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On This Day in History — October 12

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Highlights of October 12

2013 — Twelve people were killed in an apartment-building collapse (pictured) in Medellín, leading to new construction laws being passed in Colombia. Read more
1992 — An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 or 5.9 struck south of Cairo, Egypt, killing 545 people. Read more
1984 — The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated a bomb at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, England, in a failed attempt to assassinate British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet. Read more
1979 — Typhoon Tip, the largest and most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded, reached a worldwide record-low sea-level pressure of 870 mbar (25.69 inHg) in the western Pacific Ocean. Read more
1978 — While in prison for murder, boxer James Scott defeated Eddie "The Flame" Gregory, a leading light heavyweight. Read more
1960 — Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev reportedly pounded his shoe on a desk during a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in protest at a speech by Philippine delegate Lorenzo Sumulong. Read more
1960 — Japan Socialist Party leader Inejirō Asanuma (pictured) was assassinated during a live television recording by a far-right ultra-nationalist using a short sword. Read more
1946 — Il Canto degli Italiani is adopted as national anthem by the newly formed Italian Republic. Read more
1933 — The United States Department of Justice acquired a military prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, to be transformed into the last-resort Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. Read more
1928 — The iron lung (example pictured), a type of medical ventilator, was used for the first time at the Boston Children's Hospital to treat an eight-year-old girl paralyzed by polio. Read more
1917 — First World War: New Zealand troops suffered more than 2,000 casualties, including more than 800 deaths, in the First Battle of Passchendaele, making it the nation's largest loss of life in one day. Read more
1898 — A statue of Austin Blair (pictured) was dedicated in a ceremony that attracted up to 30,000 people to Lansing, Michigan. Read more
1892 — The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States was first used in public schools to coincide with the opening of the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Read more
1890 — The Uddevalla Suffrage Association was founded in Uddevalla, Sweden, with the purpose of bringing about universal suffrage. Read more
1799 — Jeanne Geneviève Garnerin became the first woman to make a parachute descent, falling 900 metres (3,000 ft) in the gondola of a hot air balloon. Read more
1798 — The Peasants' War began in Overmere, Southern Netherlands, with peasants taking up arms against the French occupiers. Read more
1492 — Believing he had reached the East Indies, Christopher Columbus made landfall on an island in the Caribbean, sparking a series of events that led to the European colonization of the Americas. Read more
1406 — Chen Yanxiang, the only person from Indonesia known to have visited dynastic Korea, reached Seoul four months after leaving Java. Read more

