On This Day: February 7 - Historical Events, Births & Deaths

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47 Events 179 Births 84 Deaths

2024 Pakistan election offices are hit by twin bombings, killing at least 24 people a day before general elections. ↗
2021 The 2021 Uttarakhand flood begins. ↗
2016 North Korea launches Kwangmyŏngsŏng-4 into outer space violating multiple UN treaties and prompting condemnation from around the world. ↗
2014 Scientists announce that the Happisburgh footprints in Norfolk, England, date back to more than 800,000 years ago, making them the oldest known hominid footprints outside Africa. ↗
2013 The U.S. state of Mississippi officially certifies the Thirteenth Amendment, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment was formally ratified by Mississippi in 1995. ↗
2012 President Mohamed Nasheed of the Republic of Maldives resigns, after 23 days of anti-governmental protests calling for the release of the Chief Judge unlawfully arrested by the military. ↗
2009 Bushfires in Victoria leave 173 dead in the worst natural disaster in Australia's history. ↗
2001 Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-98, carrying the Destiny laboratory module to the International Space Station. ↗
1999 Crown Prince Abdullah becomes the King of Jordan on the death of his father, King Hussein. ↗
1995 Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, is arrested in Islamabad, Pakistan. ↗
1992 The Maastricht Treaty is signed, leading to the creation of the European Union. ↗
1991 Haiti's first democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, is sworn in. ↗
1991 The Troubles: The Provisional IRA launches a mortar attack on 10 Downing Street in London, the headquarters of the British government. ↗
1990 Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party agrees to give up its monopoly on power. ↗
1986 Twenty-eight years of one-family rule end in Haiti, when President Jean-Claude Duvalier flees the Caribbean nation. ↗
1984 Space Shuttle program: STS-41-B Mission: astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart make the first untethered space walk using the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU). ↗
1981 A plane crash at Pushkin Airport kills 50 people, including 16 members of the Pacific Fleet. ↗
1979 Pluto moves inside Neptune's orbit for the first time since either was discovered. ↗
1974 Grenada gains independence from the United Kingdom. ↗
1966 The Great Fire of Iloilo breaks out in a lumber yard in Iznart Street and burns for almost half a day destroying nearly three-quarters of the City Proper area and Php 50 million pesos in total properties' damage. ↗
1964 The Beatles land in the United States for the first time, at the newly renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport. ↗
1962 The United States bans all Cuban imports and exports. ↗
1951 Korean War: More than 700 suspected communist sympathizers are massacred by South Korean forces. ↗
1944 World War II: In Anzio, Italy, German forces launch a counteroffensive during the Allied Operation Shingle. ↗
1943 World War II: Imperial Japanese Navy forces complete the evacuation of Imperial Japanese Army troops from Guadalcanal during Operation Ke, ending Japanese attempts to retake the island from Allied forces in the Guadalcanal campaign. ↗
1940 The second full-length animated Walt Disney film, Pinocchio, premieres. ↗
1904 The Great Baltimore Fire begins in Baltimore, Maryland; it destroys over 1,500 buildings in 30 hours. ↗
1900 Second Boer War: British troops fail in their third attempt to lift the Siege of Ladysmith. ↗
1900 A Chinese immigrant in San Francisco falls ill to bubonic plague in the first plague epidemic in the continental United States. ↗
