What happened in 1997

400 entries recorded for 1997, listed by date. That was 29 years ago.

1997 at a glance

Years ago: 29 (as of 2026)
Century: 20th century
Decade: 1990s
Generation born: Generation Z
Entries here: 400
Breakdown: 296 births · 101 historical events · 3 deaths

January

January 1
Keegan Hipgrave
Birth
Keegan Hipgrave, Australian rugby league player
January 1
Gonzalo Montiel
Birth
Gonzalo Montiel, Argentine footballer
January 1
Noah Kahan
Birth
Noah Kahan, American singer-songwriter
January 2
Carlos Soler
Birth
Carlos Soler, Spanish footballer
January 2
Arshad Nadeem
Birth
Arshad Nadeem, Pakistani javelin thrower
January 3
Kyron McMaster
Birth
Kyron McMaster, British Virgin Islands hurdler
January 3
Fodé Ballo-Touré
Birth
Fodé Ballo-Touré, French-Senegalese footballer
January 3
Jérémie Boga
Birth
Jérémie Boga, French-Ivorian footballer
January 5
Jesús Vallejo
Birth
Jesús Vallejo, Spanish footballer
January 6
Michel Aebischer
Birth
Michel Aebischer, Swiss footballer
January 7
Lamar Jackson
Birth
Lamar Jackson, American football player
January 7
Ozzie Albies
Birth
Ozzie Albies, Curaçaoan baseball player
January 9
Comair Flight 3272
Historical event
Comair Flight 3272 crashes in Raisinville Township in Monroe County, Michigan, killing 29 people.
January 10
Blake Lawrie
Birth
Blake Lawrie, Australian rugby league player
January 10
Patrick Herbert
Birth
Patrick Herbert, New Zealand rugby league player
January 11
Cody Simpson
Birth
Cody Simpson, Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
January 12
Space Shuttle Atlantis
Historical event
Space Shuttle program: Atlantis launches from the Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-81 to the Russian space station Mir, carrying astronaut Jerry M. Linenger for a four-month stay on board the station, replacing astronaut John E. Blaha.
January 12
Darius Slayton
Birth
Darius Slayton, American football player
January 13
Ivan Provorov
Birth
Ivan Provorov, Russian ice hockey player
January 13
Henry Ellenson
Birth
Henry Ellenson, American basketball player
January 13
Connor McDavid
Birth
Connor McDavid, Canadian ice hockey player
January 13
Luis Díaz (footballer, born 1997)
Birth
Luis Díaz, Colombian footballer
January 13
Douglas Augusto
Birth
Douglas Augusto, Brazilian footballer
January 13
Egan Bernal
Birth
Egan Bernal, Colombian cyclist
January 14
Francesco Bagnaia
Birth
Francesco Bagnaia, Italian motorcycle racer
January 17
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Historical event
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station: A Delta II carrying the GPS IIR-1 satellite explodes 13 seconds after launch, dropping 250 tons of burning rocket remains around the launch pad.
January 17
Kyle Tucker
Birth
Kyle Tucker, American baseball player
January 17
Jake Paul
Birth
Jake Paul, American boxer, actor, rapper, and social media personality
January 18
Denis Malgin
Birth
Denis Malgin, Swiss ice hockey player
January 18
Emil Audero
Birth
Emil Audero, Indonesian footballer
January 19
Yasser Arafat
Historical event
Yasser Arafat returns to Hebron after more than 30 years and joins celebrations over the handover of the last Israeli-controlled West Bank city.
January 21
United States House of Representatives
Historical event
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 395–28 to reprimand Newt Gingrich for ethics violations, making him the first Speaker of the House to be so disciplined.
January 21
Jeremy Shada
Birth
Jeremy Shada, American actor, musician and singer
January 21
Ilia Topuria
Birth
Ilia Topuria, German-Georgian mixed martial artist
January 21
Mamadi Diakite
Birth
Mamadi Diakite, Guinean basketball player
January 22
Fan Zhendong
Birth
Fan Zhendong, Chinese table tennis player
January 23
Madeleine Albright
Historical event
Madeleine Albright was sworn in as the first female United States Secretary of State, becoming the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government at that time.
January 25
Noah Hanifin
Birth
Noah Hanifin, American ice hockey player
January 26
Gedion Zelalem
Birth
Gedion Zelalem, German-born American soccer player
January 29
Joel Eriksson Ek
Birth
Joel Eriksson Ek, Swedish ice hockey player
January 29
Jack Roslovic
Birth
Jack Roslovic, American ice hockey player
January 30
Colin White (ice hockey, born 1997)
Birth
Colin White, American ice hockey player
January 30
Thomas Chabot
Birth
Thomas Chabot, Canadian ice hockey player
January 31
Final Fantasy VII
Historical event
Final Fantasy VII, the first video game in the Final Fantasy franchise to use 3-D computer graphics, was released.
January 31
Arnaut Danjuma
Birth
Arnaut Danjuma, Dutch footballer
January 31
Donte DiVincenzo
Birth
Donte DiVincenzo, American basketball player
January 31
Miyeon
Birth
Miyeon, South Korean singer and actress

