# On this day: August 8

August 8 is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years), with 145 days left until the end of the year.

## August 8 in one line

Headline entries for August 8, from Wikipedia: in 1969, At a zebra crossing on Abbey Road in London, Iain Macmillan took the photograph that was used for the cover of the Beatles' album Abbey Road; born 1966: Jimmy Wales, American-British entrepreneur, co-founder of Wikipedia; died 117: Trajan, Roman emperor (born 53). In 2026 it is a Saturday, in 2027 a Sunday.

## Events on August 8

- 685 BC Spring and Autumn period: Amid a succession dispute, the forces of Duke Zhuang of Lu, who was attempting to install a claimant to the Qi throne, were defeated at the Battle of Qianshi. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Qianshi)
- 1264 Reconquista: In the early stages of the Mudéjar revolt, Muslim rebels captured the Alcázar of Jerez de la Frontera in present-day Spain, holding it for about two months. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud%C3%A9jar_revolt_of_1264%E2%80%931266)
- 1576 The cornerstone of Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe's observatory Uraniborg was laid on the island of Hven. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uraniborg)
- 1588 Anglo-Spanish War: Battle of Gravelines: The naval engagement ends, ending the Spanish Armada's attempt to invade England. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Armada)
- 1695 The foundation for what is now known as the Wren Building, the oldest surviving college building in the United States, was laid in a ceremony at Middle Plantation, Virginia. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wren_Building)
- 1786 Mont Blanc on the French-Italian border is climbed for the first time by Jacques Balmat and Dr. Michel-Gabriel Paccard. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Blanc)
- 1863 American Civil War: Following his defeat in the Battle of Gettysburg, General Robert E. Lee sends a letter of resignation to Confederate President Jefferson Davis (which is refused upon receipt). [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg)
- 1914 The Endurance departed Plymouth, England, on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Trans-Antarctic_Expedition)
- 1918 The Battle of Amiens began in northern France, marking the start of the Allies' Hundred Days Offensive through the German front lines that ultimately led to the end of World War I. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Amiens_(1918))
- 1919 The Third Anglo-Afghan War ended with the United Kingdom signing a treaty to recognise the independence of the Emirate of Afghanistan. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Anglo-Afghan_War)
- 1929 The German airship Graf Zeppelin departed Lakehurst, New Jersey, on a flight to circumnavigate the world. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LZ_127_Graf_Zeppelin)
- 1956 A mining disaster killed 262 workers, mainly Italian nationals, at the Bois du Cazier coal mine in Belgium. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bois_du_Cazier)
- 1967 The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is founded by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN)
- 1969 At a zebra crossing on Abbey Road in London, Iain Macmillan took the photograph that was used for the cover of the Beatles' album Abbey Road. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_Road)
- 1973 Kim Dae-jung, a South Korean politician and later president of South Korea, is kidnapped. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnapping_of_Kim_Dae-jung)
- 1988 Tropical Storm Beryl formed over southeastern Louisiana, making it one of the few tropical cyclones to form over land. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Beryl_(1988))
- 1988 A series of marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots, which became known as the 8888 Uprising, began against the one-party state of the Burma Socialist Programme Party. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8888_Uprising)
- 1990 Iraq occupies Kuwait and the state is annexed to Iraq. This would lead to the Gulf War shortly afterward. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War)
- 1991 Hudson Volcano in Chile began to erupt, depositing volcanic ash over 150,000 square kilometres (58,000 sq mi). [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_Volcano)
- 1991 The Warsaw radio mast, then the tallest structure ever built, at 646.38 metres (2,120.7 ft), collapsed due to an error in exchanging the guys on the highest telecommunications equipment of the mast. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_radio_mast)
- 1998 The Iranian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, was raided by Taliban leading to the death of 10 Iranian diplomats and an Iranian journalist. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_killing_of_Iranian_diplomats_in_Afghanistan)
- 2008 A EuroCity train en route to Prague struck a part of a motorway bridge that had fallen onto the track near Studénka station and derailed, killing 8 people and injuring 64 others. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Stud%C3%A9nka_train_wreck)
- 2008 The 29th modern summer Olympic Games take place in Beijing, China until August 24. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Summer_Olympics)
- 2009 Nine people died when a tour helicopter and a small private airplane collided over the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Hudson_River_mid-air_collision)
- 2010 A massive mudslide in the Chinese province of Gansu killed at least 1,471 people. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Gansu_mudslide)
- 2014 The World Health Organization declared the Western African Ebola epidemic, which began in December 2013, to be a public health emergency of international concern. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_African_Ebola_epidemic)

## Born on August 8

- 1170 Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominicans (died 1221) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominic_de_Guzm%C3%A1n)
- 1879 Emiliano Zapata, Mexican general and politician (died 1919) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emiliano_Zapata)
- 1881 Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist, German field marshal (died 1954) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ludwig_Ewald_von_Kleist)
- 1901 Ernest Lawrence, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1958) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Lawrence)
- 1902 Paul Dirac, English-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1984) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Dirac)
- 1925 Alija Izetbegović, Bosnian lawyer and politician, 1st President of Bosnia and Herzegovina (died 2003) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alija_Izetbegovi%C4%87)
- 1931 Roger Penrose, English physicist, mathematician, and philosopher, Nobel Prize laureate [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Penrose)
- 1937 Dustin Hoffman, American actor and director [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dustin_Hoffman)
- 1940 Dennis Tito, American engineer and businessman, founded Wilshire Associates [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Tito)
- 1948 Svetlana Savitskaya, Russian engineer and astronaut [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svetlana_Savitskaya)
- 1951 Mohamed Morsi, Egyptian engineer, academic, and politician, 5th President of Egypt (died 2019) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Morsi)
- 1951 Louis van Gaal, Dutch footballer and manager [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_van_Gaal)
- 1952 Jostein Gaarder, Norwegian author [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder)
- 1953 Lloyd Austin, American general, 1st black Secretary of Defense [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd_Austin)
- 1953 Nigel Mansell, English racing driver [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Mansell)
- 1964 Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Italy [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Conte)
- 1966 Jimmy Wales, American-British entrepreneur, co-founder of Wikipedia [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Wales)
- 1978 Louis Saha, French footballer [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Saha)
- 1981 Roger Federer, Swiss tennis player [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Federer)
- 1991 Joël Matip, Cameroonian footballer [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo%C3%ABl_Matip)
- 1998 Shawn Mendes, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawn_Mendes)
- 2005 Alysa Liu, American figure skater [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alysa_Liu)

