On This Day — February 23

🕰️ Notable Events on February 23

• 2017 — The Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army captures Al-Bab from ISIL. Wikipedia ↗
• 2012 — A series of attacks across Iraq leave at least 83 killed and more than 250 injured. Wikipedia ↗
• 2010 — Unknown criminals pour more than 2.5 million liters of diesel oil and other hydrocarbons into the river Lambro, in northern Italy, sparking an environmental disaster. Wikipedia ↗
• 2008 — A United States Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber crashes on Guam, marking the first operational loss of a B-2. Wikipedia ↗
• 2007 — A train derails on an evening express service near Grayrigg, Cumbria, England, killing one person and injuring 88. This results in hundreds of points being checked over the UK after a few similar accidents. Wikipedia ↗
• 1999 — Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Öcalan is charged with treason in Ankara, Turkey. Wikipedia ↗
• 1998 — In the United States, tornadoes in central Florida destroy or damage 2,600 structures and kill 42 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — In Thailand, General Sunthorn Kongsompong leads a bloodless coup d'état, deposing Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan. Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Supernova 1987a is seen in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — The United States Environmental Protection Agency announces its intent to buy out and evacuate the dioxin-contaminated community of Times Beach, Missouri. Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — In Spain, Antonio Tejero attempts a coup d'état by capturing the Spanish Congress of Deputies. Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Iran hostage crisis: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini states that Iran's parliament will decide the fate of the American embassy hostages. Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — The Symbionese Liberation Army demands $4 million more to release kidnap victim Patty Hearst. Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — In Syria, Ba'ath Party member Salah Jadid leads an intra-party military coup that replaces the previous government of General Amin al-Hafiz, also a Baathist. Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — The first mass inoculation of children against polio with the Salk vaccine begins in Pittsburgh. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: During the Battle of Iwo Jima, a group of United States Marines and a U.S. Navy hospital corpsman reach the top of Mount Suribachi on the island and are photographed raising the American flag. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: The 11th Airborne Division, with Filipino guerrillas, free the captives of the Los Baños internment camp. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: The capital of the Philippines, Manila, is liberated by combined Filipino and American forces. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: Capitulation of German garrison in Poznań. The city is liberated by Soviet and Polish forces. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: The German town of Pforzheim is annihilated in a raid by 379 British bombers. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — The Soviet Union begins the forced deportation of the Chechen and Ingush people from the North Caucasus to Central Asia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — A fire breaks out at Saint Joseph's Orphanage, County Cavan, Ireland, killing 35 children and one adult. Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Greek Resistance: The United Panhellenic Organization of Youth is founded in Greece. Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — World War II: Japanese submarines fire artillery shells at the coastline near Santa Barbara, California. Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Plutonium is first produced and isolated by Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg. Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Leopold III becomes King of Belgium. Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signs a bill by Congress establishing the Federal Radio Commission (later replaced by the Federal Communications Commission) which was to regulate the use of radio frequencies in the United States. Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — German theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg writes a letter to fellow physicist Wolfgang Pauli, in which he describes his uncertainty principle for the first time. Wikipedia ↗
• 1917 — First demonstrations in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The beginning of the February Revolution (March 8 in the Gregorian calendar). Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — The AEA Silver Dart makes the first powered flight in Canada and the British Empire. Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — Chicago attorney Paul Harris and three other businessmen meet for lunch to form the Rotary Club, the world's first service club. Wikipedia ↗
• 1903 — Cuba leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States "in perpetuity". Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — Second Boer War: During the Battle of the Tugela Heights, the first British attempt to take Hart's Hill fails. Wikipedia ↗
• 1898 — Émile Zola is imprisoned in France after writing "J'accuse", a letter accusing the French government of antisemitism and wrongfully imprisoning Captain Alfred Dreyfus. Wikipedia ↗
• 1887 — The French Riviera is hit by a large earthquake, killing around 2,000. Wikipedia ↗
• 1886 — Charles Martin Hall produced the first samples of man-made aluminum, after several years of intensive work. He was assisted in this project by his older sister, Julia Brainerd Hall. Wikipedia ↗
• 1885 — Sino-French War: French Army gains an important victory in the Battle of Đồng Đăng in the Tonkin region of Vietnam. Wikipedia ↗
• 1883 — Alabama becomes the first U.S. state to enact an anti-trust law. Wikipedia ↗
• 1870 — Reconstruction Era: Post-U.S. Civil War military control of Mississippi ends and it is readmitted to the Union. Wikipedia ↗
• 1861 — President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington, D.C., after the thwarting of an alleged assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland. Wikipedia ↗
• 1854 — The official independence of the Orange Free State is declared. Wikipedia ↗
• 1847 — Mexican-American War: Battle of Buena Vista: In Mexico, American troops under future president General Zachary Taylor defeat Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Wikipedia ↗
• 1836 — Texas Revolution: The Siege of the Alamo (prelude to the Battle of the Alamo) begins in San Antonio, Texas. Wikipedia ↗
• 1820 — Cato Street Conspiracy: A plot to murder all the British cabinet ministers is exposed. Wikipedia ↗
• 1778 — American Revolutionary War: Baron von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to help to train the Continental Army. Wikipedia ↗
• 1739 — At York Castle, the outlaw Dick Turpin is identified by his former schoolteacher. Turpin had been using the name Richard Palmer. Wikipedia ↗
• 1554 — Mapuche forces, under the leadership of Lautaro, score a victory over the Spanish at the Battle of Marihueñu in Chile. Wikipedia ↗
• 1455 — Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western book printed with movable type. Wikipedia ↗
• 532 — Byzantine emperor Justinian I orders the building of a new Orthodox Christian basilica in Constantinople - the Hagia Sophia. Wikipedia ↗
• 303 — Roman emperor Diocletian orders the destruction of the Christian church in Nicomedia, beginning eight years of Diocletianic Persecution. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on February 23

