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
The Mongol Empire was the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in human history, history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Euro ...
.
*
1306 – In front of the high altar of Greyfriars Church in
Dumfries
Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...
,
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...
murders
John Comyn, sparking the revolution in the
Wars of Scottish Independence.
*
1355 – The
St Scholastica Day riot breaks out in
Oxford
Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town.
The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead in two days.
*
1502 –
Vasco da Gama sets sail from
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
, Portugal, on his
second voyage to India.
*
1567 –
Lord Darnley, second husband of
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legit ...
, is found strangled following an explosion at the
Kirk o' Field house in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, Scotland, a suspected assassination.
1601–1900
*
1712 –
Huilliches in Chiloé rebel against Spanish
encomenderos.
*
1763 –
French and Indian War: The
Treaty of Paris ends the war and France cedes
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
to Great Britain.
*
1814 –
Napoleonic Wars
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Napoleonic Wars
, partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
, image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg
, caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
: The
Battle of Champaubert ends in French victory over the
Russians
Russians ( ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Eastern Europe. Their mother tongue is Russian language, Russian, the most spoken Slavic languages, Slavic language. The majority of Russians adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church ...
and the
Prussians.
*
1840 –
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
of the United Kingdom marries
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
*
1846 –
First Anglo-Sikh War:
Battle of Sobraon: British defeat Sikhs in the final battle of the war.
*
1861 –
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the only President of the Confederate States of America, president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the Unite ...
is notified by telegraph that he has been chosen as provisional
President of the Confederate States of America.
*
1862 –
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
: A
Union naval flotilla destroys the bulk of the Confederate
Mosquito Fleet in the
Battle of Elizabeth City on the
Pasquotank River in
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
.
1901–present
*
1906 – , the first of a revolutionary
new breed of battleships, is christened.
*
1920 –
Józef Haller de Hallenburg performs the
symbolic wedding of Poland to the sea, celebrating restitution of Polish access to open sea.
*
1920 – About 75% of the population in Zone I votes to join
Denmark
Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
in the
1920 Schleswig plebiscites.
*
1923 –
Texas Tech University is founded as Texas Technological College in
Lubbock, Texas.
*
1930 – The
Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng launches the failed
Yên Bái mutiny in hope of overthrowing
French protectorate over Vietnam.
*
1933 – In round 13 of a
boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
match at New York City's
Madison Square Garden,
Primo Carnera knocks out
Ernie Schaaf. Schaaf dies four days later.
*
1936 –
Second Italo-Abyssinian War:
Italian troops launch the
Battle of Amba Aradam against
Ethiopian defenders.
*
1939 –
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
: The
Nationalists conclude their
conquest of Catalonia and seal the border with France.
*
1940 – The
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
begins mass deportations of Polish citizens from
occupied eastern Poland to Siberia.
*
1943
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured.
* January 4 � ...
–
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
: Attempting to completely lift the
Siege of Leningrad, the
Soviet Red Army engages
German troops and
Spanish volunteers in the
Battle of Krasny Bor.
*
1947 – The
Paris Peace Treaties are signed by Italy, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Finland and the
Allies of World War II
The Allies, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international Coalition#Military, military coalition formed during World War II (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers. Its principal members were the "Four Policeme ...
.
*
1954 – U.S. President
Dwight D. Eisenhower warns against United States intervention in
Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
.
*
1962 –
Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
: Captured American
U2 spy-plane pilot
Gary Powers is exchanged for captured
Soviet
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
spy
Rudolf Abel.
*
1964 –
Melbourne–Voyager collision: The aircraft carrier collides with and sinks the destroyer off the south coast of
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
, Australia, killing 82.
*
1967 – The
25th Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified.
*
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...
–
Ras Al Khaimah joins 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 ...
, now making up seven emirates.
*
1984 –
Kenyan soldiers kill an estimated 5,000 ethnic Somali Kenyans in the
Wagalla massacre.
*
1989 –
Ron Brown is elected chairman of the
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal executive leadership board of the United States's Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. According to the party charter, it has "general responsibility for the affairs of the ...
