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

    • 622 – The beginning of the Islamic calendar.
    • 997 – Battle of Spercheios: Bulgarian forces of Tsar Samuel are defeated by a Byzantine army under general Nikephoros Ouranos at the Spercheios River in Greece.
    • 1054 – Three Roman legates break relations between Western and Eastern Christian Churches through the act of placing an invalidly-issued Papal bull of Excommunication on the altar of Hagia Sophia during Saturday afternoon divine liturgy. Historians frequently describe the event as the start of the East–West Schism.
    • 1212 – Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa: After Pope Innocent III calls European knights to a crusade, forces of Kings Alfonso VIII of Castile, Sancho VII of Navarre, Peter II of Aragon and Afonso II of Portugal defeat those of the Berber Muslim leader Almohad, thus marking a significant turning point in the Reconquista and in the medieval history of Spain.
    • 1232 – The Spanish town of Arjona declares independence and names its native Muhammad ibn Yusuf as ruler. This marks Muhammad’s first rise to prominence; he would later establish the Nasrid Emirate of Granada, the last independent Muslim state in Spain.
    • 1251 – Celebrated by the Carmelite Order – but doubted by modern historians – as the day when Saint Simon Stock had a vision of the Virgin Mary
    • 1377 – King Richard II of England is crowned.
    • 1661 – The first banknotes in Europe are issued by the Swedish bank Stockholms Banco.
    • 1683 – Manchu Qing dynasty naval forces under traitorous commander Shi Lang defeat the Kingdom of Tungning in the Battle of Penghu near the Pescadores Islands.
    • 1769 – Father Junípero Serra founds California’s first mission, Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Over the following decades, it evolves into the city of San Diego, California.
    • 1779 – American Revolutionary War: Light infantry of the Continental Army seize a fortified British Army position in a midnight bayonet attack at the Battle of Stony Point.
    • 1790 – The District of Columbia is established as the capital of the United States after signature of the Residence Act.
    • 1809 – The city of La Paz, in what is today Bolivia, declares its independence from the Spanish Crown during the La Paz revolution and forms the Junta Tuitiva, the first independent government in Spanish America, led by Pedro Domingo Murillo.
    • 1849 – Antonio María Claret y Clará founds the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, popularly known as the Claretians in Vic, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
    • 1861 – American Civil War: At the order of President Abraham Lincoln, Union troops begin a 25-mile march into Virginia for what will become the First Battle of Bull Run, the first major land battle of the war.
    • 1862 – American Civil War: David Farragut is promoted to rear admiral, becoming the first officer in United States Navy to hold an admiral rank.
    • 1909 – Persian Constitutional Revolution: Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar is forced out as Shah of Persia and is replaced by his son Ahmad Shah Qajar.
    • 1910 – John Robertson Duigan makes the first flight of the Duigan pusher biplane, the first aircraft built in Australia.
    • 1915 – Henry James becomes a British citizen to highlight his commitment to Britain during the first World War.
    • 1915 – At Treasure Island on the Delaware River in the United States, the First Order of the Arrow ceremony takes place and the Order of the Arrow is founded to honor American Boy Scouts who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law.
    • 1927 – Augusto César Sandino leads a raid on U.S. Marines and Nicaraguan Guardia Nacional that had been sent to apprehend him in the village of Ocotal, but is repulsed by one of the first dive-bombing attacks in history.
    • 1931 – Emperor Haile Selassie signs the first constitution of Ethiopia.
    • 1935 – The world’s first parking meter is installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
    • 1941 – Joe DiMaggio hits safely for the 56th consecutive game, a streak that still stands as an MLB record.
    • 1942 – Holocaust: Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup (Rafle du Vel’ d’Hiv): The government of Vichy France orders the mass arrest of 13,152 Jews who are held at the Vélodrome d’Hiver in Paris before deportation to Auschwitz.
    • 1945 – World War II: The heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis leaves San Francisco with parts for the atomic bomb “Little Boy” bound for Tinian Island.
    • 1945 – Manhattan Project: The Atomic Age begins when the United States successfully detonates a plutonium-based test nuclear weapon near Alamogordo, New Mexico.
    • 1948 – Following token resistance, the city of Nazareth, revered by Christians as the hometown of Jesus, capitulates to Israeli troops during Operation Dekel in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
    • 1948 – The storming of the cockpit of the Miss Macao passenger seaplane, operated by a subsidiary of the Cathay Pacific Airways, marks the first aircraft hijacking of a commercial plane.
    • 1950 – Chaplain–Medic massacre: American POWs are massacred by North Korean Army.
    • 1951 – King Leopold III of Belgium abdicates in favor of his son, Baudouin I of Belgium.
    • 1956 – Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus closes its last “Big Tent” show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; due to changing economics, all subsequent circus shows will be held in arenas.
    • 1965 – The Mont Blanc Tunnel linking France and Italy opens.
    • 1965 – South Vietnamese Colonel Phạm Ngọc Thảo, a formerly undetected communist spy and double agent, is hunted down and killed by unknown individuals after being sentenced to death in absentia for a February 1965 coup attempt against Nguyễn Khánh.
    • 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 11, the first mission to land astronauts on the Moon, is launched from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Kennedy, Florida.
    • 1979 – Iraqi President Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr resigns and is replaced by Saddam Hussein.
    • 1983 – Sikorsky S-61 disaster: A helicopter crashes off the Isles of Scilly, causing 20 fatalities.
    • 1990 – The Luzon earthquake strikes the Philippines with an intensity of 7.7, affecting Benguet, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, La Union, Aurora, Bataan, Zambales and Tarlac.
    • 1990 – The Parliament of the Ukrainian SSR declares state sovereignty over the territory of the Ukrainian SSR.
    • 1999 – John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died when the Piper Saratoga PA-32R aircraft he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard.
    • 2004 – Millennium Park, considered Chicago’s first and most ambitious early 21st-century architectural project, is opened to the public by Mayor Richard M. Daley.
    • 2007 – An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 and 6.6 aftershock occurs off the Niigata coast of Japan killing eight people, injuring at least 800 and damaging a nuclear power plant.
    • 2013 – As many as 27 children die and 25 others are hospitalized after eating lunch served at their school in eastern India.
    • 2015 – Four U.S. Marines and one gunman die in a shooting spree targeting military installations in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
    • 2019 – 100 years old building in Mumbai, India, collapsed, killing at least 10 people and many remaining trapped.

