2008 in the United States on:
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Events from the year 2008 in the United States.
*
Bush signs $700 billion bailout bill
''Associated Press'' . Retrieved October 3, 2008. * October 6 – NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft makes its second of three flybys of Mercury (planet), Mercury, decreasing the velocity for orbit insertion, orbital insertion on March 18, 2011. * October 7 – Tom Brokaw hosts the second presidential debate at Belmont University. * October 10 ** Connecticut legalizes Same-sex marriage in Connecticut, gay marriage. ** The Alaska Legislative Council votes to release an investigative report that found that Sarah Palin had abused her power as governor in relation to the Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal, July 2008 dismissal of Alaskan Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. * October 15 – Presidential candidates John McCain and
* December – The unemployment rate soars to 7.3%, the highest since December 1932.
* December 1 – The
* January 1 – Salvatore Bonanno, leader of organized crime (b. 1932 in the United States, 1932)
*
*
* March 4 – Gary Gygax, writer and game designer (b. 1938 in the United States, 1938)
* March 5 – Joseph Weizenbaum, German writer and computer scientist, died in Ludwigsfelde-Gröben (Ludwigsfelde), Gröben (b. 1923 in Germany, 1923)
* March 9 – Gus Giordano, dancer (b. 1923 in the United States, 1923)
* March 12 – Howard Metzenbaum, Senator from Ohio in 1974 and from 1976 till 1995. (b. 1917 in the United States, 1917)
* March 15 – Vicki Van Meter, aviator (b. 1982 in the United States, 1982)
* March 16
** Ivan Dixon, actor, director, and producer (b. 1931 in the United States, 1931)
** Gary Hart (wrestler), Gary Hart, wrestler and wrestling manager (b. 1942 in the United States, 1942)
* March 20 – Abigail Rose Taylor, notable accident victim (b. 2001 in the United States, 2001)
* March 22 – Cachao López, Cuban musician, died in Coral Gables, Florida (b. 1918 in Cuba, 1918)
* March 23 – Al Copeland, entrepreneur, died in Munich, Germany (b. 1944 in the United States, 1944)
* March 24
** Hal Riney, businessman, founded Publicis & Hal Riney (b. 1932)
** Richard Widmark, actor (b. 1914 in the United States, 1914)
* March 28
** Herb Rich, American football player (b. 1928 in the United States, 1928)
** Ron Slinker, wrestler (b. 1945 in the United States, 1945)
** Helen Yglesias, writer (b. 1915 in the United States, 1915)
* March 30
**Douglas Kent Hall, American writer and photographer (b. 1938)
**Sean Levert, American singer (b. 1968 in the United States, 1968)
**Dith Pran, Cambodian-born American photojournalist (b. 1942 in Cambodia, 1942)
* March 31 – Jules Dassin, film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, and husband of Melina Mercouri, died in Athens, Greece (b. 1911 in the United States, 1911)
* May 1
** Buzzie Bavasi, American baseball executive (b. 1914 in the United States, 1914)
** Elaine Dundy, American writer and actress (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
** Hager Twins, Jim Hager, American country music singer and television actor (''Hee Haw'') (b. 1947 in the United States, 1947)
** Deborah Jeane Palfrey, American escort agency proprietor (b. 1955 in the United States, 1955)
* May 2 – Beverlee McKinsey, actress (b. 1935 in the United States, 1935)
* May 4 – Fredric J. Baur, chemist and inventor (b. 1918 in the United States, 1918)
* May 5
** Irv Robbins, Canadian-born American entrepreneur (b. 1917 in Canada, 1917)
** Jerry Wallace, American country and pop singer (b. 1928)
* May 8 – Eddy Arnold, American singer, songwriter, and musician (b. 1918)
* May 9 – Judy Grable, American professional wrestler (b. 1935 in the United States, 1935)
* May 11 – Dottie Rambo, singer, songwriter, and musician (b. 1934 in the United States, 1934)
* May 12 – Robert Rauschenberg, artist (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
* May 13 – John Phillip Law, actor (b. 1937 in the United States, 1937)
* May 15
** Alexander Courage, composer (b. 1919 in the United States, 1919)
** Willis Lamb, Nobel physicist (b. 1913 in the United States, 1913)
* May 16 – Robert Mondavi, winemaker (b. 1913 in the United States, 1913)
* May 18 – Joseph Pevney, film and television director (b. 1911 in the United States, 1911)
* May 20 – Hamilton Jordan, 8th White House Chief of Staff from 1979 till 1980. (b. 1944 in the United States, 1944)
* May 22 – Robert Asprin, writer (b. 1946 in the United States, 1946)
* May 23 – Cornell Capa, Hungarian-American photographer (b. 1918)
* May 24 – Dick Martin (comedian), Dick Martin, comedian, television director, actor, and producer (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
* May 26
** Earle Hagen, composer (b. 1919 in the United States, 1919)
** Sydney Pollack, American actor, director, and producer (b. 1934)
* May 28 – Robert Justman, television producer and director (b. 1926 in the United States, 1926)
* May 29 – Harvey Korman, American actor and Comedian (b. 1927)
* June 2
** Bo Diddley, singer, songwriter and musician (b. 1928)
** Mel Ferrer, actor, director and producer, spouse of Audrey Hepburn (b. 1917)
* June 6 – Dwight White, American football player (b. 1949 in the United States, 1949)
* June 7 – Jim McKay, television sports journalist (b. 1921 in the United States, 1921)
* June 9 – Algis Budrys, science fiction writer (b. 1931 in Lithuania)
* June 10 – John Rauch, American football player and coach (b. 1927 in the United States, 1927)
* June 12 – Charlie Jones (sportscaster), Charlie Jones, television sportscaster and actor (b. 1930 in the United States, 1930)
* June 13 – Tim Russert, television journalist and lawyer (b. 1950 in the United States, 1950)
* June 15
** Johnathan Goddard, American football player (b. 1981 in the United States, 1981)
** Stan Winston, film and television special effects and makeup artist (b. 1946 in the United States, 1946)
* June 16 – Caylee Anthony, alleged murder victim (b. 2005 in the United States, 2005)
* June 17 – Cyd Charisse, actress and dancer, spouse of Tony Martin (American singer), Tony Martin (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
* June 19 – Bennie Swain, basketball player and coach (b. 1930 in the United States, 1930)
* June 21
** Scott Kalitta, race car driver (b. 1962 in the United States, 1962)
** Kermit Love, puppeteer and costume designer (b. 1916 in the United States, 1916)
* June 22
** George Carlin, writer, actor, comedian and obscenity law central figure (b. 1937 in the United States, 1937)
** Dody Goodman, actress (b. 1914 in the United States, 1914)
* June 24 – Leonid Hurwicz, Nobel economist and mathematician (b. 1917 in Russia)
* June 26 – Katherine Loker, philanthropist (b. 1915 in the United States, 1915)
* June 27
** Polk Robison, basketball coach (b. 1912 in the United States, 1912)
** Michael Turner (comics), Michael Turner, comic book artist (b. 1971 in the United States, 1971)
* June 29 – Don S. Davis, actor and soldier, died in Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada (b. 1942 in the United States, 1942)
* July 1
** John Pont, American football coach (b. 1927 in the United States, 1927)
** Mark Dean Schwab, murderer (b. 1968 in the United States, 1968)
* July 3 – Larry Harmon, clown (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
* July 4
** Jesse Helms, American politician (b. 1921)
** Evelyn Keyes, American actress and wife of John Huston and Artie Shaw (b. 1916 in the United States, 1916)
** Terrence Kiel, American football player (b. 1980 in the United States, 1980)
* July 6 – Bobby Durham (jazz musician), Bobby Durham, jazz drummer (b. 1937 in the United States, 1937)
* July 11 – Michael E. DeBakey, surgeon and inventor (b. 1908 in the United States, 1908)
* July 12
** Bobby Murcer, baseball player and broadcaster (b. 1946 in the United States, 1946)
** Tony Snow, journalist and 26th White House Press Secretary from 2006 till 2007. (b. 1955 in the United States, 1955)
* July 16 – Jo Stafford, American singer (b. 1917)
* July 21 – K-Swift, American disc jockey and MC (b. 1978 in the United States, 1978)
* July 22 – Estelle Getty, actress (b. 1923 in the United States, 1923)
* July 25
** Johnny Griffin, American saxophonist (b. 1928)
** Randy Pausch, writer and computer scientist (b. 1960 in the United States, 1960)
* August 9 – Bernie Mac, American actor and comedian (b. 1957 in the United States, 1957)
* August 10
** Fred Crane (actor), Fred Crane, American actor and announcer (b. 1918 in the United States, 1918)
** Isaac Hayes, American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor (b. 1942 in the United States, 1942)
* August 11 – George Furth, American librettist, playwright, and actor (b. 1932 in the United States, 1932)
* August 12 – Patricia W. Malone, American naval officer (b. 1924 in the United States, 1924)
* August 13
** Sandy Allen, American tallest woman in the world (according to ''Guinness World Records'') (b. 1955 in the United States, 1955)
** Jack Weil, American entrepreneur (b. 1901 in the United States, 1901)
* August 15
** James Orthwein, American businessman (b. 1924 in the United States, 1924)
** Leroy Sievers, American journalist (b. 1955 in the United States, 1955)
** Jerry Wexler, American music producer and journalist (b. 1917 in the United States, 1917)
* August 16 – Roberta Collins, American actress (b. 1944 in the United States, 1944)
* August 17 – Philip Saffman, English-American mathematician (b. 1931)
* August 18 – Pervis Jackson, R&B singer (b. 1938 in the United States, 1938)
* August 19
** Julius Carry, American actor (b. 1952 in the United States, 1952)
** LeRoi Moore, American musician (b. 1961 in the United States, 1961)
* August 20 – Phil Guy, American blues guitarist (b. 1940 in the United States, 1940)
* August 23 – Thomas Huckle Weller, American Nobel virologist (b. 1915)
* August 25 – Kevin Duckworth, American basketball player (b. 1964 in the United States, 1964)
* August 28 – Phil Hill, American race car driver (b. 1927)
* August 29 – Bela E. Kennedy, American politician (b. 1918 in the United States, 1918)
* August 30 – Killer Kowalski, Polish-Canadian wrestler (b. 1926 in Canada, 1926)