, becoming the first
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
to lead a major American
political party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...
.
*
1996 –
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, and present in over 175 countries. It is ...
supercomputer
Deep Blue defeats
Garry Kasparov in chess for the first time.
*
2003 – France and Belgium break the
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
procedure of silent approval concerning the timing of protective measures for
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
in case of a possible war with
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 ...
.
*
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
– Forty-three people are killed and three are injured when a
Fokker 50 crashes near
Sharjah International Airport.
*
2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
– The
communications satellites
Iridium 33 and
Kosmos 2251 collide in orbit, destroying both.
*
2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
– Thirty-six people are killed and 39 others are injured in a
stampede in
Allahabad, India, during the
Kumbh Mela festival.
*
2016 –
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
decides to stop the
operation of the Kaesong joint industrial complex with
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
in response to the launch of
Kwangmyŏngsŏng-4.
*
2018 – Nineteen people are killed and 66 injured when a
Kowloon Motor Bus double decker on route 872 in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
overturns.
*
2021 – The traditional
Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is canceled for the first time because of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
.
*
2021 – Texas' worst energy infrastructure failure, the
2021 Texas power crisis, starts.
Births
Pre-1600
*
1486 –
George of the Palatinate, German bishop (died 1529)
*
1499 –
Thomas Platter, Swiss author and scholar (died 1582)
*
1514 –
Domenico Bollani, Bishop of Milan (died 1579)
1601–1900
*
1606 –
Christine of France, Duchess of Savoy (died 1663)
*
1609 –
John Suckling, English poet and playwright (died 1642)
*
1627 –
Cornelis de Bie, Flemish poet and jurist (died 1715)
*
1685 –
Aaron Hill, English poet and playwright (died 1750)
*
1696 –
Johann Melchior Molter, German violinist and composer (died 1765)
*
1766 –
Benjamin Smith Barton, American botanist and physician (died 1815)
*
1775 –
Charles Lamb, English poet and essayist (died 1834)
*
1785 –
Claude-Louis Navier, French physicist and engineer (died 1836)
*
1795
Events
January–June
* January – Central England records its coldest ever month, in the CET records dating back to 1659.
* January 14 – The University of North Carolina opens to students at Chapel Hill, becoming the ...
–
Ary Scheffer, Dutch-French painter and academic (died 1858)
*
1797 –
George Chichester, 3rd Marquess of Donegall (died 1883)
*
1821 –
Roberto Bompiani, Italian painter and sculptor (died 1908)
*
1824
Events
January–March
* January 1 – John Stuart Mill begins publication of The Westminster Review. The first article is by William Johnson Fox
* January 8 – After much controversy, Michael Faraday is finally elected as a member of th ...
–
Samuel Plimsoll, English merchant and politician (died 1898)
*
1829 –
Julius von Szymanowski, Russian surgeon of Polish-German origin (died 1868)
*
1842 –
Agnes Mary Clerke, Irish astronomer and author (died 1907)
*
1843 –
Adelina Patti, Italian-French
opera
Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
singer (died 1919)
*
1846 –
Lord Charles Beresford, Irish admiral and politician (died 1919)
* 1846 –
Ira Remsen, American chemist and academic (died 1927)
*
1847 –
Nabinchandra Sen, Bangladeshi poet and author (died 1909)
*
1859 –
Alexandre Millerand, French lawyer and politician, 12th
President of France (died 1943)
*
1867 –
Robert Garran, Australian lawyer and public servant (died 1957)
*
1868 –
Prince Waldemar of Prussia (died 1879)
* 1868 –
William Allen White, American journalist and author (died 1944)
*
1869 –
Royal Cortissoz, American art critic (died 1948)
*
1879 –
Ernst Põdder, Estonian general (died 1932)
*
1881 –
Pauline Brunius, Swedish actress and director (died 1954)
*
1883 –
Edith Clarke, American electrical engineer (died 1959)
* 1883 –
H. V. Hordern, Australian cricketer (died 1938)
* 1888 –
Giuseppe Ungaretti, Egyptian-Italian soldier, journalist, and poet (died 1970)
*
1890
Events
January
* January 1 – The Kingdom of Italy establishes Eritrea as its colony in the Horn of Africa.
