Login
Login

February 4

{{pp-move}}

{{pp-pc}}

{{calendar}}

{{This date in recent years}}

{{Day}}

Events

=Pre–1600=

  • 211 – Following the death of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus at Eboracum (modern York, England) while preparing to lead a campaign against the Caledonians, the empire is left in the control of his two quarrelling sons, Caracalla and Geta, whom he had instructed to make peace.{{cite book|first=Anthony R|last=Birley|author-link=Anthony Birley|title=Septimius Severus: The African Emperor|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z8iEAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT238|date=1 June 2002|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-70745-4|pages=238}}
  • 960 – Zhao Kuangyin declares himself Emperor Taizu of Song, ending the Later Zhou and beginning the Song dynasty.{{cite book|last=Lorge|first=Peter|title=The Reunification of China: Peace through War under the Song Dynasty|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5C7uCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT18|access-date=3 February 2018|date=31 December 2015|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9781316432273|pages=4–5}}
  • 1169 – A strong earthquake strikes the Ionian coast of Sicily, causing tens of thousands of injuries and deaths, especially in Catania.{{cite book|first=Ugo|last=Falcando|title=The History of the Tyrants of Sicily by "Hugo Falcandus," 1154–69|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LlkpnG1iAEwC&pg=PA216|year=1998|publisher=Manchester University Press|isbn=978-0-7190-5435-8|pages=216}}
  • 1454 – Thirteen Years' War: The Secret Council of the Prussian Confederation sends a formal act of disobedience to the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, sparking the Thirteen Years' War.{{cite book|last=Prtuz|first=Hans|translator-last=Wright|translator-first=John Henry|title=The Age of Renaissance. Vol. X: A History of All Nations|location=New York|publisher=Lea Brothers & Company|date=1905|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Iws6AQAAIAAJ|page=234|postscript=none}}; {{cite book|last=Sedlar|first=Jean W.|title=A History of East Central Europe. Vol. 3: East Central Europe in the Middle Ages, 1000–1500|location=Seattle|publisher=University of Washington Press|date=2014|isbn=9780295972916|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3o5lrvuwOVwC|page=294}}
  • 1555 – John Rogers is burned at the stake, becoming the first English Protestant martyr under Mary I of England.{{cite book|last=Loach|first=Jennifer|title=Parliament and the Crown in the Reign of Mary Tudor|location=Oxford|publisher=Clarendon Press|date=1986|isbn=9780198229360|page=128}}

=1601–1900=

  • 1703 – In Edo (now Tokyo), all but one of the Forty-seven Ronin commit seppuku (ritual suicide) as recompense for avenging their master's death.{{cite book|last=Coffey|first=Thomas M.|title=Imperial Tragedy: Japan in World War II, the First Days and the Last|location=New York|publisher=World Publishing Co.|date=1971|oclc=713931898|pages=214–215}}
  • 1758 – The city of Macapá in Brazil is founded by Sebastião Veiga Cabral.
  • 1789 – George Washington is unanimously elected as the first President of the United States by the U.S. Electoral College.{{cite book|first1=Merrill|last1=Jensen|author-link1=Merrill Jensen|first2=Lucy Trumbull|last2=Brown|first3=Robert A.|last3=Becker|title=The Documentary History of the First Federal Elections, 1788–1790|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rklx9c7MJFoC&pg=PR15|year=1976|publisher=Univ of Wisconsin Press|isbn=978-0-299-10650-8|pages=15}}
  • 1794 – The French legislature abolishes slavery throughout all territories of the French First Republic.{{cite book|first=Filip|last=Batselé|title=Liberty, Slavery and the Law in Early Modern Western Europe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4tHHDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA53|publisher=Springer Nature|isbn=978-3-030-36855-5|pages=53|year=2020}} It would be reestablished in the French West Indies in 1802.
  • 1797 – The Riobamba earthquake strikes Ecuador, causing up to 40,000 casualties.{{cite book|title=The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal: Exhibiting a View of the Progressive Discoveries and Improvements in the Sciences and the Arts|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=avgyAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA293|year=1837|pages=293}}
  • 1801 – John Marshall is sworn in as Chief Justice of the United States.
  • 1810 – Napoleonic Wars: Britain seizes Guadeloupe.
  • 1820 – The Chilean Navy under the command of Lord Cochrane completes the two-day long Capture of Valdivia with just 300 men and two ships.
  • 1825 – The Ohio Legislature authorizes the construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal and the Miami and Erie Canal.{{cite book|last1=Huntington|first1=C.C.|last2=McClelland|first2=C.P.|title=History of the Ohio Canals: Their Construction, Cost, Use and Partial Abandonment|location=Columbus, Ohio|publisher=Press of F.J. Heer|date=1905|oclc=7004707|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UC9AAAAAIAAJ|page=18}}
  • 1846 – The first Mormon pioneers make their exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois, westward towards Salt Lake Valley.
  • 1859 – The Codex Sinaiticus is discovered in Egypt.{{cite book|first=Calvin Ellis|last=Stowe|author-link=Calvin Ellis Stowe|title=Origin and History of the Books of the Bible|url=https://archive.org/details/originhistoryofb02stow|year=1868|publisher=Denison|pages=[https://archive.org/details/originhistoryofb02stow/page/72 72]}}
  • 1861 – American Civil War: In Montgomery, Alabama, delegates from six breakaway U.S. states meet and initiate the process that would form the Confederate States of America on February 8.
  • 1899 – The Philippine–American War begins when four Filipino soldiers enter the "American Zone" in Manila, igniting the Battle of Manila.{{cite book|last=Nickeson|first=Dawn Ottevaere|chapter=Philippine Islands, U.S. Acquisition of|title=The Encyclopedia of the Spanish–American and Philippine–American Wars: A Political, Social, and Military History|editor-last=Tucker|editor-first=Spencer|location=Santa Barbara, Calif.|publisher=ABC-CLIO|date=2009|isbn=9781851099511|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8V3vZxOmHssC|page=491}}

