43 BC Octavian, later known as Augustus, compels the Roman Senate to elect him consul
43 BC Octavian, later known as Augustus, compels the Roman Senate to elect him consul
What Happened on
A complete timeline of historical events, famous births, notable deaths, and holidays that occurred on August 19 throughout history.
93
Events
13
Births
3
Deaths
Historical Events on August 19
Louis Daguerre's daguerreotype photographic process with complete working instructions is published "free to the world"
Louis Daguerre's daguerreotype photographic process with complete working instructions is published "free to the world" in Paris as a gift from the French government
World War II: Over 4,000 Canadian and British soldiers are killed, wounded, or captured during a raid on Dieppe, France
World War II: Over 4,000 Canadian and British soldiers are killed, wounded, or captured during a raid on Dieppe, France
Iran and Iraq begin a ceasefire in their eight-year-old war at 11 pm EDT
Iran and Iraq begin a ceasefire in their eight-year-old war at 11 pm EDT
Conservative members of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union attempt to depose Mikhail Gorbachev in a coup d'état
The 1991 Soviet coup attempt, also known as the August Coup, was a failed attempt by hardliners of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) to forcibly seize control of the country from Mikhail...
Operation Iraqi Freedom winds down as the last of the United States Brigade Combat Teams cross the border into Kuwait [1
Operation Iraqi Freedom winds down as the last of the United States Brigade Combat Teams cross the border into Kuwait [1]
ABC begins broadcasting Saturday morning kids' shows (Animal Clinic and Acrobat Ranch)
ABC begins broadcasting Saturday morning kids' shows (Animal Clinic and Acrobat Ranch)
Interscope Records releases "The Fame," the debut album by Lady Gaga (Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album 2010)
The Fame is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga. It was released on August 19, 2008, by Interscope Records.
Start of the first and only Olympic cricket match as Great Britain defeats France by 158 runs in Paris
Start of the first and only Olympic cricket match as Great Britain defeats France by 158 runs in Paris
British social reformer Elizabeth Gurney (20) weds British tea dealer Joseph Fry (23) at the Norwich Quaker Meeting Hous
British social reformer Elizabeth Gurney (20) weds British tea dealer Joseph Fry (23) at the Norwich Quaker Meeting House in Norwich, England
French singer Édith Piaf (19) weds Andrew Johnseppe in Belleville, Paris, France
French singer Édith Piaf (19) weds Andrew Johnseppe in Belleville, Paris, France
American actor Dick Powell (40) weds his third wife, American actress June Allyson (27), until his death in 1963; MGM st
American actor Dick Powell (40) weds his third wife, American actress June Allyson (27), until his death in 1963; MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer reluctantly gave the bride away
Actor-comedian Tom Arnold (48) divorces Shelby Roos (35) after six years of marriage
Actor-comedian Tom Arnold (48) divorces Shelby Roos (35) after six years of marriage
"My Fair Brady" actress Adrianne Curry (28) divorces "The Brady Bunch" actor Christopher Knight (53) due to irreconcilab
"My Fair Brady" actress Adrianne Curry (28) divorces "The Brady Bunch" actor Christopher Knight (53) due to irreconcilable differences after 5 years of marriage
King James I of Aragon censors Hebrew writing
King James I of Aragon censors Hebrew writing
Aenea Silvio Piccolomini chosen as Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II (Latin: Pius PP. II, Italian: Pio II), born Enea Silvio Bartolomeo Piccolomini (Latin: Aeneas Silvius Bartholomeus; 18 October 1405 – 14 August 1464), was head of the Catholic Church and...
Battle of Knockdoe, the bloodiest battle of medieval Ireland, is fought in Galway between two Anglo-Irish lords: Gearoid
Battle of Knockdoe, the bloodiest battle of medieval Ireland, is fought in Galway between two Anglo-Irish lords: Gearoid Fitzgerald, Lord Deputy, defeats Ulick Finn Burke
Dutch ship Liefde reaches Japan, barely making it across the Pacific with 25 crew members, including English navigator W
Dutch ship Liefde reaches Japan, barely making it across the Pacific with 25 crew members, including English navigator William Adams; its cannons later play an important role in the Battle of Sekigahara [1]
World's "most mysterious book", a codex known as the Voynich manuscript, written in an unknown script, is sent by a rect
World's "most mysterious book", a codex known as the Voynich manuscript, written in an unknown script, is sent by a rector of Prague University to a Jesuit scholar (now in Yale University Library and still undeciphered) in 1666
Battle of Slankamen: "The bloodiest battle of the century" Austrian Habsburg forces defeat the Ottoman army, killing Gra
Battle of Slankamen: "The bloodiest battle of the century" Austrian Habsburg forces defeat the Ottoman army, killing Grand Vizier Köprülü Fazıl Mustafa Pasha
Battle of Santa Marta, Venezuela: English fleet defeats the French (battle ends August 25)
Battle of Santa Marta, Venezuela: English fleet defeats the French (battle ends August 25)
Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf: Russian army defeats Prussia [New style = August 30]
Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf: Russian army defeats Prussia [New style = August 30]
Yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, then the US capital, has its first fatality and lasts until November, killing aro
Yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, then the US capital, has its first fatality and lasts until November, killing around 5,000 people
Spain and France sign an anti-British alliance
Spain and France sign an anti-British alliance
US warship Constitution defeats British warship Guerriere
USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She is the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat.