* January 2 – Alice Sanger becomes the first female staffer in the White House.
* January 11 – 1890 British Ultimatum: The Uni ...
–
Fanny Kaplan, Ukrainian-Russian activist (died 1918)
* 1890 –
Boris Pasternak
Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (30 May 1960) was a Russian and Soviet poet, novelist, composer, and literary translator.
Composed in 1917, Pasternak's first book of poems, ''My Sister, Life'', was published in Berlin in 1922 and soon became an imp ...
, Russian poet, novelist, and literary translator
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
laureate (died 1960)
*
1892 –
Alan Hale Sr., American actor and director (died 1950)
*
1893 –
Jimmy Durante, American actor, singer, and pianist (died 1980)
* 1893 –
Bill Tilden, American tennis player and coach (died 1953)
*
1894 –
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton (10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986), was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. Nickn ...
, English captain and politician,
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister Advice (constitutional law), advises the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, sovereign on the exercise of much of the Royal prerogative ...
(died 1986)
*
1897 –
Judith Anderson, Australian actress (died 1992)
* 1897 –
John Franklin Enders, American virologist and academic,
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
laureate (died 1985)
*
1898 –
Bertolt Brecht, German director, playwright, and poet (died 1956)
* 1898 –
Joseph Kessel, French journalist and author (died 1979)
*
1899 –
Cevdet Sunay, Turkish general and politician, 5th
President of Turkey
The president of Turkey, officially the president of the Republic of Türkiye (), is the head of state and head of government of Turkey. The president directs the executive branch of the national government and is the commander-in-chief of the ...
(died 1982)
1901–present
*
1901 –
Stella Adler, American actress and educator (died 1992)
*
1902 –
Walter Houser Brattain, Chinese-American physicist and academic,
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
laureate (died 1987)
*
1903 –
Waldemar Hoven, German physician (died 1948)
* 1903 –
Matthias Sindelar, Austrian footballer and manager (died 1939)
*
1904 –
John Farrow, Australian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (died 1963)
*
1905 –
Walter A. Brown, American businessman, founded the
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
(died 1964)
* 1905 –
Chick Webb, American drummer and bandleader (died 1939)
*
1906 –
Lon Chaney Jr., American actor (died 1973)
*
1907 –
Anthony Cottrell, New Zealand rugby player (died 1988)
*
1908 –
Jean Coulthard, Canadian composer and educator (died 2000)
*
1909 –
Min Thu Wun, Burmese poet, scholar, and politician (died 2004)
*
1910 –
Dominique Pire, Belgian friar,
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
laureate (died 1969)
*
1914 –
Larry Adler, American harmonica player, composer, and actor (died 2001)
*
1915 –
Vladimir Zeldin, Russian actor (died 2016)
*
1919 –
Ioannis Charalambopoulos, Greek colonel and politician,
Deputy Prime Minister of Greece (died 2014)
*
1920 –
José Manuel Castañón, Spanish lawyer and author (died 2001)
* 1920 –
Alex Comfort, English physician and author (died 2000)
* 1920 –
Neva Patterson, American actress (died 2010)
*
1922 –
Árpád Göncz, Hungarian author, playwright, and politician, 1st
President of Hungary (died 2015)
* 1922 –
José Gabriel da Costa, Brazilian spiritual leader, founder of the
União do Vegetal (died 1971)
*
1923 –
Allie Sherman, American football player and coach (died 2015)
*
1924 –
Max Ferguson, Canadian radio host and actor (died 2013)
* 1924 –
Bud Poile, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (died 2005)
*
1925 –
Pierre Mondy, French actor and director (died 2012)
*
1926 –
Sidney Bryan Berry, American general (died 2013)
* 1926 –
Danny Blanchflower, Northern Irish soldier, footballer and manager (died 1993)
*
1927 –
Leontyne Price, American operatic soprano
*
1929 –
Jerry Goldsmith
Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929July 21, 2004) was an American composer, conductor and orchestrator with a career in film and television scoring that spanned nearly 50 years and over 200 productions, between 1954 and 2003. He was consid ...
