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1964–Radio Caroline debuts as the first pirate radio station to broadcast off the coast of England. The combination of rock music and lively disc jockey patter played to a huge audience in Great Britain, but well out of reach of the British authorities. Radio Caroline would become serious competition to the staid, and usually dull, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).


37–Roman Emperor, Caligula, accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate.

193–Publius Helvius Pertinax, Roman Emperor (192-193), is assassinated by Praetorian Guards in Rome, Italia, at age 66. The Guards then sell the throne in an auction to Didius Julianus.

364–Roman Emperor, Valentinian I, appoints his brother Flavius Valens co-Emperor.

623–Arab caliph, Marwan I, is born Marwan ibn al-Hakam in At-Ta’if, Arabia.

661–Arab caliph, Muawiya II, is born Mu'awiyah ibn Yazid.

845–Paris is sacked by Viking raiders, who collect a huge ransom in exchange for leaving.

931–Liu Chengyou, Emperor Yin of the Later Han, is born in Ye, Later Tang (present-day Linzhang County, Hebei). He was the second and final emperor of imperial China's short-lived Later Han, during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.

1239–Emperor Go-Toba of Japan dies in Karita Gosho, Oki Island (Shimane), at age 59.

1241–Valdemar II of Denmark, dies in Vordingborg, Denmark, at age 70.

1285–Pope Martin IV dies after suffering a sudden illness in Perugia, Papal States, at age 75.

1416–Jodha of Mandore, Ruler of Marwar, is born Rao Jodha in the (present-day) state of Rajasthan.

1468–Charles I, Duke of Savoy, is born in Carignano, Piedmont, Italy.

1552–Indian guru, Guru Angad, dies in Khadur Sahib, India, at age 47.

1566–The foundation stone of Valletta, Malta's capital city, is laid by Jean Parisot de Valette, Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

1584–Russian King, Ivan the Terrible, dies from a stroke while playing chess in Moscow, Tsardom of Russia, at age 53.

1613–Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang of China is born. She was a was a concubine of the Qing Dynasty ruler Hong Taiji. She was declared his spouse officially, although she was not his first wife, becoming Empress in 1636. Known for her wisdom and political insight, Empress Xiaozhuangwen is a respected figure in the history of the Qing Dynasty.

1684–Tekle Haymanot I of Ethiopia is born Le`al Sagad Ge'ez in Ethiopia. He was the son of Iyasu I and Empress Malakotawit. He is often referred to as "Tekle Haymanot the Cursed."

1750–Francisco de Miranda, President of Venezuela, is born Sebastián Francisco de Miranda y Rodríguez de Espinoza in Caracas, Venezuela.

1776–Juan Bautista de Anza finds the site for the Presidio of San Francisco, California.

1794–Allies under Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld defeat French forces at Le Cateau.

1794–Marquis de Condorcet, French enlightenment philosopher, is murdered (or commits suicide) in prison in Bourg-la-Reine, France, at age 50.

1795–The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, a northern fief of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, ceases to exist and becomes part of Imperial Russia.

1797–Nathaniel Briggs, of New Hampshire, patents a washing machine.

1801–The Treaty of Florence is signed.

1802–Heinrich Wilhelm Matthäus Olbers discovers 2 Pallas, the second asteroid known to man.

1809–In the Peninsular War, France defeats Spain in the Battle of Medellín.

1814–During the War of 1812, two American naval vessels are captured by two Royal Navy vessels of equal strength in the Battle of Valparaíso.

1819–Civil engineer, Sir Joseph William Bazalgette, is born in Clay Hill, London. He designed the main sewer system for London, England.

1828–Dr. William Thornton, British-born American physician, inventor, painter, architect, and public official, dies in Washington, D.C. He is buried in the Congressional Cemetery. Thornton was best known as the creator of the original design for the Capitol Building.

1836–Brewer, Frederick Pabst, is born in Nikolausrieth, Province of Saxony, Kingdom of Prussia. He founded the Pabst Brewing Company.

