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1898–Artist, M.C. Escher, is born Maurits Cornelis Escher in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. He was a Dutch graphic artist famous for his prints of bizarre optical effects. Some of his better known works are “Drawing Hands,” “Relativity,” “Waterfall,” and “Hand with Reflecting Sphere.”


629–King Shahrbaraz of Persia dies. He usurped the throne from Ardashir III, and was killed by Sasanian nobles after 40 days.

653–Pope St. Martin I ends his reign. He is arrested, along with Maximus the Confessor, and hurried out of Rome, Italy, to Naxos, Greece, and subsequently to Constantinople. He is considered a saint and martyr by the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

656–Persian ruler, Uthman, dies in Medina, Arabia, Rashidun Empire, at age 79. Born into a prominent Meccan clan of the Quraysh tribe, he played a major role in early Islamic history, succeeding Umar ibn al-Khattab as caliph at age 65.

676–Pope Deusdedit II dies in Rome, Byzantine Empire.

801–Drogo of Metz, the illegitimate son of Charlemagne, is born at Aachen, Gaul (Aix-La-Chappelle). Drogo’s mother, Regina, was one of four concubines taken by Charlemagne in 800, after the death of his Alemannian wife who had borne him no children.

855–Pope Leo IV, (847-855), dies in Rome, Papal States, at age 65.

1239–Edward I, King of England (1272-1307), is born at the Palace of Westminster, London, England. He was known as “Edward Longshanks” and the “Hammer of the Scots.”

1244–Following the Disputation of Paris, 24 carriage loads of Jewish religious manuscripts are burned in Paris, France.

1462–Vlad III the Impaler attempts to assassinate Mehmed II (The Night Attack) forcing him to retreat from Wallachia.

1497–In the Battle of Deptford Bridge, forces under King Henry VII defeat troops led by Michael An Gof.

1501–John I Albert of Poland dies suddenly in Torun, Poland, at age 41.

1565–Matsunaga Hisahide assassinates the 13th Ashikaga shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiteru.

1579–An anti-English uprising takes place in Ireland.

1579–Sir Francis Drake claims San Francisco Bay for England.

1596–Dutch explorer, Willem Barentsz, discovers the Arctic archipelago of Spitsbergen.

1631–Mumtaz Mahal dies during the birth of her 14th child in Burhanpur, Mughal Empire, at age 37. Her husband, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan I, will spend more than 20 years building her tomb, the world famous Taj Mahal.

1673–French explorers, Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet, reach the Mississippi River and become the first Europeans to make a detailed account of its course.

1682–Charles XII of Sweden is born in Tre Kronor, Sweden.

1696–Polish-Lithuanian King, John III Sobieski, dies of a sudden heart attack in Wilanów, near Warsaw, Poland.

1767–Samuel Wallis, an English sea captain, sights Tahiti and is considered the first European to reach the island.

1773–Cúcuta, Colombia, is discovered by Juana Rangel de Cuéllar.

1775–During the American Revolution, Colonists inflict heavy casualties on British forces while losing the Battle of Bunker Hill.

1789–In France, the Third Estate declares itself the National Assembly.

1795–The burghers of Swellendam expel the Dutch East India Company magistrate and declare a republic.

1818–Composer, Charles Gounod, is born in Paris, France. He is best known for his opera Faust.

1839–In the Kingdom of Hawaii, Kamehameha III issues the edict of toleration, which gives Roman Catholics the freedom to worship in the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaii Catholic Church and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace are established as a result.

1843–The Wairau Affray, the first serious clash of arms between Maori and British settlers in the New Zealand Wars, takes place.

1856–The Republican Party opens its first national convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1867–John Robert Gregg, inventor of shorthand, is born in Shantonagh, Monaghan, Ireland.

1870–George Cormack, creator of the cereal, Wheaties, is born. The popular cereal became known as “The Breakfast of Champions,” due to its promotion by sports figures.

1871–Poet, James Weldon Johnson, is born in Jacksonville, Florida. He is best known for his book The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. He was an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance Literary movement of the 1920s and 1930s.

1876–In the American Indian Wars 1,500 Sioux and Cheyenne, led by Crazy Horse, beat back General George Crook's forces at Rosebud Creek in Montana Territory.

1877–The Nez Perce defeat the U.S. Cavalry at White Bird Canyon in Idaho Territory.