, American composer and conductor (died 2004)
* 1929 –
Jim Whittaker, American mountaineer
* 1929 –
Lou Whittaker, American mountaineer (died 2024)
*
1930 –
E. L. Konigsburg, American author and illustrator (died 2013)
* 1930 –
Robert Wagner, American actor and producer
*
1931 –
James West, American inventor and acoustician
*
1932 –
Barrie Ingham, English-American actor (died 2015)
*
1933 –
Faramarz Payvar, Iranian musician and composer (died 2009)
* 1933 –
Richard Schickel, American journalist, author, and critic (died 2017)
*
1934 –
Fleur Adcock, New Zealand poet (died 2024)
*
1935
Events
January
* January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims.
* January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...
–
Theodore Antoniou, Greek composer and conductor (died 2018)
* 1935 –
Barbara Maier Gustern, American vocal coach and singer (died 2022)
*
1937 –
Anne Anderson, Scottish physiologist and academic (died 1983)
* 1937 –
Roberta Flack
Roberta Cleopatra Flack (February 10, 1937 – February 24, 2025) was an American singer and pianist known for her emotive, genre-blending ballads that spanned R&B, jazz, Folk music, folk, and pop and contributed to the birth of the quiet storm ...
, American singer-songwriter and pianist (died 2025)
*
1939 –
Adrienne Clarkson, Hong Kong-Canadian journalist and politician, 26th
Governor General of Canada
The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...
* 1939 –
Deolinda Rodríguez de Almeida, Angolan nationalist (died 1967)
*
1940 –
Mary Rand, English sprinter and long jumper
* 1940 –
Kenny Rankin, American singer-songwriter (died 2009)
*
1941 –
Michael Apted
Michael David Apted (10 February 1941 – 7 January 2021) was an English television and film director and producer.
Apted began working in television and directed the ''Up (film series), Up'' documentary series from 1970 to 2019). He later di ...
, English director and producer (died 2021)
*1941 –
Dick Carlson, American journalist and diplomat (died 2025)
*
1944 –
Peter Allen, Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actor (died 1992)
* 1944 –
Frank Keating, American lawyer and politician, 25th
Governor of Oklahoma
* 1944 –
Frances Moore Lappé, American author and activist
* 1944 –
Rufus Reid, American bassist and composer
*
1945 –
Delma S. Arrigoitia, Puerto Rican historian, author, educator and lawyer (died 2023)
* 1945 –
Glynn Saulters, American basketball player
*
1946
1946 (Roman numerals, MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1946th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 946th year of the 2nd millennium, the 46th year of the 20th centur ...
–
Dick Anderson, American football player
*
1947 –
Louise Arbour, Canadian lawyer and jurist
* 1947 –
Butch Morris, American cornet player, composer, and conductor (died 2013)
* 1947 –
Nicholas Owen, English journalist
*
1949
Events
January
* January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2025
* January 2 – Luis ...
–
Nigel Olsson, English rock drummer and singer-songwriter
*
1950 –
Luis Donaldo Colosio Murrieta, Mexican economist and politician (died 1994)
* 1950 –
Mark Spitz, American swimmer
*
1951 –
Bob Iger, American media executive
*
1952 –
Lee Hsien Loong, Singaporean general and politician, 3rd
Prime Minister of Singapore
*
1955 –
Jim Cramer, American television personality, pundit, and author
* 1955 –
Tom LaGarde, American basketball player
* 1955 –
Greg Norman, Australian golfer and sportscaster
*
1956
Events
January
* January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan after 57 years.
* January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, E ...
–
Kathleen Beller, American actress
* 1956 –
James Martin Graham, American Roman Catholic priest (died 1997)
* 1956 –
Enele Sopoaga
Enele Sosene Sopoaga Privy Council of the United Kingdom, PC (born 10 February 1956) is a Tuvaluan diplomat and politician who was Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2013 to 2019.
