Explore 3063 historical events from 1940–1949.
James Earl Chaney was an American civil rights activist. He was one of three civil rights workers murdered in Philadelphia, Mississippi, by members of the Ku Klux Klan on June 21, …
James Chaney, American civil rights activist (died 1964)
Anders Michanek is a Swedish Speedway rider. In 1974 he won the Speedway World Championship in his Swedish homeland with a maximum score of 15 points. He earned 101 caps for the Sw…
Anders Michanek, Swedish motorcycle racer
Gale Eugene Sayers was an American professional football halfback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). Sayers played for the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1971…
Gale Sayers, American football player and philanthropist (died 2020)
Sharon Marguerite Gless is an American actress known for her television roles. She portrayed Maggie Philbin on Switch (1975–1978), Sgt. Christine Cagney in the police procedural dr…
Sharon Gless, American actress
Joseph William Namath is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, pr…
Joe Namath, American football player, sportscaster, and actor
Orietta Galimberti, known professionally as Orietta Berti, is an Italian folk-pop singer and television personality.
Orietta Berti, Italian singer and actress
Richard Goode is an American classical pianist who is especially known for his interpretations of Mozart and Beethoven.
Richard Goode, American pianist
Anthony Lorraine "Lorrie" Wilmot was a South African first-class cricketer from Cape Province who played from 1960–61 to 1988–89.
Lorrie Wilmot, South African cricketer (died 2004)
Ivi Eenmaa is an Estonian politician.
Ivi Eenmaa, Estonian politician, 36th Mayor of Tallinn
Charles Maurice Haid III is an American actor and television director, with notable work in both movies and television. He is best known for his portrayal of Officer Andy Renko in …
Charles Haid, American actor and director
Crescenzio Sepe is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Naples from 2006 to 2020. He served in the Roman Curia as Prefect of the Congregation for t…
Crescenzio Sepe, Italian cardinal
William John Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid for his leaping and record-setting rebounding abilities. …
Billy Cunningham, American basketball player and coach
John Richard Burgess is an Australian radio and television personality and host. He is often referred to as "Burgo" and sometimes "Baby John Burgess" or "Baby John", nicknames deri…
John Burgess, Australian radio and television host
Sandra Jane Haynie is an American former professional golfer on the LPGA Tour starting in 1961. She won four major championships, 42 LPGA Tour career events, and is a member of the…
Sandra Haynie, American golfer
Tom Jaine is a former restaurateur, a food writer and former publisher of Prospect Books.
Tom Jaine, English author
Abraham Viruthakulangara was an Indian archbishop of Nagpur. He was also the President of the Maharashtra Regional Bishops' Conference.
Abraham Viruthakulangara, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Nagpur, Maharashtra, India (died 2018)
Colin Charles Baker is an English actor. He is known for playing the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who (1984–1986) and Paul Merroney in t…
Colin Baker, English actor
William D. Davenport was an American sprint runner.
Willie Davenport, American hurdler (died 2002)
John Fitzpatrick is a British former racing driver, winning many titles throughout his career. He works within motorsport as a consultant doing corporate events and driver manageme…
John Fitzpatrick, English race car driver
Charles Saatchi is an Iraqi-British businessman and the co-founder, with his brother Maurice, of advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi. The brothers led the business, the world's l…
Charles Saatchi, Iraqi-English businessman, co-founded Saatchi & Saatchi
Sir Simon David Jenkins FLSW is a British author, a newspaper columnist and editor. He was editor of the Evening Standard from 1976 to 1978 and of The Times from 1990 to 1992.
Simon Jenkins, English journalist and author
Richard Errett Smalley was an American chemist who was the Gene and Norman Hackerman Professor of Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy at Rice University. In 1996, along with Robert C…
Richard Smalley, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate in 1996 for chemistry (died 2005)
Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni Jr. was an American poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator. One of the world's best-known African-American poets, her work includes poet…
Nikki Giovanni, American poet, writer and activist (died 2024)
Eldridge Wayne Coleman Jr., better known by his ring name "Superstar" Billy Graham, was an American professional wrestler. He gained recognition for his tenure as the WWWF Heavywei…
"Superstar" Billy Graham, American wrestler (died 2023)