February

February 1
Drew Eubanks
Birth
Drew Eubanks, American basketball player
February 1
Jihyo
Birth
Jihyo, South Korean singer
February 2
Ellie Bamber
Birth
Ellie Bamber, English actress
February 4
Lebanon
Historical event
En route to Lebanon, two Israeli Sikorsky CH-53 troop-transport helicopters collide in mid-air over northern Galilee, Israel, killing 73.
February 4
1997 Bojnurd earthquake
Historical event
The Bojnurd earthquake measuring Mw 6.5 strikes Iran. With a Mercalli intensity of VIII, it kills at least 88 and damages 173 villages.
February 5
Banking in Switzerland
Historical event
The so-called Big Three banks in Switzerland announce the creation of a $71 million fund to aid Holocaust survivors and their families.
February 5
Patrick Roberts
Birth
Patrick Roberts, English footballer
February 7
Steve Jobs
Historical event
Steve Jobs returned to Apple Inc. as a consultant after the company's acquisition of his technology startup NeXT.
February 7
Anhelina Kalinina
Birth
Anhelina Kalinina, Ukrainian tennis player
February 7
Nicolò Barella
Birth
Nicolò Barella, Italian footballer
February 8
Kathryn Newton
Birth
Kathryn Newton, American actress
February 9
Valentini Grammatikopoulou
Birth
Valentini Grammatikopoulou, Greek tennis player
February 9
Saquon Barkley
Birth
Saquon Barkley, American football player
February 9
Jaire Alexander
Birth
Jaire Alexander, American football player
February 10
Chloë Grace Moretz
Birth
Chloë Grace Moretz, American actress
February 10
Josh Jackson (basketball)
Birth
Josh Jackson, American basketball player
February 10
Adam Armstrong (footballer)
Birth
Adam Armstrong, English footballer
February 10
Lilly King
Birth
Lilly King, American swimmer
February 10
Josh Rosen
Birth
Josh Rosen, American football player
February 10
Nadia Podoroska
Birth
Nadia Podoroska, Argentine tennis player
February 11
Space Shuttle Discovery
Historical event
Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
February 11
Far-right politics
Historical event
The far-right extremist Hungarian National Front introduces the day of honor, a neo-nazi and neo-fascist annual gathering in Budapest
February 11
Damien Harris
Birth
Damien Harris, American football player
February 11
Rosé (singer)
Birth
Rosé, New Zealand-South Korean singer and dancer
February 11
Mike Hughes (American football)
Birth
Mike Hughes, American football player
February 11
Hubert Hurkacz
Birth
Hubert Hurkacz, Polish tennis player
February 11
Zavier Simpson
Birth
Zavier Simpson, American basketball player
February 14
Jaehyun
Birth
Jaehyun, South Korean singer and actor
February 14
Breel Embolo
Birth
Breel Embolo, Swiss footballer
February 15
Justin Reid
Birth
Justin Reid, American football player
February 15
Derrick Jones Jr.
Birth
Derrick Jones Jr., American basketball player
February 16
Jordan Greenway
Birth
Jordan Greenway, American ice hockey player
February 17
Gaetano Castrovilli
Birth
Gaetano Castrovilli, Italian footballer
February 18
Odysseas Adam
Birth
Odysseas Adam, Greek volleyball player
February 18
DK (singer)
Birth
DK, South Korean singer
February 18
Brandon Jones (racing driver)
Birth
Brandon Jones, American racing driver
February 22
Roslin Institute
Historical event
Scientists at the Roslin Institute in Scotland announced the existence of Dolly, a female sheep who was the first mammal to have successfully been cloned from an adult cell.
February 22
Roslin, Midlothian
Historical event
In Roslin, Midlothian, British scientists announce that an adult sheep named Dolly has been successfully cloned.
February 22
Ilya Samsonov
Birth
Ilya Samsonov, Russian ice hockey player
February 22
Jerome Robinson
Birth
Jerome Robinson, American basketball player
February 23
Jamal Murray
Birth
Jamal Murray, Canadian basketball player
February 24
Đurđina Jauković
Birth
Đurđina Jauković, Montenegrin handball player
February 25
Isabelle Fuhrman
Birth
Isabelle Fuhrman, American actress
February 25
Brock Boeser
Birth
Brock Boeser, American ice hockey player
February 25
Thon Maker
Birth
Thon Maker, South Sudanese-Australian basketball player
February 25
Andrei Sinyavsky
Death
Andrei Sinyavsky, Russian journalist and publisher (born 1925)
February 26
Jessie Bates
Birth
Jessie Bates, American football player
February 28
1997 Ardabil earthquake
Historical event
An earthquake in northern Iran is responsible for about 1,100 deaths.
February 28
1997 Turkish military memorandum
Historical event
A Turkish military memorandum results in the collapse of the coalition government in Turkey.
February 28
North Hollywood shootout
Historical event
Two heavily armed bank robbers exchanged gunfire with officers of the Los Angeles Police Department in North Hollywood, in one of the most intense gun battles in American police history.
February 28
GRB 970228
Historical event
GRB 970228, a highly luminous 80-second flash of gamma rays, was detected on Earth, providing early evidence that gamma-ray bursts occur well beyond the Milky Way.
February 28
Chris Lindstrom
Birth
Chris Lindstrom, American football player

