December 28 — On This Day
301 entries
Events
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418
Pope Boniface I is elected.
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457
Majorian is acclaimed emperor of the Western Roman Empire and recognized by Emperor Leo I the Thracian.
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484
Alaric II succeeds his father Euric and becomes king of the Visigoths. He establishes his capital at Aire-sur-l'Adour (Southern Gaul).
Alaric II · Euric · Visigoths · Aire-sur-l'Adour · Gaul
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893
An earthquake destroys the city of Dvin, Armenia.
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1065
Westminster Abbey is consecrated.
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1308
The reign of Emperor Hanazono of Japan begins.
- 1768
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1795
Construction of Yonge Street, formerly recognized as the longest street in the world, begins in York, Upper Canada (present-day Toronto).
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1832
John C. Calhoun becomes the first Vice President of the United States to resign.
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1835
Osceola leads his Seminole warriors in Florida into the Second Seminole War against the United States Army.
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1836
South Australia and Adelaide are founded.
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1836
Spain recognizes the independence of Mexico with the signing of the Santa María-Calatrava Treaty.
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1846
Iowa is admitted as the 29th U.S. state.
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1867
United States claims Midway Atoll, the first territory annexed outside Continental limits.
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1879
Tay Bridge disaster: The central part of the Tay Rail Bridge in Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom collapses as a train passes over it, killing 75.
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1885
Indian National Congress, a political party of India is founded in Bombay Presidency, British India.
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1895
The Lumière brothers perform for their first paying audience at the Grand Cafe in Boulevard des Capucines.
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1895
Wilhelm Röntgen publishes a paper detailing his discovery of a new type of radiation, which later will be known as x-rays.
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1902
The Syracuse Athletic Club defeated the New York Philadelphians, 5-0, in the first indoor professional football game, which was held at Madison Square Garden.
Syracuse Pros · World Series of Football (1902-03) · New York (World Series of Football) · Indoor American football · Madison Square Garden (1890)
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1908
The 7.1 Mw Messina earthquake shakes Southern Italy with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), killing between 75,000 and 200,000.
1908 Messina earthquake · Southern Italy · Mercalli intensity scale
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1912
The first municipally owned streetcars take to the streets in San Francisco.
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1918
Constance Markievicz, while detained in Holloway prison, became the first woman to be elected MP to the British House of Commons.
Constance Markievicz · Member of parliament · House of Commons of the United Kingdom
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1941
World War II: Operation Anthropoid, the plot to assassinate high-ranking Nazi officer Reinhard Heydrich, commences.
World War II · Operation Anthropoid · Nazism · Reinhard Heydrich
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1943
World War II: After eight days of brutal house-to-house fighting, the Battle of Ortona concludes with the victory of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division over the German 1st Parachute Division and the capture of the Italian town of Ortona.
World War II · Urban warfare · Battle of Ortona · 1st Canadian Infantry Division · 1st Parachute Division (Germany)
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1944
Maurice Richard becomes the first player to score eight points in one game of NHL ice hockey.
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1948
The DC-3 airliner NC16002 disappears 50 miles south of Miami.
Douglas DC-3 · 1948 Airborne Transport DC-3 (DST) disappearance · Miami
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1956
Chin Peng, David Marshall and Tunku Abdul Rahman meet in Baling, Malaya to try and resolve the Malayan Emergency situation.
Chin Peng · David Marshall (Singaporean politician) · Tunku Abdul Rahman · Baling · Federation of Malaya
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1958
"Greatest Game Ever Played": Baltimore Colts defeat the New York Giants in the first ever National Football League sudden death overtime game at New York's Yankee Stadium.
1958 NFL Championship Game · History of the Indianapolis Colts · New York Giants · National Football League · Sudden death (sport)
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1973
The Endangered Species Act is passed in the United States.
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1989
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake hits Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, killing 13 people.
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2006
War in Somalia: The militaries of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government and Ethiopian troops capture Mogadishu unopposed.
War in Somalia (2006-09) · Somalia · Transitional Federal Parliament · Ethiopia · Fall of Mogadishu
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2009
Forty-three people die in a suicide bombing in Karachi, Pakistan, where Shia Muslims are observing the Day of Ashura.
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2014
Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 crashes into the Karimata Strait en route from Surabaya to Singapore, killing all 162 people aboard.
Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 · Karimata Strait · Juanda International Airport · Singapore Changi Airport
Famous Births
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1164
Emperor Rokujō of Japan (d. 1176)
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1461
Louise of Savoy, French nun (d. 1503)
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1510
Nicholas Bacon, English politician (d. 1579)
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1522
Margaret of Parma (d. 1583)
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1535
Martin Eisengrein, German theologian (d. 1578)
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1619
Antoine Furetière, French author and scholar (d. 1688)
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1635
Elizabeth Stuart, second daughter of King Charles I of England (d. 1650)
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1651
Johann Krieger, German organist and composer (d. 1735)
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1655
Charles Cornwallis, 3rd Baron Cornwallis, English politician, Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk (d. 1698)
Charles Cornwallis, 3rd Baron Cornwallis · Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk
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1665
George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire (d. 1716)
George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland · Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire
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1722
Eliza Lucas, Caribbean-American agriculturalist (d. 1793)
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1763
John Molson, English-Canadian brewer, founded the Molson Brewery (d. 1836)
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1775
Jean-Gabriel Eynard, Swiss banker and photographer (d. 1863)
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1798
Thomas Henderson, Scottish astronomer and mathematician (d. 1844)
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1818
Carl Remigius Fresenius, German chemist and academic (d. 1897)
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1842
Calixa Lavallée, Canadian-American lieutenant and composer (d. 1891)
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1856
Woodrow Wilson, American historian and politician, 28th President of the United States, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1924)
Woodrow Wilson · President of the United States · Nobel Peace Prize
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1865
Félix Vallotton, Swiss/French painter (d. 1925)
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1870
Charles Bennett, English runner (d. 1949)
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1882
Arthur Eddington, English astronomer, physicist, and mathematician (d. 1944)
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1882
Lili Elbe, Danish model and painter (d. 1931)
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1887
Werner Kolhörster, German physicist and academic (d. 1946)
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1888
F. W. Murnau, German-American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1931)
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1890
Quincy Wright, American political scientist, historian, and academic (d. 1970)
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1895
Carol Ryrie Brink, American author and playwright (d. 1981)
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1898
Carl-Gustaf Rossby, Swedish-American meteorologist and academic (d. 1957)
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1898
Shigematsu Sakaibara, Japanese admiral (d. 1947)
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1902
Mortimer J. Adler, American philosopher and author (d. 2001)
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1902
Shen Congwen, Chinese author and educator (d. 1988)
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1903
Earl Hines, American pianist and bandleader (d. 1983)
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1903
John von Neumann, Hungarian-American mathematician and physicist (d. 1957)
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1907
Ze'ev Ben-Haim, Ukrainian-Israeli linguist and academic (d. 2013)
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1908
Lew Ayres, American actor (d. 1996)
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1910
Billy Williams, American singer (d. 1972)
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1911
Wil van Beveren, Dutch sprinter and journalist (d. 2003)
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1913
Lou Jacobi, Canadian-American actor (d. 2009)
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1914
Bidia Dandaron, Russian author and educator (d. 1974)
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1914
Pops Staples, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2000)
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1919
Emily Cheney Neville, American author (d. 1997)
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1920
Tufty Mann, South African cricketer (d. 1952)
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1920
Bruce McCarty, American architect, designed the Knoxville City-County Building (d. 2013)
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1920
Steve Van Buren, Honduran-American football player (d. 2012)
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1920
Al Wistert, American football player and coach (d. 2016)
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1921
Johnny Otis, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2012)
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1922
Stan Lee, American publisher, producer, and actor
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1925
Hildegard Knef, German actress and singer (d. 2002)
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1925
Milton Obote, Ugandan engineer and politician, 2nd President of Uganda (d. 2005)
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1926
Donald Carr, German-English cricketer and referee (d. 2016)
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1928
Moe Koffman, Canadian flute player, saxophonist, and composer (d. 2001)
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1929
Brian Redhead, English journalist and author (d. 1994)
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1929
Terry Sawchuk, Canadian-American ice hockey player (d. 1970)
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1930
Mariam A. Aleem, Egyptian illustrator and academic (d. 2010)
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1931
Guy Debord, French theorist and author (d. 1994)
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1931
Martin Milner, American actor (d. 2015)
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1932
Dhirubhai Ambani, Indian businessman, founded Reliance Industries (d. 2002)
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1932
Dorsey Burnette, American singer-songwriter (d. 1979)
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1932
Roy Hattersley, English journalist and politician, Shadow Home Secretary
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1932
Harry Howell, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
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1932
Nichelle Nichols, American actress
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1932
Manuel Puig, Argentinian author and playwright (d. 1990)
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1933