Gervasio Antonio de Posadas joins Argentina's second triumvirate
Gervasio Antonio de Posadas y Dávila (18 June 1757 – 2 July 1833) was an Argentine lawyer and statesman who served as the first Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata from 31...
Java returns to Dutch rule after being controlled by the British for five years
Java returns to Dutch rule after being controlled by the British for five years
Canada Company is chartered to colonize Upper Canada (Ontario)
The Canada Company was a private British land development company that was established to aid in the colonization of a large part of Upper Canada.
HMS Beagle anchors at Angra, Azores
HMS Beagle anchors at Angra, Azores
Confederate Congress allies with the government of Missouri
The Confederate States Congress was both the provisional and permanent legislative assembly June 1865, during the American Civil War.
Second day of battle at Globe Tavern, Virginia, Union forces attempt to destroy Weldon Railroad Confederate supply route
Second day of battle at Globe Tavern, Virginia, Union forces attempt to destroy Weldon Railroad Confederate supply route (successful August 21)
William Huggins describes the astronomical application of spectroscopy
William Huggins describes the astronomical application of spectroscopy
American frontier murderer and outlaw John Wesley Hardin is shot and killed by John Selman Sr. in a saloon in El Paso, T
American frontier murderer and outlaw John Wesley Hardin is shot and killed by John Selman Sr. in a saloon in El Paso, Texas
First electric taxis drive in London
The Bersey Electric Cab (also known as the London Electrical Cab) was an early electric-powered vehicle and the first electric hackney carriage (black cab) in London.
Philadelphia Phillies suffer a record ninth consecutive postponed game
Philadelphia Phillies suffer a record ninth consecutive postponed game
"Wild" Bob Burman wins his first major auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earning the Prest-O-Lite Trophy; the 10
"Wild" Bob Burman wins his first major auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earning the Prest-O-Lite Trophy; the 100-lap, 250-mile race is completed by only three of the nine cars, and one racer and a mechanic are killed in a crash
Percy Grainger's orchestral piece "Shepherd's Hey" premieres
Percy Grainger's orchestral piece "Shepherd's Hey" premieres
Frenchman Adolphe Célestin Pégoud makes the first parachute jump in Europe
Frenchman Adolphe Célestin Pégoud makes the first parachute jump in Europe
British liner "SS Arabic" is sunk by a German submarine without warning while leaving Liverpool for New York, killing 44
British liner "SS Arabic" is sunk by a German submarine without warning while leaving Liverpool for New York, killing 44 and creating a diplomatic incident
Sunday benefit baseball game at NYC's Polo Grounds results in John McGraw and Christy Mathewson's arrest for violating B
Sunday benefit baseball game at NYC's Polo Grounds results in John McGraw and Christy Mathewson's arrest for violating Blue Laws
After nearly 100 years of British control, Afghanistan declares independence
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and South Asia.
Metropolitan Sergius proclaims the declaration of loyalty of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Soviet state
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, also called Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia or ROCOR, or Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCA), is a semi-autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox...
Lefty Grove wins an AL record-tying 16th consecutive game
Lefty Grove wins an AL record-tying 16th consecutive game
The first All-American Soap Box Derby is held in Dayton, Ohio
The Soap Box Derby is a youth-oriented gravity racer event founded in 1934 in the United States by Myron Scott (a photojournalist native to Dayton, Ohio), employed by the Dayton Daily News, and...
Trial against Lev Kamenev and Grigory Zinoviev for "Trotskyism" opens in Moscow
Grigory Yevseyevich Zinoviev (born Ovsei-Gershon Aronovich Radomyslsky; 23 September [O.S. 11 September] 1883 – 25 August 1936) was a Russian revolutionary and Soviet politician.
37.6 cm of rainfall in Tuckerton, NJ (state record)
37.6 cm of rainfall in Tuckerton, NJ (state record)
Belgian church excommunicates Nazi collaborator Léon Degrelle
Belgian church excommunicates Nazi collaborator Léon Degrelle
Allied air raid on Maastricht kills more than 80 people
Allied air raid on Maastricht kills more than 80 people
J. Arens and D. van Dorpen synthesize vitamin A
J. Arens and D. van Dorpen synthesize vitamin A
32.4 cm of rainfall in Burlington, Connecticut (state record)
32.4 cm of rainfall in Burlington, Connecticut (state record)
NY Giants board of directors vote 8-1 to move their baseball franchise to San Francisco in 1958 [1]
NY Giants board of directors vote 8-1 to move their baseball franchise to San Francisco in 1958 [1]
NAACP Youth Council begins a sit-in at a "whites-only" lunch counter at Katz Drug Store in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma [1]
NAACP Youth Council begins a sit-in at a "whites-only" lunch counter at Katz Drug Store in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma [1]
Honolulu, Hawaii seeks a franchise in baseball's new Continental League
Honolulu, Hawaii seeks a franchise in baseball's new Continental League
Homer Blancos plays his finest round in golf, shooting a 55
Homer Blancos plays his finest round in golf, shooting a 55
Communication satellite Syncom 3 is launched
Syncom (for "synchronous communication satellite") started as a 1961 NASA program for active geosynchronous communication satellites, all of which were developed and manufactured by the Space and...
