August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 146 days remain until the end of the year.
We have some interesting facts & historic events all about August 7th, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about August 7th in history!
Table of Contents
Global Celebrations
- Lighthouse Day
- Professional Speakers Day
- Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day
- National Mustard Day
- Sandcastle Day
- National Mead Day
- National Disc Golf Day
- International Friendship Day
- National Sister’s Day
Historic Events
What Happened On This Day – August 7
2008: War Between Russia and Georgia Breaks Out
The conflict began over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway regions of Georgia. When the two provinces broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s and most of the international community did not recognize their independence. Russia on the other hand, backed them and placed peacekeeping forces in the two regions. In 2008, tensions escalated between the two countries after Russia moved a large number of troops in the area. The war ended with Russian victory and with Georgia losing parts of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to Russia.
1998: Coordinated bomb attacks in American embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya kill over 200 people
Responsibility for the twin attacks in the capital cities was taken by an Al-Qaeda affiliate Egyptian Islamic Jihad.
1974: Daredevil Walks a High Wire Between Twin Towers of the World Trade Center
French high-wire artist Philippe Petit, who was 24 years old at the time, walked 8 times across a high wire between the two towers in 45 minutes. The high wire was was 1,350 feet from the ground.
1960: Ivory Coast Independence
The West African country known as Côte d’Ivoire gained its independence from France after being a member of the French Community for 2 years. Ivory Coast became a French Colony in 1893 under the leadership of explorer Louis Gustave Binger. Felix Houphouet-Boigny became the first president of the independent country and remained in office until his death in 1993.
1782: George Washington Institutes the Purple Heart
Then known as the Badge of Military Merit, the Purple Heart is a military decoration. In 1932, on the 200th birth anniversary of Washington, it was decided that the award would be given to those wounded or killed while serving in the United States Armed Forces as a result of enemy action on or after April 5, 1917. August 7 is annually observed as Purple Heart Day in the United States.
Famous Birthdays
Births On This Day, August 7
1987: Sidney Crosby, Canadian ice hockey player
1975: David Hicks, Australian alleged terrorist
1975: Charlize Theron, South African model, actress
1958: Bruce Dickinson, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor
1876: Mata Hari, Dutch spy
Heartbreaking Deaths
Deaths On This Day, August 7
2011: Mark Hatfield, American politician
2005: Peter Jennings, Canadian/American journalist
1957: Oliver Hardy, American comedian, actor
1941: Rabindranath Tagore, Indian author, poet, Nobel Prize laureate
1938: Constantin Stanislavski, Russian actor, director
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