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Historical People and Events for August
 

by John T. Marck


August 1

The first article proposing women's rights in America was written by Thomas Paine for the Pennsylvania Magazine, of which he was the editor, 1775.

Colorado was admitted to the Union, 1876 (38th)

The first Olympic games opened in Berlin, Germany, 1936

Anne Frank's last diary entry, 1944

The University of Texas tower massacre occurred, 1966

August 2

"Wild Bill" Hickok was shot and killed while playing poker at a saloon in Deadwood, South Dakota, 1876

The River and Harbors Bill that authorized expenditures of $18 million for public works was passed by Congress, overriding a veto by President Chester A. Arthur, 1882.

President Warren G. Harding died in San Francisco, California, 1923

The naval ship, PT-109, commanded by Lt. John F. Kennedy, sank off the Solomon Islands, 1943

The Persian Gulf War began, 1990

August 3

This day, Congress designated June 14 as Flag Day, 1949

The first telephone conversation in which voices were bounced off the moon was accomplished by U.S. scientists, 1960.

The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty was passed, 1972

Federal Air Traffic Controller's illegal strike occurred, 1981

The National Dance Hall of Fame, which includes the National Museum of Dance, was established in Saratoga, New York, 1984.

August 4

The United States purchased the Virgin Islands, 1916

During WWII, Gestapo captured Anne Frank, her family and others, in Holland, 1944

A world air speed record of 2196 mph was set by the X-15 experimental U.S. rocket plane, piloted by Joseph A. Walker, a civilian test pilot, 1960.

The United States Department of Energy was created, 1977

August 5

The first Atlantic cable was completed, 1858

The first federal income tax was levied, 1861

The Statue of Liberty cornerstone was laid, 1884

Actress Marilyn Monroe, was found dead in her home, 1962

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was established, 1985.

August 6

The first major allotment of public land for education was made by the city of Newport, Rhode Island. Income from the tract was to be used to educate the poor children of the town, 1640

First Lady Edith Roosevelt (wife of Theodore Roosevelt) was born Edith Kermit Carow in Norwich, Connecticut, 1861

The first electrocution took place at Auburn Prison, Auburn, New York. The executed prison was William Kemmler of Buffalo, New York, who had been convicted of the hatchet murder of his common-law wife, 1890.

First Lady Ellen Wilson (first wife of Woodrow Wilson) died in Washington, D.C., 1914

Judge Crater disappeared, 1930.

The United States dropped an Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, 1945

Luci Baines Johnson, the daughter of President Lyndon B. and "Lady Bird" Johnson, was married to Patrick Nugent in the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C., 1966.

August 7

George Washington created the "Purple Heart," decoration medal, 1782

The United States War Department was established by Congress, with Henry Knox as the first secretary of war, 1789

United States troops landed on Guadalcanal during WWII, 1942

The Refugee Act was signed by President Eisenhower, 1953.

The United States entered the Vietnam War, authorized by the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, 1964

United States troops sent to the Persian Gulf, 1990.

August 8

The surrender of the colony of New York was demanded by a Dutch force of 23 ships and 1600 troops anchored of Sandy Hook. They retained possession of the colony until February 9, 1674 when the English regained control, 1673.

Napoleon Bonaparte set sail for St. Helena to spend the remainder of his days in exile, 1815

Thomas Edison received a patent for his mimeograph, 1876

United States forces invaded Guadalcanal during WWII, 1942

The USSR declared war on Japan, 1945

August 9

The steamboat Erie, caught on fire on Lake Erie, killing 175, 1841.

The Battle of Cedar Mountain, Virginia occurred during the Civil War, 1863

The United States dropped an Atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, 1945

Japan surrendered to the United States, ending WWII in the Pacific, 1945

President Richard M. Nixon resigned as a result of his involvement in the burglary of the Democratic party headquarters at the Watergate office complex, 1974

August 10

Missouri was admitted to the Union, 1821 (24th)

The term Old Glory, referring to the U.S. flag, was first used by William Driver of Salem, Massachusetts, who was the captain of the ship, Charles Daggett. When presented with an American flag, Driver raised it to the masthead and said, "I name thee Old Glory." 1831

President Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa, 1874

Franklin D. Roosevelt was stricken with polio at his summer home on the Canadian Island of Campobello, 1921

The first commercial electric streetcar in America and the world was placed into operation in Baltimore. It ran from Oak Street to Roland Avenue to 40th Street.