## Died on August 8

- 117 Trajan, Roman emperor (born 53) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajan)
- 1746 Francis Hutcheson, Irish philosopher (born 1694) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Hutcheson_(philosopher))
- 1827 George Canning, English lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (born 1770) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Canning)
- 1897 Jacob Burckhardt, Swiss historian and academic (born 1818) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Burckhardt)
- 1898 Eugène Boudin, French painter (born 1824) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Boudin)
- 1902 James Tissot, French painter and illustrator (born 1836) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Tissot)
- 1985 Louise Brooks, American actress (born 1906) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Brooks)
- 1991 James Irwin, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut, eighth man to walk on the moon (born 1930) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Irwin)
- 1996 Nevill Francis Mott, English physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1905) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevill_Mott)
- 2004 Fay Wray, Canadian-American actress (born 1907) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fay_Wray)
- 2005 Barbara Bel Geddes, American actress (born 1922) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Bel_Geddes)
- 2010 Patricia Neal, American actress (born 1926) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Neal)
- 2013 Karen Black, American actress (born 1939) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Black)
- 2022 Olivia Newton-John, English-Australian singer-songwriter and actress (born 1948) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivia_Newton-John)

## Holidays and observances

- Ceasefire Day (end of Iran–Iraq War) (Iraqi Kurdistan) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Iraq)
- Christian Feast Day: Altmann of Passau [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altmann_(bishop_of_Passau))
- Christian Feast Day: Bonifacia Rodríguez y Castro [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonifacia_Rodr%C3%ADguez_y_Castro)
- Christian Feast Day: Cyriacus and companions [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyriacus)
- Christian Feast Day: Dominic de Guzmán, founder of the Dominican Order. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominic_de_Guzm%C3%A1n)
- Christian Feast Day: Four Crowned Martyrs [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Crowned_Martyrs)
- Christian Feast Day: Blessed Maria Anna Rosa Caiani [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Anna_Rosa_Caiani)
- Christian Feast Day: Mary MacKillop [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_MacKillop)
- Christian Feast Day: Severus of Vienne [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severus_of_Vienne)
- Christian Feast Day: August 8 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_8_(Eastern_Orthodox_liturgics))
- Father's Day or Bā bā Day (爸爸節), Bā Bā is Mandarin for "father" and "8-8", or August 8. (Mongolia, Taiwan) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father's_Day)
- Happiness Happens Day [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Society_of_Happy_People)
- International Cat Day [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Cat_Day)
- Namesday of the Queen (Sweden) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_flying_days_in_Sweden)
- Nane Nane Day (Tanzania) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nane_Nane_Day)
- Signal Troops Day (Ukraine) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Forces_of_Ukraine)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — “August 8”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_8) — events, births, deaths and observances (text under CC BY-SA 4.0) (checked 2026-10-15)
- [Wikipedia — “Selected anniversaries/August 8”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Selected_anniversaries/August_8) — the anniversaries editors chose for the date and the article each one is about (checked 2026-10-15)
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/) — in how many language editions each entry's own article exists, used to fill the lists (CC0) (checked 2026-10-15)
- [vacanza/holidays (open-source holiday rules, MIT licence)](https://github.com/vacanza/holidays) — holiday rules used to build the lists (checked 2026-10-15)

The events, births, deaths and observances above are from the English Wikipedia article [“August 8”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_8) and the articles it links to ([authors and history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_8?action=history)), retrieved 2026-10-15 through the Wikimedia “On this day” feed. They are licensed under [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/); this selection is shared under the same licence. Every anniversary that Wikipedia's editors selected for August 8 stays on the list; the remaining places, up to 26 events, 22 births and 14 deaths, go to the entries whose own article — about the event itself, or else the person or thing it is about — appears in the most language editions (counted from Wikidata); an article about a person or thing, which covers far more than one day, counts half. An entry with no article of its own counts, also at half, by the least covered article it links, and one that links only places counts for nothing. Each list runs by year, and the wording is unchanged apart from removing references to pictures, audio and video.

## August 8 in the calendar

| Year | Weekday | ISO week | Moon (UTC) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026 | Saturday | 2026-W32 | 🌘 Waning Crescent |
| 2027 | Sunday | 2027-W31 | 🌒 Waxing Crescent |
| 2028 | Tuesday | 2028-W32 | 🌖 Waning Gibbous |
| 2029 | Wednesday | 2029-W32 | 🌘 Waning Crescent |
| 2030 | Thursday | 2030-W32 | 🌔 Waxing Gibbous |

Moon phases are for the day in UTC; at the edges of a phase your local date can differ.

## Public holidays on August 8

None of the 28 countries we track has a public holiday on August 8 in 2026 or 2027.

[Today's holidays in 28 countries →](https://whathappen.today/holidays/)

## Nearby dates

[← August 7](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/august-7/) · [August 9 →](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/august-9/)

[All 366 days](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/)

Last updated: 15 October 2026

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Web page: https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/august-8/