Auschwitz trials end with six life sentences
Auschwitz trials end with six life sentences
Earthquake strikes Varto region in eastern Turkey with a 6.8 magnitude, killing around 2,400
Earthquake strikes Varto region in eastern Turkey with a 6.8 magnitude, killing around 2,400
The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" single goes to #1
"All You Need Is Love" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in July 1967, with "Baby, You're a Rich Man" as its B-side.
The Chinese community in South Africa is granted "white" status
The Chinese community in South Africa is granted "white" status
France performs a nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll
France performs a nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll
USSR performs a nuclear test at Sary Shagan, USSR
USSR performs a nuclear test at Sary Shagan, USSR
Between 377 and 470 people die in an arson fire at a movie theater in Abadan, Iran
The Cinema Rex fire happened on August 19th 1978 when the Cinema Rex in Abadan, Iran, was set ablaze, killing between 377 and 470 people.
"My Sharona" by The Knack hits #1 and stays at the top for 6 weeks
"My Sharona" by The Knack hits #1 and stays at the top for 6 weeks
Renaldo Nehemiah of the US runs the 110 m hurdles in a world record time of 12.93 seconds
Renaldo Nehemiah of the US runs the 110 m hurdles in a world record time of 12.93 seconds
Soyuz T-7 launches; Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the second woman in space
Svetlana Yevgenyevna Savitskaya is a Russian former aviator and Soviet cosmonaut who flew aboard Soyuz T-7 in 1982, becoming the second woman in space.
Dodgers trade Dave Stewart and Ricky Wright to Texas for Rick Honeycutt
Frederick Wayne Honeycutt, nicknamed "Honey", is an American former professional baseball coach and pitcher.
Car bomb kills 20 in Tehran, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia.
Hungerford Massacre, England: Michael Ryan kills 16 people with an assault rifle and then commits suicide
Hungerford Massacre, England: Michael Ryan kills 16 people with an assault rifle and then commits suicide
First crack in the Iron Curtain as Hungary opens its borders to Austria for a Pan-European Picnic for a few hours
First crack in the Iron Curtain as Hungary opens its borders to Austria for a Pan-European Picnic for a few hours
Dodger José Offerman hits a home run in his first at-bat
José Antonio Offerman Dono is a Dominican professional baseball manager and former infielder who most recently served as the manager for the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna of the Mexican League.
Sri Lanka makes its highest cricket score ever, 8-547, against Australia
Sri Lanka makes its highest cricket score ever, 8-547, against Australia
Dow Jones Industrial Average hits record high of 3612.13
Dow Jones Industrial Average hits record high of 3612.13
After five days, Shannon Faulkner quits as the first woman at The Citadel
After five days, Shannon Faulkner quits as the first woman at The Citadel
Major South African political parties begin their submissions to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)
Major South African political parties begin their submissions to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)
South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission chairperson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, releases documents revealing an
South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission chairperson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, releases documents revealing an alleged plot by Western countries to assassinate UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld of Sweden
A Russian Mi-26 helicopter carrying troops is hit by a Chechen missile outside Grozny, killing 127 soldiers and injuring
A Russian Mi-26 helicopter carrying troops is hit by a Chechen missile outside Grozny, killing 127 soldiers and injuring 20 in the worst attack in helicopter history
A car bomb attack on United Nations headquarters in Iraq kills the agency's top envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 ot
A car bomb attack on United Nations headquarters in Iraq kills the agency's top envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 other employees
A series of strong storms dubbed the "Toronto Supercell" lashes Southern Ontario, spawning several tornadoes and creatin
A series of strong storms dubbed the "Toronto Supercell" lashes Southern Ontario, spawning several tornadoes and creating extreme flash flooding within the city of Toronto and its surrounding communities
15.12 inches (38.4 cm) of rainfall in Hokah, Minnesota (a state record, breaking the previous record after 35 years)
15.12 inches (38.4 cm) of rainfall in Hokah, Minnesota (a state record, breaking the previous record after 35 years)
Britain's Victoria Pendleton beats Anna Mears in the women's cycling sprint final at the Beijing Olympics, with Great Br
Britain's Victoria Pendleton beats Anna Mears in the women's cycling sprint final at the Beijing Olympics, with Great Britain dominating the track by winning 7 of 10 gold medals
A series of bombings in Baghdad, Iraq, kill 101 and injure 565
The August 2009 Baghdad bombings were three coordinated car bomb attacks and a number of mortar strikes in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on 19 August 2009.
