On This Day in History

March 26

March 26 is the 85th day of the year (86th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. 280 days remain until the end of the year.

Lottery News On This Day

2026
Late father leaves behind booklet with lottery numbers, son wins £1M in "unbelievable" outcome. A UK man was astonished to rediscover a booklet previously owned by his late father that contained the lucky set of numbers he'd always play in the lottery, and the outcome was nothing short of unbelievable.
2024
$865 MILLION: Powerball jackpot reaching historic levels. This week Powerball joins Mega Millions in the race to the top of historical lottery jackpots, featuring a massive top prize that is approaching a billion dollars.
2020
Missouri woman collects $3 million 18 years after first lottery win. A Missouri woman who collected a $50,000 lottery jackpot in 2002 returned to lottery headquarters 18 years later to claim a $3 million jackpot.
2019
California Lottery official dismissed amid investigations. A senior California Lottery executive has been dismissed from his position six months after anonymous state employees sent a letter to the Governor's Office complaining about rowdy behavior among a group of the lottery's top brass.
2018
$458M Mega Millions lottery jackpot is game's 4th-largest ever. Lottery players across the United States will be lining up at lottery retailers for their chance to win Tuesday's massive $458 million Mega Millions jackpot, after nobody won Friday's $421 million grand prize.
2016
Another retailer charged in Connecticut Lottery scheme. A Manchester man who formerly worked at a local convenience store has become the seventh person statewide to be accused of manipulating Connecticut Lottery terminals to produce unusually large numbers of winning tickets in a now-suspended lottery game.
2014
For D.C. Lottery scratch-off game players, fewer chances to win big. For instant-game players in Washington, D.C., their habit might be put on hold because the D.C. Council and financial officials have been unable to settle on a vendor to print the games known as scratchers.
2014
Massachusetts Lottery to launch $30 instant ticket in April. The Massachusetts State Lottery next month will launch a $30 instant ticket -- the highest priced ticket in the agency's history -- with a top prize of $15 million.
2013
N.J. man claims $338 million Powerball jackpot. The Passaic, New Jersey, man who won the $338 million Powerball lottery says he felt "pure joy" at winning the huge jackpot, but has no idea yet what he will do with all the money.
2012
Online Illinois lottery tickets net $15K first day. Illinois Lottery officials say the first day of online lottery tickets brought in more than $15,000 in sales.
2012
N.J. couple claims $70M Powerball jackpot. After buying a lottery ticket every week for the past eight years, a New Jersey couple discovered Saturday night they bought the winning ticket to a $70 million Powerball jackpot.
2012
$363 MILLION: Mega Millions lottery jackpot raised due to heavy sales. Mega Millions lottery players across the United States are pulling out the stops for the Tuesday evening drawing, which now stands as the largest Mega Millions grand prize in more than a year.
2011
Winning Mega Millions lottery ticket worth $319M sold in NY. A New York lottery official said a winning ticket for the Mega Millions lottery jackpot worth $319 million has been sold at a variety store in Albany, N.Y.
2010
Colorado Lottery awards first MatchPlay jackpot. A Denver resident matched all six numbers in last Friday's MatchPlay drawing, winning the game's $206,584 top prize and becoming the game's first jackpot winner.
2009
Arkansas Lottery bill signed into law. Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe signed identical House and Senate bills into law today to create an Arkansas Lottery to fund scholarships to Arkansas college students.
2008
Tenn. lawmakers want to force lottery to drop computer draws. There is new discussion in the Tennessee Legislature about the possibility of the state lottery going back to using ping-pong balls to select the Cash 3 and Cash 4 winners.
2008
Anniversary: N.D. Lottery reflects back on last four years. Four years ago today, North Dakota launched it's own lottery.
2008
Georgia Lottery makes three new millionaires. A grandfather, a great-grandfather, and a young fry cook are three of the recent Georgia Lottery scratch ticket millionaires, each winning $1 million or more.
2008
N.M. Lottery's delicious new scratch game. The New Mexico Lottery's latest scratch-off game looks good enough to eat.
2008
239 people share second prize in Canada's Lotto 6/49 draw. What some are calling a mathematical fluke led to smaller-than-expected payouts for 239 second-prize winners of last Wednesday's Lotto 6/49.
2008
Spending on others brings happiness. Money can buy happiness when it is spent on other people, scientists have discovered.
2004
Vermont Resident Captures $50,000. A Bethel, Vermont resident hit it big over the weekend when he won $50,000 playing the Vermont Lottery's instant game, "Big Money Action."
2004
Beware of Phony Prize Promotions, Lottery Schemes, and Bogus E-mails. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumers in the United States and other countries lose billions of dollars each year to telemarketers, spam e-mailers and misleading advertisements that entice consumers into phony prize promotions, illegal foreign lottery schemes and other lottery-related fraud.