1881–James Starley, inventor of the bicycle, dies in Coventry, West Midlands, England, at age 50. He was one of the most innovative and successful builders of bicycles and tricycles. His inventions include the differential gear and the perfection of the bicycle chain drive.

1882–Composer, Igor Stravinsky, is born in Oranienbaum, Russia. He is the most famous Russian composer of the 20th century, and he spent most of his life in France and America. He composed The Rite of Spring.

1885–The Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor (in 350 pieces) on board the French ship, Isere.

1898–The United States Navy Hospital Corps is established.

1898–Artist, M.C. Escher, is born Maurits Cornelis Escher in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. He was a Dutch graphic artist famous for his prints of bizarre optical effects. Some of his better known works are “Drawing Hands,” “Relativity,” “Waterfall,” and “Hand with Reflecting Sphere.”

1900–In the Boxer Rebellion, Allied Western and Japanese forces capture the Taku Forts in Tianjin, China.

1901–The College Board introduces its first standardized test, the forerunner to the SAT.

1903–Ruth Wakefield, creator of the Toll House Cookie (the first chocolate chip cookie), is born in East Walpole, Massachusetts.

1904–Actor, Ralph (Rexford) Bellamy, is born in Chicago, Illinois. He appeared in the films Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Spitfire, His Girl Friday, Five Bomber, The Wolf Man, The Ghost of Frankenstein, Stage Door Canteen, Sunrise at Campobello, Rosemary’s Baby, Doctor’s Wives, Trading Places, Terror in the Aisles, Amazon Women on the Moon, Coming to America, The Good Mother, and Pretty Woman.

1906–Chess player, Harry Nelson Pillsbury, dies of syphilis in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at age 33. As a chessman, Pillsbury's rise was meteoric, and there was soon no one to challenge him in the New York chess scene. At the age of 22, he went to Europe and won The Hastings 1895 chess tournament, one of the strongest tournaments of the time. In spite of his ill health, Pillsbury beat American champion, Jackson Showalter, in 1897, to win the U.S. Chess Championship, a title he held until his death.

1907–Designer and architect, Charles Eames, is born Charles Ormond Eames, Jr. in St. Louis, Missouri. He worked with his wife, Ray Kaiser Eames, in creating iconic modern furniture designs of molded wood and plastic. The design office of Charles and Ray Eames functioned for more than four decades (1943-1988) in the former Bay Cities Garage on Washington Boulevard in Venice, California. The name Eames is synonymous with what is now considered mid-20th century “retro” style.

1910–Country singer, Red Foley, is born Clyde Julian Foley in Blue Lick, Kentucky. For more than two decades, Foley was one of the biggest stars of Country Music, selling more than 25 million records. His 1951 hit, Peace in the Valley, was among the first million-selling gospel records. His other hits include Candy Kisses, Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy, Just a Closer Walk with Thee, and Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes. Singer, Pat Boone, was his son-in-law, and his granddaughter is singer Febbie Boone.

1915–Country comedian, Stringbean, is born David Akeman in Annville, Kentucky. He is best known as one of the regulars on the TV series Hee Haw, and as a member of The Grand Ole Opry.

1918–Buddhist meditation master, Ajahn Chah, is born Chah Subhaddo (Chao Khun Bodhinyana Thera) in Ubon, Thailand. Beginning in 1979, with the founding of Cittaviveka (commonly known as Chithurst Buddhist Monastery) in the United Kingdom, the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah has spread throughout Europe, the United States, and the British Commonwealth.

1920–Actress, Beryl (Elizabeth) Reid, is born in Hereford, Herefordshire, England. She appeared in the films Two-Way Stretch, Inspector Clouseau, Star!, The Killing of Sister George, The Assassination Bureau, Entertaining Mr. Sloane, Psychomania, No Sex Please, We're British, Joseph Andrews, Yellowbreard, and The Wind in the Willows.

1922–Portuguese naval aviators, Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral, complete the first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic.

1922–Television and film composer, Jerry Fielding, is born Joshua Itzhak Feldman in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He wrote the title themes for the classic TV shows as McHale's Navy, Bewitched, Hogan's Heroes, He & She, and The Bionic Woman. His films include Straw Dogs, Junior Bonner, The Mechanic, Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Escape from Alcatraz.

1929–Murchison, New Zealand is rocked by a 7.8 earthquake. Seventeen people are killed.

1930–President Herbert Hoover signs the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act into law.

