Today August 18th 2009 this day in history Read more below to view events, deaths, births, Holidays observances and video clips. Last database updated: Jan 17th, 2009
Events
293 BC – The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded, starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica.
1201 – The city of Riga is founded.
1541 – A Portuguese ship drifts ashore in the ancient Japanese province of Higo (modern day Kumamoto Prefecture). (Traditional Japanese date: July 27, 1541)
1572 – Marriage in Paris of the future Huguenot King Henry IV of Navarre to Marguerite de Valois, in a supposed attempt to reconcile Protestants and Catholics.
1587 – Virginia Dare, granddaughter of governor John White of the Colony of Roanoke, becomes the first English child born in the Americas.
1590 – John White, the governor of the Colony of Roanoke, returns from a supply trip to England and finds his settlement deserted.
1634 – Urbain Grandier, accused and convicted of sorcery, is burned alive in Loudun, France.
1636 – The Covenant of the Town of Dedham, Massachusetts is first signed.
1838 – The Wilkes Expedition, which would explore the Puget Sound and Antarctica, weighs anchor at Hampton Roads in 1838
1848 – Camila O Gorman and Ladislao Gutierrez are executed on the orders of Argentine dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas.
1862 – Minnesota trader Andrew Myrick is killed and has his mouth stuffed with grass.
1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Globe Tavern – Union forces try to cut a vital Confederate supply-line into Petersburg, Virginia, by attacking the Weldon Railroad.
1868 – French astronomer Pierre Jules César Janssen discovers helium.
1870 – Franco-Prussian War: Battle of Gravelotte is fought.
1877 – Asaph Hall discovers Martian moon Phobos.
1891 – Major hurricane strikes Martinique, leaving 700 dead.
1903 – German engineer Karl Jatho allegedly flies his self-made, motored gliding airplane four months before the first flight of the Wright Brothers.
1904 – Chris Watson resigns as Prime Minister of Australia and is succeeded by George Reid.
1909 – Mayor of Tokyo Yukio Ozaki presents Washington, D.C. with 2,000 cherry trees, which President Taft decides to plant near the Potomac River.
1917 – A Great Fire in Thessaloniki, Greece destroys 32% of the city leaving 70,000 individuals homeless.
1920 – The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing women s suffrage.
1938 – The Thousand Islands Bridge, connecting New York State, United States with Ontario, Canada over the St. Lawrence River, is dedicated by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
1941 – Adolf Hitler orders a temporary halt to Nazi Germany s systematic euthanasia of the mentally ill and the handicapped due to protests.
1950 – Julien Lahaut, the chairman of the Communist Party of Belgium is assassinated by far-right elements.
1958 – Vladimir Nabokov s controversial novel Lolita is published in the United States.
1963 – American civil rights movement: James Meredith becomes the first black person to graduate from the University of Mississippi.
1965 – Vietnam War: Operation Starlite begins – United States Marines destroy a Viet Cong stronghold on the Van Tuong peninsula in the first major American ground battle of the war.
1966 – Vietnam War: the Battle of Long Tan occurs, when a patrol of 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment encounter the Viet Cong.
1969 – Jimi Hendrix plays the unofficial last day of Woodstock.
1971 – Vietnam War: Australia and New Zealand decide to withdraw their troops from Vietnam.
1976 – In the Korean Demilitarized Zone at Panmunjeom, the Axe Murder Incident results in the death of two US soldiers.
1977 – Steve Biko is arrested at a police roadblock under the Terrorism Act No 83 of 1967 in King William s Town, South Africa. He would later die of the injuries sustained during this arrest bringing attention to South Africa s apartheid policies.
1982 – Japanese election law is amended to allow for proportional representation.
1983 – Hurricane Alicia hits the Texas coast, killing 22 people and causing over USD $1 billion in damage (1983 dollars).
1989 – Leading presidential hopeful Luis Carlos Galán is assassinated near Bogotá in Colombia.
1992 – Wang Laboratories files for bankruptcy.
2000 – A Federal jury finds the US EPA guilty of discrimination against Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo, under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, later inspiring passage of the No FEAR Act.
2005 – Dennis Rader is sentenced to 175 years in prison for the BTK serial killings.