Sopoaga was elected to Parliament of Tuvalu, Parliament in the 2010 T ...
, Tuvaluan politician, 12th
Prime Minister of Tuvalu
*
1957 –
Katherine Freese, American astrophysicist and academic
*
1959 –
John Calipari, American basketball player and coach
*
1960 –
Jim Kent, American biologist, computer programmer, academic
*
1961 –
Alexander Payne, American director, producer, and screenwriter
* 1961 –
George Stephanopoulos, American television journalist
*
1962 –
Cliff Burton, American musician and songwriter (died 1986)
* 1962 –
Bobby Czyz, American boxer and commentator
* 1962 –
Randy Velischek, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
*
1963 –
Lenny Dykstra, American baseball player
*
1964 –
Glenn Beck, American journalist, producer, and author
*
1966 –
Natalie Bennett, Australian-English journalist and politician
* 1966 –
Daryl Johnston, American football player and sportscaster
*
1967 –
Laura Dern, American actress, director, and producer
* 1967 –
Jacky Durand, French cyclist and sportscaster
* 1967 –
Vince Gilligan, American director, producer, and screenwriter
*
1968 –
Peter Popovic, Swedish ice hockey player and coach
* 1968 –
Garrett Reisman, American engineer and astronaut
*
1969 –
Joe Mangrum, American painter and sculptor
* 1969 –
James Small, South African rugby player (died 2019)
*
1970 –
Melissa Doyle, Australian journalist and author
* 1970 –
Noureddine Naybet, Moroccan international footballer and manager
* 1970 –
Åsne Seierstad, Norwegian journalist and author
*
1971 *
The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...
–
Lorena Rojas, Mexican actress and singer (died 2015)
*
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...
–
Michael Kasprowicz, Australian cricketer
*
1973
Events January
* January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union.
* January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
–
Martha Lane Fox, Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho, English businesswoman and politician
*
1974 –
Elizabeth Banks, American actress
* 1974 –
Ty Law, American football player
* 1974 –
Ivri Lider, Israeli singer
* 1974 –
Henry Paul, New Zealand rugby player and coach
*
1975 –
Hiroki Kuroda, Japanese baseball player
* 1975 –
Tina Thompson, American basketball player and coach
*
1976
Events January
* January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
–
Lance Berkman, American baseball player and coach
* 1976 –
Keeley Hawes, English actress
*
1977 –
Salif Diao, Senegalese footballer
*
1978
Events January
* January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213.
* January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
–
Don Omar, Puerto Rican rapper, singer, producer, and actor
*
1979
Events
January
* January 1
** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
–
Joey Hand, American race car driver
*
1980 –
César Izturis, Venezuelan baseball player
* 1980 –
Enzo Maresca, Italian footballer
* 1980 –
Mike Ribeiro, Canadian ice hockey player
* 1980 –
Bruno Šundov, Croatian basketball player
*
1981 –
Uzo Aduba, American actress
* 1981 –
Stephanie Beatriz, American actress
* 1981 –
Max Brown, English actor
* 1981 –
Andrew Johnson, English footballer
* 1981 –
Barry Sloane, English actor
* 1981 –
Holly Willoughby, English model and television host
*
1982 –
Hamad Al-Tayyar, Kuwaiti footballer
* 1982 –
Justin Gatlin, American sprinter
* 1982 –
Tarmo Neemelo, Estonian footballer
* 1982 –
Iafeta Paleaaesina, New Zealand rugby league player
*
1983 –
Vic Fuentes, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
*
1984 –
Greg Bird, Australian rugby league player
* 1984 –
Alex Gordon, American baseball player
* 1984 –
Kim Hyo-jin, South Korean actress
* 1984 –
Zaza Pachulia, Georgian basketball player
*
1985 –
Selçuk İnan, Turkish footballer
* 1985 –
Paul Millsap, American basketball player
*
1986 –
Jeff Adrien, American basketball player
* 1986 –
Josh Akognon, American basketball player
* 1986 –
Radamel Falcao, Colombian footballer
* 1986 –
Roberto Jiménez Gago, Spanish footballer
* 1986 –
Viktor Troicki, Serbian tennis player
*
1987 –
Justin Braun, American ice hockey player
* 1987 –
Jakub Kindl, Czech ice hockey player
* 1987 –
Facundo Roncaglia, Argentine footballer
*
1988 –
Francesco Acerbi, Italian footballer
*
1989 –
Travis d'Arnaud, American baseball player
* 1989 –
Liam Hendriks, Australian baseball player
* 1989 –
Birgit Skarstein
Birgit Lovise Røkkum Skarstein (born 10 February 1989) is a Norwegian former Paralympic athlete and social entrepreneur who competed in para rowing and para cross-country skiing. She is a Paralympic champion and silver medallist, six-time w ...
