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Today April 12th 2009 this day in history Read more below to view events, deaths, births, Holidays observances and video clips. Last database updated: Jan 17th, 2009
Events
467 – Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
1204 -Constantinople fell to the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade, temporarily ending the Byzantine Empire.
1557 – Cuenca is founded in Ecuador.
1606 – The Union Flag is adopted as the flag of Great Britain.
1633 – The formal inquest of Galileo Galilei by the Inquisition begins.
1776 – American Revolution: With the Halifax Resolves, the North Carolina Provincial Congress authorizes its Congressional delegation to vote for independence from Britain.
1820 – Alexander Ypsilantis is declared leader of Filiki Eteria, a secret organization to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece.
1861 – American Civil War: The war begins with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.
1864 – American Civil War: The Fort Pillow massacre: Confederate forces kill most African American soldiers that surrendered at Fort Pillow, Tennessee.
1865 – American Civil War: Mobile, Alabama, falls to the Union Army.
1877 – The United Kingdom annexes the Transvaal.
1917 – World War I: Canadian forces successfully complete the taking of Vimy Ridge from the Germans.
1927 – April 12 Incident: Chiang Kai-shek orders the CPC members executed in Shanghai, ending the First United Front.
1934 – The strongest surface wind gust in the world at 231 mph, is measured on the summit of Mount Washington, US.
1934 – The US Auto-Lite Strike begins, culminating in a five-day melee between Ohio National Guard troops and 6,000 strikers and picketers.
1935 – First flight of the Bristol Blenheim.
1937 – Sir Frank Whittle ground-tests the first jet engine designed to power an aircraft at Rugby, England.
1945 – US President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies while in office; vice-president Harry Truman is sworn in as the 33rd President.
1955 – The polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is declared safe and effective.
1961 – Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to travel into outer space in Vostok 3KA-2 (Vostok 1).
1963 – The Soviet nuclear powered submarine K-33 collides with the Finnish merchant vessel M/S Finnclipper in the Danish straits.
1968 – Nerve gas accident at Skull Valley, Utah.
1980 – Samuel Doe takes control of Liberia in a coup d etat, ending over 130 years of national democratic presidential succession.
1980 – Terry Fox begins his Marathon of Hope at St. John s, Newfoundland.
1981 – The first launch of a Space Shuttle: Columbia launches on the STS-1 mission.
1990 – Jim Gary s Twentieth Century Dinosaurs exhibition opens at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
1992 – Disneyland Resort Paris opens in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France.
1994 – Canter & Siegel post the first commercial mass Usenet spam.
1998 – An earthquake in Slovenia, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale occurs near the town of Bovec.
1999 – US President Bill Clinton is cited for contempt of court for giving intentionally false statements in a sexual harassment civil lawsuit.
2002 – Pedro Carmona becomes interim President of Venezuela during the military coup against Hugo Chávez.
2002 – Palestinian suicide bomber (female) kills 7 and injures 104 (among them 9 Arabs) at the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem.
Births
599 BC – Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism (d. 527 BC)
812 – Muhammad at-Taqi, Muslim Shia Imam (d. 835)
1484 – Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Italian architect (d. 1546)
1500 – Joachim Camerarius, German classical scholar (d. 1574)
1526 – Muretus, French humanist (d. 1585)
1550 – Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, English politician (d. 1604)
1577 – Christian IV of Denmark (d. 1648)
1705 – William Cookworthy, English chemist (d. 1780)
1713 – Guillaume Thomas François Raynal, French writer (d. 1796)
1722 – Pietro Nardini, Italian composer (d. 1793)
1724 – Lyman Hall, American signer of the Declaration of Independence (d. 1790)
1726 – Charles Burney, English music historian (d. 1814)
1748 – Antoine Laurent de Jussieu, French botanist (d. 1836)
1777 – Henry Clay, American statesman (d. 1852)
1794 – Germinal Pierre Dandelin, Belgian mathematician (d. 1847)
1796 – George N. Briggs, 19th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1861)
1799 – Henri Druey, Swiss Federal Councilor (d. 1855)
1823 – Alexandr Ostrovsky, Russian dramatist (d. 1886)
1839 – Nikolai Przhevalsky, Russian explorer (d. 1888)
1848 – José Gautier Benítez, Puerto Rican poet (d. 1880)
1852 – Ferdinand von Lindemann, German mathematician (d. 1939)
1856 – William Martin Conway, English art critic and mountaineer (d. 1937)
1868 – Akiyama Saneyuki, Japanese naval commander (d. 1918)
1869 – Henri Désiré Landru, French serial killer (d. 1922)
1871 – Ioannis Metaxas, Greek general and dictator (d. 1941)
1883 – Dally Messenger, Australian rugby league footballer (d. 1959)
1884 – Otto Meyerhof, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine laureate (d. 1951)
1884 – Tenby Davies, Welsh world champion runner (d. 1932)
1887 – Harold Lockwood, American actor (d. 1918)
1888 – Heinrich Neuhaus, Soviet musician (d. 1964)
1892 – Johnny Dodds, American musician (d. 1940)
1893 – Robert Harron, American actor (d. 1920)
1894 – Francisco Craveiro Lopes, 13th President of Portugal (d. 1964)
1898 – Lily Pons, American soprano (d. 1976)
1901 – Lowell Stockman, American representative (d. 1962)
1902 – Louis Beel, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 1977)
1903 – Jan Tinbergen, Dutch economist, Nobel laureate (d. 1994)
1907 – Felix de Weldon, Austrian-born sculptor (d. 2003)
1907 – Hardie Gramatky, American author and animator (d. 1979)
1908 – Robert Lee Scott, Jr., American Air Force pilot (d. 2006)
1908 – Ida Crowe Pollock, English writer.