August 11

Robert Fulton's steamboat Clermont made its first run from Albany to New York City in 32 hours, traveling t five miles per hour, 1807

The first silver mill began in Virginia City, Nevada, 1860

Lincoln's Proclamation of National Fast Day, 1861

The Watts, Los Angeles riots began, resulting in 35 people killed, 1965

August 12

The first public police force was formed in New Amsterdam. It consisted of ten watchmen who were paid 24 stuyvers (about fifty cents) per night. Their salaries were collected from the townspeople each month, 1658.

The United States Postal system became independent, 1970

United States ground forces in Vietnam were withdrawn, 1972

Isaac Merrit Singer was granted a patent for his sewing machine, 1851

August 13

The coin operated telephone was patented, 1889

Florence Nightingale died in London, 1910

Al Capp's satirical comic strip Li'l Abner, made its debut, 1934

The first Roller Derby was held, 1935

August 14

Admiral David G. Farragut died at Portsmouth, New Hampshire at the age of 69, 1870.

First Lady Sarah Polk died at her home "Polk Place" in Nashville, Tennessee, 1891

The Social Security Act was passed by Congress, 1935

Japan agreed to a unconditional surrender, 1945

H. Rap Brown indicted in Cambridge, Maryland, 1967.

United States bombing of Cambodia halted, marking the end to 12 years of United States combat in Indochina, 1973

August 15

Napoleon Bonaparte was born on the island of Corsica, 1769

The first Roman Catholic bishop in the United States, Father John Carroll, was consecrated at Lulworth Castle, England. Selected by Pope Pius VI, who also chose Baltimore, Maryland as the first Episcopal see in America., 1790.

First Lady Florence Harding was born Florence King in Marion, Ohio, 1860

V-J Day (Victory over Japan) was proclaimed, 1945

The Berlin Wall was created, 1961.

August 16

American forces won the Revolutionary War Battle of Bennington, Vermont, 1777

The first cable message was sent across the Atlantic Ocean from Queen Victoria of England to United States President James Buchanan, 1858

Fred Goldsmith first demonstrated that a curve ball was not an optical illusion at the Capitoline Grounds in Brooklyn, New York. He set up three poles in a straight line then hurled a baseball that went to the right of the first pole, to the left of the second and to the right of the third, 1870.

Baseball great Babe Ruth died, 1948

"Sports Illustrated" was first published, 1954

Singer Elvis Presley died at his home, "Graceland," in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 42, 1977

August 17

Davy Crockett was born, 1786

The Woodstock Music Fair ended, 1969

Hurricane Camille killed more than 300 people and left 70,000 homeless in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, 1969.

August 18

Virginia Dare, the first child born in America, was born in Virginia, 1587

First Lady Margaret Taylor died at the home of her daughter Betty, in Pascagoula, Mississippi, 1852

The Copyright Law was created by Congress, 1856.

President Abraham Lincoln first test fired the new Spencer Carbine rifle, 1863.

Mount Whitney, the second highest mountain in the United States, was scaled for the first time by an American team consisting of John Lucas, Charles D. Begole, and A.H. Johnson, 1873.

The Bureau of Immigration was created, 1894.

First Lady Rosalynn Carter was born Rosalynn Smith in Plains, Georgia, 1927

August 19

Caesar Augustus died, A.D. 14

The first federal bankruptcy law was enacted by Congress in 1841. It was later repealed in 1843 when state insolvency laws came into force. Other federal bankruptcy laws were enacted in 1874 and 1898.

Adolf Hitler became Fuhrer of Germany, 1934

President William J. Clinton was born in Hope, Arkansas, 1946

Actor Groucho Marx, of the famous Marx Brothers, died in Los Angeles, at the age of 86, 1977

August 20

President Benjamin Harrison was born in North Bend, Ohio, 1833

The first National Labor Congress was held in Baltimore, Maryland, 1866

Tolls were established on the Sault St. Marie canal by a proclamation issued by President Benjamin Harrison in retaliation for tolls imposed by Canada, 1892.

The first licensed radio broadcast occurred, 1920

The United States Marines landed in Beirut, 1982

August 21

The Lincoln-Douglas debates began, 1831

Exiled Communist Leon Trotsky died in Mexico City, Mexico, from wounds inflicted by an assailant, 1940

Hawaii was admitted to the Union, 1959 (50th)

The Broadway musical, La Cage aux Folles opened at the Palace Theater in New York City, 1983.

