On This Day — November 16

🕰️ Notable Events on November 16

• 1997 — After nearly 18 years of incarceration, the People's Republic of China releases Wei Jingsheng, a pro-democracy dissident, from jail for medical reasons. Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — The Hoxne Hoard is discovered by metal detectorist Eric Lawes in Hoxne, Suffolk. Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Pop group Milli Vanilli are stripped of their Grammy Award because the duo did not sing at all on the Girl You Know It's True album. Session musicians had provided all the vocals. Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — El Salvadoran army troops kills six Jesuit priests and two others at Jose Simeon Canas University. Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — The Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic declares that Estonia is "sovereign" but stops short of declaring independence. Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — In the first open election in more than a decade, voters in Pakistan elect populist candidate Benazir Bhutto to be Prime Minister of Pakistan. Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — The first line of Bucharest Metro (Line M1) is opened from Timpuri Noi to Semănătoarea in Bucharest, Romania. Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — The Arecibo message is broadcast from the Arecibo Radio Telescope in Puerto Rico. It was aimed at the current location of the globular star cluster Messier 13 some 25,000 light years away. The message will reach empty space by the time it finally arrives since the cluster will have changed position. Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Skylab program: NASA launches Skylab 4 with a crew of three astronauts from Cape Canaveral, Florida for an 84-day mission. Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — U.S. President Richard Nixon signs the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act into law, authorizing the construction of the Alaska Pipeline. Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Venera program: The Soviet Union launches the Venera 3 space probe toward Venus, which will be the first spacecraft to reach the surface of another planet. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — UNESCO is founded. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: Operation Queen, the costly Allied thrust to the Rur, is launched. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — World War II: Düren, Germany, is destroyed by Allied bombers. Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — World War II: American bombers strike a hydro-electric power facility and heavy water factory in German-controlled Vemork, Norway. Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — World War II: In response to the leveling of Coventry by the German Luftwaffe two days before, the Royal Air Force bombs Hamburg. Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Holocaust: In occupied Poland, the Nazis close off the Warsaw Ghetto from the outside world. Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — New York City's "Mad Bomber" George Metesky places his first bomb at a Manhattan office building used by Consolidated Edison. Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — LSD is first synthesized by Albert Hofmann from ergotamine at the Sandoz Laboratories in Basel.[1] Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Qantas, Australia's national airline, is founded as Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited. Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — The Federal Reserve Bank of the United States officially opens. Wikipedia ↗
• 1907 — Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory join to form Oklahoma, which is admitted as the 46th U.S. state. Wikipedia ↗
• 1907 — Cunard Line's RMS Mauretania, sister ship of RMS Lusitania, sets sail on her maiden voyage from Liverpool, England, to New York City. Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — English engineer John Ambrose Fleming receives a patent for the thermionic valve (vacuum tube). Wikipedia ↗
• 1885 — Canadian rebel leader of the Métis and "Father of Manitoba" Louis Riel is executed for treason. Wikipedia ↗
• 1863 — American Civil War: Battle of Campbell's Station near Knoxville, Tennessee: Confederate troops unsuccessfully attack Union forces. Wikipedia ↗
• 1857 — Second relief of Lucknow: Twenty-four Victoria Crosses are awarded, the most in a single day. Wikipedia ↗
• 1855 — David Livingstone becomes the first European to see the Victoria Falls in what is now Zambia-Zimbabwe. Wikipedia ↗
• 1852 — The English astronomer John Russell Hind discovers the asteroid 22 Kalliope. Wikipedia ↗
• 1849 — A Russian court sentences writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky to death for anti-government activities linked to a radical intellectual group; his sentence is later commuted to hard labor. Wikipedia ↗
• 1828 — Greek War of Independence: The London Protocol entails the creation of an autonomous Greek state under Ottoman suzerainty, encompassing the Morea and the Cyclades. Wikipedia ↗
• 1822 — American Old West: Missouri trader William Becknell arrives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, over a route that became known as the Santa Fe Trail. Wikipedia ↗
• 1805 — Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Schöngrabern: Russian forces under Pyotr Bagration delay the pursuit by French troops under Joachim Murat. Wikipedia ↗
• 1797 — The Prussian heir apparent, Frederick William, becomes King of Prussia as Frederick William III. Wikipedia ↗
• 1793 — French Revolution: 90 dissident Roman Catholic priests are executed by drowning at Nantes. Wikipedia ↗
• 1776 — American Revolutionary War: British and Hessian units capture Fort Washington from the Patriots. Wikipedia ↗
• 1776 — American Revolution: The United Provinces (Low Countries) recognize the independence of the United States. Wikipedia ↗
• 1632 — Thirty Years' War: Battle of Lützen is fought, the Swedes are victorious but King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden dies in the battle. Wikipedia ↗
• 1532 — Francisco Pizarro and his men capture Inca Emperor Atahualpa at the Battle of Cajamarca. Wikipedia ↗
• 1491 — An auto-da-fé, held in the Brasero de la Dehesa outside of Ávila, concludes the case of the Holy Child of La Guardia with the public execution of several Jewish and converso suspects. Wikipedia ↗
• 1272 — While travelling during the Ninth Crusade, Prince Edward becomes King of England upon Henry III of England's death, but he will not return to England for nearly two years to assume the throne. Wikipedia ↗
• 951 — Emperor Li Jing sends a Southern Tang expeditionary force of 10,000 men under Bian Hao to conquer Chu. Li Jing removes the ruling family to his own capital in Nanjing. Ending the Chu Kingdom. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on November 16