=1901–present=

Births

=Pre–1600=

  • 1447 – Lodovico Lazzarelli, Italian poet (died 1500){{cite book|author=Ludovico Lazzarelli|title=Lodovico Lazzarelli (1447–1500): The Hermetic Writings and Related Documents|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iqx9AAAAMAAJ|date=1 January 2005|publisher=Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies|isbn=978-0-86698-324-2|page=309}}
  • 1495 – Francesco II Sforza, Duke of Milan (died 1535){{cite book|author=Julia Mary Cartwright Ady|title=Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan and Lorraine, 1522–1590|url=https://archive.org/details/christinaofdenma01adyj|year=1913|publisher=J. Murray|page=[https://archive.org/details/christinaofdenma01adyj/page/72 72]}}
  • 1495 – Jean Parisot de Valette, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller (died 1568)
  • 1505 – Mikołaj Rej, Polish poet and author (died 1580){{cite book|author=Columbia University. Klub Polski|title=The Wayside Willow: Prose and Verse|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0wEjAAAAMAAJ|year=1945|publisher=White Eagle Publishing Company|page=41}}
  • 1575 – Pierre de Bérulle, French cardinal and theologian, founded the French school of spirituality (died 1629)

=1601–1900=

  • 1646 – Hans Erasmus Aßmann, German poet and politician (died 1699)Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie - online version at Wikisource
  • 1677 – Johann Ludwig Bach, German violinist and composer (died 1731)
  • 1688 – Pierre de Marivaux, French author and playwright (died 1763){{EB1911|wstitle= Marivaux, Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de | volume= 17 |last1= Saintsbury |first1= George |author1-link= George Saintsbury | pages = 726–727 |short=1}}
  • 1725 – Dru Drury, English entomologist and author (died 1804){{cite ODNB|author=von Hayek, C.M.F.|title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|year=2004|chapter=Drury, Dru (1725–1804)|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/8093}}
  • 1740 – Carl Michael Bellman, Swedish poet and composer (died 1795){{cite web |url=http://www.bellman.org/index.php/om-bellman-och-hans-verk/biografi | title=Carl Michael Bellmans liv och verk. En minibiografi (The Life and Works of Carl Michael Bellman. A Short Biography) |language=sv |publisher=The Bellman Society |access-date=25 April 2015}}
  • 1778 – Augustin Pyramus de Candolle, Swiss botanist, mycologist, and academic (died 1841)
  • 1799 – Almeida Garrett, Portuguese journalist and author (died 1854)
  • 1803 – Antonija Höffern, Slovenian noblewoman (died 1871){{Cite web |last=Glonar |first=Joža |date=2013 |title=Höffern, Antonija, pl. (1803–1871) |url=https://www.slovenska-biografija.si/oseba/sbi233529/ |access-date=May 5, 2023 |website=Slovenian Biographical Lexicon |publisher=Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts |language=sl}}
  • 1818 – Emperor Norton, San Francisco eccentric and visionary (died 1880){{cite web|title=Encyclopedia of San Francisco: Emperor Norton |publisher=San Francisco Museum and Historical Society |first=Peter |last=Moylan |url=http://www.sfhistoryencyclopedia.com/articles/n/nortonJoshua.html |access-date=April 17, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070223023720/http://www.sfhistoryencyclopedia.com/articles/n/nortonJoshua.html |archive-date=February 23, 2007 }}
  • 1831 – Oliver Ames, American financier and politician, 35th Governor of Massachusetts (died 1895)
  • 1848 – Jean Aicard, French poet, author, and playwright (died 1921)
  • 1849 – Jean Richepin, French poet, author, and playwright (died 1926)
  • 1862 – Édouard Estaunié, French novelist (died 1942)
  • 1865 – Abe Isoo, Japanese minister and politician (died 1949)
  • 1868 – Constance Markievicz, Irish revolutionary and first woman elected to the UK House of Commons (died 1927)
  • 1869 – Bill Haywood, American labor organizer (died 1928){{Cite book |title=The Autobiography of Big Bill Haywood |last=Haywood |first=William D. |author-link=Bill Haywood |location=New York |publisher=International Publishers |url=https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofb00whay |page=8 |date=1974 |isbn=9780717800117 |orig-date=original publication 1929 |quote=I was born on the fourth of February, 1869, before a railroad spanned the continent.}}
  • 1871 – Friedrich Ebert, German lawyer and politician, first President of Germany (died 1925)
  • 1872 – Gotse Delchev, Bulgarian and Macedonian revolutionary activist (died 1903)
  • 1873 – Étienne Desmarteau, Canadian shot putter and discus thrower (died 1905)
  • 1875 – Ludwig Prandtl, German physicist and engineer (died 1953)
  • 1877 – Eddie Cochems, American football player and coach (died 1953)
  • 1881 – Eulalio Gutiérrez, Mexican general and politician, President of Mexico (died 1939)
  • 1881 – Fernand Léger, French painter and sculptor (died 1955)
  • 1881 – Kliment Voroshilov, Soviet politician and Marshal of the Soviet Union, People's Commissar for Defence (died 1969){{Cite web |title=Ворошилов Климент Ефремович |url=https://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=1089 |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=www.warheroes.ru}}
  • 1883 – Reinhold Rudenberg, German-American inventor and a pioneer of electron microscopy (died 1961)
  • 1891 – M. A. Ayyangar, Indian lawyer and politician, second Speaker of the Lok Sabha (died 1978)
  • 1892 – E. J. Pratt, Canadian poet and academic (died 1964)
  • 1893 – Raymond Dart, Australian paleoanthropologist (died 1988){{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/23/obituaries/raymond-a-dart-is-dead-at-95-leader-in-study-of-human-origins.html|work=New York Times|title=Raymond Dart Obiturary|date=23 November 1988 |access-date=2024-02-07 |last1=Wilford |first1=John Noble }}
  • 1895 – Nigel Bruce, English actor (died 1953)
  • 1896 – Friedrich Glauser, Austrian-Swiss author (died 1938)
  • 1896 – Friedrich Hund, German physicist and academic (died 1997)
  • 1897 – Ludwig Erhard, German soldier and politician, second Chancellor of West Germany (died 1977)
  • 1899 – Virginia M. Alexander, American physician and founder of the Aspiranto Health Home (died 1949)
  • 1900 – Jacques Prévert, French poet and screenwriter (died 1977){{cite book|author=Jacques Prévert|title=Jacques Prevert|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1wdyEgDGqO0C&pg=PA17|year=1989|publisher=Ardent Media|pages=17}}

