On This Day — April 17

Famous events, births, and deaths from April 17 in history, plus the public holidays, religious observances, sports, and national days happening on this date today.

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34 events · 203 births · 94 deaths recorded for April 17.

🕰️ Notable Events on April 17

2014 — NASA's Kepler space observatory confirms the discovery of the first Earth-size planet in the habitable zone of another star. Wikipedia ↗
2013 — An explosion at a fertilizer plant in the city of West, Texas, kills 15 people and injures 160 others. Wikipedia ↗
2006 — A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates an explosive device in a Tel Aviv restaurant, killing 11 people and injuring 70. Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Patriation of the Canadian constitution in Ottawa by Proclamation of Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada. Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Mir Akbar Khyber is assassinated, provoking a communist coup d'état in Afghanistan. Wikipedia ↗
1975 — The Cambodian Civil War ends. The Khmer Rouge captures the capital Phnom Penh and Cambodian government forces surrender. Wikipedia ↗
1971 — The People's Republic of Bangladesh is formed. Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Apollo program: The ill-fated Apollo 13 spacecraft returns to Earth safely. Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Sirhan Sirhan is convicted of assassinating Robert F. Kennedy. Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Communist Party of Czechoslovakia chairman Alexander Dubček is deposed. Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Bay of Pigs Invasion: A group of Cuban exiles financed and trained by the CIA lands at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba with the aim of ousting Fidel Castro. Wikipedia ↗
1951 — The Peak District becomes the United Kingdom's first National Park. Wikipedia ↗
1949 — At midnight 26 Irish counties officially leave the British Commonwealth. A 21-gun salute on O'Connell Bridge, Dublin, ushers in the Republic of Ireland. Wikipedia ↗
1946 — The last French troops are withdrawn from Syria. Wikipedia ↗
1945 — World War II: Montese, Italy, is liberated from Nazi forces. Wikipedia ↗
1944 — Forces of the Communist-controlled Greek People's Liberation Army attack the smaller National and Social Liberation resistance group, which surrenders. Its leader Dimitrios Psarros is murdered. Wikipedia ↗
1942 — French prisoner of war General Henri Giraud escapes from his castle prison in Königstein Fortress. Wikipedia ↗
1941 — World War II: The Kingdom of Yugoslavia surrenders to Germany. Wikipedia ↗
1912 — Russian troops open fire on striking goldfield workers in northeast Siberia, killing at least 150. Wikipedia ↗
1907 — The Ellis Island immigration center processes 11,747 people, more than on any other day. Wikipedia ↗
1905 — The Supreme Court of the United States decides Lochner v. New York, which holds that the "right to free contract" is implicit in the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Wikipedia ↗
1895 — The Treaty of Shimonoseki between China and Japan is signed. This marks the end of the First Sino-Japanese War, and the defeated Qing Empire is forced to renounce its claims on Korea and to concede the southern portion of the Fengtien province, Taiwan and the Pescadores Islands to Japan. Wikipedia ↗
1864 — American Civil War: The Battle of Plymouth begins: Confederate forces attack Plymouth, North Carolina. Wikipedia ↗
1863 — American Civil War: Grierson's Raid begins: Troops under Union Army Colonel Benjamin Grierson attack central Mississippi. Wikipedia ↗
1861 — The state of Virginia's secession convention votes to secede from the United States, becoming the 8th state to join the Confederate States of America. Wikipedia ↗
1797 — Sir Ralph Abercromby attacks San Juan, Puerto Rico, in what would be one of the largest invasions of the Spanish territories in the Americas. Wikipedia ↗
1797 — Citizens of Verona begin an unsuccessful eight-day rebellion against the French occupying forces. Wikipedia ↗
1524 — Giovanni da Verrazzano reaches New York harbor. Wikipedia ↗
1521 — Trial of Martin Luther over his teachings begins during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. Initially intimidated, he asks for time to reflect before answering and is given a stay of one day. Wikipedia ↗
1492 — Spain and Christopher Columbus sign the Capitulations of Santa Fe for his voyage to Asia to acquire spices. Wikipedia ↗
1397 — Geoffrey Chaucer tells The Canterbury Tales for the first time at the court of Richard II. Chaucer scholars have also identified this date (in 1387) as the start of the book's pilgrimage to Canterbury. Wikipedia ↗
1362 — Kaunas Castle falls to the Teutonic Order after a month-long siege. Wikipedia ↗
1349 — The rule of the Bavand dynasty in Mazandaran is brought to an end by the murder of Hasan II. Wikipedia ↗
1080 — Harald III of Denmark dies and is succeeded by Canute IV, who would later be the first Dane to be canonized. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on April 17

