It is the first day following the
spring equinox which cannot be
Easter Sunday in Western Christianity.
Events
★
1467 - The miraculous image of
Our Lady of Good Counsel appears in
Genazzano,
Italy.
★
1478 - The
Pazzi attack
Lorenzo de' Medici and kill his brother
Giuliano during
High Mass in the
Duomo of Florence.
★
1564 -
Shakespeare was
christened.
★
1607 -
English colonists of the
Jamestown settlement make landfall at
Cape Henry,
Virginia.
★
1802 -
Napoleon Bonaparte signs a general amnesty to allow all but about one thousand of the most notorious
émigrés of the
French Revolution to return to
France, as part of a reconciliary gesture with the factions of the
Ancien Regime and to eventually consolidate his own rule.
★
1805 -
United States Marines captured
Derne, Tripoli under the command of
First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon.
★
1865 -
American Civil War:
Confederate General Joseph Johnston surrenders his army to
General William Tecumseh Sherman at the
Bennett Place near
Durham, North Carolina.
★ 1865 -
Union cavalry troopers corner and shoot dead
John Wilkes Booth,
President Lincoln's assassin, in
Virginia.
★
1925 -
Paul von Hindenburg defeats
Wilhelm Marx in the second round of the
German presidential election to become the first directly elected
head of state of the
Weimar Republic.
★
1933 - The
Gestapo, the official
secret police force of
Nazi Germany, is established.
★
1937 -
Spanish Civil War:
Guernica,
Spain is
bombed by
German Luftwaffe.
★
1942 - The worst mining accident in history kills 1,549
miners in an
explosion at the
Honkeiko Colliery,
Manchuria.
★
1943 aircraft carrier
uss intrepid is launched
★
1945 -
World War II:
Battle of Bautzen - last successful German tank-offensive of the war and last noteworthy victory of the
Wehrmacht.
★
1946 -
Father Divine, a controversial religious leader who claims to be
God, marries the much-younger
Edna Rose Ritchings, a celebrated anniversary in the
International Peace Mission movement.
★
1954 - The
Geneva Conference, an effort to restore peace in
Indochina and
Korea, begins.
★
1956 - First
container ship left
Port Newark,
New Jersey for
Houston,
Texas
★
1962 -
NASA's
Ranger 4 spacecraft crashes into the
Moon.
★
1963 - In
Libya, amendments to the constitution transform Libya (United Kingdom of Libya) into one national unity (Kingdom of Libya) and allows for female participation in elections.
★
1964 -
Tanganyika and
Zanzibar merge to form
Tanzania.
★
1986 - In
Ukraine, a nuclear reactor accident occurs at the
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, creating the world's worst
nuclear disaster.
★
1991 - Seventy tornadoes break out in the central
United States. Before its end,
Andover, Kansas, would record the year's only
F5 tornado (see
Andover, Kansas Tornado Outbreak).
★
1994 - A
China Airlines Airbus A300-600R crashes at
Nagoya Airport,
Japan killing 264.
★
1994 -
Physicists announce first evidence of the
top quark subatomic particle.
★
1999 - Last release of the
Nemesis OS.
★
2002 - 19-year-old
Robert Steinhäuser shoots and kills 17 people at his school in
Erfurt,
Germany.
★
2005 - Under international pressure,
Syria withdraws the last of its 14,000 troop military garrison in
Lebanon, ending its 29-year military domination of that country.
★
2007 -
Stephen Hawking becomes the first
quadriplegic to float free in zero-gravity
Births
★
121 -
Marcus Aurelius,
Roman Emperor (d.
180)
★
570 -
Muhammed, founder of Islam, according to the
Shi'a sect. Other sources suggest
April 20.
★
1538 -
Gian Paolo Lomazzo, Italian painter (d.
1600)
★
1573 -
Marie de' Medici, wife of
Henry IV of France (d.
1642)
★
1648 - King
Peter II of Portugal (d.
1706)
★
1662 -
Maria Luisa of Orleans, queen consort of Spain (d.
1689)
★
1710 -
Thomas Reid, Scottish philosopher (d.
1796)
★
1711 -
David Hume, Scottish philosopher and historian (d.
