February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 307 days remaining until the end of the year (308 in leap years).
Events
- 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation of Scotland.
- 1594 - Henry IV is crowned King of France.
- 1617 - Sweden and Russia sign the Treaty of Stolbovo, ending the Ingrian War and shutting Russia out of the Baltic Sea.
- 1626 - Yuan Chonghuan is appointed Governor of Liaodong, after he led the Chinese into a great victory against the Manchurians under Nurhaci.
- 1700 - The island of New Britain is discovered.
- 1801 - Washington, DC is placed under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress.
- 1812 - Poet Lord Byron gives his first address as a member of the House of Lords, in defense of Luddite violence against Industrialism in his home county of Nottinghamshire.
- 1844 - The Dominican Republic gains independence from Haiti.
- 1860 - Abraham Lincoln makes a speech at Cooper Union in the city of New York that is largely responsible for his election to the Presidency.
- 1861 - A crowd in Warsaw protesting against Russian rule over Poland is fired upon by Russian troops, killing five protesters.
- 1864 - American Civil War: The first Northern prisoners arrive at the Confederate prison at Andersonville, Georgia.
- 1900 - Second Boer War: In South Africa, British military leaders receive an unconditional notice of surrender from Boer General Piet Cronje at the Battle of Paardeberg.
- 1900 - The British Labour Party is founded.
- 1921 - The International Working Union of Socialist Parties is founded in Vienna.
- 1922 - A challenge to the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, allowing women the right to vote, is rebuffed by the Supreme Court of the United States in Leser v. Garnett.
- 1933 - Reichstag fire: Germany's parliament building in Berlin, the Reichstag, is set on fire.
- 1939 - American Civil Rights Movement: Sit-down strikes are outlawed by the Supreme Court of the United States.
- 1940 - Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discover carbon-14
- 1942 - World War II: During the Battle of the Java Sea, an allied (ABDA) strike force is defeated by a Japanese task force in the Java Sea in the Dutch East Indies
- 1943 - The Smith Mine #3 in Bearcreek, Montana, explodes, killing 74 men.
- 1943 - The Rosenstrasse protest starts in Berlin
- 1951 - The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, limiting Presidents to two terms, is ratified.
- 1961 - The first congress of the Spanish Trade Union Organisation is inaugurated.
- 1963 - The Dominican Republic receives its first democratically elected president, Juan Bosch, since the end of the dictatorship led by Rafael Trujillo.
- 1964 - The government of Italy asks for help to keep the Leaning Tower of Pisa from toppling over.
- 1967 - Dominica gains independence from the United Kingdom.
- 1971 - Doctors in the first Dutch abortion clinic (the Mildredhuis in Arnhem) start to perform aborti provocati.
- 1973 - The American Indian Movement occupies Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
- 1974 - People magazine is published for the first time.
- 1976 - The formerly Spanish territory of Western Sahara, under the auspices of the Polisario Front declares independence as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
- 1986 - The United States Senate allows its debates to be televised on a trial basis.
- 1989 - Venezuela is rocked by the riots of Caracazo.
- 1991 - Gulf War: U.S. President George H. W. Bush announces that "Kuwait is liberated".
- 1999 - Olusegun Obasanjo becomes Nigeria's first elected president since mid-1983.
- 1999 - Korea International School is founded by Soon-Il Chung. It is currently directed by Ann Clapper.
- 2002 - Ryanair Flight 296 catches fire in London Stansted Airport. Subsequent investigations criticize Ryanair's handling of the evacuation.
- 2002 - Godhra train burning, a Muslim mob kills 59 Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya;
- 2003 - Rowan Williams is enthroned as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury in the Anglican church.
- 2004 - A bombing of a Superferry by Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines worst terrorist attack kills 116.
- 2004 - Former BPMC general secretary Ordrick Samuel launches a new party in Barbuda, Barbudans for a Better Barbuda.
