journalist and author (b. 1934)
    • 2015 – Rayson Huang, Hong Kong chemist and academic (b. 1920)
    • 2015 – Sergei Lashchenko, Ukrainian kick-boxer (b. 1987)
    • 2015 – David Laventhol, American journalist and publisher (b. 1933)
    • 2015 – Jean-Claude Turcotte, Canadian cardinal (b. 1936)

    Holidays and observances on April 8

    • Buddha’s Birthday, also known as Hana Matsuri, “Flower Festival” (Japan)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Anne Ayres (Episcopal Church (USA))
      • Constantina
      • Julie Billiart of Namur
      • Perpetuus
      • Walter of Pontoise
      • William Augustus Muhlenberg (Episcopal Church (USA))
      • April 8 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Earliest day on which Fast and Prayer Day can fall, while April 14 is the latest; celebrated on the second Friday in April (Liberia)
    • International Romani Day