Birth of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was born on August 8, 1896, in Washington, DC. She’s best-known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Yearling, which was later made into a movie.
This Day in History
Happy Birthday Nathanael Greene
Revolutionary War commander Nathanael Greene was born on August 7, 1742, in Potowomut (Warwick), Rhode Island. One of the Continental Army’s most dependable officers, his leadership was instrumental to the Southern Theater of the American Revolution.
Happy Birthday Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball was born on August 6, 1911, in Jamestown, New York. One of TV’s most beloved stars, she’s been called “The First Lady of Television” and “The Queen of Comedy.”
Battle of Mobile Bay Begins
On August 5, 1864, Admiral David Farragut led a successful naval attack that led to a Union victory at Mobile Bay, Alabama. Though the important city of Mobile remained part of the Confederacy, Mobile Bay was in Union hands and closed to blockade-runners.
Birth of Raoul Wallenberg
Humanitarian and diplomat Raoul Gustaf Wallenberg was born on August 4, 1912, in Lidingö Municipality, Sweden. Working with the War Refugee Board, he helped over 20,000 Jewish people escape Nazi-occupied Hungary.
Birth of Ernie Pyle
Journalist and war correspondent Ernest Taylor Pyle was born on August 3, 1900, in Dana, Indiana. America’s most widely read war correspondent, he earned a Pulitzer Prize for Journalism and was one of a few civilians to be awarded the Purple Heart.
Birth of John Sloan
Artist John French Sloan was born on August 2, 1871, in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. He was a renowned painter who helped found the Ashcan School and participated in the famed 1913 Armory Show.
Fulbright Scholarships
On August 1, 1946, President Harry Truman signed legislation establishing the Fulbright Program. An international exchange program, the Fulbright Scholarship is considered one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world.
Astronauts Take Lunar Rover for First Drive on the Moon
On July 31, 1971, US Astronauts David Scott and James Irwin became the first humans to drive on the Moon. Their Apollo 15 mission was the first of three in which the lunar rovers were driven on the Moon’s surface.