February, 23rd in History

[Spiritus Temporis]

Events

Wednesday 23, 2005:
Slovakia Summit 2005 begins, marking the first occasion when a sitting American President visits Slovakia; Bush and Putin are in attendance.

Tuesday 23, 1999:
An avalanche destroys the Austrian village of Galtür, killing 31.

Monday 23, 1998:
Netscape Communications Corporation announces the foundation of mozilla.org, to co-ordinate the development of the open source Mozilla web browser.

Sunday 23, 1997:
A large fire occurs in the Russian Space station, Mir.

Thursday 23, 1995:
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gains 30.28 to close at 4,003.33, closing above 4,000 for the first time.

Tuesday 23, 1993:
Gary Coleman wins a $1,280,000 lawsuit against his parents.

Sunday 23, 1992:
The Socialist Labour Party is founded in Georgia.

Saturday 23, 1991:
Thailand: General Sunthorn Kongsompong leads a bloodless coup d'état, deposing Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan.

Monday 23, 1987:
A supernova is seen in the Large Magellanic Cloud (see Supernova 1987a).

Wednesday 23, 1983:
The Environmental Protection Agency announces its intent to buy out and evacuate the dioxin-contaminated community of Times Beach, Missouri.

Monday 23, 1981:
23-F, Antonio Tejero attempts a coup d'état by capturing the Spanish Congress of Deputies.

Saturday 23, 1980:
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini states that Iran's parliament would decide the fate of the American embassy hostages.

Saturday 23, 1974:
The Symbionese Liberation Army demands $4 million more to release kidnap victim Patty Hearst.

Wednesday 23, 1966:
A military coup in Syria replaces the previous government.

Sunday 23, 1958:
Cuban rebels kidnap 5-time world driving champion Juan Manuel Fangio.

Saturday 23, 1957:
The founding congress of the Senegalese Popular Bloc is opened in Dakar.

Thursday 23, 1956:
Nikita Khrushchev attacks the veneration of Joseph Stalin as a "cult of personality".

Wednesday 23, 1955:
Edgar Faure becomes Prime Minister of France

Tuesday 23, 1954:
The first mass vaccination of children against polio begins in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Sunday 23, 1947:
International Organization for Standardization(ISO) is founded.

Friday 23, 1945:
1945 - World War II: The German town of Pforzheim is completely destroyed by a raid of 379 British bombers.

Friday 23, 1940:
The animated movie Pinocchio is released.

Friday 23, 1934:
Léopold III becomes King of Belgium.

Wednesday 23, 1927:
The Federal Radio Commission (later renamed the Federal Communications Commission) begins to regulate the use of radio frequencies.

Sunday 23, 1919:
Benito Mussolini forms the Fascist Party in Italy.

Tuesday 23, 1909:
The Silver Dart makes the first powered flight in Canada and the British Empire.

Thursday 23, 1905:
Chicago, Illinois attorney Paul Harris and three other businessmen meet for lunch to form the Rotary Club, the world's first service club.

Tuesday 23, 1904:
For $10 million the United States gains control of the Panama Canal Zone.

Monday 23, 1903:
Cuba leases Guantanamo Bay to the United States "in perpetuity".

Friday 23, 1900:
Battle of Hart's Hill: In South Africa the Boers and British troops battle.

Wednesday 23, 1898:
Émile Zola is imprisoned in France after writing "J'accuse", a letter accusing the French government of anti-Semitism and wrongfully placing Captain Alfred Dreyfus in jail.

Thursday 23, 1893:
Rudolf Diesel receives a patent for the diesel engine.

Wednesday 23, 1887:
The French Riviera is hit by a large earthquake, killing around 2,000.

Friday 23, 1883:
Alabama becomes the first U.S. state to enact an antitrust law.

Monday 23, 1874:
Walter Winfield patents a game called "sphairistike" which is more commonly called lawn tennis.

Wednesday 23, 1870:
Military control of Mississippi ends and it is readmitted to the Union.

Saturday 23, 1861:
President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington, DC after an assassination attempt in Baltimore, Maryland.

Tuesday 23, 1847:
In Mexico, American troops defeat Mexican general Antonio López de Santa Anna.

Tuesday 23, 1836:
The Siege of the Alamo begins in San Antonio, Texas.

Friday 23, 1821:
The Philadelphia College of Apothecaries founds the first pharmacy college.

Wednesday 23, 1820:
Cato Street Conspiracy: A plot to murder all the British cabinet ministers is exposed.