• 1995 — Andrew Wiggins, Canadian basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Dakota Fanning, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Chris Grevsmuhl, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Casemiro, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Greek footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Kevin Connauton, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Terry Hawkridge, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Marco Scandella, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Evan Bates, American ice dancer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Jérémy Pied, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Nicolás Gaitán, Argentinian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Ab-Soul, American rapper Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Theophilus London, Trinidadian-American singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Emerson Conceição, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Skylar Grey, American singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Kazuya Kamenashi, Japanese singer-songwriter and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Jerod Mayo, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Ola Svensson, Swedish singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Mido, Egyptian footballer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Aziz Ansari, American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Emily Blunt, English actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Adam Hann-Byrd, American actor and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Gareth Barry, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Josh Gad, American actor, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Charles Tillman, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — S. E. Cupp, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Residente, Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Dan Snyder, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Kristina Šmigun-Vähi, Estonian skier Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Scott Elarton, American baseball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Kelly Macdonald, Scottish actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Jeff O'Neill, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Michael Cornacchia, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Herschelle Gibbs, South African cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Robbi Kempson, South African rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Jeff Nordgaard, American-Polish basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Alessandro Sturba, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Rondell White, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Carin Koch, Swedish golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Melinda Messenger, English model and television host Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Joe-Max Moore, American soccer player Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Niecy Nash, American actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Michael Campbell, New Zealand-Australian golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Martine Croxall, English journalist and television news presenter Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Daymond John, American fashion designer and businessman, founded FUBU Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Steve Stricker, American golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Chris Vrenna, American drummer, songwriter, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Michael Dell, American businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Helena Suková, Czech-Monacan tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — John Norum, Norwegian guitarist and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Bobby Bonilla, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Radosław Sikorski, Polish journalist and politician, 11th Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Michael Wilton, American guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Clayton Anderson, American engineer and astronaut Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Nick de Bois, English politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Ian Liddell-Grainger, Scottish soldier and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Linda Nolan, Irish singer and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — David Sylvian, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Sandra Osborne, Scottish politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Howard Jones, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Flip Saunders, American basketball player and coach (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Rajini Thiranagama, Sri Lankan physician and academic (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Viktor Yushchenko, Ukrainian captain and politician, 3rd President of Ukraine Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Kenny Bee, Hong Kong singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Satoru Nakajima, Japanese race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Brad Whitford, American guitarist and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Eddie Dibbs, American tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Ed "Too Tall" Jones, American football player and boxer Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Patricia Richardson, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Rebecca Goldstein, American philosopher and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — César Aira, Argentinian author and translator Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Marc Garneau, Canadian engineer, astronaut, and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Bill Alexander, English director and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Trevor Cherry, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Steve Priest, English singer-songwriter and bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Pia Kjærsgaard, Danish politician, Speaker of the Danish Parliament Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Anton Mosimann, Swiss chef and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Rusty Young, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Allan Boesak, South African cleric and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Bernard