, Norwegian Paralympic athlete and social entrepreneur
*
1990 –
Trevante Rhodes, American actor
* 1990 –
Choi Soo-young, South Korean singer-songwriter, actress, and dancer
*
1991 –
C. J. Anderson, American football player
* 1991 –
Rebecca Dempster, Scottish footballer
* 1991 –
Emma Roberts, American actress
*
1992 –
Haruka Nakagawa, Japanese singer and actress
* 1992 –
Reinhold Yabo, German footballer
*
1993 –
Yasser Ibrahim, Egyptian footballer
* 1993 –
Max Kepler, German-American baseball player
* 1993 –
Luis Madrigal, Mexican footballer
* 1993 –
Filip Twardzik, Czech footballer
*
1994
The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations.
In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
–
Son Na-eun, South Korean singer and actress
* 1994 –
Kang Seul-gi
Kang Seul-gi (; born February 10, 1994), known mononymously as Seulgi, is a South Korean singer and dancer. She is a member of the South Korean girl group Red Velvet (group), Red Velvet, its sub-unit Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi, and the super ...
, South Korean singer
* 1994 –
Makenzie Vega, American actress
* 1994 –
Miguel Almirón, Paraguayan footballer
*
1995 –
Sterling Brown, American basketball player
* 1995 –
Bobby Portis, American basketball player
* 1995 –
Carolane Soucisse, Canadian ice dancer
* 1995 –
Lexi Thompson, American golfer
* 1995 –
Naby Keïta, Guinean footballer
*
1996 –
Alexandar Georgiev, Bulgarian-Russian ice hockey player
* 1996 –
Emanuel Mammana, Argentine footballer
*
1997 –
Josh Jackson, American basketball player
* 1997 –
Lilly King, American swimmer
* 1997 –
Chloë Grace Moretz, American actress
* 1997 –
Nadia Podoroska, Argentine tennis player
* 1997 –
Josh Rosen, American football player
* 1997 –
Adam Armstrong, English footballer
*
1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
–
Tiffany Espensen, American actress
*
2000 –
María Carlé, Argentine tennis player
* 2000 –
Yara Shahidi, American actress and model
Deaths
Pre-1600
*
547 –
Scholastica, Christian
nun
*
1127 –
William IX, Duke of Aquitaine (born 1071)
*
1163 –
Baldwin III of Jerusalem (born 1130)
*
1242 –
Emperor Shijō of Japan (born 1231)
*
1280 –
Margaret II, Countess of Flanders (born 1202)
*
1306 –
John "the Red" Comyn, Scottish nobleman
*
1307 –
Temür Khan, Emperor Chengzong of Yuan (born 1265)
*
1346 – Blessed
Clare of Rimini (born 1282)
*
1471 –
Frederick II, Margrave of Brandenburg (born 1413)
*
1524 –
Catherine of Saxony, Archduchess of Austria (born 1468)
*
1526
Year 1526 (Roman numerals, MDXXVI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–March
* January 14 – Treaty of Madrid (1526), Treaty of Madrid: Peace is declared between Francis I of France and ...
–
John V, Count of Oldenburg, German noble (born 1460)
*
1567 –
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, consort of
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legit ...