1776)
★
1718 -
Esek Hopkins, American Revolutionary War admiral (d.
1802)
★
1765 -
Emma, Lady Hamilton, English mistress of
Horatio Nelson (d.
1815)
★
1774 -
Christian Leopold von Buch, German geologist (d.
1853)
★
1785 -
John James Audubon, French-American naturalist and illustrator (d.
1851)
★
1787 -
Ludwig Uhland, German poet (d.
1862)
★
1798 -
James Beckwourth, American explorer (d.
1867)
★ 1798 -
Eugène Delacroix, French painter (d.
1863)
★
1801 -
Ambrose Dudley Mann, American diplomat (d.
1889)
★
1804 -
Charles Goodyear, American politician (d.
1876)
★
1812 -
Alfred Krupp, German industrialist (d.
1887)
★
1822 -
Frederick Law Olmsted, American landscape architect (d.
1903)
★
1826 -
George Hull Ward, American general (d.
1863)
★ 1826 -
Ambrose R. Wright, American Civil War General (d.
1872
★
1856 - Sir
Joseph Ward, 17th
Prime Minister of New Zealand (d.
1930)
★
1878 -
Saint Rafael Guízar Valencia, Mexican Catholic bishop
★
1879 -
Owen Willans Richardson, British physicist,
Nobel Prize laureate (d.
1959)
★
1886 -
Ma Rainey, American singer (d.
1939)
★ 1886 -
Ğabdulla Tuqay, Tatar poet (d.
1913)
★
1888 -
Anita Loos, American writer (d.
1981)
★
1889 -
Ludwig Wittgenstein, Austrian-born philosopher (d.
1951)
★
1893 -
Draza Mihajlovic, Serbian WWII hero and war criminal (d.
1946)
★
1894 -
Rudolf Hess, Nazi official (d.
1987)
★
1896 -
Ernst Udet, WWI pilot and film actor, Luftwaffe officer (d.
1941)
★
1897 -
Eddie Eagan, American sportsman (d.
1967)
★ 1897 -
Douglas Sirk, German-born film director (d.
1987)
★
1898 -
Vicente Aleixandre, Spanish writer,
Nobel laureate (d.
1984)
★ 1898 -
John Grierson, Scottish filmmaker (d.
1972)
★
1900 -
Charles Richter, American geophysicist (d.
1985)
★ 1900 -
Hack Wilson, American baseball player (d.
1948)
★
1910 -
Tomoyuki Tanaka, Japanese movie producer and creator of
Godzilla (d.
1997)
★
1911 -
Marianne Hoppe, German actress (d.
2002)
★
1912 -
A. E. van Vogt, Canadian writer (d.
2000)
★
1914 -
Bernard Malamud, American author (d.
1986)
★ 1914 -
James W. Rouse, American investor (d.
1996)
★
1916 -
Morris West, Australian writer (d.
1999)
★
1917 -
I.M. Pei, Chinese-born architect
★ 1917 -
Sal Maglie, baseball player (d.
1992)
★
1918 -
Fanny Blankers-Koen, Dutch athlete (d.
2004)
★ 1918 -
Stafford Repp, American actor (d.
1974)
★
1922 -
Jeanne Sauvé, French Canadian politician (d.
1993)
★
1925 -
Jørgen Ingmann, Danish musician
★
1926 -
David Coleman, British TV sports broadcaster
★ 1926 -
Michael Mathias Prechtl, German illustrator (d.
2003)
★
1932 -
Michael Smith, English-born chemist,
Nobel laureate (d.
2000)
★ 1932 -
Francis Lai, French film music composer
★
1933 -
Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, Puerto Rican activist (d.
2005)
★ 1933 -
Carol Burnett, American comedian
★ 1933 -
Arno Allan Penzias, German-born physicist,
Nobel laureate
★
1938 -
Duane Eddy, American musician
★ 1938 -
Maurice Williams, American singer (
The Zodiacs)
★
1940 -
Giorgio Moroder, Italian composer
★ 1940 -
Cliff Watson, English rugby league player
★
1941 -
Claudine Clark, American R&B singer-composer
★ 1941 -
John Mitchell, American composer
★
1942 -
Claudine Auger, French actress
★ 1942 -
Michael Kergin, Canadian diplomat
★ 1942 -
Bobby Rydell, American singer
★
1943 -
Gary Wright, American singer
★ 1943 -
Peter Zumthor, Swiss architect
★
1944 -
Amien Rais, Indonesian politician
★
1945 -
Sylvain Simard, Quebec politician
★
1949 -
Carlos Bianchi, Argentinian football player
★ 1949 -
Jerry Blackwell, wrestler (d.
