On This Day in History — August 23

Highlights of August 23

• 2011 — A 5.8 MW earthquake struck the Piedmont region of Virginia, and was felt by more people than any other quake in U.S. history. Read more
• 2006 — Natascha Kampusch (pictured), who had been abducted at the age of ten in Vienna, escaped from her captor's house in Strasshof an der Nordbahn after more than eight years in captivity. Read more
• 1991 — The World Wide Web was opened to the public. Read more
• 1989 — Singing Revolution: Approximately two million people joined hands to form a human chain spanning 675.5 kilometres (419.7 mi) across the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian Soviet republics to demonstrate their desire for independence. Read more
• 1960 — Congo Crisis: In order to stop the secession of South Kasai from the Republic of Congo, Armée Nationale Congolaise forces launched an invasion of South Kasai. Read more
• 1954 — The Cruise of the Kings, a royal cruise organised by the Queen Consort of Greece, Frederica of Hanover, departed from Marseille, France. Read more
• 1943 — Second World War: A decisive Soviet victory against German forces at the Battle of Kursk gave the Red Army the strategic initiative for the rest of the war. Read more
• 1939 — Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact (pictured), a ten-year mutual non-aggression treaty, which also secretly divided northern and eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence. Read more
• 1933 — The Chesapeake–Potomac hurricane made landfall in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and went on to cause at least 47 deaths in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. Read more
• 1914 — In their first major action of the First World War, the British Expeditionary Force engaged German troops in Mons, Belgium. Read more
• 1898 — The Southern Cross Expedition, the first British venture of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, departed London. Read more
• 1873 — The Albert Bridge, spanning the River Thames in London, opened to traffic. Read more
• 1775 — King George III issued a proclamation that declared elements of the American colonies of Great Britain to be in a state of "open and avowed rebellion". Read more
• 1305 — William Wallace, a leader of Scottish resistance against England during the Wars of Scottish Independence, was hanged, drawn and quartered. Read more