(born 1545)
*
1576 –
Wilhelm Xylander, German scholar, translator, and academic (born 1532)
1601–1900
*
1660 –
Judith Leyster, Dutch painter (born 1609)
*
1686 –
William Dugdale, English genealogist and historian (born 1605)
*
1752 –
Henriette of France, French Princess (born1727)
*
1755 –
Montesquieu, French lawyer and philosopher (born 1689)
*
1782 –
Friedrich Christoph Oetinger, German theologian and author (born 1702)
*
1829 –
Pope Leo XII (born 1760)
*
1831 –
Peter Heywood, British naval officer (born 1772)
*
1837 –
Alexander Pushkin, Russian poet and author (born 1799)
*
1846 –
Maria Aletta Hulshoff, Dutch feminist and pamphleteer (born 1781)
*
1854 –
José Joaquín de Herrera, Mexican politician and general (born 1792)
*
1857 –
David Thompson, English-Canadian surveyor and explorer (born 1770)
*
1865 –
Heinrich Lenz, Estonian-Italian physicist and academic (born 1804)
*
1879 –
Honoré Daumier, French illustrator and painter (born 1808)
*
1887 –
Ellen Wood, English author (born 1814)
*
1891 –
Sofia Kovalevskaya, Russian-Swedish mathematician and physicist (born 1850)
1901–present
*
1904 –
John A. Roche, American lawyer and politician, 30th
Mayor of Chicago (born 1844)
*
1906 –
Ezra Butler Eddy, American-Canadian businessman and politician (born 1827)
*
1912 –
Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister, English surgeon and academic (born 1827)
*
1913 –
Konstantinos Tsiklitiras, Greek long jumper (born 1888)
*
1917 –
John William Waterhouse, English painter (born 1849)
*
1918
The ceasefire that effectively ended the World War I, First World War took place on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of this year. Also in this year, the Spanish flu pandemic killed 50–100 million people wor ...
–
Abdul Hamid II, Ottoman sultan (born 1842)
* 1918 –
Ernesto Teodoro Moneta, Italian soldier and journalist,
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
laureate (born 1833)
*
1920 –
Henry Strangways, English-Australian politician, 12th
Premier of South Australia (born 1832)
*
1923 –
Wilhelm Röntgen, German physicist and academic,
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
laureate (born 1845)
*
1928 –
José Sánchez del Río, Mexican martyr and saint (born 1913)
*
1932 –
Edgar Wallace, English author and screenwriter (born 1875)
*
1939 –
Pope Pius XI (born 1857)
*
1944 –
E. M. Antoniadi, Greek-French astronomer and chess player (born 1870)
*
1945 –
Anacleto Díaz, Filipino lawyer and jurist (born 1878)
*
1950 –
Marcel Mauss, French sociologist and anthropologist (born 1872)
*
1956
Events
January
* January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan after 57 years.
* January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, E ...
–
Leonora Speyer, American poet and violinist (born 1872)
* 1956 –
Emmanouil Tsouderos, Greek banker and politician, 132nd
Prime Minister of Greece
The prime minister of the Hellenic Republic (), usually referred to as the prime minister of Greece (), is the head of government of the Greece, Hellenic Republic and the leader of the Cabinet of Greece, Greek Cabinet.
The officeholder's of ...
(born 1882)
*
1957 –
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder (February 7, 1867 – February 10, 1957) was an American writer, teacher, and journalist. She is best known as the author of the children's book series ''Little House on the Prairie'', published between 1932 and 1 ...