Events

2022 — 2022 Bratislava shooting occurs outside a gay bar, killing 3 (including the perpetrator) and injuring one. Read more
2019 — Typhoon Hagibis makes landfall in Japan, killing 10 and forcing the evacuation of one million people. Read more
2019 — Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya becomes the first person to run a marathon in less than two hours with a time of 1:59:40 in Vienna. Read more
2019 — The Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans, which is under construction, collapses, killing three workers and injuring 30 others. Read more
2017 — The United States announces its decision to withdraw from UNESCO. Israel immediately follows. Read more
2013 — An apartment building collapse in Medellín, Colombia results in the deaths of twelve people. Read more
2012 — The European Union wins the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize. Read more
2010 — The Finnish Yle TV2 channel's Ajankohtainen kakkonen current affairs program airs controversial Homoilta episode (literally "gay night"), which leads to the resignation of almost 50,000 Finns from the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Read more
2005 — The second Chinese human spaceflight, Shenzhou 6, is launched, carrying two cosmonauts in orbit for five days. Read more
2002 — Terrorists detonate bombs in two nightclubs in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, killing 202 and wounding over 200. Read more
2000 — The USS Cole, a US Navy destroyer, is badly damaged by two al-Qaeda suicide bombers, killing 17 crew members and wounding at least 39. Read more
2000 — Two Israeli reservists are lynched by a Palestinian mob at the police station of Ramallah. Read more
1999 — Pervez Musharraf takes power in Pakistan from Nawaz Sharif through a bloodless coup. Read more
1999 — The former Autonomous Soviet Republic of Abkhazia declares its independence from Georgia. Read more
1997 — The Sidi Daoud massacre in Algeria kills 43 people at a fake roadblock. Read more
1996 — New Zealand holds its first general election under the new mixed-member proportional representation system, which led to Jim Bolger's National Party forming a coalition government with Winston Peters's New Zealand First. Read more
1994 — The Magellan spacecraft burns up in the atmosphere of Venus. Read more
1994 — Iran Aseman Airlines Flight 746 crashes near Natanz, Iran, killing all 66 people on board. Read more
1992 — A 5.8 earthquake occurred in Cairo, Egypt. At least 510 died. Read more
1988 — Two officers of the Victoria Police are gunned down execution-style in the Walsh Street police shootings, Australia. Read more
1984 — The Provisional Irish Republican Army fail to assassinate Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet. The bomb kills five people and wounds at least 31 others. Read more
1983 — Japan's former Prime Minister Tanaka Kakuei is found guilty of taking a $2 million bribe from the Lockheed Corporation, and is sentenced to four years in jail. Read more
1979 — Typhoon Tip becomes the largest and most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded. Read more
1977 — Hua Guofeng succeeds Mao Zedong as paramount leader of China. Read more
1976 — Indian Airlines Flight 171 crashes at Santacruz Airport in Bombay, India, killing 95. Read more
1973 — President Nixon nominates House Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford as the successor to Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. Read more
1971 — The 2,500 year celebration of the Persian Empire begins. Read more
1970 — Vietnam War: Vietnamization continues as President Richard Nixon announces that the United States will withdraw 40,000 more troops before Christmas. Read more
1968 — Equatorial Guinea becomes independent from Spain. Read more
1967 — A bomb explodes on board Cyprus Airways Flight 284 while flying over the Mediterranean Sea, killing 66. Read more
1964 — The Soviet Union launches the Voskhod 1 into Earth orbit as the first spacecraft with a multi-person crew, and the first flight without pressure suits. Read more
1963 — After nearly 23 years of imprisonment, Reverend Walter Ciszek, a Jesuit missionary, was released from the Soviet Union. Read more
1962 — The Columbus Day Storm strikes the U.S. Pacific Northwest with record wind velocities. There was at least U.S. $230 million in damages and 46 people died. Read more
1960 — Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev pounds his shoe on a desk at the United Nations to protest a Philippine assertion. Read more
1959 — At the national congress of the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance in Peru, a group of leftist radicals are expelled from the party who later form APRA Rebelde. Read more
1945 — World War II: Desmond Doss is the first conscientious objector to receive the U.S. Medal of Honor. Read more
1945 — The Lao Issara took control of Laos' government and reaffirmed the country's independence. Read more
1944 — World War II: The Axis occupation of Athens comes to an end. Read more
1933 — The military Alcatraz Citadel becomes the civilian Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. Read more
1928 — An iron lung respirator is used for the first time at Boston Children's Hospital. Read more
1918 — A massive forest fire kills 453 people in Minnesota. Read more
1917 — World War I: The First Battle of Passchendaele takes place resulting in the largest single-day loss of life in New Zealand history. Read more
1915 — World War I: British nurse Edith Cavell is executed by a German firing squad for helping Allied soldiers escape from occupied Belgium. Read more
1909 — Foundation of Coritiba Foot Ball Club. Read more
1901 — President Theodore Roosevelt officially renames the "Executive Mansion" to the White House. Read more
1892 — The Pledge of Allegiance is first recited by students in many US public schools. Read more
1890 — Uddevalla Suffrage Association is formed. Read more
1871 — The British in India enact the Criminal Tribes Act, naming many local communities "Criminal Tribes". Read more
1856 — An M 7.7–8.3 earthquake off the Greek island of Crete causes major damage as far as Egypt and Malta. Read more
1849 — The city of Manizales, Colombia, is founded by 'The Expedition of the 20'. Read more
1822 — Pedro I of Brazil is proclaimed the emperor. Read more
1810 — The citizens of Munich hold the first Oktoberfest in celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Louis of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Read more
1799 — Jeanne Geneviève Labrosse becomes the first woman to jump from a balloon with a parachute. Read more
1798 — Flemish and Luxembourgish peasants launch the rebellion against French rule known as the Peasants' War. Read more
1793 — The cornerstone of Old East, the oldest state university building in the United States, is laid at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Read more
1792 — The first celebration of Columbus Day is held in New York City. Read more
1773 — America's first insane asylum opens. Read more
1748 — War of Jenkins' Ear: A British squadron wins a tactical victory over a Spanish squadron off Havana. Read more
1692 — The Salem witch trials are ended by a letter from Province of Massachusetts Bay Governor William Phips. Read more
1654 — The Delft Explosion devastates the city in the Netherlands, killing more than 100 people. Read more