1995)
★ 1949 -
Dominic Sena, American film director
★
1955 -
Mike Scott, American baseball player
★
1956 -
Koo Stark, American actress
★
1958 -
Jeffrey Guterman, American mental health counselor
★
1959 -
Thanassis Papakonstantinou, Greek singer and songwriter
★
1960 -
Roger Taylor, English musician (
Duran Duran)
★ 1960 -
Steve Lombardozzi, American baseball player
★
1961 -
Joan Chen, Chinese-born actress
★ 1961 -
Anthony Cumia, American radio personality (The
Opie and Anthony Show)
★ 1961 -
Chris Mars, American rock drummer (
The Replacements)
★
1962 -
Colin Anderson, English footballer
★ 1962 -
Debra Wilson, American actress and comedian
★
1963 -
Jet Li, Chinese martial artist
★ 1963 -
Colin Scotts, Australian-born NFL football player
★
1965 -
Kevin James, American comedian
★
1966 -
Yoshihiro Togashi, Mangaka who created YuYu Hakusho
★
1967 -
Glen Jacobs, American professional wrestler
★
1970 -
Melania Trump, Slovenian model
★ 1970 -
Tionne Watkins, American singer (
TLC)
★
1971 -
Jay DeMarcus, American bassist (
Rascal Flatts)
★
1972 -
Kiko Narváez, Spanish footballer
★ 1972 -
Jason Bargwanna, Australian racing driver
★
1973 -
Chris Perry, English footballer
★
1974 -
Adil Ray,
British Asian presenter on the
BBC Asian Network
★
1975 -
Nathan "Joey" Jordison, American musician (
Slipknot)
★ 1975 -
Nerina Pallot, British singer
★
1976 -
Jose Pasillas, American musician (
Incubus)
★
1976 -
Vaclav Varada, Czech ice hockey player
★
1977 -
Tom Welling, American actor
★
1978 -
Avant, American R&B singer
★ 1978 -
Joe Crede, American baseball player
★ 1978 -
Peter Madsen, Danish soccer player
★
1979 -
Janne Wirman, Finnish musician (
Children of Bodom)
★ 1979 -
Ariane Moffatt, Quebec singer and songwriter
★
1980 -
Jordana Brewster, American actress
★ 1980 -
Anna Mucha, Polish actress
★ 1980 -
Channing Tatum, American actor
★
1981 -
Matthieu Delpierre, French footballer
★ 1981 -
Ms. Dynamite, English musician
★
1982 -
Joanne Gobure,
Nauruan poet
★ 1982 -
Brock Gillespie, Professional Basketball Player
★
1983 -
Jessica Lynch, American P.O.W.
★ 1983 -
José María López, Argentine racing driver
★
1984 -
Mija Martina, Bosnian singer
★ 1984 -
Lee Humphrey, College basketball player
★
1987 -
Jessica Lee Rose, American-born actress
★
1990 -
Tom Quinn, Drummer
★
1995 -
Prince Mirko of Bulgaria
Deaths
★
1192 -
Emperor Go-Shirakawa of Japan (b.
1127)
★
1444 -
Robert Campin, Flemish painter (b.
1378)
★
1476 -
Simonetta Vespucci, inspiration of Botticelli (b.
1453)
★
1478 -
Giuliano di Piero de' Medici, ruler of Florence (assassinated) (b.
1453)
★
1489 -
Ashikaga Yoshihisa, Japanese shogun (b.
1465)
★
1716 -
John Somers, 1st Baron Somers, Lord Chancellor of England (b.
1651)
★
1784 -
Nano Nagle, Irish convent founder (b.
1718)
★
1789 - Count
Petr Ivanovich Panin, Russian soldier (b.
1721)
★
1865 -
John Wilkes Booth, American actor and assassin (shot) (b.
