Historical Events
1701 – France, Cologne and Bavaria sign alliance
1765 – After a public campaign by the writer Voltaire, judges in Paris posthumously exonerate Jean Calas of murdering his son. Calas had been tortured and executed in 1762 on the charge, though his son had actually committed suicide.
1841 – US Supreme Court rules the kidnapped slaves from the Spanish schooner the Amistad are free
1860 – 1st Japanese ambassador arrives in San Francisco en route to Washington
1984 – John Lennon single “Borrowed Time” released posthumously
2013 – Bernard Hopkins defeats Tavoris Cloud to win IBF light heavyweight title
Famous Birthdays
1877 – Emil Abderhalden, Swiss physiologist and biochemist, born in Oberuzwil, Switzerland (d. 1950)
1932 – Simon Heere Heeresma, Dutch writer and poet (Han de Wit goes in development aid), born in Amsterdam (d. 2011)
1932 – Sister Bernard Ncube, South African religious sister and anti-apartheid, born in Johannesburg (d. 2012)
1934 – Yuri Gagarin, Russian cosmonaut and 1st man into space (aboard Vostok 1), born in Klushino, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (d. 1968)
1937 – Bernard Landry, Premier of Quebec (2001-2003), born in Saint-Jacques, Quebec, Canada
1977 – Radek Dvorak, Czech NHL left wing (Florida Panthers), born in Tábor, Czech Republic
Famous Deaths
1800 – Dominique Della-Maria, French composer, dies at 30
1975 – Gleb W. Derujinsky, Russian-American sculptor, dies at 86
1996 – Elman Ali Ahmed, peace campaigner, dies at 42
2005 – Glenn Davis, American College Football Hall of Fame halfback (Heisman Trophy 1946; National C’ship 1944, 45, 46; Army; NFL: LA Rams), dies of prostate cancer at 80
2006 – Geir Ivarsøy, Norwegian programmer, co-founder of Opera Software ASA (b. 1957)
2012 – Lord Wedderton of Charlton, British academic and politician, dies at 84