Monday 23, 1778:
American Revolution: Baron von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to help to train the Continental Army.

Saturday 23, 1732:
First performance of George Frideric Handel's Orlando, in London.

Monday 23, 1660:
Charles XI becomes King of Sweden.

Saturday 23, 1574:
The 5th holy war against the Huguenots begins in France.

Friday 23, 1455:
Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western book printed from movable type.

Source: http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/23-february/on-this-day.html


People born on February 23

1994:
Dakota Fanning, American actress (b: February 23, 1994) (Biography of Dakota Fanning)

1978:
Dan Snyder, Canadian hockey player (b: February 23, 1978 ; d: October 5, 2003) (Biography of Dan Snyder)

1974:
Jaime Villarreal, Mexican musician (b: February 23, 1974) (Biography of Jaime Villarreal)

1965:
Michael Dell, Computer Entrepreneur (b: February 23, 1965) (Biography of Michael Dell)

1958:
David Sylvian, English musician (b: February 23, 1958) (Biography of David Sylvian)

1954:
Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine (b: February 23, 1954) (Biography of Viktor Yushchenko)

1952:
Brad Whitford, American musician (Aerosmith) (b: February 23, 1952) (Biography of Brad Whitford)

1951:
Patricia Richardson, American actress (b: February 23, 1951) (Biography of Patricia Richardson)
Ed "Too Tall" Jones, American football star (b: February 23, 1951) (Biography of Ed "Too Tall" Jones)

1945:
Allan Boesak, South African activist (b: February 23, 1945) (Biography of Allan Boesak)

1944:
Johnny Winter, American musician (b: February 23, 1944) (Biography of Johnny Winter)

1943:
Fred Biletnikoff, American football player and coach (b: February 23, 1943) (Biography of Fred Biletnikoff)

1939:
Peter Fonda, American actor (b: February 23, 1939) (Biography of Peter Fonda)

1932:
Majel Barrett, American actress (b: February 23, 1932) (Biography of Majel Barrett)
Tom Osborne, American football coach and politician (b: February 23, 1932) (Biography of Tom Osborne (football coach))

1928:
Vasili Lazarev, cosmonaut (b: February 23, 1928 ; d: December 31, 1990) (Biography of Vasili Lazarev)

1918:
Richard G. Butler, American fascist (b: February 23, 1918) (Biography of Richard G. Butler)

1915:
Paul Tibbets, American pilot (b: February 23, 1915) (Biography of Paul Tibbets)
Jon Hall, American actor (b: February 23, 1915) (Biography of Jon Hall)

1914:
Theofiel Middelkamp, Dutch cyclist (b: February 23, 1914) (Biography of Theofiel Middelkamp)

1908:
William McMahon, twentieth Prime Minister of Australia (b: February 23, 1908 ; d: March 31, 1988) (Biography of William McMahon)

1904:
Leopold Trepper, Soviet spy (b: February 23, 1904) (Biography of Leopold Trepper)
William L. Shirer, American historian (b: February 23, 1904) (Biography of William L. Shirer)

1899:
Erich Kästner, German writer (b: February 23, 1899 ; d: July 29, 1974) (Biography of Erich Kästner)

1883:
Victor Fleming, American director (b: February 23, 1883 ; d: January 6, 1949) (Biography of Victor Fleming)
Karl Jaspers, German philosopher (b: February 23, 1883 ; d: February 26, 1969) (Biography of Karl Jaspers)

1878:
Kazimir Malevich, Ukrainian painter and art theorist (b: February 23, 1878) (Biography of Kazimir Malevich)

1873:
Liang Qichao, Chinese scholar (b: February 23, 1873 ; d: January 19, 1929) (Biography of Liang Qichao)

1868:
W.E.B. DuBois, American civil rights leader (b: February 23, 1868 ; d: August 27, 1963) (Biography of W.E.B. DuBois)

1840:
Carl Menger, Austrian economist (b: February 23, 1840 ; d: February 26, 1921) (Biography of Carl Menger)

1743:
Mayer Amschel Rothschild, German-born banker (b: February 23, 1743) (Biography of Mayer Amschel Rothschild)

1688:
Queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden (b: February 23, 1688 ; d: November 24, 1741) (Biography of Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden)

1685:
Georg Friederich Händel, German composer (b: February 23, 1685) (Biography of George Friderich Handel)

1680:
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, French colonizer and Governor of Louisiana (b: February 23, 1680 ; d: March 7, 1767) (Biography of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville)