* September 1
** Don LaFontaine, American television show and advertisement announcer (b. 1940 in the United States, 1940)
** Jerry Reed, American singer, songwriter, actor, and guitarist (b. 1937)
* September 2 – Bill Melendez, Mexican-American character animator, film director, voice artist and producer (b. 1916)
* September 6 – Anita Page, American actress (b. 1910 in the United States, 1910)
* September 9 – Warith Deen Mohammed, American Muslim leader, theologian, philosopher and revivalist (b. 1933)
* September 12 – David Foster Wallace, American writer and columnist (b. 1962 in the United States, 1962)
* September 14 – Hyman Golden, American businessman (b. 1923 in the United States, 1923)
* September 19 – Earl Palmer, American R&B Drummer (b. 1924)
* September 26 – Paul Newman, American actor, film director, entrepreneur and philanthropist (b. 1925)
* October 1
** Robert Arthur (actor), Robert Arthur, American actor (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
** Nick Reynolds, American musician (b. 1933 in the United States, 1933)
* October 5 – Kim Chan, Chinese-American actor (b. 1917 in China, 1917)
* October 11 – Neal Hefti, American jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
* October 15 – Edie Adams, American actress, singer, comedian, businesswoman (b. 1927)
* October 17 – Levi Stubbs, American singer and actor (b. 1936 in the United States, 1936)
* October 19
** Mr. Blackwell, American actor, fashion designer and critic (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
** Rudy Ray Moore, American actor, musician, and comedian (b. 1927 in the United States, 1927)
*October 18 – Dee Dee Warwick, American singer, sister of Dionne Warwick (b. 1942 in the United States, 1942)
*October 19 – Richard Blackwell, American journalist and fashion critic (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
*October 24 – Merl Saunders, American musician, pianist, and keyboardist (b. 1934 in the United States, 1934)
*October 25
**Anne Pressly, American news anchor (b. 1982)
**Estelle Reiner, American actress and singer (b. 1914 in the United States, 1914)
* October 26 – Tony Hillerman, American writer (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
* October 29 – William Wharton (author), William Wharton, American author (b. 1925)
* October 31 – Studs Terkel, American writer, broadcaster, and historian (b. 1912 in the United States, 1912)
* November 1 – Tiffany Sloan, American model (b. 1973 in the United States, 1973)
* November 4
** Michael Crichton, American physician, writer, screenwriter, film and television director and producer (b. 1942)
* November 10 – Arthur Shawcross, American serial killer (b. 1945 in the United States, 1945)
* November 12
**Catherine Baker Knoll, American educator and politician, 30th Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania (b. 1930 in the United States, 1930)
**Mitch Mitchell, British musician, died in Portland, Oregon (b. 1947 in the United Kingdom, 1947)
* November 13 – Jules Archer, American historian and author (b. 1915 in the United States, 1915)
* November 21 – Brenden Foster, murder victim (b. 1997 in the United States, 1997)
* November 22 – MC Breed, American rapper (b. 1971 in the United States, 1971)
* December 1 – Paul Benedict, American actor (b. 1938)
* December 2
** Kathleen Baskin-Ball, American minister (b. 1958 in the United States, 1958)
** Odetta, American singer, American songwriter, musician, actress, and civil rights activist (b. 1930)
* December 4 – Forrest J Ackerman, Forrest J. Ackerman, American writer, columnist, actor, and science-fiction collector (b. 1916 in the United States, 1916)
* December 5
** Nina Foch, Dutch-born American actress (b. 1924)
** Beverly Garland, American actress and businesswoman (b. 1926)
* December 6 – Sunny von Bülow, socialite and alleged murder victim, wife of Claus von Bülow (b. 1931 in the United States, 1931)
* December 8
** Robert Prosky, American actor (b. 1930 in the United States, 1930)
** William S. Stevens, American lawyer (b. 1948 in the United States, 1948)
* December 11
** Maddie Blaustein, American actress (b. 1960 in the United States, 1960)
** Bettie Page, American model and actress (b. 1923)
* December 12 – Van Johnson, American actor (b. 1916)
* December 14 – Mike Bell (wrestler), Mike Bell, American professional wrestler (b. 1971 in the United States, 1971)
* December 15 – John W. Powell, Chinese-American journalist (b. 1919 in China, 1919)
* December 16 – Sam Bottoms, American actor (b. 1955 in the United States, 1955)
* December 17 – Sammy Baugh, American football player and coach (b. 1914 in the United States, 1914)
* December 18
** Majel Barrett, American actress, producer (b. 1932)
** Mark Felt, American FBI agent also known as "Deep Throat (Watergate), Deep Throat" from Watergate scandal (b. 1913)
* December 19 – James Bevel, American minister and civil rights activist (b. 1936)
* December 20 – Robert Mulligan, American film and television director (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
* December 24 – Harold Pinter, British Nobel writer, screenwriter, director, and actor, died in London, United Kingdom (b. 1930 in the United Kingdom, 1930)
* December 25
** Eartha Kitt, American actress and singer (b. 1927)
** Ann Savage, American actress (b. 1921 in the United States, 1921)
* December 29 – Freddie Hubbard, musician (b. 1938 in the United States, 1938)
* December 31 – Donald E. Westlake, American writer and screenwriter (b. 1933 in the United States, 1933)
Incumbents
Federal government
*President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
: George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
( R-Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
)
* Vice President
A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...
: Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American former politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He has been called vice presidency o ...
( R-Wyoming
Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
)
* Chief Justice: John Roberts
John Glover Roberts Jr. (born January 27, 1955) is an American jurist serving since 2005 as the 17th chief justice of the United States. He has been described as having a Moderate conservatism, moderate conservative judicial philosophy, thoug ...
(Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
)
* Speaker of the House of Representatives: Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia Pelosi ( ; ; born March 26, 1940) is an American politician who was the List of Speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 2007 to 2011 an ...
( D-California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
)
* Senate Majority Leader
The positions of majority leader and minority leader are held by two United States senators and people of the party leadership of the United States Senate. They serve as chief spokespersons for their respective political parties, holding the ...
: Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid Jr. (; December 2, 1939 – December 28, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017. He led the Senate Democratic Caucus from 2005 to 2 ...
( D-Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
)
* Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
: 110th
Events
January
*January 3
Events Pre-1600
*AD 69, 69 – The Roman legions on the Rhine refuse to declare their allegiance to Galba, instead proclaiming their legate, Aulus Vitellius, as emperor.
* 250 – Emperor Decius orders everyone in the Roman Empire (ex ...
– Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
drops out of the running for the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
* January 5
Events Pre-1600
* 1477 – Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is defeated and killed in a conflict with René II, Duke of Lorraine; Burgundy subsequently becomes part of France.
1601–1900
* 1675 – Battle of Colmar: The French ...
– A levee bursts in Fernley, Nevada
Fernley is a city in Lyon County, Nevada, United States, and part of the Reno–Tahoe–Sparks metropolitan area CSA. The city was incorporated in 2001. The population of the city was 22,895 at the 2020 census, making it the 7th most populous ...
, flooding a large portion of the town and forcing the evacuations of 3,500 residents.
* January 7
Events Pre-1600
*49 BC – The Senate of the Roman Republic, Senate of Rome says that Caesar will be declared a public enemy unless he disbands his army, prompting the tribunes who support him to flee to where Caesar is waiting in Ravenna ...
– 11 – A tornado outbreak
A tornado outbreak is the occurrence of multiple tornadoes spawned by the same Synoptic scale meteorology, synoptic scale weather system. The number of tornadoes required to qualify as an outbreak typically are at least six to ten, with at least ...
passes through eastern North America, producing at least 75 tornadoes across the mid-eastern United States and record-breaking temperatures in eastern Canada. Four fatalities are reported.
* January 7
Events Pre-1600
*49 BC – The Senate of the Roman Republic, Senate of Rome says that Caesar will be declared a public enemy unless he disbands his army, prompting the tribunes who support him to flee to where Caesar is waiting in Ravenna ...
– NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
announces the 2008 Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
s Ceremony will be canceled due to the Writers Guild of America strike. The network announces the winners in a 1-hour news conference. Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke Jr. ( ; born September 16, 1952) is an American actor and former professional Boxing, boxer who has appeared primarily as a leading actor, leading man in drama, action, and thriller films. In a Mickey Rourke filmogra ...
and Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. Known for her comedic roles in sketch comedy, television and film, Fey has received List of awards and nominations received by Tina Fe ...
, among others, are winners.
* January 9
Events Pre-1600
* 681 – Twelfth Council of Toledo: King Erwig of the Visigoths initiates a council in which he implements diverse measures against the Jews in Spain.
