Events

2020

President Donald Trump declares the COVID-19 pandemic to be a national emergency in the United States.

2020

Breonna Taylor is killed by police officers who were forcibly entering her home in Louisville, Kentucky; her death sparked extensive protests against racism and police brutality.

2020

Katerina Sakellaropoulou is sworn in as the first female President of Greece amid strict COVID-19 measures.

2016

The Ankara bombing kills at least 37 people.

2016

Three gunmen attack two hotels in the Ivory Coast town of Grand-Bassam, killing at least 19 people.

2015

Serbian Army Mi-17 helicopter crashes near Belgrade airport while transporting a 5-day-old baby with respiratory problems to hospital, killing all 7 on board.

2013

The 2013 papal conclave elects Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio taking the name Pope Francis as the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church.

2012

The Sierre coach crash kills 28 people, including 22 children.

2003

An article in Nature identifies the Ciampate del Diavolo as 350,000-year-old hominid footprints.

1997

The Missionaries of Charity choose Sister Nirmala to succeed Mother Teresa as their leader.

1996

The Dunblane massacre leads to the death of sixteen primary school children and one teacher in Dunblane, Scotland.

1993

The 1993 Storm of the Century affects the eastern United States, dropping feet of snow in many areas.

1992

The Mw 6.6 Erzincan earthquake strikes eastern Turkey with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe).

1989

Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-29 carrying the TDRS-4 satellite.

1988

The Seikan Tunnel, the longest tunnel in the world with an undersea segment, opens between Aomori and Hakodate, Japan.

1979

The New Jewel Movement, headed by Maurice Bishop, ousts the Prime Minister of Grenada, Eric Gairy, in a coup d'état.

1974

Sierra Pacific Airlines Flight 802 crashes into the White Mountains near Bishop, California, killing 36.

1969

Apollo 9 returns safely to Earth after testing the Lunar Module.

1964

Kitty Genovese is murdered in New York City, prompting research into the bystander effect due to the false story that neighbors witnessed the killing and did nothing to help her.

1957

Cuban student revolutionaries storm the presidential palace in Havana in a failed attempt on the life of President Fulgencio Batista.

1954

The Battle of Điện Biên Phủ begins with an artillery barrage by Viet Minh forces under Võ Nguyên Giáp; Viet Minh victory led to the end of the First Indochina War and French withdrawal from Vietnam.

1943

The Holocaust: German forces liquidate the Jewish ghetto in Kraków.

1940

The Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union officially ends after the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty.

1930

The news of the discovery of Pluto is announced by Lowell Observatory.

1920

The Kapp Putsch briefly ousts the Weimar Republic government from Berlin.

1900

British forces occupy Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, during the Second Boer War.

1888

The eruption of Ritter Island triggers tsunamis that kill up to 3,000 people on nearby islands.

1884

The Siege of Khartoum begins. It lasts until January 26, 1885.

1862

The Act Prohibiting the Return of Slaves is passed by the United States Congress, effectively annulling the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and setting the stage for the Emancipation Proclamation.

1848

The German revolutions of 1848–1849 begin in Vienna.

1845

Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto receives its première performance in Leipzig with Ferdinand David as soloist.

1825

Pope Leo XII publishes the apostolic constitution Quo Graviora in which he renewed the prohibition on Catholics joining freemasonry.

1815

Participants at the Congress of Vienna declare Napoleon an outlaw following his escape from Elba.

1811

A French and Italian fleet is defeated by a British squadron off the island of Vis in the Adriatic during the Napoleonic Wars.

1809

Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden is deposed in the Coup of 1809.

1781

William Herschel discovers Uranus.

1741

The Battle of Cartagena de Indias (part of the War of Jenkins' Ear) begins.

1697

Nojpetén, capital of the last independent Maya kingdom, falls to Spanish conquistadors, the final step in the Spanish conquest of Guatemala.

1639

Harvard College is named after clergyman John Harvard.

1591

At the Battle of Tondibi in Mali, Moroccan forces of the Saadi dynasty, led by Judar Pasha, defeat the Songhai Empire, despite being outnumbered by at least five to one.

1567

The Battle of Oosterweel, traditionally regarded as the start of the Eighty Years' War.