2005 – Massive power blackout hits the Indonesian island of Java, affecting almost 100 million people.
2008 – President Of Pakistan Pervez Musharaf resigned due to pressure from opposition.
Births
1414 – Jami, Persian poet (d. 1492)
1450 – Marko Marulic, Croatian poet (d. 1524)
1579 – Charlotte Flandrina of Nassau, Roman Catholic nun (d. 1640)
1587 – Virginia Dare, first English child born in North America (d. 1588)
1596 – Jean Bolland, Flemish Jesuit writer (d. 1665)
1605 – Henry Hammond, English churchman (d. 1660)
1606 – Maria Anna of Spain, Holy Roman Empire Empress and Queen of Hungary (d. 1646)
1611 – Ludwika Maria Gonzaga, queen of Poland (d. 1650)
1657 – Ferdinando Galli Bibiena, Italian architect/designer (d. 1743)
1685 – Brook Taylor, English mathematician (d. 1731)
1692 – Louis Henri, Duc de Bourbon, Prime Minister of France (d. 1740)
1720 – Laurence Shirley, 4th Earl Ferrers, English murderer (d. 1760)
1750 – Antonio Salieri, Italian composer (d. 1825)
1754 – François, marquis de Chasseloup-Laubat, French general (d. 1833)
1774 – Meriwether Lewis, American explorer (d. 1809)
1792 – John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1878)
1803 – Nathan Clifford, American statesman, diplomat, and Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (d. 1881)
1819 – Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna, Duchess of Leuchtenberg (d. 1876)
1822 – Isaac P. Rodman, American Union general (d. 1862)
1830 – Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria (d. 1916)
1841 – William Halford, American naval officer (d. 1919)
1855 – Alfred Wallis, English artist and mariner (d. 1942)
1857 – Libert H. Boeynaems, Belgian Catholic prelate (d. 1926)
1870 – Lavr Georgevich Kornilov, Russian general (d. 1918)
1870 – Hugh Bromley-Davenport, England cricketer (d. 1954)
1879 – Aleksandr Rodzyanko, Russian general (d. 1970)
1885 – Nettie Palmer, Australian poet and essayist (d. 1964)
1890 – Walther Funk, German Nazi politician (d. 1960)
1893 – Ernest MacMillan, Canadian musician (d. 1973)
1893 – Burleigh Grimes, American baseball player (d. 1985)
1896 – Jack Pickford, Canadian-born actor (d. 1933)
1900 – Glenn Albert Black, American archaeologist (d. 1964)
1902 – Adamson-Eric, Estonian painter (d. 1968)
1902 – Murie, Margaret (Mardy), American conservationist, naturalist, and author (d. 2003)
1903 – Lucienne Boyer, French singer (d. 1983)
1904 – Max Factor, Polish-born cosmetics entrepreneur (d. 1996)
1906 – Marcel Carné, French film director (d. 1996)
1908 – Edgar Faure, French politician and historian (d. 1988)
1908 – Bill Merritt, New Zealand cricketer (d. 1977)
1909 – Gérard Filion, French Canadian businessman and journalist (d. 2005)
1913 – Romain Maes, Belgian cyclist (d. 1983)
1915 – Max Lanier, baseball player (d. 2007)
1916 – Dame Moura Lympany, British pianist (d. 2005)
1917 – Caspar Weinberger, American politician (d. 2006)
1918 – Cisco Houston, American folk singer (d. 1961)
1919 – Walter Joseph Hickel, 2nd and 8th Governor of Alaska
1920 – Bob Kennedy, baseball player (d. 2005)
1920 – Shelley Winters, American actress (d. 2006)
1920 – Godfrey Evans, England cricketer (d. 1999)
1921 – Zdzislaw Zygulski, Jr., Polish art historian
1922 – Alain Robbe-Grillet, French writer (d. 2008)
1923 – Jenni Irani, Indian cricketer (d. 1982)
1923 – Sadashiv Shinde, Indian cricketer (d. 1955)
1925 – Brian Aldiss, English writer
1925 – Pierre Grondin, French Canadian cardiac surgeon (d. 2006)
1927 – Rosalynn Carter, First Lady of the United States
1928 – Marge Schott, baseball team owner (d. 2004)