Plane crash in the mountainous region of Talodi, Sudan, kills 32, including several government officials and staff, en r
Plane crash in the mountainous region of Talodi, Sudan, kills 32, including several government officials and staff, en route to the Eid al-Fitr festival, which celebrates the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan; crash is blamed on bad weather conditions
24 Egyptian policemen are killed in an attack in Rafah
The 2012–2013 Egyptian protests (sometimes called the Hirak Uprising) were part of the crisis in Egypt including the June 2013 protests, the July 2013 coup d'état, and part of the post-coup unrest.
US Food and Drug Administration approves female Viagra libido pill Addyi
US Food and Drug Administration approves female Viagra libido pill Addyi
A six-way tie for first place occurs in the final of the equestrian individual jumping competition at the Rio de Janeiro
A six-way tie for first place occurs in the final of the equestrian individual jumping competition at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics; Nick Skelton of Great Britain wins the gold medal jump-off
Limerick wins the All-Ireland Hurling Championship for the first time in 45 years with a 3-16 to 2-18 victory over defen
Limerick wins the All-Ireland Hurling Championship for the first time in 45 years with a 3-16 to 2-18 victory over defending champions Galway at Croke Park, Dublin
Evelyn Hernández is cleared of killing her newborn baby in a landmark case in a retrial in El Salvador
Evelyn Hernández is cleared of killing her newborn baby in a landmark case in a retrial in El Salvador
Apple becomes the first US company to be valued at $2 trillion just two years after it reaches a $1 trillion valuation
Apple becomes the first US company to be valued at $2 trillion just two years after it reaches a $1 trillion valuation
Iran's official COVID-19 death toll surpasses 100,000 amid its fifth wave of infections, according to its Health Ministr
Iran's official COVID-19 death toll surpasses 100,000 amid its fifth wave of infections, according to its Health Ministry
30-hour siege begins at Hayat Hotel, Mogadishu, by Shabab militants, leaving 21 dead and 117 injured [1]
30-hour siege begins at Hayat Hotel, Mogadishu, by Shabab militants, leaving 21 dead and 117 injured [1]
MLB Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner hits two solo home runs in the same inning in a 12-3 win over the Nation
MLB Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner hits two solo home runs in the same inning in a 12-3 win over the Nationals in Washington
English tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and five others die when their luxury yacht capsizes in a storm off the coast of Pa
English tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and five others die when their luxury yacht capsizes in a storm off the coast of Palermo [1]
John Wall, NBA five-time All-Star and Washington Wizards No. 1 draft pick in 2010, announces his retirement after 11 sea
John Wall, NBA five-time All-Star and Washington Wizards No. 1 draft pick in 2010, announces his retirement after 11 seasons [1]
Famous Births on August 19
birth
John Flamsteed is born
John Flamsteed, English astronomer, known for english astronomer, was born on 1646-08-19. John Flamsteed (19 August 1646 – 31 December 1719) was an English astronomer and the first Astronomer Royal.
birth
Orville Wright is born
Orville Wright is born
birth
Bill Clinton is born
Bill Clinton is born
birth
Satya Nadella is born
Satya Nadella, American indian-american business executive, known for indian-american business executive, was born on 1968-08-19.
birth
Gene Roddenberry is born
Gene Roddenberry screenwriter and producer, known for american screenwriter and producer, was born on 1921-08-19. Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr.
birth
Matthew Perry is born
Matthew Perry, American canadian actor, known for american and canadian actor, was born on 1969-08-19. Matthew Langford Perry (August 19, 1969 – October 28, 2023) was an American and Canadian actor.
birth
Jonathan Frakes is born
Jonathan Frakes, American actor and director, known for american actor and director, was born on 1953-08-19. Jonathan Scott Frakes is an American actor and director.
birth
John Stamos is born
John Stamos, American actor and musician, known for american actor and musician, was born on 1964-08-19. John Phillip Stamos is an American actor and musician.
birth
Christina Perri is born
Christina Perri, American musician, known for american singer-songwriter, was born on 1987-08-19. Christina Judith Perri is an American singer and songwriter.
birth
Bill Shoemaker is born
Bill Shoemaker, American athlete, known for american champion jockey, was born on 1931-08-19.
birth
Mary Joe Fernández is born
Mary Joe Fernández is born
birth
Ogden Nash is born
Ogden Nash, American poet, known for american poet, was born on 1902-08-19. Frederic Ogden Nash (August 19, 1902 – May 19, 1971) was an American poet well known for his light verse, of which he wrote…
birth
Malcolm Forbes is born
Malcolm Forbes, American publisher, known for american publisher, was born on 1919-08-19.
Notable Deaths on August 19
death
Jean Baptiste Joseph Delambre dies
Jean Baptiste Joseph Delambre, French mathematician and astronomer, known for french mathematician and astronomer, died on 1822-08-19.
death
Claude Grahame-White dies
Claude Grahame-White dies
death
Groucho Marx dies
Groucho Marx, American comedian, known for american comedian, died on 1977-08-19. Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, comic vocalist and…
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on August 19, 43?
- 43 BC Octavian, later known as Augustus, compels the Roman Senate to elect him consul
- What happened on August 19, 1839?