March

March 2
Becky G
Birth
Becky G, American singer and actress
March 2
Arike Ogunbowale
Birth
Arike Ogunbowale, American basketball player
March 3
David Neres
Birth
David Neres, Brazilian footballer
March 3
Camila Cabello
Birth
Camila Cabello, Cuban-American singer-songwriter and actress
March 4
Kwon Hyun-bin
Birth
Kwon Hyun-bin, South Korean actor and singer
March 4
Matisse Thybulle
Birth
Matisse Thybulle, Australian-American basketball player
March 5
Milena Venega
Birth
Milena Venega, Cuban rower
March 6
Lee Lu-da
Birth
Lee Lu-da, South Korean singer and actress
March 6
Alisha Boe
Birth
Alisha Boe, Norwegian actress
March 7
Dylan Strome
Birth
Dylan Strome, Canadian ice hockey player
March 7
Taher Mohamed
Birth
Taher Mohamed, Egyptian footballer
March 8
Tijana Bošković
Birth
Tijana Bošković, Serbian volleyball player
March 9
Comet Hale–Bopp
Historical event
Comet Hale–Bopp: Observers in China, Mongolia and eastern Siberia are treated to a rare double feature as an eclipse permits Hale-Bopp to be seen during the day.
March 9
Nadeo Argawinata
Birth
Nadeo Argawinata, Indonesian footballer
March 9
Chika (rapper)
Birth
Chika, American rapper
March 10
LaVern Baker
Death
LaVern Baker, American singer and actress (born 1929)
March 10
Belinda Bencic
Birth
Belinda Bencic, Swiss tennis player
March 11
Travis Konecny
Birth
Travis Konecny, Canadian ice hockey player
March 11
Ray Spalding
Birth
Ray Spalding, American basketball player
March 12
Allan Saint-Maximin
Birth
Allan Saint-Maximin, French footballer
March 12
Felipe Vizeu
Birth
Felipe Vizeu, Brazilian footballer
March 12
Dean Henderson
Birth
Dean Henderson, English footballer
March 13
Missionaries of Charity
Historical event
The Missionaries of Charity choose Sister Nirmala to succeed Mother Teresa as their leader.
March 13
Pyper America
Birth
Pyper America, American model, actress, and musician
March 13
Landry Shamet
Birth
Landry Shamet, American basketball player
March 14
Simone Biles
Birth
Simone Biles, American gymnast
March 16
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Birth
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, English footballer
March 16
Tyrel Jackson Williams
Birth
Tyrel Jackson Williams, American actor
March 16
Florian Neuhaus
Birth
Florian Neuhaus, German footballer
March 17
Katie Ledecky
Birth
Katie Ledecky, American swimmer
March 17
Daniel Sprong
Birth
Daniel Sprong, Dutch ice hockey player
March 18
Antonov An-24
Historical event
The tail of a Russian Antonov An-24 charter plane breaks off while en route to Turkey, causing the plane to crash and killing all 50 people on board.
March 18
Ciara Bravo
Birth
Ciara Bravo, American actress
March 18
Rieko Ioane
Birth
Rieko Ioane, New Zealand rugby union player
March 18
Ivica Zubac
Birth
Ivica Zubac, Croatian basketball player
March 18
Jordan Whitehead
Birth
Jordan Whitehead, American football player
March 21
Nat Phillips
Birth
Nat Phillips, English footballer
March 21
Tini (singer)
Birth
Martina Stoessel, Argentine singer and actress
March 22
Tara Lipinski
Historical event
Tara Lipinski, aged 14 years and nine months, becomes the youngest women's World Figure Skating Champion.
March 22
Comet Hale–Bopp
Historical event
Comet Hale–Bopp (pictured) reached its closest approach to Earth at 1.315 AU.
March 22
Martin Wong (actor)
Birth
Martin Wong, Hong Kong model and actor
March 22
Alex Meret
Birth
Alex Meret, Italian footballer
March 22
Chimezie Metu
Birth
Chimezie Metu, Nigerian-American basketball player
March 23
Ben Manenti
Birth
Ben Manenti, Australian cricketer
March 24
Mina (Japanese singer)
Birth
Mina, Japanese singer and dancer
March 26
Rancho Santa Fe, California
Historical event
Police in Rancho Santa Fe, California, discovered the bodies of 39 members of the religious group Heaven's Gate who had died in an apparent cult suicide.
March 26
Heaven's Gate (religious group)
Historical event
Thirty-nine bodies are found in the Heaven's Gate mass suicides.
March 27
Lisa (rapper)
Birth
Lisa, Thai rapper and dancer
March 28
Tragedy of Otranto
Historical event
In the Tragedy of Otranto, the Italian Navy vessel Sibilla collided with the Albanian civilian vessel Kateri i Radës, causing the latter to sink and leading to dozens of deaths.
March 30
Cha Eun-woo
Birth
Cha Eun-woo, South Korean singer, actor, and model

