On This Day — April 1

🕰️ Notable Events on April 1

• 2016 — Nagorno-Karabakh clashes: The Four Day War or April War, began along the Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact on April 1. Wikipedia ↗
• 2011 — After protests against the burning of the Quran turn violent, a mob attacks a United Nations compound in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of thirteen people, including eight foreign workers. Wikipedia ↗
• 2004 — Google announces Gmail to the public. Wikipedia ↗
• 2001 — An EP-3E United States Navy surveillance aircraft collides with a Chinese People's Liberation Army Shenyang J-8 fighter jet. The Navy crew makes an emergency landing in Hainan, China and is detained. Wikipedia ↗
• 2001 — Former President of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milošević surrenders to police special forces, to be tried on war crimes charges. Wikipedia ↗
• 2001 — Same-sex marriage becomes legal in the Netherlands, the first contemporary country to allow it. Wikipedia ↗
• 1999 — Nunavut is established as a Canadian territory carved out of the eastern part of the Northwest Territories. Wikipedia ↗
• 1997 — Comet Hale-Bopp is seen passing at perihelion. Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Margaret Thatcher's new local government tax, the Community Charge (commonly known as the "poll tax"), is introduced in Scotland. Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Communist Party of Nepal (Mashal) cadres attack a number of police stations in Kathmandu, seeking to incite a popular rebellion. Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Iran becomes an Islamic republic by a 99% vote, officially overthrowing the Shah. Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — The Philippine College of Commerce, through a presidential decree, becomes the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Apple Inc. is formed by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in Cupertino, California, USA. Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — The Local Government Act 1972 of England and Wales comes into effect. Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Project Tiger, a tiger conservation project, is launched in the Jim Corbett National Park, India. Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army massacre over 1,000 people in Keraniganj Upazila, Bangladesh. Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — President Richard Nixon signs the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act into law, requiring the Surgeon General's warnings on tobacco products and banning cigarette advertising on television and radio in the United States, effective 1 January 1971. Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — The TIROS-1 satellite transmits the first television picture from space. Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — The EOKA rebellion against the British Empire begins in Cyprus, with the goal of unifying with Greece. Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorizes the creation of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado. Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Chinese Civil War: The Chinese Communist Party holds unsuccessful peace talks with the Nationalist Party in Beijing, after three years of fighting. Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — The Government of Canada repeals Japanese-Canadian internment after seven years. Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Communist forces respond to the introduction of the Deutsche Mark by attempting to force the western powers to withdraw from Berlin. Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Faroe Islands gain autonomy from Denmark. Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — The only mutiny in the history of the Royal New Zealand Navy begins. Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — The 8.6 Mw Aleutian Islands earthquake shakes the Aleutian Islands with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong). A destructive tsunami reaches the Hawaiian Islands resulting in dozens of deaths, mostly in Hilo, Hawaii. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: The Tenth United States Army attacks the Thirty-Second Japanese Army on Okinawa. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Navigation errors lead to an accidental American bombing of the Swiss city of Schaffhausen. Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Fântâna Albă massacre: Between 200 and 2,000 Romanian civilians are killed by Soviet Border Troops. Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — A military coup in Iraq overthrows the regime of 'Abd al-Ilah and installs Rashid Ali al-Gaylani as Prime Minister. Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Spanish Civil War: Generalísimo Francisco Franco of the Spanish State announces the end of the Spanish Civil War, when the last of the Republican forces surrender. Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Aden becomes a British crown colony. Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Spanish Civil War: Jaén, Spain is bombed by German fascist forces, supporting Francoist Nationalists. Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — India's central banking institution, The Reserve Bank of India is formed. Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — The recently elected Nazis under Julius Streicher organize a one-day boycott of all Jewish-owned businesses in Germany, ushering in a series of anti-Semitic acts. Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Adolf Hitler is sentenced to five years imprisonment for his participation in the "Beer Hall Putsch" but spends only nine months in jail. Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — The Royal Canadian Air Force is formed. Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — The Royal Air Force is created by the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — The Territorial Force (renamed Territorial Army in 1920) is formed as a volunteer reserve component of the British Army. Wikipedia ↗
• 1893 — The rank of Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy is established. Wikipedia ↗
• 1891 — The Wrigley Company is founded in Chicago, Illinois. Wikipedia ↗
• 1889 — The University of Northern Colorado was established, as the Colorado State Normal School. Wikipedia ↗
• 1873 — The White Star steamer RMS Atlantic sinks off Nova Scotia, killing 547 in one of the worst marine disasters of the 19th century. Wikipedia ↗
• 1867 — Singapore becomes a British crown colony. Wikipedia ↗
• 1865 — American Civil War: Union troops led by Philip Sheridan decisively defeat Confederate troops led by George Pickett, cutting the Army of Northern Virginia's last supply line. Wikipedia ↗
• 1854 — Charles Dickens' novel Hard Times begins serialisation in his magazine Household Words. Wikipedia ↗
• 1833 — The Convention of 1833, a political gathering of settlers in Mexican Texas to help draft a series of petitions to the Mexican government, begins in San Felipe de Austin Wikipedia ↗
• 1826 — Samuel Morey received a patent for a compressionless "Gas or Vapor Engine". Wikipedia ↗
• 1789 — In New York City, the United States House of Representatives holds its first quorum and elects Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania as its first Speaker. Wikipedia ↗
• 1625 — A combined Spanish and Portuguese fleet of 52 ships commences the recapture of Bahia from the Dutch during the Dutch-Portuguese War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1572 — In the Eighty Years' War, the Watergeuzen capture Brielle from the Seventeen Provinces, gaining the first foothold on land for what would become the Dutch Republic. Wikipedia ↗
• 1545 — Potosí is founded after the discovery of huge silver deposits in the area. Wikipedia ↗
• 1340 — Niels Ebbesen kills Gerhard III, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg in his bedroom, ending the 1332-1340 interregnum in Denmark. Wikipedia ↗
• 1318 — Berwick-upon-Tweed is captured by Scotland from England. Wikipedia ↗
• 1293 — Robert Winchelsey leaves England for Rome, to be consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury. Wikipedia ↗
• 528 — The daughter of Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei was made the "Emperor" as a male heir of the late emperor by Empress Dowager Hu, deposed and replaced by Yuan Zhao the next day; she was the first female monarch in the History of China, but not widely recognised. Wikipedia ↗
• 527 — Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne. Wikipedia ↗
• 457 — Majorian is acclaimed emperor by the Roman army after defeating 900 Alemanni near Lake Maggiore (Italy). Wikipedia ↗
• 325 — Crown Prince Jin Chengdi, age 4, succeeds his father Jin Mingdi as emperor of the Eastern Jin dynasty. Wikipedia ↗
• 286 — Emperor Diocletian elevates his general Maximian to co-emperor with the rank of Augustus and gives him control over the Western regions of the Roman Empire. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on April 1