2004
Co-owner of Pizza House claims $100,000 lottery prize. Stacy Varellas of North Adams, Massachusetts was ecstatic to hear on the radio last Wednesday morning that she had the winning numbers of last Tuesday's Mass Cash lottery.
2004
GTECH is in play in Brazil. As the investigation into last year's controversy surrounding GTECH's contract extension continues, Brazil may be gearing up to request bids from other lottery providers interested in running the lottery when the extension expires.
2004
Store owner to appeal jury's lottery decision. A store owner plans to appeal a jury's decision that he pay $1.3 million to a lottery winner who said the owner failed to warn him about a jackpot cap.
2004
North Dakota's first-day lottery sales set per-capita record. Powerball lottery tickets went on sale at 390 sites around North Dakota late Thursday morning. By 6:05 p.m., $119,453 worth of tickets had been sold - a Powerball record for per-capita spending on the game, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said.
2004
Minnesota lottery chief's suicide note: 'Pity me, blame no one else'. Before committing suicide in January, Minnesota State Lottery Director George Andersen left handwritten notes encouraging his family to "not look back."
2004
Autopsy: Minnesota lottery director died of overdose. The longtime director of the Minnesota State Lottery, who committed suicide in January during a legislative review of the lottery's operations, died from an overdose of pain medication, a final autopsy report found.
2004
Proposed Oklahoma lottery discussed at forum. A lottery forum sponsored by the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals laid out the nuts and bolts Thursday of the proposal Oklahomans will vote on in November.

Top 25 Lottery Jackpots On This Day

1.$1.13 Billion
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 26, 2024
2.$873.1 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 27, 2024
3.$768.4 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 27, 2019
4.$483.1 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 26, 2025
5.$458 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 27, 2018
6.$363 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 27, 2012
7.$322 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 28, 2023
8.€243 Million
US$263 Million
Multi-Country
Euro Millions
Draw Date
Mar 28, 2025
9.$235.4 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 27, 2021
10.€177.84 Million
US$195.2 Million
Draw Date
Mar 26, 2022
11.$187 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 26, 2022
12.$167.9 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 28, 2026
13.$162 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 28, 2017
14.€139.76 Million
US$161.39 Million
Draw Date
Mar 26, 2026
15.$160 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 28, 2020
16.€127.61 Million
US$150.45 Million
Draw Date
Mar 27, 2021
17.€119.38 Million
US$148.21 Million
Draw Date
Mar 27, 2018
18.€111 Million
US$142.77 Million
Multi-Country
Euro Millions
Draw Date
Mar 26, 2013
19.€125.53 Million
US$141.67 Million
Draw Date
Mar 26, 2019
20.$137 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 26, 2021
21.€115 Million
US$135.55 Million
Multi-Country
Euro Millions
Draw Date
Mar 26, 2021
22.$135 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 29, 2006
23.$125 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 26, 2011
24.$122.2 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Mar 27, 2023
25.$113 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Mar 28, 2008

Lottery Post Member Birthdays On This Day

1990
Monday, Mar 26, 1990
36 years old
1990
Monday, Mar 26, 1990
36 years old
1988
Saturday, Mar 26, 1988
38 years old
1983
Saturday, Mar 26, 1983
43 years old
1974
Tuesday, Mar 26, 1974
52 years old
1970
Thursday, Mar 26, 1970
56 years old
1969
Wednesday, Mar 26, 1969
57 years old
1966
Saturday, Mar 26, 1966
60 years old
1965
Friday, Mar 26, 1965
61 years old
1964
Thursday, Mar 26, 1964
62 years old
1963
Tuesday, Mar 26, 1963
63 years old
1962
Monday, Mar 26, 1962
64 years old
1960
Saturday, Mar 26, 1960
66 years old
1960
Saturday, Mar 26, 1960
66 years old
1952
Wednesday, Mar 26, 1952
74 years old
1951
Monday, Mar 26, 1951
75 years old
1949
Saturday, Mar 26, 1949
77 years old
1948
Friday, Mar 26, 1948
78 years old
(year not provided)
(year not provided)
(year not provided)

Worldwide Events On This Day

2024
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses following a collision between the MV Dali container ship and one of the bridge's support pillars, killing 6 people.
2017
Russia-wide anti-corruption protests in 99 cities. The Levada Center survey showed that 38% of surveyed Russians supported protests and that 67 percent held Putin personally responsible for high-level corruption.
2010
The South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan is torpedoed, killing 46 sailors. After an international investigation, the President of the United Nations Security Council blames North Korea.
2005
Around 200,000 to 300,000 Taiwanese demonstrate in Taipei in opposition to the Anti-Secession Law of China.
1998
During the Algerian Civil War, the Oued Bouaicha massacre sees fifty-two people, mostly infants, killed with axes and knives.
