Saturday

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

    It is the last day of the first half of the year. The end of this day marks the halfway point of a leap year. It also falls on the same day of the week as New Year’s Day in a leap year. The midpoint of the year for southern hemisphere DST countries occurs at 11:00 p.m.

    • AD 69 – Tiberius Julius Alexander orders his Roman legions in Alexandria to swear allegiance to Vespasian as Emperor.
    • 552 – Battle of Taginae: Byzantine forces under Narses defeat the Ostrogoths in Italy, and the Ostrogoth king, Totila, is mortally wounded.
    • 1097 – Battle of Dorylaeum: Crusaders led by prince Bohemond of Taranto defeat a Seljuk army led by sultan Kilij Arslan I.
    • 1431 – The Battle of La Higueruela takes place in Granada, leading to a modest advance of the Kingdom of Castile during the Reconquista.
    • 1520 – Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés fight their way out of Tenochtitlan after nightfall.
    • 1523 – Jan van Essen and Hendrik Vos become the first Lutheran martyrs, burned at the stake by Roman Catholic authorities in Brussels.
    • 1569 – Union of Lublin: The Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania confirm a real union; the united country is called the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth or the Republic of Both Nations.
    • 1643 – First meeting of the Westminster Assembly, a council of theologians (“divines”) and members of the Parliament of England appointed to restructure the Church of England, at Westminster Abbey in London.
    • 1690 – Glorious Revolution: Battle of the Boyne in Ireland (as reckoned under the Julian calendar).
    • 1766 – François-Jean de la Barre, a young French nobleman, is tortured and beheaded before his body is burnt on a pyre along with a copy of Voltaire’s Dictionnaire philosophique nailed to his torso for the crime of not saluting a Roman Catholic religious procession in Abbeville, France.
    • 1770 – Lexell’s Comet is seen closer to the Earth than any other comet in recorded history, approaching to a distance of 0.0146 astronomical units (2,180,000 km; 1,360,000 mi).
    • 1782 – Raid on Lunenburg: American privateers attack the British settlement of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
    • 1819 – Johann Georg Tralles discovers the Great Comet of 1819, (C/1819 N1). It was the first comet analyzed using polarimetry, by François Arago.
    • 1837 – A system of civil registration of births, marriages and deaths is established in England and Wales.
    • 1855 – Signing of the Quinault Treaty: The Quinault and the Quileute cede their land to the United States.
    • 1858 – Joint reading of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace’s papers on evolution to the Linnean Society of London.
    • 1862 – The Russian State Library is founded as the Library of the Moscow Public Museum.
    • 1862 – Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, second daughter of Queen Victoria, marries Prince Louis of Hesse, the future Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse.
    • 1862 – American Civil War: The Battle of Malvern Hill takes place. It is the last of the Seven Days Battles, part of George B. McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign.
    • 1863 – Keti Koti (Emancipation Day) in Suriname, marking the abolition of slavery by the Netherlands.
    • 1863 – American Civil War: The Battle of Gettysburg begins.
    • 1867 – The British North America Act takes effect as the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia join into confederation to create the modern nation of Canada. Sir John A. Macdonald is sworn in as the first Prime Minister of Canada. This date is commemorated annually in Canada as Canada Day, a national holiday.
    • 1870 – The United States Department of Justice formally comes into existence.
    • 1873 – Prince Edward Island joins into Canadian Confederation.
    • 1874 – The Sholes and Glidden typewriter, the first commercially successful typewriter, goes on sale.
    • 1878 – Canada joins the Universal Postal Union.
    • 1879 – Charles Taze Russell publishes the first edition of the religious magazine The Watchtower.
    • 1881 – The world’s first international telephone call is made between St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada, and Calais, Maine, United States.
    • 1881 – General Order 70, the culmination of the Cardwell and Childers reforms of the British Army, comes into effect.
    • 1885 – The United States terminates reciprocity and fishery agreement with Canada.
    • 1885 – The Congo Free State is established by King Leopold II of Belgium.
    • 1890 – Canada and Bermuda are linked by telegraph cable.
    • 1898 – Spanish–American War: The Battle of San Juan Hill is fought in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.
    • 1903 – Start of first Tour de France bicycle race.
    • 1908 – SOS is adopted as the international distress signal.
    • 1911 – Germany despatches the gunship SMS Panther to Morocco, sparking the Agadir Crisis.
    • 1915 – Leutnant Kurt Wintgens of the then-named German Deutsches Heer’s Fliegertruppe army air service achieves the first known aerial victory with a synchronized machine-gun armed fighter plane, the Fokker M.5K/MG Eindecker.
    • 1916 – World War I: First day on the Somme: On the first day of the Battle of the Somme 19,000 soldiers of the British Army are killed and 40,000 wounded.
    • 1922 – The Great Railroad Strike of 1922 begins in the United States.
    • 1923 – The Parliament of Canada suspends all Chinese immigration.
    • 1931 – United Airlines begins service (as Boeing Air Transport).
    • 1931 – Wiley Post and Harold Gatty become the first people to circumnavigate the globe in a single-engined monoplane aircraft.
    • 1932 – Australia’s national broadcaster, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, was formed.
    • 1935 – Regina, Saskatchewan police and Royal Canadian Mounted Police ambush strikers participating in the On-to-Ottawa Trek.
    • 1942 – World War II: First Battle of El Alamein.
    • 1942 – The Australian Federal Government becomes the sole collector of income tax in Australia as State Income Tax is abolished.
    • 1943 – The City of Tokyo and the Prefecture of Tokyo are both replaced by the Tokyo Metropolis.
    • 1947 – The Philippine Air Force is established.
    • 1948 – Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Quaid-i-Azam) inaugurates Pakistan’s central bank, the State Bank of Pakistan.
    • 1949 – The merger of two princely states of India, Cochin and Travancore, into the state of Thiru-Kochi (later re-organized as Kerala) in the Indian Union ends more than 1,000 years of princely rule by the Cochin royal family.
    • 1957 – The International Geophysical Year begins.
    • 1958 – The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation links television broadcasting across Canada via microwave.
    • 1958 – Flooding of Canada’s Saint Lawrence Seaway begins.
    • 1959 – Specific values for the international yard, avoirdupois pound and derived units (e.g. inch, mile and ounce) are adopted after agreement between the US, the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries.
    • 1960 – Independence of Somalia.
    • 1960 – Ghana becomes a republic and Kwame Nkrumah becomes its first President as Queen Elizabeth II ceases to be its head of state.
    • 1962 – Independence of Rwanda and Burundi.
    • 1963 – ZIP codes are introduced for United States mail.
    • 1963 – The British Government admits that former diplomat Kim Philby had worked as a Soviet agent.
    • 1966 – The first color television transmission in Canada takes place from Toronto.
    • 1967 – Merger Treaty: The European Community is formally created out of a merger with the Common Market, the European Coal and Steel Community, and the European Atomic Energy Commission.
    • 1968 – The United States Central Intelligence Agency’s Phoenix Program is officially established.
    • 1968 – The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is signed in Washington, D.C., London and Moscow by sixty-two countries.
    • 1968 – Formal separation of the United Auto Workers from the AFL–CIO in the United States.
    • 1972 – The first Gay pride march in England takes place.
    • 1976 – Portugal grants autonomy to Madeira.
    • 1978 – The Northern Territory in Australia is granted self-government.
    • 1979 – Sony introduces the Walkman.
    • 1980 – “O Canada” officially becomes the national anthem of Canada.
    • 1983 – A North Korean Ilyushin Il-62M jet en route to Conakry Airport in Guinea crashes into the Fouta Djallon mountains in Guinea-Bissau, killing all 23 people on board.
    • 1984 – The PG-13 rating is introduced by the MPAA.
    • 1987 – The American radio station WFAN in New York City is launched as the world’s first all-sports radio station.
    • 1990 – German reunification: East Germany accepts the Deutsche Mark as its currency, thus uniting the economies of East and West Germany.
    • 1991 – Cold War: The Warsaw Pact is officially dissolved at a meeting in Prague.
    • 1997 – China resumes sovereignty over the city-state of Hong Kong, ending 156 years of British colonial rule. The handover ceremony is attended by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Charles, Prince of Wales, Chinese President Jiang Zemin, and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
    • 1999 – The Scottish Parliament is officially opened by Elizabeth II on the day that legislative powers are officially transferred from the old Scottish Office in London to the new devolved Scottish Executive in Edinburgh. In Wales, the powers of the Welsh Secretary are transferred to the National Assembly.
    • 2002 – The International Criminal Court is established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
    • 2002 – Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937, a Tupolev Tu-154, and DHL Flight 611, a Boeing 757, collide in mid-air over Überlingen, southern Germany, killing all 71 on board both planes.
    • 2003 – Over 500,000 people protest against efforts to pass anti-sedition legislation in Hong Kong.
    • 2004 – Saturn orbit insertion of Cassini–Huygens begins at 01:12 UTC and ends at 02:48 UTC.
    • 2006 – The first operation of Qinghai–Tibet Railway is conducted in China.
    • 2007 – Smoking in England is banned in all public indoor spaces.
    • 2008 – Riots erupt in Mongolia in response to allegations of fraud surrounding the 2008 legislative elections.
    • 2013 – Croatia becomes the 28th member of the European Union.

    Births on July 1

    • 1311 – Liu Bowen, Chinese military strategist, statesman and poet (d. 1375)
    • 1464 – Clara Gonzaga, Italian noble (d. 1503)
    • 1481 – Christian II of Denmark (d. 1559)
    • 1506 – Louis II of Hungary (d. 1526)
    • 1534 – Frederick II of Denmark (d. 1588)
    • 1553 – Peter Street, English carpenter and builder (d. 1609)
    • 1574 – Joseph Hall, English bishop and mystic (d. 1656)
    • 1586 – Claudio Saracini, Italian lute player and composer (d. 1630)
    • 1633 – Johann Heinrich Heidegger, Swiss theologian and author (d. 1698)
    • 1646 – Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, German mathematician and philosopher (d. 1716)
    • 1663 – Franz Xaver Murschhauser, German composer and theorist (d. 1738)
    • 1725 – Rhoda Delaval, English painter and aristrocrat (d. 1757)
    • 1725 – Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, French general (d. 1807)
    • 1731 – Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan, Scottish-English admiral (d. 1804)
    • 1742 – Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, German physicist and academic (d. 1799)
    • 1771 – Ferdinando Paer, Italian composer and conductor (d. 1839)
    • 1788 – Jean-Victor Poncelet, French mathematician and engineer (d. 1867)
    • 1804 – Charles Gordon Greene, American journalist and politician (d. 1886)
    • 1804 – George Sand, French author and playwright (d. 1876)
    • 1807 – Thomas Green Clemson, American politician and educator, founded Clemson University (d. 1888)
    • 1808 – Ygnacio del Valle, Mexican-American landowner (d. 1880)
    • 1814 – Robert Torrens, Irish-Australian politician, 3rd Premier of South Australia (d. 1884)
    • 1818 – Ignaz Semmelweis, Hungarian-Austrian physician and obstetrician (d. 1865)
    • 1818 – Karl von Vierordt, German physician, psychologist and academic (d. 1884)
    • 1822 – Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, Vietnamese poet and activist (d. 1888)
    • 1834 – Jadwiga Łuszczewska, Polish poet and author (d. 1908)
    • 1850 – Florence Earle Coates, American poet (d. 1927)
    • 1858 – Willard Metcalf, American painter (d. 1925)
    • 1858 – Velma Caldwell Melville, American editor and writer of prose and poetry (d. 1924)
    • 1863 – William Grant Stairs, Canadian-English captain and explorer (d. 1892)
    • 1869 – William Strunk Jr., American author and educator (d. 1946)
    • 1872 – Louis Blériot, French pilot and engineer (d. 1936)
    • 1872 – William Duddell, English physicist and engineer (d. 1917)
    • 1873 – Alice Guy-Blaché, French-American film director, producer and screenwriter (d. 1968)
    • 1873 – Andrass Samuelsen, Faroese politician, 1st Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands (d. 1954)
    • 1875 – Joseph Weil, American con man (d. 1976)
    • 1876 – T.J. Ryan, Australian politician, 19th Premier of Queensland (d. 1921)
    • 1878 – Jacques Rosenbaum, Estonian-German architect (d. 1944)
    • 1879 – Léon Jouhaux, French union leader, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1954)
    • 1881 – Edward Battersby Bailey, English geologist (d. 1965)
    • 1882 – Bidhan Chandra Roy, Indian physician and politician, 2nd Chief Minister of West Bengal (d. 1962)
    • 1883 – Arthur Borton, English colonel, Victoria Cross recipient (d. 1933)
    • 1885 – Dorothea Mackellar, Australian author and poet (d. 1968)
    • 1887 – Amber Reeves, New Zealand-English author and scholar (d. 1981)
    • 1892 – James M. Cain, American author and journalist (d. 1977)
    • 1892 – László Lajtha, Hungarian composer and conductor (d. 1963)
    • 1899 – Thomas A. Dorsey, American pianist and composer (d. 1993)
    • 1899 – Charles Laughton, English-American actor and director (d. 1962)
    • 1899 – Konstantinos Tsatsos, Greek scholar and politician, President of Greece (d. 1987)
    • 1901 – Irna Phillips, American screenwriter (d. 1973)
    • 1902 – William Wyler, French-American film director, producer and screenwriter (d. 1981)
    • 1903 – Amy Johnson, English pilot (d. 1941)
    • 1903 – Beatrix Lehmann, English actress (d. 1979)
    • 1906 – Jean Dieudonné, French mathematician and academic (d. 1992)
    • 1906 – Estée Lauder, American businesswoman, co-founded the Estée Lauder Companies (d. 2004)
    • 1907 – Norman Pirie, Scottish-English biochemist and virologist (d. 1997)
    • 1909 – Emmett Toppino, American sprinter (d. 1971)
    • 1910 – Glenn Hardin, American hurdler (d. 1975)
    • 1911 – Arnold Alas, Estonian landscape architect and artist (d. 1990)
    • 1911 – Sergey Sokolov, Russian marshal and politician, Soviet Minister of Defence (d. 2012)
    • 1912 – David Brower, American environmentalist, founded Sierra Club Foundation (d. 2000)
    • 1912 – Sally Kirkland, American journalist (d. 1989)
    • 1913 – Frank Barrett, American baseball player (d. 1998)
    • 1913 – Lee Guttero, American basketball player (d. 2004)
    • 1913 – Vasantrao Naik, Indian politician, 3rd Chief Minister of Maharashtra (d. 1979)
    • 1914 – Thomas Pearson, British Army officer (d. 2019)
    • 1914 – Christl Cranz, German alpine skier (d. 2004)
    • 1914 – Bernard B. Wolfe, American politician (d. 2016)
    • 1915 – Boots Poffenberger, American baseball player (d. 1999)
    • 1915 – Willie Dixon, American singer-songwriter, bass player, guitarist and producer (d. 1992)
    • 1915 – Joseph Ransohoff, American soldier and neurosurgeon (d. 2001)
    • 1915 – Philip Lever, 3rd Viscount Leverhulme, British peer (d. 2000)
    • 1915 – Nguyễn Văn Linh, Vietnamese politician (d. 1998)
    • 1916 – Olivia de Havilland, British-American actress
    • 1916 – Iosif Shklovsky, Ukrainian astronomer and astrophysicist (d. 1985)
    • 1916 – George C. Stoney, American director and producer (d. 2012)
    • 1917 – Humphry Osmond, English-American lieutenant and psychiatrist (d. 2004)
    • 1917 – Álvaro Domecq y Díez, Spanish aristocrat (d. 2005)
    • 1918 – Ralph Young, American singer and actor (d. 2008)
    • 1918 – Ahmed Deedat, South African writer and public speaker (d. 2005)
    • 1918 – Pedro Yap, Filipino lawyer (d. 2003)
    • 1919 – Arnold Meri, Estonian colonel (d. 2009)
    • 1919 – Malik Dohan al-Hassan, Iraqi politician
    • 1919 – Gerald E. Miller, American vice admiral (d. 2014)
    • 1920 – Henri Amouroux, French historian and journalist (d. 2007)
    • 1920 – Harold Sakata, Japanese-American wrestler and actor (d. 1982)
    • 1920 – Joseph G. Williams, American musician
    • 1920 – George I. Fujimoto, American-Japanese chemist
    • 1921 – Seretse Khama, Batswana lawyer and politician, 1st President of Botswana (d. 1980)
    • 1921 – Michalina Wisłocka, Polish gynecologist and sexologist (d. 2005)
    • 1921 – Arthur Johnson, Canadian canoeist (d. 2003)
    • 1922 – Toshi Seeger, German-American activist, co-founded the Clearwater Festival (d. 2013)
    • 1922 – Mordechai Bibi, Israeli politician
    • 1923 – Scotty Bowers, American Marine, author and pimp (d. 2019)
    • 1924 – Antoni Ramallets, Spanish footballer and manager (d. 2013)
    • 1924 – Florence Stanley, American actress (d. 2003)
    • 1924 – Georges Rivière, French actor
    • 1925 – Farley Granger, American actor (d. 2011)
    • 1925 – Art McNally, American football referee
    • 1926 – Robert Fogel, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2013)
    • 1926 – Carl Hahn, German businessman
    • 1926 – Mohamed Abshir Muse, Somali general (d. 2017)
    • 1926 – Hans Werner Henze, German composer and educator (d. 2012)
    • 1927 – Alan J. Charig, English paleontologist and author (d. 1997)
    • 1927 – Joseph Martin Sartoris, American bishop
    • 1927 – Chandra Shekhar, 8th Prime Minister of India (d. 2007)[27]
    • 1929 – Gerald Edelman, American biologist and immunologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2014)
    • 1930 – Moustapha Akkad, Syrian-American director and producer (d. 2005)
    • 1930 – Carol Chomsky, American linguist and academic (d. 2008)
    • 1931 – Leslie Caron, French actress and dancer
    • 1932 – Ze’ev Schiff, French-Israeli journalist and author (d. 2007)
    • 1933 – C. Scott Littleton, American anthropologist and academic (d. 2010)
    • 1934 – Claude Berri, French actor, director and screenwriter (d. 2009)
    • 1934 – Jamie Farr, American actor
    • 1934 – Jean Marsh, English actress and screenwriter
    • 1934 – Sydney Pollack, American actor, director and producer (d. 2008)
    • 1935 – James Cotton, American singer-songwriter and harmonica player (d. 2017)
    • 1935 – David Prowse, English actor
    • 1936 – Wally Amos, American entrepreneur and founder of Famous Amos
    • 1938 – Craig Anderson, American baseball player and coach
    • 1938 – Hariprasad Chaurasia, Indian flute player and composer
    • 1939 – Karen Black, American actress (d. 2013)
    • 1939 – Delaney Bramlett, American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer (d. 2008)
    • 1940 – Craig Brown, Scottish footballer and manager
    • 1940 – Ela Gandhi, South African activist and politician
    • 1940 – Cahit Zarifoğlu, Turkish poet and author (d. 1987)
    • 1941 – Rod Gilbert, Canadian-American ice hockey player
    • 1941 – Alfred G. Gilman, American pharmacologist and biochemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2015)
    • 1941 – Myron Scholes, Canadian-American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1941 – Twyla Tharp, American dancer and choreographer
    • 1942 – Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, Iraqi field marshal and politician (d. 2015)
    • 1942 – Geneviève Bujold, Canadian actress
    • 1942 – Andraé Crouch, American singer-songwriter, producer and pastor (d. 2015)
    • 1942 – Julia Higgins, English chemist and academic
    • 1943 – Philip Brunelle, American conductor and organist
    • 1943 – Peeter Lepp, Estonian politician, 37th Mayor of Tallinn
    • 1943 – Jeff Wayne, American composer, musician and lyricist
    • 1945 – Mike Burstyn, American actor and singer
    • 1945 – Debbie Harry, American singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1946 – Mick Aston, English archaeologist and academic (d. 2013)
    • 1946 – Erkki Tuomioja, Finnish sergeant and politician, Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs
    • 1947 – Kazuyoshi Hoshino, Japanese race car driver
    • 1947 – Malcolm Wicks, English academic and politician (d. 2012)
    • 1948 – John Ford, English-American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1949 – Néjia Ben Mabrouk, Tunisian-Belgian director and screenwriter
    • 1949 – John Farnham, English-Australian singer-songwriter
    • 1949 – David Hogan, American composer and educator (d. 1996)
    • 1949 – Venkaiah Naidu, Indian lawyer and politician
    • 1950 – David Duke, American white supremacist, politician and former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard
    • 1951 – Trevor Eve, English actor and producer
    • 1951 – Anne Feeney, American singer-songwriter and activist
    • 1951 – Julia Goodfellow, English physicist and academic
    • 1951 – Klaus-Peter Justus, German runner
    • 1951 – Tom Kozelko, American basketball player
    • 1951 – Terrence Mann, American actor, singer and dancer
    • 1951 – Fred Schneider, American singer-songwriter and keyboard player
    • 1951 – Victor Willis, American singer-songwriter, pianist and actor
    • 1952 – Dan Aykroyd, Canadian actor, producer and screenwriter
    • 1952 – David Arkenstone, American composer and performer
    • 1952 – David Lane, English oncologist and academic
    • 1952 – Steve Shutt, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
    • 1952 – Timothy J. Tobias, American pianist and composer (d. 2006)
    • 1953 – Lawrence Gonzi, Maltese lawyer and politician, 12th Prime Minister of Malta
    • 1953 – Jadranka Kosor, Croatian journalist and politician, 9th Prime Minister of Croatia
    • 1954 – Keith Whitley, American singer and guitarist (d. 1989)
    • 1955 – Nikolai Demidenko, Russian pianist and educator
    • 1955 – Li Keqiang, Chinese economist and politician, 7th Premier of the People’s Republic of China
    • 1955 – Lisa Scottoline, American lawyer and author
    • 1957 – Lisa Blount, American actress and producer (d. 2010)
    • 1957 – Hannu Kamppuri, Finnish ice hockey player
    • 1957 – Sean O’Driscoll, English footballer and manager
    • 1958 – Jack Dyer Crouch II, American diplomat, United States Deputy National Security Advisor
    • 1960 – Michael Beattie, Australian rugby league player and coach
    • 1960 – Lynn Jennings, American runner
    • 1960 – Evelyn “Champagne” King, American soul/disco singer
    • 1960 – Kevin Swords, American rugby player
    • 1961 – Malcolm Elliott, English cyclist
    • 1961 – Ivan Kaye, English actor
    • 1961 – Carl Lewis, American long jumper and runner
    • 1961 – Diana, Princess of Wales (d. 1997)
    • 1961 – Michelle Wright, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1962 – Andre Braugher, American actor and producer
    • 1962 – Mokhzani Mahathir, Malaysian businessman
    • 1963 – Roddy Bottum, American singer and keyboard player
    • 1963 – Nick Giannopoulos, Australian actor
    • 1963 – David Wood, American lawyer and environmentalist (d. 2006)
    • 1964 – Bernard Laporte, French rugby player and coach
    • 1965 – Carl Fogarty, English motorcycle racer
    • 1965 – Garry Schofield, English rugby player and coach
    • 1965 – Harald Zwart, Norwegian director and producer
    • 1966 – Enrico Annoni, Italian footballer and coach
    • 1966 – Shawn Burr, Canadian-American ice hockey player (d. 2013)
    • 1967 – Pamela Anderson, Canadian-American model and actress
    • 1969 – Séamus Egan, American-Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1971 – Missy Elliott, American rapper, producer, dancer and actress
    • 1971 – Julianne Nicholson, American actress
    • 1974 – Jefferson Pérez, Ecuadorian race walker
    • 1975 – Sean Colson, American basketball player and coach
    • 1975 – Sufjan Stevens, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1976 – Patrick Kluivert, Dutch footballer and coach
    • 1976 – Hannu Tihinen, Finnish footballer
    • 1976 – Albert Torrens, Australian rugby league player
    • 1976 – Ruud van Nistelrooy, Dutch footballer and manager
    • 1976 – Szymon Ziółkowski, Polish hammer thrower
    • 1977 – Tom Frager, Senegalese-French singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1977 – Keigo Hayashi, Japanese musician
    • 1977 – Jarome Iginla, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1979 – Forrest Griffin, American mixed martial artist and actor
    • 1981 – Carlo Del Fava, South African-Italian rugby player
    • 1981 – Tadhg Kennelly, Irish-Australian footballer
    • 1982 – Justin Huber, Australian baseball player
    • 1982 – Joachim Johansson, Swedish tennis player
    • 1982 – Adrian Ward, American football player
    • 1982 – Hilarie Burton, American actress
    • 1984 – Donald Thomas, Bahamian high jumper
    • 1985 – Chris Perez, American baseball player
    • 1986 – Charlie Blackmon, American baseball player
    • 1986 – Andrew Lee, Australian footballer
    • 1986 – Julian Prochnow, German footballer
    • 1987 – Michael Schrader, German decathlete
    • 1988 – Dedé, Brazilian footballer
    • 1988 – Aleksander Lesun, Russian modern pentathlete
    • 1989 – Kent Bazemore, American basketball player
    • 1989 – Daniel Ricciardo, Australian race car driver
    • 1990 – Ben Coker, English footballer
    • 1991 – Michael Wacha, American baseball player
    • 1992 – Aaron Sanchez, American baseball player
    • 1995 – Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo, Belgian footballer
    • 1995 – Savvy Shields, Miss America 2017
    • 1996 – Adelina Sotnikova, Russian figure skater
    • 1998 – Aleksandra Golovkina, Lithuanian figure skater
    • 2000 – Lalu Muhammad Zohri, Indonesian sprinter
    • 2001 – Chosen Jacobs, American entertainer