April

April 1
Comet Hale–Bopp
Historical event
Comet Hale–Bopp is seen passing at perihelion.
April 1
Álex Palou
Birth
Álex Palou, Spanish racing driver
April 1
Asa Butterfield
Birth
Asa Butterfield, English actor
April 2
Austin Riley
Birth
Austin Riley, American baseball player
April 2
Abdelhak Nouri
Birth
Abdelhak Nouri, Dutch footballer
April 2
Dillon Bassett
Birth
Dillon Bassett, American race car driver
April 3
Thalit massacre
Historical event
The Thalit massacre begins in Algeria; all but one of the 53 inhabitants of Thalit are killed by guerrillas.
April 3
Zhao Xintong
Birth
Zhao Xintong, Chinese snooker player
April 3
Gabriel Jesus
Birth
Gabriel Jesus, Brazilian footballer
April 4
Space Shuttle Columbia
Historical event
Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on STS-83. However, the mission is later cut short due to a fuel cell problem.
April 5
Borja Mayoral
Birth
Borja Mayoral, Spanish footballer
April 5
Dominik Mysterio
Birth
Dominik Mysterio, American wrestler
April 6
Lillelid murders
Historical event
In Greene County, Tennessee, the Lillelid murders occur.
April 6
Mingyu
Birth
Mingyu, South Korean singer and rapper
April 7
Rafaela Gómez
Birth
Rafaela Gómez, Ecuadorian tennis player
April 8
Arno Verschueren
Birth
Arno Verschueren, Belgian footballer
April 8
Roquan Smith
Birth
Roquan Smith, American football player
April 8
Saygrace
Birth
Saygrace, Australian singer and songwriter
April 8
Keira Walsh
Birth
Keira Walsh, English footballer
April 8
Kim Woojin
Birth
Kim Woo-jin, South Korean singer
April 9
Luis Arráez
Birth
Luis Arráez, Venezuelan baseball player
April 10
Claire Wineland
Birth
Claire Wineland, American activist and author (died 2018)
April 13
Tiger Woods
Historical event
In golf, 21-year-old Tiger Woods became the youngest player to win the Masters Tournament, breaking the record for the lowest four-round score.
April 13
Kyle Walker-Peters
Birth
Kyle Walker-Peters, English footballer
April 13
Mateo Cassierra
Birth
Mateo Cassierra, Colombian footballer
April 14
Murder of Pai Hsiao-yen
Historical event
Pai Hsiao-yen, daughter of Taiwanese artiste Pai Bing-bing, is kidnapped on her way to school, preceding her murder.
April 14
D. J. Moore
Birth
D. J. Moore, American football player
April 15
Ashleigh Gardner
Birth
Ashleigh Gardner, Australian cricketer
April 15
Maisie Williams
Birth
Maisie Williams, English actress
April 20
Alexander Zverev
Birth
Alexander Zverev, German tennis player
April 21
Mikel Oyarzabal
Birth
Mikel Oyarzabal, Spanish footballer
April 21
Diosdado Macapagal
Death
Diosdado Macapagal, Filipino lawyer and politician, 9th President of the Philippines (born 1910)
April 22
Grant Fisher
Birth
Grant Fisher, American runner
April 23
Zach Apple
Birth
Zach Apple, American swimmer
April 24
Lydia Ko
Birth
Lydia Ko, New Zealand golfer
April 24
Veronika Kudermetova
Birth
Veronika Kudermetova, Russian tennis player
April 26
Amber Midthunder
Birth
Amber Midthunder, American actress
April 26
Calvin Verdonk
Birth
Calvin Verdonk, Indonesian footballer
April 26
Kirill Kaprizov
Birth
Kirill Kaprizov, Russian ice hockey player
April 27
Andrew Cunanan
Historical event
American spree killer Andrew Cunanan murdered Jeffrey Trail, a former friend and a Gulf War veteran, who became the first victim of Cunanan's killing spree.
April 27
Jesse Ramien
Birth
Jesse Ramien, Australian rugby league player
April 28
Shane McClanahan
Birth
Shane McClanahan, American baseball player
April 28
Denzel Ward
Birth
Denzel Ward, American football player
April 29
Chemical Weapons Convention
Historical event
The Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force, outlawing the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons in the 87 countries that had ratified the convention.
April 29
Lucas Tousart
Birth
Lucas Tousart, French footballer
April 30
Adam Ryczkowski
Birth
Adam Ryczkowski, Polish footballer

