On This Day: February 27

Updated February 26, 2012, 1:28 pm

On Feb. 27, 1991, President George H.W. Bush declared that “Kuwait is liberated, Iraq’s army is defeated,” and announced that the allies would suspend combat operations at midnight.
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On Feb. 27, 1886, Hugo Black, who served 34 years as a U.S. Supreme Court judge and was known as a champion of civil liberties, was born. Following his death on Sept. 25, 1971, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1801 The District of Columbia was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress.

1807 Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine.

1902 Author John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, Calif.

1951 The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, limiting a president to two terms of office, was ratified.

1973 Members of the American Indian Movement occupied Wounded Knee, S.D., the site of the 1890 massacre of Sioux men, women and children. The occupation lasted until May.

1991 President George H.W. Bush announced the end of the Persian Gulf War, saying the allies would suspend combat operations at midnight.

1997 Divorce became legal in Ireland.

1997 Legislation banning most handguns in Britain went into effect.

2002 Alicia Keys won five Grammy Awards for her debut album, “Songs in A Minor.”

2002 A mob of Muslims set fire to a train carrying hundreds of Hindu nationalists in Godhra, India; some 60 people died.

2008 Author and conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr. died at age 82.

2010 An 8.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami killed 524 people in Chile caused $30 billion in damage and left over 200,000 homeless.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Singer Josh Groban turns 31 years old today.

AP Photo/Evan Agostini

Atlanta Falcon tight end Tony Gonzalez turns 36 years old today.

AP Photo/Keith Srakocic

1930 Joanne Woodward, Actress, turns 82

1934 Ralph Nader, Consumer advocate, turns 78

1937 Barbara Babcock, Actress, turns 75

1940 Howard Hesseman, Actor (“Head of the Class,” “WKRP in Cincinnati”), turns 72

1949 Debra Monk, Actress, turns 63

1954 Neal Schon, Rock musician (Journey), turns 58

1960 Johnny Van Zant, Country singer, turns 52

1961 James Worthy, Basketball Hall of Famer, turns 51

1962 Adam Baldwin, Actor, turns 50

1962 Grant Show, Actor (“Melrose Place”), turns 50

1980 Chelsea Clinton, Daughter of Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton, turns 32

Historic Birthdays

Hugo Black 2/27/1886 – 9/25/1971 American politician and Supreme Court associate justice.Go to obituary »

75 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 2/27/1807 – 3/24/1882
American poet

81 Ellen Terry 2/27/1847 – 7/21/1928
English actress

101 Alice Hamilton 2/27/1869 – 9/22/1970
American pathologist who worked on industrial diseases

88 Lotte Lehmann 2/27/1888 – 8/26/1976
German lyric-dramatic soprano

80 David Sarnoff 2/27/1891 – 12/12/1971
Russian-bn. American C.E.O. of R.C.A. and N.B.C.

79 Marino Marini 2/27/1901 – 8/6/1980
Italian artist

66 John Steinbeck 2/27/1902 – 12/20/1968
American Nobel Prize-winning novelist

83 Peter De Vries 2/27/1910 – 9/28/1993
American editor and novelist

78 Lawrence Durrell 2/27/1912 – 11/7/1990
English novelist and poet

71 Irwin Shaw 2/27/1913 – 5/16/1984
American playwright, novelist and screenwriter

1801	The District of Columbia was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress.
1807	Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine.
1902	Author John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, Calif.
1951	The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, limiting a president to two terms of office, was ratified.
1973	Members of the American Indian Movement occupied Wounded Knee, S.D., the site of the 1890 massacre of Sioux men, women and children. The occupation lasted until May.
1991	President George H.W. Bush announced the end of the Persian Gulf War, saying the allies would suspend combat operations at midnight.
1997	Divorce became legal in Ireland.
1997	Legislation banning most handguns in Britain went into effect.
2002	Alicia Keys won five Grammy Awards for her debut album, “Songs in A Minor.”
2002	A mob of Muslims set fire to a train carrying hundreds of Hindu nationalists in Godhra, India; some 60 people died.
2008	Author and conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr. died at age 82.
2010	An 8.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami killed 524 people in Chile caused $30 billion in damage and left over 200,000 homeless.

1930	Joanne Woodward, Actress, turns 82
1934	Ralph Nader, Consumer advocate, turns 78
1937	Barbara Babcock, Actress, turns 75
1940	Howard Hesseman, Actor (“Head of the Class,” “WKRP in Cincinnati”), turns 72
1949	Debra Monk, Actress, turns 63
1954	Neal Schon, Rock musician (Journey), turns 58
1960	Johnny Van Zant, Country singer, turns 52
1961	James Worthy, Basketball Hall of Famer, turns 51
1962	Adam Baldwin, Actor, turns 50
1962	Grant Show, Actor (“Melrose Place”), turns 50
1980	Chelsea Clinton, Daughter of Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton, turns 32

75	Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 2/27/1807 – 3/24/1882 American poet
81	Ellen Terry 2/27/1847 – 7/21/1928 English actress
101	Alice Hamilton 2/27/1869 – 9/22/1970 American pathologist who worked on industrial diseases
88	Lotte Lehmann 2/27/1888 – 8/26/1976 German lyric-dramatic soprano
80	David Sarnoff 2/27/1891 – 12/12/1971 Russian-bn. American C.E.O. of R.C.A. and N.B.C.
79	Marino Marini 2/27/1901 – 8/6/1980 Italian artist
66	John Steinbeck 2/27/1902 – 12/20/1968 American Nobel Prize-winning novelist
83	Peter De Vries 2/27/1910 – 9/28/1993 American editor and novelist
78	Lawrence Durrell 2/27/1912 – 11/7/1990 English novelist and poet
71	Irwin Shaw 2/27/1913 – 5/16/1984 American playwright, novelist and screenwriter