On This Day — February 8

🕰️ Notable Events on February 8

• 2014 — A hotel fire in Medina, Saudi Arabia kills 15 Egyptian pilgrims with 130 others injured. Wikipedia ↗
• 2013 — A blizzard disrupts transportation and leaves hundreds of thousands of people without electricity in the Northeastern United States and parts of Canada. Wikipedia ↗
• 2010 — A freak storm in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan triggers a series of at least 36 avalanches, burying over two miles of road, killing at least 172 people and trapping over 2,000 travelers. Wikipedia ↗
• 2005 — Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Tamil politician and former MP A. Chandranehru dies of injuries sustained in an ambush the previous day. Wikipedia ↗
• 1996 — The U.S. Congress passes the Communications Decency Act. Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — General Motors sues NBC after Dateline NBC allegedly rigs two crashes intended to demonstrate that some GM pickups can easily catch fire if hit in certain places. NBC settles the lawsuit the next day. Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Independent Air Flight 1851 strikes Pico Alto mountain while on approach to Santa Maria Airport (Azores) killing all 144 passengers on board. Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Hinton train collision: Twenty-three people are killed when a VIA Rail passenger train collides with a 118-car Canadian National freight train near the town of Hinton, Alberta, west of Edmonton. It is the worst rail accident in Canada until the Lac-Mégantic, Quebec derailment in 2013 which killed forty-seven people. Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — The Melbourne dust storm hits Australia's second largest city. The result of the worst drought on record and a day of severe weather conditions, a 320 metres (1,050 ft) deep dust cloud envelops the city, turning day to night. Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Twenty-one association football spectators are trampled to death at Karaiskakis Stadium in Neo Faliro, Greece, after a football match between Olympiacos F.C. and AEK Athens F.C. Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Proceedings of the United States Senate are broadcast on radio for the first time. Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — After 84 days in space, the crew of Skylab 4, the last crew to visit American space station Skylab, returns to Earth. Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — The NASDAQ stock market index opens for the first time. Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — South Vietnamese ground troops launch an incursion into Laos to try to cut off the Ho Chi Minh trail and stop communist infiltration. Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — American civil rights movement: The Orangeburg massacre: An attack on black students from South Carolina State University who are protesting racial segregation at the town's only bowling alley, leaves three or four dead in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Eastern Air Lines Flight 663 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean and explodes, killing everyone aboard. Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Travel, financial and commercial transactions by United States citizens to Cuba are made illegal by the John F. Kennedy administration. Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — The regime of Prime Minister of Iraq, Brigadier General Abd al-Karim Qasim is overthrown by the Ba'ath Party. Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Charonne massacre. Nine trade unionists are killed by French police at the instigation of Nazi collaborator Maurice Papon, then chief of the Paris Prefecture of Police. Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom issues an Order-in-Council, stating that she and her family would be known as the House of Windsor, and that her descendants will take the name Mountbatten-Windsor. Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — The Government of Sindh, Pakistan, abolishes the Jagirdari system in the province. One million acres (4000 km2) of land thus acquired is to be distributed among the landless peasants. Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Elizabeth II is proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom. Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — The Stasi, the secret police of East Germany, is established. Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — The first portion of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, the first serious challenge to the popularity of the Authorized King James Version, is published. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — World War II: The United Kingdom and Canada commence Operation Veritable to occupy the west bank of the Rhine. Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — World War II: Japan invades Singapore. Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — World War II: Dutch Colonial Army General Destruction Unit (AVC, Algemene Vernielings Corps) burns Banjarmasin, South Borneo to avoid Japanese capture. Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Capital punishment: The first state execution in the United States by gas chamber takes place in Nevada. Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — United States President Warren G. Harding introduces the first radio set in the White House. Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — D. W. Griffith's controversial film The Birth of a Nation premieres in Los Angeles. Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — The Boy Scouts of America is incorporated by William D. Boyce. Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Battle of Port Arthur: A surprise torpedo attack by the Japanese at Port Arthur, China starts the Russo-Japanese War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Aceh War: Dutch Colonial Army's Marechaussee regiment led by General G.C.E. van Daalen launch military campaign to capture Gayo Highland, Alas Highland, and Batak Highland in Dutch East Indies' Northern Sumatra region, which ends with genocide to Acehnese and Bataks people. Wikipedia ↗
• 1887 — The Dawes Act authorizes the President of the United States to survey Native American tribal land and divide it into individual allotments. Wikipedia ↗
• 1885 — The first government-approved Japanese immigrants arrived in Hawaii. Wikipedia ↗
• 1879 — Sandford Fleming first proposes adoption of Universal Standard Time at a meeting of the Royal Canadian Institute. Wikipedia ↗
• 1879 — The England cricket team led by Lord Harris is attacked during a riot during a match in Sydney. Wikipedia ↗
• 1865 — Delaware refuses to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Slavery was outlawed in the United States, including Delaware, when the Amendment was ratified by the requisite number of states on December 6, 1865. Delaware ratified the Thirteenth Amendment on February 12, 1901, which was the ninety-second anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. Wikipedia ↗
• 1837 — Richard Johnson becomes the first Vice President of the United States chosen by the United States Senate. Wikipedia ↗