1997
Thirty-nine bodies are found in the Heaven's Gate mass suicides.
1991
Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay sign the Treaty of Asunción, establishing Mercosur, the South Common Market.
1991
Singapore Airlines Flight 117 is hijacked by four Pakistani terrorists and diverted to Changi Airport.
1982
A groundbreaking ceremony for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is held in Washington, D.C.
1981
Social Democratic Party (UK) is founded as a party.
1979
Anwar al-Sadat, Menachem Begin and Jimmy Carter sign the Egypt-Israel peace treaty in Washington, D.C.
1979
An Interflug Ilyushin Il-18 crashes at Quatro de Fevereiro Airport during a rejected takeoff, killing 10.
1975
The Biological Weapons Convention comes into force.
1971
East Pakistan, then a province of Pakistan, declares its independence from Pakistan to form Bangladesh; the Bangladesh War of Independence begins.
1970
South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu implements a land reform program to solve the problem of land tenancy.
1967
Ten thousand people gather for one of many Central Park be-ins in New York City.
1958
The United States Army launches Explorer 3.
1958
The African Regroupment Party is launched at a meeting in Paris.
1955
Pan Am Flight 845/26 ditches in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Oregon, killing four.
1954
Nuclear weapons testing: The Romeo shot of Operation Castle is detonated at Bikini Atoll. Yield: 11 megatons.
1945
World War II: The Battle of Iwo Jima ends as the island is officially secured by American forces.
1942
World War II: The first female prisoners arrive at Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.
1939
Spanish Civil War: Nationalists begin their final offensive of the war.
1934
The United Kingdom driving test is introduced.
1931
Swissair is founded as the national airline of Switzerland.
1931
Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union is founded in Vietnam.
1922
The German Social Democratic Party is founded in Poland.
1917
World War I: First Battle of Gaza: British troops are halted after 17,000 Turks block their advance.
1915
The Vancouver Millionaires win the 1915 Stanley Cup Finals, the first championship played between the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the National Hockey Association.
1913
First Balkan War: Bulgarian forces capture Adrianople.
1896
An explosion at the Brunner Mine near Greymouth, New Zealand, kills 65 coal miners in the country's worst industrial accident.
1885
The Métis people of the District of Saskatchewan under Louis Riel begin the North-West Rebellion against Canada.
1871
The elections of Commune council of the Paris Commune are held.
1839
The first Henley Royal Regatta is held.
1830
The Book of Mormon is published in Palmyra, New York.
1812
An earthquake devastates Caracas, Venezuela.
1812
A political cartoon in the Boston-Gazette coins the term "gerrymander" to describe oddly shaped electoral districts designed to help incumbents win reelection.
1700
William Dampier is the first European to circumnavigate New Britain, discovering it is an island (which he names Nova Britannia) rather than part of New Guinea.
1697
Safavid government troops take control of Basra.
1651
The silver-loaded Spanish ship San José, pushed south by strong winds, is wrecked on the coast of southern Chile and its surviving crew members are killed by indigenous Cuncos.
1640
The Royal Academy of Turku, the first university of Finland, is founded in the city of Turku by Queen Christina of Sweden at the proposal of Count Per Brahe.
1636
Utrecht University is founded in the Netherlands.
1552
Guru Amar Das becomes the Third Sikh guru.
1484
William Caxton prints his translation of Aesop's Fables.
1351
Combat of the Thirty: Thirty Breton knights call out and defeat thirty English knights.
1344
The Siege of Algeciras, one of the first European military engagements where gunpowder was used, comes to an end.
1244
The crown of Aragon and the crown of Castile agree in the Treaty of Almizra on the limits of their respective expansion into al-Andalus.
1169
Saladin becomes the emir of Egypt.
1027
Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor.
1021
The death of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, kept secret for six weeks, is announced, along with the succession of his son, al-Zahir li-i'zaz Din Allah.
752
Election of Pope Stephen II following the death of Pope Zachary.
624
First Eid al-Fitr celebration.
590
Emperor Maurice proclaims his son Theodosius as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire.