* 1038 – An earthquake in Dingxiang, China kills an estimate ...
– President George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
begins a tour of the Middle East
The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.
The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
with a stop in Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
. Other destinations include Kuwait
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
, Bahrain
Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...
, the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
, the Palestinian Authority
The Palestinian Authority (PA), officially known as the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), is the Fatah-controlled government body that exercises partial civil control over the Palestinian enclaves in the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, ...
, and Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
.
* January 10
Events Pre-1600
*49 BC – Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signalling the start of civil war.
* 9 – The Western Han dynasty ends when Wang Mang claims that the divine Mandate of Heaven called for the end of the dynasty and th ...
– Bill Richardson
William Blaine Richardson III (November 15, 1947 – September 1, 2023) was an American politician, author, and diplomat who served as the List of governors of New Mexico, 30th governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011. He was U.S. ambassador to ...
drops out of the U.S. presidential election due to shortage of money.
* January 15
Events Pre-1600
*AD 69, 69 – Otho seizes power in Rome, proclaiming himself Roman emperor, Emperor of Rome, beginning a reign of only three months.
*1541 – King Francis I of France gives Jean-François Roberval a commission to set ...
– The Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...
declares that food from cloned
Cloning is the process of producing individual organisms with identical genomes, either by natural or artificial means. In nature, some organisms produce clones through asexual reproduction; this reproduction of an organism by itself without ...
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...
, swine
Suina (also known as Suiformes) is a suborder of omnivorous, non-ruminant artiodactyl mammals that includes the domestic pig and peccaries. A member of this clade is known as a suine. Suina includes the family Suidae, termed suids, known in ...
, goat
The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope that is mostly kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the ...
s, and their progeny is safe to eat.
* January 18
Events Pre-1600
* 474 – Seven-year-old Leo II succeeds his maternal grandfather Leo I as Byzantine emperor. He dies ten months later.
* 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople fail.
* 1126 – Emperor Huizong abdicates the C ...
– President George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
announces an economic stimulus package, proposing $800 per individual and $1600 per couple in tax refunds.
* January 21
Events Pre-1600
* 763 – Following the Battle of Bakhamra between Alids and Abbasids near Kufa, the Alid rebellion ends with the death of Ibrahim, brother of Isa ibn Musa.
* 1525 – The Swiss Anabaptist Movement is founded wh ...
– Stock markets around the world plunge amid growing fears of a U.S. recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction that occurs when there is a period of broad decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be tr ...
, fueled by the 2007 subprime mortgage crisis
The American subprime mortgage crisis was a multinational financial crisis that occurred between 2007 and 2010, contributing to the 2008 financial crisis. It led to a severe economic recession, with millions becoming unemployed and many busines ...
.
* January 22
Events Pre-1600
* 613 – Eight-month-old Heraclius Constantine is crowned as co-emperor ('' Caesar'') by his father Heraclius at Constantinople.
* 871 – Battle of Basing: The West Saxons led by King Æthelred I are defeated b ...
– Actor Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an Australian actor. After playing roles in several Australian television and film productions during the 1990s, he moved to the United States in 1998 to further develop his film care ...
, 28, is found dead at his home in New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. He would later be awarded a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...
for his work in ''The Dark Knight
''The Dark Knight'' is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, from a screenplay co-written with his brother Jonathan. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman Begins'' (2005), and the second inst ...
'', released in July 2008.
* January 25
Events Pre-1600
* 41 – After a night of negotiation, Claudius is accepted as Roman emperor by the Senate.
* 750 – In the Battle of the Zab, the Abbasid rebels defeat the Umayyad Caliphate, leading to the overthrow of the dyn ...
– In Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino catches fire.
* January 27
Events Pre-1600
* 98 – Trajan succeeds his adoptive father Nerva as Roman emperor.
* 945 – The co-emperors Stephen and Constantine are overthrown and forced to become monks by Constantine VII, who becomes sole emperor of the ...
– The 2008 NHL All-Star Game occurs in Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
.
* January 28
Events Pre-1600
*AD 98, 98 – On the death of Nerva, Trajan is declared Roman emperor in Cologne, the seat of his government in lower Germany.
* 814 – The death of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, brings about the accessi ...
– President George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
delivers his final State of the Union address
The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of most calendar years on the current condit ...
.
* January 30
Events Pre-1600
* 1018 – Poland and the Holy Roman Empire conclude the Peace of Bautzen.
* 1287 – King Wareru founds the Hanthawaddy Kingdom, and proclaims independence from the Pagan Kingdom.
1601–1900
* 1607 – An es ...
– U.S. presidential candidates Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis Giuliani ( , ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and Disbarment, disbarred lawyer who served as the 107th mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney ...
and John Edwards
Johnny Reid Edwards (born June 10, 1953) is an American lawyer and former politician who represented North Carolina in the United States Senate from 1999 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the vice presidential nominee under ...
drop out of the race.
* In January, Weardrobe online street fashion site is launched.
February
* February 1
Events Pre-1600
* 1327 – The teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer.
* 1411 – The First Peace of Thorn is signed in Thorn (Toruń), ...
– The Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...
issues a Public Health Advisory on Chantix, an anti-smoking medication, due to a possible "association between Chantix and serious neuropsychiatric symptoms."
* February 2
Events Pre-1600
* 506 – Alaric II, eighth king of the Visigoths, promulgates the Breviary of Alaric (''Breviarium Alaricianum'' or ''Lex Romana Visigothorum''), a collection of " Roman law".
* 880 – Battle of Lüneburg Heath: ...
** The military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
accidentally kills nine civilians in a raid in Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
.
** An unidentified gunman enters a Tinley Park, Illinois
Tinley Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, Cook and Will County, Illinois, Will counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 55,971 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a suburb in the Chicago metropolitan ar ...
Lane Bryant
Lane Bryant Inc. is an American women's apparel and intimates specialty retailer focusing on plus-size clothing. The company began in 1904 with maternity designs created by Lena Himmelstein Bryant Malsin. Lane Bryant, Inc., is the largest pl ...
, taking 6 women hostage and later shooting them all, killing 5 of the 6 women. The shooting
Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or blowpipe). Even the acts of launching flame, artillery, darts, harpoons, grenades, rockets, and guided missile ...
currently remains unsolved.
* February 3
Events Pre-1600
* 1047 – Drogo of Hauteville is elected as count of the Apulian Normans during the Norman conquest of Southern Italy.
* 1112 – Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona, and Douce I, Countess of Provence, marry, u ...
– The New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
defeat the heavily favored New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
17–14 in Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
, played at the University of Phoenix Stadium
State Farm Stadium is a multi-purpose retractable roof stadium in Glendale, Arizona, United States, west of Phoenix. It is the home of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) and the annual Fiesta Bowl. It replaced Sun Devi ...
in Glendale, Arizona
Glendale () is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Located about nine miles northwest of the state capital Phoenix, Glendale is known for State Farm Stadium, which is the home of the Arizona Cardinals football team. The city al ...
.
* February 4
Events Pre–1600
* 211 – Following the death of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus at Eboracum (modern York, England) while preparing to lead a campaign against the Caledonians, the empire is left in the control of his two quarrellin ...
– '' The Mr. Men Show'' debuts on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...
and Boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool typically constructed with airfoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight, designed to return to the thrower. The origin of the word is from Australian Aborigin ...
. Based on the British book series of '' Mr. Men Little Miss''.
* February 5
Events Pre-1600
*
*2 BC – Caesar Augustus is granted the title ''pater patriae'' by the Roman Senate.
*AD 62, 62 – AD 62 Pompeii earthquake, Earthquake in Pompeii, Italy.
*756 – Chinese New Year; An Lushan proclaims himself E ...
– 6 – Super Tuesday tornado outbreak: A tornado outbreak, the deadliest in 23 years, kills 58 in the Southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...
.
* February 5
Events Pre-1600
*
*2 BC – Caesar Augustus is granted the title ''pater patriae'' by the Roman Senate.
*AD 62, 62 – AD 62 Pompeii earthquake, Earthquake in Pompeii, Italy.
*756 – Chinese New Year; An Lushan proclaims himself E ...
– U.S. stock market indices plunge more than 3% after a Non-Manufacturing ISM Report on Business shows signs of economic recession in the service sector. The S&P 500
The Standard and Poor's 500, or simply the S&P 500, is a stock market index tracking the stock performance of 500 leading companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. It is one of the most commonly followed equity indices and in ...
fall 3.2%, The Dow Jones Industrial Average
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Dow Jones, or simply the Dow (), is a stock market index of 30 prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States.
The DJIA is one of the oldest and most commonly followed equity indice ...
370 points.
* February 7
Events Pre-1600
* 457 – Leo I becomes the Eastern Roman emperor.
* 987 – Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros, Byzantine generals of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II.
* 1301 & ...
**STS-122
STS-122 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS), flown by the . STS-122 marked the 24th shuttle mission to the ISS, and the 121st Space Shuttle flight overall.
The mission was also referred to as ISS-1E by the I ...
: Space Shuttle ''Atlantis'' launches to deliver the European-built Columbus science laboratory to the International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is a large space station that was Assembly of the International Space Station, assembled and is maintained in low Earth orbit by a collaboration of five space agencies and their contractors: NASA (United ...
.
** The Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
passes a $170 billion economic stimulus package by a margin of 81–16.
