On This Day — August 14

🕰️ Notable Events on August 14

• 2015 — The US Embassy in Havana, Cuba re-opens after 54 years of being closed when Cuba-United States relations were broken off. Wikipedia ↗
• 2013 — Egypt declares a state of emergency as security forces kill hundreds of demonstrators supporting former president Mohamed Morsi. Wikipedia ↗
• 2007 — The Kahtaniya bombings kills at least 334 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 2006 — Sixty-one schoolgirls killed in Chencholai bombing by Sri Lankan Air Force air strike. Wikipedia ↗
• 2005 — Helios Airways Flight 522, en route from Larnaca, Cyprus to Prague, Czech Republic via Athens, crashes in the hills near Grammatiko, Greece, killing 121 passengers and crew. Wikipedia ↗
• 2003 — A widescale power blackout affects the northeast United States and Canada. Wikipedia ↗
• 1996 — Greek Cypriot refugee Solomos Solomou is murdered by Turkish forces while trying to climb a flagpole in order to remove a Turkish flag from its mast in the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus. Wikipedia ↗
• 1994 — Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, also known as "Carlos the Jackal", is captured. Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Lech Wałęsa leads strikes at the Gdańsk, Poland shipyards. Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the longest-running release in film history, opens in London. Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — The Pakistan Constitution of 1973 comes into effect. Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — An Ilyushin Il-62 airliner crashes near Königs Wusterhausen, East Germany, due to an in-flight fire, killing 156. Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Bahrain declares independence as the State of Bahrain. Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Operation Banner: British troops are deployed in Northern Ireland. Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — UK Marine Broadcasting Offences Act declares participation in offshore pirate radio illegal. Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Founding and first official meeting of the American Football League. Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Pakistan gains Independence from the British Empire and joins the Commonwealth of Nations. Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Japan accepts the Allied terms of surrender in World War II and the Emperor records the Imperial Rescript on Surrender (August 15 in Japan Standard Time). Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — The Viet Minh launches August Revolution amid the political confusion and power vacuum engulfing Vietnam. Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — World War II: Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt sign the Atlantic Charter of war stating postwar aims. Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — The beginning of air-to-air combat of the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II in general, when six Japanese bombers are shot down by Chinese fighters while raiding Chinese air bases. Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — Rainey Bethea is hanged in Owensboro, Kentucky in the last known public execution in the United States. Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act, creating a government pension system for the retired. Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Loggers cause a forest fire in the Coast Range of Oregon, later known as the first forest fire of the Tillamook Burn; it is not fully extinguished until September 5, after destroying 240,000 acres (970 km2). Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Tannu Uriankhai, later Tuvan People's Republic is established as a completely independent country (which is supported by Soviet Russia). Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Romania declares war on Austria-Hungary. Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — World War I: Start of the Battle of Lorraine, an unsuccessful French offensive designed to recover the lost province of Moselle from Germany. Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — U.S. Marines invade Nicaragua to support the U.S.-backed government installed there after José Santos Zelaya had resigned three years earlier. Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — United States Senate leaders agree to rotate the office of President pro tempore of the Senate among leading candidates to fill the vacancy left by William P. Frye's death. Wikipedia ↗
• 1901 — The first claimed powered flight, by Gustave Whitehead in his Number 21. Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — The Eight-Nation Alliance occupies Beijing, China, in a campaign to end the bloody Boxer Rebellion in China. Wikipedia ↗
• 1893 — France becomes the first country to introduce motor vehicle registration. Wikipedia ↗
• 1888 — An audio recording of English composer Arthur Sullivan's "The Lost Chord", one of the first recordings of music ever made, is played during a press conference introducing Thomas Edison's phonograph in London, England. Wikipedia ↗
• 1885 — Japan's first patent is issued to the inventor of a rust-proof paint. Wikipedia ↗
• 1880 — Construction of Cologne Cathedral, the most famous landmark in Cologne, Germany, is completed. Wikipedia ↗
• 1848 — Oregon Territory is organized by act of Congress. Wikipedia ↗
• 1842 — American Indian Wars: Second Seminole War ends, with the Seminoles forced from Florida to Oklahoma. Wikipedia ↗
• 1816 — The United Kingdom formally annexes the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, administering the islands from the Cape Colony in South Africa. Wikipedia ↗
• 1814 — A cease fire agreement, called the Convention of Moss, ended the Swedish-Norwegian War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1791 — Slaves from plantations in Saint-Domingue hold a Vodou ceremony lead by houngan Dutty Boukman at Bois Caïman, marking the start of the Haitian Revolution. Wikipedia ↗
• 1720 — The Spanish military Villasur expedition is wiped out by Pawnee and Otoe warriors near present-day Columbus, Nebraska. Wikipedia ↗
• 1598 — Nine Years' War: Battle of the Yellow Ford: Irish forces under Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, defeats an English expeditionary force under Henry Bagenal. Wikipedia ↗
• 1592 — The first sighting of the Falkland Islands by John Davis. Wikipedia ↗
• 1480 — Battle of Otranto: Ottoman troops behead 800 Christians for refusing to convert to Islam; they are later honored in the Church. Wikipedia ↗
• 1457 — Publication of the Mainz Psalter, the first book to feature a printed date of publication and printed colophon Wikipedia ↗
• 1385 — Portuguese Crisis of 1383-85: Battle of Aljubarrota: Portuguese forces commanded by King John I and his general Nuno Álvares Pereira defeat the Castilian army of King John I. Wikipedia ↗
• 1370 — Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, grants city privileges to Carlsbad which is subsequently named after him. Wikipedia ↗
• 1352 — War of the Breton Succession: Anglo-Bretons defeat the French in the Battle of Mauron. Wikipedia ↗
• 1288 — Count Adolf VIII of Berg grants town privileges to Düsseldorf, the village on the banks of the Düssel. Wikipedia ↗
• 1183 — Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures and flee to western Japan to escape pursuit by the Minamoto clan (traditional Japanese date: Twenty-fifth Day of the Seventh Month of the Second Year of Juei). Wikipedia ↗
• 1040 — King Duncan I is killed in battle against his first cousin and rival Macbeth. The latter succeeds him as King of Scotland. Wikipedia ↗
• Octavian holds the second of three consecutive triumphs in Rome to celebrate the victory over the Dalmatian tribes. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on August 14

