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Historical events & facts — February 16
What happened on February 16?
On February 16, 1923, archaeologist Howard Carter opened the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, discovering the most spectacular treasure in Egyptian archaeology. The tomb, intact for 3,200 years, contained more than 5,000 objects of gold, ebony and lapis lazuli. The "curse of the pharaoh" attracted global attention when several team members died prematurely.
On February 16, 1948, Kim Il-sung proclaimed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the northern half of the Korean peninsula, with himself as first leader. The division of Korea between north and south, established after the Japanese defeat in 1945, was thus permanently formalised. The regime Kim founded continues to govern North Korea under the Kim family dynasty, more than 75 years later.
On February 16, 1959, Fidel Castro was sworn in as Prime Minister of Cuba, weeks after his guerrilla forces had toppled dictator Fulgencio Batista. Castro would govern Cuba for nearly 50 years, making it the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere. His long confrontation with the US included the Bay of Pigs invasion (1961) and the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).
Notable birthdays — February 16
Famous people born on February 16
Octave Mirbeau
Octave Henri Marie Mirbeau was a French novelist, art critic, travel writer, pamphleteer, journalist and playwright, who achieved celebrity in Europe and great success among the public, whilst still appealing to the literary and artistic avant-garde with highly transgressive novels that explored violence, abuse and psychological detachment. His work has been translated into 30 languages.
John Galbraith Graham
John Galbraith Graham MBE was a British crossword compiler, best known as Araucaria of The Guardian. He was also, like his father Eric Graham, a Church of England priest.
Ken Takakura
Ken Takakura , born Takeichi Oda , was a Japanese actor and singer who appeared in over 200 films. Affectionately referred to as "Ken-san" by audiences, he was best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brought to his roles. He won the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role four times, tied with Koji Yakusho for the most ever.
Stephen Gaskin
Stephen Gaskin was an American counterculture Hippie icon best known for his presence in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco in the 1960s and for co-founding "The Farm", a spiritual commune in 1970. He was a Green Party presidential primary candidate in 2000 on a platform which included campaign finance reform, universal health care, and decriminalization of marijuana.
Richard Ford
Richard Ford is an American novelist and short story author and writer of a series of novels featuring the character Frank Bascombe.
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