Origins & Early Life

Yoko Ono (Japanese: 小野 洋子, romanized: Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana as オノ・ヨーコ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese retired artist, musician, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono was born and grew up in Tokyo and moved to New York City in 1952 to join her family. She became involved with New York City's downtown artists scene in the early 1960s, which included the Fluxus group, and became widely known outside the contemporary art world in 1969 when she married English musician John Lennon of the Beatles, with whom she would subsequently record as a duo in the Plastic Ono Band.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The couple used their honeymoon as a stage for public protests against the Vietnam War with what they called a bed-in. She and Lennon remained married until he was murdered in front of the couple's apartment building, The Dakota, on December 8, 1980. Together, they had one son, Sean, who later also became a musician. Ono began a career in popular music in 1969, forming the Plastic Ono Band with Lennon and producing a number of avant-garde music albums in the 1970s. She achieved commercial and critical success in 1980 with the chart-topping album Double Fantasy...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adolph Caesar — Contemporary (Born in 1933) (1933): Acclaimed American actor known for his deep voice and Off-Broadway staple status.
• Akihito — Contemporary (Born in 1933) (1933): 125th Emperor of Japan; reigned during the Heisei era (1989-2019).
• Arno Allan Penzias — Contemporary (Born in 1933) (1933): Pioneering radio astronomer known for discovering cosmic microwave background radiation.
• Alessandro Volta — Shared historical date (02-18 · Born) (1745): Pioneering Italian physicist, credited with the electric battery and electrochemistry.
• Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi — Shared historical date (02-18 · Died) (1851): Pioneering German mathematician known for elliptic functions and differential equations.
• Charles K. Kao — Historical peer (Born in 1933) (1933): Pioneering figure in fibre optics, laying the groundwork for modern global telecommunications.
• Chita Rivera — Historical peer (Born in 1933) (1933): Iconic Broadway performer, dancer, and singer celebrated for her versatility and talent.
• Albert Bassermann — Historical peer (Died in 1952) (1952): Esteemed German stage and screen actor, celebrated for his dramatic versatility.
• Angela Strank — Historical peer (Born in 1952) (1952): British engineer and Chief Scientist at BP, specializing in downstream technology.
• Adrian Goldsworthy — Historical peer (Born in 1969) (1969): Prominent British historian specializing in the military aspects of Roman antiquity.
• 1933 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1933
• February 18 (02-18) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 18