1837–German composer, Felix Mendelssohn, marries Cécile Jeanrenaud.

1842–The first concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is performed. The orchestra was founded by Otto Nicolai.

1845–Mexico drops diplomatic relations with the United States.

1854–France and Britain declare war on Russia.

1860–In the First Taranaki War, the Battle of Waireka begins.

1862–In the Battle of Glorieta Pass, Union forces stop the Confederate invasion of New Mexico territory.

1862–Aristide Briand, Prime Minister of France, is born in Nantes, France. He served for 11 terms during the French Third Republic.

1870–Impressionist painter, Claude Monet, marries model, Camille Doncieux, in Paris, France.

1871–The Paris Commune is formally established in Paris, France. La Commune de Paris was a revolutionary and socialist government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18th until May 28, 1871. Debates over the policies and outcome of the Commune had significant influence on the ideas of Karl Marx.

1881–Russian composer, Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, dies from alcoholism at age 42. He was best known for his Pictures at an Exhibition and the opera Boris Godunov.

1883–During the Tonkin Campaign, the French are victorious in the Battle of Gia Cuc.

1885–The U.S. Salvation Army is officially organized.

1890–Orchestra leader, Paul (Samuel) Whiteman, is born in Denver, Colorado. As leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the U.S. during the 1920s and 1930s, Whiteman produced recordings that were immensely successful, and he was often referred to as the "King of Jazz." Using a large ensemble and exploring many styles of music, Whiteman is best known for his blending of symphonic music and jazz, as typified by his recordings of Wang Wang Blues, Mississippi Mud, Wonderful One, Hot Lips, Mississippi Suite, and Grand Canyon Suite.

1891–The first World Weightlifting Championship is held.

1895–Religious leader, Spencer (Woolley) Kimball, is born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. He was the 12th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

1899–Brewing magnate, August Anheuser Busch, Jr., is born in St. Louis, Missouri. He turned the Anheuser-Busch Companies into the largest brewery in the world, while he was Chairman of the company from 1946 to 1975.

1899–Religious leader, Harold (Bingham) Lee, is born in Clifton, Idaho. He was the 11th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

1903–Classical pianist, Rudolf Serkin, is born in Eger, Bohemia, Austro-Hungarian Empire (present-day Cheb, Czech Republic). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Beethoven interpreters of the 20th century. In 1933, Serkin made his first United States appearance at the Coolidge Festival in Washington, D.C., and in 1936, he launched his solo concert career in the U.S. with the New York Philharmonic under Arturo Toscanini.

1905–(Richard) Marlin Perkins, TV host of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, is born in Carthage, Missouri.

1907–Hollywood talent agent, ”Swifty” Lazar, is born Irving Paul Lazar in Brooklyn, New York. After putting together three major deals for Humphrey Bogart in a single day, he was dubbed "Swifty." His clients included Lauren Bacall, Truman Capote, Cher, Joan Collins, Noël Coward, Ira Gershwin, Cary Grant, Ernest Hemingway, Gene Kelly, Madonna, Walter Matthau, Larry McMurtry, Vladimir Nabokov, Clifford Odets, Cole Porter, William Saroyan, Debbie McGee, Irwin Shaw, President Richard Nixon, and Tennessee Williams.

1910–Henri Fabre becomes the first person to fly a seaplane, the Fabre Hydravion, after taking off from a water runway near Martigues, France.

1910–Jimmie Dodd, emcee of the children’s TV show The Mickey Mouse Club, is born James Wesley Dodd in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dodd always wore "Mouseke-ears," played his "Mouse-guitar," and sang self-composed songs that contained positive messages for kids. He appeared in the films Those Were the Days!, The Richest Man in Town, My Favorite Blonde, Flying Tigers, Moon Over Las Vegas, Twilight on the Prairie, Penthouse Rhythm, The Man I love, The Tender Years, Easter Paarade, Let’s Live a Little, Flaming Fury, Singing Guns, Quicksand, G.I. Jane, The Story of Will Rogers, The Lusty Men, and Phffft.

