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On This Day in History — April 24
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Highlights of April 24
- 2013 — A building in the Savar Upazila of Dhaka, Bangladesh, collapsed, killing 1,134 people, making it the deadliest accidental structural failure in modern history. Read more
- 2011 — Secret documents relating to detainees at the United States' Guantanamo Bay detention camp were released on WikiLeaks and several independent news organizations. Read more
- 2003 — A backhoe breached a pipeline in Toronto, Canada, which caused a gas explosion that killed seven people. Read more
- 1993 — The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated a truck bomb in London's financial district in Bishopsgate, killing one person, injuring forty-four others, and causing damage that cost £350 million to repair. Read more
- 1990 — Gruinard Island in Scotland, the site of biological warfare testing by British scientists, was declared free of anthrax after 48 years of quarantine. Read more
- 1990 — The Hubble Space Telescope was launched aboard STS-31 by Space Shuttle Discovery. Read more
- 1980 — Eight U.S. servicemen died in Operation Eagle Claw, a failed attempt to rescue the captives in the Iran hostage crisis. Read more
- 1965 — Cold War: The Dominican Civil War broke out due to tensions following a military coup against the democratically elected government of President Juan Bosch two years earlier. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: The British Special Boat Service executed a successful raid to destroy an Axis radio station on the Greek island of Santorini. Read more
- 1933 — Nazi Germany began its persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses by shutting down the Watch Tower Society office in Magdeburg. Read more
- 1932 — An estimated 400 ramblers committed a wilful mass trespass of Kinder Scout (pictured) in the Peak District to highlight the denial of access to areas of open country in England. Read more
- 1922 — The first portion of the Imperial Wireless Chain, a strategic international wireless telegraphy communications network created to link the countries of the British Empire, opened. Read more
- 1918 — First World War: The Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux began, which contained the first instance of tanks fighting against each other. Read more
- 1916 — Irish republicans led by Patrick Pearse began the Easter Rising against British rule in Ireland, and proclaimed the Irish Republic an independent state. Read more
- 1915 — The Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire began with the arrest and deportation of hundreds of prominent Armenians in Constantinople. Read more
- 1914 — The Franck–Hertz experiment, the first electrical measurement to clearly demonstrate quantum mechanics, was presented to the German Physical Society. Read more
- 1913 — The Woolworth Building in New York City officially opened; at the time, it was the tallest building in the world, with a height of 792 ft (241 m). Read more
- 1904 — Realizing that the Russification of Lithuania was not working, the Russian Empire lifted the 40-year-old ban on publications written in Lithuanian language using the Latin alphabet. Read more
- 1866 — German composer Max Bruch (pictured) conducted the premiere of his first violin concerto. Read more
- 1837 — A fire broke out in Surat, India, which went on to destroy about 75% of the city. Read more
- 1800 — The Library of Congress (building pictured), the de facto national library of the United States, was established as part of an act of Congress providing for the transfer of the nation's capital from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. Read more
- 1704 — John Campbell released the first issue of The Boston News-Letter, the first continuously published newspaper in British North America. Read more
Events
- 2025 — A mass stabbing at a school in Nantes, France, leaves one person dead and three others wounded. Read more
- 2013 — A building collapses near Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing 1,134 people and injuring about 2,500 others. Read more
- 2013 — Violence in Bachu County, Kashgar Prefecture, of China's Xinjiang results in death of 21 people. Read more
