References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 April 30.

1920 January 1 Paul Adam French writer (L'enfant d'Austerlitz), dies at 57. [1] January 2 10,000 US union and socialist organizers arrested (Palmer Raids). [1] January 3 Arthur Honegger's "Chant de Nigamon" premieres. [1] January 4 Amsterdam actors decide to strike for retirement benefits. [1] Benito Pérez Galdós Spanish writer (Gloria), dies at 76. [1] January 10 League of Nations' first meeting, Treaty of Versailles in effect. [1] [37] Silver reaches record $1.37 an ounce. [1] January 11 French passenger ship Afrique sinks near La Rochelle; 553 die. [1] January 13 New York Times editorial (falsely) reports rockets can never fly. [1] January 16 18th Amendment, prohibition, becomes the law of the land - one year after ratification; it is repealed in 1933. [1] First assembly of League of Nations (Paris). [1] Georgia declares independence. [1] Reginald De Koven composer, dies at 60. [1] January 17 Paul Deschanel elected President of France. [1] January 19 Alexandre Millerand forms French government. [1] US Senate votes against membership in League of Nations. [1] January 20 Dutch second Chamber passes school laws. [1] January 23 Dutch government refuses to turn over ex-Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany to the allies. [1] January 25 Amadeo Modigliani Italian sculptor/painter, dies at 35. [1] January 26 Amadeo Modigliani's mistress jumps out of a window. [1] Matthias Enzberger German minister of finance, murdered. [1] January 29 Walt Disney starts first job as an artist; $40 week with Kansas City Slide Co. [1] January 31 First Ukrainian daily newspaper in US (New York City New York) begins publication. [1] Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, at Howard University, incorporates. [1] February 1 First commercial armored car introduced (Saint Paul Minnesota). [1] Royal Canadian Mounted Police forms as Royal Northwest Mounted Police merge with Dominion Police. [1] February 2 Estonia declares its Independence from Russia (Dorpat Peace). [1] France occupies (German) Memel territory. [1] Tarto/Dorpat peace treaty USSR recognizes Estonian independence. [1] February 4 First flight from London to South Africa takes-off (1.5 months). [1] February 6 Saarland administrated by League of Nations. [1] February 7 Alexander Koltsjak Admiral/leader Russian counter-revolutionary, executed. [1] February 8 Richard Dehmel writer, dies at 56. [1] Swiss men vote against women's suffrage. [1] February 9 International treaty recognizes Norwegian sovereignty over Svalbard. [1] February 12 14,000 Rotterdam/Amsterdam harbor workers strike. [1] Emile Sauret composer, dies at 67. [1] Jean Allemane French socialist/communard (allemanisten), dies at 77. [1] Ottalee Baker Frank "Home Run" Baker's wife, dies at 31. [1] February 13 League of Nations recognizes perpetual neutrality of Switzerland. [1] Switzerland rejoins League of Nations. [1] February 14 League of Women Voters forms in Chicago. [1] February 19 Netherlands joins League of Nations. [1] February 20 Robert E Peary US pole explorer (North Pole, 6/4/1909), dies at 63. [1] February 21 Darius Milhaud and Jean Cocteau's ballet, "Le Train Bleu" premieres in Paris. [1] February 22 In Emeryville, New York, the first dog race track to employ an imitation rabbit opens. [1] [5] February 23 Alexander Alexandrovich Il'yinsky composer, dies at 61. [1] February 24 NSDAP begins at Hofbräuhaus Münich. [1] Peace treaty gives Estonia independence. [1] February 25 Aloys Liechtenstein nobleman/politician, dies at 73. [1] February 26 Ludwig Rubiner writer, dies at 38. [1] February 27 Alexandru D Xenopol Romanian historian, dies