• 1996 — Brendan Murray, Irish singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1995 — Noah Gray-Cabey, American actor and pianist Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Pete Davidson, American comedian and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — George Akpabio, Nigerian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Tomomi Kasai, Japanese actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Iamsu!, American rapper and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Eitan Tibi, Israeli footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Jordan Walden, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Aleksei Anatolyevich Kozlov, Russian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Maxime Médard, French rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Maki Nishiyama, Japanese model and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Saori Yamamoto, Japanese model Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Gemma Atkinson, English model and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Mark Bunn, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Tamawashi Ichiro, Mongolian sumo wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Chris Gocong, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Kool A.D., American rapper Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Kari Lehtonen, Finnish ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Britta Steffen, German swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Nonito Donaire, Filipino-American boxer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Jannie du Plessis, South African rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Ronald Pognon, French sprinter Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Amar'e Stoudemire, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Fernando Cabrera, Puerto Rican baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Allison Crowe, Canadian singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Caitlin Glass, American voice actress, singer, and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Kate Miller-Heidke, Australian singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Osi Umenyiora, English-American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Moris Carrozzieri, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Kayte Christensen, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Nicole Gius, Italian skier Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Carol Huynh, Canadian wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Hasan Üçüncü, Turkish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Tony Frias, American soccer player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Bruce Irons, American surfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Kip Bouknight, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Mehtap Doğan-Sızmaz, Turkish runner Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Takashi Nagayama, Japanese actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Gary Naysmith, Scottish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Carolina Parra, Brazilian guitarist and drummer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Oksana Baiul, Ukrainian-American figure skater Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Gigi Edgley, Australian singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Maggie Gyllenhaal, American actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Mauricio Ochmann, Mexican actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Dan Black, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Juha Pasoja, Finnish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Martijn Zuijdweg, Dutch swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Julio Lugo, Dominican baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Yuki Uchida, Japanese actress, model, and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Maurizio Margaglio, Italian ice dancer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Paul Scholes, English footballer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Christian Horner, English race car driver and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Brendan Laney, New Zealand-Scottish rugby player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Missi Pyle, American actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Tanja Damaske, German javelin thrower and shot putter Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Mustapha Hadji, Moroccan footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Annely Peebo, Estonian soprano and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Alexander Popov, Russian swimmer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Waqar Younis, Pakistani cricketer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Logan Mader, Canadian-American guitarist and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Martha Plimpton, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Shobha Nagi Reddy, Indian politician (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Melvin Stewart, American swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Craig Arnold, American poet and academic (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Lisa Bonet, American actress and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Joey Cape, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Dave Kushner, American guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Christian Lorenz, German keyboard player Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Dean McDermott, Canadian-American actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Tahir Shah, English journalist, author, and explorer Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Mika Aaltonen, Finnish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Mark Benton, English actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Waheed Alli, Baron Alli, English businessman and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Italian-French actress, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Dwight Gooden, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Diana Krall, Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Maeve Quinlan, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Steve Argüelles, English drummer and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — William Bonner, Brazilian newscaster, publicist and journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Zina Garrison, American tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Darwyn Cooke, Canadian writer and artist (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Mani, English bass player Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Frank Bruno, English boxer Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Glenda Bailey, English journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Francis M. Fesmire, American cardiologist and physician (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Marg Helgenberger, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Boris Krivokapić, Serbian author and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Jacques Gamblin, French actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Terry Labonte, American race car driver and businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Pierre Larouche, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Héctor Cúper, Argentinian footballer, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Jun Kunimura, Japanese actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Andrea Barrett, American novelist and short story writer Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Dick Gross, Australian lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Griff Rhys Jones, Welsh comedian, actor, and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Shigeru Miyamoto, Japanese video game designer Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Andy Dalton, New Zealand rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Manuel Zamora, Filipino farmer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Horst Bertram, German footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Chi Coltrane, American singer-songwriter and pianist Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Bonnie Greer, American-English playwright and critic Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Omar Ruiz Hernández, Cuban journalist and activist Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Colin Burgess, Australian drummer and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Jo Jo White, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Teenie Hodges, American guitarist and songwriter (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Lynn Hunt, American historian, author, and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Oliver Braddick, English psychologist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Willie Carson, Scottish jockey and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Joanna Pettet, English-Canadian actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Angelo Gilardino, Italian guitarist, composer, and musicologist Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Gerry Marshall, English race car driver (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Dan Penn, American singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Donna McKechnie, American actress, singer, and dancer Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Michael Billington, English author and critic Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Robert Nozick, American philosopher, author, and academic (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Troy Seals, American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Alan Budd, English economist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — John Moore, Australian businessman and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Elizabeth Drew, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, Iraqi-Lebanese cleric, educator, and author (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Magdi Yacoub, Egyptian-English surgeon and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Garnet Mimms, American R&B singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Luciano Bottaro, Italian author and illustrator (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Bob Gibson, American musician (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Hubert Sumlin, American singer and guitarist (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Chinua Achebe, Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic. (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Paul Foytack, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Salvatore Riina, Italian mob boss Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Peter Boizot, English businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Clu Gulager, American actor and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Dolo Coker, American pianist and composer (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Sam Farber, American businessman (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Mel Patton, American sprinter and coach (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Gene Amdahl, American computer scientist, physicist, and engineer (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — José Saramago, Portuguese novelist (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Harold Baigent, New Zealand actor and director (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Daws Butler, American voice actor and singer (d. 1988) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Al Lucas, Canadian-American bassist (d. 1983) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — Jean Fritz, Chinese-American author (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Eddie Chapman, English spy (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Ellen Albertini Dow, American actress (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — George O. Petrie, American actor and director (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — W. E. D. Ross, Canadian actor, playwright, and author (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — Mirza Nasir Ahmad, Indian-Pakistani religious leader (d. 1982) Wikipedia ↗
• 1907 — Burgess Meredith, American actor, singer, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1905 — Eddie Condon, American guitarist and banjo player (d. 1973) Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Nnamdi Azikiwe, 1st President of Nigeria (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — Eliška Junková, Czechoslovakian automobile racer (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Mary Margaret McBride, American radio host (d. 1976) Wikipedia ↗
• 1897 — Choudhry Rahmat Ali, Indian-Pakistani academic (d. 1951) Wikipedia ↗
• 1896 — Joan Lindsay, Australian author and critic (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
• 1896 — Oswald Mosley, English lieutenant and politician (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1896 — Lawrence Tibbett, American actor and singer (d. 1960) Wikipedia ↗
• 1895 — Paul Hindemith, German violinist, composer, and conductor (d. 1963) Wikipedia ↗
• 1894 — Bobby Cruickshank, American golfer (d. 1975) Wikipedia ↗
• 1894 — Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi, Austrian philosopher and politician (d. 1972) Wikipedia ↗
• 1892 — Guo Moruo, Chinese historian, author, and poet (d. 1978) Wikipedia ↗
• 1892 — Tazio Nuvolari, Italian race car driver and motorcycle racer (d. 1953) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on November 16 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on November 16

🏛️ Public Holidays

Also in: Día de la Revolución (MX) · Independence of Cartagena (CO) · Independencia de Cartagena (observado) (CO) · Revolution Day (MX)