** Charles Lee "Cookie" Thornton kills five and wounds two people at city hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
before being shot and killed by police in Kirkwood, Missouri
Kirkwood is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis located in western St. Louis County, Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 29,461. Founded in 1853, the city is named after James P. Kirkwood, chief engineer of the Pacific Railr ...
.
** Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...
suspends his campaign of the Republican Party nomination for the U.S. presidency.
* February 10
Events Pre-1600
* 1258 – The Siege of Baghdad ends with the surrender of the last Abbasid caliph to Hulegu Khan, a prince of the Mongol Empire.
* 1306 – In front of the high altar of Greyfriars Church in Dumfries, Robert the Bru ...
** The 50th Annual Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 10, 2008. It honored musical achievement of 2007 in which albums were released between October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2007. The primary ceremonie ...
take place at the Staples Center
Crypto.com Arena (originally and colloquially known as Staples Center) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown Los Angeles. Opened on October 17, 1999, as Staples Center, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along F ...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. Americans Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...
and Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
, among others, are winners.
** Maine
Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
holds its Democratic caucuses in the U.S. presidential election. Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
wins 15 out of the possible 24 delegates.
* February 11
Events Pre-1600
* 660 BC – Traditional date for the foundation of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
* 55 – The death under mysterious circumstances of Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, heir to the Roman Empire, on the eve of his comin ...
** A marine is arrested on suspicion of raping a fourteen-year-old Japanese girl in Okinawa
most commonly refers to:
* Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture
* Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture
* Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself
* Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...
, Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2007 to 2008. He was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving in that role from 2000 to 2004 under Prime Ministers Yoshirō Mori an ...
calls this "grave case...unforgivable". Ambassador
An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...
Tom Schieffer later offers a personal apology.
** A former Boeing
The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...
engineer and Defense Department analyst are arrested and charged with espionage
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering, as a subfield of the intelligence field, is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information ( intelligence). A person who commits espionage on a mission-specific contract is called an ...
for allegedly passing information to the Chinese government
The government of the People's Republic of China is based on a system of people's congress within the parameters of a Unitary state, unitary communist state, in which the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) enacts its policies through people's ...
.
* February 12
Events Pre-1600
* 1096 – Pope Urban II confirms the foundation of the abbey of La Roë under Robert of Arbrissel as a community of canons regular.
* 1404 – The Italian professor Galeazzo di Santa Sofia performed the first post- ...
** The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike ends effectively at 6:51pm PST (02:51 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard globally used to regulate clocks and time. It establishes a reference for the current time, forming the basis for civil time and time zones. UTC facilitates international communica ...
, February 13) as members vote to stop picket lines in response to a tentative deal reached by the WGA and the AMPTP
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) is a trade association based in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, that represents over 350 American television and film production companies in collective bargaining negotia ...
three days earlier.
** Lawrence "Larry" King, a 15-year-old 8th grade student at E.O. Green Junior High School, is shot to death by 14-year-old student Brandon McInerney, for being gay
''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'.
While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late ...
.
* February 14
It is observed in most countries as Valentine's Day.
Events Pre-1600
* 748 – Abbasid Revolution#Persian phase, Abbasid Revolution: The Kaysanites Shia#History, Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad ...
– Steven Kazmierczak opens fire, killing five and wounding 18 before fatally shooting himself at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois, United States. It was founded as "Northern Illinois State Normal School" in 1895 by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld, initially to provide the state with c ...
in DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb ( ) is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,290 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is named after decorated Franconian-French war hero Johann de Kalb, who died during the Ameri ...
.
* February 17
Events Pre-1600
* 1370 – Northern Crusades: Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Teutonic Knights meet in the Battle of Rudau.
* 1411 – Following the successful campaigns during the Ottoman Interregnum, Musa Çelebi, one of the sons ...
– The USDA
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commerc ...
recalls 143 million pounds of frozen beef from a California slaughterhouse.
* February 20
Events Pre-1600
*1339 – The Milanese army and the St. George's (San Giorgio) Mercenaries of Lodrisio Visconti clash in the Battle of Parabiago; Visconti is defeated.
*1472 – Orkney and Shetland are pawn (law), pawned by Norway to S ...
– The United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
destroys an American spy satellite
A reconnaissance satellite or intelligence satellite (commonly, although unofficially, referred to as a spy satellite) is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications.
The ...
, USA 193, with a missile, prompting international speculation that it is testing its capability to destroy the satellites of other countries.
* February 24
Events Pre-1600
* 484 – King Huneric of the Vandals replaces Nicene bishops with Arian ones, and banishes some to Corsica.
* 1303 – The English are defeated at the Battle of Roslin, in the First War of Scottish Independence.
...
– The 80th Academy Awards
The 80th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2007. The award ceremony took place on February 24, 2008, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. During t ...
, hosted by Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz, November 28, 1962) is an American comedian, writer, producer, director, political commentator, actor, and television host. The long-running host of ''The Daily Show'' on Comedy Central from 1999 to 20 ...
, take place at Kodak Theatre
The Eastman Kodak Company, referred to simply as Kodak (), is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in film photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorporated i ...
in Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood ...
, with the Coen brothers
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, together known as the Coen brothers (), are an American filmmaking duo. Their films span many genres and styles, which they frequently subvert or parody. Among their most acclaimed works are '' Blood Simple'' (198 ...
' ''No Country for Old Men
''No Country for Old Men'' is a 2007 American neo-Western crime thriller film written, directed, produced and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen, based on Cormac McCarthy's 2005 novel. Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin ...
'' winning four awards out of eight nominations, including Best Picture
The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards.
Best Actor/Best Actress
*See Best Actor#Film awards, Bes ...
and Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to:
Film awards
* AACTA Award for Best Direction
* Academy Award for Best Director
* As ...
. The film is tied in nominations with Paul Thomas Anderson
Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970), also known by his initials PTA, is an American filmmaker. Often described as one of the most preeminent writer-directors of his generation, List of awards and nominations received by Paul Thomas Anders ...
's ''There Will Be Blood''. The telecast garners 31.7 million viewers, making it the least-watched broadcast since 1974.
March
* March 4 – John McCain secures the Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008, 2008 U.S. Republican Party presidential nomination after winning Partisan primary, primary elections in Texas, Vermont, Ohio, and Rhode Island. * March 6 – During the early hours of the morning, a small bomb explodes at an unoccupied military recruiting station in Times Square,New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. No one is injured.
* March 12 – New York (state), New York Governor Eliot Spitzer announces his resignation (effective March 17) days after being linked to a Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal, high-priced prostitution ring. Lieutenant Governor David Paterson succeeds the governorship of New York.
* March 13 – The colorized United States five-dollar bill, $5 bill is released, with nearly all of the features of the earlier colorized currency (the color-shifting numeral was not added).
* March 15 – A construction crane (machine), crane falls on a residential building in Manhattan, killing four people and injuring at least 17.
* March 18 – The Federal Reserve System cuts the federal funds rate by 75 basis points to 2.25%.
* March 24 – Relatives of victims of the Virginia Tech massacre report that the government of Virginia will offer victims compensation of United States dollar, $100,000 to forestall lawsuits.
* March 26 – Former First Lady of the United States Nancy Reagan endorses John McCain for the presidency.
* March 30 – WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment holds WrestleMania XXIV at the Camping World Stadium, Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida, Orlando, drawing a crowd of 74,635.
April
* April 7 – The 2007–08 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team, Kansas Jayhawks beat the 2007–08 Memphis Tigers men's basketball team, Memphis Tigers, 75–68 in overtime for the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament#National Championship Game, NCAA Basketball Championship. * April 11 – The Newseum opens in Washington, D.C. * April 15–April 20, 20 – Pope Benedict XVI visits the United States. Among his destinations are the White House, The Catholic University of America, the United Nations General Assembly, and the site of the fallen World Trade Center (1973–2001), World Trade Center. Benedict XVI also celebrates Mass (liturgy), Mass at Nationals Park and Yankee Stadium. * April 18 – The 5.4 2008 Illinois earthquake, Illinois earthquake hits southeastern Illinois with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli intensity of VII (''Very strong''), causing several injuries and limited damage. * April 20 – Danica Patrick becomes the first woman to win a top-level sanctioned open wheel car racing event. * April 22 – Senator Hillary Clinton wins the Pennsylvania Democratic primary, 2008, Pennsylvania Democratic Primary. * April 28 – General Motors announces that it will cut production of pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles in three plants in Michigan and one in Oshawa, Ontario and negotiate layoffs with the United Auto Workers and Canadian Auto Workers.May
* May 1–May 2, 2 – A Tornado outbreak of May 1–2, 2008, tornado outbreak in the Southern and Central United States kills seven. * May 2 – ''Iron Man (2008 film), Iron Man'', directed by Jon Favreau, is released by Marvel Studios as the first film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the first film of its "Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One, Phase One" slate. * May 6 – SenatorBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
wins the North Carolina Democratic primary, 2008, North Carolina Democratic Primary. Senator Hillary Clinton narrowly wins the Indiana Democratic primary, 2008, Indiana Democratic Primary.
* May 7–May 15, 15 – Several Mid-May 2008 tornado outbreak sequence, tornadoes cause substantial damage in the Midwestern United States and kill 28 people.
* May 12 – A leaked video of Fox News Channel anchor Bill O'Reilly (political commentator), Bill O'Reilly from the early-1990s of him freaking out on camera goes viral on YouTube. In the video, O'Reilly is seen shouting "We'll do it live!"
