On This Day — August 7

🕰️ Notable Events on August 7

• 2008 — The start of the Russo-Georgian War over the territory of South Ossetia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1999 — The Chechnya-based Islamic International Brigade invades neighboring Dagestan. Wikipedia ↗
• 1998 — Bombings at United States embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya kill approximately 212 people. Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — First American soldiers arrive in Saudi Arabia as part of the Gulf War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — U.S. Congressman Mickey Leland (D-TX) and 15 others die in a plane crash in Ethiopia. Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Lynne Cox becomes first person to swim from the United States to the Soviet Union, crossing the Bering Strait from Little Diomede Island in Alaska to Big Diomede in the Soviet Union Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Takao Doi, Mamoru Mohri and Chiaki Mukai are chosen to be Japan's first astronauts. Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — The Washington Star ceases all operations after 128 years of publication. Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — U.S. President Jimmy Carter declares a federal emergency at Love Canal due to toxic waste that had been disposed of negligently. Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Viking program: Viking 2 enters orbit around Mars. Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Philippe Petit performs a high wire act between the twin towers of the World Trade Center 1,368 feet (417 m) in the air. Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — California judge Harold Haley is taken hostage in his courtroom and killed during an effort to free George Jackson from police custody. Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Vietnam War: The U.S. Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution giving U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson broad war powers to deal with North Vietnamese attacks on American forces. Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Canadian-born American pharmacologist Frances Oldham Kelsey awarded the U.S. President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service for her refusal to authorize thalidomide. Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Ivory Coast becomes independent from France. Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — The Lincoln Memorial design on the U.S. penny goes into circulation. It replaces the "sheaves of wheat" design, and was minted until 2008. Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Explorer program: Explorer 6 launches from the Atlantic Missile Range in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering, the precursor to Sony, sells its first transistor radios in Japan. Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Thor Heyerdahl's balsa wood raft the Kon-Tiki, smashes into the reef at Raroia in the Tuamotu Islands after a 101-day, 7,000 kilometres (4,300 mi) journey across the Pacific Ocean in an attempt to prove that pre-historic peoples could have traveled from South America. Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — The Bombay Municipal Corporation formally takes over the Bombay Electric Supply and Transport (BEST). Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — The government of the Soviet Union presented a note to its Turkish counterparts which refuted the latter's sovereignty over the Turkish Straits, thus beginning the Turkish Straits crisis. Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — IBM dedicates the first program-controlled calculator, the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (known best as the Harvard Mark I). Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — World War II: The Battle of Guadalcanal begins as the United States Marines initiate the first American offensive of the war with landings on Guadalcanal and Tulagi in the Solomon Islands. Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — World War II: Alsace-Lorraine is annexed by the Third Reich. Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — The building of Mauthausen concentration camp begins. Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — The Simele massacre: The Iraqi government slaughters over 3,000 Assyrians in the village of Simele. Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — The last confirmed lynching of blacks in the Northern United States occurs in Marion, Indiana; two men, Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith, are killed. Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — The Peace Bridge opens between Fort Erie, Ontario and Buffalo, New York. Wikipedia ↗
• 1909 — Alice Huyler Ramsey and three friends become the first women to complete a transcontinental auto trip, taking 59 days to travel from New York, New York to San Francisco, California. Wikipedia ↗
• 1890 — Anna Månsdotter becomes the last woman in Sweden to be executed, for the 1889 Yngsjö murder. Wikipedia ↗
• 1879 — The opening of the Poor Man's Palace in Manchester, England. Wikipedia ↗
• 1858 — The first Australian rules football match is played between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College. Wikipedia ↗
• 1819 — Simón Bolívar triumphs over Spain in the Battle of Boyacá. Wikipedia ↗
• 1794 — U.S. President George Washington invokes the Militia Acts of 1792 to suppress the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania. Wikipedia ↗
• 1791 — American troops destroy the Miami town of Kenapacomaqua near the site of present-day Logansport, Indiana in the Northwest Indian War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1789 — The United States Department of War is established. Wikipedia ↗
• 1782 — George Washington orders the creation of the Badge of Military Merit to honor soldiers wounded in battle. It is later renamed to the more poetic Purple Heart. Wikipedia ↗
• 1714 — The Battle of Gangut: The first important victory of the Russian Navy. Wikipedia ↗
• 1679 — The brigantine Le Griffon, commissioned by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, is towed to the south-eastern end of the Niagara River, to become the first ship to sail the upper Great Lakes of North America. Wikipedia ↗
• 1479 — Battle of Guinegate, French troops of King Louis XI were defeated by the Burgundians led by Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg. Wikipedia ↗
• 1461 — The Ming dynasty Chinese military general Cao Qin stages a coup against the Tianshun Emperor. Wikipedia ↗
• 1427 — The Visconti of Milan's fleet is destroyed by the Venetians on the Po River. Wikipedia ↗
• 1420 — Construction of the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore begins in Florence. Wikipedia ↗
• 936 — Coronation of King Otto I of Germany. Wikipedia ↗
• 768 — Stephen III begins his reign as Catholic Pope.
• 626 — The Avar and Slav armies leave the siege of Constantinople. Wikipedia ↗
• 461 — Roman Emperor Majorian is beheaded near the river Iria in north-west Italy following his arrest and deposition by the magister militum Ricimer. Wikipedia ↗
• Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedonia. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on August 7