May

May 1
1997 United Kingdom general election
Historical event
The Labour Party wins the 1997 General Election and Tony Blair is elected as Prime Minister.
May 1
Miles Sanders
Birth
Miles Sanders, American football player
May 2
BamBam
Birth
BamBam, Thai singer
May 3
Dwayne Haskins
Birth
Dwayne Haskins, American football player (died 2022)
May 3
Desiigner
Birth
Desiigner, American rapper
May 5
Mitch Marner
Birth
Mitch Marner, Canadian hockey player
May 5
Logan Gilbert
Birth
Logan Gilbert, American baseball player
May 6
Bank of England
Historical event
The Bank of England is given independence from political control, the most significant change in the bank's 300-year history.
May 6
Maymay Entrata
Birth
Maymay Entrata, Filipino model, entertainer and singer-songwriter
May 6
Duncan Scott (swimmer)
Birth
Duncan Scott, Scottish swimmer
May 6
Ranz Kyle
Birth
Ranz Kyle, Filipino social media personality and entertainer
May 7
Youri Tielemans
Birth
Youri Tielemans, Belgian footballer
May 7
Daria Kasatkina
Birth
Daria Kasatkina, Russian tennis player
May 7
Cameron Young
Birth
Cameron Young, American golfer
May 8
China Southern Airlines Flight 3456
Historical event
China Southern Airlines Flight 3456 crashes on approach into Bao'an International Airport, killing 35 people.
May 10
1997 Qayen earthquake
Historical event
An earthquake registering 7.3 Mw struck near Qaen, Iran, killing at least 1,567 and leaving around 50,000 others homeless.
May 10
Moment magnitude scale
Historical event
The 7.3 Mw Qayen earthquake strikes Iran's Khorasan Province killing 1,567 people.
May 10
Brittany Broski
Birth
Brittany Broski, American comedian and singer
May 10
Richarlison
Birth
Richarlison, Brazilian footballer
May 11
Deep Blue (chess computer)
Historical event
Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov in six games to become the first chess computer to win a match against a world champion.
May 11
Coi Leray
Birth
Coi Leray, American rapper and singer
May 11
Lana Condor
Birth
Lana Condor, American actress
May 12
Frenkie de Jong
Birth
Frenkie de Jong, Dutch footballer
May 13
Nico Hoerner
Birth
Nico Hoerner, American baseball player
May 14
Rúben Dias
Birth
Rúben Dias, Portuguese footballer
May 15
Laotian Civil War
Historical event
The United States government acknowledges the existence of the "Secret War" in Laos and dedicates the Laos Memorial in honor of Hmong and other "Secret War" veterans.
May 15
Space Shuttle Atlantis
Historical event
The Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on STS-84 to dock with the Russian space station Mir.
May 15
Scott Drinkwater
Birth
Scott Drinkwater, Australian rugby league player
May 15
Ousmane Dembélé
Birth
Ousmane Dembélé, French footballer
May 16
Mobutu Sese Seko
Historical event
Mobutu Sese Seko, the President of Zaire, flees the country.
May 17
First Congo War
Historical event
The First Congo War came to an end when Laurent-Désiré Kabila proclaimed himself president of Zaire, which was also renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
May 17
Laurent-Désiré Kabila
Historical event
Troops of Laurent-Désiré Kabila march into Kinshasa. Zaire is officially renamed Democratic Republic of the Congo.
May 19
Sierra Gorda
Historical event
The Sierra Gorda Biosphere, which encompasses the most ecologically diverse region in Mexico, was established as a result of grassroots efforts.
May 20
Kaoru Mitoma
Birth
Kaoru Mitoma, Japanese footballer
May 21
Ivan De Santis
Birth
Ivan De Santis, Italian footballer
May 21
Viktoria Petryk
Birth
Viktoria Petryk, Ukrainian singer-songwriter
May 21
Sisca Folkertsma
Birth
Sisca Folkertsma, Dutch footballer
May 21
Kevin Quinn (actor)
Birth
Kevin Quinn, American actor and singer
May 22
Lauri Markkanen
Birth
Lauri Markkanen, Finnish basketball player
May 22
Brandon Duhaime
Birth
Brandon Duhaime, American ice hockey player
May 23
Gustaf Nilsson (footballer, born 1997)
Birth
Gustaf Nilsson, Swedish footballer
May 23
Joe Gomez
Birth
Joe Gomez, English footballer
May 23
Coy Craft
Birth
Coy Craft, American footballer
May 23
Pedro Chirivella
Birth
Pedro Chirivella, Spanish footballer
May 23
Sam Timmins
Birth
Sam Timmins, New Zealand basketball player
May 23
Maximilian Kilman
Birth
Maximilian Kilman, English footballer
May 25
Coup d'état
Historical event
A military coup in Sierra Leone replaces President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah with Major Johnny Paul Koroma.
May 26
Mathew Barzal
Birth
Mathew Barzal, Canadian ice hockey player
May 27
Jarrell tornado
Historical event
A destructive F5-rated tornado tracked through a subdivision of homes northwest of Jarrell, Texas, killing 27 people.
May 27
1997 Central Texas tornado outbreak
Historical event
The 1997 Central Texas tornado outbreak occurs, spawning multiple tornadoes in Central Texas, including the F5 that killed 27 in Jarrell.
May 27
Daniel Jones (American football)
Birth
Daniel Jones, American football player
May 27
Anna Bondár
Birth
Anna Bondar, Hungarian tennis player
May 27
Konrad Laimer
Birth
Konrad Laimer, Austrian footballer
May 29
Tyler Nevin
Birth
Tyler Nevin, American baseball player
May 30
Jake Short
Birth
Jake Short, American actor
May 30
Eunha (singer)
Birth
Jung Eun-bi, South Korean singer and actress
May 30
Charlie Hall (actor, born 1997)
Birth
Charlie Hall, American actor
May 31
Confederation Bridge
Historical event
The Confederation Bridge opens, linking Prince Edward Island with mainland New Brunswick.
May 31
Woo Jin-young
Birth
Woo Jin-young, South Korean singer and rapper
May 31
Jeong Se-woon
Birth
Jeong Se-woon, South Korean singer-songwriter

