On This Day — April 8

🕰️ Notable Events on April 8

• 2013 — The Islamic State of Iraq enters the Syrian Civil War and begins by declaring a merger with the Al-Nusra Front under the name Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham Wikipedia ↗
• 2008 — The construction of the world's first building to integrate wind turbines is completed in Bahrain. Wikipedia ↗
• 2006 — Shedden massacre: The bodies of eight men, all shot to death, are found in a field in Shedden, Elgin County, Ontario. The murders are soon linked to the Bandidos Motorcycle Club. Wikipedia ↗
• 2004 — War in Darfur: The Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement is signed by the Sudanese government and two rebel groups. Wikipedia ↗
• 1999 — Haryana Gana Parishad, a political party in the Indian state of Haryana, merges with the Indian National Congress. Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — The Republic of Macedonia joins the United Nations. Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Retired tennis great Arthur Ashe announces that he has AIDS, acquired from blood transfusions during one of his two heart surgeries. Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Los Angeles Dodgers executive Al Campanis resigns amid controversy over racially charged remarks he had made while on Nightline. Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Frank Robinson manages the Cleveland Indians in his first game as major league baseball's first African American manager. Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — At Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Hank Aaron hits his 715th career home run to surpass Babe Ruth's 39-year-old record. Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Bahr El-Baqar primary school bombing: Israeli bombers strike an Egyptian school. Forty-six children are killed. Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — BOAC Flight 712 catches fire shortly after take off. As a result of her actions in the accident, Barbara Jane Harrison is awarded a posthumous George Cross, the only GC awarded to a woman in peacetime. Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — The Gemini 1 test flight is conducted. Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — A large explosion on board the MV Dara in the Persian Gulf kills 238. Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — The Netherlands and West Germany sign an agreement to negotiate the return of German land annexed by the Dutch in return for 280 million German marks as Wiedergutmachung. Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — A team of computer manufacturers, users, and university people led by Grace Hopper meets to discuss the creation of a new programming language that would be called COBOL. Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — The Organization of American States drafts an agreement to create the Inter-American Development Bank. Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — A Royal Canadian Air Force Canadair Harvard collides with a Trans-Canada Airlines Canadair North Star over Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, killing 37 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — South African Airways Flight 201 A de Havilland DH.106 Comet 1 crashes into the sea during night killing 21 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Mau Mau leader Jomo Kenyatta is convicted by British Kenya's rulers. Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — U.S. President Harry Truman calls for the seizure of all domestic steel mills to prevent a nationwide strike. Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — India and Pakistan sign the Liaquat-Nehru Pact. Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Électricité de France, the world's largest utility company, is formed as a result of the nationalisation of a number of electricity producers, transporters and distributors. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: After an air raid accidentally destroys a train carrying about 4,000 Nazi concentration camp internees in Prussian Hanover, the survivors are massacred by Nazis. Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in an attempt to check inflation, freezes wages and prices, prohibits workers from changing jobs unless the war effort would be aided thereby, and bars rate increases by common carriers and public utilities. Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — World War II: Siege of Leningrad: Soviet forces open a much-needed railway link to Leningrad. Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — World War II: The Japanese take Bataan in the Philippines. Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — The Works Progress Administration is formed when the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 becomes law. Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Indian independence movement: At the Delhi Central Assembly, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt throw handouts and bombs to court arrest. Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Sharia courts are abolished in Turkey, as part of Atatürk's Reforms. Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — World War I: Actors Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin sell war bonds on the streets of New York City's financial district. Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — In Corona, California, race car driver Bob Burman crashes, killing three (including himself), and badly injuring five spectators. Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — The 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution, requiring direct election of Senators, becomes law. Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovers superconductivity. Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — Harvard University votes to establish the Harvard Business School. Wikipedia ↗
• 1906 — Auguste Deter, the first person to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, dies. Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — The French Third Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland sign the Entente cordiale. Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — British mystic Aleister Crowley transcribes the first chapter of The Book of the Law. Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Longacre Square in Midtown Manhattan is renamed Times Square after The New York Times. Wikipedia ↗
• 1895 — In Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co. the Supreme Court of the United States declares unapportioned income tax to be unconstitutional. Wikipedia ↗
• 1886 — William Ewart Gladstone introduces the first Irish Home Rule Bill into the British House of Commons. Wikipedia ↗
• 1866 — Italy and Prussia ally against the Austrian Empire. Wikipedia ↗
• 1864 — American Civil War: Battle of Mansfield: Union forces are thwarted by the Confederate army at Mansfield, Louisiana. Wikipedia ↗
• 1832 — Black Hawk War: Around three-hundred United States 6th Infantry troops leave St. Louis, Missouri to fight the Sauk Native Americans. Wikipedia ↗
• 1820 — The Venus de Milo is discovered on the Aegean island of Milos. Wikipedia ↗
• 1808 — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Baltimore is promoted to an archdiocese, with the founding of the dioceses of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Bardstown (now Louisville) by Pope Pius VII. Wikipedia ↗
• 1740 — War of Jenkins' Ear: Three British ships capture the Spanish third-rate Princesa, taken into service as HMS Princess. Wikipedia ↗
• 1730 — Shearith Israel, the first synagogue in New York City, is dedicated. Wikipedia ↗
• 1665 — English colonial patents are granted for the establishment of the Monmouth Tract, for what would eventually become Monmouth County in northeastern New Jersey. Wikipedia ↗
• 1271 — In Syria, sultan Baibars conquers the Krak des Chevaliers. Wikipedia ↗
• 1232 — Mongol-Jin War: The Mongols begin their siege on Kaifeng, the capital of the Jin dynasty. Wikipedia ↗
• 1149 — Pope Eugene III takes refuge in the castle of Ptolemy II of Tusculum. Wikipedia ↗
• 1139 — Roger II of Sicily is excommunicated. Wikipedia ↗
• 1093 — The new Winchester Cathedral is dedicated by Walkelin. Wikipedia ↗
• 876 — The Battle of Dayr al-'Aqul saves Baghdad from the Saffarids. Wikipedia ↗
• 632 — King Charibert II is assassinated at Blaye (Gironde), along with his infant son Chilperic. Wikipedia ↗
• 217 — Roman Emperor Caracalla is assassinated. He is succeeded by his Praetorian Guard prefect, Marcus Opellius Macrinus. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on April 8

