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On This Day in History — April 12

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Highlights of April 12

2014 — A fire broke out near Valparaíso, Chile, eventually destroying at least 2,500 homes and leaving approximately 11,000 people homeless (damage pictured). Read more
2013 — Four Chadian soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing by jihadist rebels in Kidal, Mali. Read more
2012 — The Guinea-Bissau military seized control in a coup amid a presidential election, later handing power to a transitional administration under Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo. Read more
1994 — Husband-and-wife law partners Laurence Canter and Martha Siegel posted the first massive commercial spam on Usenet. Read more
1993 — Bosnian War: NATO forces began Operation Deny Flight to enforce a no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina ordered by the United Nations Security Council. Read more
1983 — Harold Washington was elected as the first African-American mayor of Chicago. Read more
1980 — Canadian athlete Terry Fox embarked on an east-to-west "Marathon of Hope" from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, with a prosthetic leg to raise funds for cancer research. Read more
1973 — About 1,700 gravediggers in New York City began a 12-week strike, causing a delay in the burial of roughly 1,400 bodies in the city. Read more
1961 — Aboard Vostok 1, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin performed the first human spaceflight, completing one orbit of Earth in 108 minutes. Read more
1910 — SMS Zrínyi, one of the last pre-dreadnoughts built by the Austro-Hungarian Navy, was launched in Trieste. Read more
1861 — Confederate forces began a bombardment of Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, starting the American Civil War. Read more
1831 — The Broughton Suspension Bridge near Manchester, England, collapsed reportedly because of mechanical resonance induced by troops marching in step across it. Read more
1822 — Greek War of Independence: Ottoman troops began a massacre of tens of thousands of Greeks (depicted) on the island of Chios. Read more
1807 — The Froberg mutiny of Greek and Albanian troops in British service ended with the explosion of the gunpowder magazine at Fort Ricasoli, Malta. Read more
1776 — American Revolution: The North Carolina Provincial Congress passed the Halifax Resolves, the first official action in the American colonies calling for independence from Great Britain. Read more
1204 — Troops of the Fourth Crusade entered Constantinople and began a sack of the city, temporarily dissolving the Byzantine Empire. Read more
627 — King Edwin of Northumbria was baptised by Bishop Paulinus of York. Read more

