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Today August 31st 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
1056 – Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill, dying suddenly a few days later, without children to succeed the throne, ending the Macedonian dynasty.
1142 – With the aid of Hiawatha and Deganawidah, The Great Peacemaker, the Iroquois tribes establish the Confederation of the Haudenosaunee.
1422 – Henry VI, becomes King of England at the age of 9 months.
1803 – Lewis and Clark start their expedition to the west by leaving Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at 11 o clock in the morning.
1864 – During the American Civil War, Union forces led by General William T. Sherman launch an assault on Atlanta, Georgia.
1876 – Ottoman sultan Murat V is deposed and succeeded by his brother Abd-ul-Hamid II.
1886 – Earthquake kills 100 in Charleston, South Carolina.
1888 – Mary Ann Nichols is murdered. She is the first of Jack the Ripper s known victims.
1897 – Thomas Edison patents the Kinetoscope, the first movie projector.
1907 – Count Alexander Izvolsky and Sir Arthur Nicolson sign the St. Petersburg Convention, which results in the Triple Entente alliance.
1914 – Ecuador becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.
1915 – Brazil becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.
1920 – Polish-Bolshevik War: A decisive Polish victory in the Battle of Komarów.
1920 – First radio news program broadcast by station 8MK in Detroit, Michigan.
1939 – Nazi Germany mounts a staged attack on Gleiwitz radio station, giving them an excuse to attack Poland the following day, starting World War II in Europe.
1942 – In Ternopil, western Ukraine, at 4.30 am, German SS organise the first deportation of Jews from Ternopil ghetto to death camp in Belzec, about 5,000 Jews were deported to face death in Belzec. When the Germans captured Ternopil, about 18,000 Jews lived in the city.
1943 – The USS Harmon, the first U.S. Navy ship to be named for a black person, is commissioned.
1945 – The Liberal Party of Australia is founded by Robert Menzies.
1948 – Actor Robert Mitchum was arrested in a Hollywood drug raid. He would later be found guilty of criminal conspiracy to possess marijuana and was sentenced to 60 days in prison.
1957 – The Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia) gains its independence from the United Kingdom.
1962 – Trinidad and Tobago become independent.
1965 – The Aero Spacelines Super Guppy Aircraft makes its first flight.
1968 – Garfield Sobers becomes the first cricketer to hit 6 sixes in one over.
1978 – William and Emily Harris, founders of the Symbionese Liberation Army, plead guilty to the 1974 kidnapping of newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst.
1980 – The Gdansk Agreement is signed.
1986 – Aeroméxico Flight 498 collides with a Piper PA-28 over Cerritos, California, killing 67 in the air and 15 on the ground.
1986 – The Soviet passenger liner Admiral Nakhimov sinks in the Black Sea after colliding with the bulk carrier Pyotr Vasev, killing 423.
1991 – Kyrgyzstan declares its independence from the Soviet Union.
1992 – Pascal Lissouba is inaugurated as the President of the Republic of the Congo .
1993 – HMS Mercury closes after 52 years in commission.
1994 – The Provisional Irish Republican Army declares a ceasefire.
1997 – Diana, Princess of Wales and her companion Dodi Al-Fayed and driver Henri Paul died as a result of a car crash in Paris.
1998 – North Korea reportedly launches Kwangmyongsong, its first satellite.
1999 – The first of a series of Russian Apartment Bombings in Moscow, killing one person and wounding 40 others.
1999 – A LAPA Boeing 737-200 crashes during takeoff from Jorge Newbury Airport in Buenos Aires, killing 65, including 2 on the ground.
2005 – A stampede on Al-Aaimmah bridge in Baghdad kills 1,199 people.
2006 – Stolen on August 22, 2004, Edvard Munch s famous painting The Scream was recovered from a raid by Norwegian police. The paintings were said to be in a better-than-expected condition.