    Births on July 16

    • 1194 – Clare of Assisi, an Italian nun and saint (d. 1253)
    • 1486 – Andrea del Sarto, Italian painter (d. 1530)
    • 1517 – Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk, English duchess (d. 1559)
    • 1529 – Petrus Peckius the Elder, Dutch jurist, writer on international maritime law (d. 1589)
    • 1611 – Cecilia Renata of Austria (d. 1644)
    • 1661 – Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville, Canadian captain, explorer, and politician (d. 1706)
    • 1714 – Marc René, marquis de Montalembert, French engineer and author (d. 1800)
    • 1722 – Joseph Wilton, English sculptor and academic (d. 1803)
    • 1723 – Joshua Reynolds, English painter and academic (d. 1792)
    • 1731 – Samuel Huntington, American jurist and politician, 18th Governor of Connecticut (d. 1796)
    • 1749 – Cyrus Griffin, American lawyer, judge, and politician, 16th President of the Continental Congress (d. 1810)
    • 1796 – Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, French painter and etcher (d. 1875)
    • 1821 – Mary Baker Eddy, American religious leader and author, founded Christian Science (d. 1910)
    • 1841 – Nikolai von Glehn, Estonian-German architect and activist (d. 1923)
    • 1858 – Eugène Ysaÿe, Belgian violinist, composer, and conductor (d. 1931)
    • 1862 – Ida B. Wells, American journalist and activist (d. 1931)
    • 1863 – Anderson Dawson, Australian politician, 14th Premier of Queensland (d. 1910)
    • 1870 – Lambert McKenna, Irish priest, lexicographer, and scholar (d. 1956)
    • 1871 – John Maxwell, American golfer (d. 1906)
    • 1872 – Roald Amundsen, Norwegian pilot and explorer (d. 1928)
    • 1872 – Frank Cooper, Australian politician, 25th Premier of Queensland (d. 1949)
    • 1880 – Kathleen Norris, American journalist and author (d. 1966)
    • 1882 – Violette Neatley Anderson, American judge (d. 1937)
    • 1883 – Charles Sheeler, American photographer and painter (d. 1965)
    • 1884 – Anna Vyrubova, Russian author (d. 1964)
    • 1887 – Shoeless Joe Jackson, American baseball player and manager (d. 1951)
    • 1888 – Percy Kilbride, American actor (d. 1964)
    • 1888 – Frits Zernike, Dutch physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1966)
    • 1889 – Arthur Bowie Chrisman, American author (d. 1953)
    • 1895 – Wilfrid Hamel, Canadian businessman and politician, 35th Mayor of Quebec City (d. 1968)
    • 1896 – Otmar Freiherr von Verschuer, German biologist and eugenicist (d. 1969)
    • 1896 – Trygve Lie, Norwegian trade union leader and politician, 1st Secretary-General of the United Nations (d. 1968)
    • 1902 – Alexander Luria, Russian psychologist and physician (d. 1977)
    • 1902 – Mary Philbin, American actress (d. 1993)
    • 1903 – Fritz Bauer, German lawyer and judge (d. 1968)
    • 1903 – Carmen Lombardo, Canadian singer-songwriter (d. 1971)
    • 1903 – Irmgard Flügge-Lotz, German mathematician and engineer (d. 1974)
    • 1904 – Goffredo Petrassi, Italian composer and conductor (d. 2003)
    • 1906 – Vincent Sherman, American actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2006)
    • 1907 – Frances Horwich, American educator and television host (d. 2001)
    • 1907 – Orville Redenbacher, American farmer and businessman, founded Orville Redenbacher’s (d. 1995)
    • 1907 – Barbara Stanwyck, American actress (d. 1990)
    • 1910 – Stan McCabe, Australian cricketer (d. 1968)
    • 1910 – Gordon Prange, American historian, author, and academic (d. 1980)
    • 1911 – Ginger Rogers, American actress, singer, and dancer (d. 1995)
    • 1911 – Sonny Tufts, American actor (d. 1970)
    • 1912 – Milt Bocek, American baseball player (d. 2007)
    • 1912 – Amy Patterson, Argentine composer, singer, poet, and teacher (d. 2019)
    • 1915 – Barnard Hughes, American actor (d. 2006)
    • 1915 – Elaine Barrie, American actress (d. 2003)
    • 1918 – Denis Edward Arnold, English soldier (d. 2015)
    • 1918 – Paul Farnes, famed World War II Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot and one of “The Few” surviving pilots of the Battle of Britain (d. 2020)
    • 1918 – Samuel Victor Perry, English biochemist and rugby player (d. 2009)
    • 1919 – Hermine Braunsteiner, Austrian SS officer (d. 1999)
    • 1919 – Choi Kyu-hah, South Korean politician, 4th President of South Korea (d. 2006)
    • 1920 – Anatole Broyard, American critic and editor (d. 1990)
    • 1923 – Chris Argyris, American psychologist, theorist, and academic (d. 2013)
    • 1923 – Bola Sete, Brazilian guitarist (d. 1987)
    • 1924 – James L. Greenfield, American journalist and politician
    • 1924 – Bess Myerson, American model, actress, game show panelist, and politician, Miss America 1945 (d. 2014)
    • 1924 – Rupert Deese, Northern Mariana Islander ceramic artist (d. 2010)
    • 1925 – Frank Jobe, American sergeant and surgeon (d. 2014)
    • 1925 – Rosita Quintana, Argentine actress
    • 1925 – Cal Tjader, American jazz musician (d. 1982)
    • 1926 – Ivica Horvat, Croatian footballer and manager (d. 2012)
    • 1926 – Irwin Rose, American biologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2015)
    • 1927 – Pierre F. Côté, Canadian lawyer and civil servant (d. 2013)
    • 1927 – Shirley Hughes, English author and illustrator
    • 1927 – Derek Hawksworth, English footballer
    • 1928 – Anita Brookner, English novelist and art historian (d. 2016)
    • 1928 – Bella Davidovich, Soviet-American pianist
    • 1928 – Robert Sheckley, American author and screenwriter (d. 2005)
    • 1928 – Jim Rathmann, American race car driver (d. 2011)
    • 1928 – Dave Treen, American lawyer and politician, 51st Governor of Louisiana (d. 2009)
    • 1928 – Andrzej Zawada, Polish mountaineer and author (d. 2000)
    • 1929 – Charles Ray Hatcher, American serial killer (d. 1984)
    • 1929 – Sheri S. Tepper, American author and poet (d. 2016)
    • 1929 – Gaby Tanguy, French swimmer
    • 1930 – Guy Béart, Egyptian-French singer-songwriter (d. 2015)
    • 1930 – Michael Bilirakis, American lawyer and politician
    • 1930 – Bert Rechichar, American football defensive back and kicker (d. 2019)
    • 1931 – Fergus Gordon Kerr, Scottish Roman Catholic priest of the English Dominican Province
    • 1931 – Norm Sherry, American former catcher, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball
    • 1932 – John Chilton, English trumpet player and composer (d. 2016)
    • 1932 – Max McGee, American football player and sportscaster (d. 2007)
    • 1932 – Dick Thornburgh, American lawyer and politician, 76th United States Attorney General
    • 1933 – Julian A. Brodsky, American businessman
    • 1934 – Tomás Eloy Martínez, Argentine journalist (d. 2010)
    • 1934 – Katherine D. Ortega, 38th Treasurer of the United States
    • 1934 – Donald M. Payne, American educator and politician (d. 2012)
    • 1935 – Carl Epting Mundy Jr., American general (d. 2014)
    • 1935 – Lynn Wyatt, American socialite and philanthropist
    • 1936 – Yasuo Fukuda, Japanese politician, 91st Prime Minister of Japan
    • 1936 – Buddy Merrill, American guitarist
    • 1936 – Jerry Norman, American sinologist and linguist (d. 2012)
    • 1936 – Venkataraman Subramanya, Indian-Australian cricketer
    • 1937 – Richard Bryan, American lawyer and politician, 25th Governor of Nevada
    • 1937 – John Daly, English director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2008)
    • 1938 – Cynthia Enloe, American author and academic
    • 1938 – Tony Jackson, English singer and bass player (d. 2003)
    • 1939 – William Bell, American singer-songwriter
    • 1939 – Lido Vieri, Italian football manager and football player
    • 1939 – Denise LaSalle, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2018)
    • 1939 – Ruth Perry, president of Liberia (d. 2017)
    • 1939 – Shringar Nagaraj, Indian actor and producer (d. 2013)
    • 1939 – Corin Redgrave, English actor and activist (d. 2010)
    • 1939 – Mariele Ventre, Italian singer and conductor (d. 1995)
    • 1941 – Desmond Dekker, Jamaican singer-songwriter (d. 2006)
    • 1941 – Dag Solstad, Norwegian author and playwright
    • 1941 – Hans Wiegel, Dutch journalist and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
    • 1941 – Sir George Young, 6th Baronet, English banker and politician, Secretary of State for Transport
    • 1942 – Margaret Court, Australian tennis player and minister
    • 1943 – Reinaldo Arenas, Cuban-American author, poet, and playwright (d. 1990)
    • 1943 – Vernon Bogdanor, English political scientist and academic
    • 1943 – Jimmy Johnson, American football player and coach
    • 1944 – Angharad Rees, English-Welsh actress and jewellery designer (d. 2012)
    • 1946 – Louise Fréchette, Canadian civil servant and diplomat, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
    • 1946 – Barbara Lee, American politician
    • 1946 – Ron Yary, American football player
    • 1947 – Don Burke, Australian television host and producer
    • 1947 – Alexis Herman, American businesswoman and politician, 23rd United States Secretary of Labor
    • 1947 – Assata Shakur, American-Cuban criminal and activist
    • 1948 – Rubén Blades, Panamanian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1948 – Lars Lagerbäck, Swedish footballer and manager
    • 1948 – Kevin McKenzie, South African cricketer
    • 1948 – Pinchas Zukerman, Israeli violinist and conductor
    • 1949 – Alan Fitzgerald, American guitarist and keyboardist
    • 1950 – Pierre Paradis, Canadian lawyer and politician
    • 1950 – Dennis Priestley, English darts player
    • 1950 – Frances Spalding, English historian and academic
    • 1950 – Tom Terrell, American journalist and photographer (d. 2007)
    • 1951 – Jean-Luc Mongrain, Canadian journalist
    • 1951 – Che Rosli, Malaysian politician
    • 1952 – Stewart Copeland, American drummer and songwriter
    • 1952 – Richard Egielski, American author and illustrator
    • 1952 – Marc Esposito, French director and screenwriter
    • 1952 – Ken McEwan, South African cricketer
    • 1953 – Douglas J. Feith, American lawyer and politician, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
    • 1954 – Jeanette Mott Oxford, American politician
    • 1955 – Susan Wheeler, American poet and academic
    • 1955 – Saw Swee Leong, Malaysian badminton player
    • 1956 – Tony Kushner, American playwright and screenwriter
    • 1957 – Faye Grant, American actress
    • 1957 – Alexandra Marinina, Ukrainian-Russian colonel and author
    • 1958 – Mick Cornett, American politician, and former mayor of Oklahoma City.
    • 1958 – Michael Flatley, American-Irish dancer and choreographer
    • 1958 – Mike Rogers, American politician
    • 1959 – Gary Anderson, South African-American football player
    • 1959 – James MacMillan, Scottish composer and conductor
    • 1959 – Zoran Jolevski, Macedonian economist, politician, and diplomat, Macedonian Ambassador to the United States
    • 1959 – Jürgen Ligi, Estonian economist and politician, 25th Estonian Minister of Defence
    • 1960 – Terry Pendleton, American baseball player and coach
    • 1962 – Grigory Leps, Russian singer-songwriter
    • 1963 – Phoebe Cates, American actress
    • 1963 – Srečko Katanec, Slovenian footballer and coach
    • 1963 – Mikael Pernfors, Swedish tennis player
    • 1964 – Phil Hellmuth, American poker player
    • 1964 – Miguel Induráin, Spanish cyclist
    • 1965 – Michel Desjoyeaux, French sailor
    • 1965 – Claude Lemieux, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1965 – Sherri Stoner, American actress, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1966 – Jyrki Lumme, Finnish ice hockey player
    • 1967 – Will Ferrell, American actor, comedian, and producer
    • 1968 – Dhanraj Pillay, Indian field hockey player and manager
    • 1968 – Barry Sanders, American football player
    • 1968 – Larry Sanger, American philosopher and businessman, co-founded Wikipedia and Citizendium
    • 1968 – Michael Searle, Australian rugby league player and businessman
    • 1968 – Robert Sherman, American songwriter and businessman
    • 1968 – Olga Souza, Brazilian singer and dancer
    • 1969 – Jules De Martino, English singer-songwriter and bass player
    • 1969 – Kathryn Harby-Williams, Australian netball player and sportscaster
    • 1970 – Raimonds Miglinieks, Latvian basketball player and coach
    • 1970 – Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thai director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1971 – Corey Feldman, American actor
    • 1971 – Ed Kowalczyk, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Live)
    • 1972 – Ben Cahoon, American-Canadian football player and coach
    • 1972 – François Drolet, Canadian speed skater
    • 1973 – Shaun Pollock, South African cricketer
    • 1973 – Graham Robertson, American director and producer
    • 1973 – Tim Ryan, American politician
    • 1974 – Jeremy Enigk, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1974 – Maret Maripuu, Estonian politician, Estonian Minister of Social Affairs
    • 1974 – Ryan McCombs, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1974 – Wendell Sailor, Australian rugby player
    • 1975 – Bas Leinders, Belgian race car driver
    • 1976 – Tomasz Kuchar, Polish race car driver
    • 1976 – Carlos Humberto Paredes, Paraguayan footballer
    • 1976 – Anna Smashnova, Belarusian-Israeli tennis player
    • 1977 – Bryan Budd, Northern Ireland-born English soldier, Victoria Cross recipient (d. 2006)
    • 1979 – Chris Mihm, American basketball player
    • 1979 – Mai Nakamura, Japanese swimmer
    • 1979 – Kim Rhode, American sport shooter
    • 1979 – Nathan Rogers, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1979 – Konstantin Skrylnikov, Russian footballer
    • 1980 – Adam Scott, Australian golfer
    • 1981 – Giuseppe Di Masi, Italian footballer
    • 1981 – Robert Kranjec, Slovenian ski jumper
    • 1981 – Zach Randolph, American basketball player
    • 1981 – Vicente Rodríguez, Spanish footballer
    • 1982 – André Greipel, German cyclist
    • 1982 – Carli Lloyd, American soccer player
    • 1982 – Michael Umaña, Costa Rican footballer
    • 1983 – Duncan Keith, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1984 – Hayanari Shimoda, Japanese race car driver
    • 1984 – Attila Szabó, Hungarian decathlete
    • 1985 – Mārtiņš Kravčenko, Latvian basketball player
    • 1986 – Dustin Boyd, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1986 – Misako Uno, Japanese actress, singer, and fashion designer
    • 1987 – Mousa Dembélé, Belgian footballer
    • 1987 – AnnaLynne McCord, American actress and producer
    • 1987 – Knowshon Moreno, American football player
    • 1988 – Sergio Busquets, Spanish footballer
    • 1989 – Gareth Bale, Welsh footballer
    • 1990 – Bureta Faraimo, New Zealand rugby league player
    • 1990 – Wizkid, Nigerian singer and songwriter
    • 1990 – Johann Zarco, French motorcycle racer
    • 1991 – Nate Schmidt, American ice hockey player
    • 1991 – Andros Townsend, English footballer
    • 1996 – Daniel Pearson, English actor and presenter