    Deaths on July 1

    • 552 – Totila, Ostrogoth king
    • 992 – Heonjeong, Korean queen (b. 966)
    • 1109 – Alfonso VI, king of León and Castile (b. 1040)
    • 1224 – Hōjō Yoshitoki, regent of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan (b. 1163)
    • 1242 – Chagatai Khan, Mongol ruler (b. 1183)
    • 1277 – Baibars, Egyptian sultan (b. 1223)
    • 1321 – María de Molina, queen of Castile and León
    • 1348 – Joan, English princess
    • 1555 – John Bradford, English reformer, prebendary of St. Paul’s (b. 1510)
    • 1589 – Lady Saigō, Japanese concubine (b. 1552)
    • 1592 – Marc’Antonio Ingegneri, Italian composer and educator (b. 1535)
    • 1614 – Isaac Casaubon, French philologist and scholar (b. 1559)
    • 1622 – William Parker, 4th Baron Monteagle, English politician (b. 1575)
    • 1681 – Oliver Plunkett, Irish archbishop and saint (b. 1629)
    • 1736 – Ahmed III, Ottoman sultan (b. 1673)
    • 1774 – Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, English politician, Secretary of State for the Southern Department (b. 1705)
    • 1782 – Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, English admiral and politician, Prime Minister of Great Britain (b. 1730)
    • 1784 – Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, German organist and composer (b. 1710)
    • 1787 – Charles de Rohan, French marshal (b. 1715)
    • 1819 – the Public Universal Friend, American evangelist (b. 1752)
    • 1839 – Mahmud II, Ottoman sultan (b. 1785)
    • 1860 – Charles Goodyear, American chemist and engineer (b. 1800)
    • 1863 – John F. Reynolds, American general (b. 1820)
    • 1884 – Allan Pinkerton, Scottish-American detective and spy (b. 1819)
    • 1896 – Harriet Beecher Stowe, American author and activist (b. 1811)
    • 1905 – John Hay, American journalist and politician, 37th United States Secretary of State (b. 1838)
    • 1912 – Harriet Quimby, American pilot and screenwriter (b. 1875)
    • 1925 – Erik Satie, French pianist and composer (b. 1866)
    • 1934 – Ernst Röhm, German paramilitary commander (b. 1887)
    • 1942 – Peadar Toner Mac Fhionnlaoich, Irish writer (b. 1857)
    • 1943 – Willem Arondeus, Dutch artist, author, and anti-Nazi resistance fighter (b. 1894)
    • 1944 – Carl Mayer, Austrian-English screenwriter (b. 1894)
    • 1944 – Tanya Savicheva, Russian author (b. 1930)
    • 1948 – Achille Varzi, Italian race car driver (b. 1904)
    • 1950 – Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, Swiss composer and educator (b. 1865)
    • 1950 – Eliel Saarinen, Finnish-American architect, co-designed the National Museum of Finland (b. 1873)
    • 1951 – Tadeusz Borowski, Polish poet, novelist and journalist (b. 1922)
    • 1961 – Louis-Ferdinand Céline, French physician and author (b. 1894)
    • 1962 – Purushottam Das Tandon, Indian lawyer and politician (b. 1882)
    • 1962 – Bidhan Chandra Roy, Indian physician and politician, 2nd Chief Minister of West Bengal (b. 1882)
    • 1964 – Pierre Monteux, French-American viola player and conductor (b. 1875)
    • 1965 – Wally Hammond, English cricketer (b. 1903)
    • 1965 – Robert Ruark, American journalist and author (b. 1915)
    • 1966 – Frank Verner, American runner (b. 1883)
    • 1967 – Gerhard Ritter, German historian and academic (b. 1888)
    • 1968 – Fritz Bauer, German judge and politician (b. 1903)
    • 1971 – William Lawrence Bragg, Australian-English physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1890)
    • 1971 – Learie Constantine, Trinidadian-English cricketer, lawyer, and politician (b. 1901)
    • 1974 – Juan Perón, Argentinian general and politician, President of Argentina (b. 1895)
    • 1978 – Kurt Student, German general and pilot (b. 1890)
    • 1981 – Carlos de Oliveira, Portuguese author and poet (b. 1921)
    • 1983 – Buckminster Fuller, American architect, designed the Montreal Biosphère (b. 1895)
    • 1984 – Moshé Feldenkrais, Ukrainian-Israeli physicist and academic (b. 1904)
    • 1991 – Michael Landon, American actor, director, and producer (b. 1936)
    • 1992 – Franco Cristaldi, Italian screenwriter and producer (b. 1924)
    • 1994 – Merriam Modell, American author (b. 1908)
    • 1995 – Wolfman Jack, American radio host (b. 1938)
    • 1995 – Ian Parkin, English guitarist (Be-Bop Deluxe) (b. 1950)
    • 1996 – William T. Cahill, American lawyer and politician, 46th Governor of New Jersey (b. 1904)
    • 1996 – Margaux Hemingway, American model and actress (b. 1954)
    • 1996 – Steve Tesich, Serbian-American author and screenwriter (b. 1942)
    • 1997 – Robert Mitchum, American actor (b. 1917)
    • 1997 – Charles Werner, American cartoonist (b. 1909)
    • 1999 – Edward Dmytryk, Canadian-American director and producer (b. 1908)
    • 1999 – Forrest Mars Sr., American businessman, created M&M’s and the Mars bar (b. 1904)
    • 1999 – Sylvia Sidney, American actress (b. 1910)
    • 1999 – Sola Sierra, Chilean human rights activist (b. 1935)
    • 2000 – Walter Matthau, American actor (b. 1920)
    • 2001 – Nikolay Basov, Russian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1922)
    • 2001 – Jean-Louis Rosier, French race car driver (b. 1925)
    • 2003 – Herbie Mann, American flute player and saxophonist (b. 1930)
    • 2004 – Peter Barnes, English playwright and screenwriter (b. 1931)
    • 2004 – Marlon Brando, American actor and director (b. 1924)
    • 2004 – Todor Skalovski, Macedonian composer and conductor (b. 1909)
    • 2005 – Renaldo Benson, American singer-songwriter (Four Tops) (b. 1936)
    • 2005 – Gus Bodnar, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1923)
    • 2005 – Luther Vandross, American singer-songwriter and producer (Change) (b. 1951)
    • 2006 – Ryutaro Hashimoto, Japanese politician, 53rd Prime Minister of Japan (b. 1937)
    • 2006 – Robert Lepikson, Estonian race car driver and politician, Estonian Minister of the Interior (b. 1952)
    • 2006 – Fred Trueman, English cricketer and sportscaster (b. 1931)
    • 2008 – Mel Galley, English guitarist (b. 1948)
    • 2009 – Karl Malden, American actor (b. 1912)
    • 2009 – Onni Palaste, Finnish soldier and author (b. 1917)
    • 2009 – Mollie Sugden, English actress (b. 1922)
    • 2010 – Don Coryell, American football player and coach (b. 1924)
    • 2010 – Arnold Friberg, American painter and illustrator (b. 1913)
    • 2010 – Ilene Woods, American actress and singer (b. 1929)
    • 2012 – Peter E. Gillquist, American priest and author (b. 1938)
    • 2012 – Ossie Hibbert, Jamaican-American keyboard player and producer (b. 1950)
    • 2012 – Evelyn Lear, American operatic soprano (b. 1926)
    • 2012 – Alan G. Poindexter, American captain, pilot, and astronaut (b. 1961)
    • 2012 – Jack Richardson, American author and playwright (b. 1934)
    • 2013 – Sidney Bryan Berry, American general (b. 1926)
    • 2013 – Charles Foley, American game designer, co-created Twister (b. 1930)
    • 2013 – William H. Gray, American minister and politician (b. 1941)
    • 2014 – Jean Garon, Canadian economist, lawyer, and politician (b. 1938)
    • 2014 – Stephen Gaskin, American activist, co-founded The Farm (b. 1935)
    • 2014 – Bob Jones, English lawyer and politician (b. 1955)
    • 2014 – Anatoly Kornukov, Ukrainian-Russian general (b. 1942)
    • 2014 – Walter Dean Myers, American author and poet (b. 1937)
    • 2015 – Val Doonican, Irish singer and television host (b. 1927)
    • 2015 – Czesław Olech, Polish mathematician and academic (b. 1931)
    • 2015 – Nicholas Winton, English lieutenant and humanitarian (b. 1909)
    • 2016 – Robin Hardy, English author and film director (b. 1929)
    • 2020 – Georg Ratzinger, German Roman Catholic priest and musician (b. 1924)

    Holidays and observances on July 1

    • Christian feast day:
      • Aaron (Syriac Christianity)
      • Blessed Antonio Rosmini-Serbati
      • Felix of Como
      • Junípero Serra
      • Julius and Aaron
      • Leontius of Autun
      • Servanus
      • Veep
      • July 1 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
      • Feast of the Most Precious Blood (removed from official Roman Catholic calendar since 1969)
    • Earliest day on which Alexanderson Day can fall, celebrated on the Sunday closest to July 2. (Sweden)
    • Earliest day on which CARICOM Day can fall, while July 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday in July. (Guyana)
    • Earliest day on which Constitution Day can fall, while July 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday in July. (Cayman Islands)
    • Earliest day on which Día del Amigo can fall, celebrated on the first Saturday of July. (Peru)
    • Earliest day on which Fishermen’s Holiday, celebrated on the first Friday of July (Marshall Islands)
    • Earliest day on which Heroes’ Day can fall, while July 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday in July. (Zambia)
    • Earliest day on which International Co-operative Day, can fall, celebrated on the first Saturday of July.
    • Earliest day on which International Free Hugs Day, can fall, celebrated on the first Saturday of July.
    • Earliest day on which Navy Day can fall, celebrated on the first Sunday in July. (Ukraine)
    • Earliest day on which Navy Days can fall, celebrated First Saturday and Sunday. (Netherlands)
    • Earliest day on which Youth Day can fall, while July 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Sunday in July. (Singapore)
    • Armed Forces Day (Singapore)
    • Canada Day, formerly Dominion Day (Canada)
    • Children’s Day (Pakistan)
    • Communist Party of China Founding Day (China)
    • Day of Officials and Civil Servants (Hungary)
    • Doctors’ Day (India)
    • Emancipation Day (Netherlands Antilles)
    • Engineer’s Day (Bahrain, Mexico)
    • Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day (Hong Kong, China)
    • Independence Day (Burundi), celebrates the independence of Burundi from Belgium in 1962.
    • Independence Day (Rwanda)
    • Independence Day (Somalia)
    • International Tartan Day
    • July Morning (Bulgaria)
    • Keti Koti (Emancipation Day) (Suriname)
    • Madeira Day (Madeira, Portugal)
    • Moving Day (Quebec) (Canada)
    • Newfoundland and Labrador Memorial Day
    • Republic Day (Ghana)
    • Sir Seretse Khama Day (Botswana)
    • Territory Day (British Virgin Islands)
    • The first day of Van Mahotsav, celebrated until July 7. (India)

  • June 24 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 1312 BC – Mursili II launches a campaign against the Kingdom of Azzi-Hayasa.
    • 217 BC – The Romans, led by Gaius Flaminius, are ambushed and defeated by Hannibal at the Battle of Lake Trasimene.
    • 109 – Roman emperor Trajan inaugurates the Aqua Traiana, an aqueduct that channels water from Lake Bracciano, 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of Rome.
    • 474 – Julius Nepos forces Roman usurper Glycerius to abdicate the throne and proclaims himself Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
    • 637 – The Battle of Moira is fought between the High King of Ireland and the Kings of Ulster and Dál Riata. It is claimed to be the largest battle in the history of Ireland.
    • 972 – Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces, takes place.
    • 1128 – Battle of São Mamede, near Guimarães: Forces led by Afonso I defeat forces led by his mother Teresa of León and her lover Fernando Pérez de Traba.
    • 1230 – The Siege of Jaén begins, in the context of the Spanish Reconquista.
    • 1314 – First War of Scottish Independence: The Battle of Bannockburn concludes with a decisive victory by Scottish forces led by Robert the Bruce.
    • 1340 – Hundred Years’ War: Battle of Sluys: The French fleet is almost completely destroyed by the English fleet commanded in person by King Edward III.
    • 1374 – A sudden outbreak of St. John’s Dance causes people in the streets of Aachen, Germany, to experience hallucinations and begin to jump and twitch uncontrollably until they collapse from exhaustion.
    • 1497 – John Cabot lands in North America at Newfoundland leading the first European exploration of the region since the Vikings.
    • 1509 – Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon are crowned King and Queen of England.
    • 1535 – The Dominion of Münster, a radical communal Anabaptist state in the independent German city of Münster, is conquered by Franz von Waldeck, the Catholic Prince-Bishopric of Münster in a night attack.
    • 1571 – Miguel López de Legazpi founds Manila, the capital of the Philippines.
    • 1604 – Samuel de Champlain discovers the mouth of the Saint John River, site of Reversing Falls and the present-day city of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
    • 1622 – Battle of Macau: The Dutch make a failed attempt to capture Macau.
    • 1663 – The Spanish garrison of Évora capitulates, following the Portuguese victory at the Battle of Ameixial.
    • 1717 – The Premier Grand Lodge of England is founded in London, the first Masonic Grand Lodge in the world (now the United Grand Lodge of England).
    • 1762 – Battle of Wilhelmsthal: The British-Hanoverian army of Ferdinand of Brunswick defeats French forces in Westphalia.
    • 1779 – American Revolutionary War: The Great Siege of Gibraltar begins.
    • 1793 – The French Constitution of 1793 is formally adopted, although it is effectively suspended by the Committee of Public Safety.
    • 1812 – Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon’s Grande Armée crosses the Neman river beginning the invasion of Russia.
    • 1813 – Battle of Beaver Dams: A British and Indian combined force defeats the United States Army.
    • 1821 – The Battle of Carabobo takes place. It is the decisive battle in the war of independence of Venezuela from Spain.
    • 1859 – Battle of Solferino (Battle of the Three Sovereigns): Sardinia and France defeat Austria in Solferino, northern Italy.
    • 1866 – Battle of Custoza: An Austrian army defeats the Italian army during the Austro-Prussian War.
    • 1880 – First performance of O Canada at the Congrès national des Canadiens-Français. The song would later become the national anthem of Canada.
    • 1894 – Marie François Sadi Carnot is assassinated by Sante Geronimo Caserio.
    • 1902 – King Edward VII of the United Kingdom develops appendicitis, delaying his coronation.
    • 1913 – Greece and Serbia annul their alliance with Bulgaria.
    • 1916 – Mary Pickford becomes the first female film star to sign a million-dollar contract.
    • 1918 – First airmail service in Canada from Montreal to Toronto.
    • 1922 – The American Professional Football Association is renamed the National Football League.
    • 1932 – A bloodless revolution instigated by the People’s Party ends the absolute power of King Prajadhipok of Siam (now Thailand).
    • 1938 – Pieces of a meteorite land near Chicora, Pennsylvania. The meteorite is estimated to have weighed 450 metric tons when it hit the Earth’s atmosphere and exploded.
    • 1939 – Siam is renamed Thailand by Plaek Phibunsongkhram, the country’s third prime minister.
    • 1940 – World War II: Operation Collar, the first British Commando raid on occupied France, by No 11 Independent Company.
    • 1943 – US military police attempt to arrest a black soldier in Bamber Bridge, England, sparking the Battle of Bamber Bridge mutiny that leaves one dead and seven wounded.
    • 1947 – Kenneth Arnold makes the first widely reported UFO sighting near Mount Rainier, Washington, leading to the coining of the phrase “flying saucer”.
    • 1948 – Cold War: Start of the Berlin Blockade: The Soviet Union makes overland travel between West Germany and West Berlin impossible.
    • 1949 – The first television western, Hopalong Cassidy, starring William Boyd, is aired on NBC.
    • 1950 – Apartheid: In South Africa, the Group Areas Act is passed, formally segregating races.
    • 1954 – First Indochina War: Battle of Mang Yang Pass: Viet Minh troops belonging to the 803rd Regiment ambush G.M. 100 of France in An Khê.
    • 1957 – In Roth v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that obscenity is not protected by the First Amendment.
    • 1963 – The United Kingdom grants Zanzibar internal self-government.
    • 1973 – The UpStairs Lounge, a gay bar in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, is attacked by an arsonist during a church service, and 32 people die from smoke inhalation or fire.
    • 1975 – Eastern Air Lines Flight 66 encounters severe wind shear and crashes on final approach to New York’s JFK Airport killing 113 of the 124 passengers on board, making it the deadliest U.S. plane crash at the time. This accident led to decades of research into downburst and microburst phenomena and their effects on aircraft.
    • 1981 – The Humber Bridge opens to traffic, connecting Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It remained the world’s longest bridge span for 17 years.
    • 1982 – British Airways Flight 9 flies into a cloud of volcanic ash thrown up by the eruption of Mount Galunggung, resulting in the failure of all four engines.
    • 1989 – Jiang Zemin succeeds Zhao Ziyang to become the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China after the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
    • 1995 – Rugby World Cup: South Africa defeats New Zealand and Nelson Mandela presents Francois Pienaar with the Webb Ellis Cup in an iconic post-apartheid moment.
    • 2002 – The Igandu train disaster in Tanzania kills 281, the worst train accident in African history.
    • 2004 – In New York, capital punishment is declared unconstitutional.
    • 2010 – At Wimbledon, John Isner of the United States defeats Nicolas Mahut of France, in the longest match in professional tennis history.
    • 2010 – Julia Gillard assumes office as the first female Prime Minister of Australia.
    • 2012 – Death of Lonesome George, the last known individual of Chelonoidis nigra abingdonii, a subspecies of the Galápagos tortoise.
    • 2013 – Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is found guilty of abusing his power and engaging in sex with an underage prostitute, and is sentenced to seven years in prison.