* May 14 – NASA announces the discovery of Supernova remnant G1.9+0.3.
* May 15
** Same-sex marriage in California, California becomes the second state after Same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, Massachusetts in 2004 to legalize same-sex marriage after the state's own Supreme Court In re Marriage Cases, rules a previous ban unconstitutional.
** The United States Department of the Interior lists the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, citing the Arctic sea ice decline, melting of Arctic sea ice as the primary threat to the polar bear.
* May 20
** Senator Hillary Clinton wins the Kentucky Democratic primary, 2008, Kentucky Democratic primary while Senator Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
wins the Oregon Democratic primary, 2008, Oregon Democratic primary.
** Senator Ted Kennedy announces that he has a malignant glioma, a type of cancerous brain tumor.
* May 22–May 31, 31 – A Tornado outbreak sequence of May 22–31, 2008, series of tornado outbreaks affecting the central plains of the United States is one of the largest continuous tornado outbreaks on record. A total 239 tornadoes are confirmed. There are 13 fatalities.
* May 24 – After over thirteen years, Kids' WB, The CW's children's programming block, ceases airing and becomes The CW4Kids when the network sells the air time to Grupo Clarin (through its subsidiary 4Licensing Corporation, 4Kids Entertainment).
* May 25 – NASA's Phoenix (spacecraft), Phoenix spacecraft becomes the first to land on the northern polar region of Mars.
June
* June 1 ** A 2008 Universal fire, large fire engulfs parts of Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios in Universal City, California, destroying a vault with the mastering (audio), master tapes of as many as half a million songs. ** Landmark Broadway theatre, Broadway musical Rent (musical), ''Rent'' ends its run after 12 years and more than 4,300 shows. * June 3 –Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
secures the Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008, 2008 U.S. Democratic Party presidential nomination, becoming the first African American presumptive presidential candidate for a major political party.
* June 4
**Murder of Travis Alexander, Travis Alexander is stabbed multiple times then shot in the forehead by his former girlfriend, Jodi Arias, in Mesa, Arizona. The murder and subsequent trial received widespread media attention.
** The 2007–08 Detroit Red Wings season, Detroit Red Wings win their 11th Stanley Cup, defeating the 2007–08 Pittsburgh Penguins season, Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals in six games.
* June 7 – Big Brown (horse), Big Brown, previously undefeated, fails to become the first winner of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, Triple Crown since 1978, finishing last at the 2008 Belmont Stakes.
* June 11 – Four Boy Scouts of America, Boy Scouts are killed and 48 others are injured when a tornado strikes Little Sioux Scout Ranch in Little Sioux, Iowa. Many acts of bravery occurred during and after the storm and many awards for heroism were awarded.
* June 13 – ''The Incredible Hulk (film), The Incredible Hulk'', directed by Louis Leterrier, is released as the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
* June 17 – The 2007–08 Boston Celtics season, Boston Celtics earn their 2008 NBA Finals, 17th NBA championship by defeating the 2007–08 Los Angeles Lakers season, Los Angeles Lakers.
* June 18 – Tiger Woods announces he will undergo Anterior cruciate ligament, ACL surgery and won't play golf again until 2009.
* June 25 – Gunman Atlantis Plastics shooting, Wesley Higdon opens fire in a plastics factory in Kentucky, murdering five before committing suicide.
* June 26 – The U.S. Supreme Court decides ''District of Columbia v. Heller'', holding that the District of Columbia's Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975, ban on handguns, among other statutory provisions, is unconstitutional.
* June 27
** After three decades as the Chairman of Microsoft Corporation, Bill Gates steps down from daily duties to concentrate on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
** Pixar Animation Studios' ninth feature film, ''WALL-E'', is released in theaters.
July
* July 8 – Saner Wonggoun was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter of his wife Sopha Wonggoun in 1994. After the killing, Saner Wonggoun had fled from custody to Thailand and resisted extradition for nearly 14 years. * July 10 – The 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game takes place at Yankee Stadium. The home American League wins 4–3 in 15 innings, giving home field advantage in the 2008 World Series to the AL champion, which eventually came to be the Tampa Bay Rays. * July 18 – ''The Dark Knight
''The Dark Knight'' is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, from a screenplay co-written with his brother Jonathan. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman Begins'' (2005), and the second inst ...
'', directed by Christopher Nolan, is released. It was the highest-grossing film of the year, with a worldwide gross of $997,000,000.
* July 25 – The Avenue of the Saints Limited-access road, expressway project, linking St. Louis, Missouri and St. Paul, Minnesota, is finally completed with a ribbon cutting ceremony near Wayland, Missouri.
* July 29 – The 5.5 2008 Chino Hills earthquake, Chino Hills earthquake affected the Greater Los Angeles Area with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli intensity of VI (''Strong''), causing eight injuries and limited damage.
August
* August 8–August 24, 24 – The United States at the 2008 Summer Olympics, United States compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics, Summer Olympics in Beijing, China and win 36 gold, 39 silver, and 37 bronze medals. Michael Phelps wins his eighth gold medal, breaking the record set by Mark Spitz, and sets the record for the most golds in a single Olympics. * August 8 – Former U.S. Senator and vice-presidential and presidential candidateJohn Edwards
Johnny Reid Edwards (born June 10, 1953) is an American lawyer and former politician who represented North Carolina in the United States Senate from 1999 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the vice presidential nominee under ...
admits to an John Edwards extramarital affair, adulterous affair with former campaign worker Rielle Hunter after months of tabloid speculation, but denies being the father of her baby. Edwards would later admit to being the baby's father.
* August 15 – The U.S. government condemns the Russian invasion of the Caucasus, Caucasian country of Georgia (country), Georgia.
* August 19 – Lady Gaga releases her debut album ''The Fame''.
* August 24 – An aircraft crashes in Guatemala, killing 10, including four Americans on a Humanitarianism, humanitarian mission.
* August 25–August 28, 28 – Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
and Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
are declared the Democratic presidential and vice presidential candidates at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.
* August 26–September 1 – Hurricane Gustav makes landfall on Louisiana as Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale#Category 2, Category 2 and kills seven in the United States, after making landfall on western Cuba as Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale#Category 4, Category 4, and killing 66 in Haiti, eight in the Dominican Republic, and 11 in Jamaica.
* August 28–September 7 – Hurricane Hanna (2008), Hurricane Hanna kills seven in the United States, and 529 in Haiti, mostly due to floods and Mudflow, mudslides.
* August 29 – Republican presidential candidate John McCain chooses Sarah Palin as his running mate.
September
* September 1–September 14, 14 – Hurricane Ike makes landfall onTexas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
as Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale#Category 2, Category 2 and kills 27 in the United States, after killing four in Cuba, one in the Dominican Republic, and 75 in Haiti.
* September 1–September 4, 4 – John McCain and Sarah Palin are declared the Republican presidential and vice presidential candidates at the 2008 Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
* September 1 – Sarah Palin announces that her 17-year-old daughter Bristol Palin, Bristol is pregnant.
* September 7 – The Federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, US Government takes control of the two largest mortgage financing companies in the US, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
* September 8 – ''The Rachel Maddow Show'' premieres on MSNBC.
* September 12 – A 2008 Chatsworth train collision, Metrolink train collides head-on into a freight train in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, killing 25 and injuring 130.
* September 15 – Wall Street investment bank Lehman Brothers files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
* September 21 – The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards are presented. The telecast becomes the lowest rated and least viewed ceremony in its televised history. ''John Adams (miniseries), John Adams'', ''30 Rock'', ''Mad Men'', ''The Amazing Race'', and ''The Daily Show with John Stewart'', among others, are winners.
* September 26 – John McCain and Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
engage in the first 2008 United States presidential debates, presidential debate, held at University of Mississippi and moderated by Jim Lehrer.
* September 28 – SpaceX Falcon 1 becomes the world's first privately developed Launch vehicle, space launch vehicle to successfully Falcon 1 Flight 4, make orbit.
*September 29 – the Dow Jones Industrial Average
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Dow Jones, or simply the Dow (), is a stock market index of 30 prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States.
The DJIA is one of the oldest and most commonly followed equity indice ...
falls 777 points due to the financial panic.
October
* October 2 – Gwen Ifill hosts the vice presidential debate betweenJoe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
and Sarah Palin at Washington University in St. Louis, Washington University.
* October 3 – 2008 financial crisis: President of the United States, U.S. President George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
signs the revised Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, Emergency Economic Stabilization Act into law, creating a United States Emergency Economic Stabilization fund, 700 billion dollar Treasury fund to purchase failing bank assets.Raum, Tom (October 3, 2008Bush signs $700 billion bailout bill
''Associated Press'' . Retrieved October 3, 2008. * October 6 – NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft makes its second of three flybys of Mercury (planet), Mercury, decreasing the velocity for orbit insertion, orbital insertion on March 18, 2011. * October 7 – Tom Brokaw hosts the second presidential debate at Belmont University. * October 10 ** Connecticut legalizes Same-sex marriage in Connecticut, gay marriage. ** The Alaska Legislative Council votes to release an investigative report that found that Sarah Palin had abused her power as governor in relation to the Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal, July 2008 dismissal of Alaskan Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. * October 15 – Presidential candidates John McCain and
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
meet in their third and final televised debate at Hofstra University.
* October 20 – The HTC Dream, the first device to use the Android (operating system), Android operating system, is released in the US as the T-Mobile G1.
* October 22 – More than 300 state, local, and federal law enforcement officers simultaneously execute warrants in Operation Devil Horns, in one of the biggest operations by Homeland Security Investigations.