- 2007 - The general strike against Lansana Conté in Guinea ends.
- 2007 - The Chinese Correction: the Shanghai Stock Exchange falls 9%, the largest drop in 10 years.
- 2008 - Mas Selamat bin Kastari, a suspected JI terrorism leader, escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre in Singapore.
Births
- 272 - Constantine I, Roman emperor (d. 337)
- 1691 - Edward Cave, English editor and publisher (d. 1754)
- 1711 - Constantine Mavrocordatos, Prince of Wallachia and Prince of Moldavia (d. 1769)
- 1779 - Thomas Hazlehurst, English soap and alkali manufacturer (d. 1842)
- 1807 - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American poet (d. 1882)
- 1831 - Hiram Bond Everest, American cofounder of The Vacuum Oil Company (d. 1913)
- 1862 - Anastasios Metaxas, Greek architect and shooter (d. 1937)
- 1878 - Alvan T. Fuller, 50th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1958)
- 1886 - Hugo Black, U.S. Supreme Court Justice (d. 1971)
- 1888 - Roberto Assagioli, Italian psychiatrist (d. 1974)
- 1888 - Earl Caddock, American professional wrestler (d. 1950)
- 1888 - Lotte Lehmann, German singer (d. 1976)
- 1890 - Freddie Keppard, American jazz musician (d. 1933)
- 1891 - David Sarnoff, Russian-born broadcast pioneer (d. 1971)
- 1891 - Anne Samson, oldest-ever nun documented (d. 2004)
- 1892 - William Demarest, American actor (d. 1983)
- 1897 - Marian Anderson, American contralto (d. 1993)
- 1899 - Charles Best, Canadian medical scientist (d. 1978)
- 1902 - Gene Sarazen, American golfer (d. 1999)
- 1902 - John Steinbeck, American writer, Nobel laureate (d. 1968)
- 1903 - Grethe Weiser, German actress (d. 1970)
- 1904 - James T. Farrell, American writer (d. 1979)
- 1904 - Yulii Borisovich Khariton, Russian physicist (d. 1996)
- 1904 - André Leducq, French cyclist (d. 1980)
- 1904 - Chick Fullis, American baseball player (d. 1946)
- 1905 - Franchot Tone, American actor (d. 1968)
- 1907 - Mildred Bailey, American singer (d. 1951)
- 1910 - Joan Bennett, American actress (d. 1990)
- 1910 - Peter De Vries, American writer (d. 1993)
- 1910 - Ted Horn, American race car driver (d. 1948)
- 1910 - Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, American aircraft engineer (Lockheed Skunk Works; d. 1990)
- 1912 - Lawrence Durrell, British writer (d. 1990)
- 1912 - Kusumagraj, Indian writer (d. 1999)
- 1913 - Irwin Shaw, American writer (d. 1984)
- 1913 - Kazimierz Sabbat, Polish president (d. 1989)
- 1917 - John Connally, Governor of Texas (d. 1993)
- 1922 - Hans Rookmaaker, Dutch professor and art historian (d. 1977)
- 1923 - Dexter Gordon, American jazz saxophonist (d. 1990)
- 1925 - Samuel Dash, American Congressional counsel (d. 2004)
- 1926 - David H. Hubel, Canadian neuroscientist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1927 - Lynn Cartwright, American actress (d. 2004)
- 1927 - Guy Mitchell, American singer (d. 1999)
- 1928 - Ariel Sharon, former Prime Minister of Israel
- 1929 - Djalma Santos, Brazilian footballer
- 1929 - Jack Gibson, Australian rugby league footballer and coach (d. 2008)
- 1930 - Paul von Ragué Schleyer, American chemist
- 1930 - Peter Stone, American writer (d. 2003)
- 1930 - Joanne Woodward, American actress
- 1932 - Elizabeth Taylor, British-American actress
- 1933 - Raymond Berry, American football player
- 1934 - Vincent Fourcade, French interior designer (d. 1992)
- 1934 - N. Scott Momaday, American writer