    Births on June 24

    • 1210 – Count Floris IV of Holland (d. 1234)
    • 1244 – Henry I, Landgrave of Hesse (d. 1308)
    • 1254 – Floris V, Count of Holland (d. 1296)
    • 1257 – Robert de Vere, 6th Earl of Oxford, English nobleman (probable; d. 1331)
    • 1314 – Philippa of Hainault Queen of England (d. 1369)
    • 1322 – Joanna, Duchess of Brabant (d. 1406)
    • 1343 – Joan of Valois, Queen of Navarre (d. 1373)
    • 1360 – Nuno Álvares Pereira, Portuguese general
    • 1386 – John of Capistrano, Italian priest and saint (d. 1456)
    • 1465 – Isabella del Balzo, Queen Consort of Naples (d. 1533)
    • 1485 – Johannes Bugenhagen, Polish-German priest and reformer (d. 1558)
    • 1485 – Elizabeth of Denmark, Electress of Brandenburg (d. 1555)
    • 1499 – Johannes Brenz, German theologian and the Protestant Reformer (d. 1570)
    • 1519 – Theodore Beza, French theologian and scholar (d. 1605)
    • 1532 – Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, English politician (d. 1588)
    • 1532 – William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (d. 1573)
    • 1535 – Joanna of Austria, Princess of Portugal (d. 1573)
    • 1546 – Robert Persons, English Jesuit priest, insurrectionist, and author (d. 1610)
    • 1587 – William Arnold, English-American settler (d. 1675)
    • 1591 – Mustafa I, Ottoman sultan (d. 1639)
    • 1614 – John Belasyse, 1st Baron Belasyse
    • 1616 – Ferdinand Bol, Dutch painter, etcher and draftsman, student of Rembrandt (d. 1680)
    • 1661 – Hachisuka Tsunanori, Japanese daimyō (d. 1730)
    • 1663 – Jean Baptiste Massillon, French bishop (d. 1742)
    • 1687 – Johann Albrecht Bengel, German-Lutheran clergyman and scholar (d. 1757)
    • 1694 – Jean-Jacques Burlamaqui, Swiss author and theorist (d. 1748)
    • 1704 – Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d’Argens, French philosopher and author (d. 1771)
    • 1753 – William Hull, American general and politician, 1st Governor of Michigan Territory (d. 1825)
    • 1755 – Anacharsis Cloots, Prussian-French activist (d. 1794)
    • 1767 – Jean-Baptiste Benoît Eyriès, French geographer and author (d. 1846)
    • 1771 – Éleuthère Irénée du Pont, French chemist and businessman, founded DuPont (d. 1834)
    • 1774 – Antonio González de Balcarce, Argentinian commander and politician, 5th Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (d. 1819)
    • 1774 – François-Nicolas-Benoît Haxo, French general and engineer (d. 1838)
    • 1777 – John Ross, Scottish commander and explorer (d. 1856)
    • 1782 – Juan Larrea, Argentinian captain and politician (d. 1847)
    • 1783 – Johann Heinrich von Thünen, German economist and geographer (d. 1850)
    • 1784 – Juan Antonio Lavalleja, Uruguayan general and politician, President of Uruguay (d. 1853)
    • 1788 – Thomas Blanchard, American inventor (d. 1864)
    • 1795 – Ernst Heinrich Weber, German physician and psychologist (d. 1878)
    • 1797 – John Hughes, Irish-American archbishop (d. 1864)
    • 1797 – Paweł Edmund Strzelecki, Polish geologist and explorer (d. 1873)
    • 1804 – Stephan Endlicher, Austrian botanist, numismatist, and sinologist (d. 1849)
    • 1804 – Willard Richards, American religious leader (d. 1854)
    • 1811 – John Archibald Campbell, American lawyer and jurist (d. 1889)
    • 1813 – Henry Ward Beecher, American minister and reformer (d. 1887)
    • 1813 – Francis Boott, American composer (d. 1904)
    • 1821 – Guillermo Rawson, Argentinian physician and politician (d. 1890)
    • 1826 – George Goyder, English-Australian surveyor (d. 1898)
    • 1835 – Johannes Wislicenus, German chemist and academic (d. 1902)
    • 1838 – Jan Matejko, Polish painter (d. 1893)
    • 1839 – Gustavus Franklin Swift, American businessman (d. 1903)
    • 1842 – Ambrose Bierce, American short story writer, essayist, and journalist (d. 1914)
    • 1846 – Samuel Johnson, Nigerian priest and historian (d. 1901)
    • 1850 – Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, Irish field marshal and politician, Governor-General of Sudan (d. 1916)
    • 1852 – Friedrich Loeffler, German bacteriologist and academic (d. 1915)
    • 1854 – Eleanor Norcross, American painter (d. 1923)
    • 1856 – Henry Chapman Mercer, American archaeologist and author (d. 1930)
    • 1858 – Hastings Rashdall, English historian, philosopher, and theologian (d. 1924)
    • 1865 – Robert Henri, American painter and educator (d. 1929)
    • 1867 – Ruth Randall Edström, American educator and activist (d. 1944)
    • 1869 – Prince George of Greece and Denmark (d. 1957)
    • 1872 – Frank Crowninshield, American journalist and art and theatre critic (d. 1947)
    • 1875 – Forrest Reid, Irish novelist, literary critic and translator (d. 1947)
    • 1880 – Oswald Veblen, American mathematician and academic (g. 1960)
    • 1880 – João Cândido Felisberto, Brazilian revolutionary and sailor (d. 1969)
    • 1881 – George Shiels, Irish-Canadian author, poet, and playwright (d. 1949)
    • 1882 – Athanase David, Canadian lawyer and politician (d. 1953)
    • 1882 – Carl Diem, German businessman (d. 1962)
    • 1883 – Victor Francis Hess, Austrian-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1964)
    • 1883 – Fritz Löhner-Beda, Jewish Austrian librettist, lyricist and writer (d.1942)
    • 1883 – Jean Metzinger, French artist (d. 1956)
    • 1883 – Arthur L. Newton, American runner (d. 1956)
    • 1883 – Frank Verner, American runner (d. 1966)
    • 1884 – Frank Waller, American runner (d. 1941)
    • 1885 – Olaf Holtedahl, Norwegian geologist (d. 1975)
    • 1888 – Gerrit Rietveld, Dutch architect, designed the Rietveld Schröder House (d. 1964)
    • 1893 – Roy O. Disney, American businessman, co-founded The Walt Disney Company (d. 1971)
    • 1895 – Jack Dempsey, American boxer and soldier (d. 1983)
    • 1898 – Armin Öpik, Estonian-Australian paleontologist and geologist (d. 1983)
    • 1898 – Karl Selter, Estonian politician, 14th Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia (d. 1958)
    • 1900 – Wilhelm Cauer, German mathematician and engineer (d. 1945)
    • 1901 – Marcel Mule, French saxophonist (d. 2001)
    • 1901 – Harry Partch, American composer and theorist (d. 1974)
    • 1901 – Chuck Taylor, American basketball player and salesman (d. 1969)
    • 1904 – Phil Harris, American singer-songwriter and actor (d. 1995)
    • 1905 – Fred Alderman, American sprinter (d. 1998)
    • 1906 – Pierre Fournier, French cellist and educator (d. 1986)
    • 1906 – Willard Maas, American poet and educator (d. 1971)
    • 1907 – Arseny Tarkovsky, Russian poet and translator (d. 1989)
    • 1908 – Hugo Distler, German organist, composer, and conductor (d. 1942)
    • 1908 – Alfons Rebane, Estonian colonel (d. 1976)
    • 1909 – Jean Deslauriers, Canadian violinist, composer, and conductor (d. 1978)
    • 1909 – William Penney, Baron Penney, English mathematician and physicist (d. 1991)
    • 1909 – Betty Cavanna, American author (d. 2001)
    • 1911 – Juan Manuel Fangio, Argentinian race car driver (d. 1995)
    • 1911 – Ernesto Sabato, Argentinian physicist and academic (d. 2011)
    • 1911 – Portia White, Canadian opera singer (d. 1968)
    • 1912 – Brian Johnston, English sportscaster and author (d. 1994)
    • 1912 – Mary Wesley, English author (d. 2002)
    • 1913 – Gustaaf Deloor, Belgian cyclist and soldier (d. 2002)
    • 1914 – Jan Karski, Polish-American activist and academic (d. 2000)
    • 1914 – Pearl Witherington, French secret agent (d. 2008)
    • 1915 – Fred Hoyle, English astronomer and author (d. 2001)
    • 1916 – William B. Saxbe, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 70th United States Attorney General (d. 2010)
    • 1916 – Saloua Raouda Choucair, Lebanese painter and sculptor (d. 2017)
    • 1917 – David Easton, Canadian-American political scientist and academic (d. 2014)
    • 1917 – Lucy Jarvis, American television producer (d. 2020)
    • 1917 – Ramblin’ Tommy Scott, American singer and guitarist (d. 2013)
    • 1917 – Joan Clarke, English cryptanalyst and numismatist (d. 1996)
    • 1918 – Mildred Ladner Thompson, American journalist and author (d. 2013)
    • 1918 – Yong Nyuk Lin, Singaporean businessman and politician, Singaporean Minister for Education (d. 2012)
    • 1919 – Al Molinaro, American actor (d. 2015)
    • 1921 – Gerhard Sommer, German soldier
    • 1922 – Jack Carter, American actor and comedian (d. 2015)
    • 1922 – John Postgate, English microbiologist, author, and academic (d. 2014)
    • 1922 – Richard Timberlake, American economist
    • 1923 – Margaret Olley, Australian painter and philanthropist (d. 2011)
    • 1924 – Kurt Furgler, Swiss politician, 70th President of the Swiss Confederation (d. 2008)
    • 1924 – Archie Roy, Scottish astronomer and academic (d. 2012)
    • 1924 – Yoshito Takamine, American politician (d. 2015)
    • 1925 – Ogden Reid, American politician (d. 2019)
    • 1927 – Fernand Dumont, Canadian sociologist, philosopher, and poet (d. 1997)
    • 1927 – James B. Edwards, American dentist, soldier, and politician, 3rd United States Secretary of Energy (d. 2014)
    • 1927 – Martin Lewis Perl, American physicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2014)
    • 1929 – Carolyn S. Shoemaker, American astronomer
    • 1930 – Claude Chabrol, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2010)
    • 1930 – Donald Gordon, South African businessman and philanthropist (d. 2019)
    • 1930 – William Bernard Ziff, Jr., American publisher (d. 2006)
    • 1931 – Billy Casper, American golfer and architect (d. 2015)
    • 1932 – David McTaggart, Canadian-Italian environmentalist (d. 2001)
    • 1933 – Sam Jones, American basketball player and coach
    • 1933 – Ngina Kenyatta, 1st First Lady of Kenya
    • 1934 – Ferdinand Biwersi, German footballer and referee (d. 2013)
    • 1934 – Jean-Pierre Ferland, Canadian singer-songwriter
    • 1934 – Gloria Christian, Italian singer
    • 1935 – Terry Riley, American composer and educator
    • 1935 – Jean Milesi, French racing cyclist
    • 1935 – Charlie Dees, American baseball player
    • 1937 – Anita Desai, Indian-American author and academic
    • 1938 – Lawrence Block, American author
    • 1938 – Abulfaz Elchibey, 1st democratically elected Azerbaijani president (d. 2000)
    • 1938 – Ken Gray, New Zealand rugby player (d. 1992)
    • 1939 – Brigitte Fontaine, French singer
    • 1940 – Ian Ross, Australian newsreader (d. 2014)
    • 1940 – Vittorio Storaro, Italian cinematographer
    • 1941 – Erkin Koray, Turkish singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1941 – Julia Kristeva, Bulgarian-French psychoanalyst and author
    • 1941 – Graham McKenzie, Australian cricketer
    • 1942 – Arthur Brown, English rock singer-songwriter
    • 1942 – Michele Lee, American actress and singer
    • 1942 – Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, Chilean engineer and politician, 32nd President of Chile
    • 1942 – Colin Groves, Australian academician and educator
    • 1943 – Birgit Grodal, Danish economist and academic (d. 2004)
    • 1944 – Jeff Beck, English guitarist and songwriter
    • 1944 – Kathryn Lasky, American author
    • 1944 – Chris Wood, English saxophonist (d. 1983)
    • 1945 – Colin Blunstone, English singer-songwriter
    • 1945 – Wayne Cashman, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1945 – George Pataki, American lawyer and politician, 53rd Governor of New York
    • 1945 – Betty Stöve, Dutch tennis player
    • 1946 – David Collenette, Canadian civil servant and politician, 32nd Canadian Minister of National Defence
    • 1946 – Ellison Onizuka, American colonel, engineer, and astronaut (d. 1986)
    • 1946 – Robert Reich, American economist and politician, 22nd United States Secretary of Labor
    • 1947 – Clarissa Dickson Wright, English chef, author, and television personality (d. 2014)
    • 1947 – Peter Weller, American actor and director
    • 1948 – Patrick Moraz, Swiss keyboard player and songwriter
    • 1949 – John Illsley, English singer-songwriter, bass player, and producer
    • 1949 – Betty Jackson, English fashion designer
    • 1950 – Nancy Allen, American actress
    • 1950 – Bob Carlos Clarke, Irish-born English photographer (d. 2006)
    • 1950 – Jan Kulczyk, Polish businessman (d. 2015)
    • 1950 – Mercedes Lackey, American author
    • 1951 – Raelene Boyle, Australian sprinter
    • 1951 – Charles Sturridge, English director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1952 – Dianna Melrose, English diplomat, British High Commissioner to Tanzania
    • 1952 – Bob Neill, English lawyer and politician
    • 1953 – William E. Moerner, American chemist and physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1953 – Michael Tuck, Australian footballer and coach
    • 1955 – Chris Higgins, English geneticist and academic
    • 1955 – Edmund Malura, German footballer and manager
    • 1955 – Loren Roberts, American golfer
    • 1956 – Owen Paterson, English politician, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
    • 1957 – Mark Parkinson, American lawyer and politician, 45th Governor of Kansas
    • 1958 – Jean Charest, Canadian lawyer and politician, 5th Deputy Prime Minister of Canada
    • 1958 – Silvio Mondinelli, Italian mountaineer
    • 1958 – John Tortorella, American ice hockey player and coach
    • 1959 – Andy McCluskey, English singer-songwriter, bass player, and producer
    • 1960 – Elish Angiolini, Scottish lawyer, judge, and politician, Solicitor General for Scotland
    • 1960 – Siedah Garrett, American singer-songwriter and pianist
    • 1960 – Karin Pilsäter, Swedish accountant and politician
    • 1960 – Erik Poppe, Norwegian director, cinematographer, and screenwriter
    • 1961 – Dennis Danell, American singer and guitarist (d. 2000)
    • 1961 – Iain Glen, Scottish actor
    • 1961 – Bernie Nicholls, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1961 – Ralph E. Reed, Jr., American journalist and activist
    • 1961 – Curt Smith, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
    • 1963 – Yuri Kasparyan, Russian guitarist
    • 1963 – Preki, Serbian-American soccer player and coach
    • 1963 – Mike Wieringo, American author and illustrator (d. 2007)
    • 1964 – Jean-Luc Delarue, French television host and producer (d. 2012)
    • 1964 – Kathryn Parminter, Baroness Parminter, English politician
    • 1964 – Gary Suter, American ice hockey player and scout
    • 1965 – Claude Bourbonnais, Canadian race car driver
    • 1965 – Uwe Krupp, German ice hockey player and coach
    • 1965 – Richard Lumsden, English actor, writer, composer and musician
    • 1966 – Hope Sandoval, American singer-songwriter and musician
    • 1966 – Adrienne Shelly, American actress, director, and screenwriter (d. 2006)
    • 1967 – Janez Lapajne, Slovenian director and producer
    • 1967 – John Limniatis, Greek-Canadian footballer and manager
    • 1968 – Alaa Abdelnaby, Egyptian-American basketball player and sportscaster
    • 1970 – Glenn Medeiros, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1970 – Bernardo Sassetti, Portuguese pianist, composer, and educator (d. 2012)
    • 1972 – Robbie McEwen, Australian cyclist
    • 1972 – Denis Žvegelj, Slovenian rower
    • 1973 – Alexis Gauthier, French chef
    • 1973 – Jere Lehtinen, Finnish ice hockey player
    • 1974 – Dan Byles, English sailor, rower, and politician
    • 1974 – Chris Guccione, American baseball player and umpire
    • 1975 – Marek Malík, Czech ice hockey player
    • 1975 – Federico Pucciariello, Argentinian-Italian rugby player
    • 1976 – Brock Olivo, American football player and coach
    • 1977 – Dimos Dikoudis, Greek basketball player and manager
    • 1977 – Jeff Farmer, Australian footballer
    • 1978 – Luis García, Spanish footballer
    • 1978 – Pantelis Kafes, Greek footballer
    • 1978 – Shunsuke Nakamura, Japanese footballer
    • 1978 – Ariel Pink, American singer-songwriter
    • 1978 – Juan Román Riquelme, Argentinian footballer
    • 1978 – Emppu Vuorinen, Finnish guitarist and songwriter
    • 1979 – Mindy Kaling, American actress and producer
    • 1979 – Petra Němcová, Czech model and philanthropist
    • 1980 – Cicinho, Brazilian footballer
    • 1980 – Nina Dübbers, German tennis player
    • 1980 – Andrew Jones, Australian race car driver
    • 1980 – Minka Kelly, American actress
    • 1982 – Kevin Nolan, English footballer
    • 1982 – Jarret Stoll, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1983 – Rebecca Cooke, English swimmer
    • 1983 – Gianni Munari, Italian footballer
    • 1983 – Gard Nilssen, Norwegian drummer
    • 1983 – David Shillington, Australian rugby league player
    • 1984 – Andrea Raggi, Italian footballer
    • 1984 – J.J. Redick, American basketball player
    • 1984 – Johanna Welin, Swedish-born German wheelchair basketball player
    • 1985 – Diego Alves Carreira, Brazilian footballer
    • 1985 – Tom Kennedy, English footballer
    • 1985 – Ethan Klein, American YouTuber
    • 1985 – Nate Myles, Australian rugby league player
    • 1985 – Vernon Philander, South African cricketer
    • 1985 – Yukina Shirakawa, Japanese model
    • 1986 – Stuart Broad, English cricketer
    • 1986 – Phil Hughes, American baseball player
    • 1986 – Solange Knowles, American singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1987 – Simona Dobrá, Czech tennis player
    • 1987 – Lionel Messi, Argentinian footballer
    • 1987 – Pierre Vaultier, French snowboarder
    • 1988 – Micah Richards, English footballer
    • 1989 – Teklemariam Medhin, Eritrean runner
    • 1990 – Michael Del Zotto, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1990 – Richard Sukuta-Pasu, German footballer
    • 1991 – Yasmin Paige, English actress
    • 1991 – Aidan Sezer, Australian rugby league player
    • 1992 – David Alaba, Austrian footballer
    • 1996 – Duki, Argentinian rapper

    Deaths on June 24

    • 994 – Abu Isa al-Warraq, Arab scholar (b. 889)
    • 1046 – Jeongjong II, Korean ruler (b. 1018)
    • 1088 – William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey, Norman nobleman
    • 1314 – Gilbert de Clare, 8th Earl of Gloucester, English commander (b. 1291)
    • 1314 – Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford, English soldier and politician, Lord Warden of the Marches (b. 1274)
    • 1398 – Hongwu, Chinese emperor (b. 1328)
    • 1439 – Frederick IV, duke of Austria (b. 1382)
    • 1503 – Reginald Bray, English architect and politician, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (b. 1440)
    • 1519 – Lucrezia Borgia, Italian wife of Alfonso I d’Este, Duke of Ferrara (b. 1480)
    • 1520 – Hosokawa Sumimoto, Japanese commander (b. 1489)
    • 1604 – Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, English courtier, Lord Great Chamberlain (b. 1550)
    • 1637 – Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, French astronomer and historian (b. 1580)
    • 1643 – John Hampden, English politician (b. 1595)
    • 1766 – Adrien Maurice de Noailles, French soldier and politician, French Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1678)
    • 1778 – Pieter Burman the Younger, Dutch philologist and academic (b. 1714)
    • 1803 – Matthew Thornton, Irish-American judge and politician (b. 1714)
    • 1817 – Thomas McKean, American lawyer and politician, 2nd Governor of Pennsylvania (b. 1734)
    • 1835 – Andreas Vokos Miaoulis, Greek admiral and politician (b. 1769)
    • 1902 – George Leake, Australian politician, 2nd Premier of Western Australia (b. 1856)
    • 1908 – Grover Cleveland, American lawyer and politician, 22nd and 24th President of the United States (b. 1837)
    • 1909 – Sarah Orne Jewett, American novelist, short story writer, and poet (b. 1849)
    • 1922 – Walther Rathenau, German businessman and politician, 7th German Minister for Foreign Affairs (b. 1867)
    • 1931 – Otto Mears, Russian-American businessman (b. 1840)
    • 1931 – Xiang Zhongfa, Chinese politician, 2nd General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (b. 1880)
    • 1932 – Ernst Põdder, Estonian general (b. 1879)
    • 1943 – Camille Roy, Canadian priest and critic (b. 1870)
    • 1946 – Louise Whitfield Carnegie, American philanthropist (b. 1857)
    • 1947 – Emil Seidel, American politician, Mayor of Milwaukee (b. 1864)
    • 1962 – Volfgangs Dārziņš, Latvian composer, pianist and music critic (b. 1906)
    • 1964 – Stuart Davis, American painter and academic (b. 1892)
    • 1968 – Tony Hancock, English actor, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1924)
    • 1969 – Frank King, American cartoonist (b. 1883)
    • 1969 – Willy Ley, German-American historian and author (b. 1906)
    • 1976 – Minor White, American photographer, critic, and academic (b. 1908)
    • 1978 – Robert Charroux, French author and critic (b. 1909)
    • 1980 – V. V. Giri, Indian lawyer and politician, 4th President of India (b. 1894)
    • 1984 – Clarence Campbell, Canadian businessman (b. 1905)
    • 1987 – Jackie Gleason, American actor, comedian, and producer (b. 1916)
    • 1988 – Csaba Kesjár, Hungarian race car driver (b. 1962)
    • 1991 – Sumner Locke Elliott, Australian-American author and playwright (b. 1917)
    • 1991 – Rufino Tamayo, Mexican painter and illustrator (b. 1899)
    • 1994 – Jean Vallerand, Canadian violinist, composer, and conductor (b. 1915)
    • 1995 – Andrew J. Transue, American politician and attorney Morissette v. United States (b. 1903)
    • 1997 – Brian Keith, American actor (b. 1921)
    • 2000 – Vera Atkins, British intelligence officer (b. 1908)
    • 2000 – David Tomlinson, English actor and comedian (b. 1917)
    • 2000 – Rodrigo Bueno, Argentine cuarteto singer (b. 1973)
    • 2002 – Pierre Werner, Luxembourgian banker and politician, 21st Prime Minister of Luxembourg (b. 1913)
    • 2004 – Ifigeneia Giannopoulou, Greek songwriter and author (b. 1957)
    • 2005 – Paul Winchell, American actor, voice artist, and ventriloquist (b. 1922)
    • 2007 – Natasja Saad, Danish rapper and reggae singer (b. 1974)
    • 2007 – Chris Benoit, Canadian wrestler (b. 1967)
    • 2007 – Derek Dougan, Northern Irish footballer and manager (b. 1938)
    • 2008 – Gerhard Ringel, Austrian mathematician and academic (b. 1919)
    • 2009 – Roméo LeBlanc, Canadian journalist and politician, 25th Governor General of Canada (b. 1927)
    • 2010 – Fred Anderson, American jazz tenor saxophonist (b. 1929)
    • 2011 – Tomislav Ivić, Croatian football coach and manager (b. 1933)
    • 2012 – Darrel Akerfelds, American baseball player and coach (b. 1962)
    • 2012 – Gad Beck, German author and educator (b. 1923)
    • 2012 – Gu Chaohao, Chinese mathematician and academic (b. 1926)
    • 2012 – Miki Roqué, Spanish footballer (b. 1988)
    • 2012 – Ann C. Scales, American lawyer, educator, and activist (b. 1952)
    • 2013 – Mick Aston, English archaeologist and academic (b. 1946)
    • 2013 – Emilio Colombo, Italian politician, 40th Prime Minister of Italy (b. 1920)
    • 2013 – Joannes Gijsen, Dutch bishop (b. 1932)
    • 2013 – William Hathaway, American lawyer and politician (b. 1924)
    • 2013 – James Martin, English-Bermudian computer scientist and author (b. 1933)
    • 2013 – Alan Myers, American drummer (b. 1955)
    • 2014 – John Clement, Canadian lawyer and politician (b. 1928)
    • 2014 – Olga Kotelko, Canadian runner and softball player (b. 1919)
    • 2014 – Ramón José Velásquez, Venezuelan journalist, lawyer, and politician, President of Venezuela (b. 1916)
    • 2014 – Eli Wallach, American actor (b. 1915)
    • 2015 – Cristiano Araújo, Brazilian singer-songwriter (b. 1986)
    • 2015 – Mario Biaggi, American police officer, politician and criminal (b. 1917)
    • 2015 – Marva Collins, American author and educator (b. 1936)
    • 2015 – Susan Ahn Cuddy, American lieutenant (b. 1915)
    • 2019 – Billy Drago, American actor (b. 1945)

    Holidays and observances on June 24

    • Army Day or Battle of Carabobo Day (Venezuela)
    • Bannockburn Day (Scotland)
    • Christian feast day:
      • María Guadalupe García Zavala
      • Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
      • June 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Day of the Caboclo (Amazonas, Brazil)
    • Discovery Day, observed on the nearest Monday to June 24 (Newfoundland and Labrador)
    • Earliest day on which Armed Forces Day can fall, while June 30 is the latest; celebrated on the last Saturday in June. (United Kingdom)
    • Earliest day on which Inventors’ and Rationalizers’ Day can fall, while June 30 is the latest; celebrated on the last Saturday in June. (Russia)
    • Earliest day on which Mother’s Day can fall, while June 30 is the latest; celebrated on the last Sunday in June. (Kenya)
    • Earliest day on which Youth Day can fall, while Jun 30 is the latest; celebrated on the last Sunday in June. (Ukraine, Belarus)
    • Inti Raymi, a winter solstice festival and a New Year in the Andes of the Southern Hemisphere (Sacsayhuamán)
    • St John’s Day and the second day of the Midsummer celebrations (although this is not the astronomical summer solstice, see June 20) (Roman Catholic Church, Europe), and its related observances:
      • Enyovden (Bulgaria)
      • Jaanipäev (Estonia)
      • Jāņi (Latvia)
      • Jónsmessa (Iceland)
      • Midsummer Day (England)
      • Saint Jonas’ Festival or Joninės (Lithuania)
      • Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (Quebec)
      • Sânziene (western Carpathian Mountains of Romania)
      • Wattah Wattah Festival (Philippines)
    • Fors Fortuna, ancient Roman festival to Fortuna

  • June 20 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    In the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer solstice sometimes occurs on this date, while the Winter solstice occurs in the Southern Hemisphere.