Events

• 2023 — Chandrayaan-3 mission initiates first Moon landing in Indian history. Read more
• 2023 — A business jet carrying key leadership members of the Russian private military company Wagner Group crashes, killing all ten people on board. Read more
• 2013 — A riot at the Palmasola prison complex in Santa Cruz, Bolivia kills 31 people. Read more
• 2012 — A hot-air balloon crashes near the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana, killing six people and injuring 28 others. Read more
• 2011 — A magnitude 5.8 (class: moderate) earthquake occurs in Virginia. Damage occurs to monuments and structures in Washington, D.C. and the resulted damage is estimated at 200 million–300 million USD. Read more
• 2011 — Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is overthrown after the National Transitional Council forces take control of Bab al-Azizia compound during the Libyan Civil War. Read more
• 2010 — The Manila hostage crisis occurs near the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, Philippines, killing 9 people including the perpetrator while injuring 9 others. Read more
• 2007 — The skeletal remains of Russia's last royal family members Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia, and his sister Grand Duchess Anastasia are discovered near Yekaterinburg, Russia. Read more
• 2006 — Natascha Kampusch, who had been abducted at the age of ten, escapes from her captor Wolfgang Přiklopil, after eight years of captivity. Read more
• 2000 — Gulf Air Flight 072 crashes into the Persian Gulf near Manama, Bahrain, killing 143. Read more
• 1994 — Eugene Bullard, the only African American pilot in World War I, is posthumously commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Read more
• 1991 — The World Wide Web is opened to the public. Read more
• 1990 — Saddam Hussein appears on Iraqi state television with a number of Western "guests" (actually hostages) to try to prevent the Gulf War. Read more
• 1990 — Armenia declares its independence from the Soviet Union. Read more
• 1990 — West and East Germany announce that they will reunite on October 3. Read more
• 1989 — Singing Revolution: Two million people from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania stand on the Vilnius–Tallinn road, holding hands. Read more
• 1985 — Hans Tiedge, top counter-spy of West Germany, defects to East Germany. Read more
• 1977 — Waylon Jennings arrested in a drug raid. Read more
• 1975 — The start of the Wave Hill walk-off by Gurindji people in Australia, lasting eight years, a landmark event in the history of Indigenous land rights in Australia, commemorated in a 1991 Paul Kelly song and an annual celebration. Read more
• 1975 — The Pontiac Silverdome opens in Pontiac, Michigan, 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Detroit, Michigan. Read more
• 1973 — A bank robbery gone wrong in Stockholm, Sweden, turns into a hostage crisis; over the next five days the hostages begin to sympathise with their captors, leading to the term "Stockholm syndrome". Read more
• 1970 — Organized by Mexican American labor union leader César Chávez, the Salad Bowl strike, the largest farm worker strike in U.S. history, begins. Read more
• 1966 — Lunar Orbiter 1 takes the first photograph of Earth from orbit around the Moon. Read more
• 1958 — Chinese Civil War: The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis begins with the People's Liberation Army's bombardment of Quemoy. Read more
• 1954 — The first flight of the Lockheed C-130 multi-role aircraft takes place. Read more
• 1954 — The Cruise of the Kings, a royal cruise organised by the Queen Consort of Greece, Frederica of Hanover, departs from Marseille, France. Read more
• 1948 — The World Council of Churches is formed by 147 churches from 44 countries. Read more
• 1946 — Ordinance No. 46 of the British Military Government constitutes the German Länder (states) of Hanover and Schleswig-Holstein. Read more
• 1945 — World War II: Soviet–Japanese War: The USSR State Defense Committee issues Decree no. 9898cc "About Receiving, Accommodation, and Labor Utilization of the Japanese Army Prisoners of War". Read more
• 1944 — World War II: Marseille is liberated by the Allied forces. Read more
• 1944 — World War II: King Michael of Romania dismisses the pro-Nazi government of Marshal Antonescu, who is later arrested. Romania switches sides from the Axis to the Allies. Read more
• 1944 — Freckleton air disaster: A United States Army Air Forces B-24 Liberator bomber crashes into a school in Freckleton, England, killing 61 people. Read more
• 1943 — World War II: Kharkiv is liberated by the Soviet Red Army for the second time after the Battle of Kursk. Read more
• 1942 — World War II: Beginning of the Battle of Stalingrad. Read more
• 1939 — World War II: Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union sign the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. In a secret protocol to the pact, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Romania are divided into German and Soviet "spheres of influence". Read more
• 1929 — Hebron Massacre during the 1929 Palestine riots: Arab attacks on the Jewish community in Hebron in the British Mandate of Palestine occur, continuing until the next day, resulting in the death of 65–68 Jews and the remaining Jews being forced to leave the city. Read more
• 1927 — Italian anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti are executed after a lengthy, controversial trial. Read more
• 1923 — Captain Lowell Smith and Lieutenant John P. Richter perform the first mid-air refueling on De Havilland DH-4B, setting an endurance flight record of 37 hours. Read more
• 1921 — British airship R-38 experiences structural failure over Hull in England and crashes in the Humber Estuary; of her 49 British and American training crew, only four survive. Read more
• 1914 — World War I: The British Expeditionary Force and the French Fifth Army begin their Great Retreat before the German Army. Read more
• 1914 — World War I: Japan declares war on Germany. Read more
• 1904 — The automobile tire chain is patented. Read more
• 1898 — The Southern Cross Expedition, the first British venture of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, departs from London. Read more
• 1873 — The Albert Bridge in Chelsea, London opens. Read more
• 1866 — The Austro-Prussian War ends with the Treaty of Prague. Read more
• 1864 — American Civil War: The Union Navy captures Fort Morgan, Alabama, thus breaking Confederate dominance of all ports on the Gulf of Mexico except Galveston, Texas. Read more
• 1839 — The United Kingdom captures Hong Kong as a base as it prepares for the First Opium War with Qing China. Read more
• 1831 — Nat Turner's rebellion of enslaved Virginians is suppressed. Read more
• 1813 — At the Battle of Großbeeren, the Prussians under Von Bülow repulse the French army. Read more
• 1799 — Napoleon Bonaparte leaves Egypt for France en route to seizing power. Read more
• 1784 — Western North Carolina (now eastern Tennessee) declares itself an independent state under the name of Franklin; it is not accepted into the United States, and only lasts for four years. Read more
• 1782 — British forces under Edward Despard complete the reconquest of the Black River settlements on the Mosquito Coast from the Spanish. Read more
• 1775 — American Revolutionary War: King George III delivers his Proclamation of Rebellion to the Court of St James's stating that the American colonies have proceeded to a state of open and avowed rebellion. Read more
• 1703 — Edirne event: Sultan Mustafa II of the Ottoman Empire is dethroned. Read more
• 1655 — Battle of Sobota: The Swedish Empire led by Charles X Gustav defeats the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Read more
• 1628 — George Villiers, the first Duke of Buckingham, is assassinated by John Felton. Read more
• 1600 — Battle of Gifu Castle: The eastern forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu defeat the western Japanese clans loyal to Toyotomi Hideyori, leading to the destruction of Gifu Castle and serving as a prelude to the Battle of Sekigahara. Read more
• 1595 — Long Turkish War: Wallachian prince Michael the Brave confronts the Ottoman army in the Battle of Călugăreni and achieves a tactical victory. Read more
• 1572 — French Wars of Religion: Mob violence against thousands of Huguenots in Paris results in the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. Read more
• 1541 — French explorer Jacques Cartier lands near Quebec City in his third voyage to Canada. Read more

