1954⚡ Event
Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas commits suicide
In the midst of a political crisis, Brazilian president Getúlio Vargas fatally shot himself in the Catete Palace in Rio de Janeiro.
politicslaw
August 19 – August 25 in History
DayFacts Week 34 · 7 days
This recurring calendar span contains 104 historical entries in the DayFacts collection. The sections below preview entries from these 7 days; use the date links to open each date collection.
Selected Anniversaries
25th Anniversary
Awak Kuier
25th Anniversary
LaMelo Ball
25th Anniversary
Mildred Maldonado
Explore the Date Pages
Historical Events (August 19 – August 25)(20)
1960⚡ Event
Congo Crisis invasion
Armée Nationale Congolaise forces launched an invasion of South Kasai. This was done to stop the secession of South Kasai from the Republic of Congo.
warpolitics
1963⚡ Event
US orders Ambassador to encourage Diem's ouster
The U.S. State Department ordered Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. to encourage South Vietnamese Army officers to oust Ngo Dinh Diem. This was part of the Buddhist crisis.
politicswar
1966⚡ Event
Red Guards vandalize Jokhang Temple
During the Cultural Revolution, Red Guards vandalized the Jokhang Temple, the holiest Buddhist temple in Tibet.
religionpolitics
1971⚡ Event
San Quentin Prison Riot
Six people were killed during an escape attempt and riot at San Quentin State Prison in California. The subsequent trial of six inmates was the longest in state history at the time.
law
1985⚡ Event
British Airtours Flight 28M fire
A fire broke out on British Airtours Flight 28M at Manchester Airport, causing 55 deaths and leading to improved aircraft evacuation procedures.
disastertechnology
1986⚡ Event
Lake Nyos limnic eruption
A limnic eruption of Lake Nyos in Cameroon released a cloud of carbon dioxide, suffocating 1,746 people and 3,500 livestock.
disasterscience
1989⚡ Event
Marchioness disaster
The pleasure boat Marchioness sank on the River Thames in London after colliding with the dredger Bowbelle. Fifty-one people lost their lives in the incident.
disaster
1989⚡ Event
Voyager 2 Confirms Neptune's Rings
On August 25, 1989, the NASA spacecraft Voyager 2 made its closest approach to Neptune and provided definitive proof of the planet's rings.
spacescienceexploration
1989⚡ Event
O-Bahn Busway completed
The final stage of the O-Bahn Busway in Adelaide, South Australia, was completed. This marked the end of the world's longest and fastest guided busway at the time.
technology
1989⚡ Event
Singing Revolution
Approximately two million people joined hands to form a human chain across the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian Soviet republics. This demonstrated their desire for independence.
politics
1998⚡ Event
Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory destroyed
The Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Sudan was destroyed by a U.S. missile strike. This was in retaliation for the August 7 U.S. embassy bombings.
warpolitics
2002⚡ Event
Mil Mi-26 helicopter crash in Chechnya
A Russian Mil Mi-26 helicopter was shot down by Chechen separatists, killing 127 people. This event marked the deadliest helicopter crash in history.
war
2003⚡ Event
Jerusalem Bus Bombing
A Hamas suicide bomber killed 23 people and wounded over 130 on a crowded public bus in Jerusalem.
warpolitics
2003⚡ Event
Roy Moore suspended as Chief Justice
Roy Moore, Alabama's chief justice, was suspended for refusing to comply with a federal court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument.
politicslawreligion
2003⚡ Event
Canal Hotel Bombing
A car bomb destroyed the United Nations headquarters at Baghdad's Canal Hotel, killing Sérgio Vieira de Mello and 21 others.
warpolitics
2006⚡ Event
Grigori Perelman awarded Fields Medal
Grigori Perelman was awarded the Fields Medal for his proof of the Poincaré conjecture but refused to accept it.
sciencephilosophy
2006⚡ Event
Natascha Kampusch escapes
Natascha Kampusch escaped from her captor's house in Strasshof an der Nordbahn after more than eight years in captivity. She had been abducted at the age of ten in Vienna.
2007⚡ Event
BioShock release
BioShock was released in North America, becoming a critical success and a demonstration of video games as an art form.
entertainmentartstechnology
2011⚡ Event
Monterrey Casino Arson Attack
On August 25, 2011, fifty-two people were killed in an arson attack at a casino in Monterrey, Mexico, as part of the Mexican drug war.
wardisaster
Births (August 19 – August 25)(15)
1995🎂 Birth
Ong Seong-wu
Ong Seong-wu is a South Korean singer and actor.
musicentertainment
1995🎂 Birth
Dominik Kubalík
Dominik Kubalík is a Czech professional ice hockey player.
sports
1997🎂 Birth
Kaho Minagawa
Kaho Minagawa, a Japanese rhythmic gymnast, was born.
sports
1998🎂 Birth
China Anne McClain
China Anne McClain is an American actress and singer.
entertainmentmusic
Deaths (August 19 – August 25)(15)
2001🕊️ Death
Aaliyah's Death
On August 25, 2001, American singer Aaliyah and several members of her record company were killed when their overloaded aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff in The Bahamas.
entertainmentdisaster
2017🕊️ Death
Jay Thomas
American actor, comedian, and radio talk show host Jay Thomas died on August 24, 2017. He was born in 1948.
entertainment
2018🕊️ Death
Uri Avnery
Uri Avnery was an Israeli writer, politician, and peace activist.
politicsliterature
2018🕊️ Death
Stefán Karl Stefánsson
Stefán Karl Stefánsson, an Icelandic actor and singer, died. He was born in 1975.
entertainment
2018🕊️ Death
Ed King dies
Ed King, an American musician, died at the age of 68.
musicentertainment
2018🕊️ Death
Jennifer Ramírez Rivero
Jennifer Ramírez Rivero was a Venezuelan model.
entertainment
2018🕊️ Death
Krishna Reddy dies
Krishna Reddy, an Indian printmaker, sculptor, and teacher, died at the age of 93.
arts
2019🕊️ Death
Lars Larsen
Lars Larsen, Danish businessman and founder of the retail chain JYSK, has died. He was born in 1948.
economics
2019🕊️ Death
Celso Piña
Celso Piña was a Mexican singer, composer, arranger, and accordionist.
musicentertainment
2020🕊️ Death
Gail Sheehy
American author, journalist, and lecturer Gail Sheehy died on August 24, 2020. She was born in 1936.
literatureentertainment