What happened on February 16 ?

1032 - Emperor Yingzong of China (d. 1067)

1222 - Nichiren, Japanese founder of Nichiren Buddhism (d. 1282)

1497 - Philipp Melanchthon, German humanist and reformer (d. 1560)

1519 - Gaspard de Coligny, French Huguenot leader (d. 1572)

1543 - Kano Eitoku, Japanese painter (d. 1590)

1620 - Friedrich Wilhelm I of Brandenburg, Duke of Prussia (d. 1688)

1643 - John Sharp, English Archbishop of York (d. 1714)

1727 - Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin, Austrian scientist (d. 1817)

1761 - Charles Pichegru, French general (d. 1804)

1802 - Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, 19th Century Philosopher (d. 1866)

1804 - Karl Theodor Ernst von Siebold, German physiologist (d. 1885)

1821 - Heinrich Barth, German explorer

1822 - Sir Francis Galton, English explorer and biologist (d. 1911)

1824 - Peter Kozler, Slovenian cartographer and geographer (d. 1879)

1826 - Julia Grant, First Lady of the United States (d. 1902)

1826 - Joseph Victor von Scheffel, German poet (d. 1886)

1831 - Nikolai Leskov, Russian writer (d. 1895)

1834 - Ernst Haeckel, German zoologist and philosopher (d. 1919)

1838 - Henry Adams, American historian and novelist (d. 1918)

1847 - Philipp Scharwenka, Polish-German composer (d. 1917)

1856 - Rudolph Karstadt, German entrepreneur (d. 1944)

1866 - Vyacheslav Ivanov, a Russian poet (d. 1949)

1876 - George Macaulay Trevelyan, English historian (d. 1962)

1884 - Robert J. Flaherty, American filmmaker (d. 1951)

1886 - Van Wyck Brooks, American historian and critic (d. 1963)

1898 - Katharine Cornell, American actress (d. 1974)

1901 - Vincent Coleman, American actor (d. 1971)

1901 - Chester Morris, American film actor (d. 1970)

1903 - Edgar Bergen, American ventriloquist (d. 1978)

1904 - George F. Kennan, American historian, diplomat and political policy-maker (d. 2005)

1909 - Hugh Beaumont, American actor (d. 1982)

1909 - Jeffrey Lynn, American actor (d. 1995)

1915 - Jim O'Hora, American college football coach (d. 2005)

1921 - Araucaria, British crossword compiler

1921 - Vera-Ellen, American actress (d. 1981)

1926 - John Schlesinger, English film director (d. 2003)

1927 - June Brown, British actress

1927 - Tom Kennedy, American game show host

1929 - Gerhard Hanappi, Austrian footballer (d. 1980)

1931 - Otis Blackwell, American songwriter and singer (d. 2002)

1932 - Harry Goz, American actor (d. 2003)

1932 - Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, President of Sierra Leone

1935 - Sonny Bono, singer, music producer, television producer, and U.S. Congressman (d. 1998)

1936 - Jill Kinmont, American skier

1937 - Yuri Manin, Russian mathematician

1938 - John Corigliano, American composer

1938 - Barry Primus, American actor

1941 - Kim Jong-il, North Korean leader

1944 - Richard Ford, American novelist

1945 - Jeremy Bulloch, English actor

1945 - Frank Welker, American voice actor

1950 - Peter Hain, British politician

1951 - William Katt, American actor

1953 - Lanny McDonald, Canadian ice hockey player

1953 - Roberta Williams, computer game designer

1954 - Michael Holding, West Indian fast bowler cricket

1954 - Iain Banks, Scottish author

1955 - Margaux Hemingway, American actress and model (d. 1996)

1957 - LeVar Burton, American actor

1957 - James Ingram, American singer

1958 - Ice-T, American rapper, songwriter, and actor

1958 - Lisa Loring, American actress

1959 - John McEnroe, American tennis player

1960 - Pete Willis, English guitarist (Def Leppard)

1961 - Andy Taylor, English musician (Duran Duran)

1963 - Dave Lombardo, Cuban drummer (Slayer)

1964 - Bebeto, Brazilian footballer

1964 - Christopher Eccleston, English actor

1967 - John Valentin, baseball player

1967 - Keith Gretzky, former hockey player; brother of Wayne Gretzky

1968 - Warren Ellis, British comic book writer

1970 - D.J. Wallis, American fitness competitor

1972 - Jerome Bettis, American football player

1972 - Taylor Hawkins, American musician (Foo Fighters)

1973 - Cathy Freeman, Australian athlete

1975 - Nanase Aikawa, Japanese singer

1976 - Kyo, Japanese singer (Dir en grey)

1977 - Ian Clarke, Irish computer programmer

1977 - Ahman Green, American football player

1979 - Valentino Rossi, Italian motorcycle racer

1980 - Ashley Lelie, American football player

1985 - Haley Giraldo, American reality series star