1910–Queen Ingrid of Denmark is born in Stockholm, Sweden.

1914–Actor, Frank Lovejoy, is born in the Bronx, New York. He appeared in the films Home of the Brave, In a Lonely Place, Goodbye, My Fancy, I’ll See You in My Dreams, The Hitch-Hiker, House of Wax. Beachhead, Strategic Air Command, and Julie.

1914–Politician, Edmund (Sixtus) Muskie, is born in Rumford, Maine. He served as Governor of Maine from 1955 to 1959, as a member of the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1980, and as Secretary of State under Jimmy Carter from 1980 to 1981. Muskie was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in the 1968 presidential election, and was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President in 1972.

1915–Songwriter, Jay Livingston, is born Jacob Harold Levison in McDonald, Pennsylvania. Among his songs are Buttons and Bows, Mona Lisa, Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera), The Twelfth of Never, and Silver Bells.

1917–Jews are expelled from Tel Aviv and Jaffa by the Turkish authorities.

1920–Actor, Douglas Fairbanks, marries actress, Mary Pickford.

1920–The Palm Sunday tornado outbreak affects the Great Lakes region and Deep South states of the U.S.

1921–Actor, Dirk Bogarde, is born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde in West Hampstead, London, England. He was contracted to The Rank Organisation under the wing of the prolific independent film producer, Betty Box, who produced most of his early films and was instrumental in creating his matinée idol image. He appeared in the films Blackmailed, Hunted, They Who Dare, Doctor in the House, The Sleeping Tiger, Simba, Cast a Dark Shadow, A Tale of Two Cities, Libel, Song Without End, Victim, The Mind Benders, I Could Go On Singing, The Servant, Darling, Modesty Blaise, Accident, Oh! What a Lovely War, Justine, and A Bridge Too Far.

1922–The first microfilm device is introduced.

1924–Actor, Freddie Bartholomew, is born Frederick Cecil Bartholomew in London, England. One of the most famous child actors of all time, he became very popular in 1930s Hollywood films. Bartholomew's superb acting skills, open and personable presence, emotional range, refined English diction, and angelic looks, made him a box-office favorite. His most famous starring roles were in Captains Courageous and Little Lord Fauntleroy.

1930–Constantinople changes its name to Istanbul, and Angora changes its name to Ankara.

1933–The Imperial Airways biplane, City of Liverpool, is believed to be the first airline lost to sabotage, when a passenger sets a fire on board.

1935–Broadcaster, Michael Parkinson, is born in Cudworth, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. He is best known for presenting his long-running TV talk show, Parkinson, from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007

1939–Generalissimo Francisco Franco conquers Madrid, Spain, after a three-year siege.

1939–Record producer and engineer, Roy (Joel) Cicala, is born. Since his start at Record Plant Studios in New York in 1968, he recorded and produced some of the greatest artists of modern music, including John Lennon, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Frank Sinatra, Dire Straits, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Harry Nilsson, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Ray Charles, Queen, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Liza Minnelli, Roberta Flack, Patti La Belle, Van Morrison, Don McLean, The Who, Johnny Winter, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Frank Zappa, Lou Reed, Prince, Santana, and Sarah Vaughan.

1941–Britain's Mediterranean Fleet sinks three heavy cruisers and two destroyers of Italy's Regia Marina.

1941–With the horrors of World War II looming, and her fear of a German invasion of England, Virginia Woolf commits suicide by loading her pockets with stones and walking into the River Ouse, near her home in Rodnell, Sussex, England, at age 59. It is believed that she had bi-polar disorder.