    • 451 – Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius’ battles Attila the Hun. After the battle, which was inconclusive, Attila retreats, causing the Romans to interpret it as a victory.
    • 1180 – First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan.
    • 1620 – The Battle of Höchst takes place during the Thirty Years’ War.
    • 1631 – The Sack of Baltimore: The Irish village of Baltimore is attacked by Algerian pirates.
    • 1652 – Tarhoncu Ahmed Pasha is appointed Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire.
    • 1685 – Monmouth Rebellion: James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth declares himself King of England at Bridgwater.
    • 1756 – A British garrison is imprisoned in the Black Hole of Calcutta.
    • 1782 – The U.S. Congress adopts the Great Seal of the United States.
    • 1787 – Oliver Ellsworth moves at the Federal Convention to call the government the ‘United States’.
    • 1789 – Deputies of the French Third Estate take the Tennis Court Oath.
    • 1819 – The U.S. vessel SS Savannah arrives at Liverpool, United Kingdom. It is the first steam-propelled vessel to cross the Atlantic, although most of the journey is made under sail.
    • 1837 – Queen Victoria succeeds to the British throne.
    • 1840 – Samuel Morse receives the patent for the telegraph.
    • 1862 – Barbu Catargiu, the Prime Minister of Romania, is assassinated.
    • 1863 – American Civil War: West Virginia is admitted as the 35th U.S. state.
    • 1877 – Alexander Graham Bell installs the world’s first commercial telephone service in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
    • 1893 – Lizzie Borden is acquitted of the murders of her father and stepmother.
    • 1895 – The Kiel Canal, crossing the base of the Jutland peninsula and the busiest artificial waterway in the world, is officially opened.
    • 1900 – Boxer Rebellion: The Imperial Chinese Army begins a 55-day siege of the Legation Quarter in Beijing, China.
    • 1900 – Baron Eduard Toll, leader of the Russian Polar Expedition of 1900, departs Saint Petersburg in Russia on the explorer ship Zarya, never to return.
    • 1921 – Workers of Buckingham and Carnatic Mills in the city of Chennai, India, begin a four-month strike.
    • 1942 – The Holocaust: Kazimierz Piechowski and three others, dressed as members of the SS-Totenkopfverbände, steal an SS staff car and escape from the Auschwitz concentration camp.
    • 1943 – The Detroit race riot breaks out and continues for three more days.
    • 1943 – World War II: The Royal Air Force launches Operation Bellicose, the first shuttle bombing raid of the war. Lancaster bombers damage the V-2 rocket production facilities at the Zeppelin Works while en route to an air base in Algeria.
    • 1944 – World War II: The Battle of the Philippine Sea concludes with a decisive U.S. naval victory. The lopsided naval air battle is also known as the “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot”.
    • 1944 – Continuation War: The Soviet Union demands an unconditional surrender from Finland during the beginning of partially successful Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive. The Finnish government refuses.
    • 1944 – The experimental MW 18014 V-2 rocket reaches an altitude of 176 km, becoming the first man-made object to reach outer space.
    • 1945 – The United States Secretary of State approves the transfer of Wernher von Braun and his team of Nazi rocket scientists to the U.S. under Operation Paperclip.
    • 1948 – The Deutsche Mark is introduced in Western Allied-occupied Germany. The Soviet Military Administration in Germany responded by imposing the Berlin Blockade four days later.
    • 1956 – A Venezuelan Super-Constellation crashes in the Atlantic Ocean off Asbury Park, New Jersey, killing 74 people.
    • 1959 – A rare June hurricane strikes Canada’s Gulf of St. Lawrence killing 35.
    • 1960 – The Mali Federation gains independence from France (it later splits into Mali and Senegal).
    • 1963 – Following the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Soviet Union and the United States sign an agreement to establish the so-called “red telephone” link between Washington and Moscow.
    • 1972 – Watergate scandal: An 18½-minute gap appears in the tape recording of the conversations between U.S. President Richard Nixon and his advisers regarding the recent arrests of his operatives while breaking into the Watergate complex.
    • 1973 – Snipers fire upon left-wing Peronists in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in what is known as the Ezeiza massacre. At least 13 are killed and more than 300 are injured.
    • 1973 – Aeroméxico Flight 229 crashes on approach to Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport, killing all 27 people on board.
    • 1975 – The film Jaws is released in the United States, becoming the highest-grossing film of that time and starting the trend of films known as “summer blockbusters”.
    • 1979 – ABC News correspondent Bill Stewart is shot dead by a Nicaraguan soldier under the regime of Anastasio Somoza Debayle. The murder is caught on tape and sparks an international outcry against the regime.
    • 1982 – The Argentine Corbeta Uruguay base on Southern Thule surrenders to Royal Marine commandos in the final action of the Falklands War.
    • 1990 – Asteroid Eureka is discovered.
    • 1990 – The 7.4 Mw  Manjil–Rudbar earthquake affects northern Iran with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), killing 35,000–50,000, and injuring 60,000–105,000.
    • 1991 – German Bundestag votes to move seat of government from the former West German capital of Bonn to the present capital Berlin.
    • 1994 – The 1994 Imam Reza shrine bomb explosion in Iran leaves at least 25 dead and 70 to 300 injured.
    • 2003 – The Wikimedia Foundation is founded in St. Petersburg, Florida.

    Births on June 20

    • 1005 – Ali az-Zahir, Fatimid caliph of Egypt (d. 1036)
    • 1389 – John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford, English statesman (d. 1435)
    • 1469 – Gian Galeazzo Sforza, duke of Milan (d. 1494)
    • 1566 – Sigismund III Vasa, Polish and Swedish king (d. 1632)
    • 1583 – Jacob De la Gardie, Swedish soldier and politician, Lord High Constable of Sweden (d. 1652)
    • 1634 – Charles Emmanuel II, duke of Savoy (d. 1675)
    • 1642 – George Hickes, English minister and scholar (d. 1715)
    • 1647 – John George III, Elector of Saxony (d. 1691)
    • 1717 – Jacques Saly, French sculptor and painter (d. 1776)
    • 1723 – Adam Ferguson, Scottish philosopher and historian (d. 1816)
    • 1737 – Tokugawa Ieharu, Japanese shōgun (d. 1786)
    • 1754 – Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt, princess of Baden (d. 1832)
    • 1756 – Joseph Martin Kraus, German-Swedish composer and educator (d. 1792)
    • 1761 – Jacob Hübner, German entomologist and author (d. 1826)
    • 1763 – Wolfe Tone, Irish rebel leader (d. 1798)
    • 1770 – Moses Waddel, American minister and academic (d. 1840)
    • 1771 – Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, Scottish philanthropist, and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Kirkcudbright (d. 1820)
    • 1771 – Hermann von Boyen, Prussian general and politician, Prussian Minister of War (d. 1848)
    • 1777 – Jean-Jacques Lartigue, Canadian bishop (d. 1840)
    • 1778 – Jean Baptiste Gay, vicomte de Martignac, French politician, 7th Prime Minister of France (d. 1832)
    • 1786 – Marceline Desbordes-Valmore, French poet and author (d. 1859)
    • 1796 – Luigi Amat di San Filippo e Sorso, Italian cardinal (d. 1878)
    • 1808 – Samson Raphael Hirsch, German rabbi and scholar (d. 1888)
    • 1809 – Isaak August Dorner, German theologian and academic (d. 1884)
    • 1813 – Joseph Autran, French poet and author (d. 1877)
    • 1819 – Jacques Offenbach, German-French cellist and composer (d. 1880)
    • 1847 – Gina Krog, Norwegian suffragist and women’s rights activist (d. 1916)
    • 1855 – Richard Lodge, English historian and academic (d. 1936)
    • 1858 – Charles W. Chesnutt, American novelist and short story writer (d. 1932)
    • 1860 – Alexander Winton, Scottish-American race car driver and engineer (d. 1932)
    • 1860 – Jack Worrall, Australian cricketer, footballer, and coach (d. 1937)
    • 1861 – Frederick Gowland Hopkins, English biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1947)
    • 1865 – George Redmayne Murray, English biologist and physician (d. 1939)
    • 1866 – James Burns, English cricketer (d. 1957)
    • 1869 – Laxmanrao Kirloskar, Indian businessman, founded the Kirloskar Group (d. 1956)
    • 1870 – Georges Dufrénoy, French painter and academic (d. 1943)
    • 1872 – George Carpenter, American 5th General of The Salvation Army (d. 1948)
    • 1875 – Reginald Punnett, English geneticist, statistician, and academic (d. 1967)
    • 1882 – Daniel Sawyer, American golfer (d. 1937)
    • 1884 – Mary R. Calvert, American astronomer and author (d. 1974)
    • 1884 – Johannes Heinrich Schultz, German psychiatrist and psychotherapist (d. 1970)
    • 1885 – Andrzej Gawroński, Polish linguist and academic (d. 1927)
    • 1887 – Kurt Schwitters, German painter and illustrator (d. 1948)
    • 1889 – John S. Paraskevopoulos, Greek-South African astronomer and academic (d. 1951)
    • 1891 – Giannina Arangi-Lombardi, Italian soprano (d. 1951)
    • 1891 – John A. Costello, Irish lawyer and politician, 3rd Taoiseach of Ireland (d. 1976)
    • 1893 – Wilhelm Zaisser, German soldier and politician (d. 1958)
    • 1894 – Lloyd Hall, American chemist and academic (d. 1971)
    • 1896 – Wilfrid Pelletier, Canadian pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1982)
    • 1897 – Elisabeth Hauptmann, German author and playwright (d. 1973)
    • 1899 – Jean Moulin, French soldier and engineer (d. 1943)
    • 1903 – Sam Rabin, English wrestler, sculptor, and singer (d. 1991)
    • 1905 – Lillian Hellman, American playwright and screenwriter (d. 1984)
    • 1906 – Bob King, American high jumper and obstetrician (d. 1965)
    • 1907 – Jimmy Driftwood, American singer-songwriter and banjo player (d. 1998)
    • 1908 – Billy Werber, American baseball player (d. 2009)
    • 1908 – Gus Schilling, American actor (d. 1957)
    • 1909 – Errol Flynn, Australian-American actor (d. 1959)
    • 1910 – Josephine Johnson, American author and poet (d. 1990)
    • 1911 – Gail Patrick, American actress (d. 1980)
    • 1912 – Anthony Buckeridge, English author (d. 2004)
    • 1912 – Jack Torrance, American shot putter and football player (d. 1969)
    • 1914 – Gordon Juckes, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1994)
    • 1914 – Muazzez İlmiye Çığ, Turkish archaeologist and academic
    • 1915 – Dick Reynolds, Australian footballer and coach (d. 2002)
    • 1915 – Terence Young, Chinese-English director and screenwriter (d. 1994)
    • 1916 – Jean-Jacques Bertrand, Canadian lawyer and politician, 21st Premier of Quebec (d. 1973)
    • 1916 – T. Texas Tyler, American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1972)
    • 1917 – Helena Rasiowa, Austrian-Polish mathematician and academic (d. 1994)
    • 1918 – George Lynch, American race car driver (d. 1997)
    • 1918 – Zoltán Sztáray, Hungarian-American author (d. 2011)
    • 1920 – Geoffrey Baker, English Field Marshal and Chief of the General Staff of the British Army (d. 1980)
    • 1920 – Danny Cedrone, American guitarist and bandleader (d. 1954)
    • 1920 – Thomas Jefferson, American trumpet player (d. 1986)
    • 1921 – Byron Farwell, American historian and author (d. 1999)
    • 1921 – Pancho Segura, Ecuadorian tennis player (d. 2017)
    • 1923 – Peter Gay, German-American historian, author, and academic (d. 2015)
    • 1923 – Jerzy Nowak, Polish actor and educator (d. 2013)
    • 1924 – Chet Atkins, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (d. 2001)
    • 1924 – Fritz Koenig, German sculptor and academic, designed The Sphere (d. 2017)
    • 1925 – Doris Hart, American tennis player and educator (d. 2015)
    • 1925 – Audie Murphy, American lieutenant and actor, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1971)
    • 1926 – Rehavam Ze’evi, Israeli general and politician, 9th Israeli Minister of Tourism (d. 2001)
    • 1927 – Simin Behbahani, Iranian poet and activist (d. 2014)
    • 1928 – Eric Dolphy, American saxophonist, flute player, and composer (d. 1964)
    • 1928 – Martin Landau, American actor and producer (d. 2017)
    • 1928 – Jean-Marie Le Pen, French intelligence officer and politician
    • 1928 – Asrat Woldeyes, Ethiopian surgeon and educator (d. 1999)
    • 1929 – Edgar Bronfman, Sr., Canadian-American businessman and philanthropist (d. 2013)
    • 1929 – Anne Weale, English journalist and author (d. 2007)
    • 1929 – Edith Windsor, American lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights activist (d. 2017)
    • 1930 – Magdalena Abakanowicz, Polish sculptor and academic (d. 2017)
    • 1930 – John Waine, English bishop
    • 1931 – Olympia Dukakis, American actress
    • 1931 – James Tolkan, American actor and director
    • 1932 – Robert Rozhdestvensky, Russian poet and author (d. 1994)
    • 1933 – Danny Aiello, American actor (d. 2019)
    • 1933 – Claire Tomalin, English journalist and author
    • 1934 – Wendy Craig, English actress
    • 1935 – Jim Barker, American politician (d. 2005)
    • 1935 – Len Dawson, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1935 – Armando Picchi, Italian footballer and coach (d. 1971)
    • 1936 – Billy Guy, American singer (d. 2002)
    • 1936 – Enn Vetemaa, Estonian author and screenwriter (d. 2017)
    • 1937 – Stafford Dean, English actor and singer
    • 1937 – Jerry Keller, American singer-songwriter
    • 1938 – Joan Kirner, Australian educator and politician, 42nd Premier of Victoria (d. 2015)
    • 1938 – Mickie Most, English music producer (d. 2003)
    • 1939 – Ramakant Desai, Indian cricketer (d. 1998)
    • 1939 – Budge Rogers, English rugby player and manager
    • 1940 – Eugen Drewermann, German priest and theologian
    • 1940 – John Mahoney, English actor (d. 2018)
    • 1941 – Stephen Frears, English actor, director, and producer
    • 1941 – Ulf Merbold, German physicist and astronaut
    • 1942 – Neil Trudinger, Australian mathematician and theorist
    • 1942 – Brian Wilson, American singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1945 – Anne Murray, Canadian singer and guitarist
    • 1946 – Xanana Gusmão, Timorese soldier and politician, 1st President of East Timor
    • 1946 – David Kazhdan, Russian-Israeli mathematician and academic
    • 1946 – Bob Vila, American television host
    • 1946 – André Watts, American pianist and educator
    • 1947 – Dolores “LaLa” Brooks, American pop singer (The Crystals)
    • 1948 – Cirilo Flores, American bishop (d. 2014)
    • 1948 – Ludwig Scotty, Nauruan politician, 10th President of Nauru
    • 1949 – Alan Longmuir, Scottish bass player and songwriter (d. 2018)
    • 1949 – Lionel Richie, American singer-songwriter, pianist, producer, and actor
    • 1949 – Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 8th president of Sri Lanka
    • 1950 – Nouri al-Maliki, Iraqi politician, 76th Prime Minister of Iraq
    • 1951 – Tress MacNeille, American actress and voice artist
    • 1951 – Sheila McLean, Scottish scholar and academic
    • 1951 – Paul Muldoon, Irish poet and academic
    • 1952 – John Goodman, American actor
    • 1952 – Vikram Seth, Indian author and poet
    • 1953 – Robert Crais, American author and screenwriter
    • 1953 – Raúl Ramírez, Mexican tennis player
    • 1953 – Willy Rampf, German engineer
    • 1954 – Allan Lamb, South African-English cricketer and sportscaster
    • 1954 – Ilan Ramon, Israeli colonel, pilot, and astronaut (d. 2003)
    • 1955 – E. Lynn Harris, American author (d. 2009)
    • 1956 – Peter Reid, English footballer and manager
    • 1956 – Sohn Suk-hee, South Korean newscaster
    • 1958 – Kelly Johnson, English hard rock guitarist and songwriter (d. 2007)
    • 1960 – Philip M. Parker, American economist and author
    • 1960 – John Taylor, English singer-songwriter, bass player, and actor
    • 1963 – Kirk Baptiste, American sprinter
    • 1963 – Mark Ovenden, British author and broadcaster
    • 1964 – Pierfrancesco Chili, Italian motorcycle racer
    • 1964 – Silke Möller, German runner
    • 1966 – Boaz Yakin, American director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1967 – Nicole Kidman, American-Australian actress
    • 1967 – Dan Tyminski, American singer-songwriter
    • 1968 – Robert Rodriguez, American director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1969 – Paulo Bento, Portuguese footballer and manager
    • 1969 – Misha Verbitsky, Russian mathematician and academic
    • 1969 – MaliVai Washington, American tennis player and sportscaster
    • 1970 – Andrea Nahles, German politician, German Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
    • 1970 – Athol Williams, South African poet and social philosopher
    • 1971 – Rodney Rogers, American basketball player and coach
    • 1971 – Jeordie White, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and bass player
    • 1972 – Alexis Alexoudis, Greek footballer
    • 1973 – Chino Moreno, American singer-songwriter
    • 1975 – Joan Balcells, Spanish tennis player
    • 1975 – Daniel Zítka, Czech footballer
    • 1976 – Juliano Belletti, Brazilian footballer
    • 1976 – Carlos Lee, Panamanian baseball player
    • 1977 – Gordan Giriček, Croatian basketball player
    • 1977 – Amos Lee, American singer-songwriter
    • 1978 – Frank Lampard, English footballer
    • 1978 – Jan-Paul Saeijs, Dutch footballer
    • 1979 – Charles Howell III, American golfer
    • 1980 – Franco Semioli, Italian footballer
    • 1980 – Tika Sumpter, American actress
    • 1980 – Fabian Wegmann, German cyclist
    • 1981 – Brede Hangeland, Norwegian footballer
    • 1982 – Aleksei Berezutski, Russian footballer
    • 1982 – Vasili Berezutski, Russian footballer
    • 1982 – Example, English singer/rapper
    • 1983 – Josh Childress, American basketball player
    • 1983 – Darren Sproles, American football player
    • 1984 – Hassan Adams, American basketball player
    • 1985 – Saki Aibu, Japanese actress
    • 1985 – Aurélien Chedjou, Cameroonian footballer
    • 1985 – Matt Flynn, American football player
    • 1986 – Dreama Walker, American actress
    • 1987 – A-fu, Taiwanese singer and songwriter
    • 1987 – Carsten Ball, Australian tennis player
    • 1987 – Asmir Begović, Bosnian footballer
    • 1987 – Joseph Ebuya, Kenyan runner
    • 1987 – Kierra Sheard, American gospel singer
    • 1989 – Christopher Mintz-Plasse, American actor
    • 1989 – Javier Pastore, Argentinian footballer
    • 1989 – Terrelle Pryor, American football player
    • 1990 – DeQuan Jones, American basketball player
    • 1991 – Kalidou Koulibaly, Senegalese footballer
    • 1991 – Rick ten Voorde, Dutch footballer
    • 1993 – Sead Kolašinac, Bosnian footballer
    • 1994 – Leonard Williams, American football player
    • 1995 – Caroline Weir, Scottish footballer
    • 1996 – Sam Bennett, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1997 – Bálint Kopasz, Hungarian sprint canoeist

    Deaths on June 20

    • 465 – Emperor Wencheng of Northern Wei (b. 440)
    • 656 – Uthman ibn Affan, Rashidun caliph (b. 577)
    • 840 – Louis the Pious, Carolingian emperor (b. 778)
    • 930 – Hucbald, Frankish monk and music theorist
    • 981 – Adalbert, archbishop of Magdeburg
    • 1176 – Mikhail of Vladimir, Russian prince
    • 1351 – Margareta Ebner, German nun and mystic (b. 1291)
    • 1405 – Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, fourth son of King Robert II of Scotland (b. 1343)
    • 1597 – Willem Barentsz, Dutch cartographer and explorer (b. 1550)
    • 1605 – Feodor II of Russia (b. 1589)
    • 1668 – Heinrich Roth, German missionary and scholar (b. 1620)
    • 1776 – Benjamin Huntsman, English businessman (b. 1704)
    • 1787 – Carl Friedrich Abel, German viol player and composer (b. 1723)
    • 1800 – Abraham Gotthelf Kästner, German mathematician and academic (b. 1719)
    • 1810 – Axel von Fersen the Younger, Swedish general and politician (b. 1755)
    • 1815 – Guillaume Philibert Duhesme, French general (b. 1766)
    • 1820 – Manuel Belgrano, Argentinian general, economist, and politician (b. 1770)
    • 1837 – William IV of the United Kingdom (b. 1765)
    • 1840 – Pierre Claude François Daunou, French historian and politician (b. 1761)
    • 1847 – Juan Larrea, Argentinian captain and politician (b. 1782)
    • 1869 – Hijikata Toshizō, Japanese commander (b. 1835)
    • 1870 – Jules de Goncourt, French historian and author (b. 1830)
    • 1872 – Élie Frédéric Forey, French general (b. 1804)
    • 1875 – Joseph Meek, American police officer and politician (b. 1810)
    • 1888 – Johannes Zukertort, Polish-English chess player (b. 1842)
    • 1906 – John Clayton Adams, English painter (b. 1840)
    • 1909 – Friedrich Martens, Estonian-Russian historian, lawyer, and diplomat (b. 1845)
    • 1925 – Josef Breuer, Austrian physician and psychologist (b. 1842)
    • 1929 – Emmanouil Benakis, Greek merchant and politician, 35th Mayor of Athens (b. 1843)
    • 1945 – Bruno Frank, German author, poet, and playwright (b. 1878)
    • 1947 – Bugsy Siegel, American mobster (b. 1906)
    • 1952 – Luigi Fagioli, Italian race car driver (b. 1898)
    • 1958 – Kurt Alder, German chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1902)
    • 1963 – Raphaël Salem, Greek-French mathematician and academic (b. 1898)
    • 1965 – Bernard Baruch, American financier and politician (b. 1870)
    • 1966 – Georges Lemaître, Belgian priest, physicist, and astronomer (b. 1894)
    • 1974 – Horace Lindrum, Australian snooker player (b. 1912)
    • 1975 – Suzanne Comhaire-Sylvain, Hatian anthropologist (b. 1898)
    • 1978 – Mark Robson, Canadian-American director and producer (b. 1913)
    • 1984 – Estelle Winwood, English actress (b. 1883)
    • 1995 – Emil Cioran, Romanian-French philosopher and educator (b. 1911)
    • 1997 – Cahit Külebi, Turkish poet and author (b. 1917)
    • 1999 – Clifton Fadiman, American game show host, author, and critic (b. 1902)
    • 2001 – Gina Cigna, French-Italian soprano (b. 1900)
    • 2002 – Erwin Chargaff, Austrian-American biochemist and academic (b. 1905)
    • 2002 – Tinus Osendarp, Dutch runner (b. 1916)
    • 2004 – Jim Bacon, Australian politician, 41st Premier of Tasmania (b. 1950)
    • 2005 – Larry Collins, American journalist, historian, and author (b. 1929)
    • 2005 – Jack Kilby, American physicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1923)
    • 2010 – Roberto Rosato, Italian footballer (b. 1943)
    • 2010 – Harry B. Whittington, English palaeontologist and academic (b. 1916)
    • 2011 – Ryan Dunn, American television personality (b. 1977)
    • 2012 – Judy Agnew, Second Lady of the United States. (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – LeRoy Neiman, American painter (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – Heinrich IV, Prince Reuss of Köstritz (b. 1919)
    • 2012 – Andrew Sarris, American critic (b. 1928)
    • 2013 – Ingvar Rydell, Swedish footballer (b. 1922)
    • 2015 – Angelo Niculescu, Romanian footballer and manager (b. 1921)
    • 2015 – Miriam Schapiro, Canadian-American painter and sculptor (b. 1923)
    • 2017 – Prodigy, American music artist (b. 1974)

    Holidays and observances on June 20

    • Christian feast day:
      • Adalbert of Magdeburg
      • Florentina
      • John of Matera
      • Blessed Margareta Ebner
      • Methodius of Olympus
      • Pope Silverius
      • June 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Day of the National Flag (Argentina)
    • The earliest date for the summer solstice in the Northern hemisphere and the winter solstice in the Southern hemisphere, and its related observance:
      • Earliest day on which Day of the Finnish Flag can fall, while June 26 is the latest; celebrated on Saturday of Midsummer’s Day (Finland)
      • International Surfing Day (on or near Summer solstice)
      • Litha / Midsummer celebrations in the northern hemisphere, Yule in the southern hemisphere.
    • Gas Sector Day (Azerbaijan)
    • Martyrs’ Day (Eritrea)
    • West Virginia Day (West Virginia)
    • World Refugee Day (International)

