February 4 in history — What Happened Today in History
February 4 in history is full of turning points. This page walks you through what happened on February 4 in history, who was born on February 4 and who passed away on February 4, so nothing about this day slips past you.
On this page, February 4 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 February 4 in history at the bottom.
Major Events on February 4 in History 40
- 2025
Ten people are killed in a mass shooting at an adult education centre in Örebro, Sweden.
- 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic causes all casinos in Macau to be closed down for 15 days.
- 2015
TransAsia Airways Flight 235, with 58 people on board, en route from the Taiwanese capital Taipei to Kinmen, crashes into the Keelung River just after takeoff, killing 43 people.
- 2008
Civic mobilizations in Colombia against FARC, under the name A million voices against the FARC.
- 2004
Facebook, a mainstream online social networking site, is founded by Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin.
- 2003
The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia adopts a new constitution, becoming a loose confederacy between Montenegro and Serbia.
- 2000
The World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium, Charter of Paris is signed by the President of France, Jacques Chirac and the Director General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura, initiating World Cancer Day which is held on February 4 every year.
- 1999
Unarmed West African immigrant Amadou Diallo is shot 19 times by four plainclothes New York City police officers on an unrelated stake-out, inflaming race relations in the city.
- 1998
The 5.9 Mw Afghanistan earthquake shakes the Takhar Province with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong). With 2,323 killed, and 818 injured, damage is considered extreme.
- 1997
En route to Lebanon, two Israeli Sikorsky CH-53 troop-transport helicopters collide in mid-air over northern Galilee, Israel, killing 73.
- 1997
The Bojnurd earthquake measuring Mw 6.5 strikes Iran. With a Mercalli intensity of VIII, it kills at least 88 and damages 173 villages.
- 1992
A coup d'état is led by Hugo Chávez against Venezuelan President Carlos Andrés Pérez.
All entries for February 4（+28）
- 1977
A Chicago Transit Authority elevated train rear-ends another and derails, killing 11 and injuring 180, the worst accident in the agency's history.
- 1976
In Guatemala and Honduras an earthquake kills more than 22,000.
- 1975
Haicheng earthquake (magnitude 7.3 on the Richter scale) occurs in Haicheng, Liaoning, China.
- 1974
The Symbionese Liberation Army kidnaps Patty Hearst in Berkeley, California.
- 1974
M62 coach bombing: The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) explodes a bomb on a bus carrying off-duty British Armed Forces personnel in Yorkshire, England. Nine soldiers and three civilians are killed.
- 1967
Lunar Orbiter program: Lunar Orbiter 3 lifts off from Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 13 on its mission to identify possible landing sites for the Surveyor and Apollo spacecraft.
- 1966
All Nippon Airways Flight 60 plunges into Tokyo Bay, killing 133.
- 1961
The Angolan War of Independence and the greater Portuguese Colonial War begin.
- 1948
Ceylon (later renamed Sri Lanka) becomes independent within the British Commonwealth.
- 1945
World War II: Santo Tomas Internment Camp is liberated from Japanese authority.
- 1945
World War II: The Yalta Conference between the "Big Three" (Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin) opens at the Livadia Palace in the Crimea.
- 1945
World War II: The British Indian Army and Imperial Japanese Army begin a series of battles known as the Battle of Pokoku and Irrawaddy River operations.
- 1941
The United Service Organization (USO) is created to entertain American troops.
- 1938
Adolf Hitler appoints himself as head of the Armed Forces High Command.
- 1932
Second Sino-Japanese War: Harbin, Manchuria, falls to Japan.
- 1899
The Philippine–American War begins when four Filipino soldiers enter the "American Zone" in Manila, igniting the Battle of Manila.
- 1861
American Civil War: In Montgomery, Alabama, delegates from six breakaway U.S. states meet and initiate the process that would form the Confederate States of America on February 8.
- 1859
The Codex Sinaiticus is discovered in Egypt.
- 1846
The first Mormon pioneers make their exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois, westward towards Salt Lake Valley.
- 1825
The Ohio Legislature authorizes the construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal and the Miami and Erie Canal.
- 1820
The Chilean Navy under the command of Lord Cochrane completes the two-day long Capture of Valdivia with just 300 men and two ships.
- 1810
Napoleonic Wars: Britain seizes Guadeloupe.
- 1801
John Marshall is sworn in as Chief Justice of the United States.
- 1797
The Riobamba earthquake strikes Ecuador, causing up to 40,000 casualties.
- 1794
The French legislature abolishes slavery throughout all territories of the French First Republic. It would be reestablished in the French West Indies in 1802.