- 1934 - Ralph Nader, American consumer activist
- 1934 - Van Williams, American actor
- 1935 - Mirella Freni, Italian soprano
- 1936 - Ron Barassi, Australian rules footballer
- 1936 - Roger Mahony, fourth Archbishop of Los Angeles
- 1937 - David Ackles, American singer songwriter (d. 1999)
- 1937 - Barbara Babcock, American actress
- 1939 - Peter Revson, American racecar driver (d. 1974)
- 1940 - Howard Hesseman, American actor
- 1940 - Bill Hunter, Australian actor
- 1941 - Paddy Ashdown, British politician
- 1942 - Robert H. Grubbs, American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1942 - Charlayne Hunter-Gault, American journalist
- 1942 - Michel Forget, French Canadian actor
- 1943 - Mary Frann, American actress (d. 1998)
- 1943 - Morten Lauridsen, American composer
- 1944 - Ken Grimwood, American writer (d. 2003)
- 1945 - Carl Anderson, American singer and actor (d. 2004)
- 1947 - Gidon Kremer, Latvian violinist
- 1951 - Steve Harley, British rock musician (Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel)
- 1952 - Stathis Psaltis, Greek actor
- 1953 - Gabriela Svobodová, Czech cross country skier
- 1954 - Neal Schon, American musician (Journey)
- 1955 - Peter Christopherson, English musician, video director and designer
- 1957 - Viktor Markin, Russian athlete
- 1957 - Timothy Spall, English actor
- 1957 - Danny Antonucci, Canadian animator
- 1957 - Adrian Smith, English musician (Iron Maiden)
- 1958 - Naas Botha, South African rugby union footballer
- 1958 - Nancy Spungen, girlfriend of Sid Vicious (d. 1978)
- 1959 - Johnny Van Zant, American singer (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
- 1960 - Andrés Gómez, Ecuadorian tennis player
- 1962 - Adam Baldwin, American actor
- 1962 - Grant Show, American actor
- 1963 - Pär Nuder, Swedish politician
- 1964 - Todd Bodine, American race car driver
- 1965 - Noah Emmerich, American actor
- 1965 - Frank Peter Zimmermann, German violinist
- 1965 - Joakim Sundström, Swedish sound editor, sound designer and musician
- 1966 - Donal Logue, Canadian actor
- 1968 - Matt Stairs, Canadian baseball player
- 1969 - Brad Vander Ark, American musician
- 1970 - Michael A. Burstein, American writer
- 1970 - Patricia Petibon, French opera singer
- 1970 - Matthias Lechner, German art director
- 1971 - Derren Brown, British psychological illusionist
- 1971 - Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, American singer (TLC)
- 1973 - Ali Tabatabaee, American Iranian rapper (Zebrahead)
- 1973 - Mark Taylor, Welsh rugby union footballer
- 1973 - Peter André, Australian singer - Husband to Katie Price, Glamour model
- 1975 - Prodromos Korkizoglou, Greek decathlete
- 1975 - Shelby Walker, American mixed martial artist (d. 2006)
- 1976 - Tony Gonzalez, American football player
- 1977 - Lance Hoyt, American professional wrestler
- 1977 - Ji Sung, South Korean actor
- 1977 - James Wan, Australian film director
- 1978 - James Beattie, English footballer
- 1980 - Bobby Valentino, American singer
- 1980 - Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton
- 1981 - Josh Groban, American singer
- 1983 - Kate Mara, American actress
- 1983 - Hayley Angel Wardle, English actress
- 1984 - David Noel, American basketball player
- 1984 - Antti Tuisku, Finnish singer
- 1984 - Lotta Schelin, Swedish female footballer
- 1985 - Juliana Imai, Brazilian model
- 1989 - Kelly Breeding, American singer from B5