Cornwell, English author and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Florian Fricke, German keyboard player and composer (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Johnny Winter, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Fred Biletnikoff, American football player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Bobby Mitchell, American golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Ron Hunt, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Peter Fonda, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Jackie Smith, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Paul Morrissey, American director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Diane Varsi, American actress (d. 1992) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Tom Osborne, American football player, coach, and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Majel Barrett, American actress and producer (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Tom Wesselmann, American painter and sculptor (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Paul West, English-American author, poet, and academic (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Elston Howard, American baseball player and coach (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Hans Herrmann, German race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Vasily Lazarev, Russian colonel, physician, and astronaut (d. 1990) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Régine Crespin, French soprano and actress (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Louis Stokes, American lawyer and politician (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Allan McLeod Cormack, South-African-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Rafael Addiego Bruno, Uruguayan jurist and politician, President of Uruguay (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Ioannis Grivas, Greek judge and politician, 176th Prime Minister of Greece (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Dante Lavelli, American football player (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Mary Francis Shura, American author (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Paul Gérin-Lajoie, Canadian lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1919 — Johnny Carey, Irish footballer and manager (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Jon Hall, American actor and director (d. 1979) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Paul Tibbets, American general and pilot (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — William McMahon, Australian lawyer and politician, 20th Prime Minister of Australia (d. 1988) Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Terence Fisher, English director and screenwriter (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — William L. Shirer, American journalist and historian (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Erich Kästner, German author and poet (d. 1974) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Norman Taurog, American director and screenwriter (d. 1981) Wikipedia ↗
• 1894 — Harold Horder, Australian rugby league player and coach (d. 1978) Wikipedia ↗
• 1892 — Kathleen Harrison, English actress (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1889 — Musidora, French actress and director (d. 1957) Wikipedia ↗
• 1889 — Cyril Delevanti, English-American actor (d. 1975) Wikipedia ↗
• 1889 — Victor Fleming, American director, cinematographer, and producer (d. 1949) Wikipedia ↗
• 1889 — John Gilbert Winant, American captain, pilot, and politician, 60th Governor of New Hampshire (d. 1947) Wikipedia ↗
• 1883 — Karl Jaspers, German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher (d. 1969) Wikipedia ↗
• 1883 — Guy C. Wiggins, American painter (d. 1962) Wikipedia ↗
• 1878 — Kazimir Malevich, Ukrainian painter and theorist (d. 1935) Wikipedia ↗
• 1874 — Konstantin Päts, Estonian lawyer and politician, 1st President of Estonia (d. 1956) Wikipedia ↗
• 1873 — Liang Qichao, Chinese journalist, philosopher, and scholar (d. 1929) Wikipedia ↗
• 1868 — W. E. B. Du Bois, American sociologist, historian, and activist (d. 1963) Wikipedia ↗
• 1868 — Anna Hofman-Uddgren, Swedish actress, singer, and director (d. 1947) Wikipedia ↗
• 1852 — Dục Đức, Vietnamese emperor (d. 1883) Wikipedia ↗
• 1850 — César Ritz, Swiss businessman, founded The Ritz Hotel, London and Hôtel Ritz Paris (d. 1918) Wikipedia ↗
• 1842 — Karl Robert Eduard von Hartmann, German philosopher and author (d. 1906) Wikipedia ↗
• 1840 — Carl Menger, Austrian economist and educator (d. 1921) Wikipedia ↗
• 1831 — Hendrik Willem Mesdag, Dutch painter (d. 1915) Wikipedia ↗
• 1744 — Mayer Amschel Rothschild, German banker and businessman (d. 1812) Wikipedia ↗
• 1723 — Richard Price, Welsh-English minister and philosopher (d. 1791) Wikipedia ↗
• 1685 — George Frideric Handel, German-English organist and composer (d. 1759) Wikipedia ↗
• 1680 — Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, Canadian politician, 2nd Colonial Governor of Louisiana (d. 1767) Wikipedia ↗
• 1646 — Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, Japanese shogun (d. 1709) Wikipedia ↗
• 1633 — Samuel Pepys, English diarist and politician (d. 1703) Wikipedia ↗
• 1592 — Balthazar Gerbier, Dutch painter (d. 1663) Wikipedia ↗
• 1583 — Jean-Baptiste Morin, French mathematician, astrologer, and astronomer (d. 1656) Wikipedia ↗
• 1539 — Henry XI of Legnica, thrice Duke of Legnica (d. 1588) Wikipedia ↗
• 1539 — Salima Sultan Begum, Empress of the Mughal Empire (d. 1612) Wikipedia ↗
• 1529 — Onofrio Panvinio, Italian historian (d. 1568) Wikipedia ↗
• 1443 — Matthias Corvinus, Hungarian king (d. 1490) Wikipedia ↗
• 1417 — Pope Paul II (d. 1471) Wikipedia ↗
• 1417 — Louis IX, Duke of Bavaria (d. 1479) Wikipedia ↗

🕯️ Notable Deaths on February 23

• 2016 — Peter Lustig, German television host and author (b. 1937) Wikipedia ↗
• 2016 — Jacqueline Mattson, American baseball player (b. 1928) Wikipedia ↗
• 2015 — James Aldridge, Australian-English journalist and author (b. 1918) Wikipedia ↗
• 2015 — Rana Bhagwandas, Pakistani lawyer and judge, Chief Justice of Pakistan (b. 1942) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on February 23 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on February 23

🏛️ Public Holidays

Also in: Clean Monday (GR) · Defender of the Fatherland Day (RU) · The Emperor's Birthday (JP) · Καθαρά Δευτέρα (GR) · День защитника Отечества (RU) · 休息日（由 2026-02-28 调休） (CN) · 天皇誕生日 (JP)