- Louis Daguerre's daguerreotype photographic process with complete working instructions is published "free to the world" in Paris as a gift from the French government
- What happened on August 19, 1942?
- World War II: Over 4,000 Canadian and British soldiers are killed, wounded, or captured during a raid on Dieppe, France
- What happened on August 19, 1988?
- Iran and Iraq begin a ceasefire in their eight-year-old war at 11 pm EDT
- What happened on August 19, 1991?
- The 1991 Soviet coup attempt, also known as the August Coup, was a failed attempt by hardliners of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) to forcibly seize control of the country from Mikhail...
Complete Timeline — August 19 Through the Ages
43 BC Octavian, later known as Augustus, compels the Roman Senate to elect him consul
43 BC Octavian, later known as Augustus, compels the Roman Senate to elect him consul
King James I of Aragon censors Hebrew writing
King James I of Aragon censors Hebrew writing
Aenea Silvio Piccolomini chosen as Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II (Latin: Pius PP. II, Italian: Pio II), born Enea Silvio Bartolomeo Piccolomini (Latin: Aeneas Silvius Bartholomeus; 18 October 1405 – 14 August 1464), was head of the Catholic Church and...
Battle of Knockdoe, the bloodiest battle of medieval Ireland, is fought in Galway between two Anglo-Irish lords: Gearoid
Battle of Knockdoe, the bloodiest battle of medieval Ireland, is fought in Galway between two Anglo-Irish lords: Gearoid Fitzgerald, Lord Deputy, defeats Ulick Finn Burke
Dutch ship Liefde reaches Japan, barely making it across the Pacific with 25 crew members, including English navigator W
Dutch ship Liefde reaches Japan, barely making it across the Pacific with 25 crew members, including English navigator William Adams; its cannons later play an important role in the Battle of Sekigahara [1]
John Flamsteed is born
John Flamsteed, English astronomer, known for english astronomer, was born on 1646-08-19. John Flamsteed (19 August 1646 – 31 December 1719) was an English astronomer and the first Astronomer Royal.
World's "most mysterious book", a codex known as the Voynich manuscript, written in an unknown script, is sent by a rect
World's "most mysterious book", a codex known as the Voynich manuscript, written in an unknown script, is sent by a rector of Prague University to a Jesuit scholar (now in Yale University Library and still undeciphered) in 1666
Battle of Slankamen: "The bloodiest battle of the century" Austrian Habsburg forces defeat the Ottoman army, killing Gra
Battle of Slankamen: "The bloodiest battle of the century" Austrian Habsburg forces defeat the Ottoman army, killing Grand Vizier Köprülü Fazıl Mustafa Pasha
Battle of Santa Marta, Venezuela: English fleet defeats the French (battle ends August 25)
Battle of Santa Marta, Venezuela: English fleet defeats the French (battle ends August 25)
Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf: Russian army defeats Prussia [New style = August 30]
Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf: Russian army defeats Prussia [New style = August 30]
Yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, then the US capital, has its first fatality and lasts until November, killing aro
Yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, then the US capital, has its first fatality and lasts until November, killing around 5,000 people
Spain and France sign an anti-British alliance
Spain and France sign an anti-British alliance
British social reformer Elizabeth Gurney (20) weds British tea dealer Joseph Fry (23) at the Norwich Quaker Meeting Hous
British social reformer Elizabeth Gurney (20) weds British tea dealer Joseph Fry (23) at the Norwich Quaker Meeting House in Norwich, England
US warship Constitution defeats British warship Guerriere
USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She is the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat.
Gervasio Antonio de Posadas joins Argentina's second triumvirate
Gervasio Antonio de Posadas y Dávila (18 June 1757 – 2 July 1833) was an Argentine lawyer and statesman who served as the first Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata from 31...
Java returns to Dutch rule after being controlled by the British for five years
Java returns to Dutch rule after being controlled by the British for five years
Jean Baptiste Joseph Delambre dies
Jean Baptiste Joseph Delambre, French mathematician and astronomer, known for french mathematician and astronomer, died on 1822-08-19.
Canada Company is chartered to colonize Upper Canada (Ontario)
The Canada Company was a private British land development company that was established to aid in the colonization of a large part of Upper Canada.
HMS Beagle anchors at Angra, Azores
HMS Beagle anchors at Angra, Azores
Louis Daguerre's daguerreotype photographic process with complete working instructions is published "free to the world"
Louis Daguerre's daguerreotype photographic process with complete working instructions is published "free to the world" in Paris as a gift from the French government
Confederate Congress allies with the government of Missouri
The Confederate States Congress was both the provisional and permanent legislative assembly June 1865, during the American Civil War.
Second day of battle at Globe Tavern, Virginia, Union forces attempt to destroy Weldon Railroad Confederate supply route
Second day of battle at Globe Tavern, Virginia, Union forces attempt to destroy Weldon Railroad Confederate supply route (successful August 21)
Orville Wright is born
Orville Wright is born
William Huggins describes the astronomical application of spectroscopy
William Huggins describes the astronomical application of spectroscopy
American frontier murderer and outlaw John Wesley Hardin is shot and killed by John Selman Sr. in a saloon in El Paso, T
American frontier murderer and outlaw John Wesley Hardin is shot and killed by John Selman Sr. in a saloon in El Paso, Texas
First electric taxis drive in London
The Bersey Electric Cab (also known as the London Electrical Cab) was an early electric-powered vehicle and the first electric hackney carriage (black cab) in London.