=1901–present=

  • 1902 – Charles Lindbergh, American pilot and explorer (died 1974){{cite book|author=Kathi R. Jones|title=Memorializations and Dedications of Kelly Air Force Base, Texas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kJjfAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA47|year=1999|publisher=Office of History, San Antonio Air Logistics Center, Kelly Air Force Base|pages=47}}
  • 1902 – Hartley Shawcross, Baron Shawcross, German-English lawyer and politician, Attorney General for England and Wales (died 2003)
  • 1903 – Alexander Imich, Polish-American chemist, parapsychologist, and academic (died 2014)
  • 1904 – MacKinlay Kantor, American author and screenwriter (died 1977){{cite book |last1= Kidd|first1= Robin L.|editor1-first= Philip A.|editor1-last= Greasley|title= Dictionary of Midwestern Literature|volume=One: The Authors |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZnuYKJSoHCMC&pg=PP1|access-date= June 27, 2010|year= 2001 |publisher= Indiana University Press|location= Bloomington, IN|isbn= 978-0-253-33609-5 |pages= 251|chapter= MacKinlay Kantor|chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZnuYKJSoHCMC&pg=PA292 }}
  • 1904 – Deng Yingchao, Chinese politician, Chairwoman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (died 1968){{Cite news |date=1992-07-12 |title=Deng Yingchao, a Party Leader And Widow of Zhou, Dies at 88 (Published 1992) |work=The New York Times |language=en |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/12/world/deng-yingchao-a-party-leader-and-widow-of-zhou-dies-at-88.html |access-date=2023-08-04}}
  • 1905 – Hylda Baker, English comedian, actress and music hall performer (died 1986)
  • 1906 – Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German pastor and theologian (died 1945){{cite book |last1=Gruchy |first1=John W. de |title=The Cambridge Companion to Dietrich Bonhoeffer |date=13 May 1999 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-58781-5 |page=24 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cZYM1TE0O-UC&pg=PA24 |language=en}}
  • 1906 – Letitia Dunbar-Harrison, Irish librarian (died 1994){{Cite book|title=The curious case of the Mayo librarian|last=Walsh|first=Pat|date=2009|publisher=Mercier Press|isbn=9781856356152|location=Cork|pages=78|language=en|oclc = 301894338}}
  • 1906 – Clyde Tombaugh, American astronomer and academic, discovered Pluto (died 1997)
  • 1908 – Julian Bell, English poet and academic (died 1937)
  • 1912 – Ola Skjåk Bræk, Norwegian banker and politician, Norwegian Minister of Industry (died 1999)
  • 1912 – Erich Leinsdorf, Austrian-American conductor (died 1993)
  • 1912 – Byron Nelson, American golfer and sportscaster (died 2006){{cite web |title=Famous birthdays for Feb. 4: Alice Cooper, Hannibal Buress |url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2023/02/04/Famous-birthdays-for-Feb-4-Alice-Cooper-Hannibal-Buress/5121675384439/#:~:text=3%3A00%20AM-,Feb.,under%20the%20sign%20of%20Aquarius. |publisher=UPI |access-date=3 February 2024 |date=4 February 2023}}
  • 1913 – Rosa Parks, American civil rights activist (died 2005){{cite book|author=Jan Onofrio|title=Alabama Biographical Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S3GLWEaxpVYC&pg=PA254|date=1 January 1998|publisher=Somerset Publishers, Inc.|isbn=978-0-403-09811-8|pages=254}}
  • 1914 – Alfred Andersch, German-Swiss author and publisher (died 1980)
  • 1915 – William Talman, American actor and screenwriter (died 1968)
  • 1915 – Norman Wisdom, English comedian, actor and singer-songwriter (died 2010){{cite ODNB|title=Wisdom, Sir Norman Joseph (1915–2010), comedian and actor|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-103354|access-date=16 February 2022|year=2014 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/103354|isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 |last1=Double |first1=Oliver }}
  • 1917 – Yahya Khan, Pakistan general and politician, third President of Pakistan (died 1980)
  • 1918 – Ida Lupino, English-American actress and director (died 1995)
  • 1918 – Luigi Pareyson, Italian philosopher and author (died 1991)
  • 1920 – Janet Waldo, American actress and voice artist (died 2016)
  • 1921 – Betty Friedan, American author and feminist (died 2006){{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/05/national/05friedan.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5090&en=30472e5004a66ea3&ex=1296795600 |first=Margalit |last=Fox |date=February 5, 2006 |title=Betty Friedan, who ignited cause in 'Feminine Mystique,' dies at 85 |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 2, 2010}}
  • 1921 – Lotfi Zadeh, Iranian-American mathematician and computer scientist and founder of fuzzy logic (died 2017)
  • 1922 – Bhimsen Joshi, Indian vocalist of the Hindustani classical music tradition (died 2011){{cite news|title=Bharat Ratna Bhimsen Joshi|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/bharat-ratna-bhimsen-joshi/238862|publisher=Outlook India|access-date=5 November 2008}}
  • 1923 – Conrad Bain, Canadian-American actor (died 2013)
  • 1925 – Russell Hoban, American author and illustrator (died 2011){{cite news | journal = The Daily Telegraph | title = Russell Hoban | date = December 14, 2011 | access-date = December 14, 2011 | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/8957017/Russell-Hoban.html | location=London}}
  • 1925 – Stanley Karnow, American journalist and historian (died 2013)
  • 1925 – Christopher Zeeman, English mathematician and academic (died 2016)
  • 1926 – Gyula Grosics, Hungarian footballer and manager (died 2014)