• 1997 — Álex Palou, Spanish racing driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1997 — Asa Butterfield, English actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Ella Eyre, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Deng Linlin, Chinese gymnast Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Julia Fischer, German discus thrower Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Jan Blokhuijsen, Dutch speed skater Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — David N'Gog, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Christian Vietoris, German race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Brook Lopez, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Robin Lopez, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Gianluca Musacci, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Oliver Turvey, English race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Hillary Scott, American country singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Daniel Murphy, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Beth Tweddle, English gymnast Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Gilberto Macena, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Ólafur Ingi Skúlason, Icelandic footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Sean Taylor, American football player (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Taran Killam, American actor, voice artist, comedian, and writer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Andreas Thorkildsen, Norwegian javelin thrower Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Antonis Fotsis, Greek basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Bjørn Einar Romøren, Norwegian ski jumper Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Dennis Kruppke, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Randy Orton, American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Bijou Phillips, American actress and model Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Ruth Beitia, Spanish high jumper Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Mirka Federer, Slovak-Swiss tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Anamaria Marinca, Romanian-English actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Etan Thomas, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Antonio de Nigris, Mexican footballer (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Vitor Belfort, Brazilian-American boxer and mixed martial artist Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Haimar Zubeldia, Spanish cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Hazem El Masri, Lebanese-Australian rugby league player and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — David Gilliland, American race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — David Oyelowo, English actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Clarence Seedorf, Dutch-Brazilian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Yuka Yoshida, Japanese tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — John Butler, American-Australian singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Magdalena Maleeva, Bulgarian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Hugo Ibarra, Argentinian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Sandra Völker, German swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Christian Finnegan, American comedian and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Stephen Fleming, New Zealand cricketer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Rachel Maddow, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Darren McCarty, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Jesse Tobias, American guitarist and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Sonia Bisset, Cuban javelin thrower Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Shinji Nakano, Japanese race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Brad Meltzer, American author, screenwriter, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Lev Lobodin, Ukrainian-Russian decathlete Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Dean Windass, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Mike Baird, Australian politician, 44th Premier of New South Wales Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Andreas Schnaas, German actor and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Alexander Stubb, Finnish academic and politician, 43rd Prime Minister of Finland Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Nicola Roxon, Australian lawyer and politician, 34th Attorney-General for Australia Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Chris Evans, English radio and television host Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Mehmet Özdilek, Turkish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Jane Adams, American film, television, and stage actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Mark Jackson, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Erik Breukink, Dutch cyclist and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Kevin Duckworth, American basketball player (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — John Morris, English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — José Rodrigues dos Santos, Portuguese journalist, author, and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Teodoro de Villa Diaz, Filipino guitarist and songwriter (d. 1988) Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Aprille Ericsson-Jackson American aerospace engineer Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Mark Shulman, American author Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Chris Grayling, English journalist and politician, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Samboy Lim, Filipino basketball player and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Phillip Schofield, English television host Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Susan Boyle, Scottish singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Sergio Scariolo, Italian professional basketball head coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Mark White, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Helmuth Duckadam, Romanian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — David Gower, English cricketer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Don Hasselbeck, American football player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Humayun Akhtar Khan, Pakistani politician, 5th Commerce Minister of Pakistan Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Terry Nichols, American criminal Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Jeff Porcaro, American drummer, songwriter, and producer (d. 1992) Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Barry Sonnenfeld, American cinematographer, director, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Alberto Zaccheroni, Italian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Annette O'Toole, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Bernard Stiegler, French philosopher and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — John Abizaid, American general Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Frederic Schwartz, American architect, co-designed Empty Sky (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Samuel Alito, American lawyer and jurist Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Loris Kessel, Swiss race car driver (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Daniel Paillé, Canadian academic and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Gérard Mestrallet, French businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Sammy Nelson, Northern Irish footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Gil Scott-Heron, American singer-songwriter and author (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican singer and musician Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Alain Connes, French mathematician and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Philippe Kirsch, Canadian lawyer and judge Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Francine Prose, American novelist, short story writer, and critic Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Norm Van Lier, American basketball player, coach, and sportscaster (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Nikitas Kaklamanis, Greek academic and politician, Greek Minister of Health and Social Security Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Ronnie Lane, English bass player, songwriter, and producer (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Arrigo Sacchi, Italian footballer, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Dafydd Wigley, Welsh academic and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Samuel R. Delany, American author and critic Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Richard D. Wolff, American economist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Gideon Gadot, Israeli journalist and politician (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Ajit Wadekar, Indian cricketer, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Wangari Maathai, Kenyan environmentalist and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Ali MacGraw, American model and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Phil Niekro, American baseball player and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Peter Collinson, English-American director and producer (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Jean-Pascal Delamuraz, Swiss politician, 80th President of the Swiss Confederation (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Tarun Gogoi, Indian politician, 14th Chief Minister of Assam Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Abdul Qadeer Khan, Indian-Pakistani physicist, chemist, and engineer Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Larry McDonald, American physician and politician (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Vladimir Posner, French-American journalist and radio host Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Algerian-French physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Dan Flavin, American sculptor and educator (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Debbie Reynolds, Scottish-Irish American actress, singer, and dancer (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — George Baker, Bulgarian-English actor and screenwriter (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Rolf Hochhuth, German author and playwright Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Grace Lee Whitney, American actress and singer (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Jonathan Haze, American actor, producer, screenwriter, and production manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Milan Kundera, Czech-born novelist, poet, and playwright Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Payut Ngaokrachang, Thai animator and director (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Jane Powell, American actress, singer, and dancer Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Walter Bahr, American soccer player, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Ferenc Puskás, Hungarian footballer and manager (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Anne McCaffrey, American-Irish author (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Brendan Byrne, American lieutenant, judge, and politician, 47th Governor of New Jersey Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Duke Jordan, American pianist and composer (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — William Manchester, American historian and author (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — William Bergsma, American composer and educator (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith, American guitarist, fiddler, and composer (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Toshiro Mifune, Japanese actor (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — Joseph Murray, American surgeon and soldier, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Sydney Newman, Canadian screenwriter and producer, co-created Doctor Who (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — Melville Shavelson, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Sheila May Edmonds, British mathematician (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — O. W. Fischer, Austrian-Swiss actor and director (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Memos Makris, Greek sculptor (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — Harry Carney, American saxophonist and clarinet player (d. 1974) Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — Bob Van Osdel, American high jumper and soldier (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — Abner Biberman, American actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 1977) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on April 1 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on April 1

✡️ Religious Observances

• Jewish: Ta’anit Bechorot
• Jewish: Erev Pesach
• Islamic: Birth of Imam Bukhārī (ر)