1896

Events 
 The first modern Olympic Games takes place in Athens.
 Alden J. Blethen buys The Seattle Times.
 On January 4, Utah became a state in the United States.

 Births 
 February 9 – Alberto Vargas – Pin-up artist
 May 30 - Howard Hawks, American director (d. 1977)
 August 27 – Miyazawa Kenji Japanese poet, writer of children's literature
 September 21- Walter Breuning, among the oldest people