• 1993 — Martti Nõmme, Estonian ski jumper Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Zaur Sizo, Russian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1993 — Karol Zalewski, Polish sprinter Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Ariel Camacho, Mexican singer-songwriter (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Adam Yates, English cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Simon Yates, English cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Mitchell te Vrede, Dutch footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Mike Trout, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — Luis Salom, Spanish motorcycle racer (d. 2016) Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Helen Flanagan, English actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1990 — Josh Franceschi, English singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — DeMar DeRozan, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Jonathan Bernier, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Mohamed Coulibaly, Senegalese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Anisa Mohammed, West Indian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Melody Oliveria, American blogger Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Erik Pieters, Dutch footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Beanie Wells, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Sidney Crosby, Canadian ice hockey player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Mustapha Dumbuya, Sierra Leonean footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Ryan Lavarnway, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Rouven Sattelmaier, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Paul Biedermann, German swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Valter Birsa, Slovenian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Altaír Jarabo, Mexican model and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Juan de la Rosa, Mexican boxer Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Stratos Perperoglou, Greek basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Tooba Siddiqui, Pakistani model and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1984 — Yun Hyon-seok, South Korean poet and author (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Christian Chávez, Mexican singer-songwriter and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Murat Dalkılıç, Turkish singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Andriy Hrivko, Ukrainian cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Mark Pettini, English cricketer and journalist Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Ángeles Balbiani, Argentine actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Abbie Cornish, Australian actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Juan Martín Hernández, Argentine rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Marquise Hill, American football player (d. 2007) Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Vassilis Spanoulis, Greek basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Martin Vučić, Macedonian singer and drummer Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — David Testo, American soccer player Wikipedia ↗
• 1981 — Randy Wayne, American actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Carsten Busch, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Aurélie Claudel, French model and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Tácio Caetano Cruz Queiroz, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Seiichiro Maki, Japanese footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Eric Johnson, American actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Miguel Llera, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Birgit Zotz, Austrian anthropologist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Alexandre Aja, French director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Jamey Jasta, American singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Mark McCammon, English-Barbadian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Charlotte Ronson, English fashion designer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Samantha Ronson, English singer-songwriter and DJ Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos, Greek footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Shane Lechler, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Koray Candemir, Turkish singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Gerard Denton, Australian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Megan Gale, Australian model and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Ray Hill, American football player (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Rebecca Kleefisch, American journalist and politician, 44th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Édgar Rentería, Colombian baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1975 — Charlize Theron, South African-American actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Chico Benymon, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Michael Shannon, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Mikhail Gorsheniov, Russian singer-songwriter (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Danny Graves, Vietnamese-American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Kevin Muscat, English-Australian footballer, coach, and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Gerry Peñalosa, Filipino boxer and promoter Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Dominic Cork, England cricketer and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Rachel York, American actress and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Eric Namesnik, American swimmer (d. 2006) Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Paul Lambert, Scottish footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Francesca Gregorini, Italian-American director and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Trevor Hendy, Australian surfer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1968 — Sophie Lee, Australian actress and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Jason Grimsley, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — David Cairns, Scottish laicised priest and politician, Minister of State for Scotland (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Kristin Hersh, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Jimmy Wales, American businessman, co-founder of Wikipedia Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Raul Malo, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1965 — Elizabeth Manley, Canadian figure skater Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — John Birmingham, English-Australian journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Ian Dench, English guitarist and songwriter (EMF) Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Peter Niven, Scottish jockey Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Paul Dunn, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Nick Gillespie, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Marcus Roberts, American pianist and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Alison Brown, American banjo player, songwriter, and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Brian Conley, English actor and singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Yelena Davydova, Russian gymnast Wikipedia ↗
