On This Day — April 30

Famous events, births, and deaths from April 30 in history, plus the public holidays, religious observances, sports, and national days happening on this date today.

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54 events · 171 births · 94 deaths recorded for April 30.

🕰️ Notable Events on April 30

2014 — A bomb blast in Ürümqi kills three people and injures 79 others. Wikipedia ↗
2012 — An overloaded ferry capsizes on the Brahmaputra River in India killing at least 103 people. Wikipedia ↗
2009 — Chrysler files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Wikipedia ↗
2009 — Seven civilians and the perpetrator are killed and another ten injured at a Queen's Day parade in Apeldoorn, Netherlands in an attempted assassination on Queen Beatrix. Wikipedia ↗
2008 — Two skeletal remains found near Yekaterinburg, Russia are confirmed by Russian scientists to be the remains of Alexei and Anastasia, two of the children of the last Tsar of Russia, whose entire family was executed at Yekaterinburg by the Bolsheviks. Wikipedia ↗
2004 — U.S. media release graphic photos of American soldiers abusing and sexually humiliating Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison. Wikipedia ↗
2000 — Canonization of Faustina Kowalska in the presence of 200,000 people and the first Divine Mercy Sunday celebrated worldwide. Wikipedia ↗
1997 — Ellen DeGeneres came out as gay. Her sitcom, Ellen, became one of first major television shows featuring an openly gay main character. Wikipedia ↗
1994 — Formula One racing driver Roland Ratzenberger is killed in a crash during the qualifying session of the San Marino Grand Prix run at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari outside Imola, Italy. Wikipedia ↗
1993 — CERN announces World Wide Web protocols will be free. Wikipedia ↗
1992 — Nickelodeon Studios in Orlando, Florida bury a time capsule to be opened in 2042; 50 years after its burial. Wikipedia ↗
1982 — The Bijon Setu massacre occurs in Calcutta. Wikipedia ↗
1980 — The Iranian Embassy siege begins in London. Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Fall of Saigon: Communist forces gain control of Saigon. The Vietnam War formally ends with the unconditional surrender of South Vietnamese president Dương Văn Minh. Wikipedia ↗
1973 — Watergate scandal: U.S. President Richard Nixon announces that White House Counsel John Dean has been fired and that other top aides, most notably H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, have resigned. Wikipedia ↗
1963 — The Bristol Bus Boycott is held in Bristol to protest the Bristol Omnibus Company's refusal to employ Black or Asian bus crews, drawing national attention to racial discrimination in the United Kingdom. Wikipedia ↗
1961 — K-19, the first Soviet nuclear submarine equipped with nuclear missiles, is commissioned. Wikipedia ↗
1957 — Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery entered into force. Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Former Vice President and Democratic Senator Alben Barkley dies during a speech in Virginia. Wikipedia ↗
1948 — In Bogotá, Colombia, the Organization of American States is established. Wikipedia ↗
1947 — In Nevada, Boulder Dam is renamed Hoover Dam for the second time. Wikipedia ↗
1945 — World War II: Führerbunker: Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun commit suicide after being married for less than 40 hours. Soviet soldiers raise the Victory Banner over the Reichstag building. Wikipedia ↗
1945 — World War II: Stalag Luft I prisoner-of-war camp near Barth, Germany is liberated by Soviet soldiers, freeing nearly 9000 American and British airmen. Wikipedia ↗
1943 — World War II: The British submarine HMS Seraph surfaces near Huelva to cast adrift a dead man dressed as a courier and carrying false invasion plans. Wikipedia ↗
1939 — The 1939-40 New York World's Fair opens. Wikipedia ↗
1939 — NBC inaugurates its regularly scheduled television service in New York City, broadcasting President Franklin D. Roosevelt's N.Y. World's Fair opening day ceremonial address. Wikipedia ↗
1938 — The animated cartoon short Porky's Hare Hunt debuts in movie theaters, introducing Happy Rabbit (a prototype of Bugs Bunny). Wikipedia ↗
1937 — The Commonwealth of the Philippines holds a plebiscite for Filipino women on whether they should be extended the right to suffrage; over 90% would vote in the affirmative. Wikipedia ↗
1927 — The Federal Industrial Institute for Women opens in Alderson, West Virginia, as the first women's federal prison in the United States. Wikipedia ↗
1927 — Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford become the first celebrities to leave their footprints in concrete at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Wikipedia ↗
1925 — Automaker Dodge Brothers, Inc is sold to Dillon, Read & Co. for US$146 million plus $50 million for charity. Wikipedia ↗
1907 — Honolulu, Hawaii becomes an independent city. Wikipedia ↗
1905 — Albert Einstein writes his thesis Eine neue Bestimmung der Moleküldimensionen ("A New Determination of Molecular Dimensions"). Wikipedia ↗