- 2011 — WikiLeaks starts publishing the Guantanamo Bay files leak. Read more
- 2006 — Bombings in the Egyptian resort city of Dahab kill 23 people and injure about 80. Read more
- 2005 — Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is inaugurated as the 265th Pope of the Catholic Church taking the name Pope Benedict XVI. Read more
- 2004 — The United States lifts economic sanctions imposed on Libya 18 years previously, as a reward for its cooperation in eliminating weapons of mass destruction. Read more
- 1996 — In the United States, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 is passed into law. Read more
- 1994 — A Douglas DC-3 ditches in Botany Bay after takeoff from Sydney Airport. All 25 people on board survive. Read more
- 1993 — An IRA bomb devastates the Bishopsgate area of London. Read more
- 1990 — STS-31: The Hubble Space Telescope is launched from the Space Shuttle Discovery. Read more
- 1990 — Gruinard Island, Scotland, is officially declared free of the anthrax disease after 48 years of quarantine. Read more
- 1980 — Eight U.S. servicemen die in Operation Eagle Claw as they attempt to end the Iran hostage crisis. Read more
- 1970 — China launches Dong Fang Hong I, becoming the fifth nation to put an object into orbit using its own booster. Read more
- 1970 — The Gambia becomes a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations, with Dawda Jawara as its first President. Read more
- 1967 — Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov dies in Soyuz 1 when its parachute fails to open. He is the first human to die during a space mission. Read more
- 1967 — Vietnam War: American General William Westmoreland says in a news conference that the enemy had "gained support in the United States that gives him hope that he can win politically that which he cannot win militarily". Read more
- 1965 — Civil war breaks out in the Dominican Republic when Colonel Francisco Caamaño overthrows the triumvirate that had been in power since the coup d'état against Juan Bosch. Read more
- 1963 — Marriage of Princess Alexandra of Kent to Angus Ogilvy at Westminster Abbey in London. Read more
- 1957 — Suez Crisis: The Suez Canal is reopened following the introduction of UNEF peacekeepers to the region. Read more
- 1955 — The Bandung Conference ends: Twenty-nine non-aligned nations of Asia and Africa finish a meeting that condemns colonialism, racism, and the Cold War. Read more
- 1953 — Winston Churchill is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: The SBS launches a raid against the garrison of Santorini in Greece. Read more
- 1933 — Nazi Germany begins its persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses by shutting down the Watch Tower Society office in Magdeburg. Read more
- 1932 — Benny Rothman leads the mass trespass of Kinder Scout, leading to substantial legal reforms in the United Kingdom. Read more
- 1926 — The Treaty of Berlin is signed. Germany and the Soviet Union each pledge neutrality in the event of an attack on the other by a third party for the next five years. Read more
- 1924 — Thorvald Stauning becomes premier of Denmark (first term). Read more
- 1922 — The first segment of the Imperial Wireless Chain providing wireless telegraphy between Leafield in Oxfordshire, England, and Cairo, Egypt, comes into operation. Read more
- 1918 — World War I: First tank-to-tank combat, during the second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux. Three British Mark IVs meet three German A7Vs. Read more
- 1916 — Easter Rising: Irish rebels, led by Patrick Pearse and James Connolly, launch an uprising in Dublin against British rule and proclaim an Irish Republic. Read more
- 1916 — Ernest Shackleton and five men of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition launch a lifeboat from uninhabited Elephant Island in the Southern Ocean to organise a rescue for the crew of the sunken Endurance. Read more
- 1915 — The arrest of 250 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Istanbul marks the beginning of the Armenian genocide. Read more
- 1914 — The Franck–Hertz experiment, a pillar of quantum mechanics, is presented to the German Physical Society. Read more
- 1913 — The Woolworth Building, a skyscraper in New York City, is opened. Read more
