On This Day in History – August 5
August 5 marks significant events in global history—from groundbreaking political developments and civil rights moments to the lives of influential figures. Here’s a look at what makes this date stand out.
Major Events
- 1305 – William Wallace, a Scottish knight and resistance leader, is captured by the English near Glasgow.
- 1861 – The U.S. government imposes the first income tax to fund the Civil War.
- 1884 – The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty is laid on Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor.
- 1914 – The first electric traffic light system is installed in Cleveland, Ohio.
- 1962 – South African police arrest Nelson Mandela near Howick, beginning his 27 years of imprisonment.
- 1963 – The Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty is signed by the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom.
- 1981 – President Ronald Reagan fires over 11,000 air traffic controllers who illegally went on strike.
- 2003 – The U.S. Episcopal Church confirms its first openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson.
- 2010 – The San José mine collapse traps 33 miners underground in Chile, beginning a 69-day survival story.
Famous Birthdays
- Guy de Maupassant (1850–1893) – French author known for short stories and realist fiction.
- Conrad Aiken (1889–1973) – American poet, novelist, and Pulitzer Prize winner.
- Neil Armstrong (1930–2012) – American astronaut and first person to walk on the Moon.
- John Saxon (1936–2020) – American actor known for roles in westerns and horror films.
- Patrick Ewing (1962– ) – Jamaican-American basketball player and Hall of Famer.
- James Gunn (1966– ) – American filmmaker known for the Guardians of the Galaxy series.
- Kajol (1974– ) – Indian actress and one of Bollywood’s most celebrated performers.
- Jesse Williams (1981– ) – American actor and activist best known for Grey’s Anatomy.
- Olivia Holt (1997– ) – American actress and singer.
- Yuzvendra Chahal (1990– ) – Indian cricketer and international bowler.
Notable Deaths
- Frederick North, Lord North (1732–1792) – British Prime Minister during the American Revolution.
- Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962) – American actress and cultural icon, died under mysterious circumstances.
- Richard Burton (1925–1984) – Welsh actor known for his stage and film work.
- Alec Guinness (1914–2000) – British actor famous for roles in Star Wars and The Bridge on the River Kwai.
- Chester Carlson (1906–1968) – American physicist and inventor of xerography.
- Toni Morrison (1931–2019) – American novelist and Nobel laureate.
- Robert Taylor (1911–1969) – American actor of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
- David Farragut (1801–1870) – U.S. Navy admiral noted for his service during the American Civil War.
- Sir Alec Issigonis (1906–1988) – British-Greek designer of the Mini automobile.
- Philip Larkin (1922–1985) – English poet and librarian.
Holidays
- Independence Day (Burkina Faso) – Commemorates independence from France in 1960.
- Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day (Croatia) – Marks the victory in the Croatian War of Independence in 1995.
- National Oyster Day (United States) – Celebrates one of the most iconic shellfish with culinary roots worldwide.
- Summer Bank Holiday (Scotland) – A public holiday observed in Scotland for late summer festivities.
Fun Facts
- Neil Armstrong, born on this day in 1930, would walk on the Moon 39 years later in 1969.
- Marilyn Monroe died on August 5, 1962, under circumstances that continue to spark public fascination and conspiracy theories.
- The Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 was a milestone in Cold War diplomacy, banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater.
- The first traffic light system in the U.S. was manually operated and used red and green signals, much like today’s.
- August 5 is one of the few days when two notable events involving U.S. presidents—Lincoln’s income tax (1861) and Reagan’s mass firing (1981)—both reshaped national labor and fiscal policy.