Births On This Day

2007
Jesús Fortea, Spanish footballer
2005
Ella Anderson, American actress
2004
Awra Briguela, Filipino actor and comedian
2003
Bhad Bhabie, American rapper and social media personality
2001
Jameson Williams, American football player
2000
Gefen Primo, Israeli judoka
2000
Andrei Svechnikov, Russian ice hockey player
1998
Satoko Miyahara, Japanese figure skater
1996
Zane Musgrove, New Zealand rugby league player
1996
Kathryn Bernardo, Filipino actress
1995
Ibai Llanos, Spanish internet personality
1994
Ryan Arcidiacono, American basketball player
1994
Alison Van Uytvanck, Belgian tennis player
1994
Paige VanZant, American mixed martial artist and model
1994
Jed Wallace, English footballer
1994
Marcela Zacarías, Mexican tennis player
1992
Nina Agdal, Danish model
1992
Stoffel Vandoorne, Belgian racing driver
1991
Matt Davidson, American baseball player
1991
Ramy Youssef, American actor and comedian
1990
Choi Woo-shik, South Korean actor
1990
Matteo Guidicelli, Filipino actor, model, singer and former kart racer
1990
Patrick Ekeng, Cameroonian footballer (died 2016)
1990
Yuya Takaki, Japanese idol, singer, dancer, model and actor
1990
Xiumin, South Korean singer and actor
1989
Simon Kjær, Danish footballer
1989
Von Miller, American football player
1987
Kim Dong-suk, South Korean footballer
1987
Jermichael Finley, American football player
1987
Steven Fletcher, Scottish footballer
1986
Maxime Biset, Belgian footballer
1986
Rob Kearney, Irish rugby player
1986
Emma Laine, Finnish tennis player
1985
Keira Knightley, English actress
1985
Matt Grevers, American swimmer
1985
Jonathan Groff, American actor and singer
1985
Prosper Utseya, Zimbabwean cricketer
1984
Jimmy Howard, American ice hockey player
1984
Drew Mitchell, Australian rugby player
1984
Felix Neureuther, German skier
1984
Marco Stier, German footballer
1984
Gregory Strydom, Zimbabwean cricketer
1984
Sara Jean Underwood, American model, television host, and actress
1983
Andreas Hinkel, German footballer
1983
Floriana Lima, American actress
1983
Roman Bednář, Czech footballer
1983
Mike Mondo, American wrestler
1982
Mikel Arteta, Spanish footballer
1982
Brendan Ryan, American baseball player
1982
Nate Kaeding, American football player
1981
Sébastien Centomo, Canadian ice hockey player
1981
Zayar Thaw, Burmese rapper and politician (died 2022)
1981
Baruch Dego, Ethiopian-Israeli footballer
1981
Massimo Donati, Italian footballer
1981
Josh Wilson, American baseball player
1980
Margaret Brennan, American journalist
1980
Son Ho-young, South Korean singer
1980
Richie Wellens, English footballer
1979
Nacho Novo, Spanish footballer
1979
Ben Blair, New Zealand rugby union footballer
1979
Hiromi Uehara, Japanese pianist and composer
1979
Pierre Womé, Cameroonian footballer
1979
Juliana Paes, Brazilian actress
1978
Anastasia Kostaki, Greek basketball player
1977
Kevin Davies, English footballer
1977
Bianca Kajlich, American actress
1977
Sylvain Grenier, Canadian wrestler
1976
Amy Smart, American actress and former model
1976
Alex Varas, Chilean footballer
1976
Eirik Verås Larsen, Norwegian sprint kayaker
1974
Irina Spîrlea, Romanian tennis player
1974
Vadimas Petrenko, Lithuanian footballer
1974
Michael Peca, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
1973
Larry Page, American computer scientist and businessman, co-founder of Google
1973
T. R. Knight, American actor
1972
Leslie Mann, American actress
1972
Jason Maxwell, American baseball player
1971
Martyn Day, Scottish politician
1971
Erick Morillo, Colombian-American disc jockey, record label owner, and music producer (died 2020)
1971
Rennae Stubbs, Australian tennis player and sportscaster
1971
Paul Williams, English footballer and manager
1970
Paul Bosvelt, Dutch footballer
1970
Jelle Goes, Dutch footballer and coach
1970
Thomas Kyparissis, Greek footballer
1970
Martin McDonagh, English-born Irish playwright, screenwriter, and director
1969
Alessandro Moscardi, Italian rugby player
1968
Laurent Brochard, French cyclist
1968
Kenny Chesney, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1968
James Iha, American guitarist and songwriter
1967
Jason Chaffetz, American politician
1966
Michael Imperioli, American actor and screenwriter
1965
Trey Azagthoth, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
1965
Violeta Szekely, Romanian runner
1964
Martin Bella, Australian rugby league player
1964
Martin Donnelly, Irish racing driver
1964
Maria Miller, English businessman and politician, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
1964
Ulf Samuelsson, Swedish-American ice hockey player and coach
1963
Natsuhiko Kyogoku, Japanese author
1962
Richard Coles, English pianist, saxophonist, and priest
1962
Kevin Seitzer, American baseball player and coach
1962
