Calixa Lavallée

Calixa Lavallée was a Canadian musician and Union Army band musician during the American Civil War. He was born in the Province of Canada. He is best known for composing the music for "O Canada", which officially became the national anthem of Canada in 1980, after a vote in the Senate and the House of Commons. The same 1980 Act of Parliament also changed some of the English lyrics. A further alteration to the English lyrics was made again in 2018. The original French lyrics and the music, however, have remained unchanged since 1880.

28 December 1842

Born on the same birth day (28 December): Billy Williams (singer) • Chris Ware • Denzel Washington • Dick Diamonde • Don Francisco (television host) • Girma Wolde-Giorgis • Hubert Green • Joe Manganiello • John Legend • Martin Milner • Senna Gammour • Terry Butcher • Werner Kolhörster

Born in the same month (December 1842): Adolf Bötticher • Charles Alfred Pillsbury • Ellen Swallow Richards • Giovanni Boldini • Osman Hamdi Bey • Peter Kropotkin • Phoebe Hearst • Sophus Lie