at 72. [1] February 28 Maurice Ravel's "Le tombeau de Couperin" premieres. [1] March 1 Austria becomes a kingdom again, under Admiral Horthy. [1] Joseph Trumpeldor killed defending Tel-Mai against arab attack. [1] March 2 Karel Capék's "Loupeznik" premieres in Prague. [1] March 4 Last day of Julian civil calendar in Greece. [1] March 8 Denmark and Cuba join the League of Nations. [1] Rafael Obligado Argentine writer (Santos Vega), dies at 69. [1] March 13 Wolfgang Kapp's coup attempt in Berlin fails. [1] March 14 Birth of Hank Ketcham cartoonist (Dennis the Menace). [1] March 16 1 Acre Park also known as Baby Park in the Bronx renamed Melrose Park. [1] March 18 Greece adopts the Gregorian calendar. [1] March 19 US Senate rejects Treaty of Versailles for second time refusing to ratify League of Nations' covenant (maintaining isolation policy). [1] March 20 First flight from London to South Africa lands (1.5 months). [1] Venustiano Carranza President of Mexico (1915-20), murdered at 60. [1] March 21 Federigo Tozzi Ital writer/journalist (Torre, Tre Croci), dies at 37. [1] March 23 Perserikatan Communist of India (PKI) political party forms. [1] March 24 First US coast guard air station established (Morehead City North Carolina). [1] March 25 Greek Independence Day. [1] March 27 Film stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks wed. [1] Hermann Müller becomes German chancellor (SPD). [1] Johan G Danser Dutch poet (Meetings), dies at 26. [1] March 28 Actor Douglas Fairbanks marries actress Mary Pickford. [1] Thomas Masaryk elected President of Czechoslovakia. [1] March 31 British parliament accept Irish "Home Rule"-law. [1] April 1 Church disestablished in Wales. [1] April 3 Homer Newton Bartlett composer, dies at 74. [1] April 4 Arabs attack Jews in Jerusalem. [1] April 6 French troop attacks Main/Darmstadt/Hanau. [1] April 8 Charles Tomlinson Griffes US composer (White Peacock), dies at 35. [1] April 10 Moritz B Cantor German mathematician, dies at 90. [1] Tryggve Andersen Norwegian writer (Mod Kvaeld), dies at 53. [1] April 13 First woman US Civil Service Commissioner, Helen Hamilton appointed. [1] April 14 Tornadoes killed 219 people in Alabama and Mississippi. [1] April 15 Jacob van Stolk Azn art collector, dies at 74. [1] The size of the Canadian 1-cent coin is reduced to a 3/4-inch diameter, similar to the American cent. [3] April 16 John Conrad Nordqvist composer, dies at 80. [1] April 20 Balfour Declaration recognized, makes Palestine a British Mandate. [1] Big Show ends two year run on NBC radio. [1] Tornadoes kill 219 in Alabama and Mississippi. [1] April 21 John Galsworthy's "Skin Game", premieres in London. [1] April 23 Turkish Grand National Assembly first meets, in Ankara. [1] April 24 British Mandate over Palestine goes into effect (lasts 28 years). [1] Polish troops attack Ukraine. [1] April 26 H Shapley and H D Curtis hold "great debate" on nature of nebulae. [1] Srinivasa Ramanujan Indian math genius ('pi'/Notebooks), dies at 32. [1] April 27 Pogrom leader Petljoera declares Ukraine Independence. [1] April 28 Azerbaijan SSR joins the USSR (first time). [1] May 1 Belgian-Luxembourg toll tunnel opens. [1] Swedish Crown Princess Margareta dies. [7] May 5 German-Latvian peace treaty signed. [1] Polish troops occupy Kiev. [1] US President Wilson makes Communist Labor Party illegal. [1] May 7 USSR recognizes independence of Georgia. [1] May 10 John Wesley Hyatt inventor/plastics pioneer, dies. [1] May 11 William D Howells US author (A Woman's Reason), dies at 83. [1] May 14 Washington Senator Walter Johnson wins his 300th game vs Detroit. [1] May 16 Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc) canonized a saint