  • 1927 – Rolf Landauer, German-American physicist and academic (died 1999)
  • 1928 – Oscar Cabalén, Argentinian racing driver (died 1967)
  • 1928 – Osmo Antero Wiio, Finnish journalist, academic, and politician (died 2013)
  • 1929 – Jerry Adler, American actor, director, and producer
  • 1929 – Paul Burlison, American musician (died 2003)
  • 1929 – Neil Johnston, American basketball player (died 1978){{cite web |title=Neil Johnston|url=http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/neil-johnston/|publisher=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Athletics|access-date=8 February 2020}}
  • 1930 – Tibor Antalpéter, Hungarian volleyball player and diplomat, Hungarian Ambassador to the United Kingdom (died 2012)
  • 1930 – Arthur E. Chase, American businessman and politician (died 2015)
  • 1930 – Jim Loscutoff, American basketball player and coach (died 2015)
  • 1931 – Isabel Perón, Argentinian dancer and politician, 41st President of Argentina
  • 1932 – Robert Coover, American novelist (died 2024){{Cite news |last=Williams |first=John |date=October 6, 2024 |title=Robert Coover, Inventive Novelist in Iconoclastic Era, Dies at 92 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/06/books/robert-coover-dead.html |access-date=October 7, 2024 |work=The New York Times}}
  • 1935 – Wallis Mathias, Pakistani cricketer (died 1994)
  • 1935 – Martti Talvela, Finnish opera singer (died 1989)
  • 1935 – Collin Wilcox, American actress (died 2009)
  • 1936 – David Brenner, American comedian, actor, and author (died 2014)
  • 1936 – Gary Conway, American actor
  • 1936 – Claude Nobs, Swiss businessman, founded the Montreux Jazz Festival (died 2013)
  • 1937 – Birju Maharaj, Indian dancer, composer, singer and exponent of the Lucknow "Kalka-Bindadin" Gharana of Kathak dance (died 2022){{cite web|date=18 January 2022|title=How Pandit Birju Maharaj always stayed alive to sights, sounds, and sentiments of the present|url=https://www.firstpost.com/art-and-culture/how-pandit-birju-maharaj-always-stayed-alive-to-sights-sounds-and-sentiments-of-the-present-10295401.html|access-date=19 January 2022|website=Firstpost|language=en}}
  • 1937 – David Newman, American director and screenwriter (died 2003)
  • 1938 – Frank J. Dodd, American businessman and politician, president of the New Jersey Senate (died 2010)
  • 1939 – Stan Lundine, American lawyer and politician, Lieutenant Governor of New York{{cite book|title=The New York red book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kFMkAQAAIAAJ|year=1993|publisher=Williams Press|page=36}}
  • 1940 – George A. Romero, American director and producer (died 2017)
  • 1940 – John Schuck, American actor
  • 1941 – Russell Cooper, Australian politician, 33rd Premier of Queensland
  • 1941 – Ron Rangi, New Zealand rugby player (died 1988)
  • 1941 – Jiří Raška, Czech skier and coach (died 2012)
  • 1941 – John Steel, English musician and songwriter
  • 1943 – Alberto João Jardim, Portuguese journalist and politician, second President of the Regional Government of Madeira
  • 1943 – Wanda Rutkiewicz, Lithuanian-Polish mountaineer (died 1992)
  • 1943 – Ken Thompson, American computer scientist and programmer, co-developed the B programming language
  • 1944 – Florence LaRue, American singer and actress
  • 1944 – Alan Shields, American artist and ship captain (died 2005){{cite book |last1= Brienza|first1= Jill|last2= Halbreich|first2= Kathy|last3= Ratcliff|first3= Carter|last4= Shields|first4= Jason|last5= Weselk|first5= Victoria|last6= Zuckerman|first6= Heidi|author-link= |date= 2016 |title= Alan Shields Protracted Simplicity|url= |location= Aspen, CO|publisher= Aspen Art Press|page= |isbn=978-0-934324-74-8}}
  • 1947 – Dennis C. Blair, American admiral and politician, third Director of National Intelligence
  • 1947 – Dan Quayle, American sergeant, lawyer, and politician, 44th Vice President of the United States
  • 1948 – Alice Cooper, American singer-songwriter{{cite web |last1=Rose |first1=Mike |title=Today's famous birthdays list for February 4, 2023 includes celebrities Alice Cooper, Natalie Imbruglia |url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/02/todays-famous-birthdays-list-for-february-4-2023-includes-celebrities-alice-cooper-natalie-imbruglia.html |website=The Plain Dealer |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=3 February 2024 |date=4 February 2023}}
  • 1948 – Mienoumi Tsuyoshi, Japanese sumo wrestler
  • 1949 – Michael Beck, American actor
  • 1949 – Rasim Delić, Bosnian general (died 2010)
  • 1951 – Patrick Bergin, Irish actor
  • 1952 – Lisa Eichhorn, American actress, writer, and producer
  • 1952 – Jenny Shipley, New Zealand politician, Prime Minister of New Zealand{{cite web |title=Jennifer Shipley |url=https://www.britannica.com/explore/100women/profiles/jennifer-shipley |website=Britannica Presents 100 Women Trailblazers |access-date=28 July 2021 |language=en |date=27 February 2020}}
  • 1952 – Thomas Silverstein, American criminal and prisoner (died 2019)
  • 1955 – Mikuláš Dzurinda, Slovak politician, Prime Minister of Slovakia
  • 1957 – Matthew Cobb, British zoologist and author{{citation | title= Births registered in January, February and March, 1957: COA-COC | page= 232 | publisher= General Register Office for England and Wales }}
  • 1958 – Tomasz Pacyński, Polish journalist and author (died 2005)
  • 1959 – Christian Schreier, German footballer and manager
  • 1959 – Lawrence Taylor, American football player{{cite web |title=Lawrence Taylor |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/lawrence-taylor/ |publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame |access-date=26 January 2023}}