June

June 2
Denver
Historical event
In Denver, Timothy McVeigh is convicted on 11 counts of murder and conspiracy for his role in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, in which 168 people died. He was executed four years later.
June 2
Scott the Woz
Birth
Scott Wozniak, American YouTuber
June 3
Louis Hofmann
Birth
Louis Hofmann, German actor
June 5
Republic of the Congo Civil War (1997–1999)
Historical event
The Second Republic of the Congo Civil War begins.
June 5
Pascal Lissouba
Historical event
Anticipating a coup attempt, President Pascal Lissouba of the Republic of the Congo ordered the detention of his rival Denis Sassou Nguesso, initiating a second civil war.
June 5
Sam Darnold
Birth
Sam Darnold, American football player
June 7
David Montgomery (American football)
Birth
David Montgomery, American football player
June 8
Jeļena Ostapenko
Birth
Jeļena Ostapenko, Latvian tennis player
June 10
Khmer Rouge
Historical event
Before fleeing his northern stronghold, Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot orders the killing of his defense chief Son Sen and 11 of Sen's family members.
June 10
Cheung Ka Long
Birth
Cheung Ka-long, Hong Kong foil fencer, 2020 Olympic champion
June 11
Unai Simón
Birth
Unai Simón, Spanish footballer
June 11
Kodak Black
Birth
Kodak Black, American rapper
June 11
Jorja Smith
Birth
Jorja Smith, English singer
June 13
Uphaar Cinema fire
Historical event
The Uphaar Cinema Fire takes place at Green Park, Delhi, resulting in the deaths of 59 people and seriously injuring 103 others.
June 13
Timothy McVeigh
Historical event
A jury sentences Timothy McVeigh to death for his part in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
June 14
David Bangala
Birth
David Bangala, French football defender
June 14
Fujii Kaze
Birth
Fujii Kaze, Japanese singer-songwriter
June 15
Madison Kocian
Birth
Madison Kocian, American gymnast
June 16
Radiohead
Historical event
The English rock band Radiohead released their landmark third album OK Computer in the United Kingdom.
June 16
Daïat Labguer (M'sila) massacre
Historical event
Fifty people are killed in the Daïat Labguer (M'sila) massacre in Algeria.
June 17
Alexander Bublik
Birth
Alexander Bublik, Russian-born Kazakhstani tennis player
June 17
KJ Apa
Birth
KJ Apa, New Zealand actor
June 17
Raluca Șerban
Birth
Raluca Șerban, Romanian-Cypriot tennis player
June 18
Katharina Hobgarski
Birth
Katharina Hobgarski, German tennis player
June 18
Latrell Mitchell
Birth
Latrell Mitchell, Australian rugby league player
June 20
Bálint Kopasz
Birth
Bálint Kopasz, Hungarian sprint canoeist
June 21
Derrius Guice
Birth
Derrius Guice, American football player
June 21
Rebecca Black
Birth
Rebecca Black, American singer-songwriter
June 25
Progress M-34
Historical event
An uncrewed Progress spacecraft collides with the Russian space station Mir.
June 25
National Hockey League
Historical event
The National Hockey League approved expansion franchises for Nashville (1998), Atlanta (1999), Columbus (2000), and Minneapolis-Saint Paul (2000).
June 26
J. K. Rowling
Historical event
J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first book in the Harry Potter fantasy novel series, was released.
June 26
Supreme Court of the United States
Historical event
The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the Communications Decency Act violates the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
June 26
Yerin Baek
Birth
Baek Ye-rin, South Korean singer
June 26
Ethan Bear
Birth
Ethan Bear, Canadian ice hockey player
June 26
Callum Taylor (English cricketer)
Birth
Callum Taylor, English cricketer
June 26
Jacob Elordi
Birth
Jacob Elordi, Australian actor
June 27
H.E.R.
Birth
H.E.R., American singer-songwriter
June 27
Chud the Builder
Birth
Dalton Eatherly, American livestreamer, better known as Chud the Builder
June 27
Yordan Alvarez
Birth
Yordan Alvarez, Cuban baseball player
June 27
Jehyve Floyd
Birth
Jehyve Floyd, American basketball player
June 28
Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson II
Historical event
Holyfield–Tyson II: Mike Tyson is disqualified in the third round for biting a piece off Evander Holyfield's ear.
June 28
Tadasuke Makino
Birth
Tadasuke Makino, Japanese racing driver
June 28
Shakur Stevenson
Birth
Shakur Stevenson, American boxer
June 30
Reuben Garrick
Birth
Reuben Garrick, Australian rugby league player
June 30
A. J. Brown
Birth
A. J. Brown, American football player