1898 Dreyfus affair: Émile Zola is brought to trial for libel for publishing J'Accuse...! ↗
1894 The Cripple Creek miner's strike, led by the Western Federation of Miners, begins in Cripple Creek, Colorado, United States. ↗
1863 HMS Orpheus sinks off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand, killing 189. ↗
1854 A law is approved to found the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Lectures started October 16, 1855. ↗
1842 Battle of Debre Tabor: Ras Ali Alula, Regent of the Emperor of Ethiopia defeats warlord Wube Haile Maryam of Semien. ↗
1819 Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles leaves Singapore after just taking it over, leaving it in the hands of William Farquhar. ↗
1813 In the action of 7 February 1813 near the Îles de Los, the frigates Aréthuse and Amelia batter each other, but neither can gain the upper hand. ↗
1812 The strongest in a series of earthquakes strikes New Madrid, Missouri. ↗
1807 Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon finds Bennigsen's Russian forces taking a stand at Eylau. After bitter fighting, the French take the town, but the Russians resume the battle the next day. ↗
1795 The 11th Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified. ↗
1783 American Revolutionary War: French and Spanish forces lift the Great Siege of Gibraltar. ↗
1756 Guaraní War: The leader of the Guaraní rebels, Sepé Tiaraju, is killed in a skirmish with Spanish and Portuguese troops. ↗
1497 In Florence, Italy, supporters of Girolamo Savonarola burn cosmetics, art, and books, in a "Bonfire of the vanities". ↗
1365 Albert III of Mecklenburg (King Albert of Sweden) grants city rights to Ulvila (Swedish: Ulvsby). ↗
1313 King Thihathu founds the Pinya Kingdom as the de jure successor state of the Pagan Kingdom. ↗
1301 Edward of Caernarvon (later King Edward II of England) becomes the first English Prince of Wales. ↗
987 Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros, Byzantine generals of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II. ↗
457 Leo I becomes the Eastern Roman emperor. ↗

2003 Alessandro Fontanarosa, Italian footballer ↗
2002 Shedeur Sanders, American football player ↗
2001 R. J. Hampton, American basketball player ↗
2000 Jayden Campbell, Australian rugby league player ↗
1999 Omar Marmoush, Egyptian footballer ↗
1997 Nicolò Barella, Italian footballer ↗
1997 Anhelina Kalinina, Ukrainian tennis player ↗
1996 Aaron Ekblad, Canadian ice hockey player ↗
1996 Pierre Gasly, French racing driver ↗
1995 Tom Glynn-Carney, English actor and musician ↗
1995 Roberto Osuna, Mexican baseball player ↗
1994 Riley Barber, American ice hockey player ↗
1994 Nathan Walker, Welsh-Australian ice hockey player ↗
1993 Javon Hargrave, American football player ↗
1993 Chris Mears, English diver ↗
1992 Sergi Roberto, Spanish footballer ↗
1992 Ksenia Stolbova, Russian figure skater ↗
1992 Maimi Yajima, Japanese singer and actress ↗
1991 Gabbie Hanna, American Internet personality and singer-songwriter ↗
1991 Ryan O'Reilly, Canadian ice hockey player ↗
1991 Richard Pánik, Slovak ice hockey player ↗
1990 Morris Claiborne, American football player ↗
1990 Jacksepticeye, Irish YouTuber ↗
1990 Gianluca Lapadula, Italian footballer ↗
1990 Dalilah Muhammad, American hurdler ↗
1990 Steven Stamkos, Canadian ice hockey player ↗
1989 Nick Calathes, American-Greek basketball player ↗
1989 Isaiah Thomas, American basketball player ↗
1989 Elia Viviani, Italian cyclist ↗
1988 Ai Kago, Japanese singer and actress ↗
1988 Matthew Stafford, American football player ↗
1987 Joel Freeland, English basketball player ↗
1985 Josh Hennessy, American ice hockey player ↗
1985 Bernard James, American basketball player ↗
1985 Tina Majorino, American actress ↗
