1990 – Mikhail Gorbachev becomes President of the Soviet Union
His economic and political reforms, as well as his advocacy of free speech, strengthened pro-democracy movements in other Eastern European countries and ultimately led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War.
1985 – The world's first internet domain name is registered
symbolics.com was registered by the Symbolics Computer Corporation of Massachusetts. There are over 1 billion domains today.
1972 – Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather is premiered
The gangster movie based on Mario Puzo's novel is one of the most popular films of all time.
1917 – The last emperor of Russia abdicates
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia abdicated following the February Revolution. He was later executed together with his family and some of his servants.
1895 – Enrico Caruso makes his stage debut
The Italian tenor is arguably the most famous opera singer of all time.
1979 – Kevin Youkilis
American baseball player
1975 – Eva Longoria
American actress, producer
1947 – Ry Cooder
American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer
1907 – Zarah Leander
Swedish actress, singer
1638 – Shunzhi Emperor
of China
2008 – Mikey Dread
Jamaican singer-songwriter, producer
2001 – Ann Sothern
American actress
1983 – Rebecca West
English journalist, author
1938 – Nikolai Bukharin
Russian politician
1937 – H. P. Lovecraft
American writer
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