Start of the first and only Olympic cricket match as Great Britain defeats France by 158 runs in Paris
Start of the first and only Olympic cricket match as Great Britain defeats France by 158 runs in Paris
Ogden Nash is born
Ogden Nash, American poet, known for american poet, was born on 1902-08-19. Frederic Ogden Nash (August 19, 1902 – May 19, 1971) was an American poet well known for his light verse, of which he wrote…
Philadelphia Phillies suffer a record ninth consecutive postponed game
Philadelphia Phillies suffer a record ninth consecutive postponed game
"Wild" Bob Burman wins his first major auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earning the Prest-O-Lite Trophy; the 10
"Wild" Bob Burman wins his first major auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earning the Prest-O-Lite Trophy; the 100-lap, 250-mile race is completed by only three of the nine cars, and one racer and a mechanic are killed in a crash
Percy Grainger's orchestral piece "Shepherd's Hey" premieres
Percy Grainger's orchestral piece "Shepherd's Hey" premieres
Frenchman Adolphe Célestin Pégoud makes the first parachute jump in Europe
Frenchman Adolphe Célestin Pégoud makes the first parachute jump in Europe
British liner "SS Arabic" is sunk by a German submarine without warning while leaving Liverpool for New York, killing 44
British liner "SS Arabic" is sunk by a German submarine without warning while leaving Liverpool for New York, killing 44 and creating a diplomatic incident
Sunday benefit baseball game at NYC's Polo Grounds results in John McGraw and Christy Mathewson's arrest for violating B
Sunday benefit baseball game at NYC's Polo Grounds results in John McGraw and Christy Mathewson's arrest for violating Blue Laws
After nearly 100 years of British control, Afghanistan declares independence
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and South Asia.
Malcolm Forbes is born
Malcolm Forbes, American publisher, known for american publisher, was born on 1919-08-19.
Gene Roddenberry is born
Gene Roddenberry screenwriter and producer, known for american screenwriter and producer, was born on 1921-08-19. Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr.
Metropolitan Sergius proclaims the declaration of loyalty of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Soviet state
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, also called Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia or ROCOR, or Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCA), is a semi-autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox...
Lefty Grove wins an AL record-tying 16th consecutive game
Lefty Grove wins an AL record-tying 16th consecutive game
Bill Shoemaker is born
Bill Shoemaker, American athlete, known for american champion jockey, was born on 1931-08-19.
The first All-American Soap Box Derby is held in Dayton, Ohio
The Soap Box Derby is a youth-oriented gravity racer event founded in 1934 in the United States by Myron Scott (a photojournalist native to Dayton, Ohio), employed by the Dayton Daily News, and...
French singer Édith Piaf (19) weds Andrew Johnseppe in Belleville, Paris, France
French singer Édith Piaf (19) weds Andrew Johnseppe in Belleville, Paris, France
Trial against Lev Kamenev and Grigory Zinoviev for "Trotskyism" opens in Moscow
Grigory Yevseyevich Zinoviev (born Ovsei-Gershon Aronovich Radomyslsky; 23 September [O.S. 11 September] 1883 – 25 August 1936) was a Russian revolutionary and Soviet politician.
37.6 cm of rainfall in Tuckerton, NJ (state record)
37.6 cm of rainfall in Tuckerton, NJ (state record)
World War II: Over 4,000 Canadian and British soldiers are killed, wounded, or captured during a raid on Dieppe, France
World War II: Over 4,000 Canadian and British soldiers are killed, wounded, or captured during a raid on Dieppe, France
Belgian church excommunicates Nazi collaborator Léon Degrelle
Belgian church excommunicates Nazi collaborator Léon Degrelle
Allied air raid on Maastricht kills more than 80 people
Allied air raid on Maastricht kills more than 80 people
American actor Dick Powell (40) weds his third wife, American actress June Allyson (27), until his death in 1963; MGM st
American actor Dick Powell (40) weds his third wife, American actress June Allyson (27), until his death in 1963; MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer reluctantly gave the bride away
J. Arens and D. van Dorpen synthesize vitamin A
J. Arens and D. van Dorpen synthesize vitamin A
Bill Clinton is born
Bill Clinton is born
ABC begins broadcasting Saturday morning kids' shows (Animal Clinic and Acrobat Ranch)
ABC begins broadcasting Saturday morning kids' shows (Animal Clinic and Acrobat Ranch)
Jonathan Frakes is born
Jonathan Frakes, American actor and director, known for american actor and director, was born on 1953-08-19. Jonathan Scott Frakes is an American actor and director.