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

    • 495 BC – A newly constructed temple in honour of the god Mercury was dedicated in ancient Rome on the Circus Maximus, between the Aventine and Palatine hills. To spite the senate and the consuls, the people awarded the dedication to a senior military officer, Marcus Laetorius.
    • 221 – Liu Bei, Chinese warlord, proclaims himself emperor of Shu Han, the successor of the Han dynasty.
    • 392 – Emperor Valentinian II is assassinated while advancing into Gaul against the Frankish usurper Arbogast. He is found hanging in his residence at Vienne.
    • 589 – King Authari marries Theodelinda, daughter of the Bavarian duke Garibald I. A Catholic, she has great influence among the Lombard nobility.
    • 908 – The three-year-old Constantine VII, the son of Emperor Leo VI the Wise, is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire by Patriarch Euthymius I at Constantinople.
    • 1252 – Pope Innocent IV issues the papal bull ad extirpanda, which authorizes, but also limits, the torture of heretics in the Medieval Inquisition.
    • 1525 – Insurgent peasants led by Anabaptist pastor Thomas Müntzer were defeated at the Battle of Frankenhausen, ending the German Peasants’ War in the Holy Roman Empire.
    • 1536 – Anne Boleyn, Queen of England, stands trial in London on charges of treason, adultery and incest; she is condemned to death by a specially-selected jury.
    • 1567 – Mary, Queen of Scots marries James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, her third husband.
    • 1618 – Johannes Kepler confirms his previously rejected discovery of the third law of planetary motion (he first discovered it on March 8 but soon rejected the idea after some initial calculations were made).
    • 1648 – The Peace of Münster is ratified, by which Spain acknowledges Dutch sovereignty.
    • 1718 – James Puckle, a London lawyer, patents the world’s first machine gun.
    • 1776 – American Revolution: The Fifth Virginia Convention instructs its Continental Congress delegation to propose a resolution of independence from Great Britain, paving the way for the United States Declaration of Independence.
    • 1791 – French Revolution: Maximilien Robespierre proposes the Self-denying Ordinance.
    • 1792 – War of the First Coalition: France declares war on Kingdom of Sardinia.
    • 1793 – Diego Marín Aguilera flies a glider for “about 360 meters”, at a height of 5–6 meters, during one of the first attempted manned flights.
    • 1796 – War of the First Coalition: Napoleon enters Milan in triumph.
    • 1800 – King George III of the United Kingdom survives an assassination attempt by James Hadfield, who is later acquitted by reason of insanity.
    • 1817 – Opening of the first private mental health hospital in the United States, the Asylum for the Relief of Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason (now Friends Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).
    • 1836 – Francis Baily observes “Baily’s beads” during an annular eclipse.
    • 1849 – The Sicilian revolution of 1848 is finally extinguished.
    • 1850 – The Bloody Island massacre takes place in Lake County, California, in which a large number of Pomo Indians are slaughtered by a regiment of the United States Cavalry.
    • 1850 – The Arana–Southern Treaty is ratified, ending “the existing differences” between Great Britain and Argentina.
    • 1851 – The first Australian gold rush is proclaimed, although the discovery had been made three months earlier.
    • 1858 – Opening of the present Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London.
    • 1862 – President Abraham Lincoln signs a bill into law creating the United States Bureau of Agriculture. It is later renamed the United States Department of Agriculture.
    • 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of New Market, Virginia: Students from the Virginia Military Institute fight alongside the Confederate army to force Union General Franz Sigel out of the Shenandoah Valley.
    • 1867 – Canadian Bank of Commerce opens for business in Toronto, Ontario. The bank would later merge with Imperial Bank of Canada to become what is CIBC in 1961.
    • 1869 – Women’s suffrage: In New York, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton form the National Woman Suffrage Association.
    • 1891 – Pope Leo XIII defends workers’ rights and property rights in the encyclical Rerum novarum, the beginning of modern Catholic social teaching.
    • 1904 – Russo-Japanese War: The Russian minelayer Amur lays a minefield about 15 miles off Port Arthur and sinks Japan’s battleships Hatsuse, 15,000 tons, with 496 crew and Yashima.
    • 1905 – Las Vegas is founded when 110 acres (0.45 km2), in what later would become downtown, are auctioned off.
    • 1911 – In Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey v. United States, the United States Supreme Court declares Standard Oil to be an “unreasonable” monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act and orders the company to be broken up.
    • 1911 – More than 300 Chinese immigrants are killed in the Torreón massacre when the forces of the Mexican Revolution led by Emilio Madero take the city of Torreón from the Federales.
    • 1914 – During a poker game at the Gaiety Theatre in Galesburg, Illinois, comedian Art Fisher nicknames Chicko, Harpo, Groucho, and Gummo Marx.
    • 1919 – The Winnipeg general strike begins. By 11:00, almost the whole working population of Winnipeg had walked off the job.
    • 1919 – Greek occupation of Smyrna. During the occupation, the Greek army kills or wounds 350 Turks; those responsible are punished by Greek commander Aristides Stergiades.
    • 1925 – Al-Insaniyyah, the first Arabic communist newspaper, is founded.
    • 1928 – Walt Disney character Mickey Mouse premieres in his first cartoon, “Plane Crazy”.
    • 1929 – A fire at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio kills 123.
    • 1932 – In an attempted coup d’état, the Prime Minister of Japan Inukai Tsuyoshi is assassinated.
    • 1933 – All military aviation organizations within or under the control of the RLM of Germany were officially merged in a covert manner to form its Wehrmacht military’s air arm, the Luftwaffe.
    • 1934 – Kārlis Ulmanis establishes an authoritarian government in Latvia.
    • 1940 – USS Sailfish is recommissioned. It was originally the USS Squalus.
    • 1940 – World War II: After fierce fighting, the poorly trained and equipped Dutch troops surrender to Germany, marking the beginning of five years of occupation.
    • 1940 – Richard and Maurice McDonald open the first McDonald’s restaurant.
    • 1941 – First flight of the Gloster E.28/39 the first British and Allied jet aircraft.
    • 1941 – Joe DiMaggio begins a 56-game hitting streak.
    • 1942 – World War II: In the United States, a bill creating the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) is signed into law.
    • 1943 – Joseph Stalin dissolves the Comintern (or Third International).
    • 1945 – World War II: The Battle of Poljana, the final skirmish in Europe is fought near Prevalje, Slovenia.
    • 1948 – Following the expiration of The British Mandate for Palestine, the Kingdom of Egypt, Transjordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia invade Israel thus starting the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
    • 1957 – At Malden Island in the Pacific Ocean, Britain tests its first hydrogen bomb in Operation Grapple.
    • 1958 – The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 3.
    • 1960 – The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 4.
    • 1963 – Project Mercury: The launch of the final Mercury mission, Mercury-Atlas 9 with astronaut Gordon Cooper on board. He becomes the first American to spend more than a day in space, and the last American to go into space alone.
    • 1966 – After a policy dispute, Prime Minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ of South Vietnam’s ruling junta launches a military attack on the forces of General Tôn Thất Đính, forcing him to abandon his command.
    • 1969 – People’s Park: California Governor Ronald Reagan has an impromptu student park owned by the University of California at Berkeley fenced off from student anti-war protestors, sparking a riot.
    • 1970 – President Richard Nixon appoints Anna Mae Hays and Elizabeth P. Hoisington the first female United States Army generals.
    • 1970 – Philip Lafayette Gibbs and James Earl Green are killed at Jackson State University by police during student protests.
    • 1972 – The Ryukyu Islands, under U.S. military governance since its conquest in 1945, reverts to Japanese control.
    • 1972 – In Laurel, Maryland, Arthur Bremer shoots and paralyzes Alabama Governor George Wallace while he is campaigning to become president.
    • 1974 – Ma’alot massacre: Members of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine attack and take hostages at an Israeli school; a total of 31 people are killed, including 22 schoolchildren.
    • 1976 – Aeroflot Flight 1802 crashes in Viktorovka, Chernihiv Raion, killing all 52 people on board.
    • 1987 – The Soviet Union launches the Polyus prototype orbital weapons platform. It fails to reach orbit.
    • 1988 – Soviet–Afghan War: After more than eight years of fighting, the Soviet Army begins to withdraw 115,000 troops from Afghanistan.
    • 1991 – Édith Cresson becomes France’s first female Prime Minister.
    • 1997 – The United States government acknowledges the existence of the “Secret War” in Laos and dedicates the Laos Memorial in honor of Hmong and other “Secret War” veterans.
    • 1997 – The Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on STS-84 to dock with the Russian space station Mir.
    • 2004 – Arsenal F.C. go an entire league campaign unbeaten in the English Premier League, joining Preston North End F.C with the right to claim the title “The Invincibles”.
    • 2008 – California becomes the second U.S. state after Massachusetts in 2004 to legalize same-sex marriage after the state’s own Supreme Court rules a previous ban unconstitutional.
    • 2010 – Jessica Watson becomes the youngest person to sail, non-stop and unassisted around the world solo.
    • 2013 – An upsurge in violence in Iraq leaves more than 389 people dead over three days.

    Births on May 15

    • 1397 – Sejong the Great, Korean king (d. 1450)
    • 1531 – Maria of Austria, Duchess of Jülich-Cleves-Berg (d. 1581)
    • 1565 – Hendrick de Keyser, Dutch sculptor and architect (d. 1621)
    • 1567 – Claudio Monteverdi, Italian priest and composer (d. 1643)
    • 1655 – Pope Innocent XIII (d. 1724)
    • 1608 – René Goupil, French-American missionary and saint (d. 1642)
    • 1633 – Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, French noble (d. 1707)
    • 1645 – George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys, British judge (d. 1689)
    • 1689 – Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, English writer (d. 1762)
    • 1720 – Maximilian Hell, Hungarian priest and astronomer (d. 1792)
    • 1749 – Levi Lincoln Sr., American lawyer and politician, 4th United States Attorney General (d. 1820)
    • 1759 – Maria Theresia von Paradis, Austrian pianist and composer (d. 1824)
    • 1770 – Ezekiel Hart, Canadian businessman and politician (d. 1843)
    • 1773 – Klemens von Metternich, German-Austrian politician, 1st State Chancellor of the Austrian Empire (d. 1859)
    • 1786 – Dimitris Plapoutas, Greek general and politician (d. 1864)
    • 1803 – Juan Almonte, son of José María Morelos, was a Mexican soldier and diplomat who served as a regent in the Second Mexican Empire (1863-1864) (d. 1869)
    • 1805 – Samuel Carter, Early English railway solicitor and MP (d. 1878)
    • 1808 – Michael William Balfe, Irish composer and conductor (d. 1870)
    • 1817 – Debendranath Tagore, Indian philosopher and author (d. 1905)
    • 1841 – Clarence Dutton, American commander and geologist (d. 1912)
    • 1845 – Élie Metchnikoff, Russian zoologist (d. 1916)
    • 1848 – Viktor Vasnetsov, Russian painter and illustrator (d. 1926)
    • 1854 – Ioannis Psycharis, Ukrainian-French philologist and author (d. 1929)
    • 1856 – L. Frank Baum, American novelist (d. 1919)
    • 1856 – Matthias Zurbriggen, Swiss mountaineer (d. 1917)
    • 1857 – Williamina Fleming, Scottish-American astronomer and academic (d. 1911)
    • 1859 – Pierre Curie, French physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1906)
    • 1862 – Arthur Schnitzler, Austrian author and playwright (d. 1931)
    • 1863 – Frank Hornby, English businessman and politician, invented Meccano (d. 1936)
    • 1869 – Paul Probst, Swiss target shooter (d. 1945)
    • 1869 – John Storey, Australian politician, 20th Premier of New South Wales (d. 1921)
    • 1882 – Walter White, Scottish international footballer (d. 1950)
    • 1890 – Katherine Anne Porter, American short story writer, novelist, and essayist (d. 1980)
    • 1891 – Mikhail Bulgakov, Russian novelist and playwright (d. 1940)
    • 1891 – Fritz Feigl, Austrian-Brazilian chemist and academic (d. 1971)
    • 1892 – Charles E. Rosendahl, American admiral (d. 1977)
    • 1892 – Jimmy Wilde, Welsh boxer (d. 1969)
    • 1893 – José Nepomuceno, Filipino filmmaker, founder of Philippine cinema (d. 1959)
    • 1894 – Feg Murray, American hurdler and cartoonist (d. 1973)
    • 1895 – Prescott Bush, American captain, banker, and politician (d. 1972)
    • 1895 – William D. Byron, American lieutenant and politician (d. 1941)
    • 1898 – Arletty, French model, actress, and singer (d. 1992)
    • 1899 – Jean Étienne Valluy, French general (d. 1970)
    • 1900 – Ida Rhodes, American mathematician, pioneer in computer programming (d. 1986)
    • 1901 – Xavier Herbert, Australian author (d. 1984)
    • 1901 – Luis Monti, Argentinian-Italian footballer and manager (d. 1983)
    • 1902 – Richard J. Daley, American lawyer and politician, 48th Mayor of Chicago (d. 1976)
    • 1902 – Sigizmund Levanevsky, Soviet aircraft pilot of Polish origin (d. 1937)
    • 1903 – Maria Reiche, German mathematician and archaeologist (d. 1998)
    • 1904 – Clifton Fadiman, American game show host and author (d. 1999)
    • 1905 – Joseph Cotten, American actor (d. 1994)
    • 1905 – Albert Dubout, French cartoonist, illustrator, painter, and sculptor (d. 1976)
    • 1905 – Abraham Zapruder, American businessman and amateur photographer, filmed the Zapruder film (d. 1970)
    • 1907 – Sukhdev Thapar, Indian activist (d. 1931)
    • 1909 – James Mason, English actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1984)
    • 1909 – Clara Solovera, Chilean singer-songwriter (d. 1992)
    • 1910 – Constance Cummings, British-based American actress (d. 2005)
    • 1911 – Max Frisch, Swiss playwright and novelist (d. 1991)
    • 1911 – Herta Oberheuser, German physician (d. 1978)
    • 1912 – Arthur Berger, American composer and educator (d. 2003)
    • 1914 – Turk Broda, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 1972)
    • 1914 – Angus MacLean, Canadian farmer and politician, 25th Premier of Prince Edward Island (d. 2000)
    • 1914 – Norrie Paramor, English composer, producer, and conductor (d. 1979)
    • 1915 – Hilda Bernstein, English-South African author and activist (d. 2006)
    • 1915 – Paul Samuelson, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2009)
    • 1915 – Henrik Sandberg, Danish production manager and producer (d. 1993)
    • 1916 – Vera Gebuhr, Danish actress (d. 2014)
    • 1918 – Eddy Arnold, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (d. 2008)
    • 1918 – Arthur Jackson, American lieutenant and target shooter (d. 2015)
    • 1918 – Joseph Wiseman, Canadian-American actor (d. 2009)
    • 1920 – Michel Audiard, French director and screenwriter (d. 1985)
    • 1922 – Sigurd Ottovich Schmidt, Russian historian and ethnographer (d. 2013)
    • 1922 – Jakucho Setouchi, Japanese nun and author
    • 1923 – Richard Avedon, American sailor and photographer (d. 2004)
    • 1923 – John Lanchbery, English-Australian composer and conductor (d. 2003)
    • 1924 – Maria Koepcke, German-Peruvian ornithologist and zoologist (d. 1971)
    • 1925 – Andrei Eshpai, Russian pianist and composer (d. 2015)
    • 1925 – Mary F. Lyon, English geneticist and biologist (d. 2014)
    • 1925 – Carl Sanders, American soldier, pilot, and politician, 74th Governor of Georgia (d. 2014)
    • 1925 – Roy Stewart, Jamaican-English actor and stuntman (d. 2008)
    • 1926 – Clermont Pépin, Canadian pianist, composer, and educator (d. 2006)
    • 1926 – Anthony Shaffer, English author, playwright, and screenwriter (d. 2001)
    • 1926 – Peter Shaffer, English playwright and screenwriter (d. 2016)
    • 1930 – Jasper Johns, American painter and sculptor
    • 1931 – Ken Venturi, American golfer and sportscaster (d. 2013)
    • 1935 – Don Bragg, American pole vaulter
    • 1935 – Ted Dexter, Italian-English cricketer
    • 1935 – Utah Phillips, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2008)
    • 1935 – Akihiro Miwa, Japanese singer, actor, director, composer, author and drag queen
    • 1936 – Anna Maria Alberghetti, Italian-American actress and singer
    • 1936 – Mart Laga, Estonian basketball player (d. 1977)
    • 1936 – Ralph Steadman, English painter and illustrator
    • 1936 – Paul Zindel, American playwright and novelist (d. 2003)
    • 1937 – Madeleine Albright, Czech-American politician and diplomat, 64th United States Secretary of State
    • 1937 – Karin Krog, Norwegian singer
    • 1937 – Trini Lopez, American singer, guitarist, and actor
    • 1938 – Mireille Darc, French actress, director, and screenwriter (d. 2017)
    • 1938 – Nancy Garden, American author (d. 2014)
    • 1939 – Dorothy Shirley, English high jumper and educator
    • 1940 – Roger Ailes, American businessman (d. 2017)
    • 1940 – Lainie Kazan, American actress and singer
    • 1940 – Don Nelson, American basketball player and coach
    • 1941 – Jaxon, American illustrator and publisher, co-founded the Rip Off Press (d. 2006)
    • 1942 – Lois Johnson, American singer-songwriter (d. 2014)
    • 1942 – Jusuf Kalla, Indonesian businessman and politician, 10th Vice President of Indonesia
    • 1942 – Doug Lowe, Australian politician, 35th Premier of Tasmania
    • 1942 – K. T. Oslin, American singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1943 – Paul Bégin, Canadian lawyer and politician
    • 1943 – Freddie Perren, American songwriter, producer, and conductor (d. 2004)
    • 1944 – Bill Alter, American police officer and politician
    • 1944 – Ulrich Beck, German sociologist and academic (d. 2015)
    • 1945 – Michael Dexter, English hematologist and academic
    • 1945 – Jerry Quarry, American boxer (d. 1999)
    • 1946 – Thadeus Nguyễn Văn Lý, Vietnamese priest and activist
    • 1947 – Graeham Goble, Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer
    • 1948 – Kate Bornstein, American author, playwright, performance artist, and gender theorist
    • 1948 – Yutaka Enatsu, Japanese baseball player
    • 1948 – Brian Eno, English singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and producer
    • 1948 – Kathleen Sebelius, American politician, 44th Governor of Kansas
    • 1949 – Frank L. Culbertson Jr., American captain, pilot, and astronaut
    • 1949 – Robert S.J. Sparks, English geologist and academic
    • 1950 – Jim Bacon, Australian politician, 41st Premier of Tasmania (d. 2004)
    • 1950 – Jim Simons, American golfer (d. 2005)
    • 1951 – Dennis Frederiksen, American singer-songwriter (d. 2014)
    • 1951 – Chris Ham, English political scientist and academic
    • 1951 – Frank Wilczek, American mathematician and physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1952 – Chazz Palminteri, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1953 – George Brett, American baseball player and coach
    • 1953 – Athene Donald, English physicist and academic
    • 1953 – Mike Oldfield, English-Irish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
    • 1954 – Diana Liverman, English-American geographer and academic
    • 1954 – Caroline Thomson, English journalist and broadcaster
    • 1955 – Mohamed Brahmi, Tunisian politician (d. 2013)
    • 1955 – Lia Vissi, Cypriot singer-songwriter and politician
    • 1956 – Andreas Loverdos, Greek lawyer and politician, Greek Minister of Labour
    • 1956 – Dan Patrick, American television anchor and sportscaster
    • 1956 – Kevin Greenaugh, American nuclear engineer
    • 1957 – Meg Gardiner, American-English author and academic
    • 1957 – Juan José Ibarretxe, Spanish politician
    • 1957 – Kevin Von Erich, American football player and wrestler
    • 1958 – Jason Graae, American musical theater actor
    • 1958 – Ruth Marcus, American journalist
    • 1958 – Ron Simmons, American football player and wrestler
    • 1959 – Khaosai Galaxy, Thai boxer and politician
    • 1959 – Luis Pérez-Sala, Spanish race car driver
    • 1959 – Beverly Jo Scott, American-Belgian singer-songwriter
    • 1960 – Rhonda Burchmore, Australian actress, singer, and dancer
    • 1960 – Rob Bowman, American director and producer
    • 1960 – R. Kuhaneswaran, Sri Lankan politician
    • 1960 – Rimas Kurtinaitis, Lithuanian basketball player and coach
    • 1961 – Giselle Fernández, Mexican-American television journalist.
    • 1962 – Lisa Curry, Australian swimmer
    • 1963 – Gavin Nebbeling, South African footballer
    • 1964 – Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Danish lawyer and politician, 40th Prime Minister of Denmark
    • 1965 – André Abujamra, Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1965 – Scott Tronc, Australian rugby league player
    • 1966 – Jiří Němec, Czech footballer
    • 1967 – Simen Agdestein, Norwegian chess grandmaster and football player
    • 1967 – Laura Hillenbrand, American journalist and author
    • 1967 – John Smoltz, American baseball player and sportscaster
    • 1967 – Madhuri Dixit, Indian actress
    • 1968 – Cecilia Malmström, Swedish academic and politician, 15th European Commissioner for Trade
    • 1968 – Sophie Raworth, English journalist and broadcaster
    • 1969 – Hideki Irabu, Japanese-American baseball player (d. 2011)
    • 1969 – Emmitt Smith, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1970 – Frank de Boer, Dutch footballer and manager
    • 1970 – Ronald de Boer, Dutch footballer and manager
    • 1970 – Desmond Howard, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1970 – Alison Jackson, English photographer, director, and screenwriter
    • 1970 – Rod Smith, American football player
    • 1970 – Ben Wallace, English captain and politician
    • 1971 – Karin Lušnic, Slovenian tennis player
    • 1972 – Danny Alexander, Scottish politician, Secretary of State for Scotland
    • 1972 – David Charvet, French actor and singer
    • 1974 – Vasilis Kikilias, Greek basketball player and politician
    • 1974 – Matthew Sadler, English chess player and author
    • 1974 – Marko Tredup, German footballer and manager
    • 1974 – Ahmet Zappa, American musician and writer
    • 1975 – Ray Lewis, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1975 – Ales Michalevic, Belarusian lawyer and politician
    • 1976 – Torraye Braggs, American basketball player
    • 1976 – Mark Kennedy, Irish footballer
    • 1976 – Jacek Krzynówek, Polish footballer
    • 1976 – Ryan Leaf, American football player and coach
    • 1976 – Anže Logar, Slovenian politician
    • 1976 – Tyler Walker, American baseball player
    • 1978 – Amy Chow, American gymnast and pediatrician
    • 1978 – Dwayne De Rosario, Canadian soccer player
    • 1978 – Edu, Brazilian footballer
    • 1978 – David Krumholtz, American actor
    • 1979 – Adolfo Bautista, Mexican footballer
    • 1979 – Daniel Caines, English sprinter
    • 1979 – Chris Masoe, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1979 – Ryan Max Riley, American skier
    • 1979 – Robert Royal, American football player
    • 1979 – Dominic Scott, Irish guitarist
    • 1980 – Josh Beckett, American baseball player
    • 1981 – Patrice Evra, French footballer
    • 1981 – Paul Konchesky, English international footballer
    • 1981 – Justin Morneau, Canadian baseball player
    • 1981 – Zara Phillips, English equestrian
    • 1981 – Jamie-Lynn Sigler, American actress and singer
    • 1982 – Veronica Campbell-Brown, Jamaican sprinter
    • 1982 – Segundo Castillo, Ecuadorian footballer
    • 1982 – Rafael Pérez, Dominican baseball player
    • 1982 – Layal Abboud, Lebanese singer
    • 1984 – Jeff Deslauriers, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1984 – Sérgio Jimenez, Brazilian race car driver
    • 1984 – Samantha Noble, Australian actress
    • 1984 – Beau Scott, Australian rugby league player
    • 1984 – Mr Probz, Dutch singer, songwriter, rapper, actor and record producer
    • 1985 – Cristiane, Brazilian footballer
    • 1985 – Tania Cagnotto, Italian diver
    • 1985 – Laura Harvey, English football coach
    • 1985 – Tathagata Mukherjee, Indian actor
    • 1985 – Denis Onyango, Ugandan goalkeeper
    • 1985 – Justine Robbeson, South African javelin thrower
    • 1986 – Thomas Brown, American football player
    • 1986 – Matías Fernández, Chilean footballer
    • 1986 – Adam Moffat, Scottish footballer
    • 1987 – David Adams, American baseball player
    • 1987 – Michael Brantley, American baseball player
    • 1987 – Brian Dozier, American baseball player
    • 1987 – Mark Fayne, American ice hockey player
    • 1987 – Ersan İlyasova, Turkish basketball player
    • 1987 – Leonardo Mayer, Argentinian tennis player
    • 1987 – Andy Murray, Scottish tennis player
    • 1988 – Indrek Kajupank, Estonian basketball player
    • 1988 – Scott Laird, English footballer
    • 1989 – Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, French footballer
    • 1990 – Jordan Eberle, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1990 – Lee Jong-hyun, Korean guitarist
    • 1990 – Stella Maxwell, New Zealand model
    • 1993 – Jeremy Hawkins, New Zealand rugby league player
    • 1993 – Tomáš Kalas, Czech international footballer
    • 1996 – Birdy, English singer-songwriter
    • 1997 – Ousmane Dembélé, French footballer