in Rome. [1] Spanish bullfighter Joselito is fatally gored fighting his last bull. [1] May 17 First De Havilland double-decker flight (London) lands in Schiphol. [1] First flight by Dutch airlines KLM (Koninklijke-Luchtvaart-Maatschappij). [1] May 20 Policemen raid the Chicago Cubs' bleachers and arrest 24 fans for gambling. [1] May 23 Pope Benedictus XV publishes encyclical Pacem Dei. [1] May 27 Tatar ASSR is established in Russian SFSR. [1] June 5 First rivet driven on Bank of Italy headquarters at 1 Powell. [1] June 11 Republicans nominate Warren G Harding for president. [1] June 12 Farmer Labor Party organized (Chicago). [1] June 24 Chuvash Autonomous Region formed in RSFSR. [1] July 3 Royal Air Force holds an air display at Hendon, England. [1] July 12 Lithuania and USSR sign peace treaty, Lithuuania becomes independent rep. [1] July 16 General Amos Fries appointed first US army chemical warfare chief. [1] July 23 Kenya becomes a British crown colony. [1] July 27 Resolute beats Shamrock IV (England) in 14th running of America's Cup. [1] July 29 First transcontinental airmail flight from New York to San Francisco. [1] August 16 Norman Lockyer editor of NATURE, discoverer of helium in Sun, dies. [1] August 18 Tennessee ratifies 19th Amendment, guarantees women voting right. [1] August 20 First US coml radio, 8MK (WWJ), Detroit began daily broadcasting. [1] Allen Woodring wins Oympic 200 m dash wearing borrowed shoes. [1] August 26 19th amendment passes-women's suffrage granted (about time!). [1] August 31 The first news radio program is broadcast in Detroit, Michigan. [5] September 4 Last day of Julian civil calendar (in parts of Bulgaria). [1] September 6 First radio broadcast of a prizefight. [1] September 8 US Air Mail service begins (New York City to SF). [1] October 12 Man O'War's last race and win. [1] October 14 Part of Petsamo province ceded by Soviet Union to Finland. [1] October 27 League of Nations moves headquarters in Geneva. [1] Westinghouse radio station in East Pittsburgh, KDKA begins. [1] November 2 KDKA (Pittsburgh) goes on the air as first commercial radio station. [1] Warren G Harding elected President. [1] November 3 "Emperor Jones" opens at Provincetown Theater. [1] November 13 Hudson River frozen at Albany (1820?). [1] November 15 Free City of Danzig established under League of Nations protection. [1] League of Nations holds first meeting, in Geneva. [1] November 16 Qantas (Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited), the national airline of Australia, registers as an aerial carrier. [5] Postage meter first used in US in lieu of postage stamps. [1] December 3 Turkey and Armenia agree to peace treaty. [1] December 6 Karel Kovarovic composer, dies at 57. [1] December 7 New South Wales make 802 against South Australia, then Mailey takes 8-81. [1] USPD-KPD parties merge into Vereinigte Communist Party of Germany. [1] December 10 President Woodrow Wilson receives Nobel Peace Prize. [1] December 12 Maurice Ravels ballet "La Valse" premieres in Paris. [1] Olive Schreiner South Africa writer (Healing Imagination), dies at 75. [1] Paul Lacome composer, dies at 82. [1] December 13 F Pease's interferometer measures first stellar diameter (Betelgeuse). [1] League of nations establishes International Court of Justice in The Hague. [1] Netherlands breaks contact with kingdoms of Serbia, Croatia and Slavia. [1] December 16 Ma Mua-Ming-Hsin the Benovelent, Chinese Muslim rebel (holy war), dies. [1] Over 180,000 die when 8.6 earthquake destroys 15,000 square miles (Kansu China). [1] December 17 British Empire receives League of Nations mandate to Nauru. [1] Japan receives League of Nations mandate over Pacific