Tukuk-OS📅 February 8
16 events · 12 births · 12 deaths
Advertisement
What happened on February 8? Below are the notable events chosen by Wikipedia’s editors for this date, followed by celebrated births, deaths and the observances recognised around the world.
Events
- 1983 — The Irish-bred race horse Shergar was stolen by gunmen, who demanded a £2 million ransom.
- 1981 — Rhodesian Bush War: Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army cadres in Gwelo attacked Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army troops, killing over 60 of them and starting the 1981 Entumbane uprising.
Rhodesian Bush WarZimbabwe African National Liberation ArmyGweru
- 1979 — Denis Sassou Nguesso (pictured) was chosen as the new President of the Republic of the Congo after Joachim Yhombi-Opango was forced from power.
Denis Sassou NguessoList of presidents of the Republic of the CongoJoachim Yhombi-Opango
- 1968 — Law enforcement officers in Orangeburg, South Carolina (pictured), fired into a crowd of college students who were protesting segregation, killing three and injuring twenty-seven others.
Orangeburg, South CarolinaOrangeburg MassacreRacial segregation in the United States
- 1965 — After taking evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision just after taking off from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, Eastern Air Lines Flight 663 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 84 people on board.
John F. Kennedy International AirportEastern Air Lines Flight 663
- 1960 — The official groundbreaking of the Walk of Fame took place in Hollywood, Los Angeles, in California.
- 1948 — The closing ceremony of the first Olympics held after World War II was held in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
- 1924 — Gee Jon became the first person in the United States to be executed by lethal gas.
- 1910 — William D. Boyce established the Boy Scouts of America, expanding the Scout Movement into the United States.
- 1879 — Angered by a controversial umpiring decision, cricket spectators rioted and attacked the England team during a match in Sydney, Australia.
- 1837 — Richard Mentor Johnson became the only person ever to be elected Vice President of the United States by the Senate.
Richard Mentor JohnsonVice President of the United StatesUnited States Senate
- 1693 — The William III and Mary II of England charter the College of William & Mary, establishing what is now the second-oldest university in the United States.
William III of EnglandMary IICharter of the College of William & Mary
- 1587 — Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed at Fotheringhay Castle for her involvement in the Babington Plot to murder her cousin, Elizabeth I of England.
- 1575 — William of Orange founded Leiden University, the oldest university in the Netherlands.
- 1250 — Seventh Crusade: The Ayyubid Sultanate of Egypt defeated and captured King Louis IX of France at the Battle of Fariskur.
- 421 — Honorius declared Constantius III to be his co-emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
Births
- 2001 — I.N, South Korean singer
- 1999 — Alessia Russo, English footballer
- 1998 — Rui Hachimura, Japanese basketball player
- 1997 — Kathryn Newton, American actress
- 1996 — Kenedy, Brazilian footballer
- 1996 — Leighton Vander Esch, American football player
- 1995 — Gabriel Deck, Argentine basketball player
- 1995 — Joshua Kimmich, German footballer
- 1994 — Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Turkish footballer
- 1994 — Nikki Yanofsky, Canadian singer-songwriter
- 1992 — Bruno Martins Indi, Portuguese-Dutch footballer
- 1991 — Nam Woo-hyun, South Korean singer
Deaths
- 2025 — Dick Jauron, American football player and coach (born 1950)
- 2025 — Sam Nujoma, Namibian politician, 1st President of Namibia (born 1929)
- 2025 — Gyalo Thondup, Brother of the 14th Dalai Lama (born 1928)
- 2023 — Arto Heiskanen, Finnish professional hockey player (born 1963)
- 2021 — Marty Schottenheimer, American football player and coach (born 1943)
- 2021 — Mary Wilson, American singer (born 1944)
- 2020 — Robert Conrad, American actor (born 1935)
- 2017 — Peter Mansfield, English physicist, Nobel laureate (born 1933)
- 2017 — Rina Matsuno, Japanese idol singer (born 1998)
- 2017 — Alan Simpson, English scriptwriter (born 1929)
- 2016 — Amelia Bence, Argentine actress (born 1914)
- 2016 — Nida Fazli, Indian poet and songwriter (born 1938)
Observances & holidays
- Christian feast day: Cuthmann of Steyning
- Christian feast day: Elffled of Whitby
- Christian feast day: Elisabetta Martinez
- Christian feast day: Gerolamo Emiliani
- Christian feast day: Josephine Bakhita
- Christian feast day: Juventius of Pavia
- Christian feast day: Mengold of Huy
- Christian feast day: Stephen of Muret
- Christian feast day: February 8 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Parinirvana Day (some Mahayana Buddhism traditions; most celebrate on February 15)
- Prešeren Day (Slovenia)
- Propose Day (India)
- Military Foundation Day (North Korea)
Advertisement
Advertisement