1943–Actress, Conchata (Galen) Ferrell, is born in Charleston, West Virginia. She appeared in the films Network, Heartland, Where the River Runs Black, For Keeps, Mystic Pizza, Edward Scissorhands, Family Prayers, Heaven & Earth, True Romance, Freeway, My Fellow Americans, Touch, Erin Brochovich, and K-PAX.

1943–Sergei Vasilievitch Rachmaninov, Russian composer and virtuoso pianist, dies of melanoma in Beverly Hills, California, at age 69. He is best known for his piano concertos and his Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini.

1944–Actor, Ken Howard, is born Kenneth Joseph Howard, Jr. in El Centro, California. He appeared in the films Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, Such Good Friends, 1776, Superdome, Victims, Oscar, Clear and Present Danger, and The Net.

1945–Chuck Portz, bass player with The Turtles, is born in Santa Monica, California.

1946–The U.S. State Department releases the Acheson-Lilienthal Report, outlining a plan for the international control of nuclear power.

1948–Singer, Nat King Cole, marries jazz singer, Maria Hawkins, at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York.

1948–John (Spencer) Evan, of Jethro Tull, is born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England.

1948–Actress, Dianne (Evelyn) Wiest, is born in Kansas City, Missouri. She appeared in the films It’s My Turn, I’m Dancing as Fast as I can, Independence Day, Falling in Love, Footloose, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and Her Sisters, Radio Days, September, The Lost Boys, Bright Lights, Big City, Parenthood, Edward Scissorhands, Little Man Tate, Bullets over Broadway, The Scout, The Birdcage, The Horse Whisperer, I Am Sam, Rage, Rabbit Hole, and The Big Year.

1953–Athlete, Jim Thorpe, dies of heart failure in Lomita, California, at age 64. He was an American athlete of Native American and European ancestry, considered one of the most versatile athletes of modern sports. He won Olympic gold medals for the 1912 pentathlon and decathlon, played American football (collegiate and professional), and also played professional baseball and basketball. In a poll of sports fans conducted by ABC Sports, Thorpe was voted the Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century out of 15 other athletes including Muhammad Ali, Babe Ruth, Jesse Owens, Wayne Gretzky, Jack Nicklaus, and Michael Jordan.

1955–Country singer, Reba (Nell) McEntire, is born in McAlester, Oklahoma. In 1974, she was hired to perform the national anthem at the National Rodeo in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Country singer, Red Steagall, was impressed by her vocal ability and agreed to help her launch a country-music career in Nashville, Tennessee. After recording a demo tape, she signed a recording contract with Mercury Records in 1975. In October 2001, McEntire premiered her half-hour TV sitcom, Reba, on the WB network. She appeared in the films Tremors, Maverick, North, The Little Rascals, and One Night at McCool’s.

1957–Jazz singer, Billie Holiday, marries Mafia enforcer, Louis McKay.

1958–Legendary songwriter, W.C. (William Christopher) Handy, dies at age 84 in New York. The “Father of the Blues” is credited with writing the seminal St. Louis Blues (the first song to have the word “blues” in the title), as well as Memphis Blues.

1958–Rock and roller, Eddie Cochran, records Summertime Blues.

1959–The State Council of the People's Republic of China dissolves the Government of Tibet.

1959–Laura Chinchilla Miranda, President of Costa Rica, is born in Carmen Central, San José, Costa Rica.

1960–Two anti-payola bills are introduced in the U.S. Congress by Representative Emanuel Celler of New York. He blames payola for “the cacophonous music called rock & roll” and claims that rock & roll would never have achieved popularity, especially among teenagers, if not for the result of payola.

1964–Radio Caroline debuts as the first pirate radio station to broadcast off the coast of England. The combination of rock music and lively disc jockey patter played to a huge audience in Great Britain, but well out of reach of the British authorities. Radio Caroline would become serious competition to the staid, and usually dull, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

1964–A 9.2 earthquake hits in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

1964–A 5.1 earthquake rocks Merriman, Nebraska.

1965–A 7.3 earthquake strikes near the West Coast of Central Chile. Around 400 persons are killed or missing, 350 are injured, and extensive property damage is reported.