1911 – Mahmoud Younis, Suez Canal nationalization Engineer (d. 1976)
1912 – Walt Gorney, American actor (d. 2004)
1912 – Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, Second Vice President of Indonesia (d. 1988)
1914 – Armen Alchian, American economist
1916 – Beverly Cleary, American writer
1916 – Benjamin Libet, American scientist (d. 2007)
1917 – Helen Forrest, American singer (d. 1999)
1919 – Billy Vaughn, American musician and bandleader (d. 1991)
1921 – Robert Cliche, Quebec politician and magistrate (d. 1978)
1923 – Ann Miller, American actor and dancer (d. 2004)
1924 – Raymond Barre, French politician and Prime Minister (d. 2007)
1924 – Peter Safar, Austrian physician (d. 2003)
1928 – Hardy Krüger, German actor
1928 – Jean-François Paillard, French conductor
1930 – Manuel Neri, American artist
1930 – Michal Zyczkowski, Polish technician (d. 2006)
1931 – Leonid Derbenyov, Russian poet-songwriter (d. 1995)
1932 – Dennis Banks, American activist
1932 – Lakshman Kadirgamar, Sri Lankan politician (d. 2005)
1932 – Tiny Tim, American musician (d. 1996)
1933 – Montserrat Caballé, Spanish soprano
1934 – Heinz Schneiter, Swiss footballer
1939 – Alan Ayckbourn, English writer
1939 – Johnny Raper, Australian rugby league footballer
1940 – Herbie Hancock, American musician and composer
1940 – John Hagee, American pastor and televangelist
1941 – Bobby Moore, English footballer (d. 1993)
1942 – Carlos Reutemann, Argentine racing driver and politician
1944 – John Kay, German-born musician
1945 – Lee Jong-wook, Korean Director-General of the WHO (d. 2006)
1946 – Ed O Neill, American actor
1947 – Tom Clancy, American author
1947 – Woody Johnson, sports team owner
1947 – Antonin Kratochvil photographer
1947 – David Letterman, American talk show host
1948 – Jeremy Beadle, English television presenter (d. 2008)
1948 – Joschka Fischer, Foreign Minister of Germany
1948 – Sandra Lois Reeves, American singer
1949 – Scott Turow, American writer
1950 – Flavio Briatore, Italian businessman and F1 team principal (Renault F1)
1950 – David Cassidy, American singer and actor
1950 – Kari Palaste, Finnish architect
1952 – Ralph Wiley, American sports journalist (d. 2004)
1952 – Reuben Gant, American professional football player
1954 – Pat Travers, Canadian musician
1954 – John Krakauer, American author
1956 – Andy Garcia, Cuban-born actor
1956 – Herbert Grönemeyer, German singer
1957 – Vince Gill, American musician
1958 – Will Sergeant, English musician
1958 – Howard Stableford, English actor and host
1960 – Ron MacLean, Canadian sportscaster
1961 – Lisa Gerrard, Australian musician
1961 – Magda Szubanski, Australian actress
1962 – Art Alexakis, American musician
1962 – Takada Nobuhiko, Japanese wrestler
1964 – Amy Ray, American musician
1965 – Tom O Brien, American actor-producer
1967 – Sarah Cracknell, English singer
1967 – Mellow Man Ace, Afro-Cuban rapper
1969 – Lucas Radebe, South African footballer
1970 – Nick Hexum, American musician
1971 – Nicholas Brendon, American actor
1971 – Shannen Doherty, American actor
1972 – Sebnem Ferah, Turkish singer
1972 – Paul Lo Duca, American baseball player
1972 – Dimitrios Kokotis, Greek high jumper
1973 – J. Scott Campbell, American comic book artist
1973 – Antonio Osuna, Mexican baseball player
1973 – Claudia Jordan, American model
1974 – Belinda Emmett, Australian actor(d. 2006)
1974 – Roman Hamrlik, Czech ice hockey player
1974 – Marley Shelton, American actor
1974 – Sylvinho, Brazilian footballer
1976 – Brad Miller, American basketball player
1977 – Giovanny Espinoza, Ecuadorian footballer
1977 – Glenn Rogers, Scottish cricketer
1977 – Sarah Jane Morris, American actor
1977 – Jordana Spiro, American actor
1978 – Guy Berryman, British musician
1978 – Riley Smith, American actor
1979 – Claire Danes, American actor
1979 – Elena Grosheva, Olympic gymnast
1979 – Mateja Kežman, Serbian footballer
1979 – Jennifer Morrison, American actress and model
1979 – Paul Nicholls, English actor
1979 – Jordan De Jong, American baseball player
1980 – Brian McFadden, Irish Singer