1904 — The Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair opens in St. Louis, Missouri. Wikipedia ↗
1900 — Hawaii becomes a territory of the United States, with Sanford B. Dole as governor. Wikipedia ↗
1897 — J. J. Thomson of the Cavendish Laboratory announces his discovery of the electron as a subatomic particle, over 1,800 times smaller than a proton (in the atomic nucleus), at a lecture at the Royal Institution in London.[1] Wikipedia ↗
1885 — Governor of New York David B. Hill signs legislation creating the Niagara Reservation, New York's first state park, ensuring that Niagara Falls will not be devoted solely to industrial and commercial use. Wikipedia ↗
1871 — The Camp Grant massacre takes place in Arizona Territory. Wikipedia ↗
1863 — A 65-man French Foreign Legion infantry patrol fights a force of nearly 2,000 Mexican soldiers to nearly the last man in Hacienda Camarón, Mexico. Wikipedia ↗
1838 — Nicaragua declares independence from the Central American Federation. Wikipedia ↗
1812 — The Territory of Orleans becomes the 18th U.S. state under the name Louisiana. Wikipedia ↗
1803 — Louisiana Purchase: The United States purchases the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million, more than doubling the size of the young nation. Wikipedia ↗
1789 — On the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York City, George Washington takes the oath of office to become the first elected President of the United States. Wikipedia ↗
1671 — Petar Zrinski, the Croatian Ban from the Zrinski family, is executed. Wikipedia ↗
1636 — Eighty Years' War: Dutch Republic forces recapture a strategically important fort from Spain after a nine-month siege. Wikipedia ↗
1598 — Juan de Oñate makes a formal declaration of his Conquest of New Mexico. Wikipedia ↗
1598 — Henry IV of France issues the Edict of Nantes, allowing freedom of religion to the Huguenots. Wikipedia ↗
1557 — Mapuche leader Lautaro is killed by Spanish forces at the Battle of Mataquito in Chile. Wikipedia ↗
1513 — Edmund de la Pole, Yorkist pretender to the English throne, is executed on the orders of Henry VIII. Wikipedia ↗
1492 — Spain gives Christopher Columbus his commission of exploration. Wikipedia ↗
1315 — Enguerrand de Marigny is hanged at the instigation of Charles, Count of Valois. Wikipedia ↗
642 — Chindasuinth is proclaimed king by the Visigothic nobility and bishops. Wikipedia ↗
313 — Battle of Tzirallum: Emperor Licinius defeats Maximinus II and unifies the Eastern Roman Empire. Wikipedia ↗
311 — The Diocletianic Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire ends. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on April 30

1999 — Jorden van Foreest, Dutch chess grandmaster Wikipedia ↗
1997 — Adam Ryczkowski, Polish footballer Wikipedia ↗
1996 — Luke Friend, English singer Wikipedia ↗
1994 — Wang Yafan, Chinese tennis player Wikipedia ↗
1993 — Dion Dreesens, Dutch swimmer Wikipedia ↗
1992 — Travis Scott, American rapper and producer Wikipedia ↗
1992 — Marc-André ter Stegen, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
1991 — Chris Kreider, American ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1990 — Jonny Brownlee, English triathlete Wikipedia ↗
1990 — Mac DeMarco, Canadian singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1990 — Kaarel Kiidron, Estonian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Andy Allen, Australian chef Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Sander Baart, Dutch field hockey player Wikipedia ↗
1988 — Oh Hye-ri, South Korean taekwondo athlete Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Alipate Carlile, Australian footballer Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Chris Morris, South African cricketer Wikipedia ↗
1987 — Rohit Sharma, Indian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Dianna Agron, American actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
1986 — Martten Kaldvee, Estonian biathlete Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Brandon Bass, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
1985 — Gal Gadot, Israeli actress and model Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Shawn Daivari, American wrestler and manager Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Risto Mätas, Estonian javelin thrower Wikipedia ↗
1984 — Lee Roache, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Chris Carr, American football player Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Tatjana Hüfner, German luger Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Marina Tomić, Slovenian hurdler Wikipedia ↗
1983 — Troy Williamson, American football player Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Kirsten Dunst, American actress Wikipedia ↗
1982 — Drew Seeley, Canadian-American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actor Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Nicole Kaczmarski, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
1981 — John O'Shea, Irish footballer Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Kunal Nayyar, British-Indian actor Wikipedia ↗