1992 — Lachlan Maranta, Australian rugby league footballer Wikipedia ↗
1990 — Jonathan Brown, Welsh footballer Wikipedia ↗
1989 — Paraskevi Papachristou, Greek triple jumper Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Takahiro Moriuchi, Japanese singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Romain Grosjean, French race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Rooney Mara, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Luke Mitchell, Australian actor and model Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, French tennis player Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Pablo Sebastián Álvarez, Argentinian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Jed Lowrie, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Raffaele Palladino, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Stanislav Chistov, Russian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Roberto Jiménez, Peruvian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Andrea Marcato, Italian rugby player Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Brad Boyes, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Chuck Kobasew, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Jenny Meadows, English runner Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Hanna Pakarinen, Finnish singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Ryan Raburn, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Chris Thompson, English runner Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Zhang Yaokun, Chinese footballer Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Fabián Vargas, Colombian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Curtis Woodhouse, English footballer, boxer, and manager Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Eric Brewer, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Marija Šestak, Serbian-Slovenian triple jumper Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Lindsay Hartley, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1978 — Jason White, Scottish rugby player Wikipedia ↗
1977 — Chad Hedrick, American speed skater Wikipedia ↗
1977 — Phil Jamieson, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1977 — Frederik Magle, Danish composer, organist, and pianist Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Maurice Wignall, Jamaican hurdler and long jumper Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Heidi Alexander, English politician Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Travis Roy, American ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Mikael Åkerfeldt, Swedish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Victoria Beckham, English singer and fashion designer Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Katrin Koov, Estonian architect Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Brett Maher, Australian basketball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Theo Ratliff, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Gary Bennett, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Tony Boselli, American football player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Jennifer Garner, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lankan cricketer Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Yuichi Nishimura, Japanese footballer and referee Wikipedia ↗
1972 — Terran Sandwith, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1971 — Claire Sweeney, English actress Wikipedia ↗
1970 — Redman, American rapper, producer, and actor Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Julie Fagerholt, Danish fashion designer Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Phil Henderson, American basketball player and coach (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Eric Lamaze, Canadian jockey Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Roger Twose, New Zealand cricketer Wikipedia ↗
1968 — Richie Woodhall, English boxer and trainer Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Kimberly Elise, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Marquis Grissom, American baseball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Ian Jones, New Zealand rugby player Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Barnaby Joyce, Australian politician, 17th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Wikipedia ↗
1967 — Liz Phair, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Ken Daneyko, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Maynard James Keenan, American singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Rachel Notley, Canadian politician Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Lela Rochon, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1962 — Paul Nicholls, English jockey and trainer Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Frank J. Christensen, American labor union leader Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Norman Cowans, Jamaican-English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Boomer Esiason, American football player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Bella Freud, English fashion designer Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Vladimir Polyakov, Russian pole vaulter Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Sean Bean, English actor Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Jimmy Mann, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Li Meisu, Chinese shot putter Wikipedia ↗
1958 — Laslo Babits, Canadian javelin thrower (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1957 — Teri Austin, Canadian actress Wikipedia ↗
1957 — Afrika Bambaataa, American disc jockey Wikipedia ↗
1957 — Nick Hornby, English novelist, essayist, lyricist, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1957 — Julia Macur, English lawyer and judge Wikipedia ↗
1957 — Frank McDonough, British historian Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Colin Tyre, Lord Tyre, Scottish lawyer and judge Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Todd Lickliter, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Pete Shelley, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Mike Stroud, English physician and explorer Wikipedia ↗
1954 — Riccardo Patrese, Italian race car driver Wikipedia ↗
1954 — Roddy Piper, Canadian professional wrestler and actor (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
1954 — Michael Sembello, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1952 — Joe Alaskey, American voice actor (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1952 — Pierre Guité, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1952 — John McColl, English general and politician, Lieutenant Governor of Jersey Wikipedia ↗
1952 — Željko Ražnatović, Serbian commander (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
1952 — John Robertson, Scottish businessman and politician Wikipedia ↗
1951 — Olivia Hussey, Argentinian-English actress Wikipedia ↗
1951 — Börje Salming, Swedish ice hockey player and businessman Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Jan Hammer, Czech pianist, composer, and producer Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Alice Harden, American educator and politician (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Pekka Vasala, Finnish runner Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Nigel Emslie, Lord Emslie, Scottish lawyer and judge Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Richard Field, English lawyer and judge Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Sherrie Levine, American photographer Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Tsutomu Wakamatsu, Japanese baseball player, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