1965–The Beatles tape their final appearance on the ABC Television program Thank Your Lucky Stars. The Beatles lip-sync to their songs Eight Days a Week, Yes It Is, and Ticket to Ride, before a very enthusiastic studio audience.

1966–New York City Parks Commissioner, Thomas Hoving, describes plans for rock & roll concerts to be held in Central Park.

1966–Cheryl R. James, of Salt-n-Pepa, is born in Brooklyn, New York. She is the “Salt” half of the duo who released five studio albums: Hot, Cool & Vicious, A Salt with a Deadly Pepa, Blacks' Magic, Very Necessary, and Brand New.

1967–Van Morrison records Brown Eyed Girl in a New York studio.

1968–Brazilian high school student, Edson Luís de Lima Souto, is shot by the police during a protest for cheaper meals at a restaurant for low-income students. The aftermath of his death is the first backlash against the military dictatorship.

1969–Greek poet and Nobel Prize laureate, Giorgos Seferis, makes a famous statement on the BBC World Service opposing the junta in Greece.

1969–A 6.4 earthquake hits the Alasehir region of western Turkey.

1969–1969–Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th U.S. President, dies of congestive heart failure in Washington, D.C., at age 78. In 1952, Eisenhower entered the presidential race as a Republican in order to block the foreign policies of Senator Robert A. Taft. He won that election and the 1956 election in landslides, when he defeated Adlai Stevenson. He became the first Republican winner to accomplish this since 1928. Eisenhower's main goals in office were to contain the expansion of the Soviet Union and reduce federal deficits. Since the late 20th century, consensus among Western scholars has consistently held Eisenhower as one of the greatest U.S. Presidents.

1970–A 7.3 earthquake strikes Gediz, Turkey. Over 1,000 people are killed, over 1,000 are injured, more than 8,000 buildings are destroyed, and over 5,500 buildings are damaged.

1970–Actor, Vince Vaughn, is born Vincent Anthony Vaughn in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He appeared in the films Rudy, Swingers, The Locusts, A Cool, Dry Place, Return to Paradise, Clay Pigeons, Psycho, The Cell, Made, Zoolander, Domestic Disturbance, Old School, Starsky & Hutch, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Be Cool, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Wedding Crashers, The Break-Up, Into the Wild, The Watch, The Internship, and Delivery Man.

1972–The USSR conducts a nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh.

1972–Wilt Chamberlain plays his last professional basketball game.

1973–Marlon Brando rejects his Oscar for The Godfather, sending Native American actress, Sacheen Littlefeather, to the Academy Award´s platform to describe the plight of the American Indians. She is not well received.

1974–New Wave pop group, The Raspberries, split up.

1974–At Burbank Studios in California, John Lennon starts producing the Harry Nilsson album Pussy Cats. Paul and Linda McCartney drop by the session to watch the recording. Paul joins in a jam session with John and the others, which is the first time he has played music with John since the split up of The Beatles fours years earlier. At the end of the day, John invites Paul to his beach house music session on the coming Sunday.

1974–Blues guitarist, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, dies of a stroke in Nassawadox, Virginia, at age 69. Elvis Presley loved his song That's All Right (Mama), so much he recorded it as his first single for Sun Records in 1954.

1975–Barbra Streisand attends Elvis Presley’s show in Las Vegas, Nevada, and meets him backstage to discuss his taking the lead role in her latest film project, a remake of the classic A Star Is Born.

1975–Film director, (James) Richard Kelly, is born in Newport News, Virginia. His films include Donnie Darko, Southland Tales, and The Box.

1977–The 49th Annual Academy Awards announces its winners. Best Picture: Rocky; Best Actor: Peter Finch for Network; Best Actress: Faye Dunaway for Network; Best Director: John G. Avildsen for Rocky; Best Foreign Film: Black and White in Color (France). The ceremonies are held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California. The hosts are Richard Pryor, Jane Fonda, Ellen Burstyn, and Warren Beatty. Peter Finch became the first posthumous winner of an Oscar for Best Actor, a feat that will be matched only by Heath Ledger 32 years later.