1981 — Justin Vernon, American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Luis Scola, Argentinian basketball player Wikipedia ↗
1980 — Jeroen Verhoeven, Dutch footballer Wikipedia ↗
1979 — Gerardo Torrado, Mexican footballer Wikipedia ↗
1977 — Jeannie Haddaway, American politician Wikipedia ↗
1977 — Meredith L. Patterson, American technologist, journalist, and author Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Davian Clarke, Jamaican sprinter Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Amanda Palmer, American singer-songwriter and pianist Wikipedia ↗
1976 — Daniel Wagon, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
1975 — Johnny Galecki, American actor Wikipedia ↗
1974 — Christian Tamminga, Dutch athlete Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Warren Defever, American bass player and producer Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Justine Greening, English accountant and politician, Secretary of State for International Development Wikipedia ↗
1969 — Paulo Jr., Brazilian bass player Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Jeff Brown, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1966 — Dave Meggett, American football player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1965 — Daniela Costian, Romanian-Australian discus thrower Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Tony Fernandes, Malaysian-Indian businessman, co-founded Tune Group Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Ian Healy, Australian cricketer, coach, and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1964 — Lorenzo Staelens, Belgian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Andrew Carwood, English tenor and conductor Wikipedia ↗
1963 — Michael Waltrip, American race car driver and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1961 — Isiah Thomas, American basketball player, coach, and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Geoffrey Cox, English lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
1960 — Kerry Healey, American academic and politician, 70th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts Wikipedia ↗
1959 — Stephen Harper, Canadian economist and politician, 22nd Prime Minister of Canada Wikipedia ↗
1958 — Charles Berling, French actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1958 — Wonder Mike, American rapper and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1956 — Lars von Trier, Danish director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Nicolas Hulot, French journalist and environmentalist Wikipedia ↗
1955 — David Kitchin, English lawyer and judge Wikipedia ↗
1955 — Zlatko Topčić, Bosnian writer and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1954 — Jane Campion, New Zealand director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1954 — Kim Darroch, English diplomat, UK Permanent Representative to the European Union Wikipedia ↗
1954 — Frank-Michael Marczewski, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
1953 — Merrill Osmond, American singer and bass player Wikipedia ↗
1952 — Jacques Audiard, French director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1952 — Jack Middelburg, Dutch professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
1949 — Phil Garner, American baseball player and manager Wikipedia ↗
1949 — António Guterres, Portuguese academic and politician, 114th Prime Minister of Portugal Wikipedia ↗
1949 — Karl Meiler, German tennis player (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Wayne Kramer, American guitarist and singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Pierre Pagé, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1948 — Margit Papp, Hungarian athlete Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Paul Fiddes, English theologian and academic Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Finn Kalvik, Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Tom Køhlert, Danish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
1947 — Mats Odell, Swedish economist and politician, Swedish Minister for Financial Markets Wikipedia ↗
1946 — King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden Wikipedia ↗
1946 — Bill Plympton, American animator, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1946 — Don Schollander, American swimmer Wikipedia ↗
1945 — J. Michael Brady, British radiologist Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Annie Dillard, American novelist, essayist, and poet Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Mimi Fariña, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
1945 — Michael J. Smith, American captain, pilot, and astronaut (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
1944 — Jon Bing, Norwegian author, scholar, and academic (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1944 — Jill Clayburgh, American actress (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Frederick Chiluba, Zambian politician, 2nd President of Zambia (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1943 — Bobby Vee, American pop singer-songwriter (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