  • 1960 – Siobhan Dowd, English author and activist (died 2007){{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/siobhan-dowd-462781.html |title=Siobhan Dowd: Rising star of children's literature |author=Tucker, Nicholas |newspaper=The Independent |date=24 August 2007 |access-date=16 December 2009 }}
  • 1960 – Jonathan Larson, American lyricist, composer, and playwright (died 1996){{cite news |url= https://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/jonathan-larson/ |title= Jonathan Larson {{pipe}} the Stars {{pipe}} Broadway: The American Musical {{pipe}} PBS }}
  • 1961 – Denis Savard, Canadian ice hockey player and coach{{Ice hockey stats|legendsm=P200002}}
  • 1962 – Clint Black, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
  • 1962 – Vern Fleming, American basketball player{{cite web |title=Vern Fleming |url=https://www.nba.com/stats/player/313/career |publisher=National Basketball Association |access-date=3 February 2024}}
  • 1963 – Noodles, American musician and songwriter
  • 1963 – Pirmin Zurbriggen, Swiss skier
  • 1964 – Elke Philipp, German Paralympic equestrian{{cite web |title=Elke Philipp – Team Deutschland Paralympics |url=https://www.teamdeutschland-paralympics.de/de/athleten/detail/a_action/show/a_athletes/elke-philipp-174.html |website=www.teamdeutschland-paralympics.de |access-date=17 March 2020 |language=de}}
  • 1965 – Jerome Brown, American football player (died 1992)
  • 1966 – Viatcheslav Ekimov, Russian cyclist
  • 1967 – Sergei Grinkov, Russian figure skater (died 1995)
  • 1970 – Gabrielle Anwar, English-American actress
  • 1970 – Hunter Biden, American attorney and lobbyist{{cite web |last1=Phelps |first1=Jordyn |last2=Saenz |first2=Arlette |title=Hunter Biden Denies Ashley Madison Account Using His Email Address Belongs to Him |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/hunter-biden-denies-ashley-madison-account-belongs/story?id=33301506 |publisher=ABC News |access-date=26 January 2023 |date=25 August 2015}}
  • 1971 – Rob Corddry, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1971 – Michael A. Goorjian, American actor, director, and writer
  • 1972 – Giovanni, Brazilian footballer and manager
  • 1972 – Dara Ó Briain, Irish comedian and television host
  • 1973 – Oscar De La Hoya, American boxer
  • 1975 – Natalie Imbruglia, Australian singer-songwriter and actress
  • 1976 – Cam'ron, American rapper and actor{{cite web |last1=Be Allah |first1=Sha |title=Happy Birthday to the Dipset General Cam'ron! |url=https://thesource.com/2022/02/04/happy-birthday-to-the-dipset-general-camron/ |publisher=The Source |access-date=26 January 2023 |date=4 February 2022}}
  • 1977 – Gavin DeGraw, American singer-songwriter
  • 1979 – Giorgio Pantano, Italian racing driver
  • 1980 – Raimonds Vaikulis, Latvian basketball player
  • 1981 – Jason Kapono, American basketball player{{Basketballstats|bbr=k/kaponja01}}
  • 1981 – Johan Vansummeren, Belgian cyclist
  • 1982 – Ivars Timermanis, Latvian basketball player
  • 1983 – Hannibal Buress, American comedian and actor
  • 1983 – Rebecca White, Australian politician{{cite web |url=https://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/history/members/white760.html |title=Rebecca White |publisher=Parliament of Tasmania |access-date=9 February 2023}}
  • 1984 – Doug Fister, American baseball player{{cite web |title=Doug Fister |url=https://www.mlb.com/player/doug-fister-450729 |publisher=Major League Baseball |access-date=3 February 2024}}
  • 1984 – Mauricio Pinilla, Chilean footballer
  • 1986 – Maximilian Götz, German racing driver
  • 1986 – Mahmudullah Riyad, Bangladeshi cricketer{{cricinfo|ref=ci/content/player/56025.html|check-wikidata=no|name=Mahmudullah Riyad}}
  • 1987 – Darren O'Dea, Irish footballer{{NFT|21460}}
  • 1987 – Lucie Šafářová, Czech tennis player
  • 1988 – Charlie Barnett, American actor
  • 1988 – Carly Patterson, American gymnast and singer{{Cite web|url=https://usagym.org/pages/athletes/archivedbios/p/cpatterson.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111120004942/http://usagym.org/pages/athletes/archivedbios/p/cpatterson.pdf |archive-date=2011-11-20 |url-status=live|title=Fact Sheet: Carly Patterson|publisher=USA Gymnastics|access-date=2016-07-18}}
  • 1989 – Lavoy Allen, American basketball player{{cite web |title=Lavoy Allen |url=https://www.nba.com/stats/player/202730/career |publisher=National Basketball Association |access-date=3 February 2024}}
  • 1996 – Mohamed Sherif, Egyptian footballer{{cite web |url=https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce71/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf |title=FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2022: List of Players: Al Ahly SC |publisher=FIFA |page=1 |date=7 February 2023 |access-date=18 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212205323/https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce71/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf |archive-date=12 February 2023 |url-status=live }}
  • 1998 – Malik Monk, American basketball player{{cite web |title=Malik Monk |url=https://www.nba.com/player/1628370/malik-monk |publisher=National Basketball Association |access-date=3 February 2024}}
  • 1998 – Maximilian Wöber, Austrian footballer
  • 2003 – Kyla Kenedy, American actress
  • 2003 – Rasmus Højlund, Danish footballer{{Cite web|title=Rasmus Højlund|url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/122934/Rasmus-H%C3%B8jlund/overview|website=Premier League|access-date=4 February 2024}}