1978–Actor, Jeremy Irons, marries actress, Sinéad Cusack.

1979–A major nuclear accident occurs at Three Mile Island, in Middletown, Pennsylvania. A pump in the reactor cooling system fails, which results in the evaporation of some contaminated water, causing a partial nuclear meltdown.

1979–Circus clown, Emmett Kelly, dies of a heart attack in Sarasota, Florida, at age 80. He created the memorable clown figure "Weary Willie," based on the hobos of the Depression era. It was a tragic figure: a clown, who could usually be seen sweeping up the circus rings after the other performers. He tried, but failed, to sweep up the pool of light of a spotlight. From 1942 to 1956, Kelly performed with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, where he was a major attraction.

1980–Actor-singer, Dick Haymes, dies of lung cancer in Los Angeles, California, at age 61. He has hit songs with You’ll Never Know, I’ll Get By, It Had To Be You, and Little White Lies. He appeared in the films Four Jills in a Jeep, Irish Eyes Are Smiling, State Fair, The Shocking Miss Pilgrim, All Ashore, and Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood.

1981–France conducts a nuclear test.

1981–Actress, Julia (O’Hara) Stiles, is born in New York, New York. She has appeared in the films Wide Awake, 10 Things I Hate About You, Down to You, Hamlet, State and Main, Save the Last Dance, O, The Bourne Identity, A Guy Thing, Mona Lisa Smile, A Little Trip to Heaven, and Silver Linings Playbook.

1982–Rocker, David Crosby, is arrested in Los Angeles, California, for possession of Quaaludes and drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence of cocaine, and carrying a concealed .45 caliber pistol. When the police ask him why he is carrying the gun, Crosby says two words: “John Lennon.”

1982–A 6.1 earthquake near the coast of Peru kills three people and causes extensive damage at Lunahuana.

1984–Rocker, Mick Fleetwood, of Fleetwood Mac, files for bankruptcy.

1984–Carmen Dragon, conductor, composer, and arranger, dies in Santa Monica, California, at age 69.

1985–Russian-born French artist, Marc Chagall, dies in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, at age 97. An early Modernist, he was associated with several major artistic styles and created works in virtually every artistic medium: painting, book illustrations, stained glass, stage sets, ceramic, tapestries and fine art prints. Apollinaire coined the word “surrealist” to describe Chagall´s work.

1986–Acting on a court order, EMI pays The Beatles back royalties in the amount of £2,832,264. A review of their overseas accounts is expected to bring in additional unpaid royalties, perhaps as much as another £2 million.

1986–Singer, Lady Gaga, is born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta in Manhattan, New York. She rose to prominence with her debut album The Fame, a critical and commercial success that produced the global chart-topping singles Just Dance and Poker Face. A follow-up EP, The Fame Monster, produced the successful singles Bad Romance, Telephone, and Alejandro. She is noted for her flamboyant contributions to the music industry via her fashion, live performances, and music videos.

1987–The Doobie Brothers move a concert scheduled for Phoenix, Arizona, to Las Vegas, Nevada, to protest Arizona Governor Evan Mecham's decision to rescind Martin Luther King Day.

1987–Snowfall totals range up to 17 inches at Blue Hill, Nebraska, with wind chill readings as cold as 30 degrees below zero.

1987–Maria Augusta von Trapp, of the Trapp Family Singers, dies of heart failure in Morrisville, Vermont, at age 82. She was the last surviving member of the Austrian family that inspired The Sound of Music. The character of Louisa in both the musical and film versions was based on Maria.

1988–Severe thunderstorms in central Oklahoma produce hail up to four inches in diameter, causing $35 million in damages in southern Oklahoma County. Baseball size hail and seven inches of rain cause another $18 million worth of damage in Stephens County.