John Y. Brown Jr., American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 55th Governor of Kentucky
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1934
Rudi Faßnacht, German footballer and manager (d. 2000)
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1934
Maggie Smith, English actress
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1934
Chieko Aioi, Japanese actress and voice actress (d. 2013)
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1936
Alan Coleman, English-Australian director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2013)
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1936
Lawrence Schiller, American journalist, director, and producer
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1937
Ratan Tata, Indian businessman and philanthropist
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1938
Dick Sudhalter, American trumpet player, scholar, and critic (d. 2008)
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1939
Philip Anschutz, American businessman, founded Anschutz Entertainment Group
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1939
Frank McLintock, Scottish footballer and manager
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1939
Michelle Urry, American journalist and illustrator (d. 2006)
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1940
A. K. Antony, Indian lawyer and politician, Indian Minister of Defence
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1940
Don Francisco, Chilean-American journalist and talk show host
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1941
Intikhab Alam, Indian-Pakistani cricketer and coach
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1942
Roger Swerts, Belgian cyclist
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1943
Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, Peruvian cardinal
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1943
David Peterson, Canadian lawyer and politician, 20th Premier of Ontario
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1943
Joan Ruddock, Welsh politician
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1944
Sandra Faber, American astronomer and academic
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1944
Johnny Isakson, American sergeant and politician
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1944
Kary Mullis, American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
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1944
Gordon Taylor, English footballer
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1945
Max Hastings, English journalist, historian, and author
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1945
Birendra of Nepal (d. 2001)
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1946
Mike Beebe, American lawyer and politician, 45th Governor of Arkansas
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1946
Pierre Falardeau, Canadian director, screenwriter, and activist (d. 2009)
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1946
Hubert Green, American golfer
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1946
Tim Johnson, American lawyer and politician
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1946
Barbara, Lady Judge, American-English lawyer and businesswoman
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1946
Bill Lee, American baseball player and author
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1946
Laffit Pincay Jr., Panamanian jockey
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1946
Edgar Winter, American singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and producer
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1947
Dick Diamonde, Dutch-Australian rock bass player
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1947
Aurelio Rodríguez, Mexican baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 2000)
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1948
Ziggy Modeliste, American drummer
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1950
Alex Chilton, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2010)
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1950
Clifford Cocks, English mathematician and cryptographer
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1950
Rainer Maria Latzke, German-American painter and academic
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1952
Arun Jaitley, Indian lawyer and politician, 9th Indian Minister of Law and Justice
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1952
Bridget Prentice, Scottish educator and politician
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1953
Richard Clayderman, French pianist
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1953
Tatsumi Fujinami, Japanese wrestler and promoter, founded Dradition wrestling promotion
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1953
Charlie Pierce, American journalist and author
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1953
Martha Wash, American singer-songwriter
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1954
Gayle King, American television journalist
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1954
Denzel Washington, American actor, director, and producer
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1955
Stephen Frost, English comedian, actor, and screenwriter
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1955
Liu Xiaobo, Chinese author, academic, and activist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2017)
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1956
Nigel Kennedy, English violinist
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1958
Terry Butcher, English footballer and manager
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1958
Curt Byrum, American golfer
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1958
Zoran Gajić, Serbian volleyball trainer
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1959
Hansjörg Kunze, German runner and sportscaster
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1959
Daniel Léo Simpson, American composer
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1959
Ana Torroja, Spanish singer-songwriter
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1960
Ray Bourque, Canadian ice hockey player
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1960
John Fitzgerald, Australian tennis player, coach, and sportscaster
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1960
Melvin Turpin, American basketball player (d. 2010)
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1961
Kent Nielsen, Danish footballer and manager
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1964
Tex Perkins, Australian singer-songwriter
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1964
Maite Zúñiga, Spanish runner
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1965
Allar Levandi, Estonian skier
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1967
Chris Ware, American illustrator
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1968
Akihiko Hoshide, Japanese engineer and astronaut
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1969
Linus Torvalds, Finnish-American computer programmer, developed Linux kernel
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1970
Elaine Hendrix, American actress
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1970
James Jett, American sprinter and football player
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1970
Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, Dutch tennis player