1931–Film composer, Dominic (Carmen) Frontiere, is born in New Haven, Connecticut. He is known for composing the theme and much of the music for the first season of the TV sci-fi series The Outer Limits. He became head of the music department at Paramount Pictures in the early 1970s, where he worked on television and film scores, while concurrently orchestrating popular music albums. His work for television includes The F.B.I., The Rat Patrol, The Invaders, The Fugitive, The Flying Nun, and Vega$. His work in film includes Billie, Hang ‘Em High, Chisum, Freebie and the Bean, The Gumball Rally, and The Stuntman.

1932–Around 1,000 World War I veterans amass at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., as the U.S. Senate considers a bill that would give them certain benefits.

1933–At Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, four FBI agents and captured fugitive, Frank Nash, are gunned down by gangsters attempting to free the criminal.

1933–Vernon Presley marries Gladys Smith in Ponotoc, Mississippi. The birth of Elvis (and his twin brother Jesse) would follow in a year and a half.

1936–Film director, Ken Loach, is born Kenneth Loach in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. He is well known for his work feautred in BBC TV’s The Wednesday Play, which included Up the Junction and Cathy Come Home. His films include Poor Cow, Kes, Family Life, Looks and Smiles, Fatherland, Riff-Raff, My Name is Joe, Bread and Roses, The Navigators, and Sweet Sixteen.

1937–Actor, Peter Lupus, is born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is best known for his role on the popular TV spy series Mission: Impossible. He appeared in the films Muscle Beach Party, The Brass Bottle, Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon, Giant of the Evil Island, The Escapist, Assassination, Hangfire, and Carlo’s Wake.

1939–Eugen Weidmann, a convicted murderer, is guillotined in Versailles, outside the Saint-Pierre prison. It will be the last public guillotining in France.

1940–The RMS Lancastria is attacked and sunk by the Luftwaffe near Saint-Nazaire, France. At least 3,000 people are killed in Britain's worst maritime disaster.

1940–The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania fall under the occupation of the Soviet Union.

1940–The British Army's 11th Hussars assault and take Fort Capuzzo from Italian forces in Libya, Africa.

1941–WNBT-TV in New York City, is granted the first construction permit to operate a commercial TV station in the U.S.

1942–Norman Kuhlice, drummer for The Swinging Blue Jeans, is born in Liverpool, England.

1943–Newt Gingrich, 58th Speaker of the House (1995-1999), is born Newton Leroy McPherson in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In 1946, Newt’s mother married Army officer, Robert Gingrich, who adopted him. He represented Georgia's 6th Congressional District as a Republican from 1979 until his resignation in 1999.

1943–Singer-songwriter, Barry Manilow, is born Barry Alan Pincus in Brooklyn, New York. He has recorded a string of Billboard hit singles and multi-platinum albums that have resulted in his being named Radio & Records No. 1 Adult Contemporary Artist. As well as producing and arranging albums for other artists, including Bette Midler and Dionne Warwick, Manilow has written songs for musicals, films, and commercials. He has sold more than 80 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling artists of all time. His hits include Mandy, Could It Be Magic, It’s a Miracle, I Write the Songs, Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again, This One’s for You, Weekend in New England, Looks Like We Made It, Daybreak, Can’t Smile Without You, Even Now, Copacabana (At the Copa), Ready to Take a Chance Again, and I Made it Through the Rain.

1944–Iceland declares independence from Denmark and becomes a republic.

1946–Southwest Bell offers commercial mobile telephone service in St. Louis, Missouri.

1947–Pan Am Airways is chartered as the first global passenger airline.

1947–Editor, Max Perkins, dies in Stamford, Connecticut, at age 62. While at Scribner's, he brought the works of Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe to the world's attention. He has been described as the most famous literary editor.

1948–A Douglas DC-6 carrying United Airlines Flight 624 crashes near Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, killing all 43 people on board.

1950–The first kidney transplant is performed in Chicago, Illinois.

1951–Comedian, Joe Piscopo, is born Joseph Charles John Piscopo in Passaic, New Jersey. He is best known as one of the cast members on the TV show Saturday Night Live. He appeared in the films King Kong, Johnny Dangerously, Wise Guys, Dead Heat, Sidekicks, and Demolition Day.

1953–In East Germany, the Soviet Union orders a division of troops into East Berlin to quell a rebellion.

