April 1 in history — What Happened Today in History
Curious what April 1 in history holds? From 2026 back through the centuries, our timeline gathers everything that happened on April 1 — events, birthdays and deaths on one cozy page.
On this page, April 1 in history is arranged as a timeline of major events in reverse order, with birthdays and deaths in their own sections, plus a short FAQ about April 1 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on April 1 in History 40
- 2026
The Artemis II lunar flyby mission launches, marking the first crewed flight above low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.
- 2016
The 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict begins along the Nagorno-Karabakh Line of Contact.
- 2011
After protests against the burning of the Quran turn violent, a mob attacks a United Nations compound in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of fourteen people, including seven UN workers.
- 2006
Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) of the Government of the United Kingdom is enforced, but later merged into National Crime Agency on 7 October 2013.
- 2004
Google launches its Email service Gmail.
- 2001
An EP-3E United States Navy surveillance aircraft collides with a Chinese People's Liberation Army Shenyang J-8 fighter jet. The Chinese pilot ejected but is subsequently lost. The Navy crew makes an emergency landing in Hainan, China and is detained.
- 2001
Former President of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milošević surrenders to police special forces, to be tried on war crimes charges.
- 2001
Same-sex marriage becomes legal in the Netherlands, the first contemporary country to allow it.
- 1999
Nunavut is established as a Canadian territory carved out of the eastern part of the Northwest Territories.
- 1997
Comet Hale–Bopp is seen passing at perihelion.
- 1993
NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki is killed in a plane crash near the Tri-Cities Regional Airport in Blountville, Tennessee.
- 1989
Margaret Thatcher's new local government tax, the Community Charge (commonly known as the "poll tax"), is introduced in Scotland.
All entries for April 1（+28）
- 1986
Communist Party of Nepal (Mashal) cadres attack a number of police stations in Kathmandu, seeking to incite a popular rebellion.
- 1984
Singer Marvin Gaye is shot to death by his father in his home in Arlington Heights, Los Angeles, California.
- 1979
Iran becomes an Islamic republic by a 99% vote, officially overthrowing the Shah.
- 1976
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak found Apple Computer, Inc.
- 1974
The Local Government Act 1972 of England and Wales comes into effect.
- 1973
Project Tiger, a tiger conservation project, is launched in the Jim Corbett National Park, India.
- 1971
Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army massacre more than a thousand people in Keraniganj Upazila, Bangladesh.
- 1970
President Richard Nixon signs the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act into law.
- 1970
A Royal Air Maroc Sud Aviation Caravelle crashes near Berrechid, Morocco, killing 61.
- 1969
The Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the first operational fighter aircraft with Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing capabilities, enters service with the Royal Air Force.
- 1964
The British Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry are replaced by a unified Defence Council of the United Kingdom.
- 1960
The TIROS-1 satellite transmits the first television picture from space.
- 1955
The EOKA rebellion against the British Empire begins in Cyprus, with the goal of unifying with Greece.
- 1954
United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorizes the creation of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
- 1949
The Government of Canada repeals Japanese-Canadian internment after seven years.
- 1948
Cold War: Communist forces respond to the introduction of the Deutsche Mark by attempting to force the western powers to withdraw from Berlin.
- 1948
Faroe Islands gain autonomy from Denmark.
- 1947
The only mutiny in the history of the Royal New Zealand Navy begins.
- 1946
The 8.6 Mw Aleutian Islands earthquake shakes the Aleutian Islands with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong). A destructive tsunami reaches the Hawaiian Islands resulting in dozens of deaths, mostly in Hilo, Hawaii.
- 1946
The Malayan Union is established. Protests from locals led to the establishment of the Federation of Malaya two years later.
- 1945
World War II: The Tenth United States Army attacks the Thirty-Second Japanese Army on Okinawa.
- 1944
World War II: Navigation errors lead to an accidental American bombing of the Swiss city of Schaffhausen.
- 1941
Fântâna Albă massacre: Between two hundred and two thousand Romanian civilians are killed by Soviet Border Troops.
- 1941
A military coup in Iraq overthrows the regime of 'Abd al-Ilah and installs Rashid Ali al-Gaylani as Prime Minister.
- 1939
Spanish Civil War: Generalísimo Francisco Franco of the Spanish State announces the end of the Spanish Civil War, when the last of the Republican forces surrender.
