What happened on October 2? There are more than 263 events that were made this day in history. Here are the important historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
Interesting Facts & Myths About October 2
October 2 is the 276th day of the year 2024. There are 90 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Wednesday. This day falls under the 40th week of the year 2024.
On this day in Coffee Creek, Montana 59424 sunrise will occur at 07:20 AM and sunset will occur at 06:58 PM (local time).
The zodiac sign of a person born on this day is Libra. The modern birthstone for this month is Opal while the mystical birthstone is Jasper.
According to the Chinese calendar, there are 119 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year (January 29, 2025).
Is your birthday coming up in two days? Are you not curious to find out who is sharing your special day? Discover all the April 21 famous birthdays. There are fun facts about that day that you must know. (Sponsored link)
Historical Events For October 2
- 1187Siege of Jerusalem: Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule.
- 1263The battle of Largs is fought between Norwegians and Scots.
- 1535Jacques Cartier discovers Montreal, Quebec.
- 1552Conquest of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible.
- 1780John André, British Army officer of the American Revolutionary War, is hanged as a spy by American forces.
- 1789George Washington sends the proposed Constitutional amendments (The United States Bill of Rights) to the States for ratification.
- 1814Battle of Rancagua: Spanish Royalists troops under Mariano Osorio defeated rebel Chilean forces of Bernardo O'Higgins and Jose Miguel Carrera.
- 1835The Texas Revolution begins with the Battle of Gonzales: Mexican soldiers attempt to disarm the people of Gonzales, Texas, but encounter stiff resistance from a hastily assembled militia.
- 1864American Civil War: Battle of Saltville – Union forces attack Saltville, Virginia, but are defeated by Confederate troops.
- 1889In Colorado, Nicholas Creede strikes it rich in silver during the last great silver boom of the American Old West.
- 1919U.S. President Woodrow Wilson suffers a massive stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed.
- 1924The Geneva Protocol is adopted as a means to strengthen the League of Nations.
- 1925John Logie Baird performs the first test of a working television system.
- 1928The “Prelature of the Holy Cross and the Work of God”, commonly known as Opus Dei, is founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá.
- 1937Dominican Republic strongman Rafael Trujillo orders the execution of the Haitian population living within the borderlands; approximately 20,000 are killed over the next five days.
- 1941World War II: In Operation Typhoon, Germany begins an all-out offensive against Moscow.
- 1944World War II: German troops end the Warsaw Uprising.
- 1950Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz is first published
- 1958Guinea declares its independence from France.
- 1959The anthology series The Twilight Zone premieres on CBS television.
- 1967Thurgood Marshall is sworn in as the first African-American justice of United States Supreme Court.
- 1968A peaceful student demonstration in Mexico City culminates in the Tlatelolco massacre.
- 1970A plane carrying the Wichita State University football team, administrators, and supporters crashes in Colorado killing 31 people.
- 1990Xiamen Airlines Flight 8301 is hijacked; after landing at Guangzhou, it crashes into two airliners on the ground, killing 132 people.
- 1992The Carandiru Massacre takes place after a riot in the Carandiru Penitentiary in São Paulo, Brazil.
- 1996Aeroperú Flight 603, a Boeing 757, crashes into the Pacific Ocean shortly after takeoff from Lima, Peru, killing 70.
- 1996The Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments are signed by U.S. President Bill Clinton.
- 2001NATO backs U.S. military strikes following 9/11.
- 2001Swissair liquidates and the airline is replaced by SWISS.
- 2002The Beltway sniper attacks begin, extending over three weeks.
- 2005Ethan Allen Boating Accident: The Ethan Allen tour boat capsizes on Lake George in Upstate New York, killing twenty people.
- 2006Five school girls are murdered by Charles Carl Roberts in a shooting at an Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania before Roberts commits suicide.
- 2007President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea walks across the Military Demarcation Line into North Korea on his way to the second Inter-Korean Summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
Who Were Born On October 2?
