On This Day in History – August 3
August 3 is an important date in history for politics, exploration, the arts, and science. This date gives us a look at important events and people whose lives shaped the world, from pioneering journeys to famous births and cultural moments that will last forever.
Major Events
- 1492 – Christopher Columbus sets sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, with three ships, beginning his first voyage to the New World.
- 1914 – Germany declares war on France at the start of World War I; Belgium’s neutrality is violated the same day.
- 1923 – Calvin Coolidge becomes President of the United States following the death of Warren G. Harding.
- 1940 – Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are officially annexed by the Soviet Union.
- 1958 – The U.S. nuclear submarine USS Nautilus becomes the first vessel to cross the North Pole underwater.
- 1981 – More than 11,000 air traffic controllers in the U.S. go on strike; President Reagan later fires them.
- 2004 – The pedestal of the Statue of Liberty reopens to the public after being closed following the 9/11 attacks.
- 2005 – Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is sworn in as President of Iran for his first term.
- 2019 – India revokes Article 370, ending Jammu and Kashmir’s special autonomous status.
Famous Birthdays
- Elisha Otis (1811–1861) – American inventor of the safety elevator.
- Ernie Pyle (1900–1945) – American Pulitzer Prize–winning war correspondent.
- Tony Bennett (1926–2023) – American jazz and pop singer known for his smooth vocal style.
- Martin Sheen (1940– ) – American actor known for The West Wing and Apocalypse Now.
- Martha Stewart (1941– ) – American businesswoman, TV personality, and lifestyle guru.
- James Hetfield (1963– ) – American musician and lead vocalist of the band Metallica.
- Tom Brady (1977– ) – American NFL quarterback widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time.
- Karlie Kloss (1992– ) – American fashion model and entrepreneur.
- Ryan Lochte (1984– ) – American Olympic swimmer and gold medalist.
- John Landis (1950– ) – American film director known for Animal House and The Blues Brothers.
Notable Deaths
- Josiah Wedgwood (1730–1795) – British potter and entrepreneur, a pioneer of industrialization in ceramics.
- Richard Arkwright (1732–1792) – English inventor and industrialist, known for spinning frame development.
- William Wells Brown (1814–1884) – African-American abolitionist and first published African-American novelist.
- Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) – Polish-British novelist known for Heart of Darkness.
- Alexander Glazunov (1865–1936) – Russian composer and music educator.
- Ida Lupino (1918–1995) – British-American actress and pioneering female film director.
- John McCarthy (1927–2011) – American computer scientist, credited with coining the term “Artificial Intelligence.”
- Pauline Kael (1919–2001) – American film critic for The New Yorker.
- Lenny Bruce (1925–1966) – American stand-up comedian and satirist.
- Meena Kumari (1933–1972) – Indian actress and poet, regarded as a legend of Hindi cinema.
Holidays
- Independence Day (Niger) – Commemorates independence from France in 1960.
- Flag Day (Venezuela) – Marks the adoption of the country’s national flag.
- Armed Forces Day (Equatorial Guinea) – Celebrates national military and security services.
- National Watermelon Day (United States) – A light-hearted celebration of summer’s favorite fruit.
Fun Facts
- The USS Nautilus became the first submarine to cross beneath the North Pole on August 3, 1958, opening a new frontier for naval exploration.
- Christopher Columbus’s 1492 journey launched one of the most transformative eras in global history—the Age of Exploration.
- In 1981, President Ronald Reagan fired over 11,000 air traffic controllers for an illegal strike, reshaping American labor relations.
- Tom Brady, born on this day, holds more Super Bowl wins than any NFL franchise.
- Elisha Otis, born on August 3, revolutionized modern architecture by inventing the elevator safety brake.