    Deaths on July 16

    • 784 – Fulrad, Frankish diplomat and saint (b. 710)
    • 866 – Irmgard, Frankish abbess
    • 1212 – William de Brus, 3rd Lord of Annandale
    • 1216 – Pope Innocent III (b. 1160)
    • 1324 – Emperor Go-Uda of Japan (b. 1267)
    • 1342 – Charles I of Hungary (b. 1288)
    • 1344 – An-Nasir Ahmad, Sultan of Egypt (b. 1316)
    • 1509 – João da Nova, Portuguese explorer (b. 1460)
    • 1546 – Anne Askew, English author and poet (b. 1520)
    • 1557 – Anne of Cleves (b. 1515)
    • 1576 – Isabella de’ Medici, Italian noble (b. 1542)
    • 1647 – Masaniello, Italian rebel (b. 1622)
    • 1664 – Andreas Gryphius, German poet and playwright (b. 1616)
    • 1686 – John Pearson, English bishop and scholar (b. 1612)
    • 1691 – François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois, French politician, French Secretary of State for War (b. 1641)
    • 1729 – Johann David Heinichen, German composer and theorist (b. 1683)
    • 1747 – Giuseppe Crespi, Italian painter (b. 1665)
    • 1770 – Francis Cotes, English painter and academic (b. 1726)
    • 1796 – George Howard, English field marshal and politician (b. 1718)
    • 1831 – Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron, French-Russian general (b. 1763)
    • 1849 – Sarah Allen, African-American missionary for the African Methodist Episcopal Church (b. 1764)
    • 1868 – Dmitry Pisarev, Russian author and critic (b. 1840)
    • 1879 – Edward Deas Thomson, Scottish-Australian politician, 3rd Chief Secretary of New South Wales (b. 1800)
    • 1882 – Mary Todd Lincoln, First Lady of the United States 1861-1865 (b. 1818)
    • 1886 – Ned Buntline, American journalist and author (b. 1823)
    • 1896 – Edmond de Goncourt, French critic and publisher, founded Académie Goncourt (b. 1822)
    • 1915 – Ellen G. White, American theologian and author (b. 1827)
    • 1917 – Philipp Scharwenka, German composer and educator (b. 1847)
    • 1939 – Bartholomeus Roodenburch, Dutch swimmer (b. 1866)
    • 1949 – Vyacheslav Ivanov, Russian poet and playwright (b. 1866)
    • 1953 – Hilaire Belloc, French-born British writer and historian (b. 1870)
    • 1954 – Herms Niel, German soldier, trombonist, and composer (b. 1888)
    • 1960 – Albert Kesselring, German field marshal (b. 1881)
    • 1960 – John P. Marquand, American author (b. 1893)
    • 1964 – Rauf Orbay, Turkish colonel and politician, Prime Minister of Turkey (b. 1881)
    • 1965 – Boris Artzybasheff, Ukrainian-American illustrator (b.1899)
    • 1969 – James Scott Douglas, English-born Scottish race car driver and 6th Baronet Douglas (b. 1930)
    • 1981 – Harry Chapin, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1942)
    • 1982 – Charles Robberts Swart, South African lawyer and politician, 1st State President of South Africa (b. 1894)
    • 1985 – Heinrich Böll, German novelist and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1917)
    • 1985 – Wayne King, American saxophonist, songwriter, and bandleader (b. 1901)
    • 1989 – Herbert von Karajan, Austrian conductor and manager (b. 1908)
    • 1990 – Robert Blackburn, Irish educator (b. 1927)
    • 1990 – Miguel Muñoz, Spanish footballer and manager (b. 1922)
    • 1991 – Meindert DeJong, Dutch-American soldier and author (b. 1906)
    • 1991 – Robert Motherwell, American painter and academic (b. 1915)
    • 1991 – Frank Rizzo, American police officer and politician, 93rd Mayor of Philadelphia (b. 1920)
    • 1992 – Buck Buchanan, American football player and coach (b. 1940)
    • 1994 – Julian Schwinger, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1918)
    • 1995 – May Sarton, American playwright and novelist (b. 1912)
    • 1995 – Stephen Spender, English author and poet (b. 1909)
    • 1996 – Adolf von Thadden, German lieutenant and politician (b. 1921)
    • 1998 – John Henrik Clarke, American historian and scholar (b. 1915)
    • 1999 – John F. Kennedy Jr., American lawyer and publisher (b. 1960)
    • 1999 – Alan Macnaughton, Canadian lawyer and politician, Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons (b. 1903)
    • 2001 – Morris, Belgian cartoonist (b. 1923)
    • 2002 – John Cocke, American computer scientist and engineer (b. 1925)
    • 2003 – Celia Cruz, Cuban-American singer and actress (b. 1925)
    • 2003 – Carol Shields, American-Canadian novelist and short story writer (b. 1935)
    • 2004 – George Busbee, American lawyer and politician, 77th Governor of Georgia (b. 1927)
    • 2004 – Charles Sweeney, American general and pilot (b. 1919)
    • 2005 – Pietro Consagra, Italian sculptor (b. 1920)
    • 2005 – Camillo Felgen, Luxembourgian singer-songwriter and radio host (b. 1920)
    • 2006 – Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, American businessman and politician, 13th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas (b. 1948)
    • 2007 – Caterina Bueno, Italian singer and historian (b. 1943)
    • 2008 – Jo Stafford, American singer (b. 1917)
    • 2008 – Lindsay Thompson, Australian politician, 40th Premier of Victoria (b. 1923)
    • 2011 – Forrest Blue, American football player (b. 1944)
    • 2012 – William Asher, American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – Stephen Covey, American businessman and author (b. 1932)
    • 2012 – Gilbert Esau, American businessman and politician (b. 1919)
    • 2012 – Ed Lincoln, Brazilian bassist, pianist, and composer (b. 1932)
    • 2012 – Masaharu Matsushita, Japanese businessman (b. 1913)
    • 2012 – Kitty Wells, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1919)
    • 2013 – Alex Colville, Canadian painter and academic (b. 1920)
    • 2013 – Marv Rotblatt, American baseball player (1927)
    • 2014 – Karl Albrecht, German businessman, co-founded Aldi (b. 1920)
    • 2014 – Mary Ellen Otremba, American educator and politician (b. 1950)
    • 2014 – Johnny Winter, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (b. 1944)
    • 2014 – Heinz Zemanek, Austrian computer scientist and academic (b. 1920)
    • 2015 – Denis Avey, English soldier, engineer, and author (b. 1919)
    • 2015 – Evelyn Ebsworth, English chemist and academic (b. 1933)
    • 2015 – Alcides Ghiggia, Uruguayan footballer and manager (b. 1926)
    • 2015 – Jack Goody, English anthropologist, author, and academic (b. 1919)
    • 2017 – George Romero, American filmmaker (b. 1940)

    Holidays and observances on July 16

    • Christian feast day:
      • Gondulphus of Tongeren
      • Helier
      • Our Lady of Mount Carmel
        • Fiesta de La Tirana (Tarapacá Region, Chile)
      • Reineldis
      • July 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Engineer’s Day (Honduras)
    • Holocaust Memorial Day (France)

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

    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)

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

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

    • 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)

  • May 27 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 1096 – Count Emicho enters Mainz, where his followers massacre Jewish citizens.At least 600 Jews are killed.
    • 1120 – Richard III of Capua is anointed as Prince two weeks before his untimely death.
    • 1153 – Malcolm IV becomes King of Scotland.
    • 1199 – John is crowned King of England.
    • 1257 – Richard of Cornwall, and his wife, Sanchia of Provence, are crowned King and Queen of the Germans at Aachen Cathedral.
    • 1644 – Manchu regent Dorgon defeats rebel leader Li Zicheng of the Shun dynasty at the Battle of Shanhai Pass, allowing the Manchus to enter and conquer the capital city of Beijing.
    • 1703 – Tsar Peter the Great founds the city of Saint Petersburg.
    • 1798 – The Battle of Oulart Hill takes place in Wexford, Ireland; Irish rebel leaders defeat and kill a detachment of militia.
    • 1799 – War of the Second Coalition: Austrian forces defeat the French at Winterthur, Switzerland.
    • 1813 – War of 1812: In Canada, American forces capture Fort George.
    • 1860 – Giuseppe Garibaldi begins his attack on Palermo, Sicily, as part of the Italian unification.
    • 1863 – American Civil War: First Assault on the Confederate works at the Siege of Port Hudson.
    • 1874 – The first group of Dorsland trekkers under the leadership of Gert Alberts leaves Pretoria.
    • 1883 – Alexander III is crowned Tsar of Russia.
    • 1896 – The F4-strength St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado hits in St. Louis, Missouri, and East St. Louis, Illinois, killing at least 255 people and causing over $10–million in damage.
    • 1905 – Russo-Japanese War: The Battle of Tsushima begins.
    • 1917 – Pope Benedict XV promulgates the 1917 Code of Canon Law, the first comprehensive codification of Catholic canon law in the legal history of the Catholic Church.
    • 1919 – The NC-4 aircraft arrives in Lisbon after completing the first transatlantic flight.
    • 1927 – The Ford Motor Company ceases manufacture of the Ford Model T and begins to retool plants to make the Ford Model A.
    • 1930 – The 1,046 feet (319 m) Chrysler Building in New York City, the tallest man-made structure at the time, opens to the public.
    • 1933 – New Deal: The U.S. Federal Securities Act is signed into law requiring the registration of securities with the Federal Trade Commission.
    • 1933 – The Walt Disney Company releases the cartoon Three Little Pigs, with its hit song “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?”
    • 1935 – New Deal: The Supreme Court of the United States declares the National Industrial Recovery Act to be unconstitutional in A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, (295 U.S. 495).
    • 1937 – In California, the Golden Gate Bridge opens to pedestrian traffic, creating a vital link between San Francisco and Marin County, California.
    • 1940 – World War II: In the Le Paradis massacre, 99 soldiers from a Royal Norfolk Regiment unit are shot after surrendering to German troops; two survive.
    • 1941 – World War II: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaims an “unlimited national emergency”.
    • 1941 – World War II: The German battleship Bismarck is sunk in the North Atlantic killing almost 2,100 men.
    • 1942 – World War II: In Operation Anthropoid, Reinhard Heydrich is fatally wounded in Prague; he dies of his injuries eight days later.
    • 1958 – First flight of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II.
    • 1960 – In Turkey, a military coup removes President Celâl Bayar and the rest of the democratic government from office.
    • 1962 – The Centralia mine fire is ignited in the town’s landfill above a coal mine.
    • 1965 – Vietnam War: American warships begin the first bombardment of National Liberation Front targets within South Vietnam.
    • 1967 – Australians vote in favor of a constitutional referendum granting the Australian government the power to make laws to benefit Indigenous Australians and to count them in the national census.
    • 1967 – The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy is launched by Jacqueline Kennedy and her daughter Caroline.
    • 1971 – The Dahlerau train disaster, the worst railway accident in West Germany, kills 46 people and injures 25 near Wuppertal.
    • 1971 – Pakistani forces massacre over 200 civilians, mostly Bengali Hindus, in the Bagbati massacre.
    • 1975 – Dibbles Bridge coach crash near Grassington, in North Yorkshire, England, kills 33 – the highest ever death toll in a road accident in the United Kingdom.
    • 1980 – The Gwangju Massacre: Airborne and army troops of South Korea retake the city of Gwangju from civil militias, killing at least 207 and possibly many more.
    • 1984 – The Danube-Black Sea canal is opened, in a ceremony attended by the Ceaușescus. It had been under construction since the 1950s.
    • 1996 – First Chechen War: the Russian President Boris Yeltsin meets with Chechnyan rebels for the first time and negotiates a cease-fire.
    • 1997 – The 1997 Central Texas tornado outbreak occurs, spawning multiple tornadoes in Central Texas, including the F5 that killed 27 in Jarrell.
    • 1998 – Oklahoma City bombing: Michael Fortier is sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $200,000 for failing to warn authorities about the terrorist plot.
    • 2001 – Members of the Islamist separatist group Abu Sayyaf seize twenty hostages from an affluent island resort on Palawan in the Philippines; the hostage crisis would not be resolved until June 2002.
    • 2006 – The 6.4 Mw  Yogyakarta earthquake shakes central Java with an MSK intensity of VIII (Damaging), leaving more than 5,700 dead and 37,000 injured.
    • 2016 – Barack Obama is the first president of United States to visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and meet Hibakusha.
    • 2017 – Andrew Scheer takes over after Rona Ambrose as the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
    • 2018 – Maryland Flood Event: A flood occurs throughout the Patapsco Valley causing one death and destroying the entire first floors of buildings on Main Street in Ellicott City and causing cars to overturn.