- 1789
George Washington is unanimously elected as the first President of the United States by the U.S. Electoral College.
- 1758
The city of Macapá in Brazil is founded by Sebastião Veiga Cabral.
- 1703
In Edo (now Tokyo), all but one of the Forty-seven Ronin commit seppuku (ritual suicide) as recompense for avenging their master's death.
Famous Birthdays on February 4 in History 25
- 2003
Kyla Kenedy, American actress
- 2003
Rasmus Højlund, Danish footballer
- 1999
MJ Lenderman, American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
- 1998
Malik Monk, American basketball player
- 1998
Maximilian Wöber, Austrian footballer
- 1996
Mohamed Sherif, Egyptian footballer
- 1990
Haruka Tomatsu, Japanese voice actress and singer
- 1989
Lavoy Allen, American basketball player
- 1988
Charlie Barnett, American actor
- 1988
Carly Patterson, American gymnast and singer
- 1987
Darren O'Dea, Irish footballer
- 1987
Lucie Šafářová, Czech tennis player
All entries for February 4（+13）
- 1986
Maximilian Götz, German racing driver
- 1986
Mahmudullah Riyad, Bangladeshi cricketer
- 1984
Doug Fister, American baseball player
- 1984
Mauricio Pinilla, Chilean footballer
- 1983
Hannibal Buress, American comedian and actor
- 1983
Rebecca White, Australian politician
- 1982
Ivars Timermanis, Latvian basketball player
- 1981
Jason Kapono, American basketball player
- 1981
Johan Vansummeren, Belgian cyclist
- 1980
Raimonds Vaikulis, Latvian basketball player
- 1979
Giorgio Pantano, Italian racing driver
- 1977
Gavin DeGraw, American singer-songwriter
- 1976
Cam'ron, American rapper and actor
Notable Deaths on February 4 in History 25
- 2025
Aga Khan IV, 49th Imam of the Nizari Isma'ili community (born 1936)
- 2024
Barry John, Welsh rugby player (born 1945)
- 2023
Vani Jairam, Indian playback singer (born 1945)
- 2023
Sherif Ismail, 53rd Prime Minister of Egypt (born 1955)
- 2022
Kim In-hyeok, South Korean volleyball player (born 1995)
- 2021
Millie Hughes-Fulford, American astronaut, molecular biologist and NASA payload specialist (born 1945)
- 2020
Daniel arap Moi, Former President of Kenya (born 1924)
- 2019
Matti Nykänen, Finnish Olympic-winning ski jumper and singer (born 1963)
- 2018
John Mahoney, English-American actor, voice artist, and comedian (born 1940)
- 2017
Steve Lang, Canadian bass player (born 1949)
- 2017
Bano Qudsia, Pakistani writer (born 1928)
- 2016
Edgar Mitchell, American captain, pilot, and astronaut (born 1930)
All entries for February 4（+13）
- 2015
Fitzhugh L. Fulton, American colonel and pilot (born 1925)
- 2014
Keith Allen, Canadian-American ice hockey player, coach, and manager (born 1923)
- 2014
Eugenio Corti, Italian soldier, author, and playwright (born 1921)
- 2014
Dennis Lota, Zambian footballer (born 1973)
- 2013
Donald Byrd, American trumpet player (born 1932)
- 2013
Reg Presley, English singer-songwriter (born 1941)
- 2012
István Csurka, Hungarian journalist and politician (born 1934)
- 2012
Florence Green, English soldier (born 1901)
- 2012
Robert Daniel, American farmer, soldier, and politician (born 1936)
- 2012
Mike deGruy, American director, producer, and cinematographer (born 1951)
- 2012
Susanne Suba, Hungarian-born watercolorist and illustrator, active in the United States (born 1913)
- 2011
Martial Célestin, Haitian lawyer and politician, first Prime Minister of Haiti (born 1913)
- 2010
Kostas Axelos, Greek-French philosopher and author (born 1924)
That is the story of February 4 in history. Bookmark this page and come back next year on February 4 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 February 4 in history?
The biggest event on February 4 in history is: 2025 — Ten people are killed in a mass shooting at an adult education centre in Örebro, Sweden.. In total, 40 major events are recorded for this day.
Who was born on February 4?
25 famous people were born on February 4 in history, the best known being 2003 — Kyla Kenedy, American actress.
Who died on February 4?
25 notable people died on February 4 in history, including 2025 — Aga Khan IV, 49th Imam of the Nizari Isma'ili community (born 1936).
Why should I read about February 4 in history?
Exploring February 4 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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What happened on your birthday?
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