1980 – Erik Mongrain, Canadian musician
1981 – Nicolás Burdisso, Argentine footballer
1981 – Jaspreet Singh, businessman
1981 – Brian Vandborg, Danish cyclist
1982 – Deen, Bosnian singer
1983 – Jelena Dokic, Yugoslav/Australian tennis player
1985 – Hitomi Yoshizawa, Japanese singer
1985 – Jeisa Chiminazzo, Brazilian supermodel
1985 – Ted Ginn, American football player
1985 – Paul Murphy, Irish footballer
1985 – Olga Seryabkina, Russian singer
1986 – Blerim Džemaili, Swiss footballer
1987 – Brendon Urie, American musician (Panic At The Disco)
1994 – Saoirse Ronan, Irish actress
1994 – Airi Suzuki, Japanese singer
Deaths
45 BC – Gnaeus Pompeius, the Younger, Roman general
65 – Seneca the Younger, Roman philosopher, statesman and dramatist
238 – Gordian I, Roman Emperor (suicide)
238 – Gordian II, heir to the Roman Empire (killed in battle)
352 – St. Julius I, 35th Pope
434 – Archbishop Maximianus of Constantinople
1125 – Vladislaus I of Bohemia
1443 – Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury
1550 – Claude, Duke of Guise, French soldier (b. 1496)
1555 – Juana of Castile, wife of Philip I of Castile (b. 1479)
1675 – Richard Bennett, British Colonial Governor of Virginia (b. 1609)
1687 – Ambrose Dixon, Virginia Colony pioneer
1704 – Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, French bishop and writer (b. 1627)
1748 – William Kent, English architect
1782 – Metastasio, Italian poet and librettist (b. 1698)
1788 – Carlo Antonio Campioni, French-born composer (b. 1719)
1795 – Johann Kaspar Basselet von La Rosée, Bavarian general (b. 1710)
1814 – Charles Burney, English music historian (b. 1726)
1817 – Charles Messier, French astronomer (b. 1730)
1850 – Adoniram Judson, American Baptist missionary (b. 1788)
1872 – Nikolaos Mantzaros, Greek composer (b. 1795)
1878 – William Marcy Tweed, aka Boss Tweed, American politician (b. 1823)
1898 – Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau, Roman catholic archbishop of Quebec (b. 1820)
1902 – Marie Alfred Cornu, French physicist (b. 1842)
1912 – Clara Barton, American nurse and Red Cross advocate (b. 1821)
1938 – Feodor Chaliapin, Russian bass (b. 1873)
1945 – Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States (b. 1882)
1962 – Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, Indian politician and engineer (b. 1861)
1962 – Ron Flockhart, Scottish racing driver (b. 1923)
1968 – Heinrich Nordhoff, German automobile engineer and Volkswagen director (b. 1899)
1971 – Ed Lafitte, American baseball player (b. 1871)
1971 – Wynton Kelly, American jazz pianist (b. 1931)
1975 – Josephine Baker, American dancer (b. 1906)
1977 – Phil Wrigley, American manufacturer and baseball executive (b. 1894)
1980 – Clark McConachy, New Zealand billiards and snooker player (b. 1895)
1980 – William R. Tolbert, Jr., President of Liberia (b. 1913)
1981 – Joe Louis, American boxer (b. 1914)
1983 – Carl Morton, American baseball player (b. 1944)
1986 – Valentin Kataev, Russian writer (b. 1897)
1987 – Mike Von Erich, American wrestler
1988 – Alan Paton, South African writer (b. 1903)
1989 – Gerald Flood, British actor (b. 1927)
1989 – Abbie Hoffman, American political leader (b. 1936)
1989 – Sugar Ray Robinson, American boxer (b. 1921)
1999 – Boxcar Willie, American singer (b. 1931)
2001 – Harvey Ball, American inventor (b. 1921)
2003 – Cecil H. Green, American manufacturer (b. 1900)
2006 – Dr. Rajkumar, Kannada language film actor/singer (India)(b. 1929)
2006 – Puggy Pearson, American poker player (b. 1929)
2007 – Kevin Crease, Australian TV anchor (b. 1936)
2008 – Paddy Hillery, 6th President of Ireland, EEC Commissioner and Irish Minister (b. 1923)
2008 – Cecilia Colledge, British ice skater and Olympian (b. 1920)
2008 – Jerry Zucker, Israeli-born American businessman (b. 1949)
Holidays and observances
The Roman holiday of Cerealia begins.
Yuri s Night, an international celebration of the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin; in Russia (and formerly in USSR), the Cosmonautics Day.
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