1323

Siege of Warangal: Sultan Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq sends an expeditionary army led by his son, Muhammad bin Tughluq, to the Kakatiya capital Warangal – after ruler Prataparudra has refused to make tribute payments. He besieges the city and finally, after a campaign of 8 months, Prataparudra surrenders on November 9.

1261

The Byzantine Empire and the Republic of Genoa sign a permanent treaty against the Venetians at Nymphaeum.

624

The Battle of Badr, the first major battle between the Muslims and Quraysh.

483

Election of Pope Felix III following the death of Pope Simplicius earlier that month.

222

Roman emperor Elagabalus is murdered alongside his mother, Julia Soaemias. He is replaced by his 14-year old cousin, Severus Alexander.

Births

2004

Coco Gauff, American tennis player

2002

Frank Gore Jr., American football player

2001

Beomgyu, South Korean singer-songwriter

2001

Thomas Dearden, Australian rugby league player

1998

Jay-Roy Grot, Dutch footballer

1998

Jack Harlow, American rapper, singer-songwriter, and actor

1997

Pyper America, American model, actress, and musician

1997

Landry Shamet, American basketball player

1996

Brayden Point, Canadian ice hockey player

1995

Mikaela Shiffrin, American skier

1995

Jang Su-jeong, South Korean tennis player

1994

Gerard Deulofeu, Spanish footballer

1994

Mohammed Siraj, Indian cricketer

1993

Tyrone Mings, English footballer

1992

Lucy Fry, Australian actress

1992

George MacKay, English actor

1992

Ozuna, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and rapper

1992

L, South Korean actor and singer

1991

Daniel Greig, Australian speed skater

1991

Tristan Thompson, American basketball player

1990

Anicet Abel, Malagasy footballer

1990

Marcell Dareus, American football player

1989

Holger Badstuber, German footballer

1989

Peaches Geldof, English columnist, television personality, and model (died 2014)

1989

Sandy León, Venezuelan baseball player

1989

Marko Marin, German footballer

1989

Robert Wickens, Canadian racing driver

1988

Furdjel Narsingh, Dutch footballer

1987

Marco Andretti, American race car driver

1987

Andreas Beck, German footballer

1986

Neil Wagner, South African-New Zealand cricketer

1985

Alcides, Brazilian footballer

1985

Emile Hirsch, American actor

1984

Geeta Basra, Indian actress

1983

Kaitlin Sandeno, American swimmer

1982

Izi Castro Marques, Brazilian basketball player

1982

Nicole Ohlde, American basketball player

1980

Caron Butler, American basketball player

1980

Brad Watts, Australian rugby league player

1979

Johan Santana, Venezuelan baseball player

1979

Cédric Van Branteghem, Belgian sprinter

1978

Tom Danielson, American cyclist

1976

Troy Hudson, American basketball player and rapper

1976

Danny Masterson, American actor and producer

1975

Mark Clattenburg, English football referee

1974

James Brinkley, Scottish cricketer

1974

Thomas Enqvist, Swedish tennis player and sportscaster

1973

Edgar Davids, Surinamese-Dutch footballer and manager

1973

David Draiman, American singer-songwriter

1973

Bobby Jackson, American basketball player and coach

1972

Common, American rapper and actor

1972

Trent Dilfer, American football player, coach, and analyst

1971

Annabeth Gish, American actress

1971

Allan Nielsen, Danish footballer and manager

1971

Adina Porter, American actress

1970

Tim Story, American director and producer

1969

Darren Fritz, Australian rugby league player

1967

Andrés Escobar, Colombian footballer (died 1994)

1967

Pieter Vink, Dutch footballer and referee

1966

Chico Science, Brazilian singer-songwriter (died 1997)

1964

Will Clark, American baseball player

1964

Craig Dimond, Australian rugby league player

1964

Trevor Gillmeister, Australian rugby league player and coach

1963

Mariano Duncan, Dominican baseball player and manager

1963

Vance Johnson, American football player

1963

Fito Páez, Argentine musician, songwriter and filmmaker

1962

Alfredo Maia, Portuguese politician

1960

Adam Clayton, English-Irish musician and songwriter

1960

Joe Ranft, American animator, screenwriter, and voice actor (died 2005)