    Births on May 27

    • 742 – Emperor Dezong of Tang (d. 805)
    • 1332 – Ibn Khaldun, Tunisian historian and theologian (d. 1406)
    • 1378 – Zhu Quan, Chinese military commander, historian and playwright (d. 1448)
    • 1519 – Girolamo Mei, Italian historian and theorist (d. 1594)
    • 1537 – Louis IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Marburg (d. 1604)
    • 1576 – Caspar Schoppe, German author and scholar (d. 1649)
    • 1584 – Michael Altenburg, German theologian and composer (d. 1640)
    • 1601 – Antoine Daniel, French-Canadian missionary and saint (d. 1648)
    • 1626 – William II, Prince of Orange (d. 1650)
    • 1627 – Anne Marie Louise d’Orléans, Duchess of Montpensier (d. 1693)
    • 1651 – Louis Antoine de Noailles, French cardinal (d. 1729)
    • 1652 – Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine of Germany (d. 1722)
    • 1738 – Nathaniel Gorham, American merchant and politician, 14th President of the Continental Congress (d. 1796)
    • 1756 – Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria (d. 1825)
    • 1774 – Francis Beaufort, Irish hydrographer and officer in the Royal Navy (d. 1857)
    • 1794 – Cornelius Vanderbilt, American businessman and philanthropist (d. 1877)
    • 1814 – John Rudolph Niernsee, Viennese-born American architect (d.1885)
    • 1815 – Henry Parkes, English-Australian politician, 7th Premier of New South Wales (d. 1896)
    • 1818 – Amelia Bloomer, American journalist and activist (d. 1894)
    • 1819 – Julia Ward Howe, American poet and songwriter (d. 1910)
    • 1827 – Samuel F. Miller, American lawyer and politician (d. 1892)
    • 1832 – Zenas Ferry Moody, American surveyor and politician, 7th Governor of Oregon (d. 1917)
    • 1836 – Jay Gould, American businessman and financier (d. 1892)
    • 1837 – Wild Bill Hickok, American police officer (d. 1876)
    • 1852 – Billy Barnes, English cricketer (d. 1899)
    • 1857 – Theodor Curtius, German chemist (d. 1928)
    • 1860 – Manuel Teixeira Gomes, Portuguese politician, 7th President of Portugal (d. 1941)
    • 1863 – Arthur Mold, English cricketer (d. 1921)
    • 1867 – Arnold Bennett, English author and playwright (d. 1931)
    • 1868 – Aleksa Šantić, Bosnian poet and author (d. 1924)
    • 1871 – Georges Rouault, French painter and illustrator (d. 1958)
    • 1875 – Frederick Cuming, English cricketer (d. 1942)
    • 1876 – Ferdynand Antoni Ossendowski, Polish journalist and author (d. 1945)
    • 1876 – William Stanier, English engineer (d. 1965)
    • 1878 – Anna Cervin, Swedish artist (d. 1972)
    • 1879 – Karl Bühler, German-American linguist and psychologist (d. 1963)
    • 1879 – Hans Lammers, German judge and politician (d. 1962)
    • 1883 – Jessie Arms Botke, American painter (d. 1971)
    • 1884 – Max Brod, Czech journalist, author, and composer (d. 1968)
    • 1887 – Frank Woolley, English cricketer (d. 1978)
    • 1888 – Louis Durey, French composer (d. 1979)
    • 1891 – Claude Champagne, Canadian violinist, pianist, and composer (d. 1965)
    • 1891 – Jaan Kärner, Estonian poet and author (d. 1958)
    • 1894 – Louis-Ferdinand Céline, French physician and author (d. 1961)
    • 1894 – Dashiell Hammett, American detective novelist and screenwriter (d. 1961)
    • 1895 – Douglas Lloyd Campbell, Canadian educator and politician, 13th Premier of Manitoba (d. 1995)
    • 1897 – John Cockcroft, English physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1967)
    • 1897 – Dink Templeton, American rugby player and coach (d. 1962)
    • 1898 – David Crosthwait, American engineer, inventor and writer (d. 1976)
    • 1899 – Johannes Türn, Estonian chess and draughts player (d. 1993)
    • 1900 – Lotte Toberentz, German overseer of the Nazi Uckermark concentration camp (d. 1964)
    • 1900 – Uładzimir Žyłka, Belarusian poet and translator (d. 1933)
    • 1904 – Chūhei Nambu, Japanese jumper and journalist (d. 1997)
    • 1906 – Buddhadasa, Thai monk and philosopher (d. 1993)
    • 1906 – Harry Hibbs, English footballer (d. 1984)
    • 1906 – Antonio Rosario Mennonna, Italian bishop (d. 2009)
    • 1907 – Nicolas Calas, Greek-American poet and critic (d. 1988)
    • 1907 – Rachel Carson, American biologist, environmentalist, and author (d. 1964)
    • 1909 – Dolores Hope, American singer and philanthropist (d. 2011)
    • 1911 – Hubert Humphrey, American journalist and politician, 38th Vice President of the United States (d. 1978)
    • 1911 – Teddy Kollek, Hungarian-Israeli politician, Mayor of Jerusalem (d. 2007)
    • 1911 – Vincent Price, American actor (d. 1993)
    • 1912 – John Cheever, American novelist and short story writer (d. 1982)
    • 1912 – Sam Snead, American golfer and sportscaster (d. 2002)
    • 1912 – Terry Moore, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 1995)
    • 1915 – Ester Soré, Chilean singer-songwriter (d. 1996)
    • 1915 – Herman Wouk, American novelist (d. 2019)
    • 1917 – Harry Webster, English engineer (d. 2007)
    • 1918 – Yasuhiro Nakasone, Japanese commander and politician, 45th Prime Minister of Japan (d. 2019)
    • 1921 – Bob Godfrey, Australian-English animator, director, and voice actor (d. 2013)
    • 1922 – Otto Carius, German lieutenant and pharmacist (d. 2015)
    • 1922 – Christopher Lee, English actor (d. 2015)
    • 1922 – John D. Vanderhoof, American banker and politician, 37th Governor of Colorado (d. 2013)
    • 1923 – Henry Kissinger, German-American political scientist and politician, 56th United States Secretary of State, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1923 – Sumner Redstone, American businessman and philanthropist
    • 1924 – Jaime Lusinchi, Venezuelan physician and politician, President of Venezuela (d. 2014)
    • 1924 – John Sumner, English-Australian director, founded the Melbourne Theatre Company (d. 2013)
    • 1925 – Tony Hillerman, American journalist and author (d. 2008)
    • 1927 – Jüri Randviir, Estonian chess player and journalist (d. 1996)
    • 1928 – Thea Musgrave, Scottish-American composer and educator
    • 1930 – John Barth, American novelist and short story writer
    • 1930 – William S. Sessions, American civil servant and judge, 8th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
    • 1930 – Eino Tamberg, Estonian composer and educator (d. 2010)
    • 1931 – André Barbeau, French-Canadian neurologist (d. 1986)
    • 1931 – John Chapple, English field marshal and politician, Governor of Gibraltar
    • 1931 – Bernard Fresson, French actor (d. 2002)
    • 1931 – Faten Hamama, Egyptian actress and producer (d. 2015)
    • 1931 – Philip Kotler, American author and professor
    • 1933 – Edward Samuel Rogers, Canadian businessman (d. 2008)
    • 1933 – Manfred Sommer, Spanish author and illustrator (d. 2007)
    • 1934 – Ray Daviault, Canadian-American baseball player
    • 1934 – Harlan Ellison, American author and screenwriter (d. 2018)
    • 1935 – Daniel Colchico, American football player and coach (d. 2014)
    • 1935 – Mal Evans, British road manager of The Beatles (d. 1976)
    • 1935 – Jerry Kindall, American baseball player and coach (d. 2017)
    • 1935 – Ramsey Lewis, American jazz pianist and composer
    • 1935 – Lee Meriwether, American model and actress, Miss America 1955
    • 1936 – Benjamin Bathurst, English admiral
    • 1936 – Louis Gossett, Jr., American actor and producer
    • 1936 – Marcel Masse, Canadian educator and politician, 29th Canadian Minister of National Defence (d. 2014)
    • 1937 – Allan Carr, American playwright and producer (d. 1999)
    • 1939 – Simon Cairns, 6th Earl Cairns, English courtier and businessman
    • 1939 – Yves Duhaime, Canadian captain and politician
    • 1939 – Sokratis Kokkalis, Greek businessman
    • 1939 – Gerald Ronson, English businessman and philanthropist
    • 1939 – Lionel Sosa, Mexican-American advertising and marketing executive
    • 1939 – Don Williams, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2017)
    • 1940 – Mike Gibson, Australian journalist and sportscaster (d. 2015)
    • 1942 – Lee Baca, American police officer
    • 1942 – Piers Courage, English racing driver (d. 1970)
    • 1942 – Roger Freeman, Baron Freeman, English accountant and politician, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
    • 1942 – Robin Widdows, English racing driver
    • 1943 – Cilla Black, English singer and actress (d. 2015)
    • 1943 – Bruce Weitz, American actor
    • 1944 – Chris Dodd, American lawyer and politician
    • 1944 – Ingrid Roscoe, English historian and politician, Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire
    • 1944 – Alain Souchon, French singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1945 – Bruce Cockburn, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1946 – Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Danish bassist and composer (d. 2005)
    • 1946 – John Williams, English motorcycle racer (d. 1978)
    • 1947 – Peter DeFazio, American politician
    • 1947 – Marty Kristian, German-Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1947 – Branko Oblak, Slovenian footballer and coach
    • 1947 – Riivo Sinijärv, Estonian politician, 19th Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs
    • 1948 – Wubbo de Boer, Dutch civil servant (d. 2017)
    • 1948 – Pete Sears, English bass player
    • 1948 – Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart, American occultist and author (d. 2014)
    • 1949 – Hugh Lowther, 8th Earl of Lonsdale, English politician
    • 1949 – Christa Vahlensieck, German runner
    • 1950 – Dee Dee Bridgewater, American singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1950 – Makis Dendrinos, Greek basketball player and coach (d. 2015)
    • 1951 – John Conteh, English boxer
    • 1954 – Pauline Hanson, Australian businesswoman, activist, and politician
    • 1954 – Jackie Slater, American football player and coach
    • 1955 – Eric Bischoff, American wrestler, manager, and producer
    • 1955 – Richard Schiff, American actor, director, and producer
    • 1955 – Ian Tracey, English organist and conductor
    • 1956 – Cynthia McFadden, American journalist
    • 1956 – Rosemary Squire, English producer and manager, co-founded Ambassador Theatre Group
    • 1956 – Giuseppe Tornatore, Italian director and screenwriter
    • 1957 – Dag Terje Andersen, Norwegian politician, Norwegian Minister of Labour
    • 1957 – Nitin Gadkari, Indian lawyer and politician, Indian Minister of Transport
    • 1957 – Eddie Harsch, Canadian-American keyboard player and bass player (d. 2016)
    • 1957 – Siouxsie Sioux, English singer-songwriter, musician, and producer
    • 1958 – Nick Anstee, English accountant and politician, 682nd Lord Mayor of London
    • 1958 – Neil Finn, New Zealand singer-songwriter and musician
    • 1958 – Jesse Robredo, Filipino politician, 23rd Filipino Secretary of the Interior (d. 2012)
    • 1960 – Gaston Therrien, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
    • 1961 – José Luíz Barbosa, Brazilian runner and coach
    • 1961 – Peri Gilpin, American actress
    • 1962 – Marcelino Bernal, Mexican footballer
    • 1962 – Ray Borner, Australian basketball player
    • 1962 – Steven Brill, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1962 – Anthony A. Hyman, Israeli-English biologist and academic
    • 1962 – David Mundell, Scottish lawyer and politician, Secretary of State for Scotland
    • 1962 – Ravi Shastri, Indian cricketer and sportscaster
    • 1963 – Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Cuban pianist and composer
    • 1963 – Maria Walliser, Swiss skier
    • 1964 – Adam Carolla, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1965 – Pat Cash, Australian-English tennis player and sportscaster
    • 1966 – Heston Blumenthal, English chef and author
    • 1967 – Paul Gascoigne, English international footballer, midfielder, coach, and manager
    • 1967 – Eddie McClintock, American actor
    • 1968 – Jeff Bagwell, American baseball player and coach
    • 1968 – Rebekah Brooks, English journalist
    • 1968 – Harun Erdenay, Turkish basketball player and coach
    • 1968 – Frank Thomas, American baseball player and sportscaster
    • 1969 – Todd Hundley, American baseball player
    • 1969 – Jeremy Mayfield, American race car driver
    • 1969 – Craig Federighi, American computer scientist and engineer
    • 1970 – Michele Bartoli, Italian cyclist
    • 1970 – Tim Farron, English educator and politician
    • 1970 – Joseph Fiennes, English actor
    • 1970 – Alex Archer, American-born Australian musician
    • 1971 – Mathew Batsiua, Nauruan politician
    • 1971 – Paul Bettany, English actor
    • 1971 – Wayne Carey, Australian footballer and coach
    • 1971 – Kaur Kender, Estonian author
    • 1971 – Lisa Lopes, American rapper and dancer (d. 2002)
    • 1971 – Lee Sharpe, English footballer
    • 1971 – Grant Stafford, South African tennis player
    • 1971 – Sophie Walker, British politician, leader of the Women’s Equality Party
    • 1971 – Petroc Trelawny, British radio and television broadcaster
    • 1972 – Todd Demsey, American golfer
    • 1972 – Antonio Freeman, American football player
    • 1972 – Maxim Sokolov, Russian ice hockey player
    • 1973 – Jack McBrayer, American actor and comedian
    • 1973 – Tana Umaga, New Zealand rugby player and coach
    • 1973 – Yorgos Lanthimos, Greek film video, and theatre director, producer and screenwriter
    • 1974 – Skye Edwards, British singer-songwriter
    • 1974 – Denise van Outen, English actress, singer, and television host
    • 1974 – Derek Webb, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1974 – Danny Wuerffel, American football player
    • 1975 – André 3000, American rapper
    • 1975 – Michael Hussey, Australian cricketer
    • 1975 – Jamie Oliver, English chef and author
    • 1975 – Feryal Özel, Turkish astrophysicist, astronomer, and academic
    • 1976 – Marcel Fässler, Swiss racing driver
    • 1977 – Abderrahmane Hammad, Algerian high jumper
    • 1977 – Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lankan cricketer
    • 1978 – Adin Brown, American soccer player
    • 1979 – Michael Buonauro, American author and illustrator (d. 2004)
    • 1979 – Mile Sterjovski, Australian footballer
    • 1980 – Craig Buntin, Canadian figure skater
    • 1981 – Alina Cojocaru, Romanian ballerina
    • 1981 – Johan Elmander, Swedish footballer
    • 1984 – Blake Ahearn, American basketball player
    • 1984 – Miguel González, Mexican baseball pitcher
    • 1985 – Chiang Chien-ming, Taiwanese baseball player
    • 1985 – Roberto Soldado, Spanish footballer
    • 1986 – Conor Cummins, Manx motorcycle racer
    • 1986 – Bamba Fall, Senegalese basketball player
    • 1986 – Lasse Schöne, Danish footballer
    • 1987 – Gervinho, Ivorian footballer
    • 1987 – Bella Heathcote, Australian actress
    • 1987 – Eric Kolelas, French-English actor and director
    • 1987 – Bora Paçun, Turkish basketball player
    • 1987 – Matt Prior, Australian rugby league player
    • 1987 – Martina Sablikova, Czech speed skater and cyclist
    • 1988 – Vontae Davis, American football player
    • 1988 – Irina Davydova, Russian hurdler
    • 1988 – Garrett Richards, American baseball pitcher
    • 1988 – Tyler Sash, American football player (d. 2015)
    • 1989 – Igor Morozov, Estonian footballer
    • 1990 – Yenew Alamirew, Ethiopian runner
    • 1990 – Chris Colfer, American actor and singer
    • 1990 – Marcus Kruger, Swedish ice hockey player
    • 1991 – Sebastien Dewaest, Belgian footballer
    • 1991 – Tim Lafai, Samoan rugby league player
    • 1991 – Ksenia Pervak, Russian tennis player
    • 1991 – Eneli Vals, Estonian footballer
    • 1992 – Aaron Brown, Canadian sprinter
    • 1992 – Laurence Vincent-Lapointe, Canadian canoer