Births
12 – Gaius Caligula, Roman Emperor (d. 41)
161 – Commodus, Roman Emperor (d. 192)
1569 – Jahangir, Mughal Emperor of India (d. 1627)
1602 – Amalia von Solms, countess of Solms-Braunfels (d. 1675)
1663 – Guillaume Amontons, French physicist and instrument maker (d. 1705)
1721 – George Hervey, 2nd Earl of Bristol, British statesman (d. 1775)
1741 – Jean Paul Egide Martini, French composer (d. 1816)
1741 – Husein Gradašcevic, Bosniak general (d. 1834)
1811 – Theophile Gautier, French poet and novelist (d. 1872)
1821 – Hermann von Helmholtz, German physician (d. 1894)
1822 – Galusha A. Grow, American politician (d. 1907)
1834 – Amilcare Ponchielli, Italian composer (d. 1886)
1843 – Georg von Hertling, Chancellor of Germany (d. 1919)
1870 – Maria Montessori, Italian educator (d. 1952)
1871 – James E. Ferguson, Texan governor (d. 1944)
1878 – Frank Jarvis, American athlete (d. 1933)
1879 – Alma Mahler, wife of Gustav Mahler, Walter Gropius and Franz Werfel (d. 1964)
1880 – Wilhelmina I of the Netherlands (d. 1962)
1885 – DuBose Heyward, American playwright (d. 1940)
1893 – Lily Laskine, French harpist (d. 1988)
1894 – Albert Facey, Australian writer (d. 1982)
1896 – Félix-Antoine Savard, French-Canadian priest and novelist (d. 1982)
1897 – Fredric March, American actor (d. 1975)
1900 – Gino Lucetti, Italian anarchist (d. 1943)
1903 – Arthur Godfrey, American television host (d. 1983)
1903 – Vladimir Jankélévitch, French philosopher (d. 1985)
1905 – Sanford Meisner, American actor and teacher (d. 1997)
1907 – Augustus F. Hawkins, American politician and civil rights lawmaker (d. 2007)
1907 – Ramon Magsaysay, 7th President of the Philippines (d. 1957)
1907 – William Shawn, American editor (d. 1992)
1907 – Altiero Spinelli, Italian citizen and advocate of European federalism (d. 1986)
1908 – William Saroyan, American novelist (d. 1981)
1911 – Edward Brongersma, Dutch politician, writer and political activist. (d. 1998)
1913 – Sir Bernard Lovell, English radio astronomer
1913 – Helen Levitt, American photographer
1914 – Richard Basehart, American actor (d. 1984)
1916 – Daniel Schorr, American journalist
1918 – Alan Jay Lerner, American lyricist (d. 1986)
1919 – Amrita Preetam, Indian poet and author (d. 2005)
1921 – Raymond Williams, Welsh academic (d. 1988)
1924 – Buddy Hackett, American actor and comedian (d. 2003)
1928 – James Coburn, American actor (d. 2002)
1931 – Jean Béliveau, Canadian ice hockey player
1931 – Noble Willingham, American actor (d. 2004)
1934 – Nikos Xanthopoulos, Greek actor
1935 – Eldridge Cleaver, American political activist (d. 1998)
1935 – Frank Robinson, American baseball player and manager
1937 – Warren Berlinger, American actor
1937 – Bobby Parker, American blues musician/guitarist
1938 – Martin Bell, British journalist
1938 – Murray Gleeson, Chief Justice of Australia
1939 – Jerry Allison, American drummer (The Crickets)
1941 – William DeWitt, Jr., American businessman
1943 – Leonid Ivashov, Russian general
1944 – Roger Dean, English artist
1944 – Clive Lloyd, West Indian cricketer
1944 – Jos LeDuc, Canadian professional wrestler (d. 1999)
1945 – Van Morrison, Northern Irish musician
1945 – Itzhak Perlman, Israeli violinist
1946 – Jerome Corsi, American writer
1947 – Mona Marshall, American voice actress
1947 – Luca di Montezemolo, Italian businessman
1947 – Yumiko Oshima, Japanese manga artist
1947 – Somchai Wongsawat, Thai 26th Prime Minister
1948 – Harald Ertl, Austrian racing driver (d. 1982)
1948 – Lowell Ganz, American screenwriter
1948 – Holger Osieck, German footballer and coach
1948 – Rudolf Schenker, German guitarist (Scorpions)
1949 – Richard Gere, American actor
1949 – H. David Politzer, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