• 1997 — Arno Verschueren, Belgian professional football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — Cedi Osman, Turkish professional basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Josh Chudleigh, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Viktor Arvidsson, Swedish ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Zac Santo, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Kim Jong-hyun, South Korean singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Matthew Healy, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Jenni Asserholt, Swedish ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Kim Myung-sung, South Korean baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Royston Drenthe, Dutch footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Jeremy Hellickson, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Sam Rapira, New Zealand rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Alexander Jarvey, American Painter Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Igor Akinfeev, Russian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Félix Hernández, Venezuelan-American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Patrick Schliwa, German rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Yemane Tsegay, Ethiopian runner Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Michelle Donelan, British politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Ezra Koenig, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Pablo Portillo, Mexican singer and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Taran Noah Smith, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Tatyana Petrova Arkhipova, Russian runner Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Brett White, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Frédérick Bousquet, French swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Ofer Shechter, Israeli model, actor, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Manuel Ortega, Austrian singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Katee Sackhoff, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Mariko Seyama, Japanese announcer, photographer, and model Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Alexi Laiho, Finnish singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Amit Trivedi, Indian singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Daigo, Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, and voice actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Ana de la Reguera, Mexican actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Bernt Haas, Austrian-Swiss footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Rachel Roberts, Canadian model and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Jocelyn Robichaud, Canadian tennis player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Evans Rutto, Kenyan runner Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Mehran Ghassemi, Iranian journalist and author (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Mark Spencer, American computer programmer and engineer Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Anouk, Dutch singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Francesco Flachi, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Timo Pérez, Dominican-American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Funda Arar, Turkish singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Toutai Kefu, Tongan-Australian rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Nnedi Okorafor, Nigerian-American author and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Khaled Badra, Tunisian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Emma Caulfield, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Paul Gray, American bass player and songwriter (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Sergei Magnitsky, Russian lawyer and accountant (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Darren Jessee, American singer-songwriter and drummer Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Care Santos, Catalan writer Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Patricia Arquette, French-Canadian Russian/Polish Jewish-American actress and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Patricia Girard, French runner and hurdler Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Tracy Grammer, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Kenny Benjamin, Antiguan cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Iveta Bartošová, Czech singer and actress (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Mark Blundell, English race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Andy Currier, English rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Charlotte Dawson, New Zealand-Australian television host (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Dalton Grant, English high jumper Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Mazinho, Brazilian footballer, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Harri Rovanperä, Finnish race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Evripidis Stylianidis, Greek lawyer and politician, Greek Minister for the Interior Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Robin Wright, American actress, director, producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Steven Blaney, Canadian businessman and politician, 5th Canadian Minister of Public Safety Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Michael Jones, New Zealand rugby player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Biz Markie, American rapper, producer, and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — John McGinlay, Scottish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Tine Asmundsen, Norwegian bassist Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Julian Lennon, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Terry Porter, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Donita Sparks, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Alec Stewart, English cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Seth Tobias, American businessman (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Paddy Lowe, English engineer Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Izzy Stradlin, American guitarist and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Richard Hatch, American reality contestant, winner of Survivor: Borneo Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Brian McDermott, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — John Schneider, American