Born on October 12

2004 — Darci Lynne, American ventriloquist Read more
2002 — Iris Apatow, American actress Read more
2001 — Brett Cooper, American political commentator, actress, and social media personality Read more
2000 — Jongho, South Korean singer and actor Read more
2000 — Mia Threapleton, British actress Read more
1999 — Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Irish actor and musician Read more
1997 — Curtis Scott, Australian rugby league player Read more
1996 — James Graham, British singer Read more
1996 — Owen Watkin, Welsh rugby player Read more
1995 — Jessica Hogg, Welsh artistic gymnast Read more
1994 — Sean Monahan, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
1994 — Olivia Smoliga, American swimmer Read more
1993 — Ketel Marte, Dominican baseball player Read more
1993 — Jake McCabe, American ice hockey player Read more
1992 — Josh Hutcherson, American actor and producer Read more
1991 — Nicolao Dumitru, Italian footballer Read more
1990 — Henri Lansbury, English footballer Read more
1989 — Anna Ohmiya, Japanese curler Read more
1988 — Sam Whitelock, New Zealand rugby player Read more
1988 — Calum Scott, British singer Read more
1987 — Marvin Ogunjimi, Belgian footballer Read more
1986 — Ioannis Maniatis, Greek footballer Read more
1986 — Sergio Peter, German footballer Read more
1986 — Cristhian Stuani, Uruguayan footballer Read more
1986 — Tyler Blackburn, American actor Read more
1985 — Michelle Carter, American shot putter Read more
1985 — Mike Green, Canadian hockey player Read more
1985 — Anna Iljuštšenko, Estonian high jumper Read more
1985 — Greig Laidlaw, Scottish rugby player Read more
1985 — Carl Söderberg, Swedish ice hockey player Read more
1983 — Alex Brosque, Australian footballer Read more
1983 — Carlton Cole, English footballer Read more
1983 — Katie Piper, English philanthropist, broadcaster, and acid violence survivor Read more
1983 — Mariko Yamamoto, Japanese cricketer Read more
1981 — Tom Guiry, American actor Read more
1981 — Marcel Hossa, Slovak ice hockey player Read more
1981 — Brian Kerr, Scottish footballer and manager Read more
1981 — Giuseppe Lanzone, American rower Read more
1981 — Brian J. Smith, American actor Read more
1981 — Conrad Smith, New Zealand rugby player Read more