1952 – Herbert Reul, German politician
1953 – Miguel Ángel Guerra, Argentine racing driver
1953 – György Károly, Hungarian author
1953 – Pavel Vinogradov, Russian cosmonaut
1954 – Julie Brown, American actress, singer-songwriter and screenwriter
1954 – Caroline Cossey, English model
1955 – Edwin Moses, American athlete
1955 – Gary Webb, American journalist (d. 2004)
1956 – Maria Balazova, Slovak painter
1956 – Masashi Tashiro, Japanese television performer
1957 – Gina Schock, American drummer (The Go-Go s)
1957 – Glenn Tilbrook, English singer and guitarist (Squeeze)
1957 – Colm O Rourke, Former Gaelic footballer and Current panelist
1958 – Serge Blanco, French rugby union footballer
1959 – Ralph Krueger, Canadian ice hockey coach
1960 – Vali Ionescu, Romanian long jumper
1960 – Chris Whitley, American musician (d. 2005)
1962 – Dee Bradley Baker, American voice actor
1963 – Reb Beach, American guitarist (Winger, Whitesnake)
1963 – Todd Carty, Irish actor
1963 – Sonny Silooy, Dutch footballer
1964 – Raymond P. Hammond, American poet and editor
1965 – Daniel Bernhardt, Swiss actor
1965 – Céline Bonnier, French Canadian actress
1965 – Willie Watson, New Zealand cricketer
1966 – Jan Einar Thorsen, Norwegian Alpine skier
1967 – Anita Moen, Norwegian Cross-country skier
1968 – Hideo Nomo, Japanese baseball player
1968 – Valdon Dowiyogo, Nauruan politician and Australian football player
1969 – Nathalie Bouvier, French alpine skier
1969 – Andrew Cunanan, American spree killer (d. 1997)
1969 – Jonathan LaPaglia, Australian actor
1969 – Javagal Srinath, Indian cricketer
1970 – Deborah Gibson, American singer
1970 – Nikola Gruevski, Macedonian Prime Minister
1970 – Queen Rania of Jordan
1970 – Arie van Lent, Dutch-German footballer
1970 – Amy Stein, American photographer
1970 – Zack Ward, Canadian actor
1971 – Pádraig Harrington, Irish golfer
1972 – Chris Tucker, American actor
1973 – Scott Niedermayer, Canadian ice hockey player
1974 – Andriy Medvedev, Ukrainian tennis player
1975 – John Grahame, American ice hockey player
1975 – Daniel Harding, British conductor
1975 – Gabe Kapler, American baseball player and manager
1975 – Sara Ramirez, American actress
1975 – Takahiro Suwa, Japanese professional wrestler
1975 – Craig Cumming, New Zealand cricketer
1976 – Vincent Delerm, French singer-songwriter, pianist and composer
1976 – Radek Martínek, Czech ice hockey player
1976 – Roque Júnior, Brazilian footballer
1977 – Jeff Hardy, American professional wrestler
1977 – Ian Harte, Irish footballer
1977 – Craig Nicholls, Australian musician (The Vines)
1978 – Philippe Christanval, French footballer
1978 – Phina Oruche, British actress
1979 – Clay Hensley, American baseball player
1979 – Mickie James, American professional wrestler
1979 – Mark Johnston, Canadian swimmer
1979 – Simon Neil, Scottish musician (Biffy Clyro)
1979 – Ramón Santiago, Dominican baseball player
1980 – Joe Budden, American rapper
1981 – 40 Cal, American rapper
1981 – Dwayne Peel, Welsh rugby union footballer
1981 – Steve Saviano, American ice hockey player
1981 – Joe Swanberg, American filmmaker
1982 – Ian Crocker, American swimmer
1982 – Chris Duhon, American basketball player
1982 – Lien Huyghebaert, Belgian athlete
1982 – Josh Kroeger, American baseball player
1982 – Alexei Mikhnov, Ukrainian-born ice hockey player
1982 – José Reina, Spanish footballer
1982 – Michele Rugolo, Italian racing driver
1982 – Patrick Nuo, Swiss singer
1982 – G. Willow Wilson, American journalist and comic book writer
1983 – Larry Fitzgerald, American football player
1984 – Matti Breschel, Danish road bicycle racer
1984 – Ted Ligety, American alpine skier
1984 – Charl Schwartzel, South African golfer