• 1961 — Walter Swinburn, English jockey and trainer Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — David Duchovny, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Koenraad Elst, Belgian orientalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Ali Shah, Zimbabwean cricketer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Russell Baze, Canadian-American jockey Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Bruce Dickinson, English singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Alberto Salazar, Cuban-American runner and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Daire Brehan, Irish journalist, lawyer, and actress (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Alexander Dityatin, Russian gymnast and colonel Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Wayne Knight, American actor, comedian and voice actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Greg Nickels, American lawyer and politician, 51st Mayor of Seattle Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Vladimir Sorokin, Russian author and playwright Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Jonathan Pollard, Israeli spy Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Alan Reid, Scottish politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Anne Fadiman, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Caroline Aaron, American actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Eamonn Darcy, Irish golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Kees Kist, Dutch footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Alexei Sayle, English comedian, actor, and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Rodney Crowell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Alan Keyes, American politician and diplomat, 16th Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — S. Thandayuthapani, Sri Lankan educator and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Walid Jumblatt, Lebanese journalist and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Matthew Parris, South African-English journalist and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Marty Appel, American businessman and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1948 — Greg Chappell, Australian cricketer and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Franciscus Henri, Dutch-Australian singer-songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Sofia Rotaru, Ukrainian singer-songwriter, producer, and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Kenny Ireland, Scottish actor and director (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Alan Page, American football player and jurist Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — John Glover, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Robert Mueller, American soldier and lawyer, 6th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Mohammed Badie, Egyptian religious leader Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Lana Cantrell, Australian singer-songwriter and lawyer Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — Alain Corneau, French director and screenwriter (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Garrison Keillor, American humorist, novelist, short story writer, and radio host Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Carlos Monzon, Argentinian boxer and actor (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Richard Sykes, English biochemist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — B. J. Thomas, American singer Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Matthew Evans, Baron Evans of Temple Guiting, English publisher and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — Jean-Luc Dehaene, French-Belgian lawyer and politician, 63rd Prime Minister of Belgium (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Zoltán Berczik, Hungarian table tennis player and coach (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1937 — Don Wilson, English cricketer and coach (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — Rahsaan Roland Kirk, American saxophonist and composer (d. 1977) Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Sándor Simó, Hungarian director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Eddie Firmani, South African footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Elinor Ostrom, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Jerry Pournelle, American journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Abebe Bikila, Ethiopian runner (d. 1973) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Edward Hardwicke, English actor (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Rien Poortvliet, Dutch painter and illustrator (d. 1995) Wikipedia ↗
• 1932 — Maurice Rabb, Jr., American ophthalmologist and academic (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Jack Good, British television producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1931 — Charles E. Rice, American scholar and author (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Togrul Narimanbekov, Azerbaijani-French painter and academic (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Veljo Tormis, Estonian composer and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Don Larsen, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Betsy Byars, American author and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Owen Luder, English architect, designed Tricorn Centre and Trinity Square Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — James Randi, Canadian-American magician and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Rocky Bridges, American baseball player and coach (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Edwin Edwards, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 50th Governor of Louisiana Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on August 7 (Calendar.cx)

Also observed on August 7

🏛️ Public Holidays

Also in: Batalla de Boyacá (CO) · Battle of Boyacá (CO)