    Deaths on May 27

    • 366 – Procopius, Roman usurper (b. 325)
    • 398 – Murong Bao, emperor of the Xianbei state Later Yan (b. 355)
    • 475 – Eutropius, bishop of Orange
    • 866 – Ordoño I of Asturias (b. 831)
    • 927 – Simeon I of Bulgaria first Bulgarian Emperor (b. 864)
    • 1039 – Dirk III, Count of Holland (b. 981)
    • 1045 – Bruno of Würzburg, imperial chancellor of Italy (b. c. 1005)
    • 1178 – Godfrey van Rhenen, bishop of Utrecht
    • 1240 – William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey (b. 1166)
    • 1444 – John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, English commander (b. 1404)
    • 1508 – Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan (b. 1452)
    • 1508 – Lucrezia Crivelli, mistress of Ludovico Sforza (b. 1452)
    • 1525 – Thomas Müntzer, German mystic and theologian (b. 1488)
    • 1541 – Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury (b. 1473)
    • 1564 – John Calvin, French pastor and theologian (b. 1509)
    • 1610 – François Ravaillac, French assassin of Henry IV of France (b. 1578)
    • 1624 – Diego Ramírez de Arellano, Spanish sailor and cosmographer (b. c. 1580)
    • 1637 – John Boteler, 1st Baron Boteler of Brantfield, English politician (b. c. 1566)
    • 1661 – Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, Scottish general and politician (b. 1607)
    • 1675 – Gaspard Dughet, Italian-French painter (b. 1613)
    • 1690 – Giovanni Legrenzi, Italian organist and composer (b. 1626)
    • 1702 – Dominique Bouhours, French priest and critic (b. 1628)
    • 1707 – Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan, French mistress of Louis XIV of France (b. 1640)
    • 1781 – Giovanni Battista Beccaria, Italian physicist and academic (b. 1716)
    • 1797 – François-Noël Babeuf, French journalist (b. 1760)
    • 1831 – Jedediah Smith, American hunter, explorer, and author (b. 1799)
    • 1840 – Niccolò Paganini, Italian violinist and composer (b. 1782)
    • 1867 – Thomas Bulfinch American mythologist (b. 1796)
    • 1896 – Aleksandr Stoletov, Russian physicist, engineer, and academic (b. 1839)
    • 1910 – Robert Koch, German physician and microbiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1843)
    • 1918 – Ōzutsu Man’emon, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 18th Yokozuna (b. 1869)
    • 1919 – Kandukuri Veeresalingam, Indian author and activist (b. 1848)
    • 1933 – Achille Paroche, French target shooter (b. 1868)
    • 1939 – Joseph Roth, Austrian-French journalist and author (b. 1894)
    • 1941 – Ernst Lindemann, German captain (b. 1894)
    • 1941 – Günther Lütjens, German admiral (b. 1889)
    • 1942 – Muhammed Hamdi Yazır, Turkish theologian, logician, and translator (b. 1878)
    • 1943 – Gordon Coates, New Zealand soldier and politician, 21st Prime Minister of New Zealand (b. 1878)
    • 1945 – Enno Lolling, German physician (b. 1888)
    • 1947 – Ed Konetchy, American baseball player and manager (b. 1885)
    • 1949 – Robert Ripley, American cartoonist, publisher, and businessman, founded Ripley’s Believe It or Not! (b. 1890)
    • 1953 – Jesse Burkett, American baseball player and manager (b. 1868)
    • 1960 – James Montgomery Flagg, American painter and illustrator (b. 1877)
    • 1963 – Grigoris Lambrakis, Greek physician and politician (b. 1912)
    • 1964 – Jawaharlal Nehru, Indian lawyer and politician, 1st Prime Minister of India (b. 1889)
    • 1967 – W. Otto Miessner, American composer and educator (b. 1880)
    • 1967 – Ernst Niekisch, German academic and politician (b. 1889)
    • 1969 – Jeffrey Hunter, American actor and producer (b. 1926)
    • 1971 – Béla Juhos, Hungarian-Austrian philosopher from the Vienna Circle (b. 1901)
    • 1971 – Armando Picchi, Italian footballer and coach (b. 1935)
    • 1980 – Gün Sazak, Turkish agronomist and politician (b. 1932)
    • 1984 – Vasilije Mokranjac, Serbian composer (b. 1923)
    • 1986 – Ismail al-Faruqi, Palestinian-American philosopher and academic (b. 1921)
    • 1986 – Ajoy Mukherjee, Indian politician, Chief Minister of West Bengal (b. 1901)
    • 1986 – Giorgos Tzifos, Greek actor and cinematographer (b. 1918)
    • 1987 – John Howard Northrop, American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1891)
    • 1988 – Hjördis Petterson, Swedish actress (b. 1908)
    • 1988 – Ernst Ruska, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1906)
    • 1989 – Arseny Tarkovsky, Russian poet and translator (b. 1907)
    • 1990 – Robert B. Meyner, American lawyer and politician, 44th Governor of New Jersey (b. 1908)
    • 1991 – Leopold Nowak, Austrian musicologist and theorist (b. 1904)
    • 1992 – Uncle Charlie Osborne, American fiddler (b. 1890)
    • 1998 – Minoo Masani, Indian lawyer and politician (b. 1905)
    • 2000 – Kazimierz Leski, Polish engineer and pilot (b. 1912)
    • 2000 – Murray MacLehose, Baron MacLehose of Beoch, Scottish politician and diplomat, 25th Governor of Hong Kong (b. 1917)
    • 2000 – Maurice Richard, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1921)
    • 2003 – Luciano Berio, Italian composer and educator (b. 1925)
    • 2006 – Rob Borsellino, American journalist (b. 1949)
    • 2006 – Paul Gleason, American actor (b. 1939)
    • 2006 – Craig Heyward, American football player (b. 1966)
    • 2007 – Izumi Sakai, Japanese singer-songwriter (b. 1967)
    • 2007 – Gretchen Wyler, American actress and dancer (b. 1932)
    • 2007 – Ed Yost, American inventor, created the hot air balloon (b. 1919)
    • 2008 – Franz Künstler, Hungarian soldier (b. 1900)
    • 2009 – Thomas M. Franck, American lawyer and academic (b. 1931)
    • 2009 – Clive Granger, Welsh-American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1934)
    • 2009 – Mona Grey, British nursing administrator; Northern Ireland’s first Chief Nursing Officer
    • 2009 – Abram Hoffer, Canadian biochemist, physician, and psychiatrist (b. 1917)
    • 2009 – Gérard Jean-Juste, Haitian-American priest and theologian (b. 1946)
    • 2009 – Carol Anne O’Marie, American nun and author (b. 1933)
    • 2009 – William Refshauge, Australian soldier and physician (b. 1913)
    • 2009 – Paul Sharratt, English-American television host (b. 1933)
    • 2010 – Payut Ngaokrachang, Thai animator and director (b. 1929)
    • 2011 – Jeff Conaway, American actor and singer (b. 1950)
    • 2011 – Margo Dydek, Polish-American basketball player (b. 1974)
    • 2011 – Gil Scott-Heron, American singer-songwriter and poet (b. 1949)
    • 2012 – Simeon Daniel, Nevisian educator and politician, 1st Premier of Nevis (b. 1934)
    • 2012 – Friedrich Hirzebruch, German mathematician and academic (b. 1927)
    • 2012 – Anahit Perikhanian, Russian-born Armenian Iranologist (b. 1928)
    • 2012 – David Rimoin, Canadian-American geneticist and academic (b. 1936)
    • 2013 – Jagjit Singh Lyallpuri, Indian politician (b. 1917)
    • 2013 – Bill Pertwee, English actor (b. 1926)
    • 2013 – Abdoulaye Sékou Sow, Malian politician, Prime Minister of Mali (b. 1931)
    • 2014 – Robert Genn, Canadian painter and author (b. 1936)
    • 2014 – Helma Sanders-Brahms, German director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1940)
    • 2014 – Roberto Vargas, Puerto Rican-American baseball player, coach, and manager (b. 1929)
    • 2014 – Massimo Vignelli, Italian-American graphic designer (b. 1931)
    • 2015 – Erik Carlsson, Swedish rally driver (b. 1929)
    • 2015 – Nils Christie, Norwegian sociologist, criminologist, and author (b. 1928)
    • 2015 – Andy King, English footballer and manager (b. 1956)
    • 2015 – Michael Martin, American philosopher and academic (b. 1932)
    • 2017 – Gregg Allman, American musician, singer and songwriter (b. 1947)
    • 2020 – Larry Kramer, American playwright, public health advocate and LGBT rights activist (b. 1935)