- 1937
Aden becomes a British crown colony.
- 1937
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is formed as an independent service.
- 1935
India's central banking institution, the Reserve Bank of India, is formed.
Famous Birthdays on April 1 in History 25
- 2000
Rhian Brewster, English footballer
- 1999
Gabe Davis, American football player
- 1998
King Combs, American rapper
- 1998
Mitchell Robinson, American basketball player
- 1997
Asa Butterfield, English actor
- 1997
Álex Palou, Spanish racing driver
- 1996
Sophia Hutchins, American socialite
- 1995
Jofra Archer, Barbadian-English cricketer
- 1995
Logan Paul, American YouTuber, actor and wrestler
- 1992
Deng Linlin, Chinese gymnast
- 1991
Duván Zapata, Colombian footballer
- 1990
Julia Fischer, German discus thrower
All entries for April 1（+13）
- 1989
Jan Blokhuijsen, Dutch speed skater
- 1989
David Ngog, French footballer
- 1989
Christian Vietoris, German racing driver
- 1988
Brook Lopez, American basketball player
- 1988
Robin Lopez, American basketball player
- 1987
Vitorino Antunes, Portuguese footballer
- 1987
Ding Junhui, Chinese professional snooker player
- 1987
Gianluca Musacci, Italian footballer
- 1987
Oliver Turvey, English racing driver
- 1986
Nikolaos Kourtidis, Greek weightlifter
- 1986
Hillary Scott, American country singer-songwriter
- 1985
Daniel Murphy, American baseball player
- 1985
Beth Tweddle, English gymnast
Notable Deaths on April 1 in History 25
- 2025
Val Kilmer, American actor (born 1959)
- 2025
Johnny Tillotson, American singer-songwriter (born 1938)
- 2024
Lou Conter, American naval commander (born 1921)
- 2024
Vontae Davis, American football player (born 1988)
- 2024
Joe Flaherty, American actor, writer, and comedian (born 1941)
- 2024
Sami Michael, Iraqi-born Israeli writer and human rights activist (born 1926)
- 2024
Ed Piskor, American comic book artist (born 1982)
- 2024
Mohammad Reza Zahedi, Iranian senior military officer (born 1960)
- 2019
Vonda N. McIntyre, American science fiction author (born 1948)
- 2018
Steven Bochco, American television writer and producer (born 1943)
- 2017
Lonnie Brooks, American blues singer and guitarist (born 1933)
- 2017
Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Soviet and Russian poet and writer (born 1932)
All entries for April 1（+13）
- 2015
Nicolae Rainea, Romanian footballer and referee (born 1933)
- 2014
King Fleming, American pianist and bandleader (born 1922)
- 2014
Jacques Le Goff, French historian and author (born 1924)
- 2014
Rolf Rendtorff, German theologian and academic (born 1925)
- 2013
Moses Blah, Liberian general and politician, 23rd President of Liberia (born 1947)
- 2013
Karen Muir, South African swimmer and physician (born 1952)
- 2012
Lionel Bowen, Australian soldier, lawyer, and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia (born 1922)
- 2012
Giorgio Chinaglia, Italian-American soccer player and radio host (born 1947)
- 2012
Miguel de la Madrid, Mexican banker, academic, and politician, 52nd President of Mexico (born 1934)
- 2010
John Forsythe, American actor (born 1918)
- 2010
Tzannis Tzannetakis, Greek soldier and politician, 175th Prime Minister of Greece (born 1927)
- 2006
In Tam, Cambodian general and politician, 26th Prime Minister of Cambodia (born 1916)
- 2005
Paul Bomani, Tanzanian politician and diplomat, 1st Tanzanian Minister of Finance (b 1925)
That is the story of April 1 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on April 1 to relive these world-changing moments — or take a random trip through time and see what happened on another day in history.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on April 1 in history?
The biggest event on April 1 in history is: 2026 — The Artemis II lunar flyby mission launches, marking the first crewed flight above low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on April 1?
25 famous people were born on April 1 in history, the best known being 2000 — Rhian Brewster, English footballer.
Who died on April 1?
25 notable people died on April 1 in history, including 2025 — Val Kilmer, American actor (born 1959).
Why should I read about April 1 in history?
Exploring April 1 in history helps you grasp the day's place in history in just a few minutes: events, birthdays and deaths in one read — perfect for students, teachers and curious minds.
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