1838)
★
1881 -
Ludwig Freiherr von und zu der Tann-Rathsamhausen, German general (b.
1815)
★
1892 - Sir
Provo Wallis, British Admiral and naval hero (b.
1791)
★
1910 -
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Norwegian author,
Nobel laureate (b.
1832)
★
1920 -
Srinivasa Ramanujan, Indian mathematician (b.
1887)
★
1932 -
William Lockwood, English cricketer (b.
1868)
★
1938 -
Edmund Husserl, Austrian philosopher (b.
1859)
★
1940 -
Carl Bosch, German chemist,
Nobel laureate (b.
1874)
★
1944 -
Violette Morris, French athlete (b.
1893)
★
1945 -
Pavlo Skoropadsky, Ukrainian politician and general (b.
1871)
★ 1945 -
Sigmund Rascher, Nazi doctor (b.
1909)
★
1950 -
G. Murray Hulbert, American politician (b.
1881)
★
1951 -
Arnold Sommerfeld, German physicist (b.
1868)
★
1956 -
Edward Arnold, American actor (b.
1890)
★
1957 -
Gichin Funakoshi, Father of Japanese Shotokan Karatedo (b.
1868)
★
1964 -
E. J. Pratt, Canadian poet born Newfoundland (b.
1882)
★
1969 -
Morihei Ueshiba, Japanese martial artist and founder of aikido (b.
1883)
★
1970 -
Erik Bergman, Lutheran pastor (b.
1886)
★ 1970 -
Gypsy Rose Lee, American actress (b.
1911)
★
1973 -
Irene Ryan, American actress (b.
1902)
★
1976 -
Sid James, British comedian (b.
1913)
★
1981 -
Jim Davis, American actor (b.
1909)
★
1984 -
Count Basie, American musician and composer (b.
1904)
★
1986 -
Broderick Crawford, American actor (stroke) (b.
1911)
★ 1986 -
Dechko Uzunov, Bulgarian painter (b.
1899)
★ 1986 -
Bessie Love, American actress (b.
1898)
★
1987 -
John Ernest Silkin, British politician (b.
1923)
★
1987 -
Shankar, Of Noted Bollywood Music Director Duo
Shankar-Jaikishan (b.
1922)
★
1989 -
Lucille Ball, American actress and comedian (b.
1911)
★
1991 -
Leo Arnaud, French-American composer (b. 1904)
★ 1991 -
Carmine Coppola, American composer and conductor (b.
1910)
★ 1991 -
Emily McLaughlin, American actress (b.
1928)
★ 1991 -
Richard Hatfield, Canadian politician (b.
1931)
★
1996 -
Stirling Silliphant, American writer and producer (b.
1918)
★
1999 -
Jill Dando, British television presenter (b.
1961)
★
2003 -
Rosemary Brown, Canadian politician (b.
1930)
★ 2003 -
Max Nicholson, Irish environmentalist (b.
1904)
★ 2003 -
Peter Stone, American writer (b.
1930)
★
2004 -
Hubert Selby Jr., American author (b.
1928)
★
2005 -
Mason Adams, American actor (b.
1919)
★ 2005 -
Maria Schell, Swiss-Austrian actress (b.
1926)
★ 2005 -
Augusto Roa Bastos,
Paraguayan author (b.
1917)
★
2007 -
Jack Valenti, American political advisor and film executive (b.
1921)
Holidays and observances
★
Tanzania -
Union Day.
★
Florida and
Georgia, USA -
Confederate Memorial Day.
★
World Intellectual Property Day (since
2001).
Liturgical feasts
In the
Roman Catholic Church:
★
Our Lady of Good Counsel (1467)
★
Saint Alda (d.
1309)
★
Richarius or
Riquier (d.
643)
★
Paschasius (d.
865)
★
Saint Cletus (
Pope Anacletus) and
Marcellinus (
Popes and
martyrs)
★
Lucidius (
4th century)
★
Trudpert (
Irish monk martyred in
Germany in
607).
In the
Russian Orthodox Church:
★
Stephen of Perm - also
Old Permic Alphabet Day
External links
★
BBC: On This Day
★
★
On This Day in Canada
----