Events

2026 — The Tisza Party, led by Péter Magyar wins the 2026 Hungarian parliamentary election, defeating Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party, which had ruled the country for 16 years, marking the first change in government in Hungary for over a decade. Read more
2014 — The Great Fire of Valparaíso ravages the Chilean city of Valparaíso, killing 16 people, displacing nearly 10,000, and destroying more than 2,500 homes. Read more
2013 — Two suicide bombers kill three Chadian soldiers and injure dozens of civilians at a market in Kidal, Mali. Read more
2010 — Merano derailment: A rail accident in South Tyrol kills nine people and injures a further 28. Read more
2009 — Zimbabwe officially abandons the Zimbabwean dollar as its official currency. Read more
2007 — A suicide bomber penetrates the Green Zone and detonates in a cafeteria within a parliament building, killing Iraqi MP Mohammed Awad and wounding more than twenty other people. Read more
2002 — A suicide bomber blows herself up at the entrance to Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda Market, killing seven people and wounding 104. Read more
1999 — United States President Bill Clinton is cited for contempt of court for giving "intentionally false statements" in a civil lawsuit; he is later fined and disbarred. Read more
1999 — During the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, an American McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle shoots a passenger train, killing between 20 and 60 people. Read more
1992 — The Euro Disney Resort officially opens with its theme park Euro Disneyland; the resort and its park's name are subsequently changed to Disneyland Resort Paris. Read more
1990 — Jim Gary's "Twentieth Century Dinosaurs" exhibition opens at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. He is the only sculptor ever invited to present a solo exhibition there. Read more
1990 — Widerøe Flight 839 crashes after takeoff from Værøy Airport in Norway, killing five people. Read more
1985 — Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-51D to deploy two communications satellites. Read more
1983 — Harold Washington is elected as the first black mayor of Chicago. Read more
1981 — The first launch of a Space Shuttle (Columbia) takes place: The STS-1 mission. Read more
1980 — The Americo-Liberian government of Liberia is violently deposed. Read more
1980 — Transbrasil Flight 303, a Boeing 727, crashes on approach to Hercílio Luz International Airport in Florianópolis, Brazil. Fifty-five out of the 58 people on board are killed. Read more
1980 — Canadian runner and athlete Terry Fox begins his Marathon of Hope Run in St. John's, NF Read more
1970 — Soviet submarine K-8, carrying four nuclear torpedoes, sinks in the Bay of Biscay four days after a fire on board. Read more
1963 — The Soviet nuclear-powered submarine K-33 collides with the Finnish merchant vessel M/S Finnclipper in the Danish straits. Read more
1961 — Space Race: The Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to travel into outer space and perform the first crewed orbital flight, Vostok 1. Read more
1955 — The polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is declared safe and effective. Read more
1945 — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies in office; Vice President Harry S. Truman succeeds him. Read more
1945 — World War II: The U.S. Ninth Army under General William H. Simpson crosses the Elbe River astride Magdeburg, and reaches Tangermünde—only 80 kilometres from Berlin. Read more
1937 — Sir Frank Whittle ground-tests the first jet engine designed to power an aircraft, at Rugby, England. Read more
1934 — The strongest surface wind gust in the world at the time of 231 mph, is measured on the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire. It has since been surpassed. Read more
1934 — The U.S. Auto-Lite strike begins, culminating in a five-day melee between Ohio National Guard troops and 6,000 strikers and picketers. Read more
1928 — The Bremen, a German Junkers W 33 type aircraft, takes off for the first successful transatlantic aeroplane flight from east to west. Read more
1927 — Shanghai massacre of 1927: Chiang Kai-shek orders the Chinese Communist Party members executed in Shanghai, ending the First United Front. Read more
1927 — Rocksprings, Texas is hit by an F5 tornado that destroys 235 of the 247 buildings in the town, kills 72 townspeople, and injures 205; third deadliest tornado in Texas history. Read more
1917 — World War I: Canadian forces successfully complete the taking of Vimy Ridge from the Germans. Read more
1910 — SMS Zrínyi, one of the last pre-dreadnought battleships built by the Austro-Hungarian Navy, is launched. Read more
1900 — One day after its enactment by the Congress, President William McKinley signs the Foraker Act into law, giving Puerto Rico limited self-rule. Read more
1877 — The United Kingdom annexes the Transvaal. Read more
1865 — American Civil War: Mobile, Alabama, falls to the Union Army. Read more
1864 — American Civil War: The Battle of Fort Pillow: Confederate forces kill most of the African American soldiers that surrendered at Fort Pillow, Tennessee. Read more
1862 — American Civil War: The Andrews Raid (the Great Locomotive Chase) occurs, starting from Big Shanty, Georgia (now Kennesaw). Read more
1861 — American Civil War: Battle of Fort Sumter. The war begins with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. Read more
1831 — Soldiers marching on the Broughton Suspension Bridge in Manchester, England, cause it to collapse. Read more
1820 — Alexander Ypsilantis is declared leader of Filiki Eteria, a secret organization to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece. Read more
1807 — The Froberg mutiny on Malta ends when the remaining mutineers blow up the magazine of Fort Ricasoli. Read more
1796 — War of the First Coalition: Napoleon Bonaparte wins his first victory as an army commander at the Battle of Montenotte, splitting the Austrian and Piedmontese armies away from each other, and marking the beginning of the Piedmontese surrender in the war. Read more
1782 — American Revolution: A Royal Navy fleet led by Admiral George Rodney defeats a French fleet led by the Comte de Grasse at the Battle of the Saintes off Dominica in the Caribbean Sea. Read more
1776 — American Revolution: With the Halifax Resolves, the North Carolina Provincial Congress authorizes its Congressional delegation to vote for independence from Britain. Read more
1606 — The Union Flag is adopted as the flag of English and Scottish ships. Read more
1588 — The Instruction of 12 April 1588 was enacted, which is widely regarded as the formal establishment of the Dutch Republic. Read more
1204 — The Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade breach the walls of Constantinople and enter the city, which they completely occupy the following day. Read more
1159 — Having received the submission of the prince of Antioch, Raynald of Châtillon, Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos enters triumphantly the city of Antioch. Read more
806 — Nikephoros I of Constantinople is consecrated as patriarch of Constantinople.
627 — King Edwin of Northumbria is converted to Christianity by Paulinus, Bishop of York. Read more
467 — Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Read more
240 — Shapur I becomes co-emperor of the Sasanian Empire with his father Ardashir I. Read more

Born on April 12

1996 — Jan Bednarek, Polish footballer Read more
1996 — Matteo Berrettini, Italian tennis player Read more
1995 — Pedro Cachin, Argentine tennis player Read more
1994 — Eric Bailly, Ivorian professional footballer Read more
1994 — Isabelle Drummond, Brazilian actress and singer Read more
1994 — Guido Rodríguez, Argentine footballer Read more
1994 — Saoirse Ronan, American-born Irish actress Read more
1994 — Sehun, South Korean musician Read more
1993 — Robin Anderson, American tennis player Read more
1993 — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
1992 — Chad le Clos, South African swimmer Read more
1992 — The Vivienne, Welsh drag queen (died 2025) Read more
1991 — Lionel Carole, French professional footballer Read more
1991 — Oliver Norwood, English-born Northern Irish international footballer Read more
1991 — Magnus Pääjärvi, Swedish ice hockey player Read more
1991 — Jazz Richards, Welsh international footballer Read more
1990 — Hiroki Sakai, Japanese footballer Read more
1989 — Bethan Dainton, Welsh rugby union player Read more
1989 — Ádám Hanga, Hungarian basketball player Read more
1989 — Miguel Ángel Ponce, American-Mexican footballer Read more
1989 — Valentin Stocker, Swiss footballer Read more
1989 — Kaitlyn Weaver, Canadian-American ice dancer Read more
1988 — Ricky Álvarez, Argentinian footballer Read more
1988 — Stephen Brogan, English footballer Read more
1988 — Amedeo Calliari, Italian footballer Read more
1988 — Jessie James Decker, American singer-songwriter Read more
1988 — Moamen Zakaria, Egyptian footballer Read more
1987 — Luiz Adriano, Brazilian professional footballer Read more
1987 — Brooklyn Decker, American model and actress Read more
1987 — Shawn Gore, Canadian football player Read more
1987 — Brendon Urie, American singer, songwriter, musician and multi-instrumentalist Read more
1986 — Blerim Džemaili, Swiss footballer Read more
1986 — Marcel Granollers, Spanish tennis player Read more
1986 — Jonathan Pitroipa, Burkinabé footballer Read more
1985 — Brennan Boesch, American baseball player Read more
1985 — Hitomi Yoshizawa, Japanese singer Read more
1984 — Aleksey Dmitrik, Russian high jumper Read more
1983 — Jelena Dokic, Serbian-Australian tennis player Read more
1983 — Luke Kibet, Kenyan runner Read more
1981 — Yuriy Borzakovskiy, Russian runner Read more