July

July 1
Handover of Hong Kong
Historical event
China resumes sovereignty over the city-state of Hong Kong, ending 156 years of British colonial rule. The handover ceremony is attended by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Charles, Prince of Wales, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
July 1
Space Shuttle program
Historical event
Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on STS-94, a re-flight of the prematurely-ended STS-83 mission with the same crew.
July 2
Thai baht
Historical event
The Bank of Thailand floats the baht, triggering the Asian financial crisis.
July 3
T. J. Hockenson
Birth
T. J. Hockenson, American football player
July 4
NASA
Historical event
NASA's Pathfinder space probe lands on the surface of Mars.
July 5
Sri Lankan civil war
Historical event
Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Tamil MP A. Thangathurai is shot dead at Sri Shanmuga Hindu Ladies College in Trincomalee.
July 6
The Troubles
Historical event
The Troubles: In response to the Drumcree conflict, five days of unrest began in nationalist districts of Northern Ireland.
July 7
Turkish Armed Forces
Historical event
The Turkish Armed Forces withdraw from northern Iraq after assisting the Kurdistan Democratic Party in the Iraqi Kurdish Civil War.
July 7
Mizuho Habu
Birth
Mizuho Habu, Japanese idol and model
July 7
James Marriott
Birth
James Marriott, English musician and online content creator
July 9
LATAM Airlines Brasil
Historical event
An explosion aboard a Brazilian airline TAM Fokker 100 launches engineer Fernando Caldeira de Moura Campos into a 2,400 meters free fall.
July 10
DNA
Historical event
In London, scientists report the findings of the DNA analysis of a Neanderthal skeleton which supports the "out of Africa theory" of human evolution, placing an "African Eve" at 100,000 to 200,000 years ago.
July 10
Miguel Ángel Blanco
Historical event
Miguel Ángel Blanco, a member of Partido Popular (Spain), is kidnapped (and later murdered) in the Basque city of Ermua by ETA members, sparking widespread protests.
July 11
Ryan Rolison
Birth
Ryan Rolison, American baseball player
July 12
Hayao Miyazaki
Historical event
Hayao Miyazaki's animated film Princess Mononoke is released, becoming the highest-grossing film in Japan for a few months.
July 12
Jean-Kévin Duverne
Birth
Jean-Kévin Duverne, French footballer
July 12
Malala Yousafzai
Birth
Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani-English activist, Nobel Prize laureate
July 12
Spill Tab
Birth
Claire Chicha, French Korean singer-songwriter known by the stage name Spill Tab
July 13
Leo Howard
Birth
Leo Howard, American actor and martial artist
July 13
Josh Hines-Allen
Birth
Josh Hines-Allen, American football player
July 14
Neekolul
Birth
Neekolul, American internet personality
July 15
Jil Teichmann
Birth
Jil Teichmann, Swiss tennis player
July 15
Anthony Cirelli
Birth
Anthony Cirelli, Canadian ice hockey player
July 17
Husein Sastranegara Airport
Historical event
After takeoff from Husein Sastranegara International Airport, Sempati Air Flight 304 crashes into a residential neighborhood in Bandung, killing 28 people.
July 17
OG Anunoby
Birth
OG Anunoby, British basketball player
July 18
Bam Adebayo
Birth
Bam Adebayo, American basketball player
July 18
Noah Lyles
Birth
Noah Lyles, American sprinter
July 18
Fionn Whitehead
Birth
Fionn Whitehead, English actor
July 19
The Troubles
Historical event
The Troubles: The Provisional Irish Republican Army announced that it would resume its ceasefire, ending its 28-year campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland.
July 19
Zach Werenski
Birth
Zach Werenski, American ice hockey player
July 20
USS Constitution
Historical event
USS Constitution, one of the United States Navy's original six frigates, sailed for the first time in 116 years after a full restoration.
July 22
Blue Water Bridge
Historical event
The second Blue Water Bridge opens between Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario.
July 22
Eiichiro Oda
Historical event
Written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece, the best-selling manga series in history, debuted in Weekly Shōnen Jump.
July 23
Digital Equipment Corporation
Historical event
Digital Equipment Corporation files antitrust charges against chipmaker Intel.
July 25
Nat Butcher
Birth
Nat Butcher, Australian rugby league player
July 26
Sebastian Aho
Birth
Sebastian Aho, Finnish ice hockey player
July 27
Si Zerrouk massacre
Historical event
About 50 people are killed in the Si Zerrouk massacre in Algeria.
July 31
FedEx Express Flight 14
Historical event
FedEx Express Flight 14 crashes at Newark International Airport, injuring five.
July 31
Thomas Bryant
Birth
Thomas Bryant, American basketball player
July 31
Bobbi Althoff
Birth
Bobbi Althoff, American podcaster and influencer