1946 — Clare Francis, English sailor and author Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Richard Allen Epstein, American lawyer, author, and academic Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Buster Williams, American jazz musician Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Lagle Parek, Estonian architect and politician, Estonian Minister of the Interior Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Eric Dancer, English businessman and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Devon Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Billy Fury, English singer-songwriter (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
1940 — John McCririck, English journalist Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Chuck Menville, American animator and screenwriter (d. 1992) Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Anja Silja, German soprano and actress Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Agostino Vallini, Italian cardinal and vicar general of Rome Wikipedia ↗
1939 — Robert Miller, American art dealer (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Ben Barnes, American businessman and politician, 36th Lieutenant Governor of Texas Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Doug Lewis, Canadian lawyer and politician, 41st Canadian Minister of Justice Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Ronald H. Miller, American theologian, author, and academic (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Kerry Wendell Thornley, American theorist and author (d. 1988) Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Ronald Hamowy, Canadian historian and academic (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Ferdinand Piëch, Austrian-German engineer and businessman Wikipedia ↗
1935 — Bud Paxson, American broadcaster, founded Home Shopping Network and Pax TV (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
1934 — Don Kirshner, American songwriter and producer (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1934 — Peter Morris, Australian-English surgeon and academic Wikipedia ↗
1931 — John Barrett, English tennis player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1931 — Malcolm Browne, American journalist and photographer (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1930 — Chris Barber, English trombonist and bandleader Wikipedia ↗
1929 — James Last, German-American bassist, composer, and bandleader (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
1928 — Victor Lownes, American businessman (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
1928 — Cynthia Ozick, American short story writer, novelist, and essayist Wikipedia ↗
1928 — Heinz Putzl, Austrian fencer Wikipedia ↗
1928 — Fabien Roy, Canadian accountant and politician Wikipedia ↗
1927 — Margot Honecker, East German politician and First Lady (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1926 — Joan Lorring, British actress (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1926 — Gerry McNeil, Canadian ice hockey player and manager (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1925 — René Moawad, Lebanese lawyer and politician, 13th President of Lebanon (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
1924 — Kenneth Norman Jones, Australian public servant Wikipedia ↗
1924 — Donald Richie, American-Japanese author and critic (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1923 — Lindsay Anderson, English actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
1923 — Solly Hemus, American baseball player, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
1923 — Neville McNamara, Australian air marshal (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1923 — Gianni Raimondi, Italian lyric tenor (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
1923 — Harry Reasoner, American soldier and journalist (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
1920 — Edmonde Charles-Roux, French journalist and author (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1919 — Gilles Lamontagne, Canadian lieutenant and politician, 24th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1919 — Chavela Vargas, Costa Rican-Mexican singer-songwriter and actress (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1918 — William Holden, American actor (d. 1981) Wikipedia ↗
1916 — Win Maung, 3rd President of Union of Myanmar (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
1916 — A. Thiagarajah, Sri Lankan educator and politician (d. 1981) Wikipedia ↗
1915 — Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Sri Lankan politician, 6th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
1915 — Martin Clemens, Scottish soldier (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
1915 — Joe Foss, American general and politician, 20th Governor of South Dakota (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
1915 — Regina Ghazaryan, Armenian painter (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
1914 — George Davis, American art director (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
1914 — Mac Raboy, American illustrator (d. 1967) Wikipedia ↗
1912 — Marta Eggerth, Jewish-Hungarian-American actress and singer (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
1911 — Hervé Bazin, French author and poet (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
1911 — Lester Rodney, American soldier and journalist (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
1910 — Evangelos Averoff, Greek historian and politician, Greek Minister of Defence (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗
1910 — Ivan Goff, Australian screenwriter and producer (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
1910 — Helenio Herrera, French footballer and manager (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
1909 — Alain Poher, French politician, President of France (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
1906 — Sidney Garfield, American physician, co-founded Kaiser Permanente (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
1905 — Louis Jean Heydt, American journalist and actor (d. 1960) Wikipedia ↗
1905 — Arthur Lake, American actor (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
1903 — Nicolas Nabokov, Russian-American composer and educator (d. 1978) Wikipedia ↗
1903 — Gregor Piatigorsky, Ukrainian-American cellist and educator (d. 1976) Wikipedia ↗
1903 — Morgan Taylor, American hurdler and coach (d. 1975) Wikipedia ↗
1899 — Aleksander Klumberg, Estonian decathlete and coach (d. 1958) Wikipedia ↗
1897 — Nisargadatta Maharaj, Indian philosopher and educator (d. 1981) Wikipedia ↗
1897 — Thornton Wilder, American novelist and playwright (d. 1975) Wikipedia ↗
1897 — Edouard Wyss-Dunant, Swiss physician and mountaineer (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
1896 — Señor Wences, Spanish-American ventriloquist (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
1895 — Robert Dean Frisbie, American soldier and author (d. 1948) Wikipedia ↗