    Holidays and observances on May 27

    • Armed Forces Day (Nicaragua)
    • Children’s Day (Nigeria)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Augustine of Canterbury
      • Blessed Lojze Grozde
      • Bede (commemoration, Anglican Communion)
      • Bruno of Würzburg
      • Eutropius of Orange
      • Hildebert
      • Julius the Veteran
      • May 27 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Mother’s Day (Bolivia)
    • Navy Day (Japan)
    • Slavery Abolition Day (Guadeloupe, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin)
    • Start of National Reconciliation Week (Australia)

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

    • 753 BC – Romulus founds Rome (traditional date).
    • 43 BC – Battle of Mutina: Mark Antony is again defeated in battle by Aulus Hirtius, who is killed. Antony fails to capture Mutina and Decimus Brutus is murdered shortly after.
    • 900 – The Laguna Copperplate Inscription (the earliest known written document found in what is now the Philippines): the Commander-in-Chief of the Kingdom of Tondo, as represented by the Honourable Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pailah, pardons from all debt the Honourable Namwaran and his relations.
    • 1092 – The Diocese of Pisa is elevated to the rank of metropolitan archdiocese by Pope Urban II
    • 1506 – The three-day Lisbon Massacre comes to an end with the slaughter of over 1,900 suspected Jews by Portuguese Catholics.
    • 1509 – Henry VIII ascends the throne of England on the death of his father, Henry VII.
    • 1526 – The last ruler of the Lodi dynasty, Ibrahim Lodi is defeated and killed by Babur in the First Battle of Panipat.
    • 1615 – The Wignacourt Aqueduct is inaugurated in Malta.
    • 1782 – The city of Rattanakosin, now known internationally as Bangkok, is founded on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River by King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke.
    • 1789 – George Washington’s reception at Trenton is hosted by the Ladies of Trenton as he journeys to New York City for his first inauguration.
    • 1792 – Tiradentes, a revolutionary leading a movement for Brazil’s independence, is hanged, drawn and quartered.
    • 1802 – Twelve thousand Wahhabis under Abdul-Aziz bin Muhammad, invaded city of Karbala, killed over three thousand inhabitants, and sacked the city.
    • 1806 – Action of 21 April 1806: A French frigate escapes British forces off the coast of South Africa.
    • 1809 – Two Austrian army corps are driven from Landshut by a First French Empire army led by Napoleon as two French corps to the north hold off the main Austrian army on the first day of the Battle of Eckmühl.
    • 1821 – Benderli Ali Pasha arrives in Constantinople as the new Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire; he remains in power for only nine days before being sent into exile.
    • 1836 – Texas Revolution: The Battle of San Jacinto: Republic of Texas forces under Sam Houston defeat troops under Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna.
    • 1856 – Australian labour movement: Stonemasons and building workers on building sites around Melbourne march from the University of Melbourne to Parliament House to achieve an eight-hour day.
    • 1894 – Norway formally adopts the Krag–Jørgensen bolt-action rifle as the main arm of its armed forces, a weapon that would remain in service for almost 50 years.
    • 1898 – Spanish–American War: The United States Navy begins a blockade of Cuban ports. When the U.S. Congress issued a declaration of war on April 25, it declared that a state of war had existed from this date.
    • 1914 – Ypiranga incident: A German arms shipment to Mexico is intercepted by the U.S. Navy near Veracruz.
    • 1918 – World War I: German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, better known as “The Red Baron”, is shot down and killed over Vaux-sur-Somme in France.
    • 1926 – Al-Baqi cemetery, former site of the mausoleum of four Shi’a Imams, is leveled to the ground by Wahhabis.
    • 1934 – The “Surgeon’s Photograph”, the most famous photo allegedly showing the Loch Ness Monster, is published in the Daily Mail (in 1999, it is revealed to be a hoax).
    • 1945 – World War II: Soviet forces south of Berlin at Zossen attack the German High Command headquarters.
    • 1948 – United Nations Security Council Resolution 47 relating to Kashmir conflict is adopted.
    • 1952 – Secretary’s Day (now Administrative Professionals’ Day) is first celebrated.
    • 1958 – United Airlines Flight 736 collides into a United States Air Force fighter jet near Arden, Nevada in what is now Enterprise, Nevada.
    • 1960 – Brasília, Brazil’s capital, is officially inaugurated. At 09:30, the Three Powers of the Republic are simultaneously transferred from the old capital, Rio de Janeiro.
    • 1962 – The Seattle World’s Fair (Century 21 Exposition) opens. It is the first World’s Fair in the United States since World War II.
    • 1963 – The first election of the Universal House of Justice is held, marking its establishment as the supreme governing institution of the Bahá’í Faith.
    • 1964 – A Transit-5bn satellite fails to reach orbit after launch; as it re-enters the atmosphere, 2.1 pounds (0.95 kg) of radioactive plutonium in its SNAP RTG power source is widely dispersed.
    • 1965 – The 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair opens for its second and final season.
    • 1966 – Rastafari movement: Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visits Jamaica, an event now celebrated as Grounation Day.
    • 1967 – A few days before the general election in Greece, Colonel George Papadopoulos leads a coup d’état, establishing a military regime that lasts for seven years.
    • 1975 – Vietnam War: President of South Vietnam Nguyễn Văn Thiệu flees Saigon, as Xuân Lộc, the last South Vietnamese outpost blocking a direct North Vietnamese assault on Saigon, falls.
    • 1977 – Annie opens on Broadway.
    • 1982 – Baseball: Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers becomes the first pitcher to record 300 saves.
    • 1985 – The compound of the militant group The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord surrenders to federal authorities in Arkansas after a two-day government siege.
    • 1987 – The Tamil Tigers are blamed for a car bomb that detonates in the Sri Lankan capital city of Colombo, killing 106 people.
    • 1989 – Tiananmen Square protests of 1989: In Beijing, around 100,000 students gather in Tiananmen Square to commemorate Chinese reform leader Hu Yaobang.
    • 1993 – The Supreme Court in La Paz, Bolivia, sentences former dictator Luis García Meza to 30 years in jail without parole for murder, theft, fraud and violating the constitution.
    • 2004 – Five suicide car bombers target police stations in and around Basra, killing 74 people and wounding 160.
    • 2010 – The controversial Kharkiv Pact (Russian Ukrainian Naval Base for Gas Treaty) is signed in Kharkiv, Ukraine, by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev; it was unilaterally terminated by Russia on March 31, 2014.
    • 2012 – Two trains are involved in a head-on collision near Sloterdijk, Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, injuring 116 people.
    • 2014 – The American city of Flint, Michigan switches its water source to the Flint River, beginning the ongoing Flint water crisis which has caused lead poisoning in up to 12,000 people, and 15 deaths from Legionnaires disease, ultimately leading to criminal indictments against 15 people, five of whom have been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
    • 2019 – Eight bombs explode at churches, hotels, and other locations in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday; more than 200 people are killed.

