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On This Day in History — April 22
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Highlights of April 22
- 2022 — American climate activist Wynn Bruce set himself on fire outside the United States Supreme Court Building in an apparent protest against the climate crisis. Read more
- 2020 — A truck struck and killed four Victoria Police officers on the Eastern Freeway, Australia, the force's deadliest single incident. Read more
- 2016 — The Paris Agreement, an international treaty on climate change, opened for signature and was signed by 175 parties. Read more
- 2013 — The Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested two men who were plotting to commit terrorist attacks against Via Rail operations. Read more
- 2004 — Flammable cargo exploded at a railway station in Ryongchon, North Korea, killing at least 54 people and injuring more than a thousand others. Read more
- 2000 — In a pre-dawn raid, U.S. federal agents seized six-year-old Elián González from his relatives' home in Miami and returned him to his Cuban father. Read more
- 1993 — Stephen Lawrence, a black British teenager, was murdered while waiting for a bus in Eltham, London, leading to cultural changes of attitudes on racism and the police, and to the law and police practice. Read more
- 1951 — Korean War: The Chinese People's Volunteer Army attacked positions occupied mainly by Australian and Canadian forces, starting the Battle of Kapyong. Read more
- 1948 — Civil War in Mandatory Palestine: The Jewish paramilitary group Haganah captured Haifa from the Arab Liberation Army. Read more
- 1945 — About 600 prisoners of the Jasenovac concentration camp in the Independent State of Croatia revolted, but only 80 managed to escape while the remainder were killed by the Ustaše regime. Read more
- 1918 — The short-lived Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic was established on territory formerly part of the Russian Empire. Read more
- 1885 — The first meeting of the Colonial Defence Committee, a standing committee of the British Colonial Office, was held to discuss the defence of Barbados. Read more
- 1864 — U.S. Congress passed the Coinage Act, which authorized the minting of the two-cent piece (pictured), the first U.S. coin to bear the phrase "In God We Trust". Read more
- 1622 — Anglo-Persian forces combined to capture the Portuguese garrison at Hormuz Island in the Persian Gulf. Read more
- 1500 — A fleet commanded by Pedro Álvares Cabral (pictured) anchored off present-day Brazil; he later claimed the land for the Portuguese Empire. Read more
- 1073 — Gregory VII was elected pope following the death of Alexander II. Read more
Events
- 2025 — At least 26 people are killed in a terrorist attack on a group of tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba claimed responsibility for the attack. Read more
- 2020 — Four police officers are killed after being struck by a truck on the Eastern Freeway in Melbourne while speaking to a speeding driver, marking the largest loss of police lives in Victoria Police history. Read more
- 2016 — The Paris Agreement is signed, an agreement to help fight global warming. Read more
- 2009 — Fox News host Sean Hannity offered to be waterboarded for charity in order to prove that it did not amount to torture, though he did not follow through with it. Read more
- 2005 — Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi apologizes for Japan's war record. Read more
- 1993 — Eighteen-year-old Stephen Lawrence is murdered in a racially motivated attack while waiting for a bus in Well Hall, Eltham. Read more
- 1992 — A series of gas explosions rip through the streets in Guadalajara, Mexico, killing 206. Read more
- 1977 — Optical fiber is first used to carry live telephone traffic. Read more
- 1974 — Pan Am Flight 812 crashes on approach to Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, killing all 107 people on board. Read more
- 1970 — The first Earth Day is celebrated. Read more
- 1970 — Chicano residents in San Diego, California occupy a site under the Coronado Bridge, leading to the creation of Chicano Park. Read more
- 1969 — British yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston wins the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race and completes the first solo non-stop circumnavigation of the world. Read more
- 1969 — The formation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) is announced at a mass rally in Calcutta. Read more
- 1966 — American Flyers Airline Flight 280/D crashes on approach to Ardmore Municipal Airport in Ardmore, Oklahoma, killing 83. Read more
- 1954 — Red Scare: Witnesses begin testifying and live television coverage of the Army–McCarthy hearings begins. Read more
- 1951 — Korean War: The Chinese People's Volunteer Army begin assaulting positions defended by the Royal Australian Regiment and the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry at the Battle of Kapyong. Read more