islands. [1] South Africa receives League of Nations mandate over SW Africa. [1] December 18 First US postage stamps printed without the words United States or US. [1] December 20 Bob Hope becomes an American citizen. [1] December 21 Jerome Kern/BG DeSylva's musical "Sally" premieres in New York City, New York. [1] December 23 Ireland divided into two parts, each with its own parliament. [1] King George V signs Home Rule Act. [1] December 24 Enrico Caruso gives his last public performance (New York City, New York). [1] December 29 The netherlands/Venezuela recover diplomatic relations. [1] Yugoslav government bans communist party. [1] December 30 Birth of Aad de Haas Dutch religious painter/graphic artist/cartoonist. [1] December 31 Albert Roelofs Dutch painter/etcher, dies at 43. [1] 1921 January 2 First religious service radio broadcast in US, KDKA-Pittsburgh. [1] DeYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park opens. [1] Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg German chancellor/Prime Minister (Prussia); referred to the international treaty guaranteeing Belgian neutrality as "a scrap of paper", dies at 64. [1] January 3 Turkey makes peace with Armenia. [1] January 4 Eugene O'Neill's "Diff'rent" premieres in New York City, New York. [1] January 7 Benno Erdmann German philosopher (Logik I), dies at 69. [1] January 8 Luis Villalba Munoz composer, dies at 48. [1] January 18 Adolf von Hildebrand German sculptor, dies at 73. [1] William Archer's "Green Goddess" premieres in New York City, New York. [1] January 19 Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador sign Pact of Union. [1] January 20 British submarine K5 leaves with man and mouse. [1] Dagestan ASSR forms in RSFSR. [1] Mountain Autonomous Republic established in RSFSR. [1] Turkey declared in remnants of the Ottoman Empire. [1] January 23 Wlasyslaw Zelenski composer, dies at 83. [1] January 25 Karel Capék's "RUR" premieres in Prague. [1] Mykola Dmytrovich Leontovych composer, dies at 43. [1] January 29 Hurricane hits Washington and Oregon. [1] January 30 French rapist-murderer Henri-Désiré Landru sentenced to death. [1] February 2 Luigi Mancinelli composer, dies at 72. [1] February 3 Max Wilhelm Zach composer, dies at 56. [1] February 4 Xavier Mellery Belgian painter/illustrator, dies at 75. [1] February 6 "The Kid", starring Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan, released. [1] February 8 Peter Kropotkin Russian Prince/geologist/revolutionary anarchist, dies at 78. [1] February 11 Ambassador Theater opens at 215 W 49th Steet New York City. [1] February 12 Soviet troops invade Georgia (theirs, not ours). [1] Winston Churchill becomes British, minister of Colonies. [1] February 13 Willem P C Knuttel Dutch bibliography/librarian, dies at 67. [1] February 14 Little Review faces obscenity charges for publishing "Ulysses", New York. [1] February 15 Hans Haym composer, dies at 60. [1] February 17 Arthur Honegger's "Pastorale D'été" premieres. [1] February 18 British troops occupy Dublin. [1] February 20 Riza Khan Pahlevi seizes control of Iran. [1] February 21 France and Poland make a secret military agreement, specifying that if Germany attacks either nation, the other will assist in defence. If Poland is attacked by Soviet Russia, France is to hold Germany in check on land and at sea. [10] February 23 First US transcontinental air mail flight arrives in New York City, New York from San Francisco California. [1] February 24 First transcontinental flight in 24 hours flying time arrives Florida. [1] February 25 Georgian SSR proclaimed. [1] February 26 Carl Menger Austrian economist, dies at 81. [1] March 1 Nicholas Petrovic Njegos King of Montenegro (1910-18), dies at 79. [1] Rwanda ceded to England. [1] Sailors revolt in Kronstadt Russia. [1] March 3 Petrus Cuypers architect (Amsterdam museum), dies at 93. [1] March 4 Hot Springs National Park created in Arkansas. [1] March 6 Police in Sunbury Pennsylvania issue an edict requiring Women to wear skirts at least four inches below the knee. [1] March 7 Red Army under Trotsky attack sailors of Kronstadt. [1] March 11 Sherburne W Burnham US astronomer (binary stars), dies at 83. [1] March 13 Birth of Allan Jaffee comic strip cartoonist/illustrator (MAD Magazine). [1] Mongolia (formerly Outer Mongolia) declares independence from China. [1] March 17 Dr Marie Stopes opens Britain's first birth control clinic (London). [1] Lenin proclaims New Economic Politics. [1] Sailors revolt in Kronstadt (thousands die). [1] March 18 Second Peace of Riga, Poland enlarged. [1] Steamer "Hong Kong" runs aground off Swatow China killing 1,000. [1] March 21 "Big Jim" Colisimo US gangster, murdered by Al Capone. [1] Walter Kerr Theater (Ritz, CBS, NBC, ABC) opens at 223 W 48th Steet New York City. [1] March 24 Deodat de Severac composer, dies at 48. [1] March 31 Albert Einstein lectures in New York on his new theory of relativity. [1] British coal miners goes on strike. [1] April 2 Professor Albert Einstein lectures in New York City on his new theory of relativity. [1] April 5 Alphonsus J M Diepenbrock Dutch composer (Missa), dies at 58. [1] April 8 Earnest von Possart German actor/stage manager, dies. [1] April 11 Augusta Victoria Queen of Prussia/wife of Emperor Wilhelm II, dies. [1] Iowa imposes first state cigarette tax. [1] Turkestan ASSR is established in Russian SFSR. [1] Virginia O'Brien Los Angeles California, actress (Francis in the Navy). [1] April 14 Prince Henry opens Rotterdam-Amsterdam-Bremen-Hamburg air route. [1] April 15 Black Friday-Labour Party strike of mine workers fails. [1] April 16 Liberal Freedom League forms in The Hague. [1] April 18 Earnest [Bachigaloupi] Tourniaire actor (Inkwartiering), dies at 70. [1] Junior Achievement incorporated in Colorado Springs CO. [1] Philip James Barry's "Punch for Judy", premieres in New York City. [1] April 19 Funeral of last German Emperoress, Augusta Victoria. [1] April 24 First municipal elections for men and women in Belgium. [1] April 27 Hadjememaar, [Corn de Gelder] elected in Amsterdam. [1] April 30 Pope Benedict XV encyclical "On Dante". [1] May 1 Drusian sultan Pasja al-Atrasj elected Governor of Suwayda. [1] Louis Campbell-Tipton composer, dies at 43. [1] May 2 Begin third anti-German revolt in Upper-Silesia. [1] May 3 West Virginia imposes first state sales tax. [1] May 5 First ranger for Cleveland Metroparks hired. [1] Alfred H Fried Austrian/German pacifist (Nobel Prize 1911), dies. [1] Miniature newspaper published (Brighton Gazette 10 x 13 cm). [1] May 8 Sweden abolished capital punishment. [1] May 10 Luigi Pirandello's "Sei Personaggi in Cerca d'Autore" premieres. [1] May 11 Tel Aviv is first all Jewish municipality. [1] May 12 Emilia Pardo Bazan Spanish writer (La sirena negra), dies. [1] National Hospital Day first observed. [1] May 14 Florence Allen is first woman judge to sentence a man to death. [1] Mussolini's fascists obtains 29 parliament seats. [1] May 17 Belgian-Luxembourg sign customs union. [1] President Harding opens (via telephone) first Valencia Orange Show. [1] May 19 US Congress sharply curbs immigration, setting a national quota system. [1] May 21 Oldest radio station west of Mississippi River licensed in Greeley CO. [1] May 22 Marie E Wilton writer, dies. [1] May 23 "Shuffle Along" first black musical comedy, opens in New York City. [1] May 24 First parliament for Northern