• 1989 — Florian Abel, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Ander Herrera, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Kyle Turris, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Tim Tebow, American football and baseball player, television personality and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Cameron Jerome, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Sam Moa, Tongan-New Zealand rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Braian Rodríguez, Uruguayan footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Christian Gentner, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Shea Weber, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Eva Birnerová, Czech tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Clay Buchholz, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Giorgio Chiellini, Italian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Josh Gorges, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Nick Grimshaw, English radio and television host Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Nicola Slater, Scottish tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Robin Söderling, Swedish tennis player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Elena Baltacha, Ukrainian-Scottish tennis player (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Mila Kunis, Ukrainian-born American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Juan Oviedo, Dominican baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Spencer Pratt, American television personality Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Simon Andrews, English motorcycle racer (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Earl Barron, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Matthew Etherington, English footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Paul Gallen, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Julius Jones, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Kofi Kingston, Ghanaian-American wrestler Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Aydın Toscalı, Turkish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Roy Williams, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Jérémie Bréchet, French footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Paul Burgess, Australian pole vaulter Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Yōichirō Morikawa, Japanese actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Randika Galhenage, Sri Lankan cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Anastasios Kyriakos, Greek footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Greg Rawlinson, South African-New Zealand rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Ed Harcourt, English singer-songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Juan Pierre, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Fabrizio Donato, Italian triple jumper Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Mike Vrabel, American football player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Chucky Atkins, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Jared Borgetti, Mexican footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Jay-Jay Okocha, Nigerian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Kieren Perkins, Australian swimmer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Tamer El Said, Egyptian director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Laurent Lamothe, Haitian businessman and politician, 15th Prime Minister of Haiti Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Raoul Bova, Italian actor, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Mark Loretta, American baseball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Pramodya Wickramasinghe, Sri Lankan cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Kevin Cadogan, American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Third Eye Blind) Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Tracy Caldwell Dyson, American chemist and astronaut Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Stig Tøfting, Danish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Pravin Amre, Indian cricketer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Catherine Bell, English-American actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Darren Clarke, Northern Irish golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Jason Leonard, English rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Medy van der Laan, Dutch politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Erik Gandini, Italian-Swedish director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Halle Berry, American model, actress, and producer, Miss World United States 1986 Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Karl Petter Løken, Swedish-Norwegian footballer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Tuncay Özkan, Turkish journalist and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Brannon Braga, American producer, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Paul Broadhurst, English golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Terry Richardson, American photographer and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Neal Anderson, American football player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Jason Dunstall, Australian footballer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Emmanuelle Béart, French actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — José Cóceres, Argentinian golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Mark Gubicza, American baseball player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Kevin Harris, Canadian skateboarder Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Andres Herkel, Estonian academic and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Rameez Raja, Pakistani cricketer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Eddie Gilbert, American wrestler and manager (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Sarah Brightman, English singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Fred Roberts, American basketball player and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Frank Brickowski, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Marcia Gay Harden, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Magic Johnson, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Philip Dunne, English farmer and politician, Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Bobby Eaton, American wrestler and trainer Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Peter Costello, Australian lawyer and politician, 35th Treasurer of Australia Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Sharon