Yuri Gidzenko, Russian pilot and cosmonaut
1962
John Stockton, American basketball player and coach
1962
Eric Allan Kramer, American-Canadian actor
1961
William Hague, English historian and politician, First Secretary of State
1960
Marcus Allen, American football player and sportscaster
1960
Jennifer Grey, American actress and dancer
1960
Graeme Rutjes, Australian-Dutch footballer
1958
Elio de Angelis, Italian racing driver (died 1986)
1957
Fiona Bruce, Scottish lawyer and politician
1957
Leeza Gibbons, American talk show host and television personality
1957
Paul Morley, English journalist, producer, and author
1957
Shirin Neshat, Iranian visual artist
1956
Charly McClain, American country music singer
1956
Park Won-soon, South Korean lawyer and politician, 35th Mayor of Seoul (died 2020)
1954
Clive Palmer, Australian businessman and politician
1954
Curtis Sliwa, American talk show host and activist, founded Guardian Angels
1954
Dorothy Porter, Australian poet and playwright (died 2008)
1953
Lincoln Chafee, American academic and politician, 74th Governor of Rhode Island
1953
Elaine Chao, Taiwanese-American banker and politician, 24th United States Secretary of Labor
1953
Tatyana Providokhina, Russian runner
1952
Didier Pironi, French racing driver (died 1987)
1951
Željko Pavličević, Croatian professional basketball coach and former professional player
1951
Carl Wieman, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
1950
Teddy Pendergrass, American singer-songwriter (died 2010)
1950
Graham Barlow, English cricketer
1950
Martin Short, Canadian-American actor, screenwriter, and producer
1950
Alan Silvestri, American composer and conductor
1949
Jon English, English-Australian singer-songwriter and actor (died 2016)
1949
Rudi Koertzen, South African cricketer and umpire (died 2022)
1949
Vicki Lawrence, American actress, comedian, talk show host, and singer
1949
Fran Sheehan, American bass player
1949
Patrick Süskind, German author and screenwriter
1949
Ernest Lee Thomas, American actor
1948
Kyung-wha Chung, South Korean violinist and educator
1948
Richard Tandy, English pianist and keyboard player (died 2024)
1948
Steven Tyler, American singer-songwriter and actor
1947
Subhash Kak, Indian-American professor and author
1947
John Rowles, New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter
1946
Johnny Crawford, American actor and singer (died 2021)
1946
Alain Madelin, French politician, French Minister of Finance
1945
Paul Bérenger, Mauritian politician, Prime Minister of Mauritius
1945
Mikhail Voronin, Russian gymnast and coach (died 2004)
1944
Diana Ross, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
1943
Mustafa Kalemli, Turkish physician and politician, Turkish Minister of the Interior
1943
Bob Woodward, American journalist and author
1942
Erica Jong, American novelist and poet
1941
Richard Dawkins, Kenyan-English ethologist, biologist, and academic
1941
Lella Lombardi, Italian racing driver (died 1992)
1940
James Caan, American actor and singer (died 2022)
1940
Nancy Pelosi, American lawyer and politician, 52nd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
1940
Jörg Streli, Austrian architect
1938
Norman Ackroyd, English painter and illustrator
1938
Anthony James Leggett, English-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2026)
1937
Wayne Embry, American basketball player and manager
1937
Barbara Jones, American sprinter
1937
James Lee, Canadian businessman and politician, 26th Premier of Prince Edward Island (died 2023)
1934
Alan Arkin, American actor (died 2023)
1934
Edvaldo Alves de Santa Rosa, Brazilian footballer (died 2002)
1933
Tinto Brass, Italian director and screenwriter
1932
Leroy Griffith, American businessman
1932
James Andrew Harris, American chemist and academic (died 2000)
1931
Leonard Nimoy, American actor (died 2015)
1930
Gregory Corso, American poet (died 2001)
1930
Sandra Day O'Connor, American lawyer and jurist (died 2023)
1929
Charles Dumont, French singer and composer (died 2024)
1929
Edward Sorel, American illustrator and caricaturist
1929
Edwin Turney, American businessman, co-founded Advanced Micro Devices (died 2008)
1927
Harold Chapman, English photographer (died 2022)
1925
Maqsood Ahmed, Pakistani cricketer (died 1999)
1925
Pierre Boulez, French pianist, composer, and conductor (died 2016)
1925
Vesta Roy, American politician, Governor of New Hampshire (died 2002)
1925
Edward Graham, Baron Graham of Edmonton, English soldier and politician (died 2020)
1925
Ben Mondor, Canadian-American businessman (died 2010)
1925
James Moody, American saxophonist and composer (died 2010)
1923
Gert Bastian, German general and politician (died 1992)
1923
Bob Elliott, American comedian, actor, and screenwriter (died 2016)
1922