August

August 2
Austin Theory
Birth
Austin Theory, American wrestler
August 3
Sky Tower (Auckland)
Historical event
The Sky Tower, then the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere at 328 m (1,076 ft), opened in Auckland, New Zealand.
August 3
Oued El-Had and Mezouara massacre
Historical event
Oued El-Had and Mezouara massacre in Algeria: A total of 116 villagers killed, 40 in Oued El-Had and 76 in Mezouara.
August 3
Luis Robert Jr.
Birth
Luis Robert Jr., Cuban baseball player
August 4
Supercentenarian
Historical event
French supercentenarian Jeanne Calment died at the age of 122 years, 164 days, with the longest confirmed human lifespan in history.
August 5
Yungblud
Birth
Yungblud, English musician and actor
August 5
Olivia Holt
Birth
Olivia Holt, American actress and singer
August 5
Wang Yibo
Birth
Wang Yibo, Chinese dancer, singer and actor
August 5
Jack Cogger
Birth
Jack Cogger, Australian rugby league player
August 6
Korean Air Flight 801
Historical event
Korean Air Flight 801 crashed into a hill on approach to Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport in Guam, killing 228 of the 254 people aboard.
August 7
Fine Air Flight 101
Historical event
Fine Air Flight 101 crashes after takeoff from Miami International Airport, killing five people.
August 7
Space Shuttle program
Historical event
Space Shuttle Program: The Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-85 from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
August 7
Kyler Murray
Birth
Kyler Murray, American football player
August 7
Matty Cash
Birth
Matty Cash, English-Polish footballer
August 8
Panipak Wongpattanakit
Birth
Panipak Wongpattanakit, Thai taekwondo athlete
August 8
Karim Walid
Birth
Karim Walid, Egyptian footballer
August 10
Formosa Airlines Flight 7601
Historical event
Sixteen people are killed when Formosa Airlines Flight 7601 crashes near Beigan Airport in the Matsu Islands of Taiwan.
August 10
Kylie Jenner
Birth
Kylie Jenner, American television personality and businesswoman
August 10
Luca Marini
Birth
Luca Marini, Italian motorcycle rider
August 11
Sarah Clelland
Birth
Sarah Clelland, Scottish footballer
August 13
South Park
Historical event
The animated TV comedy South Park airs its very first episode.
August 14
Greet Minnen
Birth
Greet Minnen, Belgian tennis player
August 16
Greyson Chance
Birth
Greyson Chance, American musician
August 18
Renato Sanches
Birth
Renato Sanches, Portuguese footballer
August 18
Josephine Langford
Birth
Josephine Langford, Australian actress
August 20
Souhane massacre
Historical event
Souhane massacre in Algeria; over 60 people are killed and 15 kidnapped.
August 20
Daniel Vladař
Birth
Daniel Vladař, Czech ice hockey player
August 20
Kaho Minagawa
Birth
Kaho Minagawa, Japanese rhythmic gymnast
August 22
Lautaro Martínez
Birth
Lautaro Martínez, Argentine footballer
August 22
Fanum (streamer)
Birth
Fanum, American streamer
August 22
Maxx Crosby
Birth
Maxx Crosby, American football player
August 23
Lil Yachty
Birth
Lil Yachty, American rapper and singer
August 24
Karoline Leavitt
Birth
Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary
August 24
Alan Walker
Birth
Alan Walker, British-Norwegian DJ and record producer
August 25
Egon Krenz
Historical event
Egon Krenz, the former East German leader, is convicted of a shoot-to-kill policy at the Berlin Wall.
August 26
Beni Ali massacre
Historical event
Beni Ali massacre occurs in Algeria, leaving 60 to 100 people dead.
August 26
Cordae
Birth
Cordae, American rapper
August 27
Lucas Paquetá
Birth
Lucas Paquetá, Brazilian footballer
August 29
Netflix
Historical event
Netflix is launched as an internet DVD rental service.
August 29
Armed Islamic Group of Algeria
Historical event
At least 98 villagers are killed by the Armed Islamic Group of Algeria GIA in the Rais massacre, Algeria.
August 31
Diana, Princess of Wales
Historical event
Diana, Princess of Wales (pictured), her partner Dodi Fayed, and their driver were killed in a car crash in Paris.
August 31
Jaylen Barron
Birth
Jaylen Barron, American actress

September

September 1
Jung Kook
Birth
Jeon Jungkook, South Korean singer, songwriter and record producer
September 1
Joan Mir
Birth
Joan Mir, Spanish motorcycle racer
September 2
645AR
Birth
645AR, American rapper
September 2
Brandon Ingram
Birth
Brandon Ingram, American basketball player
September 3
Vietnam Airlines
Historical event
Vietnam Airlines Flight 815 (Tupolev Tu-134) crashes on approach into Phnom Penh airport, killing 64.
September 3
Bernard Tekpetey
Birth
Bernard Tekpetey, Ghanaian footballer
September 3
Salome Pazhava
Birth
Salome Pazhava, Georgian rhythmic gymnast
September 3
Reniece Boyce
Birth
Reniece Boyce, West Indian cricketer
September 3
Carter Kieboom
Birth
Carter Kieboom, American baseball player
September 3
Devin Singletary
Birth
Devin Singletary, American football player
September 5
Kyōko Saitō
Birth
Kyōko Saitō, Japanese idol
September 5
Steven Kwan
Birth
Steven Kwan, American baseball player
September 6
Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales
Historical event
An estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide watched the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, on television.
September 6
Royal Brunei Airlines Flight 839
Historical event
Royal Brunei Airlines Flight 839 crashes in the Lambir Hills National Park while on approach to Miri Airport in Malaysia, killing 10.
September 6
Tsukushi Haruka
Birth
Tsukushi, Japanese wrestler
September 6
Mallory Comerford
Birth
Mallory Comerford, American swimmer
September 7
Maiden flight
Historical event
Maiden flight of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
September 7
Dean-Charles Chapman
Birth
Dean-Charles Chapman, English actor

Questions about 1997

What happened in 1997?

This site records 400 entries for 1997, including Keegan Hipgrave on January 1. They are listed below by date.

How long ago was 1997?

29 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1997 turns 29 this year.

Which century is 1997 in?

1997 falls in the 20th century, in the 1990s.

Which generation was born in 1997?

Generation Z (1997–2012). First generation raised with smartphones and social media.

Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.