Bryant, American R&B singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Jackée Harry, American actress and television personality Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Andy King, English footballer and manager (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Rusty Wallace, American race car driver and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Erica Flapan, American mathematician Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Mark Fidrych, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Stanley A. McChrystal, American general Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — James Horner, American composer and conductor (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Debbie Meyer, American swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Slim Dunlap, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Norbert Hofmann, German footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Gary Larson, American cartoonist Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Morten Olsen, Danish footballer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Terry Adams, American pianist and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Bruce Thomas, English bass player and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Bruce Nash, American director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Maddy Prior, English folk singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Danielle Steel, American author Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Jiro Taniguchi, Japanese author and illustrator Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Joop van Daele, Dutch footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Larry Graham, American soul/funk bass player and singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Susan Saint James, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Tom Walkinshaw, Scottish race car driver and businessman (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Steve Martin, American actor, comedian, musician, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Wim Wenders, German director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — John Dunt, English admiral Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Ronnie Campbell, English miner and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Ben Sidran, American jazz and rock keyboardist, producer, label owner, and music writer Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Willie Dunn, Canadian singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Lionel Morton, English singer-songwriter, guitarist and television presenter Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — David Crosby, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Connie Smith, American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Ernest Everett Just, African-American biologist and academic (d. 1941) Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Darrell "Dash" Crofts, American singer-songwriter and musician Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Galen Hall, American football player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — John Brodie, American football player and golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Richard R. Ernst, Swiss chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Lee Hoffman, American author (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Frederic Raphael, American journalist, author, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Earl Weaver, American baseball player and manager (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Kinnaird R. McKee, American admiral (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Gene Scott, American pastor and broadcaster (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Dick Tiger, Nigerian boxer (d. 1971) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Lina Wertmüller, Italian director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — René Goscinny, French author and illustrator (d. 1977) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Buddy Greco, American singer and pianist (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Russell Baker, American critic and essayist Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Sverre Fehn, Norwegian architect, designed the Hedmark Museum (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Holger Juul Hansen, Danish actor (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Georges Prêtre, French conductor (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1924 — Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, 16th Karmapa, Tibetan spiritual leader (d. 1981) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Patriarch Diodoros of Jerusalem (d. 2000) Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Alice Ghostley, American actress (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1922 — Leslie Marr, English race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Patsy Smart, English actress (d. 1996) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Frank and John Craighead, American naturalists (twins, Frank d. 2001, John d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Fumio Fujimura, Japanese baseball player and manager (d. 1992) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Wellington Mara, American businessman (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1915 — B. A. Santamaria, Australian political activist and publisher (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Herman Branson, African-American physicist, chemist, and academic (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Hector Crawford, Australian director and producer (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Paul Dean, American baseball player (d. 1981) Wikipedia ↗
• 1912 — Frank Oppenheimer, American physicist and academic (d. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — Jan Koetsier, Dutch composer and conductor (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — Vethathiri Maharishi, Indian spiritual leader, philosopher, and author (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — Willy Ronis, French photographer (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — Pierre Schaeffer, French composer and producer (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1907 — Skinnay Ennis, American bandleader and singer (d. 1963) Wikipedia ↗
• 1903 — Lodewijk Bruckman, Dutch painter and illustrator (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on August 14 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on August 14

🏛️ Public Holidays

Also in: Independence Day (PK)

✡️ Religious Observances

• Jewish: Rosh Hashana LaBehemot
• Jewish: Rosh Chodesh Elul