- 1991 - Azeem Rafiq, Yorkshire CCC & English U15 captain
Deaths
- 1659 - Henry Dunster, first President of Harvard College (b. 1609)
- 1699 - Charles Paulet, 1st Duke of Bolton, English politician (b. c. 1625)
- 1706 - John Evelyn, English diarist (b. 1620)
- 1720 - Samuel Parris, English-born Puritan minister (b. 1653)
- 1735 - John Arbuthnot, English physician and writer (b. 1667)
- 1844 - Nicholas Biddle, President of the Second Bank of the United States (b. 1786)
- 1887 - Alexander Borodin, Russian composer and chemist (b. 1833)
- 1892 - Louis Vuitton, French luggage maker (b. 1821)
- 1902 - Harry 'Breaker' Morant, Anglo-Australian Soldier executed in the Second Boer War under controversial circumstances (b. 1864)
- 1902 - Peter Handcock, Australian Soldier executed in the Second Boer War under controversial circumstances
- 1921 - Schofield Haigh, English cricketer (b. 1871)
- 1932 - William Southam, Canadian newspaper publisher (b. 1843)
- 1936 - Ivan Pavlov, Russian physiologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1849)
- 1936 - Joshua W. Alexander, U.S. Secretary of Commerce under Woodrow Wilson (b. 1852)
- 1941 - William D. Byron, U.S. Congressman (b. 1895)
- 1943 - Kostis Palamas, Greek poet, twice nominated for the Nobel prize (b. 1859)
- 1964 - Orry-Kelly, Australian costume designer (b. 1897)
- 1968 - Frankie Lymon, American singer (b. 1942)
- 1969 - Marius Barbeau, French Canadian folklorist (b. 1883)
- 1970 - Marie Dionne, one of the French Canadian Dionne quintuplets (b. 1934)
- 1972 - Pat Brady, American actor and singer (b. 1914)
- 1977 - John Dickson Carr, American author (b. 1905)
- 1978 - Vadim Salmanov, Russian composer (b. 1912)
- 1980 - George Tobias, American actor (b. 1901)
- 1981 - Jacob H. Gilbert, American politician (b. 1920)
- 1985 - Henry Cabot Lodge, American politician (b. 1902)
- 1986 - Jacques Plante, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1929)
- 1987 - Joan Greenwood, English actress and director (b. 1921)
- 1989 - Paul Oswald Ahnert, German astronomer (b. 1897)
- 1989 - Konrad Lorenz, Austrian zoologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1903)
- 1990 - Nahum Norbert Glatzer, Jewish-American scholar (b. 1903)
- 1992 - S. I. Hayakawa, Canadian-American linguist and politician (b. 1906)
- 1993 - Lillian Gish, American actress (b. 1893)
- 1998 - George H. Hitchings, American scientist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1905)
- 1998 - J. T. Walsh, American actor (b. 1943)
- 2002 - Spike Milligan, Irish comedian (b. 1918)
- 2003 - John Lanchbery, English composer (b. 1923)
- 2003 - Fred Rogers, American children's television actor (b. 1928)
- 2004 - Paul Sweezy, American economist and editor (b. 1910)
- 2004 - Yoshihiko Amino, Japanese historians (b. 1928)
- 2006 - Otis Chandler, American newspaper publisher (b. 1927)
- 2006 - Robert Lee Scott, Jr., U.S. General, Flying Tiger, and author (b. 1908)
- 2006 - Linda Smith, British comedian (b. 1958)
- 2007 - Bobby Rosengarden, American jazz drummer (b. 1924)
- 2007 - Bernd von Freytag-Loringhoven, German soldier (b. 1914)
- 2008 - Myron Cope, American sports broadcaster (b. 1929)
- 2008 - William F. Buckley, Jr., American conservative author and commentator (b. 1925)
- 2008 - Boyd Coddington, American automobile designer (b. 1944)
Holidays and observances
External links
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