Deaths

=Pre–1600=

=1601–1900=

  • 1615 – Giambattista della Porta, Italian playwright and scholar (born 1535)
  • 1617 – Lodewijk Elzevir, Dutch publisher, co-founded the House of Elzevir (born 1546)
  • 1713 – Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury, English philosopher and politician (born 1671)
  • 1774 – Charles Marie de La Condamine, French mathematician and geographer (born 1701)
  • 1781 – Josef Mysliveček, Czech composer (born 1737){{cite book |last1=Greene |first1=David Mason |last2=Green |first2=Constance |title=Greene's Biographical Encyclopedia of Composers |date=1985 |publisher=Reproducing Piano Roll Fnd. |isbn=978-0-385-14278-6 |page=357 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m3S7PIxe0mwC&pg=PA357 |language=en}}
  • 1799 – Étienne-Louis Boullée, French architect and educator (born 1728)
  • 1843 – Theodoros Kolokotronis, Greek general (born 1770)
  • 1891 – Pelagio Antonio de Labastida y Dávalos, Roman Catholic archbishop and Mexican politician who served as regent during the Second Mexican Empire (born 1816){{cite web|url=http://www.arquidiocesisdepuebla.mx/index.php/arquidiocesis/obispos-y-arzobispos/obispos/43-excmo-sr-don-pelagio-antonio-de-lavastida|title=Excmo. Sr. Don Pelagio Antonio de Labastida y Dávalos (1855–1863)|publisher=Arquidiocesis de Puebla|language=es|access-date=May 29, 2019|archive-date=May 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529225354/http://www.arquidiocesisdepuebla.mx/index.php/arquidiocesis/obispos-y-arzobispos/obispos/43-excmo-sr-don-pelagio-antonio-de-lavastida|url-status=dead}}