actor and country singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Alain Bondue, French cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Detlef Bruckhoff, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Tom Petranoff, American javelin thrower and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Fred Smerlas, American football player and radio host Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Michael Benton, Scottish-English paleontologist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Christine Boisson, French actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Roman Dragoun, Czech singer-songwriter and keyboard player Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Jim Piddock, English actor, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Ricky Bell, American football player (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Gerrie Coetzee, South African boxer Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Ron Johnson, American businessman and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Barbara Kingsolver, American novelist, essayist and poet. Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — David Wu, Taiwanese-American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Gary Carter, American baseball player and coach (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Princess Lalla Amina of Morocco (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — G.V. Loganathan, Indian-American engineer and academic (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Ahmet Piriştina, Turkish politician (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Gerd Andres, German politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Geir Haarde, Icelandic economist, journalist, and politician, 23rd Prime Minister of Iceland Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Mel Schacher, American bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Joan Sebastian, Mexican singer-songwriter and actor (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Grzegorz Lato, Polish footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — K. C. Kamalasabayson, Sri Lankan lawyer and politician, 39th Attorney General of Sri Lanka (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — John Madden, English director and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Brenda Russell, African-American-Canadian singer-songwriter and keyboard player Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — John Scott, English sociologist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Barbara Young, Baroness Young of Old Scone, Scottish academic and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Tom DeLay, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Steve Howe, English guitarist, songwriter, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Robert Kiyosaki, American businessman, co-founded Cashflow Technologies Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Pascal Lamy, French businessman and politician, European Commissioner for Trade Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Larry Norman, American singer-songwriter, and producer (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Catfish Hunter, American baseball player (d. 1999) Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Tim Thomerson, American actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Derrick Walker, Scottish businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Jang Yong, South Korean actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Hywel Bennett, Welsh actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Odd Nerdrum, Swedish-Norwegian painter and illustrator Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Deke Richards, American songwriter and producer (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Michael Bennett, American dancer, choreographer, and director (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Miller Farr, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — James Herbert, English author and illustrator (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Chris Orr, English painter and illustrator Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Tony Banks, Baron Stratford, Northern Irish politician, Minister for Sport and the Olympics (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Roger Chapman, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Douglas Trumbull, American director, producer, and special effects artist Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — J. J. Jackson, American soul/R&B singer, songwriter, and arranger Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Vivienne Westwood, English fashion designer Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — John Havlicek, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — John Arbuthnott, Scottish microbiologist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Trina Schart Hyman, American author and illustrator (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Kofi Annan, Ghanaian economist and diplomat, 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — John Hamm, Canadian physician and politician, 25th Premier of Nova Scotia Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Mary W. Gray, American mathematician, statistician, and lawyer Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Seymour Hersh, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Momo Kapor, Serbian author and painter (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Oscar Zeta Acosta, American lawyer and politician (d. 1974) Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Albert Bustamante, American soldier, educator, and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Kisho Kurokawa, Japanese architect, designed the Nakagin Capsule Tower and Singapore Flyer (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — James Lockhart, American scholar of colonial Latin America, especially Nahua peoples (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Iskandar of Johor (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — John Gavin, American actor and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Mexico Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Jacques Brel, Belgian singer-songwriter and actor (d. 1978) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Renzo De Felice, Italian historian and author (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on April 8 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on April 8

🏛️ Public Holidays

Also in: שביעי של פסח (IL)

✡️ Religious Observances

• Jewish: Pesach VII