1896

1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar and a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar, the 1896th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 896th year of the 2nd millennium, the 96th year of the 19th century, and the 7th year of the 1890s decade. As of the start of 1896, the Gregorian calendar was 12 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.

• 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.

• 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