* October 29
**Delta Air Lines merges with Northwest Airlines, forming the world's largest commercial carrier.
** The 2008 Philadelphia Phillies season, Philadelphia Phillies beat the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays season, Tampa Bay Rays in the 2008 World Series. The series score was 4–1.
November
* November 4 – 2008 United States presidential election: Democratic United States Senator, U.S. SenatorBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
is elected as the 44th president of the United States and United States Senator, U.S. Senator Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
is elected the 47th Vice President of the United States, vice president. Barack Obama becomes the first African-American president-elect.
* November 11 – Taylor Swift releases her second studio album ''Fearless (Taylor Swift album), Fearless''. It would later become the most-awarded country album of all time.
* November 14 – STS-126: Space Shuttle Endeavour, Space Shuttle ''Endeavour'' uses the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, MPLM Leonardo to deliver International Standard Payload Rack, experiment and storage racks to the International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is a large space station that was Assembly of the International Space Station, assembled and is maintained in low Earth orbit by a collaboration of five space agencies and their contractors: NASA (United ...
. There will be only three more launches of ''Endeavour'' after this mission.
* November 17 – ''Twilight (2008 film), Twilight'', based on Stephenie Meyer's 2005 Twilight (Meyer novel), novel of the same name, starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, premieres.
* November 21 – Walt Disney Animation Studios' 48th feature film, ''Bolt (2008 film), Bolt'', is released. Despite a relatively marginal box-office performance, the film receives the studio's strongest critical reception since 1999's ''Tarzan (1999 film), Tarzan'' and is renowned for playing an important role in instigating what is widely referred to as the Disney Revival, as well as setting the studio in a new creative direction that would lead to other critically acclaimed features such as 2010's ''Tangled'' and 2013's ''Frozen (2013 film), Frozen''.
December
* December – The unemployment rate soars to 7.3%, the highest since December 1932.
* December 1 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Dow Jones, or simply the Dow (), is a stock market index of 30 prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States.
The DJIA is one of the oldest and most commonly followed equity indice ...
drops 680 points, its fourth worst drop in its history, after the National Bureau of Economic Research declared on the same day that the United States economy officially entered a recession in December 2007.
* December 5 – Retired American football player O. J. Simpson is sentenced to 33 years in prison in relation to a O. J. Simpson robbery case, September 2007 armed robbery. Simpson would be granted parole and released in October 2017.
* December 9 – Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is arrested by federal agents on Rod Blagojevich corruption charges, public corruption charges. Prosecutors allege Blagojevich attempted to solicit bribes to occupy the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
upon his election to the presidency. Blagojevich was later convicted.
* December 11
** Bernie Madoff is arrested and charged with securities fraud in relation to what would later be revealed to be the Madoff investment scandal, largest Ponzi scheme in history.
** Nobel Prize winners are announced. Americans Yoichiro Nambu, Martin Chalfie, Roger Y. Tsien, and Paul Krugman, among others, are recipients.
* December 18 – Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi Bush shoeing incident, throws both of his shoes at President George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
during an Iraqi press conference.
* December 24–December 25, 25 – Bruce Pardo, while wearing a Santa suit, kills nine people during a Christmas Eve party and burns down the house during the Covina massacre, Covina, California massacre.
Ongoing
* War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) * Iraq War (2003–2011) * Late-2000s recession (2007–2009)Births
*January 18
Events Pre-1600
* 474 – Seven-year-old Leo II succeeds his maternal grandfather Leo I as Byzantine emperor. He dies ten months later.
* 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople fail.
* 1126 – Emperor Huizong abdicates the C ...
– Eunho Lee (footballer, born 2008), Eunho Lee, South Korean professional footballer
* January 20 – Paige Heyn, skateboarder
* March 14 – Abby Ryder Fortson, actress
* April 17 – Gavin Warren, actor
* May 31 – Kayla Han, swimmer
* June 4 – Hezly Rivera, artistic gymnast
* June 23 – Lilliana Ketchman, dancer, YouTuber, and model
* July 15 – Iain Armitage, actor
* August 1 – Emma Berman, actress and voice actress
* September 18 – Jackson Robert Scott, actor
* October 9 – Bo (dog), Bo, pet dog of the Obama family (d. 2021 in the United States, 2021)
* October 24 – Liamani Segura, singer
* November 12 – Ryan Choi (footballer, born 2008), Ryan Choi, South Korean professional footballer
* December 22 – Madeleine McGraw, actress
Deaths
January
* January 1 – Salvatore Bonanno, leader of organized crime (b. 1932 in the United States, 1932)
* January 7
Events Pre-1600
*49 BC – The Senate of the Roman Republic, Senate of Rome says that Caesar will be declared a public enemy unless he disbands his army, prompting the tribunes who support him to flee to where Caesar is waiting in Ravenna ...
** Philip Agee, spy and writer, died in Cuba (b. 1935 in the United States, 1935)
** Edward "Buddy" LeRoux, businessman and American baseball executive (b. 1930 in the United States, 1930)
* January 10
Events Pre-1600
*49 BC – Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signalling the start of civil war.
* 9 – The Western Han dynasty ends when Wang Mang claims that the divine Mandate of Heaven called for the end of the dynasty and th ...
** Christopher Bowman, figure skater (b. 1967 in the United States, 1967)
** Maila Nurmi, Finnish-born American actress and television personality (b. 1922)
* January 11 – Carl Karcher, businessman (b. 1917 in the United States, 1917)
* January 13 – Johnny Podres, American baseball player (b. 1932 in the United States, 1932)
* January 15
Events Pre-1600
*AD 69, 69 – Otho seizes power in Rome, proclaiming himself Roman emperor, Emperor of Rome, beginning a reign of only three months.
*1541 – King Francis I of France gives Jean-François Roberval a commission to set ...
– Brad Renfro, actor (b. 1982 in the United States, 1982)
* January 17
** Bobby Fischer, American-born Icelandic chess grandmaster (b. 1943 in the United States, 1943)
** Ernie Holmes, American football player (b. 1948 in the United States, 1948)
** Allan Melvin, actor (b. 1923 in the United States, 1923)
* January 18
Events Pre-1600
* 474 – Seven-year-old Leo II succeeds his maternal grandfather Leo I as Byzantine emperor. He dies ten months later.
* 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople fail.
* 1126 – Emperor Huizong abdicates the C ...
** Georgia Frontiere, American football team owner, entertainer, and philanthropist (b. 1927 in the United States, 1927)
** Lois Nettleton, actress (b. 1927 in the United States, 1927)
* January 19
** Frances Lewine, journalist (b. 1921 in the United States, 1921)
** Suzanne Pleshette, American actress (b. 1937)
** John Stewart (folk musician), John Stewart, singer and songwriter (b. 1939 in the United States, 1939)
* January 22
Events Pre-1600
* 613 – Eight-month-old Heraclius Constantine is crowned as co-emperor ('' Caesar'') by his father Heraclius at Constantinople.
* 871 – Battle of Basing: The West Saxons led by King Æthelred I are defeated b ...
** Roberto Gari, actor (b. 1920 in the United States, 1920)
** Miles Lerman, Polish-born American activist and museum administrator (b. 1920 in Poland, 1920)
** Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger (4 April 1979 – 22 January 2008) was an Australian actor. After playing roles in several Australian television and film productions during the 1990s, he moved to the United States in 1998 to further develop his film care ...
, Australian actor and director, died in New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
(b. 1979)
* January 24 – Randy Salerno, television journalist (b. 1963 in the United States, 1963)
* January 26 – Christian Brando, actor and son of Marlon Brando (b. 1958 in the United States, 1958)
* January 27
Events Pre-1600
* 98 – Trajan succeeds his adoptive father Nerva as Roman emperor.
* 945 – The co-emperors Stephen and Constantine are overthrown and forced to become monks by Constantine VII, who becomes sole emperor of the ...
– Gordon B. Hinckley, minister and executive (b. 1910 in the United States, 1910)
* January 28
Events Pre-1600
*AD 98, 98 – On the death of Nerva, Trajan is declared Roman emperor in Cologne, the seat of his government in lower Germany.
* 814 – The death of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, brings about the accessi ...
– Frances Dewey Wormser, actress, entertainer and vaudeville performer (b. 1903 in the United States, 1903)
* January 29
** Raymond Jacobs, marine, member of the Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
** Margaret Truman, singer, writer, historian, and daughter of Harry S. Truman (b. 1924 in the United States, 1924)
February
* February 1
Events Pre-1600
* 1327 – The teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer.
* 1411 – The First Peace of Thorn is signed in Thorn (Toruń), ...
– Shell Kepler, actress (b. 1958 in the United States, 1958)
* February 2
Events Pre-1600
* 506 – Alaric II, eighth king of the Visigoths, promulgates the Breviary of Alaric (''Breviarium Alaricianum'' or ''Lex Romana Visigothorum''), a collection of " Roman law".
* 880 – Battle of Lüneburg Heath: ...
** Earl Butz, 18th United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1971 till 1976. (b. 1909 in the United States, 1909)
** Joshua Lederberg, Nobel molecular biologist and college administrator (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
* February 4
Events Pre–1600
* 211 – Following the death of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus at Eboracum (modern York, England) while preparing to lead a campaign against the Caledonians, the empire is left in the control of his two quarrellin ...
