What Happened on August 23

Significant Events

  • 1542 Rabbi Joseph Caro completes his commentary of Tur Code
  • 1850 1st US National Women's Rights Convention convenes in Worcester, Massachusetts
  • 1942 Battle of Stalingrad: 600 Luftwaffe planes bomb Stalingrad (40,000 die)
  • 1996 Osama bin Laden issues message entitled "A declaration of war against the Americans occupying the land of the two holy places"
  • 2005 Hurricane Katrina forms over the Bahamas, later becoming a category 5 hurricane
More Historical Events

August 23 in Film & TV

  • 1946 "The Big Sleep" directed by Howard Hawks and starring Humphrey Bogart (Philip Marlowe) and Lauren Bacall first premieres

August 23 in Music

  • 1994 Jeff Buckley releases his album "Grace", featuring his cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"

August 23 in Sport

  • 1933 1st TV boxing match - Archie Sexton & Laurie Raiteri in London

Did You Know?

World War II: last cavalry charge in history takes place at Isbushenskij, Russia; the Italian Savoia Cavalleria charges Soviet infantry

On August 23, 1942

Famous Birthdays

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Would You Believe?

Mars' closest approach to Earth since 10th century

On August 23, 1924

Famous Weddings

  • 1876 Sharp Shooter Annie Oakley weds traveling show marksman Frank E. Butler
  • 1942 "King Kong" actress Fay Wray (34) weds screenwriter and playwright Robert Riskin (45)
  • 1962 Musician and member of the Beatles, John Lennon weds Cynthia Powell
  • 1970 US Solicitor General Ken Starr weds Alice Mendell
  • 1975 Actress Maggie Smith (40) weds playwright Beverley Cross (44) at the Guildford Register Office in Surrey, England

Famous Divorces

  • 2010 Former Swedish model Elin Nordegren (30) divorces professional golfer Tiger Woods (34) after 6 years of marriage
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Famous Deaths

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August in History