Born on August 23

• 2000 — Boryana Kaleyn, Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast and Olympic silver medalist Read more
• 1999 — Saya Sakakibara, Australian cyclist Read more
• 1998 — P. J. Washington, American basketball player Read more
• 1997 — Lil Yachty, American rapper and singer Read more
• 1996 — Alejo Igoa, Argentine YouTuber Read more
• 1995 — Gabriela Lee, Romanian tennis player Read more
• 1995 — Cameron Norrie, British tennis player Read more
• 1994 — August Ames, Canadian pornographic actress (died 2017) Read more
• 1994 — Jusuf Nurkić, Bosnian basketball player Read more
• 1993 — Taylor Decker, American football player Read more
• 1993 — Tyler Glasnow, American baseball player Read more
• 1993 — Iván López, Spanish professional footballer Read more
• 1992 — Nicola Docherty, Scottish footballer Read more
• 1992 — Will Toledo, American singer-songwriter Read more
• 1990 — Seth Curry, American basketball player Read more
• 1990 — Mike Yastrzemski, American baseball player Read more
• 1989 — Lianne La Havas, British singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Read more
• 1989 — Trixie Mattel, American drag queen, actor, and country singer Read more
• 1989 — Heiko Schwarz, German footballer Read more
• 1989 — TeddyLoid, Japanese musician Read more
• 1988 — Olga Govortsova, Belarusian tennis player Read more
• 1988 — Carl Hagelin, Swedish ice hockey player Read more
• 1988 — Jeremy Lin, American basketball player Read more
• 1988 — Kim Matula, American actress Read more
• 1988 — Miles Mikolas, American baseball player Read more
• 1987 — Darren Collison, American basketball player Read more
• 1986 — Sky Blu, American rapper and DJ Read more
• 1986 — Neil Cicierega, American comedian and musician Read more
• 1986 — Ayron Jones, American musician Read more
• 1986 — Brett Morris, Australian rugby league player Read more
• 1986 — Josh Morris, Australian rugby league player Read more
• 1985 — Valeria Lukyanova, Moldovan-Ukrainian model and singer Read more
• 1984 — Glen Johnson, English footballer Read more
• 1984 — Eric Tai, New Zealand rugby player and actor Read more
• 1983 — James Collins, Welsh footballer Read more
• 1983 — Athena Farrokhzad, Iranian-Swedish poet, playwright, and critic Read more
• 1983 — Sun Mingming, Chinese basketball player Read more
• 1983 — Tony Moll, American football player Read more
• 1983 — Fiona Onasanya, British politician and criminal Read more
• 1983 — Bruno Spengler, Canadian race car driver Read more