=1901–present=

  • 1905 – Louis-Ernest Barrias, French sculptor and academic (born 1841)
  • 1912 – Franz Reichelt, French tailor and inventor (born 1878){{Cite web |last=Paoletti |first=Gabe |date=2021-10-04 |title=The Sad Story Of The Inventor Who Died Testing His Parachute At The Eiffel Tower |url=https://allthatsinteresting.com/franz-reichelt |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=All That's Interesting |language=en-US}}
  • 1926 – İskilipli Âtıf Hodja, Turkish author and scholar (born 1875)
  • 1928 – Hendrik Lorentz, Dutch physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1853)
  • 1933 – Archibald Sayce, English linguist and educator (born 1846)
  • 1936 – Wilhelm Gustloff, German-Swiss soldier, founded Swiss NSDAP/AO (born 1895){{Cite web|url=https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/david-frankfurter/i-kill-a-nazi-gauleitermemoir-of-a-jewish-assassin/|title = I Kill a Nazi Gauleiter: Memoir of a Jewish Assassin|date = February 1950}}
  • 1940 – Nikolai Yezhov, Russian police officer and politician (born 1895)
  • 1943 – Frank Calder, English-Canadian ice hockey player and journalist (born 1877)
  • 1944 – Arsen Kotsoyev, Russian author and translator (born 1872)
  • 1956 – Savielly Tartakower, Russian-French chess player, journalist, and author (born 1887)
  • 1958 – Henry Kuttner, American author and screenwriter (born 1915)
  • 1959 – Una O'Connor, Irish-American actress (born 1880)
  • 1968 – Neal Cassady, American novelist and poet (born 1926)
  • 1970 – Louise Bogan, American poet and critic (born 1897)
  • 1974 – Satyendra Nath Bose, Indian physicist, mathematician, and academic (born 1894)
  • 1975 – Louis Jordan, American singer-songwriter and saxophonist (born 1908)
  • 1982 – Alex Harvey, Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1935)
  • 1982 – Georg Konrad Morgen, German lawyer and judge (born 1909)
  • 1983 – Karen Carpenter, American singer (born 1950)
  • 1987 – Liberace, American singer-songwriter and pianist, (born 1919)
  • 1987 – Meena Keshwar Kamal, Afghan activist, founded the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (born 1956){{cite book|first=Deborah|last=Ellis|title=Women of the Afghan War|location=Westport|publisher=Praeger|year=2000|page=xvii|isbn=978-0-27596-617-1}}
  • 1987 – Carl Rogers, American psychologist and academic (born 1902)
  • 1990 – Whipper Billy Watson, Canadian-American wrestler and trainer (born 1915)
  • 1992 – John Dehner, American actor (born 1915)
  • 1995 – Patricia Highsmith, American novelist and short story writer (born 1921)
  • 2000 – Carl Albert, American lawyer and politician, 54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (born 1908)
  • 2002 – Count Sigvard Bernadotte of Wisborg (born 1907)
  • 2003 – Benyoucef Benkhedda, Algerian pharmacist and politician (born 1920)
  • 2004 – Hilda Hilst, Brazilian poet, novelist, and playwright (born 1930){{Cite web |date=4 February 2004 |title=Morre a escritora Hilda Hilst |trans-title=Writer Hilda Hilst dies |url=https://www.estadao.com.br/cultura/morre-a-escritora-hilda-hilst/ |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522182546/https://www.estadao.com.br/cultura/morre-a-escritora-hilda-hilst/ |archive-date=22 May 2023 |access-date=22 May 2023 |website=Estadão |language=pt-br}}
  • 2005 – Ossie Davis, American actor, director, and playwright (born 1917)
  • 2006 – Betty Friedan, American author and activist (born 1921)
  • 2007 – José Carlos Bauer, Brazilian footballer and manager (born 1925)
  • 2007 – Ilya Kormiltsev, Russian-English poet and translator (born 1959)
  • 2007 – Barbara McNair, American singer and actress (born 1934)
  • 2007 – Jules Olitski, Ukrainian-American painter and sculptor (born 1922)
  • 2007 – Alfred Worm, Austrian journalist, author, and academic (born 1945){{Cite web |title=NEWS Publisher Alfred Worm Is Dead |url=http://www.guj.de/en/press/press-releases/news-publisher-alfred-worm-is-dead/ |last=Adler |first=Alexander |date=4 February 2007 |publisher=Gruner + Jahr |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025231914/http://www.guj.de/en/press/press-releases/news-publisher-alfred-worm-is-dead/ |archive-date=25 October 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=4 December 2021}}
  • 2008 – Augusta Dabney, American actress (born 1918)
  • 2008 – Stefan Meller, Polish academic and politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland (born 1942)
  • 2010 – Kostas Axelos, Greek-French philosopher and author (born 1924)
  • 2010 – Helen Tobias-Duesberg, Estonian-American composer (born 1919)
