On This Day

Discover events that happened On This Day including famous birthdays and notable deaths. Each day we highlight famous people, past and present, who have impacted our world. Browse sections by selecting the links below or click the calendar to view events on another day.

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February 17

February 17

Events on This Day

1801

212 years ago
The U.S. House of Representatives elects Thomas Jefferson as president to break the tie between him and Aaron Burr, who then becomes vice president.

Read more at History.com
1966

47 years ago
The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson begins recording "Good Vibrations," which goes on to become the band's third number one hit single.
1992

21 years ago
Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer is sentenced to life in prison.
2011

2 years ago
Libyan protestors use social networking sites to organize a "day of rage" against dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi.

February 17

Born on This Day

- In these groups:
- Million-Dollar Ideas
- Famous University of North Carolina Alumni
- Celebrity Golfers
Michael Jordan

Basketball Player / 1963 -

Michael Jordan is a former American basketball player who led the Bulls to six national championships and earned the NBA Most Valuable Player Award five times.

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Michael Jordan
Born: February 17, 1963
Age: 50 years old
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Occupation: Basketball Player
- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Black Activists
- Famous Civil Rights Activists
Huey P. Newton

Civil Rights Activist / 1942 - 1989

Huey P. Newton was an African-American activist best known for founding the militant Black Panther Party in 1966, along with co-founder Bobby Seale.

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Huey P. Newton
1942 | 47 years old
Civil Rights Activist
- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Singers
- Famous People Named Margaret
Margaret Truman

Singer, Writer / 1924 - 2008

Margaret Truman, daughter of Harry Truman, became a singer and writer in her own right.

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Margaret Truman
1924 | 83 years old
Singer, Writer
- In these groups:
- Best Supporting Actress Oscar Winners
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Actresses
Brenda Fricker

Film Actress / 1945 -

Brenda Fricker won an Oscar for her work in My Left Foot, as the mother of a gifted boy inflicted with cerebral palsy.

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Brenda Fricker
Born: February 17, 1945
Age: 68 years old
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Occupation: Film Actress
- In these groups:
- Famous People Involved in Sex Scandals
- Celebrities With Court-side Seats
- Celebrities and Their Fast Cars
Paris Hilton

Reality Television Star / 1981 -

Paris Hilton is best known as the Heiress and Reality star that courts regular media attention for her socialite lifestyle and short-lived romances.

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Paris Hilton
1981 | 32 years old
Reality Television Star
- In these groups:
- Elementals
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Actors
Lou Diamond Phillips

Film Actor / 1962 -

Lou Diamond Phillips is an actor best known for his his work in films such as La Bamba, Stand and Deliver, and Young Guns.

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Lou Diamond Phillips
1962 | 51 years old
Film Actor

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February 17

Died on This Day

- In these groups:
- Wild West
- Famous Military Leaders
- Famous People Born in 1829
Geronimo

Warrior / 1829 - 1909

Geronimo was a Bedonkohe Apache leader of the Chiricahua Apache, who led his people's defense of their homeland against the military might of the United States.

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Geronimo
Died: February 17, 1909
Age: 79 years old
Place: Fort Sill, Oklahoma , United States
Occupation: Warrior
- In these groups:
- Famous Jazz Musicians
- Famous Libras
- Famous Pianists
Thelonious Monk

Songwriter, Pianist / 1917 - 1982

Thelonious Monk is one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time and one of first creators of modern jazz.

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Thelonious Monk
1982 | 64 years old
Songwriter, Pianist
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Actors
- Famous Theater Actors
Moliere

Theater Actor, Playwright / 1622 - 1673

Moliere was a renowned 17th century French dramatist, actor, director and all-around artist known for his innovative stage comedies.

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Moliere
1673 | 51 years old
Theater Actor, Playwright

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- In these groups:
- Fitness Gurus
- Famous Aquarians
- Reality TV Stars
Jillian Michaels

Entrepreneur, Reality Television Star / 1974 -

A high-profile trainer and life coach, Jillian Michaels starred on the reality TV show The Biggest Loser and has created her own fitness franchise.

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Jillian Michaels
February 18, 1974
Reality Television Star
- In these groups:
- Fantastic Facial Hair
- Famous Pisceans
- Famous Military Leaders
Álvaro Obregón

Military Leader, World Leader / 1880 - 1928

Álvaro Obregón was a statesman, soldier and reformer who, as president, restored order to Mexico after a decade of political upheavals and civil war.

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Álvaro Obregón
February 19, 1880
World Leader
- In these groups:
- Famous Pisceans
- Famous Architects
- Famous People Named Louis
Louis I. Kahn

Architect / 1901 - 1974

Louis Kahn was an architect whose buildings made him one of the most discussed architects to emerge after World War II.

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Louis I. Kahn
February 20, 1901
Architect
- In these groups:
- Fantastic Facial Hair
- Famous Pisceans
- Famous People Named José
José Zorrilla

Playwright, Poet / 1817 - 1893

Spanish poet and dramatist José Zorrilla, a major figure of the nationalist wing of the Spanish Romantic movement, made his name with verse leyendas (legends).

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José Zorrilla
February 21, 1817
Poet

Famous Aquarians

- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Engineers
- Famous Chemists
Lisa Perez Jackson

Civil Servant, Engineer, Chemist / 1962 -

Lisa Perez Jackson is a chemical engineer who in 2008 became the first African American to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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Lisa Perez Jackson
February 8, 1962
Civil Servant, Engineer, Chemist
- In these groups:
- Fitness Gurus
- Famous Aquarians
- Reality TV Stars
Jillian Michaels

Entrepreneur, Reality Television Star / 1974 -

A high-profile trainer and life coach, Jillian Michaels starred on the reality TV show The Biggest Loser and has created her own fitness franchise.

See full bio
Jillian Michaels
February 18, 1974
Entrepreneur, Reality Television Star

See other Aquarians