32.4 cm of rainfall in Burlington, Connecticut (state record)
32.4 cm of rainfall in Burlington, Connecticut (state record)
NY Giants board of directors vote 8-1 to move their baseball franchise to San Francisco in 1958 [1]
NY Giants board of directors vote 8-1 to move their baseball franchise to San Francisco in 1958 [1]
NAACP Youth Council begins a sit-in at a "whites-only" lunch counter at Katz Drug Store in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma [1]
NAACP Youth Council begins a sit-in at a "whites-only" lunch counter at Katz Drug Store in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma [1]
Honolulu, Hawaii seeks a franchise in baseball's new Continental League
Honolulu, Hawaii seeks a franchise in baseball's new Continental League
Claude Grahame-White dies
Claude Grahame-White dies
Homer Blancos plays his finest round in golf, shooting a 55
Homer Blancos plays his finest round in golf, shooting a 55
Communication satellite Syncom 3 is launched
Syncom (for "synchronous communication satellite") started as a 1961 NASA program for active geosynchronous communication satellites, all of which were developed and manufactured by the Space and...
John Stamos is born
John Stamos, American actor and musician, known for american actor and musician, was born on 1964-08-19. John Phillip Stamos is an American actor and musician.
Auschwitz trials end with six life sentences
Auschwitz trials end with six life sentences
Earthquake strikes Varto region in eastern Turkey with a 6.8 magnitude, killing around 2,400
Earthquake strikes Varto region in eastern Turkey with a 6.8 magnitude, killing around 2,400
The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" single goes to #1
"All You Need Is Love" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in July 1967, with "Baby, You're a Rich Man" as its B-side.
Satya Nadella is born
Satya Nadella, American indian-american business executive, known for indian-american business executive, was born on 1968-08-19.
Matthew Perry is born
Matthew Perry, American canadian actor, known for american and canadian actor, was born on 1969-08-19. Matthew Langford Perry (August 19, 1969 – October 28, 2023) was an American and Canadian actor.
The Chinese community in South Africa is granted "white" status
The Chinese community in South Africa is granted "white" status
Mary Joe Fernández is born
Mary Joe Fernández is born
France performs a nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll
France performs a nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll
USSR performs a nuclear test at Sary Shagan, USSR
USSR performs a nuclear test at Sary Shagan, USSR
Groucho Marx dies
Groucho Marx, American comedian, known for american comedian, died on 1977-08-19. Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, comic vocalist and…
Between 377 and 470 people die in an arson fire at a movie theater in Abadan, Iran
The Cinema Rex fire happened on August 19th 1978 when the Cinema Rex in Abadan, Iran, was set ablaze, killing between 377 and 470 people.
"My Sharona" by The Knack hits #1 and stays at the top for 6 weeks
"My Sharona" by The Knack hits #1 and stays at the top for 6 weeks
Renaldo Nehemiah of the US runs the 110 m hurdles in a world record time of 12.93 seconds
Renaldo Nehemiah of the US runs the 110 m hurdles in a world record time of 12.93 seconds
Soyuz T-7 launches; Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the second woman in space
Svetlana Yevgenyevna Savitskaya is a Russian former aviator and Soviet cosmonaut who flew aboard Soyuz T-7 in 1982, becoming the second woman in space.
Dodgers trade Dave Stewart and Ricky Wright to Texas for Rick Honeycutt
Frederick Wayne Honeycutt, nicknamed "Honey", is an American former professional baseball coach and pitcher.
Car bomb kills 20 in Tehran, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia.
Hungerford Massacre, England: Michael Ryan kills 16 people with an assault rifle and then commits suicide
Hungerford Massacre, England: Michael Ryan kills 16 people with an assault rifle and then commits suicide
Christina Perri is born
Christina Perri, American musician, known for american singer-songwriter, was born on 1987-08-19. Christina Judith Perri is an American singer and songwriter.
Iran and Iraq begin a ceasefire in their eight-year-old war at 11 pm EDT
Iran and Iraq begin a ceasefire in their eight-year-old war at 11 pm EDT
First crack in the Iron Curtain as Hungary opens its borders to Austria for a Pan-European Picnic for a few hours
First crack in the Iron Curtain as Hungary opens its borders to Austria for a Pan-European Picnic for a few hours
Dodger José Offerman hits a home run in his first at-bat
José Antonio Offerman Dono is a Dominican professional baseball manager and former infielder who most recently served as the manager for the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna of the Mexican League.
Conservative members of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union attempt to depose Mikhail Gorbachev in a coup d'état
The 1991 Soviet coup attempt, also known as the August Coup, was a failed attempt by hardliners of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) to forcibly seize control of the country from Mikhail...