, American author (born 1867)
*
1960 –
Aloysius Stepinac, Croatian cardinal (born 1898)
*
1966 –
Billy Rose, American composer and songwriter (born 1899)
*
1967 –
Dionysios Kokkinos, Greek historian and author (born 1884)
*
1975 –
Nikos Kavvadias, Greek sailor and poet (born 1910)
*
1979
Events
January
* January 1
** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
–
Edvard Kardelj, Slovene general and politician, 2nd
Foreign Minister of Yugoslavia (born 1910)
*
1992 –
Alex Haley, American soldier, journalist, and author (born 1921)
*
1993 –
Fred Hollows, New Zealand-Australian ophthalmologist and academic (born 1929)
*
1995 –
Paul Monette, American author, poet, and activist (born 1945)
*
1997 –
Brian Connolly, Scottish musician (born 1945)
*
2000 –
Jim Varney, American actor, comedian and writer (born 1949)
*
2001 –
Abraham Beame, American academic and politician, 104th
Mayor of New York City
The mayor of New York City, officially mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The Mayoralty in the United States, mayor's office administers all ...
(born 1906)
* 2001 –
Buddy Tate, American saxophonist and clarinet player (born 1913)
*
2002 –
Dave Van Ronk, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1936)
*
2003 –
Edgar de Evia, Mexican-American photographer (born 1910)
* 2003 –
Albert J. Ruffo, American lawyer and politician,
Mayor of San Jose (born 1908)
* 2003 –
Ron Ziegler, American politician, 14th
White House Press Secretary (born 1939)
*
2005
2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
–
Arthur Miller, American actor, playwright, and author (born 1915)
*
2006 –
James Yancey, American record producer and rapper (born 1974)
*
2008 –
Roy Scheider
Roy Richard Scheider (; November 10, 1932 – February 10, 2008) was an American actor and amateur boxer who achieved fame with his leading and supporting roles in celebrated films from the 1970s through to the mid-1980s. He was nominated for t ...
, American actor and boxer (born 1932)
*
2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
–
Fred Schaus, American basketball player and coach (born 1925)
* 2010 –
Charles Wilson, American lieutenant and politician (born 1933)
*
2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
–
Trevor Bailey, English cricketer and journalist (born 1923)
*
2012 –
Lloyd Morrison, New Zealand banker and businessman, founded
H. R. L. Morrison & Co (born 1957)
* 2012 –
Jeffrey Zaslow, American journalist and author (born 1958)
*
2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
–
W. Watts Biggers, American author, screenwriter, and animator (born 1927)
* 2013 –
David Hartman, American-Israeli rabbi and philosopher, founded the
Shalom Hartman Institute (born 1931)
*
2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
–
Stuart Hall, Jamaican-English sociologist and theorist (born 1932)
* 2014 –
Shirley Temple, American actress and diplomat (born 1928)
*
2015 –
Naseer Aruri, Palestinian scholar and activist (born 1934)
* 2015 –
Karl Josef Becker, German cardinal and theologian (born 1928)
* 2015 –
Deng Liqun, Chinese theorist and politician (born 1915)
*
2016 –
Fatima Surayya Bajia, Indian-Pakistani author and playwright (born 1930)
*
2017 –
Mike Ilitch, American businessman (born 1929)
*
2019 –
Carmen Argenziano, American actor (born 1943)
* 2019 –
Jan-Michael Vincent, American actor (born 1944)
*
2021 –
Larry Flynt, American publisher (born 1942)
*
2022 –
Olsen Filipaina, New Zealand rugby league player (born 1957)
*
2023 –
AKA, South African rapper (born 1988)
*
2025
So far, the year has seen the continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudanese civil war, and the Gaza war. Internal crises in Bangladesh post-resignation v ...
–
Peter Tuiasosopo, American football player and actor (born 1963)
Holidays and observances
*Christian
feast day:
**
Austrebertha
**
Charalambos
**
José Sánchez del Río
**
Scholastica
**
February 10 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
*
Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck (
Malta
Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
)
*
Fenkil Day(commemoration of the
Second Battle of Massawa) (
Eritrea
Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...
)
*
Kurdish Authors Union Day (
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Southern Kurdistan () refers to the Kurds, Kurdish-populated part of northern Iraq. It is considered one of the four parts of Greater Kurdistan in West Asia, which also includes parts of southeastern Turkey (Northern Kurdist ...
)
*
National Memorial Day of the Exiles and Foibe (
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
)
*
Arabian Leopard Day
References
External links
BBC: On This Day*
Historical Events on February 10
{{months
Days of February