1985 Deborah Ann Woll, American actress ↗
1984 Trey Hardee, American decathlete ↗
1984 Jeremy Meeks American model and actor ↗
1983 Scott Feldman, American baseball player ↗
1983 Federico Marchetti, Italian footballer ↗
1982 Mohammed Bijeh, Iranian serial killer (died 2006) ↗
1982 Osamu Mukai, Japanese actor ↗
1982 Mickaël Piétrus, French basketball player ↗
1981 Neto, Brazilian footballer ↗
1981 Lee Ok-sung, South Korean boxer ↗
1980 Dalibor Bagarić, Croatian basketball player ↗
1979 Daniel Bierofka, German footballer and coach ↗
1979 Tawakkol Karman, Yemeni journalist and activist, Nobel Prize laureate ↗
1979 Sam J. Miller, American author ↗
1978 David Aebischer, Swiss ice hockey player ↗
1978 Endy Chávez, Venezuelan baseball player ↗
1978 Ashton Kutcher, American model, actor, producer, and entrepreneur ↗
1978 Milt Palacio, American-Belizean basketball player and coach ↗
1978 Daniel Van Buyten, Belgian footballer ↗
1977 Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, Japanese footballer ↗
1976 Chito Miranda, Filipino singer-songwriter ↗
1975 Wes Borland, American singer-songwriter and guitarist ↗
1975 Miriam Corowa, Australian journalist, television presenter and producer ↗
1975 Alexandre Daigle, Canadian ice hockey player ↗
1975 Rémi Gaillard, French comedian and actor ↗
1974 J Dilla, American rapper and producer (died 2006) ↗
1974 Steve Nash, South African-Canadian basketball player ↗
1974 Nujabes, Japanese record producer, DJ, composer and arranger (died 2010) ↗
1973 Juwan Howard, American basketball player and coach ↗
1972 Essence Atkins, American actress ↗
1972 Robyn Lively, American actress ↗
1971 Anita Tsoy, Russian singer-songwriter ↗
1969 Franz Jantscher, Austrian politician ↗
1969 Andrew Micallef, Maltese painter and musician ↗
1968 Peter Bondra, Ukrainian-Slovak ice hockey player and manager ↗
1968 Christian Drobits, Austrian politician ↗
1968 Sully Erna, American singer-songwriter and musician ↗
1968 Mark Tewksbury, Canadian swimmer and sportscaster ↗
1966 Kristin Otto, German swimmer ↗
1965 Chris Rock, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter ↗
1964 Ashok Banker, Indian journalist, author, and screenwriter ↗
1963 Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, American Naval officer and astronaut ↗
1962 Garth Brooks, American singer-songwriter and guitarist ↗
1962 David Bryan, American keyboard player and songwriter ↗
1962 Eddie Izzard, English comedian, actor, and producer ↗
1960 Robert Smigel, American actor, producer, and screenwriter ↗
1960 James Spader, American actor and producer ↗
1959 Mick McCarthy, English footballer, manager, and sportscaster ↗
1958 Giuseppe Baresi, Italian footballer and manager ↗
1958 Terry Marsh, English boxer and politician ↗
1958 Matt Ridley, English journalist, author, and politician ↗
1957 Dámaso García, Dominican baseball player and footballer (died 2020) ↗
1956 John Nielsen, Danish racing driver ↗
1956 Mark St. John, American guitarist (died 2007) ↗
1955 Rolf Benirschke, American football player and game show host ↗
1955 Miguel Ferrer, American actor and director (died 2017) ↗
1954 Dieter Bohlen, German singer-songwriter and producer ↗
1953 Robert Brazile, American football player ↗
1950 Karen Joy Fowler, American author ↗
1949 Jacques Duchesneau, Canadian police officer and politician ↗
1949 Alan Lancaster, English-Australian bass player singer and songwriter Status Quo (died 2022) ↗
1946 Héctor Babenco, Argentinian-Brazilian director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2016) ↗
1946 Gérard Jean-Juste, Haitian priest and activist (died 2009) ↗
1946 Pete Postlethwaite, English actor (died 2011) ↗
1945 Gerald Davies, Welsh rugby player and journalist ↗
1943 Eric Foner, American historian, author, and academic ↗