- 1452King Richard III of England (d. 1485)
- 1470Isabella of Naples, Duchess of Milan (d. 1524)
- 1538Saint Charles Borromeo, Italian cardinal (d. 1584)
- 1644François-Timoléon de Choisy, French writer (d. 1724)
- 1722Leopold Widhalm, Austrian luthier (d. 1776)
- 1737Francis Hopkinson, signer of the United States Declaration of Independence (d. 1791)
- 1768William Carr Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford, British general and politician (d. 1854)
- 1798King Charles Albert of Sardinia (d. 1849)
- 1800Nat Turner, American slave and slave rebellion figure (d. 1831)
- 1828Charles Floquet, French statesman (d. 1896)
- 1832Edward Burnett Tylor, English anthropologist (d. 1917)
- 1833William Corby, American Catholic priest (d. 1897)
- 1847Paul von Hindenburg, German officer and politician (d. 1934)
- 1851Ferdinand Foch, French soldier (d. 1929)
- 1852Sir William Ramsay, Scottish chemist (d. 1916)
- 1869Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Indian independence movement figure (d. 1948)
- 1871Cordell Hull, American statesman, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (d. 1955)
- 1871Martha Brookes Hutcheson, American landscape architect (d. 1959)
- 1873Plum Warner, English cricketer (d. 1963)
- 1873Stephen Warfield Gambrill, American politician (d. 1924)
- 1879Wallace Stevens, American poet (d. 1955)
- 1882Boris Shaposhnikov, Russian military commander (d. 1945)
- 1883Karl Terzaghi, Austrian-American engineer (d. 1963)
- 1890Groucho Marx, American comedian and actor (d. 1977)
- 1893Leroy Shield, American film score and radio composer (Our Gang, Laurel and Hardy) (d. 1962)
- 1895Bud Abbott, American comedian and actor (d. 1974)
- 1895Ruth Cheney Streeter, American military officer, first director of the United States Marine Corps Women’s Reserve (d. 1990)
- 1901Alice Prin, French singer and artist (d. 1953)
- 1902John G. Crommelin, American naval officer and white supremacist figure (d. 1996)
- 1902Leopold Figl, Austrian politician (d. 1965)
- 1904Graham Greene, British novelist (d. 1991)
- 1904Lal Bahadur Shastri, Prime Minister of India (d. 1966)
- 1907Alexander R. Todd, Baron Todd, Scottish chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1997)
- 1907Víctor Paz Estenssoro, Bolivian politician (d. 2001)
- 1911Jack Finney, American author (d. 1995)
- 1913Karl Miller, German footballer (d. 1967)
- 1914Bernarr Rainbow, English historian of music education, and choir master (d. 1998)
- 1914John Whiteside Parsons, American rocket scientist, author, and occultist (d. 1952)
- 1915Chubby Wise, American bluegrass fiddler (d. 1996)
- 1917Charles Drake, American actor (d. 1994)
- 1917Christian de Duve, English-born biologist, Nobel laureate
- 1919John W. Duarte, British composer, guitarist and writer (d. 2004)
- 1921Albert Scott Crossfield, American test pilot (d. 2006)
- 1921Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 2000)
- 1926Jan Morris, English writer
- 1928George “Spanky” McFarland, American actor (d. 1993)
- 1928Wolfhart Pannenberg, German theologian
- 1929Cesare Maestri, Italian mountain climber
- 1929Howard Roberts, American Jazz musician (d. 1992)
- 1929Moses Gunn, American actor (d. 1993)
- 1929Peter Bronfman, Canadian businessman (d. 1996)
- 1930Dave Barrett, Premier of British Columbia
- 1932Maury Wills, American baseball player
- 1933Dave Somerville, co-founder and original lead singer of vocal group The Diamonds
- 1933Michel Plasson, French conductor
- 1933Phill Niblock, American composer, filmmaker and videographer
- 1934Earl Wilson, American baseball player (d. 2005)
- 1935Omar Sivori, Argentine football player (d. 2005)
- 1935Peter Frankl, classical pianist
- 1936Dick Barnett, American basketball player
- 1937Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., American attorney (d. 2005)
- 1938Rex Reed, American movie critic and actor
- 1938Waheed Murad, Pakistani film actor and director (d. 1983)
- 1940Gheorghe Gruia, Romanian handball player
- 1940Pantelis Voulgaris, Greek film director and screenwriter
- 1941Zareh Baronian, Armenian theologian
- 1943Franklin Rosemont, American artist
- 1945Don McLean, American songwriter
- 1946Eric Peterson, Canadian actor
- 1946Jo-El Sonnier, American singer-songwriter and accordionist
- 1946Marie-Georges Pascal, French actress (d. 1985)
- 1946Sonthi Boonyaratglin, Thai military officer
- 1948Avery Brooks, American actor
- 1948Chris LeDoux, American musician and rodeo performer (d. 2005)
- 1948Donna Karan, American fashion designer