1990–President George H.W. Bush posthumously awards Jesse Owens the Congressional Gold Medal.

1990–Three people are arrested in London, England, in a plot to smuggle American-made nuclear triggering devices into Iraq.

1993–Occult writer, Scott Cunningham, dies of AIDS-related cryptococcal meningitis in Massachusetts, at age 36. His books included Magical Herbalism: The Secret Craft of the Wise, Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic, and Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner.

1994–In South Africa, Zulus and African National Congress supporters battle in central Johannesburg, resulting in 18 deaths.

1994–BBC Radio 5 is closed and replaced with a news and sport station BBC Radio 5 Live.

1994–Rock biographer, Albert Goldman, dies of heart failure en route from Miami, Florida, to London, England, at age 66. He left unfinished a biography of The Doors singer, Jim Morrison.

1994–Romanian-born French playwright, Eugène Ionesco, dies in Paris, France, at age 81. He was a giant of the “theatre of the absurd.”

1996–A 6.0 earthquake hits Ecuador, killing 27 people, injuring 100 others, and leaving several thousand homeless.

1996–Folklorist, Edith Fowke, dies in Toronto, Canada, at age 82. She hosted the CBC Radio program Folk Song Time from 1950 to 1963. She wrote numerous books in collaboration with folklorist and composer, Richard Johnston.

1999–During the Kosovo War, Serb paramilitary and military forces kill 146 Kosovo Albanians in Izbica.

1999–A 5.5 earthquake hits the Xizang-India Border Region. At least 61 people are killed and 125 are injured in the Chamoli district; 34 are killed and 177 are injured in the Rudraprayag district; five are killed and 60 are injured in the Tehri Garhwal district; 19 are injured in the Bageshwar district; and 13 are injured in the Pauri Garhwal district.

2000–Jimmy Page receives an undisclosed figure in damages after he sues Ministry magazine in High Court for claiming he contributed to the death of Zeppelin bandmate, John Bonham, by wearing a Satanic robe and chanting spells while the dying drummer was choking on his vomit. The magazine apologizes, and also offers to pay Page's legal bills. Page donates all of the money to Action for Brazil's Children Trust.

2000–Three children are killed when a Murray County, Georgia, school bus is hit by a CSX freight train.

2003–In a friendly fire incident, two American A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft attack British tanks participating in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, killing one soldier.

2003–Country singer, Rusty Draper, dies of pneumonia in Bellevue, Washington, at age 80. In 1952, Draper signed to Mercury Records and issued his debut single How Could You (Blue Eyes). He made the national charts again in 1955, with Seventeen, The Shifting, Whispering Sands, and Are You Satisfied?, becoming one of the biggest pop and country crossover stars of the period.

2004–Actor, Peter Ustinov, dies of heart failure in Genolier, Vaud, Switzerland, at age 82. He appeared in the films Vice Versa, Odette, Quo Vadis, Beau Brummell, We’re No Angels, Spartacus, The Sundowners, Romanoff and Juliet, Billy Budd, Topkapi, Lady L, The Comedians, Blackbeard’s Ghost, Viva Max!, Logan’s Run, The Last Remake of Beau Geste, Death on the Nile, The Great Muppet Caper, Around the World in Eighty Days, and Lorenzo’s Oil.

2005–An 8.7 earthquake rocks Indonesia, the second strongest in the region since 1960.

2006–At least one million union members, students, and unemployed take to the streets in France, in protest at the government's proposed First Employment Contract law. This employment contract, available solely to employees under age 26, would have made it easier for the employer to fire workers by removing the need to provide reasons for dismissal for an initial “trial period” of two years, in exchange for some financial guarantees for employees.

2006–Caspar Weinberger, U.S. Secretary of Defense (1981-1987), dies from complications of pneumonia in Bangor, Maine, at age 88.