1942 — Sallehuddin of Kedah, Sultan of Kedah Wikipedia ↗
1941 — Stavros Dimas, Greek lawyer and politician, Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Jeroen Brouwers, Dutch journalist and writer Wikipedia ↗
1940 — Michael Cleary, Australian rugby player and politician Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Gary Collins, American actor and talk show host (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Juraj Jakubisko, Slovak director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1938 — Larry Niven, American author and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
1937 — Tony Harrison, English poet and playwright Wikipedia ↗
1934 — Jerry Lordan, English singer-songwriter (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
1934 — Don McKenney, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
1933 — Charles Sanderson, Baron Sanderson of Bowden, English politician Wikipedia ↗
1930 — Félix Guattari, French psychotherapist and philosopher (d. 1992) Wikipedia ↗
1928 — Hugh Hood, Canadian author and academic (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
1928 — Orlando Sirola, Italian tennis player (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
1926 — Shrinivas Khale, Indian composer (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
1926 — Cloris Leachman, American actress and comedian Wikipedia ↗
1925 — Corinne Calvet, French actress (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
1925 — Johnny Horton, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1960) Wikipedia ↗
1924 — Uno Laht, Estonian KGB officer and author (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
1923 — Percy Heath, American bassist (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
1923 — Kagamisato Kiyoji, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 42nd Yokozuna (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1922 — Anton Murray, South African cricketer (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
1921 — Roger L. Easton, American scientist, co-invented the GPS (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
1920 — Duncan Hamilton, Irish-English race car driver and pilot (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
1917 — Bea Wain, American singer (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
1916 — Claude Shannon, American mathematician and engineer (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
1916 — Paul Kuusberg, Estonian journalist and author (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
1916 — Robert Shaw, American conductor (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
1914 — Charles Beetham, American middle-distance runner (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
1914 — Dorival Caymmi, Brazilian singer-songwriter, actor, and painter (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
1910 — Levi Celerio, Filipino pianist, violinist, and composer (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
1909 — F. E. McWilliam, Irish sculptor and educator (d. 1992) Wikipedia ↗
1909 — Juliana of the Netherlands (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
1908 — Eve Arden, American actress (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗
1908 — Bjarni Benediktsson, Icelandic journalist and politician, 13th Prime Minister of Iceland (d. 1970) Wikipedia ↗
1908 — Frank Robert Miller, Canadian air marshal and politician (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
1905 — Sergey Nikolsky, Russian mathematician and academic (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
1902 — Theodore Schultz, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
1901 — Simon Kuznets, Belarusian-American economist, statistician, and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
1900 — Erni Krusten, Estonian author and poet (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
1897 — Humberto Mauro, Brazilian director and screenwriter (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
1896 — Reverend Gary Davis, American singer and guitarist (d. 1972) Wikipedia ↗
1896 — Hans List, Austrian scientist and businessman, founded the AVL Engineering Company (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
1895 — Philippe Panneton, Canadian physician, academic, and diplomat (d. 1960) Wikipedia ↗
1893 — Harold Breen, Australian public servant (d. 1966) Wikipedia ↗
1893 — Joachim von Ribbentrop, German soldier and politician, 14th German Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs (d. 1946) Wikipedia ↗
1888 — John Crowe Ransom, American poet, critic, and academic (d. 1974) Wikipedia ↗
1884 — Olof Sandborg, Swedish actor (d. 1965) Wikipedia ↗
1883 — Jaroslav Hašek, Czech soldier and author (d. 1923) Wikipedia ↗
1883 — Luigi Russolo, Italian painter and composer (d. 1947) Wikipedia ↗
1880 — Charles Exeter Devereux Crombie, Scottish cartoonist (d. 1967) Wikipedia ↗
1877 — Léon Flameng, French cyclist (d. 1917) Wikipedia ↗
1877 — Alice B. Toklas, American memoirist (d. 1967) Wikipedia ↗
1876 — Orso Mario Corbino, Italian physicist and politician (d. 1937) Wikipedia ↗