Died on August 23

• 2026 — Klaus-Michael Kühne, German billionaire and businessman (born 1937) Read more
• 2023 — Dmitry Utkin, Russian army officer, founder of Wagner Group (born 1970) Read more
• 2023 — Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian businessman, chief of Wagner Group (born 1961) Read more
• 2023 — Terry Funk, American professional wrestler (born 1944) Read more
• 2021 — Elizabeth Blackadder, Scottish painter and printmaker (born 1931) Read more
• 2015 — Augusta Chiwy, Congolese-Belgian nurse (born 1921) Read more
• 2015 — Guy Ligier, French rugby player and race car driver (born 1930) Read more
• 2015 — Enrique Reneau, Honduran footballer (born 1971) Read more
• 2015 — Paul Royle, Australian lieutenant and pilot (born 1914) Read more
• 2014 — Albert Ebossé Bodjongo, Cameroonian footballer (born 1989) Read more
• 2014 — Annefleur Kalvenhaar, Dutch cyclist (born 1994) Read more
• 2014 — Birgitta Stenberg, Swedish author and illustrator (born 1932) Read more
• 2014 — Jaume Vallcorba Plana, Spanish philologist and publisher (born 1949) Read more
• 2013 — Richard J. Corman, American businessman, founded the R.J. Corman Railroad Group (born 1955) Read more
• 2013 — William Glasser, American psychiatrist and author (born 1925) Read more
• 2013 — Charles Lisanby, American production designer and set director (born 1924) Read more
• 2013 — Konstanty Miodowicz, Polish ethnographer and politician (born 1951) Read more
• 2013 — Vesna Rožič, Slovenian chess player (born 1987) Read more
• 2013 — Tatyana Zaslavskaya, Russian sociologist and economist (born 1927) Read more
• 2012 — Jerry Nelson, American puppeteer and voice actor (born 1934) Read more
• 2012 — Josepha Sherman, American anthologist and author (born 1946) Read more
• 2008 — John Russell, English-American author and critic (born 1919) Read more
• 2006 — Maynard Ferguson, Canadian trumpet player and bandleader (born 1928) Read more
• 2005 — Brock Peters, American actor (born 1927) Read more
• 2003 — Bobby Bonds, American baseball player and manager (born 1946) Read more
• 2003 — Jack Dyer, Australian footballer and coach (born 1913) Read more
• 2003 — Jan Sedivka, Czech-Australian violinist and educator (born 1917) Read more
• 2003 — Michael Kijana Wamalwa, Kenyan lawyer and politician, 8th Vice President of Kenya (born 1944) Read more
• 2002 — Hoyt Wilhelm, American baseball player and coach (born 1922) Read more
• 2001 — Kathleen Freeman, American actress (born 1919) Read more
• 2001 — Peter Maas, American journalist and author (born 1929) Read more
• 2000 — John Anthony Kaiser, American priest and missionary (born 1932) Read more
• 1999 — Norman Wexler, American screenwriter (born 1926) Read more
• 1999 — James White, Irish author (born 1928) Read more
• 1997 — Eric Gairy, Grenadian educator and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Grenada (born 1922) Read more
• 1997 — John Kendrew, English biochemist and crystallographer, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1917) Read more
• 1996 — Margaret Tucker, Australian author and activist (born 1904) Read more
• 1995 — Alfred Eisenstaedt, German-American photographer and journalist (born 1898) Read more
• 1994 — Zoltán Fábri, Hungarian director and screenwriter (born 1917) Read more
• 1990 — David Rose, American pianist and composer (born 1910) Read more

Holidays & observances

Battle of Kursk Day (Russia); Christian feast day: Ascelina; Christian feast day: Asterius, Claudius, and Neon; Christian feast day: Éogan of Ardstraw; Christian feast day: Blessed Franciszek Dachtera; Christian feast day: Blessed Juan María de la Cruz; Christian feast day: Lupus (Luppus) of Novae; Christian feast day: Philip Benitius; Christian feast day: Quiriacus and companions, of Ostia; Christian feast day: Rose of Lima; Christian feast day: Tydfil; Christian feast day: Zacchaeus of Jerusalem; Christian feast day: August 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Day of the National Flag (Ukraine); European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism or Black Ribbon Day (European Union and other countries), and related observances: Liberation from Fascist Occupation Day (Romania); International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition; National Day for Physicians (Iran); The memorial day for the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis(the August 23 shelling war) (Taiwan)

More from the Almanac

Sunrise & SunsetStar TransitMoon & Planting CalendarsAncient Measures