Died on October 12

2026 — RJ Mitte, American actor and producer (born 1992) Read more
2025 — Jackie Burch, American casting director (born 1951) Read more
2024 — Jackmaster, Scottish DJ and record producer (born 1986) Read more
2024 — Ka, American rapper (born 1972) Read more
2024 — Lilly Ledbetter, American activist (born 1938) Read more
2024 — Tito Mboweni, South African politician (born 1959) Read more
2024 — Alvin Rakoff, Canadian film and television director (born 1927) Read more
2024 — Alex Salmond, Scottish economist and politician, First Minister of Scotland (born 1954) Read more
2024 — Baba Siddique, Indian politician (born 1958) Read more
2023 — Luis Garavito, Colombian serial killer (born 1957) Read more
2020 — Conchata Ferrell, American actress (born 1943) Read more
2020 — Roberta McCain, American socialite and oil heiress (born 1912) Read more
2017 — Margarita D'Amico, Venezuelan journalist (born 1938) Read more
2015 — Abdallah Kigoda, Tanzanian politician, 8th Tanzanian Minister of Industry and Trade (born 1953) Read more
2015 — Joan Leslie, American actress, dancer, and vaudevillian (born 1925) Read more
2014 — Ali Mazrui, Kenyan-American political scientist, philosopher, and academic (born 1933) Read more
2014 — Graham Miles, English snooker player (born 1941) Read more
2014 — Roberto Telch, Argentinian footballer and coach (born 1943) Read more
2013 — George Herbig, American astronomer and academic (born 1920) Read more
2013 — Oscar Hijuelos, American author and academic (born 1951) Read more
2013 — Hans Wilhelm Longva, Norwegian diplomat (born 1942) Read more
2013 — Malcolm Renfrew, American chemist and academic (born 1910) Read more
2012 — James Coyne, Canadian lawyer and banker, 2nd Governor of the Bank of Canada (born 1910) Read more
2012 — Norm Grabowski, American hot rod builder and actor (born 1933) Read more
2012 — Sukhdev Singh Kang, Indian judge and politician, 14th Governor of Kerala (born 1931) Read more
2012 — Torkom Manoogian, Iraqi-Armenian patriarch (born 1919) Read more
2012 — Erik Moseholm, Danish bassist, composer, and bandleader (born 1930) Read more
2012 — Břetislav Pojar, Czech animator, director, and screenwriter (born 1923) Read more
2011 — Patricia Breslin, American actress (born 1931) Read more
2011 — Dennis Ritchie, American computer scientist, created the C programming language (born 1941) Read more
2010 — Austin Ardill, Northern Irish soldier and politician (born 1917) Read more
2010 — Woody Peoples, American football player (born 1943) Read more
2010 — Belva Plain, American author (born 1919) Read more
2009 — Dickie Peterson American singer-songwriter and bass player (born 1948) Read more
2009 — Frank Vandenbroucke, Belgian cyclist (born 1974) Read more
2008 — Karl Chircop, Maltese physician and politician (born 1965) Read more
2007 — Kisho Kurokawa, Japanese architect, designed the Nakagin Capsule Tower (born 1934) Read more
2006 — Angelika Machinek, German glider pilot (born 1956) Read more
2006 — Eugène Martin, French race car driver (born 1915) Read more
2006 — Gillo Pontecorvo, Italian director and screenwriter (born 1919) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Domnina of Anazarbus; Christian feast day: Edith Cavell and Elizabeth Fry (Church of England); Christian feast day: Fiacc; Christian feast day: Our Lady of the Pillar (Fiestas del Pilar); Christian feast day: Our Lady of Aparecida; Christian feast day: Blessed Louis Brisson; Christian feast day: Radim Gaudentius (Czech Republic); Christian feast day: Blessed Roman Sitko; Christian feast day: Seraphin of Montegranaro; Christian feast day: Thomas Bullaker; Christian feast day: Wilfrid of Ripon; Christian feast day: Carlo Acutis; Christian feast day: October 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Children's Day (Brazil); Discovery of America by Columbus-related observances (see also October 8): Columbus Day (Honduras); Discovery of America by Columbus-related observances (see also October 8): Día de la Hispanidad or Fiesta Nacional de España, also Armed Forces Day (Spain); Discovery of America by Columbus-related observances (see also October 8): Día de la Raza (El Salvador, Uruguay); Discovery of America by Columbus-related observances (see also October 8): Día de la Resistencia Indígena, "Day of Indigenous Resistance" (Venezuela); Discovery of America by Columbus-related observances (see also October 8): Día de las Américas (Belize); Discovery of America by Columbus-related observances (see also October 8): Día de las Culturas, "Day of the Cultures" (Costa Rica); Discovery of America by Columbus-related observances (see also October 8): Día del Respeto a la Diversidad Cultural, "Day of respect for cultural diversity" (Argentina); Discovery Day (The Bahamas); Feast for Life of Aleister Crowley, celebrated as "Crowleymas" (Thelema); Fiesta Nacional de España (Spain); Hafez Day (Iran) 1; Independence Day (Equatorial Guinea), celebrates the independence of Equatorial Guinea from Spain in 1968.; International Day Against DRM

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