William Milliken, American politician, 44th Governor of Michigan (died 2019)
1922
Oscar Sala, Italian-Brazilian physicist and academic (died 2010)
1922
Guido Stampacchia, Italian mathematician and academic (died 1978)
1920
Sergio Livingstone, Chilean footballer and journalist (died 2012)
1919
Strother Martin, American actor (died 1980)
1919
Roger Leger, Canadian ice hockey player (died 1965)
1917
Rufus Thomas, American R&B singer-songwriter (died 2001)
1916
Christian B. Anfinsen, American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1995)
1916
Bill Edrich, English cricketer and footballer (died 1986)
1916
Sterling Hayden, American actor and author (died 1986)
1915
Lennart Strandberg, Swedish sprinter (died 1989)
1915
Hwang Sun-won, North Korean author and poet (died 2000)
1914
Toru Kumon, Japanese mathematician and academic (died 1995)
1914
William Westmoreland, American general (died 2005)
1913
Jacqueline de Romilly, Franco-Greek philologist, author, and scholar (died 2010)
1913
Paul Erdős, Hungarian-Polish mathematician and academic (died 1996)
1911
Lennart Atterwall, Swedish javelin thrower (died 2001)
1911
J. L. Austin, English philosopher and academic (died 1960)
1911
Bernard Katz, German-English biophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2003)
1911
Tennessee Williams, American playwright, and poet (died 1983)
1910
K. W. Devanayagam, Sri Lankan lawyer and politician, 10th Sri Lankan Minister of Justice (died 2002)
1909
Chips Rafferty, Australian actor (died 1971)
1909
Héctor José Cámpora, former President of Argentina (died 1980)
1908
Franz Stangl, Austrian-German SS officer (died 1971)
1907
Azellus Denis, Canadian lawyer and politician, Postmaster General of Canada (died 1991)
1907
Mahadevi Varma, Indian poet and activist (died 1987)
1906
Rafael Méndez, Mexican trumpet player and composer (died 1981)
1906
H. Radclyffe Roberts, American entomologist and museum administrator (died 1982)
1905
Monty Berman, English cinematographer and producer (died 2006)
1905
André Cluytens, Belgian-French conductor and director (died 1967)
1905
Viktor Frankl, Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist (died 1997)
1905
Mona Williams, American novelist, short story writer and poet (died 1991)
1904
Joseph Campbell, American mythologist and author (died 1987)
1904
Emilio Fernández, Mexican actor, director, and screenwriter (died 1986)
1904
Attilio Ferraris, Italian footballer (died 1947)
1904
Xenophon Zolotas, Greek economist and Prime Minister of Greece (died 2004)
1900
Angela Maria Autsch, German nun, died in Auschwitz helping Jewish prisoners (died 1941)
1898
Rudolf Dassler, German businessman, founded Puma SE (died 1974)
1898
Charles Shadwell, English conductor and bandleader (died 1979)
1895
Vilho Tuulos, Finnish triple jumper (died 1967)
1894
Viorica Ursuleac, Ukrainian-Romanian soprano and actress (died 1985)
1893
James Bryant Conant, American chemist, academic, and diplomat, 1st United States Ambassador to West Germany (died 1978)
1893
Palmiro Togliatti, Italian journalist and politician, Italian Minister of Justice (died 1964)
1888
Elsa Brändström, Swedish nurse and philanthropist (died 1948)
1886
Hugh Mulzac, Vincentian-American soldier and politician (died 1971)
1884
Wilhelm Backhaus, German pianist and educator (died 1969)
1884
Georges Imbert, French chemical engineer and inventor (died 1950)
1882
Hermann Obrecht, Swiss politician (died 1940)
1881
Guccio Gucci, Italian fashion designer, founded Gucci (died 1953)
1879
Othmar Ammann, Swiss-American engineer, designed the George Washington Bridge and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (died 1965)
1879
Waldemar Tietgens, German rower (died 1917)
1876
William of Wied, prince of Albania (died 1945)
1876
Kate Richards O'Hare, American Socialist Party activist and editor (died 1948)
1875
Max Abraham, Polish-German physicist and academic (died 1922)
1875
Syngman Rhee, South Korean journalist and politician, 1st President of South Korea (died 1965)
1874
Robert Frost, American poet and playwright (died 1963)
1873
Dorothea Bleek, South African-German anthropologist and philologist (died 1948)
1868
King Fuad I of Egypt (died 1936)
1866
Fred Karno, English producer and manager (died 1941)
1860
André Prévost, French tennis player (died 1919)
1859
A. E. Housman, English poet and scholar (died 1936)
1859
Adolf Hurwitz, German-Swiss mathematician and academic (died 1919)
1857
Théodore Tuffier, French surgeon (died 1929)
1856
William Massey, Irish-New Zealand farmer and politician, 19th Prime Minister of New Zealand (died 1925)
1854
Maurice Lecoq, French target shooter (died 1925)
1852
Élémir Bourges, French author (died 1925)
1850
Edward Bellamy, American author, socialist, and utopian visionary (died 1898)
1842