1942 Gareth Hunt, English actor (died 2007) ↗
1940 Tony Tan, Singaporean academic and politician, 7th President of Singapore ↗
1937 Peter Jay, English economist, journalist, and diplomat, British Ambassador to the United States (died 2024) ↗
1937 Juan Pizarro, Puerto Rican baseball player (died 2021) ↗
1936 Jas Gawronski, Italian journalist and politician ↗
1935 Cliff Jones, Welsh international footballer ↗
1935 Herb Kohl, American businessman and politician (died 2023) ↗
1935 Jörg Schneider, Swiss actor and author (died 2015) ↗
1934 Eddie Fenech Adami, Maltese lawyer and politician, 7th President of Malta ↗
1934 King Curtis, American saxophonist and producer (died 1971) ↗
1934 Earl King, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (died 2003) ↗
1933 K. N. Choksy, Sri Lankan lawyer and politician, Sri Lankan Minister of Finance (died 2015) ↗
1932 Gay Talese, American journalist and memoirist ↗
1932 Alfred Worden, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut (died 2020) ↗
1929 Jim Langley, English international footballer and manager (died 2007) ↗
1928 Lincoln D. Faurer, American general (died 2014) ↗
1927 Juliette Gréco, French singer and actress (died 2020) ↗
1927 Vladimir Kuts, Ukrainian-Russian runner and coach (died 1975) ↗
1927 Lalo Ríos, Mexican actor (died 1973) ↗
1926 Konstantin Feoktistov, Russian engineer and astronaut (died 2009) ↗
1925 Hans Schmidt, Canadian wrestler (died 2012) ↗
1923 Dora Bryan, English actress and restaurateur (died 2014) ↗
1922 Hattie Jacques, English actress (died 1980) ↗
1921 Athol Rowan, South African cricketer (died 1998) ↗
1920 Oscar Brand, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and author (died 2016) ↗
1920 An Wang, Chinese-American engineer and businessman, founded Wang Laboratories (died 1990) ↗
1919 Desmond Doss, American army corporal and combat medic, Medal of Honor recipient (died 2006) ↗
1919 Jock Mahoney, American actor and stuntman (died 1989) ↗
1916 Frank Hyde, Australian rugby league player, coach, and sportscaster (died 2007) ↗
1915 Teoctist Arăpașu, Romanian patriarch (died 2007) ↗
1915 Eddie Bracken, American actor and singer (died 2002) ↗
1912 Russell Drysdale, English-Australian painter (died 1981) ↗
1912 Roberta McCain, American socialite and oil heiress (died 2020) ↗
1909 Hélder Câmara, Brazilian archbishop (died 1999) ↗
1909 Amedeo Guillet, Italian soldier (died 2010) ↗
1908 Buster Crabbe, American swimmer and actor (died 1983) ↗
1908 Manmath Nath Gupta, Indian journalist and author (died 2000) ↗
1906 Oleg Antonov, Soviet engineer, founded the Antonov Design Bureau (died 1984) ↗
1906 Puyi, Chinese emperor (died 1967) ↗
1905 Paul Nizan, French philosopher and author (died 1940) ↗
1905 Ulf von Euler, Swedish physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1983) ↗
1904 Ernest E. Debs, American politician (died 2002) ↗
1901 Arnold Nordmeyer, New Zealand minister and politician, 30th New Zealand Minister of Finance (died 1989) ↗
1895 Anita Stewart, American actress (died 1961) ↗
1893 Joseph Algernon Pearce, Canadian astrophysicist and astronomer (died 1988) ↗
1893 Nicanor Abelardo, Filipino pianist, composer and teacher (died 1934) ↗
1889 Harry Nyquist, Swedish-American engineer and theorist (died 1976) ↗
1887 Eubie Blake, American pianist and composer (died 1983) ↗
1885 Sinclair Lewis, American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1951) ↗
1885 Hugo Sperrle, German field marshal (died 1953) ↗
1878 Ossip Gabrilowitsch, Russian-American pianist and conductor (died 1936) ↗
1877 G. H. Hardy, English mathematician and geneticist (died 1947) ↗
1875 Erkki Melartin, Finnish composer (died 1937) ↗
1873 Thomas Andrews, Irish shipbuilder and businessman, designed the RMS Titanic (died 1912) ↗