- 1895 — Joshua Slocum, the first person to sail single-handedly around the world, sets sail from Boston, Massachusetts aboard the sloop Spray. Read more
- 1885 — American sharpshooter Annie Oakley is hired by Nate Salsbury to be a part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West. Read more
- 1877 — Russo-Turkish War: The Russian Empire declares war on the Ottoman Empire. Read more
- 1837 — The great fire in Surat, India causes more than 500 deaths and destruction of more than 9,000 houses. Read more
- 1800 — The United States Library of Congress is established when President John Adams signs legislation to appropriate $5,000 to purchase "such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress". Read more
- 1793 — French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat is acquitted by the Revolutionary Tribunal of charges brought by the Girondin in Paris. Read more
- 1704 — The first regular newspaper in British Colonial America, The Boston News-Letter, is published. Read more
- 1558 — Mary, Queen of Scots, marries the Dauphin of France, François, at Notre-Dame de Paris. Read more
- 1547 — Battle of Mühlberg. Duke of Alba, commanding Spanish-Imperial forces of Charles I of Spain, defeats the troops of Schmalkaldic League. Read more
- 934 — Abbasid Caliph Al-Qahir is deposed and blinded. His nephew al-Radi succeeds him as caliph. Read more
- 858 — Consecration of Pope Nicholas I following the death of Pope Benedict III earlier that month. Read more
- 1183 BC — Traditional reckoning of the Fall of Troy marking the end of the legendary Trojan War, given by chief librarian of the Library of Alexandria Eratosthenes, among others. Read more
- 1479 BC — Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th dynasty). Read more
Born on April 24
- 1999 — Ziyu He, Chinese violinist Read more
- 1999 — Jerry Jeudy, American football player Read more
- 1998 — Ryan Newman, American actress Read more
- 1997 — Lydia Ko, New Zealand golfer Read more
- 1997 — Veronika Kudermetova, Russian tennis player Read more
- 1996 — Ashleigh Barty, Australian tennis player Read more
- 1995 — Kehlani, American singer-songwriter Read more
- 1994 — Jordan Fisher, American singer, dancer, and actor Read more
- 1994 — Caspar Lee, British-South African YouTuber Read more
- 1993 — Ben Davies, Welsh international footballer Read more
- 1992 — Laura Kenny, English cyclist Read more
- 1992 — Jack Quaid, American actor Read more
- 1991 — Sigrid Agren, French-Swedish model Read more
- 1991 — Morgan Ciprès, French figure skater Read more
- 1991 — Batuhan Karadeniz, Turkish footballer Read more
- 1990 — Kim Tae-ri, South Korean actress Read more
- 1990 — Jan Veselý, Czech basketball player Read more
- 1989 — Elīna Babkina, Latvian basketball player Read more
- 1989 — David Boudia, American diver Read more
- 1989 — Taja Mohorčič, Slovenian tennis player Read more
- 1987 — Ben Howard, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Read more
- 1987 — Kris Letang, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1987 — Rein Taaramäe, Estonian cyclist Read more
- 1987 — Jan Vertonghen, Belgian international footballer Read more
- 1987 — Varun Dhawan, Indian actor Read more
- 1986 — Aaron Cunningham, American baseball player Read more
- 1985 — Mike Rodgers, American sprinter Read more
- 1983 — Hanna Melnychenko, Ukrainian heptathlete Read more
- 1982 — Kelly Clarkson, American singer-songwriter, talk show host Read more
- 1982 — David Oliver, American hurdler Read more
- 1982 — Simon Tischer, German volleyball player Read more
- 1981 — Taylor Dent, American tennis player Read more
- 1981 — Yuko Nakanishi, Japanese swimmer Read more
- 1980 — Fernando Arce, Mexican footballer Read more
- 1980 — Karen Asrian, Armenian chess player (died 2008) Read more
- 1979 — Avey Tare, American musician Read more
- 1978 — Diego Quintana, Argentine footballer Read more
- 1977 — Carlos Beltrán, Puerto Rican-American baseball player Read more
- 1977 — Diego Placente, Argentine footballer Read more
- 1976 — Hedda Berntsen, Norwegian skier Read more
Died on April 24
- 2026 — Dirk Kempthorne, American businessman and politician, 49th United States Secretary of the Interior (born 1951) Read more
- 2025 — Roy Phillips, British musician (born 1941) Read more