1954–Actor, Mark Linn-Baker, is born in St. Louis, Missouri. He is best known for the role of Larry Appleton on the TV sitcom Perfect Strangers. He appeared in the films Manhattan, The End of August, My Favorite Year, Going to the Chapel, Noises Off..., and Adam.

1955–Singer, Eddie Fisher, marries actress, Debbie Reynolds, in Hollywood, California.

1956–Golda Meir begins her term as Israel's Foreign Minister.

1957–Philip Chevron, of The Pogues, is born Philip Ryan in Dublin, Ireland. He is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Irish punk music.

1958–The wooden roller coaster at Playland, which is in the Pacific National Exhibition, Vancouver, Canada, opens for operation.

1958–Musician and activist, Jello Biafra, is born Eric Reed Boucher in Boulder, Colorado. He is the former lead singer for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys. He is a member of the Green Party of the United States and actively supports various political causes. He ran for the party's Presidential nomination in 2000, finishing second to Ralph Nader.

1960–The Nez Perce tribe is awarded $4 million for seven million acres of land that was undervalued at four cents per acre in a treaty in 1863.

1961–Actor, Jeff Chandler, dies due to surgical malpractice in Culver City, California, at age 42. He appeared in the films Roses Are Red, Mr. Belvedere Goes to College, Sword in the Desert, Abandoned, Broken Arrow, The Desert Hawk, Bird of Paradise, Smuggler’s Island, Red Ball Express, Son of Ali Baba, Girls in the Night, War Arrow, Foxfire, Female on the Beach, The Spoilers, Away All Boats, The Tattered Dress, Jean Eagels, Man in the Shadow, Thunder in the Sun, The Plunderers, Return to Peyton Place, and Merrill's Marauders.

1963–The U.S. Supreme Court rules against Bible reading and/or prayer in public schools.

1963–Actor, Greg Kinnear, is born Gregory Buck Kinnear in Logansport, Indiana. He got his start on E-TV’s show Talk Soup. He appeared in the films Sabrina, Dear God, A Smile Like Yours, As Good as it Gets, You’ve Got Mail, Mystery Men, Nurse Betty, The Gift, Someone Like You, We Were Soldiers, Auto Focus, Stuck on You, Godsend, Bad News Bears, Little Miss Sunshine, Baby Mama, Flash of Genius, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, and Heaven Is for Real.

1964–Child actress, Erin (Margaret) Murphy, is born in Encino, California. She is best known for the role of Tabitha Stephens on the TV series Bewitched.

1965–General Sir William Oliver declares: “I know The Beatles deserve the Order of the British Empire,” while Jack Berg, Hector Dupuis, Stanley Ellis, Cyril Hearns, Douglas Moffit, Richard Pape, RAF Squadron Leader Paul Pearson, David Evan Rees, and World War Veteran Col. George Wagg, return their MBEs in protest of The Beatles receiving theirs. This was the first recorded instance of anyone returning an MBE.

1965–Child actress, Kami Cotler, is born in Long Beach, California. She is best known for the role of Elizabeth on the TV series The Waltons.

1966–Paul McCartney buys a farm in Kintyre, Scotland.

1966–Actor, Jason Patric, is born John Anthony Miller III in Queens, New York. He appeared in the films Solarbabies, The Lost Boys, The Beast, Denial, Rush, The Journey of August King, Sleepers, Incognito, Narc, The Alamo, and The Losers. His father is actor-playwright, Jason Miller. His grandfather is entertainer, Jackie Gleason.

1967–China explodes its first hydrogen bomb, becoming the world's fourth thermonuclear (H-bomb) power.

1969–The raunchy musical review Oh! Calcutta! (written by Kenneth Tynan) opens in New York.

1972–Five men working for the “Committee to Re-elect the President” are caught during a break-in at the Democratic National Headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. They are arrested for trying to place bugging equipment in the building.

1972–A chart topper: Vincent by Don McLean.

1973–Joe Saylers, business manager for Three Dog Night and Steppenwolf, is shot in the arm after a confrontation with two strangers in his apartment in West Hollywood, California.

1981–A battle between Moslems and Christians breaks out in Cairo, Egypt, killing 14 people.

1985–The STS-51-G Space Shuttle Discovery is launched, carrying Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (the first Arab and first Muslim in space) as a Payload Specialist.