1871 Wilhelm Stenhammar, Swedish pianist, composer, and conductor (died 1927) ↗
1870 Alfred Adler, Austrian-Scottish psychologist and therapist (died 1937) ↗
1867 Laura Ingalls Wilder, American author (died 1957) ↗
1864 Arthur Collins, American baritone singer (died 1933) ↗
1837 James Murray, Scottish lexicographer and philologist (died 1915) ↗
1834 Alfred-Philibert Aldrophe, French architect (died 1895) ↗
1825 Karl Möbius, German zoologist and ecologist (died 1908) ↗
1812 Charles Dickens – English novelist and critic (died 1870) ↗
1804 John Deere, American blacksmith and businessman, founded Deere & Company (died 1886) ↗
1802 Louisa Jane Hall, American poet, essayist, and literary critic (died 1892) ↗
1796 Thomas Gregson, English-Australian lawyer and politician, 2nd Premier of Tasmania (baptism date; (died 1874) ↗
1758 Benedikt Schack, Czech tenor and composer (died 1826) ↗
1741 Henry Fuseli, Swiss-English painter and academic (died 1825) ↗
1726 Margaret Fownes-Luttrell, English painter (died 1766) ↗
1722 Azar Bigdeli, Iranian anthologist and poet (died 1781) ↗
1693 Empress Anna of Russia (died 1740) ↗
1622 Vittoria della Rovere, Italian noble (died 1694) ↗
1612 Thomas Killigrew, English playwright and manager (died 1683) ↗
1500 João de Castro, viceroy of Portuguese India (died 1548) ↗
1487 Queen Dangyeong, Korean royal consort (died 1557) ↗
1478 Thomas More, English lawyer and politician, Lord Chancellor of England (died 1535) ↗
1449 Adriana of Nassau-Siegen, German countess (died 1477) ↗
1102 Empress Matilda, Holy Roman Empress and claimant to the English throne (probable; (died 1167) ↗
574 Prince Shōtoku of Japan (died 622) ↗

2025 Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Welsh academic and politician (born 1946) ↗
2025 Tony Roberts, American actor and singer (born 1939) ↗
2020 Li Wenliang, Chinese ophthalmologist who initially warned about COVID-19 (born 1986) ↗
2019 John Dingell, American politician (born 1926) ↗
2019 Albert Finney, English actor (born 1936) ↗
2019 Jan Olszewski, Polish politician, 3rd Prime Minister (born 1930) ↗
2019 Frank Robinson, American baseball player, coach, and manager (born 1935) ↗
2017 Richard Hatch, American actor (born 1945) ↗
2017 Hans Rosling, Swedish academic (born 1948) ↗
2017 Tzvetan Todorov, Bulgarian philosopher (born 1939) ↗
2015 Billy Casper, American golfer (born 1931) ↗
2015 Marshall Rosenberg, American psychologist and author (born 1934) ↗
2015 Dean Smith, American basketball player and coach (born 1931) ↗
2015 John C. Whitehead, American banker and politician, 9th United States Deputy Secretary of State (born 1922) ↗
2014 Doug Mohns, Canadian-American ice hockey player (born 1933) ↗
2013 Krsto Papić, Croatian director and screenwriter (born 1933) ↗
2012 Harry Keough, American soccer player and coach (born 1927) ↗
2010 Franco Ballerini, Italian cyclist and coach (born 1964) ↗
2009 Blossom Dearie, American singer and pianist (born 1924) ↗
2006 Princess Durru Shehvar of the Ottoman Empire (born 1914) ↗
2005 Atli Dam, Faroese engineer and politician, 5th Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands (born 1932) ↗
2003 Augusto Monterroso, Guatemalan author (born 1921) ↗
2001 Anne Morrow Lindbergh, American author and pilot (born 1906) ↗
2000 Doug Henning, Canadian magician and politician (born 1947) ↗
1999 King Hussein of Jordan (born 1935) ↗
1999 Bobby Troup, American actor, pianist, and composer (born 1918) ↗
1994 Witold Lutosławski, Polish composer and conductor (born 1913) ↗
1991 Amos Yarkoni, Israeli colonel (born 1920) ↗
1990 Alan Perlis, American computer scientist and academic (born 1922) ↗
1990 Alfredo M. Santos, Filipino general (born 1905) ↗