Alexandre Saint-Yves d'Alveydre, French occultist (died 1909)
1830
Dewitt Clinton Senter, American politician, 18th Governor of Tennessee (died 1898)
1829
Théodore Aubanel, French poet (died 1886)
1829
Georg Andreas Bull, Norwegian architect (died 1917)
1824
Julie-Victoire Daubié, French journalist (died 1874)
1804
David Humphreys Storer, American physician and academic (died 1891)
1794
Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, German painter (died 1872)
1773
Nathaniel Bowditch, American mathematician and navigator (died 1838)
1753
Benjamin Thompson, American-French physicist and politician, Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (died 1814)
1749
William Blount, American politician (died 1800)
1698
Prokop Diviš, Czech priest, scientist and inventor (died 1765)
1687
Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, queen consort of Prussia (died 1757)
1656
Nicolaas Hartsoeker, Dutch mathematician and physicist (died 1725)
1634
Domenico Freschi, Italian priest and composer (died 1710)
1633
Mary Beale, British artist (died 1699)
1584
John II, duke of Zweibrücken (died 1635)
1554
Charles of Lorraine, duke of Mayenne (died 1611)
1516
Conrad Gessner, Swiss botanist and zoologist (died 1565)

Deaths On This Day

2024
Esther Coopersmith, American diplomat, UNESCO goodwill ambassador (born 1930)
2023
María Kodama, Argentine writer and translator (born 1937)
2023
Innocent Vareed Thekkethala, Indian actor and politician (born 1948)
2023
Jacob Ziv, Israeli electrical engineer, developed the LZ family of compression algorithms (born 1931)
2018
Fabrizio Frizzi, Italian television presenter (born 1958)
2016
Jim Harrison, American novelist, essayist, and poet (born 1937)
2015
Dinkha IV, Iraqi patriarch (born 1935)
2015
Friedrich L. Bauer, German mathematician, computer scientist, and academic (born 1924)
2015
Tomas Tranströmer, Swedish poet, translator, and psychologist Nobel Prize laureate (born 1931)
2014
Roger Birkman, American psychologist and author (born 1919)
2014
Dick Guidry, American businessman and politician (born 1929)
2014
Marcus Kimball, Baron Kimball, English politician (born 1928)
2013
Tom Boerwinkle, American basketball player and sportscaster (born 1945)
2013
Krzysztof Kozłowski, Polish journalist and politician, Polish Minister of Interior (born 1931)
2013
Dave Leggett, American baseball player (born 1933)
2013
Don Payne, American screenwriter and producer (born 1964)
2012
Sisto Averno, American football player (born 1925)
2012
Michael Begley, Irish carpenter and politician (born 1932)
2012
Thomas M. Cover, American theorist and academic (born 1938)
2012
David Craighead, American organist and educator (born 1924)
2012
Manik Godghate, Indian poet and educator (born 1937)
2012
Helmer Ringgren, Swedish theologian and academic (born 1917)
2011
Roger Abbott, English-Canadian actor, producer, and screenwriter (born 1946)
2011
Geraldine Ferraro, American lawyer and politician (born 1935)
2011
Diana Wynne Jones, English author (born 1934)
2010
Charles Ryskamp, American art collector and curator (born 1928)
2009
Shane McConkey, Canadian skier and BASE jumper (born 1969)
2009
Arne Bendiksen, Norwegian singer and composer (born 1926)
2008
Robert Fagles, American poet and academic (born 1933)
2008
Manuel Marulanda, Colombian rebel leader (born 1930)
2006
Anil Biswas, Indian journalist and politician (born 1944)
2006
Paul Dana, American racing driver (born 1975)
2006
Nikki Sudden, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1956)
2005
James Callaghan, English lieutenant and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (born 1912)
2005
Frederick Rotimi Williams, Nigerian lawyer and politician (born 1920)
2004
Jan Sterling, American actress (born 1921)
2003
Daniel Patrick Moynihan, American sociologist and politician, 12th United States Ambassador to the United Nations (born 1927)
2002
Randy Castillo, American drummer and songwriter (born 1950)
2000
Alex Comfort, English physician and author (born 1920)
1996
Edmund Muskie, American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician, 58th United States Secretary of State (born 1914)
1996
David Packard, American engineer and businessman, co-founded Hewlett-Packard (born 1912)
1996
John Snagge, English journalist (born 1904)
1995
Eazy-E, American rapper and producer (born 1964)
1993
Louis Falco, American dancer and choreographer (born 1942)
1992
Barbara Frum, American-Canadian journalist and radio host (born 1937)
1990
Halston, American fashion designer (born 1932)
1987
Eugen Jochum, German conductor (born 1902)
1987
Walter Abel, American actor (born 1898)
1984
Ahmed Sékou Touré, Guinean politician, 1st President of Guinea (born 1922)
1983
Anthony Blunt, English historian and spy (born 1907)
1980
Roland Barthes, French linguist and critic (born 1915)