- 1948Siim Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia
- 1948Trevor Brooking, English footballer
- 1949Annie Leibovitz, American photographer
- 1949Richard Hell, American musician
- 1950Ian McNeice, English actor
- 1950Mike Rutherford, English musician (Genesis)
- 1950Persis Khambatta, Indian actress (d. 1998)
- 1951Romina Power, Italian singer
- 1951Sting, English musician and actor
- 1952Jan Svejnar, Czech politician
- 1952Robin Riker, American actress
- 1952Wahed Wafa, Afghan singer
- 1953Vanessa Bell Armstrong, American gospel singer
- 1954Lorraine Bracco, American actress
- 1955Phil Oakey, English singer (The Human League)
- 1956Charlie Adler, American voice actor
- 1956Freddie Jackson, US soul singer
- 1957Dave Faulkner (musician), Australian rock musician
- 1957Kate St John, English musician, vocalist, composer, record producer, and arranger
- 1957Wade Dooley, English rugby union player
- 1958Wayne Toups, Cajun singer-songwriter
- 1960Al Connelly, Canadian Musician/Songwriter
- 1960Dereck Whittenburg, American college basketball player and coach
- 1960Django Bates, jazz musician, composer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader
- 1960Glenn Anderson, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1960Lothar Schlapp, German footballer
- 1960Robbie Nevil, American singer and songwriter
- 1962Aziz M. Osman, Malaysian actor and director
- 1962Claude V. McKnight III, American Jazz, R&B, and Gospel Music Singer
- 1962James Hunter, English singer
- 1962Jeff Bennett, American voice actor
- 1962Mark Rypien, American football player
- 1962Sigtryggur Baldursson, Icelandic drummer (The Sugarcubes)
- 1964Dirk Brinkmann, German field hockey player
- 1964Sam Bockarie, Sierra Leone Civil War figure (d. 2003)
- 1966Rodney Anoa'i, Samoan-American professional wrestler (d. 2000)
- 1967Bud Gaugh, American musician (Sublime)
- 1967Frankie Fredericks, Namibian athlete
- 1967Gillian Welch, American singer and songwriter
- 1967Lew Temple, American actor
- 1967Thomas Muster, Austrian tennis player
- 1968Glen Wesley, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1968Jana Novotná, Czech tennis player
- 1968Jeff Martin, Canadian singer/songwriter (The Tea Party)
- 1968Kelly Willis, American country music singer-songwriter
- 1968Victoria Derbyshire, British radio presenter
- 1969Damon Gough, English singer
- 1969Jun Akiyama, Japanese professional wrestler
- 1969Mitch English, American actor
- 1970Eddie Guardado, American baseball relief pitcher
- 1970Kelly Ripa, American actress
- 1970Maribel Verdú, Spanish actress
- 1970Patricia O'Callaghan, Canadian singer
- 1971James Root, American guitarist (Slipknot)
- 1971Tiffany, American singer
- 1972Aaron McKie, American basketball player
- 1972Tara Dawn Holland, Miss America 1997
- 1973Efren Ramirez, American actor
- 1973Lene Nystrøm Rasted, Norwegian singer (Aqua)
- 1973Maria Wetterstrand, Swedish politician
- 1973Melissa Harris-Perry, American professor & author
- 1973Proof, American rapper (D12) (d. 2006)
- 1973Scott Schoeneweis, American baseball player
- 1973Verka Serduchka, Ukrainian entertainer
- 1974Brian Knight, Umpire in Major League Baseball
- 1974Kevin Van De Wege, American Politician
- 1974Mark Porter, New Zealand racing driver (d. 2006)
- 1974Michelle Krusiec, American actress
- 1974Paul Teutul Jr., American custom motorcycle builder
- 1974Sam Roberts, Canadian singer and songwriter
- 1974Simon Gregson, British actor
- 1975Argyro Strataki, Greek heptathlete
- 1975Hrysopiyi Devetzi, Greek triple jump athlete
- 1976Anita Kulcsár, Hungarian handball player (d. 2005)
- 1976John Thornton, American football player
- 1976Mandisa, American singer
- 1978Ayumi Hamasaki, Japanese singer
- 1979Arta Dobroshi, Kosovar actress
- 1979Francisco Fonseca, Mexican footballer
- 1979Maja Ivarsson, Swedish singer (The Sounds)
- 1979Primož Brezec, Slovenian basketball player
- 1980Shane Andrus, American football player
- 1981Luke Wilkshire, Australian footballer
- 1982Amber Lee Ettinger, American actress
- 1982George Pettit, Canadian singer (Alexisonfire)
- 1982Tyson Chandler, American basketball player
- 1984Marion Bartoli, French tennis player
- 1985Brandon Jackson, American football player
- 1985Buster Davis, American football player
- 1986Camilla Belle, American actress
- 1987Joel Reinders, American football offensive tackle player
- 1987Phil Kessel, American ice hockey player
- 1990Dean Bouzanis, Australian footballer
- 1990Samantha Barks, Manx singer and actress
Who Died On October 2?