- 1948 — Arab–Israeli War: The port city of Haifa is captured by Jewish forces. Read more
- 1945 — World War II: Prisoners at the Jasenovac concentration camp revolt. Five hundred twenty are killed and around eighty escape. Read more
- 1945 — World War II: Sachsenhausen concentration camp is liberated by soldiers of the Red Army and Polish First Army. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: The 1st Air Commando Group using Sikorsky R-4 helicopters stage the first use of helicopters in combat with combat search and rescue operations in the China Burma India Theater. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: In Greenland, the Allied Sledge Patrol attack the German Bassgeiger weather station. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: Operation Persecution is initiated: Allied forces land in the Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura) area of New Guinea. Read more
- 1930 — The United Kingdom, Japan and the United States sign the London Naval Treaty regulating submarine warfare and limiting shipbuilding. Read more
- 1915 — World War I: The use of poison gas in World War I escalates when chlorine gas is released as a chemical weapon in the Second Battle of Ypres. Read more
- 1906 — The 1906 Intercalated Games open in Athens. Read more
- 1898 — Spanish–American War: President William McKinley calls for 125,000 volunteers to join the National Guard and fight in Cuba, while Congress more than doubles regular Army forces to 65,000. Read more
- 1889 — At noon, thousands rush to claim land in the Land Rush of 1889. Within hours the cities of Oklahoma City and Guthrie are formed with populations of at least 10,000. Read more
- 1876 — The first National League baseball game is played at the Jefferson Street Grounds in Philadelphia. Read more
- 1864 — The U.S. Congress passes the Coinage Act of 1864 that permitted the inscription In God We Trust be placed on all coins minted as United States currency. Read more
- 1836 — Texas Revolution: A day after the Battle of San Jacinto, forces under Texas General Sam Houston identify Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna among the captives of the battle when some of his fellow soldiers mistakenly give away his identity. Read more
- 1809 — The second day of the Battle of Eckmühl: The Austrian army is defeated by the First French Empire army led by Napoleon and driven over the Danube in Regensburg. Read more
- 1529 — Treaty of Zaragoza divides the eastern hemisphere between Spain and Portugal along a line 297.5 leagues (1,250 kilometres (780 mi)) east of the Moluccas. Read more
- 1519 — Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés establishes a settlement at Veracruz, Mexico. Read more
- 1500 — Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral lands in Brazil (discovery of Brazil). Read more
- 1073 — Election of Pope Gregory VII following the death of Pope Alexander II. Read more
- 960 — Basil II is crowned co-Emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Read more
Born on April 22
- 2011 — Violet McGraw, American actress Read more
- 1997 — Grant Fisher, American runner Read more
- 1994 — Chandler Stephenson, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1992 — Adam Lanza, American mass murderer (died 2012) Read more
- 1991 — Danni Wyatt, English cricketer Read more
- 1990 — Machine Gun Kelly, American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor Read more
- 1990 — Kevin Kiermaier, American baseball player Read more
- 1990 — Eve Muirhead, Scottish curler Read more
- 1988 — Dee Strange-Gordon, American baseball player Read more
- 1987 — David Luiz, Brazilian footballer Read more
- 1986 — Amber Heard, American actress Read more
- 1986 — Marshawn Lynch, American football player Read more
- 1983 — Sam W. Heads, English-American entomologist and palaeontologist Read more
- 1983 — Shkëlzen Shala, Albanian entrepreneur and veganism activist Read more
- 1982 — Kaká, Brazilian footballer Read more
- 1980 — Quincy Timberlake, Kenyan-Australian activist, engineer, and politician Read more
- 1979 — Zoltán Gera, Hungarian international footballer and manager Read more
- 1979 — Daniel Johns, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist Read more
- 1978 — Paul Malakwen Kosgei, Kenyan runner and coach Read more
- 1976 — Dan Cloutier, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Read more
- 1974 — Shavo Odadjian, Armenian-American bassist Read more
- 1971 — Eric Mabius, American actor Read more
- 1970 — Regine Velasquez, Filipino singer and actress Read more
- 1967 — David J. C. MacKay, English physicist, engineer, and academic (died 2016) Read more
- 1967 — Sherri Shepherd, American actress, comedian, and television personality Read more
- 1966 — Mickey Morandini, American baseball player and manager Read more
- 1966 — Jeffrey Dean Morgan, American actor Read more
- 1963 — Rosalind Gill, English sociologist and academic Read more