    Births on April 21

    • 1132 – Sancho VI, king of Navarre (d. 1194)
    • 1488 – Ulrich von Hutten, German religious reformer (d. 1523)
    • 1523 – Marco Antonio Bragadin, Venetian lawyer and military officer (d. 1571)
    • 1555 – Ludovico Carracci, Italian painter and etcher (d. 1619)
    • 1619 – Jan van Riebeeck, Dutch founder of Cape Town (d. 1677)
    • 1630 – Pieter Gerritsz van Roestraten, Dutch-English painter (d. 1700)
    • 1631 – Francesco Maidalchini, Catholic cardinal (d. 1700)
    • 1642 – Simon de la Loubère, French mathematician, poet, and diplomat (d. 1729)
    • 1651 – Joseph Vaz, Sri Lankan priest, missionary, and saint (d. 1711)
    • 1652 – Michel Rolle, French mathematician and academic (d. 1719)
    • 1671 – John Law, Scottish economist (d. 1729)
    • 1673 – Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg (d. 1742)
    • 1713 – Louis de Noailles, French general (d. 1793)
    • 1730 – Antonín Kammel, Czech violinist and composer (d. 1788)
    • 1752 – Pierre-Alexandre-Laurent Forfait, French engineer, hydrographer, and politician, French Minister of Marine and the Colonies (d. 1807)
    • 1752 – Humphry Repton, English gardener and author (d. 1818)
    • 1774 – Jean-Baptiste Biot, French physicist, astronomer, and mathematician (d. 1862)
    • 1775 – Alexander Anderson, Scottish-American illustrator and engraver (d. 1870)
    • 1790 – Manuel Blanco Encalada, Spanish-Chilean admiral and politician, 1st President of Chile (d. 1876)
    • 1810 – John Putnam Chapin, American politician, 10th Mayor of Chicago (d. 1864)
    • 1811 – Alson Sherman, American merchant and politician, 8th Mayor of Chicago (d. 1903)
    • 1814 – Angela Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts, English art collector and philanthropist (d. 1906)
    • 1816 – Charlotte Brontë, Cornish-English novelist and poet (d. 1855)
    • 1837 – Fredrik Bajer, Danish lieutenant and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1922)
    • 1838 – John Muir, Scottish-American environmentalist and author (d. 1914)
    • 1851 – Charles Barrois, French geologist and palaeontologist (d. 1939)
    • 1854 – William Stang, German-American bishop (d. 1907)
    • 1864 – Max Weber, German economist and sociologist (d. 1920)
    • 1868 – Alfred Henry Maurer, American painter (d. 1932)
    • 1870 – Edwin Stanton Porter, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1941)
    • 1874 – Vincent Scotto, French actor and composer (d. 1952)
    • 1882 – Percy Williams Bridgman, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1961)
    • 1885 – Tatu Kolehmainen, Finnish runner (d. 1967)
    • 1887 – Joe McCarthy, American baseball manager (d. 1978)
    • 1889 – Marcel Boussac, French businessman (d. 1980)
    • 1889 – Paul Karrer, Russian-Swiss chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1971)
    • 1889 – Efrem Zimbalist, Sr., Russian-American violinist, composer, and conductor (d. 1985)
    • 1892 – Freddie Dixon, English motorcycle racer and racing driver (d. 1956)
    • 1893 – Romeo Bertini, Italian runner (d. 1973)
    • 1898 – Maurice Wilson, English soldier, pilot, and mountaineer (d. 1934)
    • 1899 – Randall Thompson, American composer and academic (d. 1984)
    • 1903 – Luis Saslavsky, Argentinian director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1995)
    • 1904 – Jean Hélion, French painter (d. 1987)
    • 1904 – Odilo Globocnik, Italian-Austrian SS officer (d. 1945)
    • 1905 – Pat Brown, American lawyer and politician, 32nd Governor of California (d. 1996)
    • 1911 – Ivan Combe, American businessman, developed Clearasil (d. 2000)
    • 1911 – Kemal Satır, Turkish physician and politician (d. 1991)
    • 1912 – Eve Arnold, Russian-American photojournalist (d. 2012)
    • 1912 – Marcel Camus, French director and screenwriter (d. 1982)
    • 1913 – Norman Parkinson, English photographer (d. 1990)
    • 1914 – Angelo Savoldi, Italian-American wrestler and promoter, co-founded International World Class Championship Wrestling (d. 2013)
    • 1915 – Garrett Hardin, American ecologist, author, and academic (d. 2003)
    • 1915 – Anthony Quinn, Mexican-American actor (d. 2001)
    • 1916 – Estella B. Diggs, American businesswoman and politician (d. 2013)
    • 1918 – Eddy Christiani, Dutch singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2016)
    • 1919 – Don Cornell, American singer (d. 2004)
    • 1919 – Roger Doucet, Canadian tenor (d. 1981)
    • 1919 – Licio Gelli, Italian financer (d. 2015)
    • 1920 – Edmund Adamkiewicz, German footballer (d. 1991)
    • 1922 – Alistair MacLean, Scottish novelist and screenwriter (d. 1987)
    • 1922 – Allan Watkins, Welsh-English cricketer (d. 2011)
    • 1923 – John Mortimer, English lawyer and author (d. 2009)
    • 1924 – Ira Louvin, American singer-songwriter and mandolin player (d. 1965)
    • 1925 – Anthony Mason, Australian soldier and judge, 9th Chief Justice of Australia
    • 1925 – John Swinton of Kimmerghame, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire (d. 2018)
    • 1926 – Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and her other realms
    • 1926 – Arthur Rowley, English footballer, manager and cricketer (d. 2002)
    • 1927 – Ahmed Arif, Turkish poet and author (d. 1991)
    • 1928 – Jack Evans, Welsh-Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 1996)
    • 1930 – Hilda Hilst, Brazilian author, poet, and playwright (d. 2004)
    • 1930 – Silvana Mangano, Italian actress (d. 1989)
    • 1930 – Dieter Roth, German-Swiss illustrator and sculptor (d. 1998)
    • 1930 – Jack Taylor, English footballer and referee (d. 2012)
    • 1931 – Morgan Wootten, American high school basketball coach (d. 2020)
    • 1932 – Slide Hampton, African-American trombonist and composer
    • 1932 – Elaine May, American actress, comedian, director, and screenwriter
    • 1932 – Angela Mortimer, English tennis player
    • 1933 – Edelmiro Amante, Filipino lawyer and politician (d. 2013)
    • 1933 – Easley Blackwood, Jr., American pianist, composer, and educator
    • 1933 – Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Iraqi patriarch (d. 2014)
    • 1935 – Charles Grodin, American actor and talk show host
    • 1935 – Thomas Kean, American academic and politician, 48th Governor of New Jersey
    • 1936 – James Dobson, American evangelist, psychologist, and author, founded Focus on the Family
    • 1936 – Reg Fleming, Canadian-American ice hockey player (d. 2009)
    • 1937 – Gary Peters, American baseball player
    • 1937 – Ben Zinn, Israeli-born American academic and former international soccer player
    • 1939 – John McCabe, English pianist and composer (d. 2015)
    • 1939 – Sister Helen Prejean, American nun, activist, and author
    • 1939 – Reni Santoni, American actor
    • 1940 – Jacques Caron, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1940 – Souleymane Cissé, Malian director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1941 – David L. Boren, American lawyer and politician, 21st Governor of Oklahoma
    • 1942 – Geoffrey Palmer, New Zealand politician, 33rd Prime Minister of New Zealand
    • 1945 – Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan, Indian cricketer and umpire
    • 1945 – Mark Wainberg, Canadian researcher and HIV/AIDS activist (d. 2017)
    • 1945 – Diana Darvey, English actress, singer and dancer (d. 2000)
    • 1947 – Al Bumbry, American baseball player
    • 1947 – Iggy Pop, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
    • 1947 – John Weider, English bass player
    • 1948 – Gary Condit, American businessman and politician
    • 1948 – Paul Davis, American singer-songwriter and musician (d. 2008)
    • 1948 – Josef Flammer, Swiss ophthalmologist
    • 1948 – Dieter Fromm, German runner
    • 1949 – Patti LuPone, American actress and singer
    • 1950 – Shivaji Satam, Indian actor
    • 1951 – Tony Danza, American actor and producer
    • 1951 – Michael Freedman, American mathematician and academic
    • 1951 – Bob Varsha, American sportscaster
    • 1951 – Steve Vickers, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1952 – Gerald Early, American author and academic
    • 1952 – Cheryl Gillan, British businesswoman and politician, Secretary of State for Wales
    • 1953 – John Brumby, Australian politician, 45th Premier of Victoria
    • 1954 – Ebiet G. Ade, Indonesian singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1954 – James Morrison, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1955 – Murathan Mungan, Turkish author, poet, and playwright
    • 1955 – Doug Soetaert, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1956 – Peter Kosminsky, English director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1956 – Phillip Longman, German-American demographer and journalist
    • 1957 – Hervé Le Tellier, French linguist and author
    • 1957 – Jesse Orosco, American baseball player
    • 1957 – Herbert Wetterauer, German painter, sculptor, and author
    • 1958 – Andie MacDowell, American model, actress, and producer
    • 1958 – Yoshito Usui, Japanese illustrator (d. 2009)
    • 1958 – Michael Zarnock, American author
    • 1959 – Tim Jacobus, American illustrator and painter
    • 1959 – Olga Kuragina, Russian pentathlete
    • 1959 – Arno Pijpers, Dutch footballer and coach
    • 1959 – Robert Smith, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1960 – Michel Goulet, Canadian ice hockey player and scout
    • 1960 – Julius Korir, Kenyan runner
    • 1961 – Cathy Cavadini, American voice actress
    • 1961 – Carey Hayes, American screenwriter and producer
    • 1961 – Chad Hayes, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1961 – Neale Marmon, English-German footballer, coach, and manager
    • 1961 – David Servan-Schreiber, French physician, neuroscientist, and author (d. 2011)
    • 1962 – Les Lancaster, American baseball player and coach
    • 1962 – Craig Robinson, American basketball player and coach
    • 1962 – Aavo Sarap, Estonian footballer and coach
    • 1963 – Ken Caminiti, American baseball player (d. 2004)
    • 1963 – Roy Dupuis, Canadian actor
    • 1963 – John Cameron Mitchell, American actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1964 – Alex Baumann, Czech-Canadian swimmer
    • 1964 – Ludmila Engquist, Russian-Swedish hurdler
    • 1965 – Ed Belfour, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1965 – Karen Foster, American model and actress
    • 1965 – Gary Grant, American basketball player
    • 1965 – Thomas Helmer, German footballer
    • 1965 – Fiona Kelleghan, American academic, critic and librarian
    • 1967 – Emilio Valle, Cuban hurdler
    • 1968 – Peter van Vossen, Dutch footballer and coach
    • 1969 – John Kibowen, Kenyan runner
    • 1969 – Toby Stephens, English actor
    • 1970 – Jeff Anderson, American actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1970 – Glen Hansard, Irish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1970 – Rob Riggle, American actor and comedian
    • 1970 – Nicole Sullivan, American actress, comedian, and screenwriter
    • 1971 – Axl Rotten, American wrestler (d. 2016)
    • 1971 – Michael Turner, American author and illustrator (d. 2008)
    • 1972 – Richard Chelimo, Kenyan runner (d. 2001)
    • 1972 – Gwendal Peizerat, French ice dancer
    • 1973 – Steve Backshall, English naturalist, writer, and television presenter
    • 1973 – Jonathan Nsenga, Belgian hurdler and coach
    • 1974 – Maksim Gruznov, Estonian footballer
    • 1974 – Orlando Jordan, American wrestler
    • 1974 – David Peachey, Australian rugby league player
    • 1975 – Danyon Loader, New Zealand swimmer
    • 1976 – Rommel Adducul, Filipino basketball player
    • 1976 – Petero Civoniceva, Fijian-Australian rugby league player
    • 1977 – Gyula Koi, Hungarian scholar and educator
    • 1977 – Jamie Salé, Canadian figure skater
    • 1978 – Jacob Burns, Australian footballer
    • 1978 – Jukka Nevalainen, Finnish drummer
    • 1978 – Yuliya Pechonkina, Russian hurdler
    • 1979 – Virginie Basselot, French chef
    • 1979 – Tobias Linderoth, French-Swedish footballer and coach
    • 1979 – James McAvoy, Scottish actor
    • 1980 – Jeff Keppinger, American baseball player
    • 1980 – Vincent Lecavalier, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1980 – Tony Romo, American football player
    • 1981 – Mads Junker, Danish footballer
    • 1982 – Khalif Barnes, American football player
    • 1982 – Micheal Luck, Australian rugby league player
    • 1982 – Carnell Williams, American football player
    • 1983 – Paweł Brożek, Polish footballer
    • 1983 – Marco Donadel, Italian footballer
    • 1983 – Tarvaris Jackson, American football player (d. 2020)
    • 1984 – Shayna Fox, American voice actress
    • 1986 – Audra Cohen, American tennis player
    • 1986 – Alexander Edler, Swedish ice hockey player
    • 1986 – Rodney Stuckey, American basketball player
    • 1986 – Mirko Valdifiori, Italian footballer
    • 1987 – Nadif Chowdhury, Bangladeshi cricketer
    • 1987 – Eric Devendorf, American basketball player
    • 1987 – Leroy George, Dutch footballer
    • 1987 – Anastasia Prikhodko, Ukrainian singer
    • 1988 – Ricky Berens, American swimmer
    • 1988 – Jencarlos Canela, American singer-songwriter and actor
    • 1988 – Pedro Mosquera, Spanish footballer
    • 1988 – Adam Rooney, Irish footballer
    • 1989 – Tatyana McFadden, Russian-American sprinter and skier
    • 1989 – Carlos Muñoz, Chilean footballer
    • 1990 – Aleksandar Prijović, Swiss-born Serbian footballer
    • 1992 – Isco, Spanish footballer
    • 1992 – Rene Santos, Brazilian footballer
    • 1992 – Joc Pederson, American baseball player
    • 1994 – Mitchell Weiser, German footballer