1986–Members of Elephant's Memory sue Yoko Ono and the Lennon estate for $104 million. They claim that Yoko was profiting improperly from record and video releases of John Lennon: Live in New York City, which features Lennon's “One to One” charity concert. Yoko, through her lawyers, requests that the “scandalous” lawsuit be thrown out of court as a “nuisance case” brought by “10th-rate backup musicians.”

1986–Singer, Kate Smith, dies in Raleigh, North Carolina, at age 78. She is best known for her rendition of God Bless America.

1986–Singer, Kate Smith, dies of respiratory arrest in Raleigh, North Carolina, at age 78. She is best known for her rendition of Irving Berlin’s God Bless America.

1987–With the death of the last individual of the species, the Dusky Seaside Sparrow becomes extinct.

1988–Microsoft releases MS DOS 4.0.

1989–Football player and actor, John Matusek, dies of a heart attack at age 38.

1991–The South African Parliament repeals the Population Registration Act, which had required racial classification of all South Africans at birth.

1992–A "joint understanding" agreement on arms reduction is signed by U.S. President George Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

1992–Cajun musician, Dewey Balfa, dies at age 65. He formed the group The Balfa Brothers in 1965.

1994–Following a televised low-speed highway chase and a failed attempt at suicide, O.J. Simpson is arrested for the murders of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman.

1996–Illustrator, Curt Swan, dies at age 76. He was the artist most associated with “Superman” during the period fans and historians call the “Silver Age” of comic books. Swan produced hundreds of covers and stories from the 1950s through the 1980s.

2008–The 62nd NBA Championship: The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 4 games to 2.

2008–Actor, Henry Beckman, dies in Barcelona, Spain, at age 86. He is best known for the role of George Anderson on the long-running prime time soap opera Peyton Place. He appeared in the films Niagra, The Wrong Man, The Bramble Bush, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Twilight of Honor, Dead Ringer, Marnie, and Kiss Me, Stupid.

2008–Actress-dancer, Cyd Charisse, dies of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, at age 86. She appeared in the films Ziegfeld Follies, The Harvey Girls, Till the Clouds Roll By, The Kissing Bandit, Words and Music, East Side West Side, Singin’ in the Rain, The Band Wagon, Brigadoon, It’s Always Fair Weather, Meet Me in Las Vegas, Silk Stockings, Party Girl, Two Weeks in Another Town, and The Silencers.

2010–The 64th NBA Championship: The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics, 4 games to 3.

2012–Rodney King, Los Angeles police brutality victim, dies from drowning in his swimming pool in Rialto, California, at age 47. On March 3, 1991, a video of his beating by four police officers led to the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. By the time the police, the U.S. Army, Marines, and National Guard restored order, the riots had caused 53 deaths, 2,383 injuries, more than 7,000 fires, damage to 3,100 businesses, and nearly $1 billion in financial losses. During the riots, King appeared on television and offered what would later be his famous plea, "Can’t we all get along?"

2014–Actress, Patsy Byrne, dies at Denville Hall retirement home in Northwood, London, England, at age 80. She appeared in the films The Ruling Class, The Class of Miss MacMichael, Britannia Hospital, Mr. Love, Stealing Heaven, Hanna’s War, Emily’s Ghost, The Higher Mortals, The Treasure Seekers, The Gingerbread House, and Les Misérables.

2015–Nine people are killed in a mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

2016–A court in India sentences dozens of people to prison, some of them for life, for their roles in riots that killed 69 Muslims in the city of Ahmedabad in 2002.

2016–The Recording Academy makes an amendment to their Grammy award guidelines, stating that “streaming-only” albums will now be included in the running the award. The rule had been that only albums for sale could be considered for nomination.

2017–The USS Fitzgerald, a U.S. Navy destroyer, collides with a merchant ship MV ACX Crystal off the coast of Japan. Seven American sailors are reported missing. The ship was taking on water and able to operate at limited propulsion.

2017–A series of wildfires in central Portugal kill at least 64 people and injure 204 others.

2018–A mass shooting takes place at the Art All Night art festival in Trenton, New Jersey. A suspect is killed and 20 other people are injured.


PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: Pope St. Martin I; Mumtaz Mahal; John Robert Gregg; the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York City; an Eames mid-century chair; Beryl Reid; Ken Loach; Barry Manilow; Max Perkins; Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds on their wedding day; Greg Kinnear; Jason Patric; Vincent by Don McClean; the Dusky Seaside Sparrow; a Curt Swan comic; and Pasty Byrne.
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