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1971
Benny Agbayani, American baseball player
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1971
Anita Doth, Dutch singer-songwriter
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1971
William Gates, American basketball player
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1972
Roberto Palacios, Peruvian footballer
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1972
Patrick Rafter, Australian-Bermudian tennis player and model
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1972
Adam Vinatieri, American football player
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1973
Holger Blume, German sprinter
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1973
Marc Blume, German sprinter
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1973
Seth Meyers, American actor, producer, screenwriter, and talk show host
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1973
Ids Postma, Dutch speed skater
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1974
Rob Niedermayer, Canadian ice hockey player
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1974
Markus Weinzierl, German footballer and manager
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1975
B. J. Ryan, American baseball player
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1976
Ben Tune, Australian rugby player
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1976
Igor Žiković, Croatian footballer
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1976
Trond Nymark, Norwegian race walker
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1977
Derrick Brew, American sprinter
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1977
Shane Elford, Australian rugby league player
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1977
Seun Ogunkoya, Nigerian sprinter
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1978
Chris Coyne, Australian footballer and manager
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1978
John Legend, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actor
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1979
James Blake, American tennis player
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1979
Senna Guemmour, German singer-songwriter
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1979
Bill Hall, American baseball player
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1979
Noomi Rapace, Swedish actress
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1980
Lomana LuaLua, Congolese footballer
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1980
Ryta Turava, Belarusian race walker
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1981
Narsha, South Korean singer and dancer
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1981
Khalid Boulahrouz, Dutch footballer
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1981
Elizabeth Jordan Carr, American journalist
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1981
Sienna Miller, American-born British actress and fashion designer
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1981
Frank Turner, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
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1981
Mika Väyrynen, Finnish footballer
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1982
Cedric Benson, American football player
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1982
François Gourmet, Belgian decathlete
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1982
Ferry Rotinsulu, Indonesian footballer
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1982
Curtis Glencross, Canadian hockey player
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1984
Martin Kaymer, German golfer
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1984
Leroy Lita, English footballer
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1984
Alex Lloyd, English race car driver
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1984
Duane Solomon, American runner
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1985
Kamani Hill, American soccer player
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1986
Tom Huddlestone, English footballer
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1987
Matthias Schwarz, German footballer
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1989
Salvador Sobral, Portuguese singer and Eurovision winner
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1990
Ayele Abshero, Ethiopian runner
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1990
Bastiaan Lijesen, Dutch swimmer
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1990
David Archuleta, American singer-songwriter
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1994
Adam Peaty, English swimmer
Famous Deaths
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925
Wang Zongbi, general of the Chinese state of Former Shu
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1218
Robert II, Count of Dreux (b. 1154)
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1297
Hugh Aycelin, French cardinal (b. 1230)
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1326
Sir David II Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl, Constable of Scotland, and Chief Warden of Northumberland
David II Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl · Earl of Atholl · Constable of Scotland · Northumberland
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1367
Ashikaga Yoshiakira, Japanese shogun (b. 1330)
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1394
Maria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina, queen of Epirus (b. 1350)
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1446
Antipope Clement VIII (b. 1369)
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1491
Bertoldo di Giovanni, Italian sculptor (b. c. 1435)
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1503
Piero the Unfortunate, Italian ruler (b. 1471)
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1547
Konrad Peutinger, German humanist and antiquarian (b. 1465)
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1558
Hermann Finck, German organist and composer (b. 1527)
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1622
Francis de Sales, French bishop and saint (b. 1567)
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1663
Francesco Maria Grimaldi, Italian mathematician and physicist (b. 1618)
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1671
Johann Friedrich Gronovius, German scholar and critic (b. 1611)
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1694
Mary II of England (b. 1662)
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1703
Mustafa II, Ottoman Sultan (b. 1664)
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1706
Pierre Bayle, French philosopher and author (b. 1647)
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1708
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, French botanist and mycologist (b. 1656)
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1715
William Carstares, Scottish minister and academic (b. 1649)
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1734
Rob Roy MacGregor, Scottish outlaw (b. 1671)
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1736
Antonio Caldara, Italian composer (b. 1670)
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1785
Peter Ernst Wilde, Polish-Estonian physician and journalist (b. 1732)
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1795
Eugenio Espejo, Ecuadorian physician and lawyer (b. 1747)