• 1817 — Las Heras crosses the Andes with an army to join San Martín and liberate Chile from Spain. Wikipedia ↗
• 1807 — After two days of bitter fighting, the Russians under Bennigsen and the Prussians under L'Estocq concede the Battle of Eylau to Napoleon. Wikipedia ↗
• 1693 — The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, is granted a charter by King William III and Queen Mary II. Wikipedia ↗
• 1601 — Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, rebels against Queen Elizabeth I and the revolt is quickly crushed. Wikipedia ↗
• 1590 — Luis de Carabajal the younger is tortured by the Inquisition in Mexico City. Wikipedia ↗
• 1587 — Mary, Queen of Scots, is executed on suspicion of having been involved in the Babington Plot to murder her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. Wikipedia ↗
• 1575 — Leiden University is founded, and given the motto Praesidium Libertatis. Wikipedia ↗
• 1347 — The Byzantine civil war of 1341-47 ends with a power-sharing agreement between John VI Kantakouzenos and John V Palaiologos. Wikipedia ↗
• 1250 — Seventh Crusade: Crusaders engage Ayyubid forces in the Battle of Al Mansurah. Wikipedia ↗
• 1238 — The Mongols burn the Russian city of Vladimir. Wikipedia ↗
• 421 — Constantius III becomes co-Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on February 8

• 1996 — Kenedy, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — Joshua Kimmich, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Turkish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Nikki Yanofsky, Canadian singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Bruno Martins Indi, Portuguese-Dutch footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Carl Jenkinson, English-Finnish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Aristidis Soiledis, Greek footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Roberto Soriano, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Emily Scarratt, English former teacher and centre or fullback rugby union player Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Klay Thompson, American professional basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Zac Guildford, New Zealand rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Julio Jones, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Courtney Vandersloot, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Keegan Meth, Zimbabwean cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Javi García, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Carolina Kostner, Italian figure skater Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Petra Cetkovská, Czech tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Jeremy Davis, American bass player and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Manuel Osborne-Paradis, Canadian skier Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Cecily Strong, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Panagiotis Vasilopoulos, Greek basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Jermaine Anderson, Canadian basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Cory Jane, New Zealand rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Jim Verraros, American singer and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Steve Gohouri, Ivorian footballer (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Myriam Montemayor Cruz, Mexican singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Aaron Cook, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Mick de Brenni, Australian politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Barry Hall, Australian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Roman Kostomarov, Russian ice dancer Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Khaled Mashud, Bangladeshi cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Nicolas Vouilloz, French race car driver and biker Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Seth Green, American actor, voice artist, comedian, producer, writer, and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Big Show, American wrestler, actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Aidy Boothroyd, English footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Mika Karppinen, Swedish-Finnish drummer and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — John Filan, Australian footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Alonzo Mourning, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Pauly Fuemana, New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Mary Robinette Kowal, American puppeteer and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Mary McCormack, American actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Gary Coleman, American actor (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Alex Antonitsch, Austrian tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Bruno Labbadia, German footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Sarah Montague, English journalist and radio host Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Kirk Muller, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Hristo Stoichkov, Bulgarian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Trinny Woodall, English fashion designer and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Arlie Petters, Belizean-American mathematical physicist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Mohammad Azharuddin, Indian cricketer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Daniel Levy, English businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Vince Neil, American singer-songwriter and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Benigno Aquino III, Filipino politician, 15th President of the Philippines Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Dino Ciccarelli, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Heinz Gunthardt, Swiss tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Andrew Hoy, Australian equestrian rider Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Mauricio Macri, Argentinian businessman and politician, President of Argentina Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Sherri Martel, American wrestler and manager (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Marina Silva, Brazilian environmentalist and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Karine Chemla, French historian of mathematics and sinologist Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Marques Johnson, American basketball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Dave Meros, American bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — John Grisham, American lawyer and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Jim Neidhart, American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Joe Maddon, American baseball coach and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Mary Steenburgen, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Marinho Chagas, Brazilian footballer and coach (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Cristina Ferrare, American model and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Brooke Adams, American actress, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Niels