** Harry Richard Landis, World War I soldier (b. 1899 in the United States, 1899)
** Sheldon Brown (bicycle mechanic), Sheldon Brown, bicycle mechanic and writer (b. 1944 in the United States, 1944)
* February 6 – John McWethy, journalist (b. 1947 in the United States, 1947)
* February 8 – Phyllis A. Whitney, Japanese-born American writer (b. 1903 in Japan, 1903)
* February 10
Events Pre-1600
* 1258 – The Siege of Baghdad ends with the surrender of the last Abbasid caliph to Hulegu Khan, a prince of the Mongol Empire.
* 1306 – In front of the high altar of Greyfriars Church in Dumfries, Robert the Bru ...
– Roy Scheider, American actor and boxer (b. 1932)
* February 11
Events Pre-1600
* 660 BC – Traditional date for the foundation of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
* 55 – The death under mysterious circumstances of Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, heir to the Roman Empire, on the eve of his comin ...
– Tom Lantos, Hungarian-American United States Representative from California from 1981 till 2008. (b. 1928)
* February 12
Events Pre-1600
* 1096 – Pope Urban II confirms the foundation of the abbey of La Roë under Robert of Arbrissel as a community of canons regular.
* 1404 – The Italian professor Galeazzo di Santa Sofia performed the first post- ...
** Oscar Brodney, screenwriter and lawyer (b. 1907 in the United States, 1907)
** David Groh, actor (b. 1939 in the United States, 1939)
* February 13 – Roger Voisin, French-born American musician (b. 1918 in France, 1918)
* February 15 – Johnny Weaver, wrestler and sportscaster (b. 1935 in the United States, 1935)
* February 21 – Ben Chapman (actor), Ben Chapman, actor (b. 1928 in the United States, 1928)
* February 24
Events Pre-1600
* 484 – King Huneric of the Vandals replaces Nicene bishops with Arian ones, and banishes some to Corsica.
* 1303 – The English are defeated at the Battle of Roslin, in the First War of Scottish Independence.
...
– Larry Norman, musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer (b. 1947 in the United States, 1947)
* February 26 – Buddy Miles, musician (b. 1947 in the United States, 1947)
* February 27
** William F. Buckley Jr., writer and commentator (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
** Boyd Coddington, automobile producer and television host (b. 1944 in the United States, 1944)
** Myron Cope, American football sportscaster (b. 1929 in the United States, 1929)
* February 28 – Joseph M. Juran, Romanian-born American management consultant and engineer (b. 1904 in Romania, 1904)
March
* March 4 – Gary Gygax, writer and game designer (b. 1938 in the United States, 1938)
* March 5 – Joseph Weizenbaum, German writer and computer scientist, died in Ludwigsfelde-Gröben (Ludwigsfelde), Gröben (b. 1923 in Germany, 1923)
* March 9 – Gus Giordano, dancer (b. 1923 in the United States, 1923)
* March 12 – Howard Metzenbaum, Senator from Ohio in 1974 and from 1976 till 1995. (b. 1917 in the United States, 1917)
* March 15 – Vicki Van Meter, aviator (b. 1982 in the United States, 1982)
* March 16
** Ivan Dixon, actor, director, and producer (b. 1931 in the United States, 1931)
** Gary Hart (wrestler), Gary Hart, wrestler and wrestling manager (b. 1942 in the United States, 1942)
* March 20 – Abigail Rose Taylor, notable accident victim (b. 2001 in the United States, 2001)
* March 22 – Cachao López, Cuban musician, died in Coral Gables, Florida (b. 1918 in Cuba, 1918)
* March 23 – Al Copeland, entrepreneur, died in Munich, Germany (b. 1944 in the United States, 1944)
* March 24
** Hal Riney, businessman, founded Publicis & Hal Riney (b. 1932)
** Richard Widmark, actor (b. 1914 in the United States, 1914)
* March 28
** Herb Rich, American football player (b. 1928 in the United States, 1928)
** Ron Slinker, wrestler (b. 1945 in the United States, 1945)
** Helen Yglesias, writer (b. 1915 in the United States, 1915)
* March 30
**Douglas Kent Hall, American writer and photographer (b. 1938)
**Sean Levert, American singer (b. 1968 in the United States, 1968)
**Dith Pran, Cambodian-born American photojournalist (b. 1942 in Cambodia, 1942)
* March 31 – Jules Dassin, film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, and husband of Melina Mercouri, died in Athens, Greece (b. 1911 in the United States, 1911)
April
* April 2 – Ray Poole, American football player and coach (b. 1921 in the United States, 1921) * April 5 – Charlton Heston, actor (b. 1923 in the United States, 1923) * April 8 – Stanley Kamel, actor (b. 1943 in the United States, 1943) * April 11 – Merlin German, soldier and charity founder. (b. 1985 in the United States, 1985) * April 12 – Barbara McDermott, last American survivor of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania (b. 1912 in the United States, 1912) * April 13 – John Archibald Wheeler, physicist (b. 1911 in the United States, 1911) * April 14 – Ollie Johnston, animator (b. 1912 in the United States, 1912) * April 15 – Hazel Court, English actress (b. 1926 in the United Kingdom, 1926) * April 16 ** Joe Feeney, tenor (b. 1931 in the United States, 1931) ** Edward Norton Lorenz, mathematician and meteorologist (b. 1917 in the United States, 1917) ** Joseph Solman, painter (b. 1909 in the United States, 1909) * April 17 ** Danny Federici, musician (b. 1950 in the United States, 1950) ** Nicolette Goulet, Canadian-American actress (b. 1956 in Canada, 1956) * April 18 – Joy Page, actress (b. 1924 in the United States, 1924) * April 21 – Al Wilson (singer), Al Wilson, singer (b. 1939 in the United States, 1939) * April 22 – Paul Davis (singer), Paul Davis, singer, songwriter, and musician (b. 1948 in the United States, 1948)May
* May 1
** Buzzie Bavasi, American baseball executive (b. 1914 in the United States, 1914)
** Elaine Dundy, American writer and actress (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
** Hager Twins, Jim Hager, American country music singer and television actor (''Hee Haw'') (b. 1947 in the United States, 1947)
** Deborah Jeane Palfrey, American escort agency proprietor (b. 1955 in the United States, 1955)
* May 2 – Beverlee McKinsey, actress (b. 1935 in the United States, 1935)
* May 4 – Fredric J. Baur, chemist and inventor (b. 1918 in the United States, 1918)
* May 5
** Irv Robbins, Canadian-born American entrepreneur (b. 1917 in Canada, 1917)
** Jerry Wallace, American country and pop singer (b. 1928)
* May 8 – Eddy Arnold, American singer, songwriter, and musician (b. 1918)
* May 9 – Judy Grable, American professional wrestler (b. 1935 in the United States, 1935)
* May 11 – Dottie Rambo, singer, songwriter, and musician (b. 1934 in the United States, 1934)
* May 12 – Robert Rauschenberg, artist (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
* May 13 – John Phillip Law, actor (b. 1937 in the United States, 1937)
* May 15
** Alexander Courage, composer (b. 1919 in the United States, 1919)
** Willis Lamb, Nobel physicist (b. 1913 in the United States, 1913)
* May 16 – Robert Mondavi, winemaker (b. 1913 in the United States, 1913)
* May 18 – Joseph Pevney, film and television director (b. 1911 in the United States, 1911)
* May 20 – Hamilton Jordan, 8th White House Chief of Staff from 1979 till 1980. (b. 1944 in the United States, 1944)
* May 22 – Robert Asprin, writer (b. 1946 in the United States, 1946)
* May 23 – Cornell Capa, Hungarian-American photographer (b. 1918)
* May 24 – Dick Martin (comedian), Dick Martin, comedian, television director, actor, and producer (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
* May 26
** Earle Hagen, composer (b. 1919 in the United States, 1919)
** Sydney Pollack, American actor, director, and producer (b. 1934)
* May 28 – Robert Justman, television producer and director (b. 1926 in the United States, 1926)
* May 29 – Harvey Korman, American actor and Comedian (b. 1927)
June
* June 2
** Bo Diddley, singer, songwriter and musician (b. 1928)
** Mel Ferrer, actor, director and producer, spouse of Audrey Hepburn (b. 1917)
* June 6 – Dwight White, American football player (b. 1949 in the United States, 1949)
* June 7 – Jim McKay, television sports journalist (b. 1921 in the United States, 1921)
* June 9 – Algis Budrys, science fiction writer (b. 1931 in Lithuania)
* June 10 – John Rauch, American football player and coach (b. 1927 in the United States, 1927)
* June 12 – Charlie Jones (sportscaster), Charlie Jones, television sportscaster and actor (b. 1930 in the United States, 1930)
* June 13 – Tim Russert, television journalist and lawyer (b. 1950 in the United States, 1950)
* June 15
** Johnathan Goddard, American football player (b. 1981 in the United States, 1981)
** Stan Winston, film and television special effects and makeup artist (b. 1946 in the United States, 1946)
* June 16 – Caylee Anthony, alleged murder victim (b. 2005 in the United States, 2005)
* June 17 – Cyd Charisse, actress and dancer, spouse of Tony Martin (American singer), Tony Martin (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
* June 19 – Bennie Swain, basketball player and coach (b. 1930 in the United States, 1930)
* June 21
** Scott Kalitta, race car driver (b. 1962 in the United States, 1962)
** Kermit Love, puppeteer and costume designer (b. 1916 in the United States, 1916)
* June 22
** George Carlin, writer, actor, comedian and obscenity law central figure (b. 1937 in the United States, 1937)
** Dody Goodman, actress (b. 1914 in the United States, 1914)
* June 24 – Leonid Hurwicz, Nobel economist and mathematician (b. 1917 in Russia)