1648:
Arabella Churchill, English mistress of James II of England (b: February 23, 1648 ; d: May 30, 1730) (Biography of Arabella Churchill (royal mistress))

1646:
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, Japanese shogun (b: February 23, 1646 ; d: February 19, 1709) (Biography of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi)

1633:
Samuel Pepys, English diarist (b: February 23, 1633 ; d: May 26, 1703) (Biography of Samuel Pepys)

1417:
Pope Paul II (b: February 23, 1417 ; d: July 26, 1471) (Biography of Pope Paul II)

Source: http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/23-february/births.html

[Spiritus Temporis]

People who died on February 23

2004:
Vijay Anand (d: February 23, 2004) (Biography of Vijay Anand)
Carl Anderson, American singer and actor (b: February 27, 1945 ; d: February 23, 2004) (Biography of Carl Anderson)
Sikander Bakht (d: February 23, 2004) (Biography of Sikander Bakht)
Don Cornell, American singer (b: April 21, 1919 ; d: February 23, 2004) (Biography of Don Cornell)
Carl Liscombe (d: February 23, 2004) (Biography of Carl Liscombe)

2003:
Robert K. Merton (d: February 23, 2003) (Biography of Robert K. Merton)

2000:
Ofra Haza, Israeli singer (b: November 19, 1957 ; d: February 23, 2000) (Biography of Ofra Haza)

1997:
Tony Williams (d: February 23, 1997) (Biography of Tony Williams)

1995:
James Herriot, English veterinarian and author (b: October 3, 1916 ; d: February 23, 1995) (Biography of James Herriot)
Melvin Franklin (d: February 23, 1995) (Biography of Melvin Franklin)

1990:
José Napoleón Duarte, President of El Salvador (b: November 23, 1925 ; d: February 23, 1990) (Biography of José Napoleón Duarte)

1979:
W.A.C. Bennett, Canadian politician (b: September 6, 1900 ; d: February 23, 1979) (Biography of W.A.C. Bennett)

1974:
Harry Ruby, American musician, composer, and writer (b: January 27, 1885 ; d: February 23, 1974) (Biography of Harry Ruby)

1969:
King Saud of Saudi Arabia (b: January 12, 1902 ; d: February 23, 1969) (Biography of Saud of Saudi Arabia)

1965:
Stan Laurel, British-born actor and comedian (b: June 16, 1890 ; d: February 23, 1965) (Biography of Stan Laurel)

1948:
John Robert Gregg (d: February 23, 1948) (Biography of John Robert Gregg)

1934:
Edward Elgar, English composer (b: June 2, 1857 ; d: February 23, 1934) (Biography of Edward Elgar)

1930:
Horst Wessel (d: February 23, 1930) (Biography of Horst Wessel)

1923:
Théophile Delcassé, French statesman (b: March 1, 1852 ; d: February 23, 1923) (Biography of Théophile Delcassé)

1855:
Carl Friedrich Gauss, German mathematician, astronomer, and physicist (b: April 30, 1777 ; d: February 23, 1855) (Biography of Carl Friedrich Gauss)

1848:
John Quincy Adams, President of the United States (b: July 11, 1767 ; d: February 23, 1848) (Biography of John Quincy Adams)

1821:
John Keats, British poet (b: October 31, 1795 ; d: February 23, 1821) (Biography of John Keats)

1766:
Stanislaw Leszczynski (d: February 23, 1766) (Biography of Stanislaw Leszczynski)

1704:
Georg Muffat, French composer (b: June 1, 1653 ; d: February 23, 1704) (Biography of Georg Muffat)

1669:
Leo Aitzema, Dutch historian and statesman (b: November 19, 1600 ; d: February 23, 1669) (Biography of Leo Aitzema)

1603:
Andrea Cesalpino, Italian philosopher, physician, and botanist (b: June 6, 1519 ; d: February 23, 1603) (Biography of Andrea Cesalpino)

1572:
Pierre Certon (d: February 23, 1572) (Biography of Pierre Certon)

1554:
Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk (d: February 23, 1554) (Biography of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk)

1526:
Diego Colón (d: February 23, 1526) (Biography of Diego Colón)

1464:
Zhengtong, Emperor of China (b: November 29, 1427 ; d: February 23, 1464) (Biography of Zhengtong)

1447:
Pope Eugenius IV (d: February 23, 1447) (Biography of Pope Eugenius IV)
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester (d: February 23, 1447) (Biography of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester)

Source: http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/23-february/deaths.html