1929 – Hugues Aufray, French singer
1930 – Liviu Librescu, Israeli professor, killed in the Virginia Tech massacre
1931 – Bramwell Tillsley, Canadian Salvation Army general
1931 – Dick White, English footballer
1932 – William R. Bennett, Premier of British Columbia
1933 – Roman Polanski, French-born director and actor
1933 – Just Fontaine, French footballer
1934 – Vincent Bugliosi, American attorney
1934 – Roberto Clemente, Puerto Rican baseball player and humanitarian (d. 1972)
1934 – Ronnie Carroll, British singer
1935 – Rafer Johnson, American athlete
1935 – Howard Morrison, New Zealand entertainer
1936 – Robert Redford, American actor
1938 – Joe Frank, American radio personality
1939 – Harald Heide-Steen Jr., Norwegian actor and comedian (d. 2008)
1939 – Robert Horton, British businessman
1939 – Johnny Preston, American singer
1943 – Martin Mull, American comedian
1943 – Gianni Rivera, Italian footballer and politician
1943 – Carl Wayne, English singer (d. 2004)
1945 – Barbara Harris, American singer (Toys)
1948 – Joseph Marcell, British actor
1949 – Rudy Hartono, Indonesian badminton player
1952 – Elayne Boosler, American comedian
1952 – Patrick Swayze, American actor
1952 – Ricky Villa, Argentine former footballer
1953 – Louie Gohmert, American politician
1955 – Taher ElGamal, Egyptian scientist
1956 – John Debney, American composer
1956 – Jon Bermuda Schwartz, American musician
1956 – Sandeep Patil, Indian cricketer
1957 – Carole Bouquet, French actress
1957 – Denis Leary, American comedian and actor
1958 – Madeleine Stowe, American actress
1959 – Tom Prichard, American wrestler
1960 – Fat Lever, American basketball player
1960 – Mike LaValliere, baseball player
1961 – Bob Woodruff, American journalist, anchor
1962 – Felipe Calderón, President of Mexico
1962 – Geoff Courtnall, Canadian ice hockey player
1964 – Edith Frost, American singer/songwriter
1964 – Craig Bierko, American actor
1964 – Kenny Walker, American basketball player
1965 – Koji Kikkawa, Japanese singer
1965 – Jim Florentine, American comedian
1966 – Gustavo Charif, Argentine artist
1966 – Kang Soo-yeon, South Korean actress
1967 – Brian Michael Bendis, American comic-book writer
1967 – Dan Peters, American musician
1967 – Daler Mehndi, Indian bhangra/pop singer
1968 – Lee Seung-yeon, South Korean actress
1969 – Masta Killa, American rapper
1969 – Everlast, American musician
1969 – Edward Norton, American actor
1969 – Christian Slater, American actor
1970 – Jessica Hsuan, Hong Kong actress
1970 – Greg Dean Schmitz, American online film journalist
1970 – Malcolm-Jamal Warner, American actor
1971 – Richard D James, Irish-born musician (Aphex Twin)
1971 – Jacob Vargas, American actor
1972 – Keiko Yamada, Japanese singer
1972 – Leo Ku, Hong Kong singer
1972 – Shaun Wilson, Australian artist
1976 – Daphnee Duplaix Samuel, American actress, Playboy Playmate
1976 – Bryan Volpenhein, American rower
1977 – Régine Chassagne, Canadian musician Arcade Fire
1978 – Andy Samberg, American comedian
1978 – James Corden, British actor
1979 – Stuart Dew, Australian rules footballer
1979 – Selena Silver, pornographic actress
1980 – Esteban Cambiasso, Argentine footballer
1980 – Preeti Jhangiani, Indian actress
1980 – Rob Nguyen, Australian racing driver
1980 – Athina Papayianni, Greek race walker
1980 – Jeremy Shockey, American football Tight End
1981 – César Delgado, Argentine footballer
1981 – Dimitris Salpigidis, Greek footballer
1981 – Jonathan Schneck, American musician (Relient K)
1983 – Kris Boyd, Scottish footballer
1983 – Michael Montgomery, American football player