August 22

King Richard III was killed, ending the War of the Roses, 1485

The United States annexed New Mexico, 1846

The record player was patented, 1906

The world's first nuclear-powered ship, the Savannah, made its maiden voyage from Yorktown, Virginia to Savannah, Georgia, 1962.

August 23

The first Indian Church was founded on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, by John Eliot and John Cotton of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1670.

President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna of Mexico warned the United States that any attempt to annex Texas would be considered an act of war against Mexico, 1843.

Actor Rudolph Valentino died at the age of 31, 1926

Composer Oscar Hammerstein II died, 1960

Floods created by Hurricane Camille killed about 100 people in Virginia, 1969.

Maryland Governor Marvin Mandel was convicted of racketeering, 1977

August 24

Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the Roman cities of Pompeii & Herculaneum in volcanic ash, killing 20,000, A.D. 79

Washington, D.C. was captured by British troops under General Robert Ross, during the War of 1812, 1814

A patent for a motion picture camera, the first of its kind, was filed by Thomas A. Edison, 1892.

Amelia Earhart, was the first woman to fly across the United States, 1932

The North Atlantic Treaty went into effect, 1949

John Pennel became the first person to pole vault 17 feet, 3/4" at a meet in Miami, Florida, 1962.

August 25

Ann Rutledge, died at the age of 22 in Illinois, 1835

The National Park Service was established, 1916

Paris was liberated by United States & French troops during WWII, 1944

George Lincoln Rockwell, the leader of the American Nazi party was shot to death at the age of 49 by John C. Patler, his former aid, in Arlington, Virginia, 1967.

August 26

Roman forces under Julius Caesar invaded Britain, 55 B.C.

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, 1920

The AFL-CIO endorsed Senator John F. Kennedy for president, 1960.

The New York Giants Professional Football Club, announced their move to New Jersey, 1971

Charles Lindbergh died at his home in Hawaii at the age of 72, 1974

August 27

The first play to be performed in the North American Colonies was Ye Bare and Ye Cubb. This play was written by Philip Alexander Bruce, and took place at Acomac, Virginia, 1665.

The Revolutionary War Battle of Long Island was fought, 1776

Indian leader Black Hawk, deserted by his Winnebago allies, surrendered, ending the Black Hawk War, 1832

President Lyndon B. Johnson was born in Stonewall, Texas, 1908

The Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact was enacted, 1928

August 28

The last day of the Roman Empire, 476

Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born Saint, was born in New York City, 1774

First Lady Lucy Hayes was born Lucy Webb in Chillicothe, Ohio, 1831

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing was created to design and print financial papers for the federal government. It began with five employees, 1862.

August 29

The Second Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) began, 1862

Mormon leader Brigham Young died in Salt Lake City at the age of 76, 1877

The Beatles concluded their fourth American tour with their last public concert at Candlestick Park , San Francisco, 1966

August 30

Cleopatra, the seventh and most famous queen of ancient Egypt committed suicide, 30 B.C.

Confederates defeated Union forces at the Second Battle of Bull Run, Manassas, Va., 1862

The Battle of Britain occurred during WWII, 1940

Occupation of Japan by United States troops began during WWII, 1945.

A filibuster record was set by Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, who held the floor arguing against civil rights legislation for 24 hours, 27 minutes, 1957.

The Economic Opportunity Act was signed by President Johnson, providing for youth programs, community action anti-poverty measures in rural areas, small business loans, job training and job corps for youths, 1964.

Renowned manager of the New York Mets, Casey Stengel, announced his retirement after 55 years in Baseball, 1965.

August 31

George McClellan was nominated for President by the Democratic party, 1864.

Thomas A. Edison received a patent for his Kinetoscope, 1887.

The first professional football game was played in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. For Latrobe's team, he hired a substitute quarterback named John Brallier for $10 in expense money, making him the game's first professional player, 1895.

The National Apprenticeship Act was established, 1937

Rocky Marciano died in a plane crash in Iowa at the age of 45, 1969

Lady Diana, Princess of Wales and her companion Dodi Al Fayed died tragically in a car crash in Paris, France, 1997

 

Copyright © 1993-2022 by John T. Marck. All Rights Reserved. This article and their accompanying pictures, photographs, and line art, may not be resold, reprinted, or redistributed for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from the author.