1897 Events January 1 - Brooklyn, New York merges with New York City. January 4 - A British force is ambushed by Chief Ologbosheri, son-in-law of the Oba of Benin. This leads to a Punitive Expedition against Benin. February 2 - Harrisburg, The Pennsylvania state capitol is destroyed by fire. February 18- Benin is put to the torch by the Punitive Expedition. March 4 - William McKinley succeeds Grover Cleveland as President of the United States. April 5 - "Ordinance of April 5," equalizing German and Czech in Bohemia, signed in Austria-Hungary (see Kasimir Felix Graf von Badeni). April 27 - Grant's Tomb is dedicated. May 19 - Oscar Wilde is released from prison. June 2 - Mark Twain, responding to rumors that he was dead, is quoted by the New York Journal as saying, "The report of my death was an exaggeration." July 17 - Klondike Gold Rush begins when first successful prospectors arrive in Seattle. July 25 - Writer Jack London sails to join the Klondike Gold Rush where he will write his first successful stories. July 31 - First ascent of Mount Saint Elias, second highest peak in the United States and Canada. August 29 - First Zionist Congress convenes in Basel, Switzerland. September 1 - The Boston subway opens, becoming the first underground metro in North America. December 9 - First issue of the feminist newspaper La Fronde is published by Marguerite Durand. December 28 - The play Cyrano de Bergerac, by Edmond Rostand, premieres in Paris. December 30 - Natal annexes Zululand. Queen Victoria celebrates her Diamond Jubilee. France allows women to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. First use of the word computer meaning an electronic calculation device. Births January January 3 - Marion Davies, actress (d. 1961) January 23 - Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, architect (d. 2000) February February 4 - Ludwig Erhard, politician. February 10 - John F. Enders, scientist, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (d. 1985) February 10 - Dame Judith Anderson, actress (d. 1992) February 11 - Yves de La Casiniere, composer February 27 - Marian Anderson, contralto (d. 1993) March March 4 - Lefty O'Doul, baseball star, restauranteur (d. 1969) March 5 - Soong May-ling aka Madame Chiang Kai-Shek March 15 - Jackson Scholz, American sprinter March 24 - Wilhelm Reich, psychotherapist (d. 1957) March 27 - Gloria Swanson, actress (d. 1983) March 28 - Sepp Herberger, football coach (d. 1977) April April 7 - Walter Winchell, broadcaster, journalist (d. 1972) April 9 - John B. Gambling, radio talk-show host (d. 1974) April 26 - Olga Tschechowa, actress (d. 1980) April 26 - Douglas Sirk, director (d. 1987) April 26 - Eddie Eagan, US sportsman April 27 - Mary, Princess Royal May May 14 - Sidney Bechet, jazz musician (d. 1959) May 18 - Frank Capra, producer, director, writer (d. 1991) May 19 - Frank Luke, World War I fighter ace (d. 1918) May 21 - Nikola Avramov, painter (d. 1945) June June 7 - George Szell, Hungarian conductor (d. 1970) June 10 - Grand Duchess Tatiana of Russia (d. 1918) June 13 - Paavo Nurmi, Finnish runner July July 11 - Blind Lemon Jefferson July 24 - Amelia Earhart, aviator August August 2 - Max Weber, Swiss Federal Councilor (d. 1974) August 28 - Charles Boyer, actor September September 8 - Jimmie Rodgers September 12 - Irene Joliot-Curie, scientist September 23 - Walter Pidgeon, actor (d. 1984) September 25 - William Faulkner, novelist September 26 - Pope Paul VI (d. 1978) November November 23 - Nirad C. Chaudhuri, writer (d. 1999) December December 18 - Fletcher Henderson, jazz musician (d. 1952) December 30 - Alfredo Bracchi, Italian author Deaths April 3 - Johannes Brahms, composer September 9 - Richard Holt Hutton, English writer and theologian September 21 - Wilhelm Wattenbach, German historian October 27- Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, mother of Queen Mary October 29 - Henry George, economist November 20 - Ernest Giles, Australian explorer Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie - traveler Most Popular Articles: Music    Musical Instruments    Guitar    Classical Music    History    Music Definition    Country Music    Rock Music    Pop Music    Hip Hop    Rap    DJ    Video Games    Casino Games    Poker    Blackjack    Casinos    Real Estate    Loan    Auction    eBay    Marketing    Search Engine Optimization    File Sharing    MP3    Music Industry    Kazaa    Internet    Supermodel    Fashion    Fashion Designers    Erotica    Modeling    Clothing    Boots    Shoes    Diamond Engagement Rings    Diamond    Rugs    Gospel Music    Affiliate    E-Commerce    Radio This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. You must provide a link to http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html To view or edit this article at Wikipedia go to http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/1897