1986 Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegalese historian, anthropologist, and physicist (born 1923) ↗
1979 Josef Mengele, German SS officer and physician (born 1911) ↗
1972 Walter Lang, American director and screenwriter (born 1896) ↗
1968 Nick Adams, American actor and screenwriter (born 1931) ↗
1964 Sofoklis Venizelos, Greek captain and politician, 133rd Prime Minister of Greece (born 1894) ↗
1963 Learco Guerra, Italian cyclist and manager (born 1902) ↗
1960 Igor Kurchatov, Russian physicist and academic (born 1903) ↗
1959 Nap Lajoie, American baseball player and manager (born 1874) ↗
1959 Daniel François Malan, South African minister and politician, 5th Prime Minister of South Africa (born 1874) ↗
1959 Guitar Slim, American singer and guitarist (born 1926) ↗
1944 Lina Cavalieri, Italian soprano and actress (born 1874) ↗
1942 Ivan Bilibin, Russian illustrator and stage designer (born 1876) ↗
1940 James McCormick (Irish republican), Executed Irish Republican (born 1910) ↗
1940 Peter Barnes (Irish republican), Executed Irish Republican (born 1907) ↗
1939 Boris Grigoriev, Russian painter and illustrator (born 1886) ↗
1938 Harvey Samuel Firestone, American businessman, founded the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company (born 1868) ↗
1937 Elihu Root, American lawyer and politician, 38th United States Secretary of State, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1845) ↗
1921 John J. Gardner, American politician (born 1845) ↗
1920 Alexander Kolchak, Russian admiral and explorer (born 1874) ↗
1920 Charles Langelier, Canadian journalist, judge, and politician (born 1850) ↗
1919 William Halford, English-American lieutenant, Medal of Honor recipient (born 1841) ↗
1897 Galileo Ferraris, Italian physicist and engineer (born 1847) ↗
1891 Marie Louise Andrews, American story writer and journalist (born 1849) ↗
1878 Pope Pius IX (born 1792) ↗
1873 Sheridan Le Fanu, Irish author (born 1814) ↗
1871 Henry E. Steinway, German-American businessman, founded Steinway & Sons (born 1797) ↗
1864 Vuk Karadžić, Serbian philologist and linguist (born 1787) ↗
1862 Francisco de Paula Martínez de la Rosa y Berdejo, Spanish playwright and politician, Prime Minister of Spain (born 1787) ↗
1849 Mariano Paredes, Mexican general and 16th president (1845–1846) (born 1797) ↗
1837 Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden (born 1778) ↗
1823 Ann Radcliffe, English author (born 1764) ↗
1819 Ling Ma – German-Estonian linguist and author (born 1737) ↗
1801 Daniel Chodowiecki, Polish-German painter and academic (born 1726) ↗
1799 Qianlong Emperor of China (born 1711) ↗
1779 William Boyce, English organist and composer (born 1711) ↗
1736 Stephen Gray, English astronomer and physicist (born 1666) ↗
1693 Paul Pellisson, French lawyer and author (born 1624) ↗
1642 William Bedell, English bishop and academic (born 1571) ↗
1626 William V, Duke of Bavaria (born 1548) ↗
1623 Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter, English soldier and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire (born 1546) ↗
1603 Bartholomäus Sastrow, German politician (born 1520) ↗
1560 Bartolommeo Bandinelli, Florentine sculptor (born 1493) ↗
1520 Alfonsina de' Medici, Regent of Florence (born 1472) ↗
1333 Nikko, Japanese priest, founder of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism (born 1246) ↗
1320 Jan Muskata, Bishop of Kraków (born 1250) ↗
1317 Robert, Count of Clermont (born 1256) ↗
1259 Thomas, Count of Flanders ↗
1165 Marshal Stephen of Armenia ↗
1127 Ava, German poet (born 1060) ↗
1065 Siegfried I, Count of Sponheim (born c. 1010) ↗
1045 Emperor Go-Suzaku of Japan (born 1009) ↗
999 Boleslaus II the Pious, Duke of Bohemia (born 932) ↗
318 Jin Mindi, emperor of the Jin Dynasty (born 300) ↗
199 Lü Bu, Chinese warlord ↗