1959

Dirk Wellham, Australian cricketer

1958

Mágico González, Salvadoran footballer

1958

Rick Lazio, American lawyer and politician

1958

Caryl Phillips, Caribbean-English author and playwright

1957

John Hoeven, American banker and politician, 31st Governor of North Dakota

1957

Moses Hogan, American composer and conductor (died 2003)

1956

Dana Delany, American actress and producer

1956

Jamie Dimon, North-American businessman and banker

1955

Bruno Conti, Italian footballer and manager

1955

Glenne Headly, American actress (died 2017)

1955

Olga Rukavishnikova, Russian pentathlete

1954

Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos, Guyanese-English politician and diplomat

1954

Robin Duke, Canadian actress and screenwriter

1953

Andy Bean, American golfer (died 2023)

1953

Michael Curry, American bishop, 27th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church

1953

Deborah Raffin, American actress (died 2012)

1952

Wolfgang Rihm, German composer and educator

1952

Tim Sebastian, English journalist and author

1950

Joe Bugner, Hungarian-British boxer and actor (died 2025)

1950

Bernard Julien, Trinidadian cricketer

1950

Charles Krauthammer, American physician, journalist, and author (died 2018)

1950

William H. Macy, American actor, director, and screenwriter

1949

Ze'ev Bielski, Israeli politician

1949

Sian Elias, New Zealand lawyer and politician, 12th Chief Justice of New Zealand

1949

Trevor Sorbie, Scottish hairdresser (died 2024)

1947

Lesley Collier, English ballerina and educator

1947

Beat Richner, Swiss pediatrician and cellist (died 2018)

1947

Lyn St. James, American race car driver

1946

Yonatan Netanyahu, American-Israeli colonel (died 1976)

1945

Anatoly Fomenko, Russian mathematician and academic

1944

Terence Burns, Baron Burns, English economist and academic

1942

Dave Cutler, American computer scientist and engineer

1942

Mahmoud Darwish, Palestinian poet and author (died 2008)

1942

Scatman John, American singer-songwriter (died 1999)

1942

George Negus, Australian journalist and television host (died 2024)

1941

Donella Meadows, American environmentalist, author, and academic (died 2001)

1941

Lee Moses, American R&B Soul Singer and Guitarist (died 1998)

1939

Neil Sedaka, American singer-songwriter and pianist (died 2026)

1938

Robert Gammage, American captain and politician (died 2012)

1935

David Nobbs, English author and screenwriter (died 2015)

1933

Diane Dillon, American illustrator

1933

Mahdi Elmandjra, Moroccan economist and sociologist (died 2014)

1933

Gero von Wilpert, German author and academic (died 2009)

1930

Walter Jacob, American Reform rabbi (died 2024)

1929

Zbigniew Messner, Polish economist and politician, 9th Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland (died 2014)

1926

Carlos Roberto Reina, Honduran lawyer and politician, President of Honduras (died 2003)

1925

Roy Haynes, American drummer and composer (died 2024)

1923

Dimitrios Ioannidis, Greek general (died 2010)

1921

Al Jaffee, American cartoonist (died 2023)

1920

Ralph J. Roberts, American businessman, co-founded Comcast (died 2015)

1916

Lindy Boggs, American educator and politician, 5th United States Ambassador to the Holy See (died 2013)

1916

Jacque Fresco, American engineer and academic (died 2017)

1914

W. O. Mitchell, Canadian author and playwright (died 1998)

1914

Edward O'Hare, American lieutenant and pilot, Medal of Honor recipient (died 1943)

1913

William J. Casey, American politician, 13th Director of Central Intelligence (died 1987)

1913

Sergey Mikhalkov, Russian author and playwright (died 2009)

1911

José Ardévol, Cuban composer and conductor (died 1981)

1911

L. Ron Hubbard, American author, founder of Scientology (died 1986)

1910

Sammy Kaye, American saxophonist, songwriter, and bandleader (died 1987)

1910

Kemal Tahir, Turkish journalist and author (died 1973)

1908

Walter Annenberg, American publisher, philanthropist, and diplomat, United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom (died 2002)

1908

Myrtle Bachelder, American chemist and Women's Army Corps officer (died 1997)

1907

Dorothy Tangney, Australian politician (died 1985)

1904

Clifford Roach, Trinidadian cricketer and footballer (died 1988)