Sri Lanka makes its highest cricket score ever, 8-547, against Australia
Sri Lanka makes its highest cricket score ever, 8-547, against Australia
Dow Jones Industrial Average hits record high of 3612.13
Dow Jones Industrial Average hits record high of 3612.13
After five days, Shannon Faulkner quits as the first woman at The Citadel
After five days, Shannon Faulkner quits as the first woman at The Citadel
Major South African political parties begin their submissions to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)
Major South African political parties begin their submissions to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)
South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission chairperson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, releases documents revealing an
South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission chairperson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, releases documents revealing an alleged plot by Western countries to assassinate UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld of Sweden
A Russian Mi-26 helicopter carrying troops is hit by a Chechen missile outside Grozny, killing 127 soldiers and injuring
A Russian Mi-26 helicopter carrying troops is hit by a Chechen missile outside Grozny, killing 127 soldiers and injuring 20 in the worst attack in helicopter history
A car bomb attack on United Nations headquarters in Iraq kills the agency's top envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 ot
A car bomb attack on United Nations headquarters in Iraq kills the agency's top envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 other employees
A series of strong storms dubbed the "Toronto Supercell" lashes Southern Ontario, spawning several tornadoes and creatin
A series of strong storms dubbed the "Toronto Supercell" lashes Southern Ontario, spawning several tornadoes and creating extreme flash flooding within the city of Toronto and its surrounding communities
15.12 inches (38.4 cm) of rainfall in Hokah, Minnesota (a state record, breaking the previous record after 35 years)
15.12 inches (38.4 cm) of rainfall in Hokah, Minnesota (a state record, breaking the previous record after 35 years)
Interscope Records releases "The Fame," the debut album by Lady Gaga (Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album 2010)
The Fame is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga. It was released on August 19, 2008, by Interscope Records.
Actor-comedian Tom Arnold (48) divorces Shelby Roos (35) after six years of marriage
Actor-comedian Tom Arnold (48) divorces Shelby Roos (35) after six years of marriage
Britain's Victoria Pendleton beats Anna Mears in the women's cycling sprint final at the Beijing Olympics, with Great Br
Britain's Victoria Pendleton beats Anna Mears in the women's cycling sprint final at the Beijing Olympics, with Great Britain dominating the track by winning 7 of 10 gold medals
A series of bombings in Baghdad, Iraq, kill 101 and injure 565
The August 2009 Baghdad bombings were three coordinated car bomb attacks and a number of mortar strikes in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on 19 August 2009.
Operation Iraqi Freedom winds down as the last of the United States Brigade Combat Teams cross the border into Kuwait [1
Operation Iraqi Freedom winds down as the last of the United States Brigade Combat Teams cross the border into Kuwait [1]
"My Fair Brady" actress Adrianne Curry (28) divorces "The Brady Bunch" actor Christopher Knight (53) due to irreconcilab
"My Fair Brady" actress Adrianne Curry (28) divorces "The Brady Bunch" actor Christopher Knight (53) due to irreconcilable differences after 5 years of marriage
Plane crash in the mountainous region of Talodi, Sudan, kills 32, including several government officials and staff, en r
Plane crash in the mountainous region of Talodi, Sudan, kills 32, including several government officials and staff, en route to the Eid al-Fitr festival, which celebrates the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan; crash is blamed on bad weather conditions
24 Egyptian policemen are killed in an attack in Rafah
The 2012–2013 Egyptian protests (sometimes called the Hirak Uprising) were part of the crisis in Egypt including the June 2013 protests, the July 2013 coup d'état, and part of the post-coup unrest.
US Food and Drug Administration approves female Viagra libido pill Addyi
US Food and Drug Administration approves female Viagra libido pill Addyi
A six-way tie for first place occurs in the final of the equestrian individual jumping competition at the Rio de Janeiro
A six-way tie for first place occurs in the final of the equestrian individual jumping competition at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics; Nick Skelton of Great Britain wins the gold medal jump-off
Limerick wins the All-Ireland Hurling Championship for the first time in 45 years with a 3-16 to 2-18 victory over defen
Limerick wins the All-Ireland Hurling Championship for the first time in 45 years with a 3-16 to 2-18 victory over defending champions Galway at Croke Park, Dublin
Evelyn Hernández is cleared of killing her newborn baby in a landmark case in a retrial in El Salvador
Evelyn Hernández is cleared of killing her newborn baby in a landmark case in a retrial in El Salvador
Apple becomes the first US company to be valued at $2 trillion just two years after it reaches a $1 trillion valuation
Apple becomes the first US company to be valued at $2 trillion just two years after it reaches a $1 trillion valuation
Iran's official COVID-19 death toll surpasses 100,000 amid its fifth wave of infections, according to its Health Ministr
Iran's official COVID-19 death toll surpasses 100,000 amid its fifth wave of infections, according to its Health Ministry
30-hour siege begins at Hayat Hotel, Mogadishu, by Shabab militants, leaving 21 dead and 117 injured [1]
30-hour siege begins at Hayat Hotel, Mogadishu, by Shabab militants, leaving 21 dead and 117 injured [1]
MLB Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner hits two solo home runs in the same inning in a 12-3 win over the Nation
MLB Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner hits two solo home runs in the same inning in a 12-3 win over the Nationals in Washington
English tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and five others die when their luxury yacht capsizes in a storm off the coast of Pa
English tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and five others die when their luxury yacht capsizes in a storm off the coast of Palermo [1]
John Wall, NBA five-time All-Star and Washington Wizards No. 1 draft pick in 2010, announces his retirement after 11 sea
John Wall, NBA five-time All-Star and Washington Wizards No. 1 draft pick in 2010, announces his retirement after 11 seasons [1]