Arestrup, French actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Dan Seals, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Kerrie Biddell, Australian singer and pianist (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — J. Richard Gott, American astronomer and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Roger Lloyd-Pack, English actor (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Tony Minson, English virologist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Sebastião Salgado, Brazilian photographer and journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Creed Bratton, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Pirzada Qasim, Pakistani poet and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Robert Klein, American comedian, actor, and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Terry Melcher, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2004) Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Nick Nolte, American actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Tom Rush, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Jagjit Singh, Indian singer-songwriter (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Ted Koppel, English-American journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Jose Maria Sison, Filipino activist and theorist Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Joe Raposo, American pianist and composer (d. 1989) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Harry Wu, Chinese human rights activist (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Elly Ameling, Dutch soprano Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Cliff Allison, English race car driver and businessman (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — John Williams, American pianist, composer, and conductor Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — James Dean, American actor (d. 1955) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Alejandro Rey, Argentinian-American actor and director (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Arlan Stangeland, American farmer and politician (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Roger Byrne, English footballer (d. 1958) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Claude Rich, French actor and screenwriter (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Neal Cassady, American author and poet (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Birgitte Reimer, Danish film actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Jack Lemmon, American actor (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Audrey Meadows, American actress and banker (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Barney Danson, Canadian colonel and politician, 21st Canadian Minister of National Defence (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Lana Turner, American actress (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — George W. George, American theater, Broadway, and film producer (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Freddie Blassie, American wrestler and manager (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Georges Guétary, Egyptian-French singer, dancer, and actor (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Bill Finger, American author and screenwriter, co-created Batman (d. 1974) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Betty Field, American actress (d. 1973) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Danai Stratigopoulou, Greek singer-songwriter (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — Elizabeth Bishop, American poet and author (d. 1979) Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — Elisabeth Murdoch, Australian philanthropist (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1906 — Chester Carlson, American physicist and lawyer, invented Xerography (d. 1968) Wikipedia ↗
• 1903 — Greta Keller, Austrian-American singer and actress (d. 1977) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Lonnie Johnson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1970) Wikipedia ↗
• 1897 — Zakir Hussain, Indian academic and politician, 3rd president of India (d. 1969) Wikipedia ↗
• 1894 — King Vidor, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1982) Wikipedia ↗
• 1893 — Ba Maw, Burmese lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of Burma (d. 1977) Wikipedia ↗
• 1890 — Claro M. Recto, Filipino lawyer, jurist, and politician (d. 1960) Wikipedia ↗
• 1888 — Edith Evans, English actress (d. 1976) Wikipedia ↗
• 1886 — Charlie Ruggles, American actor (d. 1970) Wikipedia ↗
• 1884 — Snowy Baker, Australian boxer, rugby player, and actor (d. 1953) Wikipedia ↗
• 1883 — Joseph Schumpeter, Czech-American economist and political scientist (d. 1950) Wikipedia ↗
• 1882 — Thomas Selfridge, American lieutenant and pilot (d. 1908) Wikipedia ↗
• 1880 — Franz Marc, German soldier and painter (d. 1916) Wikipedia ↗
• 1880 — Viktor Schwanneke, German actor and director (d. 1931) Wikipedia ↗
• 1878 — Martin Buber, Austrian-Israeli philosopher and academic (d. 1965) Wikipedia ↗
• 1866 — Moses Gomberg, Ukrainian-American chemist and academic (d. 1947) Wikipedia ↗
• 1850 — Kate Chopin, American author (d. 1904) Wikipedia ↗
• 1834 — Dmitri Mendeleev, Russian chemist and academic (d. 1907) Wikipedia ↗
• 1830 — Abdülaziz of the Ottoman Empire (d. 1876) Wikipedia ↗
• 1829 — Vital-Justin Grandin, French-Canadian bishop and missionary (d. 1902) Wikipedia ↗
• 1828 — Jules Verne, French author, poet, and playwright (d. 1905) Wikipedia ↗
• 1825 — Henry Walter Bates, English geographer, biologist, and explorer (d. 1892) Wikipedia ↗
• 1822 — Maxime Du Camp, French photographer and journalist (d. 1894) Wikipedia ↗
• 1820 — William Tecumseh Sherman, American general (d. 1891) Wikipedia ↗
• 1819 — John Ruskin, English author, critic, and academic (d. 1900) Wikipedia ↗
• 1817 — Richard S. Ewell, American general (d. 1872) Wikipedia ↗
• 1807 — Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, English sculptor and zoologist (d. 1889) Wikipedia ↗
• 1798 — Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia (d. 1849) Wikipedia ↗
• 1792 — Caroline Augusta of Bavaria (d. 1873) Wikipedia ↗
• 1764 — Joseph Leopold Eybler, Austrian composer and conductor (d. 1846) Wikipedia ↗
• 1762 — Gia Long, Vietnamese emperor (d. 1820) Wikipedia ↗
• 1741 — André Grétry, Belgian-French organist and composer (d. 1813) Wikipedia ↗
• 1720 — Emperor Sakuramachi of Japan (d. 1750) Wikipedia ↗
• 1700 — Daniel Bernoulli, Dutch-Swiss mathematician and physicist (d. 1782) Wikipedia ↗
• 1685 — Charles-Jean-François Hénault, French historian and author (d. 1770) Wikipedia ↗
• 1591 — Guercino, Italian painter (d. 1666) Wikipedia ↗
• 1577 — Robert Burton, English priest, physician, and scholar (d. 1640) Wikipedia ↗
• 1552 — Agrippa d'Aubigné, French poet and soldier (d. 1630) Wikipedia ↗
• 1514 — Daniele Barbaro, Venetian churchman, diplomat and scholar (d. 1570) Wikipedia ↗
• 1487 — Ulrich, Duke of Württemberg (d. 1550) Wikipedia ↗
• 1405 — Constantine XI Palaiologos, Byzantine emperor (d. 1453) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on February 8 (Calendar.cx)