  • 2011 – Martial Célestin, Haitian lawyer and politician, first Prime Minister of Haiti (born 1913)
  • 2012 – István Csurka, Hungarian journalist and politician (born 1934)
  • 2012 – Florence Green, English soldier (born 1901)
  • 2012 – Robert Daniel, American farmer, soldier, and politician (born 1936)
  • 2012 – Mike deGruy, American director, producer, and cinematographer (born 1951)
  • 2012 – Susanne Suba, Hungarian-born watercolorist and illustrator, active in the United States (born 1913){{cite web |title=Suba, Susanne, 1913-2012 |url=https://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w6dj6c9x |publisher=SNAC Cooperative |access-date=January 30, 2023}}
  • 2013 – Donald Byrd, American trumpet player (born 1932)
  • 2013 – Reg Presley, English singer-songwriter (born 1941)
  • 2014 – Keith Allen, Canadian-American ice hockey player, coach, and manager (born 1923)
  • 2014 – Eugenio Corti, Italian soldier, author, and playwright (born 1921)
  • 2014 – Dennis Lota, Zambian footballer (born 1973)
  • 2015 – Fitzhugh L. Fulton, American colonel and pilot (born 1925)
  • 2016 – Edgar Mitchell, American captain, pilot, and astronaut (born 1930)
  • 2017 – Steve Lang, Canadian bass player (born 1949)
  • 2017 – Bano Qudsia, Pakistani writer (born 1928)
  • 2018 – John Mahoney, English-American actor, voice artist, and comedian (born 1940){{cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/02/john-mahoney-dead |title=John Mahoney, Beloved Frasier Father, Dies at 77|magazine=Vanity Fair|date= February 5, 2018}}
  • 2019 – Matti Nykänen, Finnish Olympic-winning ski jumper and singer (born 1963){{Cite news |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/troubled_finnish_ski_jumping_legend_matti_nykanen_dead_at_55/10629072 |title=Troubled Finnish ski jumping legend Matti Nykänen dead at 55 |date=2019-02-04 |work=Yle News |access-date=2019-02-08 |language=en}}
  • 2020 – Daniel arap Moi, Former President of Kenya (born 1924){{Cite news|date=2020-02-04|title=Obituary: Daniel arap Moi, former Kenyan president|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27498749|access-date=2021-01-02}}
  • 2021 – Millie Hughes-Fulford, American astronaut, molecular biologist and NASA payload specialist (born 1945){{cite web |url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-020421a-millie-hughes-fulford-payload-specialist-obituary.html |title=Millie Hughes-Fulford, first female payload specialist in space, dies |website=collectspace.com |access-date=9 February 2023}}
  • 2022 – Kim In-hyeok, South Korean volleyball player (born 1995){{cite news|last=Park|first=Sang-eun|script-title=ko:남자프로배구 김인혁 사망…경찰 "범죄 혐의점 없어"|url=https://www.kmib.co.kr/article/view.asp?arcid=0016737765|access-date=November 1, 2024|work=Kukmin Ilbo|date=February 5, 2022|language=ko}}
  • 2023 – Vani Jairam, Indian playback singer (born 1945){{cite news |title=Padma Bhushan awardee Vani Jairam dies at 77 in Chennai, D Imman says 'can't accept the hard-hitting reality' |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/music/padma-bhushan-awardee-vani-jairam-dies-at-77-in-chennai-d-imman-says-can-t-accept-the-hard-hitting-reality-101675506331070.html |date=4 February 2023 |access-date=5 February 2023 |work=Hindustan Times}}
  • 2023 – Sherif Ismail, 53rd Prime Minister of Egypt (born 1955){{cite web |url=https://see.news/president-sisi-mourns-death-of-former-pm-sherif-ismail |title=President Sisi Mourns Death of Former PM Sherif Ismail |work=See.news |date=4 February 2023 |access-date=9 February 2023}}
  • 2024 – Barry John, Welsh rugby player (born 1945){{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68170605 |title=Barry John: Legendary Wales and Lions fly-half dies aged 79 |work=See.news |date=4 February 2024 |access-date=4 February 2024}}
  • 2025 – Aga Khan IV, 49th Imam of the Nizari Isma'ili community (born 1936){{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Nathan |date=2025-02-05 |title=Aga Khan: Billionaire and spiritual leader dies at 88 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9vmlk4rzzjo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250205040429/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9vmlk4rzzjo |archive-date=2025-02-05 |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}

Holidays and observances

==References==

{{reflist}}

External links

{{commons}}

  • [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/4 BBC: On This Day]
  • {{NYT On this day|month=2|day=4}}
  • [https://www.onthisday.com/events/february/4 Historical Events on February 4]

{{months}}

Category:Days of February