1983 – Mica Penniman (Mika), Lebanese-born musician
1983 – Daniel Keith Swain (Danny!), American record producer/hip-hop artist
1984 – Robert Huth, German footballer
1987 – Mika Boorem, American actress
1988 – G-Dragon, Korean hip-hop/rapper and leader of the Korean band Big Bang (band)
1992 – Frances Bean Cobain, daughter Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love
1992 – Riko Narumi, Japanese actress
1994 – Jessie Flower, American actress
1995 – Parker McKenna Posey, American actress
Deaths
353 – Decentius, Roman usurper
472 – Ricimer, Roman general
849 – Walafrid Strabo, German monk and theologian
1227 – Genghis Khan, Khagan of Mongol Empire
1258 – Theodore II Lascaris, Emperor of the Empire of Nicaea
1276 – Pope Adrian V
1318 – Clare of Montefalco, Italian Abbess and religious leader (b. c. 1268)
1430 – Thomas de Ros, 9th Baron de Ros, English soldier and politician (drowned) (b. 1406)
1503 – Pope Alexander VI (b. 1431)
1559 – Pope Paul IV (b. 1476)
1563 – Étienne de La Boétie, French judge and writer (b. 1530)
1613 – Giovanni Artusi, Italian composer
1620 – Wanli, Emperor of China (b. 1563)
1634 – Urbain Grandier, French priest (b. 1590)
1642 – Guido Reni, Italian painter (b. 1575)
1645 – Eudoxia Streshneva, Tsarina of Mikhail I of Russia (b. 1608)
1683 – Charles Hart, English actor (b. 1625)
1707 – William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire, English soldier and statesman (b. 1640)
1712 – Richard Savage, 4th Earl Rivers, English soldier
1765 – Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1708)
1809 – Matthew Boulton, English manufacturer and engineer (b. 1728)
1815 – Chauncey Goodrich, American politician (b. 1759)
1842 – Louis de Freycinet, French explorer (b. 1779)
1850 – Honoré de Balzac, French writer (b. 1799)
1919 – Joseph E. Seagram, Canadian distillery founder (b. 1841)
1940 – Walter P. Chrysler, American automobile executive (b. 1875)
1942 – Rafaela Ottiano, Italian-born American actress (b. 1888)
1943 – Ali-Agha Shikhlinski, Russian-Azerbaijani general (b. 1865)
1949 – Paul Mares, American musician (b. 1900)
1952 – Alberto Hurtado Cruchaga, Chilean Jesuit saint (b. 1901)
1963 – Clifford Odets, American playwright (b. 1906)
1981 – Anita Loos, American screenwriter (b. 1889)
1983 – Nikolaus Pevsner, German-born art historian (b. 1902)
1990 – Grethe Ingmann, Danish singer (b. 1938)
1990 – B.F. Skinner, American psychological theorist (b. 1904)
1992 – Christopher McCandless, subject of the book Into the Wild (b. 1968)
1992 – John Sturges, American film director (b. 1911)
1994 – Martin Cahill, The General, infamous Dublin criminal (b. 1949)
1998 – Persis Khambatta, Indian actress (b. 1950)
2001 – David Peakall, British scientist (b. 1931)
2002 – Dean Riesner, American film and television writer (b. 1918)
2003 – Tony Jackson, English musician (The Searchers) (b. 1938)
2004 – Elmer Bernstein, American composer (b. 1922)
2004 – Hiram Fong, former U.S. Senator from Hawaii (b. 1906)
2005 – Christopher Bauman, American wrestler (b. 1982)
2005 – Gao Xiumin, Chinese comedy actress (b. 1959)
2006 – Fernand Gignac, Canadian singer and actor (b. 1934)
2006 – Jamie Astaphan, Caribbean-born physician (b. 1946)
2007 – Michael Deaver, Reagan Administration Deputy White House Chief of Staff (b. 1938)
Holidays and observances
Australia – Long Tan Day (also called Vietnam Veterans Day) named after the Battle of Long Tan
Roman Catholic Saints – Saint Helena of Constantinople, and Saint Alberto Hurtado
Buhe in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church