- 939Gilbert, Duke of Lorraine
- 1559Jacquet of Mantua, French composer (b. 1483)
- 1626Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, conde de Gondomar, Spanish diplomat (b. 1567)
- 1629Antonio Cifra, Italian composer (b. 1584)
- 1629Pierre de Bérulle, French cardinal and statesman (b. 1575)
- 1708Anne-Jules, 2nd duc de Noailles, French general (b. 1650)
- 1709Ivan Mazepa, Hetman of Ukraine (b. 1639)
- 1724François-Timoléon de Choisy, French writer (b. 1644)
- 1746Josiah Burchett, English Secretary of the Admiralty
- 1764William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1720)
- 1775Chiyo-ni, Japanese poet (b. 1703)
- 1780John André, British Army officer (executed) (b. 1750)
- 1782Charles Lee, British and U.S. general (b. 1732)
- 1786Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel, Royal Navy admiral (b. 1725)
- 1803Samuel Adams, American revolutionary leader (b. 1722)
- 1804Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, French steam vehicle pioneer (b. 1725)
- 1817Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov, Russian naval commander and admiral (b. 1744)
- 1850Sarah Biffen, English painter (b. 1784)
- 1853François Jean Dominique Arago, French mathematician (b. 1786)
- 1920Max Bruch, German composer and conductor (b. 1838)
- 1927Svante Arrhenius, Swedish chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1859)
- 1938Alexandru Averescu, Romanian soldier and politician (b. 1859)
- 1947Peter D. Ouspensky, Russian mathematician and philosopher (b. 1878)
- 1962Boris Y. Bukreev, Russian mathematician (b. 1859)
- 1968Marcel Duchamp, French artist (b. 1887)
- 1971Bola de Nieve, Cuban singer, pianist, and songwriter (b. 1911)
- 1973Paavo Nurmi, Finnish runner (b. 1897)
- 1973Paul Hartman, American actor (b. 1904)
- 1974Vasily Shukshin, Russian writer, actor, screenwriter, and director (b. 1929)
- 1975Kumaraswami Kamaraj, Indian political leader, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (b. 1903)
- 1981Harry Golden, American journalist (b. 1902)
- 1981Hazel Scott, West Indian-born singer (b. 1920)
- 1985Rock Hudson, American actor (b. 1925)
- 1987Madeleine Carroll, British-born actress (b. 1906)
- 1987Peter Medawar, Brazilian-born scientist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1915)
- 1988Alec Issigonis, Greek-British car designer, developer of the Mini (b. 1906)
- 1991Demetrios Ι, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (b. 1914)
- 1994Harriet Hilliard Nelson, American actress (b. 1909)
- 1996Andrey Lukanov, Former Bulgarian Prime Minister (1990), shot (b. 1938)
- 1996Robert Bourassa, politician, premier of Quebec (b. 1933)
- 1998Gene Autry, American singer, actor, and entrepreneur (b. 1907)
- 1998Olivier Gendebien, Belgian racing driver (b. 1924)
- 1999Heinz G. Konsalik, German novelist (b. 1921)
- 2001Franz Biebl, German composer (b. 1906)
- 2002Heinz von Foerster, Austrian-born physicist and philosopher (b. 1911)
- 2003John T. Dunlop, U.S. Secretary of Labor (b. 1914)
- 2005August Wilson, American playwright (b. 1945)
- 2005Bert Eriksson, Belgian neo-Nazi (b. 1931)
- 2005Nipsey Russell, American comedian (b. 1918)
- 2006Charles Carl Roberts, American spree killer (b. 1973)
- 2006Helen Chenoweth-Hage, American politician (b. 1938)
- 2006Paul Halmos, Hungarian-born American mathematician (b. 1916)
- 2006Tamara Dobson, American actress (b. 1947)
- 2007Christopher Derrick, British writer (b. 1921)
- 2007Dan Keating, Irish politician (b. 1902)
- 2007Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark (b. 1913)
- 2007Tawn Mastrey, American disc jockey (b. 1954)
- 2007Tex Coulter, American football player (b. 1924)
- 2008Choi Jin-sil, South Korean actress (b. 1968)
- 2008Rob Guest, New Zealand entertainer (b. 1950)
- 2010Kwa Geok Choo, Mrs Lee Kuan Yew (b. 1920)
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