2009–Composer and conductor, Maurice Jarre, dies of cancer in Malibu, California, at age 84. Although he composed several concert works, Jarre is best known for his film scores, particularly for his collaborations with film director David Lean. Jarre composed the scores to Lawrence of Arabia, The Train, Doctor Zhivago, A Passage to India, Witness, and Ghost.

2010–The Real Housewives of New York City TV personality, Bethenny Frankel, marries Jason Hoppy at the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City.

2010–Jazz guitarist, Herb Ellis, dies of Alzheimer's disease in Los Angeles, California, at age 88. He is best known for his 1950s membership in the trio of pianist Oscar Peterson, and as a sideman at West Coast studio recording sessions.

2010–Actress, June Havoc, dies in Stamford, Connecticut, at age 97. Havoc was a child vaudeville performer, known as Baby June, under the tutelage of her mother. She later acted on Broadway and in Hollywood. Her elder sister, Louise, gravitated to burlesque and became a well-known performer using the stage name Gypsy Rose Lee. Their story is told in the Broadway show and film Gypsy.

2012–Bluegrass musician, Earl Scruggs, dies from natural causes in Nashville, Tennessee, at age 88. He reached his widest audience as part of Flatt and Scruggs, when they made several appearances on the popular 1960s TV sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies.

2013–Musician, Hugh McCracken, dies of leukemia in New York, New York, at age 70. He was an American rock guitarist and session musician based in New York City, primarily known for his performance on guitar and harmonica.

2014–Producer and screenwriter, Lorenzo Semple, Jr., dies of natural causes in Los Angeles, California, at age 91. His work includes, Batman, Pretty Poison, Daddy’s Gone A-Hunting, Papillon, The Parallax View, The Drowning Pool, Three Days of the Condor, King Kong, Hurricane, and Never Say Never Again.

2015–Actor-director, Gene Saks, dies of pneumonia in East Hampton, New York, at age 93. His films include Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Cactus Flower, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Mame, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and A Fine Romance.

2017–President Donald Trump signs an executive order undoing former President Obama's climate change policies.

2017–A meningitis outbreak kills at least 140 people in Nigeria.

2017–Accounts of sightings of animals thought to resemble the extinct thylacine, the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times, prompt a search in the Far North of the Australian state of Queensland.

2017–Fox News host, Bill O’Reilly, apologizes after joking that he couldn’t focus on a speech by Congresswoman Maxine Waters because he was distracted by her “James Brown wig.”

2017–Actress, Christine Kaufmann, dies of leukemia in Munich, Germany, at age 72. She appeared in the films The Last Days of Pompeii, Town Without Pity, Taras Bulba, Wild and Wonderful, Murders in the Rue Morgue, and Bagdad Café.

2018–The linguistics journal, Diachronica, publishes Australian research implying that a tracement of the country's indigenous languages can be made back to a single, common language known as Proto-Australian, which was spoken around 10,000-years ago.

2018–New research suggests the Earth may have had water earlier than thought, and that terrestrial water could have survived the impact that created the Moon, the event which was previously hypothesised to be responsible for our planet's water.

2018–The top dog breeds in America are announced. The top ten are: Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, French Bulldog, Bulldog, Beagle, Poodle, Rottweiler, Yorkshire Terrier, and German Shorthaired Pointer.


PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: Publius Helvius Pertinax; Marquis de Condorcet; Frederick Pabst; the Paris Commune; Paul Whiteman; Rudolf Serkin; Jimmie Dodd; Dirk Bogarde; Freddie Bartholomew; Roy Cicala; Diane Weist; W.C. Handy; Radio Caroline; The Beatles' last rehearsal for Thank Your Lucky Stars; Vince Vaughn; the LP Pussy Cats by Harry Nilsson (produced by John Lennon); Emmett Kelly; David Crosby; Lady Gaga; The Lives of John Lennon by Albert Goldman; Rusty Draper; Maurice Jarre; and Hugh McCracken.
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