- 2024 — Bob Cole, Canadian sports announcer (born 1933) Read more
- 2024 — Terry Hill, Australian rugby league player (born 1972) Read more
- 2024 — Donald Payne Jr., American politician (born 1958) Read more
- 2024 — Mike Pinder, British musician (born 1941) Read more
- 2023 — Wang Xiaolong, Chinese Coast guardsman (born 1995) Read more
- 2022 — Andrew Woolfolk, American saxophonist (born 1950) Read more
- 2017 — Robert Pirsig, American author and philosopher (born 1928) Read more
- 2016 — Tommy Kono, American weightlifter and coach (born 1930) Read more
- 2015 — Władysław Bartoszewski, Polish journalist and politician, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1922) Read more
- 2014 — Hans Hollein, Austrian architect, designed Haas House (born 1934) Read more
- 2014 — Sandy Jardine, Scottish footballer and manager (born 1948) Read more
- 2014 — Shobha Nagi Reddy, Indian politician (born 1968) Read more
- 2014 — Tadeusz Różewicz, Polish poet and playwright (born 1921) Read more
- 2011 — Sathya Sai Baba, Indian guru and philanthropist (born 1926) Read more
- 2008 — Jimmy Giuffre, American clarinet player, and saxophonist, and composer (born 1921) Read more
- 2006 — Brian Labone, English footballer (born 1940) Read more
- 2006 — Moshe Teitelbaum, Romanian-American rabbi and author (born 1914) Read more
- 2005 — Ezer Weizman, Israeli general and politician, 7th President of Israel (born 1924) Read more
- 2005 — Fei Xiaotong, Chinese sociologist and academic (born 1910) Read more
- 2004 — José Giovanni, French-Swiss director and producer (born 1923) Read more
- 2004 — Estée Lauder, American businesswoman, co-founded Estée Lauder Companies (born 1906) Read more
- 2003 — Nüzhet Gökdoğan, Turkish astronomer and mathematician (born 1910) Read more
- 2002 — Lucien Wercollier, Luxembourgish sculptor (born 1908) Read more
- 2001 — Josef Peters, German racing driver (born 1914) Read more
- 2001 — Johnny Valentine, American wrestler (born 1928) Read more
- 1997 — Allan Francovich, American director and producer (born 1941) Read more
- 1997 — Pat Paulsen, American comedian and activist (born 1927) Read more
- 1997 — Eugene Stoner, American engineer, designed the AR-15 rifle (born 1922) Read more
- 1995 — Lodewijk Bruckman, Dutch painter (born 1903) Read more
- 1993 — Oliver Tambo, South African lawyer and activist (born 1917) Read more
- 1993 — Tran Duc Thao, Vietnamese philosopher and theorist (born 1917) Read more
- 1986 — Wallis Simpson, American socialite, Duchess of Windsor, wife of the former King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, Duke of Windsor (born 1896) Read more
- 1984 — Rafael Pérez y Pérez, Spanish author (born 1891) Read more
- 1983 — Erol Güngör, Turkish sociologist, psychologist, and academic (born 1938) Read more
- 1983 — Rolf Stommelen, German racing driver (born 1943) Read more
- 1982 — Ville Ritola, Finnish runner (born 1896) Read more
- 1980 — Alejo Carpentier, Swiss-Cuban musicologist and author (born 1904) Read more
- 1976 — Mark Tobey, American-Swiss painter and educator (born 1890) Read more
Holidays & observances
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day (Armenia, California, France); Christian feast day:
Benedict Menni; Christian feast day:
Dermot of Armagh; Christian feast day:
Dyfnan of Anglesey; Christian feast day:
Ecgberht of Ripon; Christian feast day:
Elizabeth Hesselblad; Christian feast day:
Fidelis of Sigmaringen; Christian feast day:
Gregory of Elvira; Christian feast day:
Ivo of Ramsey; Christian feast day:
Johann Walter (Lutheran); Christian feast day:
Mary of Clopas; Christian feast day:
Mary Euphrasia Pelletier; Christian feast day:
Mellitus; Christian feast day:
Salome (disciple); Christian feast day:
Wilfrid (Catholic Church and Church of England); Christian feast day:
William Firmatus; Christian feast day:
April 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Concord Day (Niger); Democracy Day (Nepal); Fashion Revolution Day, and its related observances:
Labour Safety Day (Bangladesh, proposed); National Panchayati Raj Day (India); Republic Day (The Gambia); World Day for Laboratory Animals
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “April 24”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.