On This Day in History

August 18

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2006
Tragedy

Death of Jerry Brudos, American Serial Killer

Jerry Brudos, convicted American serial killer active during the 1960s, died in prison. His crimes shocked the U.S. and influenced portrayals of serial killers in media and criminology.

📍 Salem, Oregon, United States

Tragedy Crime United States
1995
Science

Death of Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, Nobel Prize-Winning Astrophysicist

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, Indian-American astrophysicist and Nobel laureate, died. He was best known for the Chandrasekhar limit, a fundamental concept in understanding the life cycles of stars.

📍 Chicago, Illinois, United States

Science Physics Astrophysics
1990
Science

Death of B.F. Skinner, Pioneer of Behavioral Psychology

B.F. Skinner, influential American psychologist and behaviorist, died. He is best known for operant conditioning theory and his invention of the Skinner box, reshaping modern psychological thought.

📍 Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Science Psychology Behaviorism
1971
Culture

Death of Andy Warhol’s Muse and Actress Edie Sedgwick

Edie Sedgwick, American model and actress associated with Andy Warhol’s Factory scene, died at age 28. She became a cultural icon of 1960s counterculture and pop art.

📍 Santa Barbara, California, United States

Culture Pop Art United States
1970
Science

USSR Launches Cosmos 419, Attempt to Reach Mars

The Soviet Union launched Cosmos 419, the first attempt in the Mars 1971 program to reach Mars. The mission failed to leave Earth orbit, but marked early Soviet interplanetary ambitions.

📍 Baikonur Cosmodrome, USSR

Science Space Exploration Soviet Union
1969
Politics

Death of Rómulo Gallegos, Venezuelan President and Novelist

Rómulo Gallegos, Venezuela’s first democratically elected president and author of the classic novel *Doña Bárbara*, died. He remains a symbol of democratic struggle and Latin American literature.

📍 Caracas, Venezuela

Politics Literature Venezuela
1966
War

Vietnam War: Australia and New Zealand Deploy Combat Troops

Australian and New Zealand troops engaged in the Battle of Long Tan in Vietnam, one of the most significant battles for ANZAC forces during the Vietnam War. Their actions earned international recognition.

📍 Long Tan, South Vietnam

War Vietnam Australia New Zealand
1953
Science

IBM Announces Launch of the Model 701 Electronic Data Processing Machine

IBM officially announced the launch of the Model 701, its first commercial scientific computer. It revolutionized computing power and played a key role in U.S. defense and aerospace research.

📍 New York, United States

Science Technology Computing
1952
Culture

Birth of Patrick Swayze, American Actor and Dancer

Patrick Swayze, American actor and dancer best known for his roles in *Dirty Dancing* and *Ghost*, was born. He became a pop culture icon of the 1980s and 1990s.

📍 Houston, Texas, United States

Culture Cinema Dance
1937
Science

First Test Broadcast of FM Radio by Edwin Armstrong

Edwin Armstrong conducted the first successful public FM radio broadcast in Alpine, New Jersey. This marked a breakthrough in sound quality and spectrum efficiency in radio communication.

📍 Alpine, New Jersey, United States

Science Technology Radio
1933
Culture

Birth of Roman Polanski, Acclaimed and Controversial Film Director

Roman Polanski, Polish-French film director known for works such as *Rosemary’s Baby* and *The Pianist*, was born. His career has been marked by critical acclaim and legal controversy.

📍 Paris, France

Culture Cinema Poland France
1924
Science

First Commercial Use of Dry Ice Transport by Railway

The first commercial shipment using dry ice for refrigeration in railcars took place in the U.S., revolutionizing food and pharmaceutical logistics and cold chain transportation.

📍 United States (nationwide)

Science Logistics Refrigeration
1920
Politics

19th Amendment Ratified, Granting Women the Right to Vote in the U.S.

The United States ratified the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This historic victory marked the culmination of decades of activism by the women's suffrage movement.

📍 Washington, D.C., United States

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied...on account of sex.
Politics Women's Rights United States
1879
Culture

Death of Honoré Daumier, French Painter and Caricaturist

Honoré Daumier, renowned French artist and political satirist, died. His biting caricatures and lithographs exposed corruption and social injustice, making him a forerunner of modern political cartooning.

📍 Valmondois, France

Culture Art France
1877
Culture

Birth of Max Factor Sr., Pioneer of Modern Cosmetics

Max Factor Sr., Polish-American businessman and founder of the Max Factor cosmetics empire, was born. He revolutionized makeup in the film industry and popularized the term 'make-up' for cosmetics.

📍 Łódź, Congress Poland (Russian Empire)

Culture Business Cosmetics
1873
Science

First U.S. Weather Bureau Hurricane Warning Issued

The U.S. Weather Bureau issued its first official hurricane warning for the Gulf Coast region. This marked a major advancement in meteorological forecasting and public safety communication.

📍 Gulf of Mexico, United States

Science Meteorology Public Safety
1873
Exploration

First Ascent of Mount Whitney, Highest Peak in Continental U.S.

Climbers Charles Begole, A.H. Johnson, and John Lucas became the first recorded people to reach the summit of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States.

📍 California, United States

Exploration Mountaineering United States
1774
Exploration

Birth of Meriwether Lewis, American Explorer

Meriwether Lewis, co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition which explored the western territories of the United States, was born. His work helped expand American geographic knowledge and westward expansion.

📍 Ivy, Virginia, United States

Exploration United States Westward Expansion
1750
Culture

Birth of Antonio Salieri, Italian Classical Composer

Antonio Salieri, influential Italian composer and conductor of the Classical era, was born. Though often mythologized as Mozart’s rival, he was a respected teacher of composers like Beethoven and Schubert.

📍 Legnago, Republic of Venice (now Italy)

Culture Music Italy
1587
Exploration

Birth of Virginia Dare, First English Child Born in America

Virginia Dare was born in the Roanoke Colony, becoming the first English child born in the Americas. Her mysterious fate is part of the enduring legend of the Lost Colony.

📍 Roanoke Island, present-day North Carolina, United States

Exploration Colonial History United States