What are the important events that happened on April 20? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
April 20: Facts & Myths About This Day
April 20 is the 111st day of the year 2020 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 255 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Monday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is April 7, 2020 – a Monday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 440,928 hours has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘hectadecahenagon’ day.
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Aries is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Diamond is the modern birthstone for this month. Opal is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 298 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 2,677 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
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April 20 Historical Events
- 1453 –The last naval battle in Byzantine history occurs, as three Genoese galleys escorting a Byzantine transport fight their way through the huge Ottoman blockade fleet and into the Golden Horn.
- 1689 –The former King James II of England, now deposed, lays siege to Derry.
- 1861 –American Civil War: Robert E. Lee resigns his commission in the United States Army in order to command the forces of the state of Virginia.
- 1908 –Opening day of competition in the New South Wales Rugby League.
- 1916 –The Chicago Cubs play their first game at Weeghman Park (currently Wrigley Field), defeating the Cincinnati Reds 7-6 in 11 innings.
- 1939 –Billie Holiday records the first Civil Rights song “Strange Fruit”.
- 1961 –Failure of the Bay of Pigs Invasion of US-backed troops against Cuba.
- 1968 –English politician Enoch Powell makes his controversial Rivers of Blood speech.
- 1986 –Pianist Vladimir Horowitz performs in his native Russia for the first time in 61 years.
- 1998 –German terrorist group the Red Army Faction announces their dissolution after 28 years.
Who were born on April 20?
- 1650 –William Bedloe, English informer (d. 1680)
- 1896 –Henry de Montherlant, French writer (d. 1972)
- 1928 –Gerald S. Hawkins, English astronomer (d. 2003)
- 1942 –Arto Paasilinna, Finnish writer
- 1946 –Julien Poulin, French Canadian actor
- 1961 –Don Mattingly, American baseball player
- 1967 –Raymond van Barneveld, Dutch darts player
- 1970 –Shemar Moore, American actor
- 1975 –Benjamin Butler (artist), painter
- 1987 –John Patrick Amedori, American actor
Who died on April 20?
- 1643 –Christoph Demantius, German composer (b. 1567)
- 1831 –John Abernethy, English surgeon (b. 1764)
- 1874 –Alexander H. Bailey, American politician (b. 1817)
- 1932 –Giuseppe Peano, Italian mathematician (b. 1858)
- 1951 –Ivanoe Bonomi, Prime Minister of Italy (b. 1873)
- 1991 –Don Siegel, American film director (b. 1912)
- 1999 –Eric David Harris, perpetrator of the Columbine High massacre (b. 1981)
- 1999 –Rick Rude, American professional wrestler (b. 1958)
- 2003 –Bernard Katz, German-born biophysicist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1911)
- 2011 –Chris Hondros, American photographer (b. 1970)
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