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1859
Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay, English historian and politician, Secretary at War (b. 1800)
Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay · Secretary at War
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1872
James Van Ness, American lawyer and politician, 7th Mayor of San Francisco (b. 1808)
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1890
Dennis Miller Bunker, American painter (b. 1861)
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1897
William Corby, American priest and academic (b. 1833)
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1900
Alexandre de Serpa Pinto, Portuguese soldier and explorer (b. 1846)
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1913
Ahmet Mithat Efendi, Turkish journalist and translator (b. 1844)
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1916
Eduard Strauss, Austrian violinist and composer (b. 1835)
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1917
Alfred Edwin McKay, Canadian captain and pilot (b. 1892)
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1918
Olavo Bilac, Brazilian poet and journalist (b. 1865)
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1919
Johannes Rydberg, Swedish physicist and academic (b. 1854)
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1924
Léon Bakst, Russian painter and costume designer (b. 1866)
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1932
Jack Blackham, Australian cricketer (b. 1854)
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1935
Clarence Day, American author and illustrator (b. 1874)
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1937
Maurice Ravel, French pianist and composer (b. 1875)
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1938
Florence Lawrence, Canadian actress (b. 1886)
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1942
Alfred Flatow, German gymnast (b. 1869)
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1943
Steve Evans, American baseball player (b. 1885)
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1945
Theodore Dreiser, American novelist and journalist (b. 1871)
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1946
Elie Nadelman, Polish-American sculptor (b. 1882)
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1947
Victor Emmanuel III of Italy (b. 1869)
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1949
Jack Lovelock, New Zealand runner and soldier (b. 1910)
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1959
Ante Pavelić, Croatian war criminal, Holocaust/Porajmos perpetrator; Prime Minister of the Independent State of Croatia (b. 1889)
Ante Pavelić · Holocaust · Porajmos · List of leaders of Independent State of Croatia
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1960
Philippe Panneton, Canadian physician, academic, and diplomat (b. 1895)
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1963
Paul Hindemith, German violinist, composer, and conductor (b. 1895)
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1967
Katharine McCormick, American biologist and philanthropist (b. 1875)
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1968
David Ogilvy, 12th Earl of Airlie, Scottish peer, soldier and courtier (b. 1893)
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1971
Max Steiner, Austrian-American pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1888)
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1976
Katharine Byron, American politician (b. 1903)
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1981
Allan Dwan, Canadian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1885)
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1983
William Demarest, American actor (b. 1892)
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1983
Dennis Wilson, American drummer, songwriter, and producer (b. 1944)
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1984
Sam Peckinpah, American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1925)
-
1984
Mary Stewart, Baroness Stewart of Alvechurch, British politician and educator (b. 1903)
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1986
John D. MacDonald, American colonel and author (b. 1916)
-
1986
Jan Nieuwenhuys, Dutch painter (b. 1922)
-
1989
Hermann Oberth, Romanian-German physicist and engineer (b. 1894)
-
1990
Warren Skaaren, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1946)
-
1992
Sal Maglie, American baseball player and coach (b. 1917)
-
1993
William L. Shirer, American journalist and historian (b. 1904)
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1994
Jean-Louis Lévesque, Canadian businessman and philanthropist (b. 1911)
-
1999
Clayton Moore, American actor (b. 1914)
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2001
Samuel Abraham Goldblith, American lieutenant, biologist, and engineer (b. 1919)
-
2001
William X. Kienzle, American priest and author (b. 1928)
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2003
Benjamin Thurman Hacker, American admiral (b. 1935)
-
2004
Jerry Orbach, American actor and singer (b. 1935)
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2004
Susan Sontag, American novelist, essayist, critic, and playwright (b. 1933)
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2006
Jamal Karimi-Rad, Iranian politician, Iranian Minister of Justice (b. 1956)
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2008
Irene Lieblich, Polish-American painter and illustrator (b. 1923)
- 2009
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2010
Billy Taylor, American pianist and composer (b. 1921)
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2012
Nicholas Ambraseys, Greek-English seismologist and engineer (b. 1929)
-
2012
Mark Crispin, American computer scientist and academic, designed the IMAP (b. 1956)
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2012
Václav Drobný, Czech footballer (b. 1980)
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2012
Frankie Walsh, Irish hurler and manager (b. 1936)
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2013
Halton Arp, American-German astronomer and critic (b. 1927)
-
2013
Esther Borja, Cuban soprano and actress (b. 1913)
-
2013
Harry C. Goode Jr., American soldier and politician, 51st Mayor of Melbourne, Florida (b. 1938)
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2013
Andrew Jacobs, Jr., American soldier, lawyer, and politician (b. 1932)
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2013
Alfred Marshall, American businessman, founded Marshalls (b. 1919)
-
2013
Joseph Ruskin, American actor and producer (b. 1924)
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2013
Ilya Tsymbalar, Ukrainian-Russian footballer and manager (b. 1969)
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2014
Vahan Hovhannisyan, Armenian politician (b. 1956)
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2014
Frankie Randall, American singer-songwriter (b. 1938)
-
2015
John Bradbury, English drummer and songwriter (b. 1953)
-
2015
Eloy Inos, Mariana Islander businessman and politician, 8th Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands (b. 1949)
Eloy Inos · List of Governors of the Northern Mariana Islands
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2015
Lemmy, English musician, singer, and songwriter (b. 1945)
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2016
Debbie Reynolds, American actress, singer and dancer (b. 1932)
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2016
Jean-Christophe Victor, French political scientist (b. 1947)