* June 26 – Katherine Loker, philanthropist (b. 1915 in the United States, 1915)
* June 27
** Polk Robison, basketball coach (b. 1912 in the United States, 1912)
** Michael Turner (comics), Michael Turner, comic book artist (b. 1971 in the United States, 1971)
* June 29 – Don S. Davis, actor and soldier, died in Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada (b. 1942 in the United States, 1942)
July
* July 1
** John Pont, American football coach (b. 1927 in the United States, 1927)
** Mark Dean Schwab, murderer (b. 1968 in the United States, 1968)
* July 3 – Larry Harmon, clown (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
* July 4
** Jesse Helms, American politician (b. 1921)
** Evelyn Keyes, American actress and wife of John Huston and Artie Shaw (b. 1916 in the United States, 1916)
** Terrence Kiel, American football player (b. 1980 in the United States, 1980)
* July 6 – Bobby Durham (jazz musician), Bobby Durham, jazz drummer (b. 1937 in the United States, 1937)
* July 11 – Michael E. DeBakey, surgeon and inventor (b. 1908 in the United States, 1908)
* July 12
** Bobby Murcer, baseball player and broadcaster (b. 1946 in the United States, 1946)
** Tony Snow, journalist and 26th White House Press Secretary from 2006 till 2007. (b. 1955 in the United States, 1955)
* July 16 – Jo Stafford, American singer (b. 1917)
* July 21 – K-Swift, American disc jockey and MC (b. 1978 in the United States, 1978)
* July 22 – Estelle Getty, actress (b. 1923 in the United States, 1923)
* July 25
** Johnny Griffin, American saxophonist (b. 1928)
** Randy Pausch, writer and computer scientist (b. 1960 in the United States, 1960)
August
* August 9 – Bernie Mac, American actor and comedian (b. 1957 in the United States, 1957)
* August 10
** Fred Crane (actor), Fred Crane, American actor and announcer (b. 1918 in the United States, 1918)
** Isaac Hayes, American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor (b. 1942 in the United States, 1942)
* August 11 – George Furth, American librettist, playwright, and actor (b. 1932 in the United States, 1932)
* August 12 – Patricia W. Malone, American naval officer (b. 1924 in the United States, 1924)
* August 13
** Sandy Allen, American tallest woman in the world (according to ''Guinness World Records'') (b. 1955 in the United States, 1955)
** Jack Weil, American entrepreneur (b. 1901 in the United States, 1901)
* August 15
** James Orthwein, American businessman (b. 1924 in the United States, 1924)
** Leroy Sievers, American journalist (b. 1955 in the United States, 1955)
** Jerry Wexler, American music producer and journalist (b. 1917 in the United States, 1917)
* August 16 – Roberta Collins, American actress (b. 1944 in the United States, 1944)
* August 17 – Philip Saffman, English-American mathematician (b. 1931)
* August 18 – Pervis Jackson, R&B singer (b. 1938 in the United States, 1938)
* August 19
** Julius Carry, American actor (b. 1952 in the United States, 1952)
** LeRoi Moore, American musician (b. 1961 in the United States, 1961)
* August 20 – Phil Guy, American blues guitarist (b. 1940 in the United States, 1940)
* August 23 – Thomas Huckle Weller, American Nobel virologist (b. 1915)
* August 25 – Kevin Duckworth, American basketball player (b. 1964 in the United States, 1964)
* August 28 – Phil Hill, American race car driver (b. 1927)
* August 29 – Bela E. Kennedy, American politician (b. 1918 in the United States, 1918)
* August 30 – Killer Kowalski, Polish-Canadian wrestler (b. 1926 in Canada, 1926)
September
* September 1
** Don LaFontaine, American television show and advertisement announcer (b. 1940 in the United States, 1940)
** Jerry Reed, American singer, songwriter, actor, and guitarist (b. 1937)
* September 2 – Bill Melendez, Mexican-American character animator, film director, voice artist and producer (b. 1916)
* September 6 – Anita Page, American actress (b. 1910 in the United States, 1910)
* September 9 – Warith Deen Mohammed, American Muslim leader, theologian, philosopher and revivalist (b. 1933)
* September 12 – David Foster Wallace, American writer and columnist (b. 1962 in the United States, 1962)
* September 14 – Hyman Golden, American businessman (b. 1923 in the United States, 1923)
* September 19 – Earl Palmer, American R&B Drummer (b. 1924)
* September 26 – Paul Newman, American actor, film director, entrepreneur and philanthropist (b. 1925)
October
* October 1
** Robert Arthur (actor), Robert Arthur, American actor (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
** Nick Reynolds, American musician (b. 1933 in the United States, 1933)
* October 5 – Kim Chan, Chinese-American actor (b. 1917 in China, 1917)
* October 11 – Neal Hefti, American jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
* October 15 – Edie Adams, American actress, singer, comedian, businesswoman (b. 1927)
* October 17 – Levi Stubbs, American singer and actor (b. 1936 in the United States, 1936)
* October 19
** Mr. Blackwell, American actor, fashion designer and critic (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
** Rudy Ray Moore, American actor, musician, and comedian (b. 1927 in the United States, 1927)
*October 18 – Dee Dee Warwick, American singer, sister of Dionne Warwick (b. 1942 in the United States, 1942)
*October 19 – Richard Blackwell, American journalist and fashion critic (b. 1922 in the United States, 1922)
*October 24 – Merl Saunders, American musician, pianist, and keyboardist (b. 1934 in the United States, 1934)
*October 25
**Anne Pressly, American news anchor (b. 1982)
**Estelle Reiner, American actress and singer (b. 1914 in the United States, 1914)
* October 26 – Tony Hillerman, American writer (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
* October 29 – William Wharton (author), William Wharton, American author (b. 1925)
* October 31 – Studs Terkel, American writer, broadcaster, and historian (b. 1912 in the United States, 1912)
November
* November 1 – Tiffany Sloan, American model (b. 1973 in the United States, 1973)
* November 4
** Michael Crichton, American physician, writer, screenwriter, film and television director and producer (b. 1942)
* November 10 – Arthur Shawcross, American serial killer (b. 1945 in the United States, 1945)
* November 12
**Catherine Baker Knoll, American educator and politician, 30th Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania (b. 1930 in the United States, 1930)
**Mitch Mitchell, British musician, died in Portland, Oregon (b. 1947 in the United Kingdom, 1947)
* November 13 – Jules Archer, American historian and author (b. 1915 in the United States, 1915)
* November 21 – Brenden Foster, murder victim (b. 1997 in the United States, 1997)
* November 22 – MC Breed, American rapper (b. 1971 in the United States, 1971)
December
* December 1 – Paul Benedict, American actor (b. 1938)
* December 2
** Kathleen Baskin-Ball, American minister (b. 1958 in the United States, 1958)
** Odetta, American singer, American songwriter, musician, actress, and civil rights activist (b. 1930)
* December 4 – Forrest J Ackerman, Forrest J. Ackerman, American writer, columnist, actor, and science-fiction collector (b. 1916 in the United States, 1916)
* December 5
** Nina Foch, Dutch-born American actress (b. 1924)
** Beverly Garland, American actress and businesswoman (b. 1926)
* December 6 – Sunny von Bülow, socialite and alleged murder victim, wife of Claus von Bülow (b. 1931 in the United States, 1931)
* December 8
** Robert Prosky, American actor (b. 1930 in the United States, 1930)
** William S. Stevens, American lawyer (b. 1948 in the United States, 1948)
* December 11
** Maddie Blaustein, American actress (b. 1960 in the United States, 1960)
** Bettie Page, American model and actress (b. 1923)
* December 12 – Van Johnson, American actor (b. 1916)
* December 14 – Mike Bell (wrestler), Mike Bell, American professional wrestler (b. 1971 in the United States, 1971)
* December 15 – John W. Powell, Chinese-American journalist (b. 1919 in China, 1919)
* December 16 – Sam Bottoms, American actor (b. 1955 in the United States, 1955)
* December 17 – Sammy Baugh, American football player and coach (b. 1914 in the United States, 1914)
* December 18
** Majel Barrett, American actress, producer (b. 1932)
** Mark Felt, American FBI agent also known as "Deep Throat (Watergate), Deep Throat" from Watergate scandal (b. 1913)
* December 19 – James Bevel, American minister and civil rights activist (b. 1936)
* December 20 – Robert Mulligan, American film and television director (b. 1925 in the United States, 1925)
* December 24 – Harold Pinter, British Nobel writer, screenwriter, director, and actor, died in London, United Kingdom (b. 1930 in the United Kingdom, 1930)
* December 25
** Eartha Kitt, American actress and singer (b. 1927)
** Ann Savage, American actress (b. 1921 in the United States, 1921)
* December 29 – Freddie Hubbard, musician (b. 1938 in the United States, 1938)
* December 31 – Donald E. Westlake, American writer and screenwriter (b. 1933 in the United States, 1933)
See also
* 2008 in American soccer * 2008 in American television * List of American films of 2008 * Timeline of United States history (1990–2009)References
External links
* {{Year in North America, 2008 2008 in the United States, 2000s in the United States 2008 by country, United States 2008 in North America, United States Years of the 21st century in the United States