1985 – Andrew Foster, Australian Rules Football
1986 – Feng Tianwei, Singaporean table tennis player
1987 – Petros Kravaritis, Greek footballer
Deaths
651 – Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne, Irish bishop and missionary
683 – Pacal II ruler of the Maya polity of Palenque
1056 – Theodora, Byzantine Empress (b. 981)
1234 – Emperor Go-Horikawa of Japan (b. 1212)
1372 – Ralph Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford, English soldier (b. 1301)
1422 – King Henry V of England (b. 1387)
1645 – Francesco Bracciolini, Italian poet (b. 1566)
1654 – Ole Worm, Danish physician (b. 1588)
1688 – John Bunyan, English writer (b. 1628)
1730 – Gottfried Finger, Czech composer
1741 – Johann Gottlieb Heineccius, German jurist (b. 1681)
1772 – William Borlase, English naturalist (b. 1695)
1795 – François-André Danican Philidor, French chess player (b. 1726)
1799 – Nicolas-Henri Jardin, French architect (b. 1720)
1814 – Arthur Phillip, British admiral, first Governor of New South Wales (b. 1738)
1867 – Charles Baudelaire, French poet (b. 1821)
1869 – Mary Ward, Irish scientist, first automobile accident victim (b. 1827)
1888 – Mary Ann Polly Nichols, widely believed to be the first victim of Jack the Ripper (b. 1845)
1920 – Wilhelm Wundt, German psychologist (b. 1832)
1940 – Georges Gauthier, French Canadian Roman Catholic archbishop of Montreal (b. 1871)
1941 – Marina Tsvetaeva, Russian poet (b. 1892)
1948 – Billy Laughlin, American actor (b. 1932)
1952 – Henri Bourassa, French Canadian political leader (b. 1868)
1963 – Georges Braque, French painter (b. 1882)
1967 – Ilya Ehrenburg, Russian writer (b. 1891)
1969 – Rocky Marciano, American boxer (b. 1923)
1973 – John Ford, American film director (b. 1894)
1974 – William Pershing Benedict, American pilot
1974 – Norman Kirk, New Zealand prime minister (b. 1923)
1978 – John Wrathall, President of Rhodesia (b. 1913)
1979 – Sally Rand, American dancer and actress (b. 1904)
1979 – Tiger Smith, England cricketer (b. 1886)
1985 – Frank Macfarlane Burnet, Australian biologist, Nobel laureate (b. 1899)
1986 – Henry Moore, English sculptor (b. 1898)
1986 – Urho Kekkonen, President of Finland (b. 1900)
1997 – Diana, Princess of Wales (b. 1961)
1997 – Dodi Al-Fayed, Egyptian film producer (b. 1955)
2000 – Patricia Owens, Canadian actress (b. 1925)
2002 – Lionel Hampton, American vibraphone player (b. 1908)
2002 – George Porter, English chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1920)
2004 – Carl Wayne, English singer (b. 1943)
2005 – Joseph Rotblat, Polish-British physicist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1908)
2005 – Michael Sheard, British actor (b. 1940)
2006 – Mohamed Abdelwahab, Egyptian footballer (b. 1983)
2006 – Tom Delaney, British racing driver (b. 1911)
2006 – Derrick Wayne Frazier, American convicted murderer (b. 1977)
2007 – Gay Brewer, American golfer (b. 1932)
2007 – Karloff Lagarde, Mexican professional wrestler (b. 1928)
2008 – Jerry Reed, American country music singer and actor (b. 1937)
2008 – Ike Pappas, American news correspondent (b. 1933)
2008 – Victor Yates, New Zealand rugby player (b. 1939)
Holidays and observances
Roman Catholic Saints – Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne, Saint Abundius, Saint Raymond Nonnatus
Poland, Europe – Day of Solidarity and Freedom, on the anniversary of August Agreement from 1980
Moldova: Day of Our Language (Limba Noastra)
Malaysia – Hari Merdeka, a National Day (independence within the Commonwealth, 1957)
Kyrgyzstan – Independence Day (from USSR, 1991)
Trinidad and Tobago – Independence Day (from United Kingdom, 1962)
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