1902

Hans Bellmer, German-French painter and sculptor (died 1975)

1900

Andrée Bosquet, Belgian painter (died 1980)

1900

Giorgos Seferis, Greek poet and diplomat, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1971)

1899

John Hasbrouck Van Vleck, American physicist and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1980)

1899

Pancho Vladigerov, Bulgarian pianist and composer (died 1978)

1898

Henry Hathaway, American director and producer (died 1985)

1897

Yeghishe Charents, Armenian poet and activist (died 1937)

1892

Janet Flanner, American journalist and author (died 1978)

1890

Fritz Busch, German conductor and director (died 1951)

1888

Paul Morand, French author and diplomat (died 1976)

1886

Home Run Baker, American baseball player and manager (died 1963)

1886

Albert William Stevens, American captain and photographer (died 1949)

1884

Hugh Walpole, New Zealand-English author and educator (died 1941)

1883

Enrico Toselli, Italian pianist and composer (died 1926)

1880

Josef Gočár, Czech architect (died 1945)

1874

Ellery Harding Clark, American jumper, coach, and lawyer (died 1949)

1870

William Glackens, American painter and illustrator (died 1938)

1864

Alexej von Jawlensky, Russian-German painter (died 1941)

1862

Paul Prosper Henrys, French general (died 1943)

1860

Hugo Wolf, Slovene-Austrian composer (died 1903)

1857

B. H. Roberts, English-American historian and politician (died 1933)

1855

Percival Lowell, American astronomer and mathematician (died 1916)

1825

Hans Gude, Norwegian-German painter and academic (died 1903)

1815

James Curtis Hepburn, American physician, linguist, and missionary (died 1911)

1800

Mustafa Reşid Pasha, Ottoman politician, 212th Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire (died 1858)

1798

Abigail Fillmore, American wife of Millard Fillmore, 14th First Lady of the United States (died 1853)

1781

Karl Friedrich Schinkel, German painter and architect, designed the Konzerthaus Berlin (died 1841)

1770

Daniel Lambert, English animal breeder (died 1809)

1764

Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died 1845)

1763

Guillaume Brune, French general and diplomat (died 1815)

1741

Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (died 1790)

1720

Charles Bonnet, Swiss historian and author (died 1793)

1719

John Griffin, 4th Baron Howard de Walden, English field marshal and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Essex (died 1797)

1700

Michel Blavet, French flute player and composer (died 1768)

1683

Johann Wilhelm Weinmann, German botanist (died 1741)

1615

Innocent XII, pope of the Catholic Church (died 1700)

1599

John Berchmans, Belgian Jesuit scholastic and saint (died 1621)

1593

Georges de La Tour, French painter (probable; (died 1652)

1560

William Louis, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Dutch count (died 1620)

1479

Lazarus Spengler, German hymnwriter (died 1534)

1372

Louis I, Duke of Orléans (died 1407)

Deaths

2025

John Feinstein, American sportswriter and commentator (born 1956)

2025

Raúl Grijalva, United States representative from Arizona (born 1948)

2025

Sofia Gubaidulina, Russian-German pianist and composer (born 1931)

2024

Philippe de Gaulle, French admiral (born 1921)

2022

William Hurt, American actor (born 1950)

2021

Marvelous Marvin Hagler, American professional boxer (born 1954)

2021

Murray Walker, English motorsport commentator and journalist (born 1923)

2018

Emily Nasrallah, Lebanese writer and women's rights activist. (born 1931)

2017

Amy Krouse Rosenthal, American author (born 1965)

2016

Hilary Putnam, American philosopher, mathematician, and computer scientist (born 1926)

2015

Al Rosen, American baseball player and manager (born 1924)

2014

Reubin Askew, American sergeant, lawyer, and politician, 37th Governor of Florida (born 1928)

2014

Edward Haughey, Baron Ballyedmond, Irish businessman and politician (born 1944)

2014

Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, Sierra Leonean economist, lawyer, and politician, 3rd President of Sierra Leone (born 1932)

2014

Icchokas Meras, Lithuanian-Israeli author and screenwriter (born 1934)

2013

Clive Burr, English drummer and songwriter (born 1957)

2011

Rick Martin, Canadian-American ice hockey player (born 1951)