Died on April 12

2026 — Asha Bhosle, Indian playback singer, businesswoman, actress and television personality (born 1933) Read more
2026 — Chris Payton-Jones American football player (born 1995) Read more
2025 — Pilita Corrales, Filipino singer-songwriter and actress (born 1939) Read more
2024 — Roberto Cavalli, Italian fashion designer and inventor (born 1940) Read more
2024 — Eleanor Coppola, American filmmaker (born 1936) Read more
2024 — Robert MacNeil, Canadian-American journalist and author (born 1931) Read more
2022 — Gilbert Gottfried, American comedian, actor, and singer (born 1955) Read more
2021 — Joseph Siravo, American actor and producer (born 1955) Read more
2020 — Tarvaris Jackson, American football player (born 1983) Read more
2017 — Charlie Murphy, American actor and comedian (born 1959) Read more
2016 — Mohammad Al Gaz, Emirati politician & diplomat (born 1930) Read more
2016 — Anne Jackson, American actress (born 1925) Read more
2015 — Paulo Brossard, Brazilian jurist and politician (born 1924) Read more
2015 — Patrice Dominguez, Algerian-French tennis player and trainer (born 1950) Read more
2015 — Alfred Eick, German commander (born 1916) Read more
2015 — André Mba Obame, Gabonese politician (born 1957) Read more
2014 — Pierre Autin-Grenier, French author and poet (born 1947) Read more
2014 — Pierre-Henri Menthéour, French cyclist (born 1960) Read more
2014 — Maurício Alves Peruchi, Brazilian footballer (born 1990) Read more
2014 — Hal Smith, American baseball player and coach (born 1931) Read more
2014 — Billy Standridge, American race car driver (born 1953) Read more
2013 — Robert Byrne, American chess player and author (born 1928) Read more
2013 — Johnny du Plooy, South African boxer (born 1964) Read more
2013 — Michael France, American screenwriter (born 1962) Read more
2013 — Brennan Manning, American priest and author (born 1934) Read more
2013 — Annamária Szalai, Hungarian journalist and politician (born 1961) Read more
2013 — Ya'akov Yosef, Israeli rabbi and politician (born 1946) Read more
2012 — Mohit Chattopadhyay, Indian poet and playwright (born 1934) Read more
2012 — Rodgers Grant, American pianist and composer (born 1935) Read more
2011 — Karim Fakhrawi, Bahraini journalist, co-founded Al-Wasat (born 1962) Read more
2010 — Michel Chartrand, Canadian trade union leader (born 1916) Read more
2010 — Werner Schroeter, German director and screenwriter (born 1945) Read more
2009 — Marilyn Chambers, American actress Read more
2008 — Cecilia Colledge, English-American figure skater and coach (born 1920) Read more
2008 — Patrick Hillery, Irish physician and politician, 6th President of Ireland (born 1923) Read more
2008 — Jerry Zucker, Israeli-American businessman and philanthropist (born 1949) Read more
2007 — Kevin Crease, Australian journalist (born 1936) Read more
2006 — William Sloane Coffin, American minister and activist (born 1924) Read more
2004 — Moran Campbell, Canadian physician and academic, invented the venturi mask (born 1925) Read more
2002 — George Shevelov, Ukrainian-American linguist and philologist (born 1908) Read more

Holidays & observances

Children's Day (Bolivia); Christian feast day: Adoniram Judson (Episcopal Church); Christian feast day: Alferius; Christian feast day: Blessed Angelo Carletti di Chivasso; Christian feast day: Erkembode; Christian feast day: Pope Julius I; Christian feast day: Sabbas the Goth; Christian feast day: Teresa of the Andes; Christian feast day: Zeno of Verona; Christian feast day: April 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Commemoration of first human in space by Yuri Gagarin: Cosmonautics Day (Russia); Commemoration of first human in space by Yuri Gagarin: International Day of Human Space Flight; Commemoration of first human in space by Yuri Gagarin: Yuri's Night (International observance); Halifax Day (North Carolina); National Redemption Day (Liberia)

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Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “April 12”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.