1979
Beauford Delaney, American-French painter (born 1901)
1979
Jean Stafford, American author and academic (born 1915)
1973
Noël Coward, English playwright, actor, and composer (born 1899)
1973
Johnny Drake, American football player (born 1916)
1969
John Kennedy Toole, American novelist (born 1937)
1966
Victor Hochepied, French swimmer (born 1883)
1966
Cyril Hume, American novelist and screenwriter (born 1900)
1965
Alice Herz, German peace activist who self-immolated in protest of U.S. imperialism (born 1882) 1
1959
Raymond Chandler, American crime novelist and screenwriter (born 1888)
1958
Phil Mead, English cricketer and footballer (born 1887)
1957
Édouard Herriot, French politician, Prime Minister of France (born 1872)
1957
Max Ophüls, German-American director and screenwriter (born 1902)
1954
Charles Perrin, French rower (born 1875)
1951
James F. Hinkle, American banker and politician, 6th Governor of New Mexico (born 1864)
1945
David Lloyd George, English-Welsh lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (born 1863)
1942
Jimmy Burke, American baseball player and manager (born 1874)
1942
Carolyn Wells, American novelist and poet (born 1862)
1940
Wilhelm Anderson, German-Estonian astrophysicist (born 1880)
1940
Spyridon Louis, Greek runner (born 1873)
1934
John Biller, American jumper and discus thrower (born 1877)
1932
Henry M. Leland, American machinist, inventor, engineer, automotive entrepreneur and founder of Cadillac and Lincoln (born 1843)
1931
Joseph Dutton, assisted Father Damien on the island of Molokai for 45 years.
1926
Constantin Fehrenbach, German lawyer and politician, Chancellor of Germany (born 1852)
1923
Sarah Bernhardt, French actress and screenwriter (born 1844)
1920
William Chester Minor, American surgeon and lexicographer (born 1834)
1910
Auguste Charlois, French astronomer (born 1864)
1905
Maurice Barrymore, American actor (born 1849)
1902
Cecil Rhodes, English-South African colonialist, businessman and politician, 6th Prime Minister of the Cape Colony (born 1853)
1892
Walt Whitman, American poet, essayist, and journalist (born 1819)
1888
Barghash bin Said of Zanzibar (born 1837)
1885
Anson Stager, American general and businessman, co-founded Western Union (born 1825)
1881
Roman Sanguszko, Polish general and activist (born 1800)
1881
Old Abe, 8th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment Mascot (born 1861)
1862
Uriah P. Levy, American commander (born 1792)
1858
John Addison Thomas, American lieutenant, engineer, and politician, 3rd United States Assistant Secretary of State (born 1811)
1827
Ludwig van Beethoven, German pianist and composer (born 1770)
1814
Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, French physician and politician (born 1738)
1797
James Hutton, Scottish geologist and physician (born 1726)
1793
John Mudge, English physician and engineer (born 1721)
1780
Charles I, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (born 1713)
1776
Samuel Ward, American politician, 31st and 33rd Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (born 1725)
1772
Charles Pinot Duclos, French author and politician (born 1704)
1726
John Vanbrugh, English playwright and architect, designed Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard (born 1664)
1697
Godfrey McCulloch, Scottish politician (born 1640)
1679
Johannes Schefferus, Swedish historian and author (born 1621)
1649
John Winthrop, English lawyer and politician, 2nd Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
1625
Giambattista Marini, Italian poet (born 1569)
1566
Antonio de Cabezón, Spanish organist and composer (born 1510)
1546
Thomas Elyot, English scholar and diplomat (born 1490)
1535
Georg Tannstetter, Austrian mathematician, astronomer, and cartographer (born 1482)
1517
Heinrich Isaac, Flemish composer (born 1450)
1437
Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, Scottish nobleman and regicide
1402
David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay, heir to the throne of Scotland (born 1378)
1350
Alfonso XI of Castile (born 1312)
1326
Alessandra Giliani, anatomist (born c. 1307)
1324
Marie de Luxembourg, Queen of France (born 1304)
1242
William de Forz, 3rd Earl of Albemarle
1212
Sancho I of Portugal (born 1154)
1132
Geoffrey of Vendôme, French cardinal and theologian (born 1065)
1130
Sigurd the Crusader, Norwegian king (born 1090)
1091
Wallada bint al-Mustakfi, Andalusian poet
983
'Adud al-Dawla, Iranian ruler (born 936)
973
Guntram ("the Rich"), Frankish nobleman
929
Wang Du, Chinese warlord and governor (jiedushi)
922
Mansur Al-Hallaj, Persian mystic and poet (born 858)
908
Ai, emperor of the Tang Dynasty (born 892)
903
Sugawara no Michizane, Japanese poet
809
Ludger, Frisian missionary
752
Pope-elect Stephen