    Deaths on April 21

    • 234 – Emperor Xian of Han, Chinese emperor (b. 181)
    • 586 – Liuvigild, king of the Visigoths
    • 847 – Odgar, Frankish archbishop of Mainz
    • 866 – Bardas, de facto regent of the Byzantine Empire
    • 941 – Bajkam, de facto regent of the Abbasid Caliphate
    • 1073 – Pope Alexander II
    • 1109 – Anselm of Canterbury, Italian-English archbishop and saint (b. 1033)
    • 1136 – Stephen, Count of Tréguier Breton noblemen (b. c. 1058/62)
    • 1142 – Peter Abelard, French philosopher and theologian (b. 1079)
    • 1213 – Maria of Montpellier, Lady of Montpellier, Queen of Aragon (b. 1182)
    • 1329 – Frederick IV, Duke of Lorraine (b. 1282)
    • 1400 – John Wittlebury, English politician (b. 1333)
    • 1509 – Henry VII of England (b. 1457)
    • 1557 – Petrus Apianus, German mathematician and astronomer (b. 1495)
    • 1574 – Cosimo I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1519)
    • 1591 – Sen no Rikyū, Japanese exponent of the tea ceremony (b. 1522)
    • 1650 – Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi, Japanese samurai (b. 1607)
    • 1668 – Jan Boeckhorst, Flemish painter (b. c. 1604)
    • 1699 – Jean Racine, French playwright and poet (b. 1639)
    • 1719 – Philippe de La Hire, French mathematician and astronomer (b. 1640)
    • 1720 – Antoine Hamilton, Irish-French soldier and author (b. 1646)
    • 1722 – Robert Beverley, Jr., English historian and author (b. 1673)
    • 1736 – Prince Eugene of Savoy (b. 1663)
    • 1740 – Thomas Tickell, English poet and author (b. 1685)
    • 1758 – Francesco Zerafa, Maltese architect (b. 1679)
    • 1815 – Joseph Winston, American soldier and politician (b. 1746)
    • 1825 – Johann Friedrich Pfaff, German mathematician and academic (b. 1765)
    • 1852 – Ivan Nabokov, Russian general (b. 1787)
    • 1863 – Sir Robert Bateson, 1st Baronet, Irish politician (b. 1782)
    • 1900 – Vikramatji Khimojiraj, Indian ruler (b. 1819)
    • 1910 – Mark Twain, American novelist, humorist, and critic (b. 1835)
    • 1918 – Manfred von Richthofen, German captain and pilot (b. 1892)
    • 1924 – Eleonora Duse, Italian actress (b. 1858)
    • 1930 – Robert Bridges, English poet and author (b. 1844)
    • 1932 – Friedrich Gustav Piffl, Bohemian cardinal (b. 1864)
    • 1938 – Muhammad Iqbal, Indian-Pakistani philosopher and poet (b. 1877)
    • 1941 – Fritz Manteuffel, German gymnast (b. 1875)
    • 1945 – Walter Model, German field marshal (b. 1891)
    • 1946 – John Maynard Keynes, English economist and philosopher (b. 1883)
    • 1948 – Aldo Leopold, American ecologist and author (b. 1887)
    • 1952 – Leslie Banks, American actor, director and producer (b. 1890)
    • 1954 – Emil Leon Post, Polish-American mathematician and logician (b. 1897)
    • 1956 – Charles MacArthur, American playwright and screenwriter (b. 1895)
    • 1965 – Edward Victor Appleton, English-Scottish physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1892)
    • 1971 – François Duvalier, Haitian physician and politician, 40th President of Haiti (b. 1907)
    • 1973 – Arthur Fadden, Australian accountant and politician, 13th Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1894)
    • 1973 – Kemal Tahir, Turkish journalist and author (b. 1910)
    • 1974 – Chic Harley, American football player (b. 1894)
    • 1977 – Gummo Marx, American vaudevillian and talent agent (b. 1893)
    • 1978 – Sandy Denny, English singer-songwriter (b.1947)
    • 1978 – Thomas Wyatt Turner, American biologist and academic (b. 1877)
    • 1980 – Alexander Oparin, Russian biochemist and academic (b. 1894)
    • 1980 – Sohrab Sepehri, Iranian poet and painter (b. 1928)
    • 1983 – Walter Slezak, Austrian-American actor and singer (b. 1902)
    • 1984 – Marcel Janco, Romanian-Israeli artist (b. 1895)
    • 1984 – Hristo Prodanov, Bulgarian engineer and mountaineer (b. 1943)
    • 1985 – Rudi Gernreich, Austrian-American fashion designer, created the monokini (b. 1922)
    • 1985 – Tancredo Neves, Brazilian banker and politician, Prime Minister of Brazil (b. 1910)
    • 1986 – Marjorie Eaton, American painter and actress (b. 1901)
    • 1986 – Salah Jahin, Egyptian poet, playwright, and composer (b. 1930)
    • 1987 – Gustav Bergmann, Austrian-American philosopher from the Vienna Circle (b. 1906)
    • 1989 – James Kirkwood, Jr., American actor, playwright, and author (b. 1924)
    • 1990 – Erté, Russian-French illustrator (b. 1892)
    • 1991 – Willi Boskovsky, Austrian violinist and conductor (b. 1909)
    • 1996 – Zora Arkus-Duntov, Belgian-born American engineer and race car driver (b. 1909)
    • 1996 – Dzhokhar Dudayev, Chechen general and politician, 1st President of Ichkeria (b. 1944)
    • 1996 – Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Pakistani cricketer (b. 1925)
    • 1996 – Jimmy Snyder, American sportscaster (b. 1919)
    • 1998 – Jean-François Lyotard, French sociologist and philosopher (b. 1924)
    • 1999 – Buddy Rogers, American actor (b. 1904)
    • 2003 – Nina Simone, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and activist (b. 1933)
    • 2004 – Mary McGrory, American journalist (b. 1918)
    • 2005 – Gerry Marshall, English race car driver and journalist (b. 1941)
    • 2006 – Johnny Checketts, New Zealand commander and pilot (b. 1912)
    • 2006 – T. K. Ramakrishnan, Indian politician (b. 1922)
    • 2006 – Telê Santana, Brazilian footballer and manager (b. 1931)
    • 2007 – Lobby Loyde, Australian guitarist, songwriter, and producer (b. 1941)
    • 2009 – Vivian Maier, American photographer (b. 1926)
    • 2010 – Gustav Lorentzen, Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1947)
    • 2010 – Juan Antonio Samaranch, Spanish businessman, seventh President of the International Olympic Committee (b. 1920)
    • 2010 – Kanagaratnam Sriskandan, Sri Lankan-English engineer and civil servant (b. 1930)
    • 2011 – Catharina Halkes, Dutch theologian and academic (b. 1920)
    • 2012 – Doris Betts, American author and academic (b. 1932)
    • 2012 – Charles Colson, American lawyer and activist, founded Prison Fellowship (b. 1931)
    • 2012 – Albert Falco, French captain and diver (b. 1927)
    • 2012 – Charles Higham, English-American author and poet (b. 1931)
    • 2012 – Jerry Toppazzini, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1931)
    • 2013 – Chrissy Amphlett, Australian singer-songwriter and actress (b. 1959)
    • 2013 – Shakuntala Devi, Indian mathematician and astrologer (b. 1929)
    • 2013 – Leopold Engleitner, Austrian Holocaust survivor, author, and educator (b. 1905)
    • 2013 – Gordon D. Gayle, American general and historian (b. 1917)
    • 2014 – Herb Gray, Canadian lawyer and politician, 7th Deputy Prime Minister of Canada (b. 1931)
    • 2014 – Janet Gray Hayes, American politician, 60th Mayor of San Jose (b. 1926)
    • 2014 – George H. Heilmeier, American engineer (b. 1936)
    • 2014 – Win Tin, Burmese journalist and politician, co-founded the National League for Democracy (b. 1930)
    • 2015 – M. H. Abrams, American author, critic, and academic (b. 1912)
    • 2015 – Steve Byrnes, American sportscaster and producer (b. 1959)
    • 2015 – John Moshoeu, South African footballer and manager (b. 1965)
    • 2015 – Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, Indian politician, Governor of Assam (b. 1927)
    • 2015 – Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters, Canadian general (b. 1920)
    • 2015 – Betsy von Furstenberg, German-American actress (b. 1931)
    • 2016 – Prince, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor (b. 1958)
    • 2017 – Ugo Ehiogu, English footballer (b. 1972)
    • 2018 – Verne Troyer, American actor (b. 1969)
    • 2018 – Nabi Tajima, Japanese supercentenarian, oldest Japanese and Asian person ever, last verified person born in the 19th century (b. 1900)
    • 2019 – Polly Higgins, Scottish barrister, author and environmental lobbyist, (b. 1968)

    Holidays and observances April 21

    • Christian feast day:
      • Abdecalas
      • Anastasius Sinaita
      • Anselm of Canterbury
      • Beuno
      • Conrad of Parzham
      • Holy Infant of Good Health
      • Shemon Bar Sabbae
      • Wolbodo
      • April 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Civil Service Day (India)
    • Grounation Day (Rastafari movement)
    • Heroic Defense of Veracruz (Mexico)
    • Kang Pan-sok’s Birthday (North Korea)
    • Kartini Day (Indonesia)
    • Local Self Government Day (Russia)
    • National Tea Day (United Kingdom)
    • National Tree Planting Day (Kenya)
    • San Jacinto Day (Texas)
    • Queen’s Official Birthday (Falkland Islands)
    • Tiradentes’ Day (Brazil)
    • Vietnam Book Day (Vietnam)