3 National Days to Celebrate on August 19, 2026

Born on August 19

People born on August 19

1785

Seth Thomas

One of the first manufacturers to mass produce clocks.

1751

Samuel Prescott

Physician and patriot who rode with Paul Revere and William Dawes to warned Massachusetts minutemen the regulars are coming.

1910

Saint Alphonsa

The first woman of Indian origin to be canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.

1906

Philo Farnsworth

Inventor who was granted the first patent for the television in the U.S.

1871

Orville Wright

Engineer, pilot and co-founder of the Wright Company.

1963

John Stamos

Actor who played the character uncle Jesse on the sitcom Full House.

1940

Johnny Nash

Singer of the 1972 hit I Can See Clearly Now.

1940

Jill St. John

Model and actress widely known as the "First American Bond Girl" in the early James Bond movies series.

1944

Jack Canfield

Co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul book series.

1921

Gene Roddenberry

Screenwriter and producer who created the Star Trek series.

1942

Fred Thompson

Lawyer and politician who turned actor. He is fondly remembered for his role as Manhattan District Attorney Arthur Branch on Law & Order.

1930

Frank McCourt

Author of the novel Angela's Ashes.

1946

Dawn Steel

The first woman to head a Hollywood studio (Columbia Productions).

1899

Colleen Moore

Silent film actress who helped popularize the bobbed haircut.

1883

Coco Chanel

French fashion designer and founded the Chanel Company.

1851

Charles E. Hires

Pharmacist, inventor and manufacturer of Hires Root Beer.

1946

Bill Clinton

The 42nd President of the U.S. He was the first President to be impeached since Andrew Johnson.

Historical Events on August 19

Events that occurred on August 19 throughout history

1561

August 19, 1561

Mary, Queen of Scots, aged 18, returns to Scotland after spending 13 years in France. She left France as a teenage widow after the death of her husband, King Francis II.

1725

August 19, 1725

J. S. Bach lead the first performance of Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, BWV 137. He wrote the piece for the twelfth Sunday after Trinity.

1848

August 19, 1848

The New York Herald announces the California gold rush. The announcement sparked widespread "gold fever" in the eastern U.S. sending thousands of prospectors to California to find their own riches.

1854

August 19, 1854

The First Sioux War begins when U.S. Army soldiers killed Lakota chief Conquering Bear during a confrontation to arrest a man over a stray cow. The confrontation resulted in Sioux warriors retaliating against the Army.

1909

August 19, 1909

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway opens for automobile racing. William Bourque and his mechanic are killed during the first day's events after their Knox car crashed.

1934

August 19, 1934

The first Soap Box Derby is held in Dayton, Ohio. Myron Scott, Dayton Daily News Photographer, created the Derby after witnessing a group of kids racing homemade cars down a hill. The Derby was relocated to Akron, Ohio, and named the All-American Soap Box Derby.

1934

August 19, 1934

The German referendum of 1934 approves Adolf Hitler as head of state with the title of Führer in Germany. Official results stated 90% of voters approved him as the dictator of Germany.

1944

August 19, 1944

Paris, France rises against German occupation with the help of Allied troops. Local citizens and the French Resistance staged an uprising that prompted a revolt that eventually led to German surrender.

2004

August 19, 2004

Google Inc. appears on Nasdaq and opens up for the public offering $85 per share.