    Deaths on May 15

    • 392 – Valentinian II, Roman emperor (b. 371)
    • 558 – Hilary of Galeata, Christian monk (b. 476)
    • 884 – Narinus I, pope of the Catholic Church (b. 830)
    • 913 – Hatto I, German archbishop (b. 850)
    • 926 – Zhuang Zong, Chinese emperor (b. 885)
    • 973 – Byrhthelm, bishop of Wells
    • 1036 – Go-Ichijō, emperor of Japan (b. 1008)
    • 1157 – Yuri Dolgorukiy, Grand Prince of Kiev (b. 1099)
    • 1175 – Mleh, prince of Armenia
    • 1174 – Nur ad-Din, Seljuk emir of Syria (b. 1118)
    • 1268 – Peter II, count of Savoy (b. 1203)
    • 1461 – Domenico Veneziano, Italian painter (b. c. 1410)
    • 1464 – Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset (b. 1436)
    • 1470 – Charles VIII, king of Sweden (b. 1409)
    • 1585 – Niwa Nagahide, Japanese samurai (b. 1535)
    • 1609 – Giovanni Croce, Italian composer and educator (b. 1557)
    • 1615 – Henry Bromley, English politician (b. 1560)
    • 1634 – Hendrick Avercamp, Dutch painter (b. 1585)
    • 1698 – Marie Champmeslé, French actress (b. 1642)
    • 1699 – Sir Edward Petre, 3rd Baronet, English politician (b. 1631)
    • 1700 – John Hale, American minister (b. 1636)
    • 1740 – Ephraim Chambers, English publisher (b. 1680)
    • 1773 – Alban Butler, English priest and hagiographer (b. 1710)
    • 1845 – Braulio Carrillo Colina, Costa Rican lawyer and politician, Head of State of Costa Rica (b. 1800)
    • 1879 – Gottfried Semper, German architect and educator, designed the Semper Opera House (b. 1803)
    • 1886 – Emily Dickinson, American poet and author (b. 1830)
    • 1914 – Ida Freund, Austrian-born chemist and educator (b. 1863)
    • 1919 – Hasan Tahsin, Turkish journalist (b. 1888)
    • 1924 – Paul-Henri-Benjamin d’Estournelles de Constant, French diplomat and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1852)
    • 1926 – Joseph James Fletcher, Australian biologist (b. 1850)
    • 1928 – Umegatani Tōtarō I, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 15th Yokozuna (b. 1845)
    • 1935 – Kazimir Malevich, Ukrainian-Russian painter and theoretician (b. 1878)
    • 1937 – Philip Snowden, 1st Viscount Snowden, English politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer (b. 1864)
    • 1945 – Kenneth J. Alford, English soldier, bandmaster, and composer (b. 1881)
    • 1945 – Charles Williams, English author, poet, and critic (b. 1886)
    • 1948 – Edward J. Flanagan, Irish-American priest, founded Boys Town (b. 1886)
    • 1954 – William March, American soldier and author (b. 1893)
    • 1956 – Austin Osman Spare, English painter and magician (b. 1886)
    • 1957 – Keith Andrews, American race car driver (b. 1920)
    • 1957 – Dick Irvin, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1892)
    • 1963 – John Aglionby, English-born Bishop of Accra and soldier (b. 1884)
    • 1964 – Vladko Maček, Croatian lawyer and politician (b. 1879)
    • 1965 – Pio Pion, Italian businessman (b. 1887)
    • 1967 – Edward Hopper, American painter (b. 1882)
    • 1967 – Italo Mus, Italian painter (b. 1892)
    • 1969 – Joe Malone, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1890)
    • 1971 – Tyrone Guthrie, English director, producer, and playwright (b. 1900)
    • 1978 – Robert Menzies, Australian lawyer and politician, 12th Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1894)
    • 1980 – Gordon Prange, American historian and author (b. 1910)
    • 1982 – Gordon Smiley, American race car driver (b. 1946)
    • 1984 – Francis Schaeffer, American pastor, theologian, and philosopher (b. 1912)
    • 1985 – Jackie Curtis, American actress and writer (b. 1947)
    • 1986 – Elio de Angelis, Italian race car driver (b. 1958)
    • 1986 – Theodore H. White, American historian, journalist, and author (b. 1915)
    • 1989 – Johnny Green, American composer and conductor (b. 1908)
    • 1989 – Luc Lacourcière, Canadian ethnographer and author (b. 1910)
    • 1991 – Andreas Floer, German mathematician and academic (b. 1956)
    • 1991 – Amadou Hampâté Bâ, Malian ethnologist and author (b. 1901)
    • 1991 – Fritz Riess, German race car driver (b. 1922)
    • 1993 – Salah Ahmed Ibrahim, Sudanese poet and diplomat (b. 1933)
    • 1994 – Gilbert Roland, American actor (b. 1905)
    • 1995 – Eric Porter, English actor (b. 1928)
    • 1996 – Charles B. Fulton, American lawyer and judge (b. 1910)
    • 1998 – Earl Manigault, American basketball player (b. 1944)
    • 1998 – Naim Talu, Turkish economist, banker, politician, 15th Prime Minister of Turkey (b. 1919)
    • 2003 – June Carter Cash, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress (b. 1929)
    • 2006 – Nizar Abdul Zahra, Iraqi footballer (b. 1961)
    • 2007 – Jerry Falwell, American pastor, founded Liberty University (b. 1933)
    • 2008 – Tommy Burns, Scottish footballer and manager (b. 1956)
    • 2008 – Alexander Courage, American composer and conductor (b. 1919)
    • 2008 – Will Elder, American illustrator (b. 1921)
    • 2009 – Bud Tingwell, Australian actor, director, and producer (b. 1923)
    • 2009 – Wayman Tisdale, American basketball player and bass player (b. 1964)
    • 2010 – Besian Idrizaj, Austrian footballer (b. 1987)
    • 2010 – Loris Kessel, Swiss race car driver (b. 1950)
    • 2012 – Carlos Fuentes, Mexican novelist and essayist (b. 1928)
    • 2012 – Arno Lustiger, German historian and author (b. 1924)
    • 2012 – Zakaria Mohieddin, Egyptian soldier and politician, 33rd Prime Minister of Egypt (b. 1918)
    • 2013 – Henrique Rosa, Bissau-Guinean politician, President of Guinea-Bissau (b. 1946)
    • 2014 – Jean-Luc Dehaene, French-Belgian politician, 63rd Prime Minister of Belgium (b. 1940)
    • 2014 – Noribumi Suzuki, Japanese director and screenwriter (b. 1933)
    • 2015 – Elisabeth Bing, German-American physical therapist and author (b. 1914)
    • 2015 – Jackie Brookner, American sculptor and educator (b. 1945)
    • 2015 – Garo Yepremian, Cypriot-American football player (b. 1944)
    • 2020 – Fred Willard, American actor, comedian, and writer (b. 1933)[19]

    Holidays and observances on May 15

    • Aoi Matsuri (Kyoto)
    • Army Day (Slovenia)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Achillius of Larissa
      • Athanasius of Alexandria (Coptic Church)
      • Dymphna
      • Hallvard Vebjørnsson (Roman Catholic Church)
      • Hesychius of Cazorla
      • Hilary of Galeata
      • Isidore the Laborer, celebrated with festivals in various countries, the beginning of bullfighting season in Madrid.
      • Jean-Baptiste de La Salle (Roman Catholic Church)
      • Peter, Andrew, Paul, and Denise (Roman Catholic Church)
      • Reticius (Roman Catholic Church)
      • Sophia of Rome (Roman Catholic church)
      • May 15 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Constituent Assembly Day (Lithuania)
    • Earliest date on which Armed Forces Day (United States) can fall, while May 21 is the latest; celebrated on the third Saturday of May.
    • Independence Day (Paraguay), celebrates the independence of Paraguay from Spain in 1811. Celebrations for the anniversary of the independence begin on Flag Day, May 14.
    • International Conscientious Objectors Day
    • International Day of Families (International)
    • La Corsa dei Ceri begins on the eve of the feast day of Saint Ubaldo. (Gubbio)
    • Mother’s Day (Paraguay)
    • Nakba Day (Palestinian communities)
    • Peace Officers Memorial Day (United States)
    • Republic Day (Lithuania)
    • Teachers’ Day (Colombia, Mexico and South Korea)

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

    • 453 BC – Spring and Autumn period: The house of Zhao defeats the house of Zhi, ending the Battle of Jinyang, a military conflict between the elite families of the State of Jin.
    • 413 – Emperor Honorius signs an edict providing tax relief for the Italian provinces Tuscia, Campania, Picenum, Samnium, Apulia, Lucania and Calabria, which were plundered by the Visigoths.
    • 589 – Reccared I opens the Third Council of Toledo, marking the entry of Visigothic Spain into the Catholic Church.
    • 1429 – Joan of Arc lifts the Siege of Orléans, turning the tide of the Hundred Years’ War.
    • 1450 – Kentishmen revolt against King Henry VI.
    • 1516 – A group of imperial guards, led by Trịnh Duy Sản, murdered Emperor Lê Tương Dực and fled, leaving the capital Thăng Long undefended.
    • 1541 – Hernando de Soto stops near present-day Walls, Mississippi, and sees the Mississippi River(then known by the Spanish as Río de Espíritu Santo, the name given to it by Alonso Álvarez de Pineda in 1519).
    • 1788 – King Louis XVI of France attempts to impose the reforms of Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne by abolishing the parlements.
    • 1794 – Branded a traitor during the Reign of Terror, French chemist Antoine Lavoisier, who was also a tax collector with the Ferme générale, is tried, convicted and guillotined in one day in Paris.
    • 1821 – Greek War of Independence: The Greeks defeat the Turks at the Battle of Gravia Inn.
    • 1842 – A train derails and catches fire in Paris, killing between 52 and 200 people.
    • 1846 – Mexican–American War: American forces led by Zachary Taylor defeat a Mexican force north of the Rio Grande in the first major battle of the war.
    • 1877 – At Gilmore’s Gardens in New York City, the first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show opens.
    • 1886 – Pharmacist John Pemberton first sells a carbonated beverage named “Coca-Cola” as a patent medicine.
    • 1898 – The first games of the Italian football league system are played.
    • 1899 – The Irish Literary Theatre in Dublin produced its first play.
    • 1902 – In Martinique, Mount Pelée erupts, destroying the town of Saint-Pierre and killing over 30,000 people. Only a handful of residents survive the blast.
    • 1912 – Paramount Pictures is founded.
    • 1919 – Edward George Honey proposes the idea of a moment of silence to commemorate the Armistice of 11 November 1918 which ended World War I.
    • 1921 – The creation of the Communist Party of Romania.
    • 1924 – The Klaipėda Convention is signed formally incorporating Klaipėda Region (Memel Territory) into Lithuania.
    • 1927 – Attempting to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Paris to New York, French war heroes Charles Nungesser and François Coli disappear after taking off aboard The White Bird biplane.
    • 1933 – Mohandas Gandhi begins a 21-day fast of self-purification and launched a one-year campaign to help the Harijan movement.
    • 1941 – World War II: The German Luftwaffe launches a bombing raid on Nottingham and Derby.
    • 1942 – World War II: The German 11th Army begins Operation Trappenjagd (Bustard Hunt) and destroys the bridgehead of the three Soviet armies defending the Kerch Peninsula.
    • 1942 – World War II: The Battle of the Coral Sea comes to an end with Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier aircraft attacking and sinking the United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Lexington.
    • 1942 – World War II: Gunners of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery on Horsburgh Island in the Cocos Islands rebel in the Cocos Islands Mutiny. Their mutiny is crushed and three of them are executed, the only British Commonwealth soldiers to be executed for mutiny during the Second World War.
    • 1945 – World War II: The German Instrument of Surrender signed at Reims comes into effect.
    • 1945 – End of the Prague uprising, celebrated now as a national holiday in the Czech Republic.
    • 1945 – Hundreds of Algerian civilians are killed by French Army soldiers in the Sétif massacre.
    • 1945 – The Halifax riot starts when thousands of civilians and servicemen rampage through Halifax, Nova Scotia.
    • 1946 – Estonian schoolgirls Aili Jõgi and Ageeda Paavel blow up the Soviet memorial which preceded the Bronze Soldier of Tallinn.
    • 1963 – South Vietnamese soldiers under the Roman Catholic President Ngo Dinh Diem open fire on Buddhists defying a ban on the flying of the Buddhist flag on Vesak, killing nine and sparking the Buddhist crisis.
    • 1967 – The Philippine province of Davao is split into three: Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental.
    • 1972 – Vietnam War: U.S. President Richard Nixon announces his order to place naval mines in major North Vietnamese ports in order to stem the flow of weapons and other goods to that nation.
    • 1973 – A 71-day standoff between federal authorities and the American Indian Movement members occupying the Pine Ridge Reservation at Wounded Knee, South Dakota ends with the surrender of the militants.
    • 1976 – The rollercoaster The New Revolution, the first steel coaster with a vertical loop, opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
    • 1978 – The first ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, by Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler.
    • 1980 – The World Health Organization confirms the eradication of smallpox.
    • 1984 – Corporal Denis Lortie enters the Quebec National Assembly and opens fire, killing three people and wounding 13. René Jalbert, Sergeant-at-Arms of the Assembly, succeeds in calming him, for which he will later receive the Cross of Valour.
    • 1984 – The Thames Barrier is officially opened, preventing the floodplain of most of Greater London from being flooded except under extreme circumstances.
    • 1987 – The SAS kills eight Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteers and a civilian during an ambush in Loughgall, Northern Ireland.
    • 1988 – A fire at Illinois Bell’s Hinsdale Central Office triggers an extended 1AESS network outage once considered to be the “worst telecommunications disaster in US telephone industry history”.
    • 1997 – China Southern Airlines Flight 3456 crashes on approach into Bao’an International Airport, killing 35 people.
    • 2019 – British 17-year-old Isabelle Holdaway is reported to be the first patient ever to receive a genetically modified phage therapy to treat a drug-resistant infection.

    Births on May 8

    • 1326 – Joan I, Countess of Auvergne (d. 1360)
    • 1427 – John Tiptoft, 1st Earl of Worcester, Lord High Treasurer (d. 1470)
    • 1460 – Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (d. 1536)
    • 1492 – Andrea Alciato, Italian jurist and writer (d. 1550)
    • 1508 – Charles Wriothesley, English Officer of Arms (d. 1562)
    • 1521 – Peter Canisius, Dutch-Swiss priest and saint (d. 1597)
    • 1551 – Thomas Drury, English government informer and swindler (d. 1603)
    • 1587 – Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy (d. 1637)
    • 1622 – Claes Rålamb, Swedish politician (d. 1698)
    • 1628 – Angelo Italia, Sicilian Jesuit and architect (d. 1700)
    • 1629 – Niels Juel, Norwegian-Danish admiral (d. 1697)
    • 1632 – Heino Heinrich Graf von Flemming, German field marshal and politician (d. 1706)
    • 1639 – Giovanni Battista Gaulli, Italian artist (d. 1709)
    • 1641 – Nicolaes Witsen, Mayor of Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1717)
    • 1653 – Claude Louis Hector de Villars, French general and politician, French Minister of Defence (d. 1734)
    • 1670 – Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans, English soldier and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire (d. 1726)
    • 1698 – Henry Baker, English naturalist (d. 1774)
    • 1720 – William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1764)
    • 1735 – Nathaniel Dance-Holland, English painter and politician (d. 1811)
    • 1737 – Edward Gibbon, English historian and politician (d. 1794)
    • 1745 – Carl Stamitz, German violinist and composer (d. 1801)
    • 1753 – Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Mexican priest and rebel leader (d. 1811)
    • 1786 – John Vianney, French priest and saint (d. 1859)
    • 1815 – Edward Tompkins, American lawyer and politician (d. 1872)
    • 1818 – Samuel Leonard Tilley, Canadian pharmacist and politician, 3rd Premier of New Brunswick (d. 1896)
    • 1821 – William Henry Vanderbilt, American businessman and philanthropist (d. 1885)
    • 1824 – William Walker, American physician, lawyer, journalist and mercenary (d. 1860)
    • 1825 – George Bruce Malleson, English-Indian colonel and author (d. 1898)
    • 1828 – Henry Dunant, Swiss businessman and activist, co-founded the Red Cross, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1910)
    • 1828 – Charbel Makhluf, Lebanese monk and saint (d. 1898)
    • 1829 – Louis Moreau Gottschalk, American pianist and composer (d. 1869)
    • 1835 – Bertalan Székely, Hungarian painter and academic (d. 1910)
    • 1839 – Adolphe-Basile Routhier, Canadian judge, author, and songwriter (d. 1920)
    • 1842 – Emil Christian Hansen, Danish physiologist and mycologist (d. 1909)
    • 1846 – Oscar Hammerstein I, American businessman and composer (d. 1919)
    • 1850 – Ross Barnes, American baseball player and manager (d. 1915)
    • 1853 – Dan Brouthers, American baseball player and manager (d. 1932)
    • 1856 – Pedro Lascuráin, Mexican politician, president for 45 minutes on February 13, 1913. (d. 1952)
    • 1858 – Heinrich Berté, Slovak-Austrian composer (d. 1924)
    • 1858 – J. Meade Falkner, English author and poet (d. 1932)
    • 1859 – Johan Jensen, Danish mathematician and engineer (d. 1925)
    • 1867 – Margarete Böhme, German novelist (d. 1939)
    • 1879 – Wesley Coe, American shot putter, discus thrower, and tug of war competitor (d. 1926)
    • 1884 – Harry S. Truman, American colonel and politician, 33rd President of the United States (d. 1972)
    • 1885 – Thomas B. Costain, Canadian journalist and author (d. 1965)
    • 1892 – Adriaan Pelt, Dutch journalist and diplomat (d. 1981)
    • 1893 – Francis Ouimet, American golfer (d. 1967)
    • 1893 – Edd Roush, American baseball player and coach (d. 1988)
    • 1893 – Teddy Wakelam, English rugby player and sportscaster (d. 1963)
    • 1895 – James H. Kindelberger, American businessman (d. 1962)
    • 1895 – Fulton J. Sheen, American archbishop (d. 1979)
    • 1895 – Edmund Wilson, American critic, essayist, and editor (d. 1972)
    • 1898 – Aloysius Stepinac, Croatian cardinal (d. 1960)
    • 1899 – Arthur Q. Bryan, American actor, voice actor, comedian and radio personality (d. 1959)
    • 1899 – Friedrich Hayek, Austrian economist and philosopher, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1992)
    • 1899 – Jacques Heim, French fashion designer (d. 1967)
    • 1901 – Turkey Stearnes, American baseball player (d. 1979)
    • 1902 – André Michel Lwoff, French microbiologist and physician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1994)
    • 1903 – Fernandel, French actor and singer (d. 1971)
    • 1903 – Mary Stewart, Baroness Stewart of Alvechurch, British politician and educator (d. 1984)
    • 1904 – John Snagge, English journalist (d. 1996)
    • 1905 – Red Nichols, American cornet player, composer, and bandleader (d. 1965)
    • 1906 – Roberto Rossellini, Italian director and screenwriter (d. 1977)
    • 1910 – George Male, English footballer (d. 1998)
    • 1910 – Andrew E. Svenson, American author and publisher (d. 1975)
    • 1910 – Mary Lou Williams, American pianist and composer (d. 1981)
    • 1911 – Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman, Dutch jurist and politician, Dutch Minister of The Interior (d. 1997)
    • 1911 – Robert Johnson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1938)
    • 1912 – George Woodcock, Canadian author and poet (d. 1995)
    • 1913 – Bob Clampett, American animator, director, and producer (d. 1984)
    • 1913 – Sid James, South African-English actor and singer (d. 1976)
    • 1915 – Milton Meltzer, American historian and author (d. 2009)
    • 1916 – João Havelange, Brazilian water polo player, lawyer, and businessman (d. 2016)
    • 1916 – Chinmayananda Saraswati, Indian spiritual leader and educator (d. 1993)
    • 1916 – Ramananda Sengupta, Indian cinematographer (d. 2017)
    • 1917 – John Anderson, Jr., American lawyer and politician, 36th Governor of Kansas (d. 2014)
    • 1919 – Lex Barker, American actor (d. 1973)
    • 1920 – Saul Bass, American graphic designer and director (d. 1996)
    • 1920 – Tom of Finland, Finnish illustrator (d. 1991)
    • 1920 – Sloan Wilson, American author and poet (d. 2003)
    • 1920 – Gordon McClymont, Australian ecologist and academic (d. 2000)
    • 1922 – Mary Q. Steele, American naturalist and author (d. 1992)
    • 1924 – S. Vithiananthan, Sri Lankan author and academic (d. 1989)
    • 1925 – Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Tanzanian politician, 2nd President of Tanzania
    • 1926 – David Attenborough, English environmentalist and television host
    • 1926 – David Hurst, German actor (d. 2019)
    • 1926 – Don Rickles, American comedian and actor (d. 2017)
    • 1927 – Chumy Chúmez, Spanish actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2003)
    • 1927 – László Paskai, Hungarian cardinal (d. 2015)
    • 1928 – Robert Conley, American journalist (d. 2013)
    • 1928 – Ted Sorensen, American lawyer, 8th White House Counsel (d. 2010)
    • 1929 – Ethel D. Allen, American physician and politician (d. 1981)
    • 1929 – Girija Devi, Indian classical singer (d. 2017)
    • 1929 – Claude Castonguay, Canadian banker and politician
    • 1929 – Miyoshi Umeki, Japanese-American actress and singer (d. 2007)
    • 1930 – Heather Harper, Northern Irish soprano (d. 2019)
    • 1930 – Doug Atkins, American football player (d. 2015)
    • 1930 – René Maltête, French photographer and poet (d. 2000)
    • 1930 – Gary Snyder, American poet, essayist, and translator
    • 1932 – Julieta Campos, Cuban-Mexican author and translator (d. 2007)
    • 1932 – Phyllida Law, Scottish actress
    • 1932 – Harry Wells, Australian rugby league player
    • 1934 – Leonard Hoffmann, Baron Hoffmann, South African-English lawyer and judge
    • 1934 – Maurice Norman, English footballer
    • 1934 – David Williamson, Baron Williamson of Horton, English soldier and politician (d. 2015)
    • 1935 – Lucius Cary, 15th Viscount Falkland, Scottish politician
    • 1935 – Princess Elisabeth of Denmark (d. 2018)
    • 1935 – Jack Charlton, English footballer and manager
    • 1936 – Kazuo Koike, Japanese author
    • 1936 – Haljand Udam, Estonian orientalist and academic (d. 2005)
    • 1937 – Bernard Cleary, Canadian journalist, academic, and politician
    • 1937 – Mike Cuellar, Cuban-American baseball player (d. 2010)
    • 1937 – Carlos Gaviria Díaz, Colombian lawyer and politician (d. 2015)
    • 1937 – Thomas Pynchon, American novelist
    • 1938 – Javed Burki, Indian-Pakistani cricketer
    • 1938 – Jean Giraud, French author and illustrator (d. 2012)
    • 1939 – Paul Drayton, American sprinter (d. 2010)
    • 1940 – Peter Benchley, American author and screenwriter (d. 2006)
    • 1940 – James Blyth, Baron Blyth of Rowington, English businessman and academic
    • 1940 – Irwin Cotler, Canadian lawyer and politician, 47th Canadian Minister of Justice
    • 1940 – Emilio Delgado, Mexican-American actor, “Sesame Street”
    • 1940 – Ricky Nelson, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (d. 1985)
    • 1940 – Toni Tennille, American singer-songwriter and keyboard player
    • 1941 – John Fred, American singer-songwriter (d. 2005)
    • 1941 – Bill Lockyer, American academic and politician, 30th Attorney General of California
    • 1941 – James Traficant, American lawyer and politician (d. 2014)
    • 1942 – Martin Dobkin, Canadian doctor and politician, 2nd Mayor of Mississauga
    • 1942 – Robin Hobbs, English cricketer
    • 1942 – Norman Lamont, Scottish banker and politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer
    • 1942 – Pierre Morency, Canadian poet and playwright
    • 1942 – Terry Neill, Irish footballer and manager
    • 1943 – Pat Barker, English author
    • 1943 – Johnny Greaves, Australian rugby league player
    • 1943 – Jon Mark, English-New Zealand singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1943 – Paul Samwell-Smith, English bass player and producer
    • 1943 – Danny Whitten, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1972)
    • 1944 – Gary Glitter, English singer-songwriter
    • 1944 – Bill Legend, English drummer
    • 1945 – Arthur Docters van Leeuwen, Dutch jurist and politician
    • 1945 – Mike German, Baron German, Welsh educator and politician, Deputy First Minister for Wales
    • 1945 – Janine Haines, Australian politician (d. 2004)
    • 1945 – Keith Jarrett, American pianist and composer
    • 1946 – André Boulerice, Canadian politician
    • 1946 – Jonathan Dancy, English philosopher, author, and academic
    • 1947 – H. Robert Horvitz, American biologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1947 – Felicity Lott, English soprano
    • 1947 – John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan, Scottish historian and politician, Secretary of State for Defence
    • 1948 – Steve Braun, American baseball player and coach
    • 1948 – Stephen Stohn, American-Canadian lawyer and producer
    • 1949 – David Vines, Australian economist and academic
    • 1950 – Robert Mugge, American director and producer
    • 1950 – Lepo Sumera, Estonian composer and educator (d. 2000)
    • 1951 – Philip Bailey, American singer-songwriter, drummer, and actor
    • 1951 – Mike D’Antoni, American basketball player and coach
    • 1951 – Chris Frantz, American drummer and producer
    • 1952 – Peter McNab, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
    • 1953 – Billy Burnette, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1953 – Alex Van Halen, Dutch-American drummer
    • 1954 – Pam Arciero, American puppeteer and voice actress
    • 1954 – David Keith, American actor and director
    • 1954 – John Michael Talbot, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1955 – Stephen Furst, American actor and director (d. 2017)
    • 1955 – Mladen Markač, Croatian general
    • 1955 – Keith Osgood, English footballer
    • 1956 – Jeff Wincott, Canadian actor and martial artist
    • 1957 – Bill Cowher, American football player and coach
    • 1957 – Rino Katase, Japanese actress
    • 1957 – Gary Lunn, Canadian lawyer and politician, 6th Canadian Minister of Natural Resources
    • 1958 – Roddy Doyle, Irish novelist, playwright, and screenwriter
    • 1958 – Simone Kleinsma, Dutch actress and singer
    • 1958 – Brooks Newmark, American-English businessman and politician, Lord of the Treasury
    • 1958 – Lovie Smith, American football player and coach
    • 1959 – Ronnie Lott, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1959 – David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland, English politician
    • 1959 – Ikue Sakakibara, Japanese actress and singer
    • 1960 – Franco Baresi, Italian footballer and coach
    • 1960 – Eric Brittingham, American bass player
    • 1961 – Bill de Blasio, American politician, 109th Mayor of New York City
    • 1961 – Gert Kruys, Dutch footballer and manager
    • 1961 – Vallo Reimaa, Estonian academic and politician
    • 1961 – David Winning, Canadian-American director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1962 – Natalia Molchanova, Russian diver (d. 2015)
    • 1962 – David Sole, Scottish rugby player
    • 1963 – Sylvain Cossette, Canadian singer-songwriter
    • 1963 – Anthony Field, Australian guitarist, songwriter, producer, and actor
    • 1963 – Michel Gondry, French director and screenwriter
    • 1963 – Izabela Kloc, Polish politician
    • 1963 – Aleksandr Kovalenko, Belarusian triple jumper
    • 1963 – Rick Zombo, American ice hockey player and coach
    • 1964 – Päivi Alafrantti, Finnish javelin thrower
    • 1964 – Melissa Gilbert, American actress and director
    • 1964 – Bobby Labonte, American race car driver
    • 1964 – Nathalie Roy, Canadian lawyer and politician
    • 1964 – Dave Rowntree, English drummer and animator
    • 1964 – Metin Tekin, Turkish footballer, manager, and journalist
    • 1966 – Cláudio Taffarel, Brazilian footballer and coach
    • 1967 – Viviana Durante, Italian ballerina and actress
    • 1967 – Angus Scott, British sports television presenter
    • 1968 – Teet Kask, Estonian ballet dancer and choreographer
    • 1968 – Nathalie Normandeau, Canadian politician, Deputy Premier of Quebec
    • 1968 – Johan Pehrson, Swedish lawyer and politician
    • 1969 – Jonny Searle, English rower
    • 1969 – Akebono Tarō, American-Japanese sumo wrestler, the 64th Yokozuna
    • 1969 – John Timu, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1970 – Michael Bevan, Australian cricketer and coach
    • 1970 – Naomi Klein, Canadian author and activist
    • 1970 – Luis Enrique, Spanish footballer and manager
    • 1971 – Chuck Huber, American voice actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1971 – Candice Night, American singer-songwriter
    • 1972 – Darren Hayes, Australian singer-songwriter
    • 1972 – Ray Whitney, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1973 – Hiromu Arakawa, Japanese author and illustrator
    • 1973 – Jesús Arellano, Mexican footballer
    • 1973 – Marcus Brigstocke, English comedian, actor, and screenwriter
    • 1974 – Marge Kõrkjas, Estonian swimmer
    • 1974 – Korey Stringer, American football player (d. 2001)
    • 1974 – Christian XXX, American pornographic star
    • 1975 – Enrique Iglesias, Spanish-American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
    • 1975 – Jussi Markkanen, Finnish ice hockey player
    • 1975 – Gastón Mazzacane, Argentinian race car driver
    • 1975 – Dmitri Ustritski, Estonian footballer
    • 1976 – Gonçalo Abecasis, Portuguese-American biochemist and academic
    • 1976 – Martha Wainwright, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1977 – Joe Bonamassa, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1977 – Bad News Brown, Canadian rapper, harmonica player, and actor (d. 2011)
    • 1977 – Theodoros Papaloukas, Greek basketball player
    • 1977 – Kathrin Bringmann, German mathematician and academic
    • 1978 – Lúcio, Brazilian footballer
    • 1978 – Jang Woo-hyuk, South Korean rapper and dancer
    • 1979 – Ole Morten Vågan, Norwegian bassist
    • 1980 – Keyon Dooling, American basketball player
    • 1980 – Panagiotis Kafkis, Greek basketball player
    • 1980 – Evgeny Lebedev, Russian-English publisher and philanthropist
    • 1980 – Michelle McManus, Scottish singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1980 – Benny Yau, Hong Kong-Canadian actor and singer
    • 1981 – Stephen Amell, Canadian actor
    • 1981 – Andrea Barzagli, Italian footballer
    • 1981 – Tatyana Dektyareva, Russian hurdler
    • 1981 – Björn Dixgård, Swedish singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1981 – Manny Gamburyan, Armenian-American mixed martial artist
    • 1981 – John Maine, American baseball player
    • 1982 – Buakaw Banchamek, Thai kick-boxer
    • 1982 – Christina Cole, English actress
    • 1982 – Adrián González, American baseball player
    • 1982 – Uğur Yıldırım, Turkish-Dutch footballer
    • 1983 – Juan Martin Goity, Argentinian-German rugby player
    • 1983 – Bershawn Jackson, American hurdler
    • 1983 – Lawrence Vickers, American football player
    • 1983 – Vicky McClure, English actress
    • 1984 – David King, English figure skater
    • 1985 – Tommaso Ciampa, American wrestler
    • 1985 – Silvia Stroescu, Romanian gymnast
    • 1985 – Sarah Vaillancourt, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1985 – Usama Young, American football player
    • 1986 – Pemra Özgen, Turkish tennis player
    • 1986 – Galen Rupp, American runner
    • 1986 – Marvell Wynne, American soccer player
    • 1987 – Felix Jones, American football player
    • 1987 – Aarne Nirk, Estonian hurdler
    • 1987 – Mark Noble, English footballer
    • 1987 – Kurt Tippett, Australian footballer
    • 1988 – Tanel Kurbas, Estonian basketball player
    • 1988 – Maicon Pereira de Oliveira, Brazilian footballer (d. 2014)
    • 1989 – Liam Bridcutt, English footballer
    • 1989 – Lars Eller, Danish ice hockey player
    • 1989 – Dinesh Patel, Indian baseball player
    • 1990 – Kemba Walker, American basketball player
    • 1991 – Ethan Gage, Canadian soccer player
    • 1991 – Valentijn Lietmeijer, Dutch basketball player
    • 1991 – Anamaria Tămârjan, Romanian gymnast
    • 1992 – Kevin Hayes, American ice hockey player
    • 1993 – Pat Cummins, Australian cricketer
    • 1996 – 6ix9ine, American rapper
    • 2001 – Jordyn Huitema, Canadian soccer player
    • 2003 – Moulay Hassan, Crown Prince of Morocco