- 1963 — Sean Lock, English comedian and actor (died 2021) Read more
- 1962 — Jeff Minter, British video game designer and programmer Read more
- 1962 — Danièle Sauvageau, Canadian ice hockey player and coach Read more
- 1961 — Jeff Hostetler, American football player Read more
- 1961 — Alo Mattiisen, Estonian composer (died 1996) Read more
- 1961 — Byron Allen, American comedian and businessman Read more
- 1960 — Mart Laar, Estonian historian and politician, 9th Prime Minister of Estonia Read more
- 1959 — Terry Francona, American baseball player and manager Read more
- 1959 — Ryan Stiles, American-Canadian actor and comedian Read more
- 1957 — Donald Tusk, Polish journalist and politician, 14th Prime Minister of Poland Read more
- 1953 — Tom Lysiak, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1952 — Marilyn Chambers, American actress (died 2009) Read more
Died on April 22
- 2023 — Len Goodman, English ballroom dancer and television personality (born 1944) Read more
- 2022 — Guy Lafleur, Canadian ice hockey player (born 1951) Read more
- 2021 — Adrian Garrett, American professional baseball player (born 1943) Read more
- 2020 — Shirley Knight, American actress (born 1936) Read more
- 2017 — Donna Leanne Williams, Australian writer, artist, and activist (born 1963) Read more
- 2015 — Dick Balharry, Scottish environmentalist and photographer (born 1937) Read more
- 2014 — Oswaldo Vigas, Venezuelan painter (born 1926) Read more
- 2013 — Richie Havens, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1941) Read more
- 2013 — Lalgudi Jayaraman, Indian violinist and composer (born 1930) Read more
- 2013 — Robert Suderburg, American pianist, composer, and conductor (born 1936) Read more
- 2012 — George Rathmann, American chemist, biologist, and businessman (born 1927) Read more
- 2010 — Richard Barrett, American lawyer and activist (born 1943) Read more
- 2009 — Jack Cardiff, British cinematographer, director and photographer (born 1914) Read more
- 2007 — Juanita Millender-McDonald, American educator and politician (born 1938) Read more
- 2006 — Henriette Avram, American computer scientist and academic (born 1919) Read more
- 2006 — Alida Valli, Italian actress (born 1921) Read more
- 2005 — Erika Fuchs, German translator (born 1906) Read more
- 2005 — Philip Morrison, American physicist and academic (born 1915) Read more
- 2005 — Eduardo Paolozzi, Scottish sculptor and artist (born 1924) Read more
- 2003 — Felice Bryant, American songwriter (born 1925) Read more
- 1999 — Munir Ahmad Khan, Pakistani nuclear engineer (born 1926) Read more
- 1996 — Erma Bombeck, American journalist and author (born 1927) Read more
- 1996 — Jug McSpaden, American golfer and architect (born 1908) Read more
- 1995 — Jane Kenyon, American poet and author (born 1947) Read more
- 1994 — Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United States (born 1913) Read more
- 1990 — Albert Salmi, American actor (born 1928) Read more
- 1989 — Emilio G. Segrè, Italian-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1905) Read more
- 1988 — Grigori Kuzmin, Russian-Estonian astronomer and academic (born 1917) Read more
- 1988 — Irene Rich, American actress (born 1891) Read more
- 1987 — Erika Nõva, Estonian architect (born 1905) Read more
- 1986 — Mircea Eliade, Romanian historian and author (born 1907) Read more
- 1985 — Paul Hugh Emmett, American chemist and academic (born 1900) Read more
- 1985 — Jacques Ferron, Canadian physician and author (born 1921) Read more
- 1984 — Ansel Adams, American photographer and environmentalist (born 1902) Read more
- 1983 — Earl Hines, American pianist and bandleader (born 1903) Read more
- 1980 — Jane Froman, American actress and singer (born 1907) Read more
- 1980 — Fritz Strassmann, German chemist and physicist (born 1902) Read more
- 1978 — Will Geer, American actor (born 1902) Read more
- 1951 — Horace Donisthorpe, English myrmecologist and coleopterist (born 1870) Read more
- 1950 — Charles Hamilton Houston, American lawyer and academic (born 1895) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Acepsimas of Hnaita and companions (Catholic Church); Christian feast day:
Arwald; Christian feast day:
Epipodius and Alexander; Christian feast day:
Hudson Stuck (Episcopal Church); Christian feast day:
John Muir (Episcopal Church); Christian feast day:
Opportuna of Montreuil; Christian feast day:
Pope Caius; Christian feast day:
Pope Soter; Christian feast day:
St Senorina; Christian feast day:
Theodore of Sykeon; Christian feast day:
April 22 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Discovery Day (Brazil); Earth Day (International observance) and its related observance: International Mother Earth Day; Holocaust Remembrance Day (Serbia); From 2018 onwards, a national day of commemoration for the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence (United Kingdom)
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “April 22”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.