2010

Jean Ferrat, French singer-songwriter (born 1930)

2009

Betsy Blair, American actress (born 1923)

2009

Alan W. Livingston, American businessman (born 1917)

2007

Arnold Skaaland, American wrestler and manager (born 1925)

2006

Robert C. Baker, American businessman, invented the chicken nugget (born 1921)

2006

Jimmy Johnstone, Scottish footballer (born 1944)

2006

Maureen Stapleton, American actress (born 1925)

2006

Peter Tomarken, American television personality, game show host (born 1942)

2004

Franz König, Austrian cardinal (born 1905)

2002

Hans-Georg Gadamer, German philosopher and scholar (born 1900)

2001

John A. Alonzo, American actor and cinematographer (born 1934)

2001

Encarnacion Alzona, Filipino historian and educator (born 1895)

1999

Lee Falk, American cartoonist, director, and producer (born 1911)

1999

Garson Kanin, American director and screenwriter (born 1912)

1998

Judge Dread, English singer-songwriter (born 1945)

1998

Hans von Ohain, German-American physicist and engineer (born 1911)

1996

Krzysztof Kieślowski, Polish director and screenwriter (born 1941)

1995

Odette Hallowes, French nurse and spy (born 1912)

1990

Bruno Bettelheim, Austrian-American psychologist and author (born 1903)

1983

Paul Citroen, German-Dutch illustrator and educator (born 1896)

1976

Ole Haugsrud, American sports executive (born 1900)

1975

Ivo Andrić, Yugoslav novelist, poet, and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1892)

1972

Tony Ray-Jones, English photographer (born 1941)

1971

Rockwell Kent, American painter and illustrator (born 1882)

1965

Vittorio Jano, Italian engineer (born 1891)

1965

Fan Noli, Albanian-American bishop and politician, 14th Prime Minister of Albania (born 1882)

1962

Anne Acheson, Irish sculptor (born 1882)

1961

Lise Lindbæk, Norwegian journalist and war correspondent (born 1905)

1953

Johan Laidoner, Estonian general and statesman (born 1884)

1951

Ants "the Terrible" Kaljurand, Estonian anti-communist, freedom fighter and forest brother (born 1917)

1946

Werner von Blomberg, German field marshal (born 1878)

1943

Stephen Vincent Benét, American poet, short story writer, and novelist (born 1898)

1938

Clarence Darrow, American lawyer and author (born 1857)

1936

Francis Bell, New Zealand lawyer and politician, 20th Prime Minister of New Zealand (born 1851)

1923

Josephine Leary, American real estate entrepreneur (born 1856)

1921

Jenny Twitchell Kempton, American opera singer and educator (born 1835)

1912

Eugène-Étienne Taché, Canadian engineer and architect, designed the Parliament Building (born 1836)

1906

Susan B. Anthony, American activist (born 1820)

1901

Benjamin Harrison, American general and politician, 23rd President of the United States (born 1833)

1885

Giorgio Mitrovich, Maltese politician (born 1795)

1884

Leland Stanford Jr., American son of Leland Stanford (born 1868)

1881

Alexander II of Russia (born 1818)

1879

Adolf Anderssen, German mathematician and chess player (born 1818)

1873

David Swinson Maynard, American physician, lawyer, and businessman (born 1808)

1854

Jean-Baptiste de Villèle, French politician, 6th Prime Minister of France (born 1773)

1842

Henry Shrapnel, English general (born 1761)

1833

William Bradley, English lieutenant and cartographer (born 1757)

1823

John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent, English admiral and politician (born 1735)

1808

Christian VII of Denmark (born 1749)

1800

Nana Fadnavis, Indian minister and politician (born 1742)

1719

Johann Friedrich Böttger, German chemist and potter (born 1682)

1711

Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux, French poet and critic (born 1636)

1619

Richard Burbage, English actor (born 1567)

1601

Henry Cuffe, Politician (born 1563)

1573

Michel de l'Hôpital, French politician (born 1507)

1447

Shah Rukh, Timurid ruler of Persia and Transoxania (born 1377)

1415

Minye Kyawswa, Crown Prince of Ava (born 1391)

1271

Henry of Almain, English knight (born 1235)

1202

Mieszko III the Old, king of Poland (born c. 1121)

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