    Deaths on May 8

    • 535 – Pope John II
    • 615 – Pope Boniface IV (b. 550)
    • 685 – Pope Benedict II
    • 997 – Tai Zong, Chinese emperor (b. 939)
    • 1157 – Ahmed Sanjar, Seljuk sultan (b. 1086)
    • 1192 – Ottokar IV, duke of Styria (b. 1163)
    • 1220 – Richeza of Denmark, queen of Sweden
    • 1278 – Duan Zong, Chinese emperor (b. 1269)
    • 1319 – Haakon V, king of Norway (b. 1270)
    • 1473 – John Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, English politician (b. 1420)
    • 1538 – Edward Foxe, English bishop and academic (b. 1496)
    • 1551 – Barbara Radziwiłł, queen of Poland (b. 1520)
    • 1668 – Catherine of St. Augustine, French-Canadian nun and saint (b. 1632)
    • 1766 – Samuel Chandler, English minister and author (b. 1693)
    • 1773 – Ali Bey al-Kabir, Egyptian sultan (b. 1728)
    • 1781 – Richard Jago, English priest and poet (b. 1715)
    • 1782 – Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal, Portuguese politician, Prime Minister of Portugal (b. 1699)
    • 1785 – Étienne François, duc de Choiseul, French general and politician, Prime Minister of France (b. 1719)
    • 1785 – Pietro Longhi, Italian painter (b. 1701)
    • 1788 – Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, Italian physician and botanist (b. 1723)
    • 1794 – Antoine Lavoisier, French chemist and biologist (b. 1743)
    • 1819 – Kamehameha I, king of the Hawaiian Islands
    • 1822 – John Stark, American general (b. 1728)
    • 1828 – Mauro Giuliani, Italian guitarist, cellist, and composer (b. 1781)
    • 1837 – Alexander Balashov, Russian general and politician, Russian Minister of Police (b. 1770)
    • 1842 – Jules Dumont d’Urville, French admiral and explorer (b. 1790)
    • 1853 – Jan Roothaan, Dutch priest, 21st Superior General of the Society of Jesus (b. 1785)
    • 1880 – Gustave Flaubert, French novelist (b. 1821)
    • 1891 – Helena Blavatsky, Russian-English mystic and author (b. 1831)
    • 1891 – John Robertson, English-Australian politician, 5th Premier of New South Wales (b. 1816)
    • 1893 – Manuel González Flores, Mexican general and president, 1880–1884 (b. 1833)
    • 1903 – Paul Gauguin, French painter and sculptor (b. 1848)
    • 1907 – Edmund G. Ross, American soldier and politician, 13th Governor of New Mexico Territory (b. 1826)
    • 1925 – John Beresford, Irish polo player (b. 1847)
    • 1936 – Oswald Spengler, German historian and philosopher (b. 1880)
    • 1941 – Natalie, queen consort of Serbia (b. 1859)
    • 1941 – Tore Svennberg, Swedish actor and director (b. 1858)
    • 1942 – Nikolai Reek, Estonian general and politician, 11th Estonian Minister of War (b. 1890)
    • 1943 – Mordechai Anielewicz, Polish commander (b. 1919)
    • 1944 – Themistoklis Diakidis, Greek high jumper (b. 1882)
    • 1945 – Frank Bourne, British soldier, last survivor of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift (b. 1854)
    • 1945 – Wilhelm Rediess, German SS officer (b. 1900)
    • 1945 – Bernhard Rust, German lieutenant and politician (b. 1883)
    • 1945 – Josef Terboven, German lieutenant and politician (b. 1898)
    • 1947 – Harry Gordon Selfridge, American-English businessman, founded Selfridges (b. 1858)
    • 1948 – U Saw, Burmese politician, Prime Minister of Burma (b. 1900)
    • 1950 – Vital Brazil, Brazilian physician and immunologist (b. 1865)
    • 1952 – William Fox, Austrian businessman, founded Fox Theatres (b. 1879)
    • 1959 – John Fraser, Canadian soccer player (b. 1881)
    • 1960 – J. H. C. Whitehead, Indian-English mathematician and academic (b. 1904)
    • 1965 – Wally Hardinge, English cricketer and footballer (b. 1886)
    • 1969 – Remington Kellogg, American zoologist and paleontologist (b. 1892)
    • 1972 – Pandurang Vaman Kane, Indologist and Sanskrit scholar, Bharat Ratna awardee (b. 1880)
    • 1972 – Beatrice Helen Worsley, Mexican-Canadian computer scientist (b. 1921)
    • 1975 – Avery Brundage, American businessman and art collector (b. 1887)
    • 1980 – Geoffrey Baker, English Field Marshal and Chief of the General Staff of the British Army (b. 1920)
    • 1981 – Uri Zvi Greenberg, Israeli poet and journalist (b. 1896)
    • 1982 – Neil Bogart, American record producer, co-founded Casablanca Records (b. 1943)
    • 1982 – Gilles Villeneuve, Canadian race car driver (b. 1950)
    • 1983 – John Fante, American author and screenwriter (b. 1909)
    • 1984 – Lila Bell Wallace, American publisher, co-founded Reader’s Digest (b. 1890)
    • 1984 – Gino Bianco, Italian-Brazilian race car driver (b. 1916)
    • 1985 – Karl Marx, German conductor and composer (b. 1897)
    • 1985 – Theodore Sturgeon, American author and critic (b. 1918)
    • 1985 – Dolph Sweet, American actor (b. 1920)
    • 1986 – Ernle Bradford, English historian and author (b. 1922)
    • 1987 – Doris Stokes, English psychic and author (b. 1920)
    • 1988 – Robert A. Heinlein, American science fiction writer and screenwriter (b. 1907)
    • 1990 – Luigi Nono, Italian composer and educator (b. 1924)
    • 1991 – Jean Langlais, French pianist and composer (b. 1907)
    • 1991 – Rudolf Serkin, Czech-Austrian pianist and educator (b. 1903)
    • 1992 – Joyce Ricketts, American baseball player (b. 1933)
    • 1993 – Avram Davidson, American soldier and author (b. 1923)
    • 1994 – George Peppard, American actor and producer (b. 1928)
    • 1995 – Teresa Teng, Taiwanese singer (b. 1953)
    • 1996 – Beryl Burton, English cyclist (b. 1937)
    • 1996 – Luis Miguel Dominguín, Spanish bullfighter (b. 1926)
    • 1996 – Larry Levis, American poet, author, and critic (b. 1946)
    • 1996 – Garth Williams, American illustrator (b. 1912)
    • 1998 – Johannes Kotkas, Estonian wrestler (b. 1915)
    • 1998 – Charles Rebozo, American banker and businessman (b. 1912)
    • 1999 – Dirk Bogarde, English actor and screenwriter (b. 1921)
    • 1999 – Ed Gilbert, American actor (b. 1931)
    • 1999 – Dana Plato, American actress (b. 1964)
    • 1999 – Soeman Hs, Indonesian author and educator (b. 1904)
    • 2000 – Pita Amor, Mexican poet and author (b. 1918)
    • 2000 – Dédé Fortin, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1962)
    • 2000 – Henry Nicols, American activist (b. 1973)
    • 2003 – Elvira Pagã, Brazilian vedette, singer, and artist (b. 1920)
    • 2005 – Jean Carrière, French author (b. 1928)
    • 2005 – Nicolás Vuyovich, Argentinian race car driver (b. 1981)
    • 2006 – Iain Macmillan, Scottish photographer and author (b. 1938)
    • 2007 – Philip R. Craig, American author and poet (b. 1933)
    • 2007 – Carson Whitsett, American keyboard player, songwriter, and producer (b. 1945)
    • 2008 – Eddy Arnold, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (b. 1918)
    • 2008 – François Sterchele, Belgian footballer (b. 1982)
    • 2009 – Dom DiMaggio, American baseball player (b. 1917)
    • 2009 – Bud Shrake, American journalist and author (b. 1931)
    • 2011 – Lionel Rose, Australian boxer (b. 1948)
    • 2012 – Everett Lilly, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1924)
    • 2012 – Jerry McMorris, American businessman (b. 1941)
    • 2012 – Stacy Robinson, American football player (b. 1962)
    • 2012 – Maurice Sendak, American author and illustrator (b. 1928)
    • 2012 – Ampon Tangnoppakul, Thai criminal (b. 1948)
    • 2012 – Roman Totenberg, Polish-American violinist and educator (b. 1911)
    • 2013 – Jeanne Cooper, American actress (b. 1928)
    • 2013 – Bryan Forbes, English actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1926)
    • 2013 – Juan José Muñoz, Argentinian businessman (b. 1950)
    • 2013 – Hugh J. Silverman, American philosopher and theorist (b. 1945)
    • 2013 – Ken Whaley, Austrian-English bass player (b. 1946)
    • 2014 – Roger L. Easton, American scientist, co-invented the GPS (b. 1921)
    • 2014 – Nancy Malone, American actress, director, and producer (b. 1935)
    • 2014 – Yago Lamela, Spanish long jumper (b. 1977)
    • 2014 – Jair Rodrigues, Brazilian singer (b. 1939)
    • 2014 – R. Douglas Stuart Jr., American businessman and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Norway (b. 1916)
    • 2014 – Joseph P. Teasdale, American lawyer and politician, 48th Governor of Missouri (b. 1936)
    • 2015 – Zeki Alasya, Turkish actor and director (b. 1943)
    • 2015 – Mwepu Ilunga, Congolese footballer (b. 1949)
    • 2015 – Menashe Kadishman, Israeli sculptor and painter (b. 1932)
    • 2015 – Juan Schwanner, Hungarian-Chilean footballer and manager (b. 1921)
    • 2015 – Atanas Semerdzhiev, Bulgarian soldier and politician, 1st Vice President of Bulgaria (b. 1924)
    • 2016 – Tom M. Apostol, American analytic number theorist (b. 1923)
    • 2016 – William Schallert, American actor; president (1979–81) of the Screen Actors Guild (b. 1922)
    • 2018 – Big Bully Busick, American professional wrestler (b. 1954)
    • 2018 – Anne V. Coates, British film editor (Lawrence of Arabia, The Elephant Man, Erin Brockovich), Oscar winner (1963) (b. 1925)
    • 2019 – Sprent Dabwido, President of Nauru from 2011 to 2013 (b. 1972)

    Holidays and observances on May 8

    • Christian feast day:
      • Amato Ronconi
      • Apparition of Saint Michael
      • Arsenius the Great
      • Desideratus
      • Blessed Catherine of St. Augustine
      • Julian of Norwich (Anglican, Lutheran)
      • Magdalene of Canossa
      • Our Lady of Luján
      • Peter of Tarentaise
      • Blessed Teresa Demjanovich (Ruthenian Catholic Church)
      • May 8 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Earliest day on which Father’s Day can fall, while May 14 is the latest; celebrated on the second Sunday of May. (Romania)
    • Earliest day on which Mother’s Day can fall, while May 14 is the latest; celebrated on the second Sunday of May. (United States and others)
    • Earliest day on which State Flag and State Emblem Day can fall, while May 14 is the latest; celebrated on the second Sunday of May. (Belarus)
    • Earliest day on which World Fair Trade Day can fall, while May 14 is the latest; celebrated on the second Saturday of May (site of the WFTO) (International)
    • Emancipation Day (Columbus, Mississippi)
    • Furry Dance (Helston, UK)
    • Liberation Day (Czech Republic)
    • Miguel Hidalgo’s birthday (Mexico)
    • Parents’ Day (South Korea)
    • Truman Day (Missouri)
    • Veterans Day (Norway)
    • Victory in Europe Day, and its related observances (Europe):
      • Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War, continues to May 9
    • White Lotus Day (Theosophy)
    • World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day (International)

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

    • 215 BC – A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Lake Trasimene.
    • 599 – Maya king Uneh Chan of Calakmul attacks rival city-state Palenque in southern Mexico, defeating queen Yohl Ik’nal and sacking the city.
    • 711 – Dagobert III succeeds his father King Childebert III as King of the Franks.
    • 1014 – Battle of Clontarf: High King of Ireland Brian Boru defeats Viking invaders, but is killed in battle.
    • 1016 – Edmund Ironside succeeds his father Æthelred the Unready as King of England.
    • 1343 – St. George’s Night Uprising commences in the Duchy of Estonia.
    • 1348 – The founding of the Order of the Garter by King Edward III is announced on St. George’s Day.
    • 1516 – The Munich Reinheitsgebot (regarding the ingredients of beer) takes effect in all of Bavaria.
    • 1521 – Battle of Villalar: King Charles I of Spain defeats the Comuneros.
    • 1635 – The first public school in the United States, Boston Latin School, is founded in Boston.
    • 1655 – The Siege of Santo Domingo begins during the Anglo-Spanish War, and fails seven days later.
    • 1660 – Treaty of Oliva is established between Sweden and Poland.
    • 1661 – King Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland is crowned in Westminster Abbey.
    • 1815 – The Second Serbian Uprising: A second phase of the national revolution of the Serbs against the Ottoman Empire, erupts shortly after the annexation of the country to the Ottoman Empire.
    • 1879 – Fire burns down the second main building and dome of the University of Notre Dame, which prompts the construction of the third, and current, Main Building with its golden dome.
    • 1914 – First baseball game at Wrigley Field, then known as Weeghman Park, in Chicago.
    • 1918 – World War I: The British Royal Navy makes a raid in an attempt to neutralise the Belgian port of Bruges-Zeebrugge.
    • 1920 – The Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) is founded in Ankara. The assembly denounces the government of Sultan Mehmed VI and announces the preparation of a temporary constitution.
    • 1927 – Cardiff City defeat Arsenal in the FA Cup Final, the only time it has been won by a team not based in England.
    • 1935 – The Polish Constitution of 1935 is adopted.
    • 1940 – The Rhythm Club fire at a dance hall in Natchez, Mississippi, kills 198 people.
    • 1941 – World War II: The Greek government and King George II evacuate Athens before the invading Wehrmacht.
    • 1942 – World War II: Baedeker Blitz: German bombers hit Exeter, Bath and York in retaliation for the British raid on Lübeck.
    • 1945 – World War II: Adolf Hitler’s designated successor, Hermann Göring, sends him a telegram asking permission to take leadership of the Third Reich. Martin Bormann and Joseph Goebbels advise Hitler that the telegram is treasonous.
    • 1946 – Manuel Roxas is elected the last President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.
    • 1949 – Chinese Civil War: Establishment of the People’s Liberation Army Navy.
    • 1951 – Cold War: American journalist William N. Oatis is arrested for espionage by the Communist government of Czechoslovakia.
    • 1961 – Algiers putsch by French generals.
    • 1967 – Soviet space program: Soyuz 1 (Russian: Союз 1, Union 1) a manned spaceflight carrying cosmonaut Colonel Vladimir Komarov is launched into orbit.
    • 1968 – Vietnam War: Student protesters at Columbia University in New York City take over administration buildings and shut down the university.
    • 1971 – Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army and Razakars massacre approximately 3,000 Hindu emigrants in the Jathibhanga area of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
    • 1985 – Coca-Cola changes its formula and releases New Coke. The response is overwhelmingly negative, and the original formula is back on the market in less than three months.
    • 1990 – Namibia becomes the 160th member of the United Nations and the 50th member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
    • 1993 – Eritreans vote overwhelmingly for independence from Ethiopia in a United Nations-monitored referendum.
    • 1993 – Sri Lankan politician Lalith Athulathmudali is assassinated while addressing a gathering, approximately four weeks ahead of the Provincial Council elections for the Western Province.
    • 1999 – NATO bombs the headquarters of Radio Television of Serbia, as part of their aerial campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
    • 2005 – The first ever YouTube video, titled “Me at the zoo”, was published by co-founder Jawed Karim.
    • 2013 – At least 28 people are killed and more than 70 are injured as violence breaks out in Hawija, Iraq.
    • 2018 – A vehicle-ramming attack kills 10 people and injures 16 in Toronto. A 25-year-old suspect, Alek Minassian, is arrested.
    • 2019 – The 2019 Hpakant jade mine collapse in Myanmar kills four miners and two rescuers.