Ireland elected. [1] British Legion is formed. [1] May 27 After 84 years of British control, Afghanistan achieves sovereignty. [1] May 28 Geo Mestdagh Belgian aviation pioneer, dies. [1] May 30 Lord Dunsany's "If" premieres in London. [1] Salzburg Austria votes to join Germany. [1] May 31 Suffy McInnis (first base) begins an errorless string of 1,700 chances. [1] June 1 Race riot in Tusla Okla (21 whites and 60 blacks killed). [1] June 3 A sudden cloudburst kills 120 near Pikes Peak, Colorado. [1] June 20 29.2 cm (11.5") of rainfall, Circle, Montana (state record). [1] July 11 Mongolia gains independence from China (National Day). [1] July 14 Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti convicted in Dedham Massachusetts, of. [1] July 20 Air mail service begins between New York City and San Francisco. [5] July 27 Researchers at the University of Toronto led by biochemist Frederick Banting announce the discovery of the hormone insulin. [5] August 3 First aerial cropdusting, on six-acre catalpa grove infested with leaf caterpillars, at Troy, Ohio. Two days later, found to be 99 percent effective. [1] [55.7] August 6 Clason Point, Bronx to College Point, Queens municipal ferry system begins. [1] August 10 Franklin Roosevelt stricken with polio at summer home on Canadian Island of Campobello. [1] August 25 US signs peace treaty with Germany. [1] August 28 Second Pan-African Congress meets (London, Brussels and Paris). [1] September 8 First Miss America crowned (Margaret Gorman of Washington DC). [1] September 15 WBZ-AM in Boston Massachusetts begins radio transmissions. [1] September 21 Gas generator explodes at Bradishe Aniline chemical works in Germany. [1] October 5 Present constitution of Liechtenstein comes into effect. [1] October 9 Babe Ruth's first World Series homer; only Sunday game ever pitched by Carl Mays. [1] October 26 Solomon Porter Hood named minister to Liberia. [1] October 29 Birth of William Henry Mauldin US, political cartoonist (Pulitzer-1945, 59). [1] November 9 Albert Einstein is awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work with the photoelectric effect. [5] November 11 President Harding dedicates Tomb of Unknown Soldier. [1] November 12 Washington Conference for Limitation of Armaments. [1] November 13 "The Sheik," starring Rudolph Valentino, is released. [1] US, France, Japan and British Empire sign a Pacific Treaty. [1] November 15 KYW-AM in Philadelphia Pennsylvania begins radio transmissions. [1] November 28 Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Bahá'í festival-Qawl 6, 78). [1] December 1 First US helium-filled dirigible makes first flight. [1] US Post Office establishes philatelic agency. [1] December 3 Birth of Hans G Kresse Dutch cartoonist (Eric the Viking). [1] December 6 Anglo-Irish Treaty signed; Ireland receives dominion status; partition creates Northern Ireland. [1] December 7 KWG-AM in Stockton California begins radio transmissions. [1] December 8 Eamon de Valera publicly repudiates Anglo-Irish Treaty. [1] December 10 Viktor Jacobi composer, dies at 38. [1] December 12 Henrietta Leavitt cepheid period-luminosity relation discover, dies. [1] December 16 Charles Camille Saint-Saens French composer (Carnival of the Animals), dies at 86. [1] December 21 P B S Pinchback major Reconstruction politician, dies at 84. [1] Supreme Court rules labor injunctions and picketing unconstitutional. [1] December 25 Hans Huber composer, dies at 69. [1] Korolenko writer, dies. [1] December 29 William Lyon Mackenzie King succeeded Arthur Meighen as Canadian Prime Minister. [1] December 31 József Kiss Hungarian literary (A hét), dies at 78. [1] Last San Francisco firehorses retired. [1]