    Births on April 23

    • 1141 (probable) – Malcolm IV of Scotland (d. 1165)
    • 1185 – Afonso II of Portugal (d. 1223)
    • 1408 – John de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford (d. 1462)
    • 1420 – George of Poděbrady, King of Bohemia (d. 1471)
    • 1464 – Joan of France, Duchess of Berry (d. 1505)
    • 1464 – Robert Fayrfax, English Renaissance composer (d. 1521)
    • 1484 – Julius Caesar Scaliger, Italian physician and scholar (d. 1558)
    • 1500 – Alexander Ales, Scottish theologian and academic (d. 1565)
    • 1500 – Johann Stumpf, Swiss writer (d. 1576)
    • 1512 – Henry FitzAlan, 19th Earl of Arundel, Chancellor of the University of Oxford (d. 1580)
    • 1516 – Georg Fabricius, German poet, historian, and archaeologist (d. 1571)
    • 1598 – Maarten Tromp, Dutch admiral (d. 1653)
    • 1621 – William Penn, English admiral and politician (d. 1670)
    • 1628 – Johannes Hudde, Dutch mathematician and politician (d. 1704)
    • 1661 – Issachar Berend Lehmann, German-Jewish banker, merchant and diplomat (d. 1730)
    • 1715 – Johann Friedrich Doles, German composer and conductor (d. 1797)
    • 1720 – Vilna Gaon, Lithuanian rabbi and author (d. 1797)
    • 1744 – Princess Charlotte Amalie Wilhelmine of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön (d. 1770)
    • 1748 – Félix Vicq-d’Azyr, French physician and anatomist (d. 1794)
    • 1791 – James Buchanan, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 15th President of the United States (d. 1868)
    • 1792 – Thomas Romney Robinson, Irish astronomer and physicist (d. 1882)
    • 1794 – Wei Yuan, Chinese scholar and author (d. 1856)
    • 1805 – Johann Karl Friedrich Rosenkranz, German philosopher and academic (d. 1879)
    • 1812 – Frederick Whitaker, English-New Zealand lawyer and politician, 5th Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1891)
    • 1813 – Stephen A. Douglas, American educator and politician, 7th Illinois Secretary of State (d. 1861)
    • 1813 – Frédéric Ozanam, Italian-French historian and scholar (d. 1853)
    • 1818 – James Anthony Froude, English historian, novelist, biographer and editor (d. 1894)
    • 1819 – Edward Stafford, Scottish-New Zealand educator and politician, 3rd Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1901)
    • 1853 – Winthrop M. Crane, American businessman and politician, 40th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1920)
    • 1856 – Granville Woods, American inventor and engineer (d. 1910)
    • 1857 – Ruggero Leoncavallo, Italian composer (d. 1919)
    • 1858 – Max Planck, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1947)
    • 1860 – Justinian Oxenham, Australian public servant (d. 1932)
    • 1861 – Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby, English field marshal and diplomat, British High Commissioner in Egypt (d. 1936)
    • 1861 – John Peltz, American baseball player and manager (d. 1906)
    • 1865 – Ali-Agha Shikhlinski, Russian-Azerbaijani general (d. 1943)
    • 1867 – Johannes Fibiger, Danish physician and pathologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1928)
    • 1876 – Arthur Moeller van den Bruck, German historian and author (d. 1925)
    • 1880 – Michel Fokine, Russian dancer and choreographer (d. 1942)
    • 1882 – Albert Coates, English composer and conductor (d. 1953)
    • 1888 – Georges Vanier, Canadian general and politician, 19th Governor General of Canada (d. 1967)
    • 1889 – Karel Doorman, Dutch admiral (d. 1942)
    • 1893 – Frank Borzage, American actor and director (d. 1952)
    • 1895 – Ngaio Marsh, New Zealand author and director (d. 1982)
    • 1897 – Folke Jansson, American general (d. 1965)
    • 1897 – Lester B. Pearson, Canadian historian and politician, 14th Prime Minister of Canada, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1972)
    • 1898 – Lucius D. Clay, American general (d. 1978)
    • 1899 – Bertil Ohlin, Swedish economist and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1979)
    • 1899 – Minoru Shirota, Japanese physician and microbiologist, invented Yakult (d. 1982)
    • 1900 – Jim Bottomley, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 1959)
    • 1900 – Joseph Green, Polish-American actor and director (d. 1996)
    • 1901 – E. B. Ford, English biologist and geneticist (d. 1988)
    • 1902 – Halldór Laxness, Icelandic author and poet, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1998)
    • 1903 – Guy Simonds, English-Canadian general (d. 1974)
    • 1904 – Clifford Bricker, Canadian long-distance runner (d. 1980)
    • 1904 – Louis Muhlstock, Polish-Canadian painter (d. 2001)
    • 1904 – Duncan Renaldo, American actor (d. 1985)
    • 1907 – Lee Miller, American model and photographer (d. 1977)
    • 1907 – Fritz Wotruba, Austrian sculptor, designed the Wotruba Church (d. 1975)
    • 1908 – Myron Waldman, American animator and director (d. 2006)
    • 1910 – Sheila Scott Macintyre, Scottish mathematician (d. 1960)
    • 1910 – Simone Simon, French actress (d. 2005)
    • 1911 – Ronald Neame, English-American director, cinematographer, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2010)
    • 1913 – Diosa Costello, Puerto Rican-American entertainer, producer and club owner (d. 2013)
    • 1915 – Arnold Alexander Hall, English engineer, academic, and businessman (d. 2000)
    • 1916 – Yiannis Moralis, Greek painter and educator (d. 2009)
    • 1916 – Sinah Estelle Kelley, American chemist (d. 1982)
    • 1917 – Dorian Leigh, American model (d. 2008)
    • 1917 – Tony Lupien, American baseball player and coach (d. 2004)
    • 1918 – Maurice Druon, French author and screenwriter (d. 2009)
    • 1919 – Oleg Penkovsky, Russian colonel (d. 1963)
    • 1920 – Eric Grant Yarrow, 3rd Baronet, English businessman (d. 2018)
    • 1921 – Judy Agnew, Second Lady of the United States (d. 2012)
    • 1921 – Cleto Bellucci, Italian archbishop (d. 2013)
    • 1921 – Janet Blair, American actress and singer (d. 2007)
    • 1921 – Warren Spahn, American baseball player and coach (d. 2003)
    • 1923 – Dolph Briscoe, American lieutenant and politician, 41st Governor of Texas (d. 2010)
    • 1923 – Avram Davidson, American soldier and author (d. 1993)
    • 1924 – Chuck Harmon, American baseball player and scout (d. 2019)
    • 1924 – Bobby Rosengarden, American drummer and bandleader (d. 2007)
    • 1926 – J.P. Donleavy, American-Irish novelist and playwright (d. 2017)
    • 1926 – Rifaat el-Mahgoub, Egyptian politician (d. 1990)
    • 1928 – Shirley Temple, American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat (d. 2014)
    • 1929 – George Steiner, French-American philosopher, author, and critic (d. 2020)
    • 1932 – Halston, American fashion designer (d. 1990)
    • 1932 – Jim Fixx, American runner and author (d. 1984)
    • 1933 – Annie Easley, American computer scientist, mathematician, and engineer (d. 2011)
    • 1934 – George Canseco, Filipino composer and producer (d. 2004)
    • 1936 – Roy Orbison, American singer-songwriter (d. 1988)
    • 1937 – Victoria Glendinning, English author and critic
    • 1937 – David Mills, English cricketer (d. 2013)
    • 1937 – Barry Shepherd, Australian cricketer (d. 2001)
    • 1939 – Jorge Fons, Mexican director and screenwriter
    • 1939 – Bill Hagerty, English journalist
    • 1939 – Lee Majors, American actor
    • 1939 – Ray Peterson, American pop singer (d. 2005)
    • 1940 – Michael Copps, American academic and politician
    • 1940 – Dale Houston, American singer-songwriter (d. 2007)
    • 1940 – Michael Kadosh, Israeli footballer and manager (d. 2014)
    • 1941 – Jacqueline Boyer, French singer and actress
    • 1941 – Arie den Hartog, Dutch road bicycle racer (d. 2018)
    • 1941 – Paavo Lipponen, Finnish journalist and politician, 38th Prime Minister of Finland
    • 1941 – Michael Lynne, American film producer, co-founded New Line Cinema
    • 1941 – Ed Stewart, English radio and television host (d. 2016)
    • 1941 – Ray Tomlinson, American computer programmer and engineer (d. 2016)
    • 1942 – Sandra Dee, American model and actress (d. 2005)
    • 1943 – Gail Goodrich, American basketball player and coach
    • 1943 – Tony Esposito, Canadian-American ice hockey player, coach, and manager
    • 1943 – Frans Koppelaar, Dutch painter
    • 1943 – Hervé Villechaize, French actor (d. 1993)
    • 1944 – Jean-François Stévenin, French actor and director
    • 1946 – Blair Brown, American actress
    • 1946 – Carlton Sherwood, American soldier and journalist (d. 2014)
    • 1947 – Robert Burgess, English sociologist and academic
    • 1947 – Glenn Cornick, English bass player (d. 2014)
    • 1947 – Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, Irish civil rights leader and politician
    • 1948 – Pascal Quignard, French author and screenwriter
    • 1948 – Serge Thériault, Canadian actor
    • 1949 – Paul Collier, English economist and academic
    • 1949 – David Cross, English violinist
    • 1949 – John Miles, British rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist
    • 1950 – Rowley Leigh, English chef and journalist
    • 1950 – Barbara McIlvaine Smith, Sac and Fox Nation Native American politician
    • 1951 – Martin Bayerle, American treasure hunter
    • 1952 – Narada Michael Walden, American singer-songwriter, drummer, and producer
    • 1953 – James Russo, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1954 – Stephen Dalton, English air marshal
    • 1954 – Michael Moore, American director, producer, and activist
    • 1955 – Judy Davis, Australian actress
    • 1955 – Tony Miles, English chess player (d. 2001)
    • 1955 – Urmas Ott, Estonian journalist and author (d. 2008)
    • 1957 – Neville Brody, English graphic designer, typographer, and art director
    • 1957 – Jan Hooks, American actress and comedian (d. 2014)
    • 1958 – Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Icelandic composer and producer
    • 1958 – Ryan Walter, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1959 – Unity Dow, Botswanan judge, author, and rights activist
    • 1960 – Valerie Bertinelli, American actress
    • 1960 – Steve Clark, English guitarist and songwriter (d. 1991)
    • 1960 – Barry Douglas, Irish pianist and conductor
    • 1960 – Léo Jaime, Brazilian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1960 – Claude Julien, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1961 – George Lopez, American comedian, actor, and talk show host
    • 1961 – Pierluigi Martini, Italian race car driver
    • 1962 – John Hannah, Scottish actor and producer
    • 1962 – Shaun Spiers, English businessman and politician
    • 1963 – Paul Belmondo, French race car driver
    • 1963 – Robby Naish, American windsurfer
    • 1964 – Gianandrea Noseda, Italian pianist and conductor
    • 1965 – Leni Robredo, Filipina human rights lawyer, 14th Vice President of the Philippines
    • 1966 – Jörg Deisinger, German bass player
    • 1966 – Matt Freeman, American bass player
    • 1966 – Lembit Oll, Estonian chess Grandmaster (d. 1999)
    • 1967 – Rheal Cormier, Canadian baseball player
    • 1967 – Melina Kanakaredes, American actress
    • 1968 – Bas Haring, Dutch philosopher, writer, television presenter and professor.
    • 1968 – Ken McRae, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1968 – Timothy McVeigh, American terrorist, Oklahoma City bombing co-perpetrator (d. 2001)
    • 1969 – Martín López-Zubero, American-Spanish swimmer and coach
    • 1969 – Yelena Shushunova, Russian gymnast
    • 1970 – Egemen Bağış, Turkish politician, 1st Minister of European Union Affairs
    • 1970 – Dennis Culp, American singer-songwriter and trombonist
    • 1970 – Andrew Gee, Australian rugby league player and manager
    • 1970 – Hans Välimäki, Finnish chef and author
    • 1970 – Tayfur Havutçu, Turkish international footballer and manager
    • 1971 – Uli Herzner, German-American fashion designer
    • 1972 – Pierre Labrie, Canadian poet and playwright
    • 1972 – Peter Dench, English photographer and journalist
    • 1972 – Amira Medunjanin, singer from Bosnia and Herzegovina
    • 1973 – Patrick Poulin, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1974 – Carlos Dengler, American bass player
    • 1974 – Michael Kerr, New Zealand-German rugby player
    • 1975 – Bobby Shaw, American football player
    • 1976 – Aaron Dessner, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
    • 1977 – John Cena, American professional wrestler and actor
    • 1977 – David Kidwell, New Zealand rugby league player and coach
    • 1977 – Willie Mitchell, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1977 – John Oliver, English comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1977 – Kal Penn, Indian-American actor
    • 1977 – Bram Schmitz, Dutch cyclist
    • 1977 – Lee Young-pyo, South Korean international footballer
    • 1978 – Gezahegne Abera, Ethiopian runner
    • 1979 – Barry Hawkins, English snooker player
    • 1979 – Jaime King, American actress and model
    • 1979 – Joanna Krupa, Polish-American model and television personality
    • 1979 – Samppa Lajunen, Finnish skier
    • 1982 – Tony Sunshine, American singer-songwriter
    • 1983 – Leon Andreasen, Danish international footballer
    • 1983 – Daniela Hantuchová, Slovak tennis player
    • 1983 – Ian Henderson, English rugby league player
    • 1984 – Alexandra Kosteniuk, Russian chess player
    • 1984 – Jesse Lee Soffer, American actor
    • 1985 – Angel Locsin, Filipino actress, producer, and fashion designer
    • 1986 – Sven Kramer, Dutch speed skater
    • 1986 – Alysia Montaño, American runner
    • 1986 – Rafael Fernandes, Brazilian baseball player
    • 1987 – Michael Arroyo, Ecuadorian footballer
    • 1987 – John Boye, Ghanaian footballer
    • 1987 – Emily Fox, American basketball player
    • 1988 – Victor Anichebe, Nigerian footballer
    • 1988 – Alistair Brownlee, English triathlete
    • 1988 – Signe Ronka, Canadian figure skater
    • 1988 – Lenka Wienerová, Slovak tennis player
    • 1989 – Nicole Vaidišová, Czech tennis player
    • 1990 – Rui Fonte, Portuguese footballer, winger
    • 1990 – Dev Patel, English actor
    • 1991 – Nathan Baker, English footballer
    • 1991 – Caleb Johnson, American singer-songwriter
    • 1991 – Paul Vaughan, Australian-Italian rugby league player
    • 1994 – Patrick Olsen, Danish footballer
    • 1994 – Song Kang, South Korean actor
    • 1995 – Gigi Hadid, American fashion model and television personality
    • 1997 – Zach Apple, American swimmer

    Deaths on April 23

    • 303 – Saint George, Roman soldier and martyr (b. 275)
    • 711 – Childebert III, Frankish king (b. 670)
    • 725 – Wihtred of Kent (b. 670)
    • 871 – Æthelred of Wessex (b. 837)
    • 915 – Yang Shihou, Chinese general
    • 944 – Wichmann the Elder, Saxon nobleman
    • 990 – Ekkehard II, Swiss monk and abbot
    • 997 – Adalbert of Prague, Czech bishop, missionary, and saint (b. 956)
    • 1014 – Brian Boru, Irish king (b. 941)
    • 1014 – Domnall mac Eimín, Mormaer of Mar
    • 1016 – Æthelred the Unready, English son of Edgar the Peaceful (b. 968)
    • 1124 – Alexander I of Scotland (b. 1078)
    • 1151 – Adeliza of Louvain (b. 1103)
    • 1170 – Minamoto no Tametomo, Japanese samurai (b. 1139)
    • 1196 – Béla III of Hungary (b. c.1148)
    • 1200 – Zhu Xi, Chinese philosopher (b. 1130)
    • 1217 – Inge II of Norway (b. 1185)
    • 1262 – Aegidius of Assisi, companion of Saint Francis of Assisi
    • 1307 – Joan of Acre (b. 1272)
    • 1400 – Aubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of Oxford, English politician and nobleman (b. c. 1338)
    • 1407 – Olivier de Clisson, French soldier (b. 1326)
    • 1501 – Domenico della Rovere, Catholic cardinal (b. 1442)
    • 1554 – Gaspara Stampa, Italian poet (b. 1523)
    • 1605 – Boris Godunov, Russian ruler (b. 1551)
    • 1616 – William Shakespeare, English playwright and poet (b. 1564)
    • 1625 – Maurice, Prince of Orange (b. 1567)
    • 1695 – Henry Vaughan, Welsh poet and author (b. 1621)
    • 1702 – Margaret Fell, English religious leader, founded the Religious Society of Friends (b. 1614)
    • 1781 – James Abercrombie, Scottish general and politician (b. 1706)
    • 1784 – Solomon I of Imereti (b. 1735)
    • 1792 – Karl Friedrich Bahrdt, German theologian and author (b. 1741)
    • 1794 – Guillaume-Chrétien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes, French lawyer and politician (b. 1721)
    • 1827 – Georgios Karaiskakis, Greek general (b. 1780)
    • 1839 – Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin, French admiral and explorer (b. 1768)
    • 1850 – William Wordsworth, English poet and author (b. 1770)
    • 1889 – Jules Amédée Barbey d’Aurevilly, French author and critic (b. 1808)
    • 1895 – Carl Ludwig, German physician and physiologist (b. 1815)
    • 1905 – Gédéon Ouimet, Canadian politician, 2nd Premier of Quebec (b. 1823)
    • 1907 – Alferd Packer, American prospector (b. 1842)
    • 1915 – Rupert Brooke, English poet (b. 1887)
    • 1936 – Teresa de la Parra, French-Venezuelan author (b. 1889)
    • 1951 – Jules Berry, French actor and director (b. 1883)
    • 1951 – Charles G. Dawes, American banker and politician, 30th Vice President of the United States, Nobel Peace Prize laureate (b. 1865)
    • 1959 – Bak Jungyang, Korean politician
    • 1965 – George Adamski, Polish-American ufologist and author (b. 1891)
    • 1966 – George Ohsawa, Japanese founder of the Macrobiotic diet (b. 1893)
    • 1981 – Josep Pla, Catalan journalist and author (b. 1897)
    • 1983 – Buster Crabbe, American swimmer and actor (b. 1908)
    • 1984 – Red Garland, American pianist (b. 1923)
    • 1985 – Sam Ervin, American lawyer and politician (b. 1896)
    • 1985 – Frank Farrell, Australian rugby league player and policeman (b. 1916)
    • 1986 – Harold Arlen, American composer (b. 1905)
    • 1986 – Jim Laker, English cricketer and sportscaster (b. 1922)
    • 1986 – Otto Preminger, Ukrainian-American actor, director, and producer (b. 1906)
    • 1990 – Paulette Goddard, American actress (b. 1910)
    • 1991 – Johnny Thunders, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1952)
    • 1992 – Satyajit Ray, Indian director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1921)
    • 1992 – Tanka Prasad Acharya, Nepalese politician, 27th Prime Minister of Nepal (b. 1912)
    • 1993 – Cesar Chavez, American activist, co-founded the United Farm Workers (b. 1927)
    • 1995 – Douglas Lloyd Campbell, Canadian farmer and politician, 13th Premier of Manitoba (b. 1895)
    • 1995 – Howard Cosell, American lawyer and journalist (b. 1918)
    • 1995 – Riho Lahi, Estonian journalist (b. 1904)
    • 1995 – John C. Stennis, American lawyer and politician (b. 1904)
    • 1996 – Jean Victor Allard, Canadian general (b. 1913)
    • 1996 – P. L. Travers, Australian-English author and actress (b. 1899)
    • 1997 – Denis Compton, English cricketer and footballer (b. 1918)
    • 1998 – Konstantinos Karamanlis, Greek lawyer and politician, 172nd Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1907)
    • 1998 – James Earl Ray, American assassin of Martin Luther King, Jr. (b. 1928)
    • 1998 – Thanassis Skordalos, Greek singer-songwriter and lyra player (b. 1920)
    • 2003 – Fernand Fonssagrives, French-American photographer (b. 1910)
    • 2004 – Herman Veenstra, Dutch water polo player (b. 1911)
    • 2005 – Joh Bjelke-Petersen, New Zealand-Australian politician, 31st Premier of Queensland (b. 1911)
    • 2005 – Robert Farnon, Canadian-English trumpet player, composer and conductor (b. 1917)
    • 2005 – Al Grassby, Australian journalist and politician (b. 1928)
    • 2005 – John Mills, English actor (b. 1908)
    • 2005 – Romano Scarpa, Italian author and illustrator (b. 1927)
    • 2005 – Earl Wilson, American baseball player, coach and educator (b. 1934)
    • 2006 – Phil Walden, American record producer and manager, co-founder of Capricorn Records (b. 1940)
    • 2007 – Paul Erdman, Canadian-American economist and author (b. 1932)
    • 2007 – David Halberstam, American journalist, historian and author (b. 1934)
    • 2007 – Peter Randall, English sergeant (b. 1930)
    • 2007 – Boris Yeltsin, Russian politician, 1st President of Russia (b. 1931)
    • 2010 – Peter Porter, Australian-born British poet (b. 1929)
    • 2011 – James Casey, English comedian, radio scriptwriter and producer (b. 1922)
    • 2011 – Tom King, American guitarist and songwriter (b. 1943)
    • 2011 – Geoffrey Russell, 4th Baron Ampthill, English businessman and politician (b. 1921)
    • 2011 – Max van der Stoel, Dutch politician and Minister of State (b. 1924)
    • 2011 – John Sullivan, English screenwriter and producer (b. 1946)
    • 2012 – Lillemor Arvidsson, Swedish trade union leader and politician, 34th Governor of Gotland (b. 1943)
    • 2012 – Billy Bryans, Canadian drummer, songwriter and producer (b. 1947)
    • 2012 – Chris Ethridge, American bass player and songwriter (b. 1947)
    • 2012 – Raymond Thorsteinsson, Canadian geologist and paleontologist (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – LeRoy T. Walker, American football player and coach (b. 1918)
    • 2013 – Bob Brozman, American guitarist (b. 1954)
    • 2013 – Robert W. Edgar, American educator and politician (b. 1943)
    • 2013 – Tony Grealish, English footballer (b. 1956)
    • 2013 – Antonio Maccanico, Italian banker and politician (b. 1924)
    • 2013 – Frank W. J. Olver, English-American mathematician and academic (b. 1924)
    • 2013 – Kathryn Wasserman Davis, American philanthropist and scholar (b. 1907)
    • 2014 – Benjamín Brea, Spanish-Venezuelan saxophonist, clarinet player, and conductor (b. 1946)
    • 2014 – Michael Glawogger, Austrian director, screenwriter, and cinematographer (b. 1959)
    • 2014 – Jaap Havekotte, Dutch speed skater and producer of ice skates (b. 1912)
    • 2014 – Connie Marrero, Cuban baseball player and coach (b. 1911)
    • 2014 – F. Michael Rogers, American general (b. 1921)
    • 2014 – Mark Shand, English conservationist and author (b. 1951)
    • 2014 – Patric Standford, English composer and educator (b. 1939)
    • 2015 – Richard Corliss, American journalist and critic (b. 1944)
    • 2015 – Ray Jackson, Australian activist (b. 1941)
    • 2015 – Pierre Claude Nolin, Canadian lawyer and politician, Speaker of the Canadian Senate (b. 1950)
    • 2015 – Jim Steffen, American football player (b. 1936)
    • 2015 – Francis Tsai, American author and illustrator (b. 1967)
    • 2016 – Inge King, German-born Australian sculptor (b. 1915)
    • 2016 – Banharn Silpa-archa, Thai politician, Prime Minister from 1995–1996 (b. 1932)
    • 2019 – Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick, American soprano singer and presenter (b.1983)

    Holidays and observances on April 23

    • Castile and León Day (Castile and León)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Adalbert of Prague
      • Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus
      • George
      • Blessed Giles of Assisi
      • Gerard of Toul
      • Ibar of Beggerin (Meath)
      • Toyohiko Kagawa (Episcopal and Lutheran Church)
      • April 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Earliest day on which the first day of Children’s Day can fall, while April 29 is the latest; celebrated on the last Saturday of April. (Colombia)
    • Independence Day (Conch Republic, Key West, Florida)
    • International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day
    • Khongjom Day (Manipur)
    • National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Turkey and Northern Cyprus)
    • Navy Day (China)
    • St George’s Day (England) and its related observances:
      • Canada Book Day (Canada)
      • La Diada de Sant Jordi (Catalonia, Spain)
      • World Book Day
    • UN English Language Day (United Nations)