Events, Births and Deaths Happening on this Date
Monday, August 10, 2026
Today is the 222nd day of 2026. There are 143 days left in this year.
Notable Events
1641
The Treaty of London between England and Scotland, ending the Bishops' Wars, is signed.
1741
King Marthanda Varma of Travancore defeats the Dutch East India Company at the Battle of Colachel, effectively bringing about the end of the Dutch colonial rule in India.
1755
Under the direction of Charles Lawrence, the British begin to forcibly deport the Acadians from Nova Scotia to the Thirteen Colonies and France.
1792
Louis XVI of France is arrested and taken into custody as his Swiss Guards are massacred by the Parisian mob.
1821
Missouri became the 24th state.
1846
Congress chartered the Smithsonian Institution, named after English scientist James Smithson, whose bequest of $500,000 made it possible.
1861
A mixed force of Confederate, Missouri State Guard, and Arkansas State troops defeat attacking Union forces in the southwestern part of the state.
1885
Leo Daft opened America's first commercially operated electric streetcar, in Baltimore
1921
Franklin D. Roosevelt was stricken with polio at his summer home on the Canadian island of Campobello.
1944
American forces overcame Japanese resistance on Guam during World War II.
1948
Candid Camera makes its television debut after being on radio for a year as Candid Microphone.
1949
An amendment to the National Security Act of 1947 enhances the authority of the United States Secretary of Defense over the Army, Navy and Air Force, and replaces the National Military Establishment with the Department of Defense.
1954
At Massena, New York, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Saint Lawrence Seaway is held.
1961
The U.S. Army begins Operation Ranch Hand, spraying an estimated 20 million US gallons of defoliants and herbicides over rural areas of South Vietnam in an attempt to deprive the Viet Cong of food and vegetation cover.
1969
Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were murdered in their Los Angeles home by members of Charles Manson's cult, one day after actress Sharon Tate and four other people were slain.
1971
The Society for American Baseball Research is founded in Cooperstown, New York.
1977
Postal employee David Berkowitz was arrested in Yonkers, N.Y., accused of being the "Son of Sam" gunman responsible for six random slayings and seven woundings. Berkowitz is serving six consecutive terms of 25 years to life in state prison.
1978
Three members of the Ulrich family are killed in an accident. This leads to the Ford Pinto litigation.
1981
The head of John Walsh's son is found. This inspires the creation of the television series America's Most Wanted and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
1988
U.S. President Ronald Reagan signs the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, providing $20,000 payments to Japanese Americans who were either interned in or relocated by the United States during World War II.
1989
Poland's Roman Catholic church suspended an agreement to move nuns from a convent on the edge of Auschwitz, blaming Jewish groups for creating what it called an ''atmosphere of aggressive demands.''
1994
President Clinton claimed presidential immunity in asking a federal judge to dismiss, at least for the time being, a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Paula Corbin Jones, a former Arkansas state employee.
1995
Norma McCorvey, ''Jane Roe'' of the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, announced she had joined the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue.
1995
Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols are indicted for the Oklahoma bombing. Michael Fortier pleads guilty in a plea-bargain for his testimony.
1997
Sixteen people are killed when Formosa Airlines Flight 7601 crashes near Beigan Airport in the Matsu Islands of Taiwan.
2012
The Marikana massacre begins near Rustenburg, South Africa, resulting in the deaths of 47 people.
2014
Forty people are killed when Sepahan Airlines Flight 5915 crashes at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport.
2018
An anti-government rally turns into a riot when members of the Romanian Gendarmerie attack the 100,000 people protesting in front of the Victoria Palace, leading to 452 recorded injuries. The authorities alleged that the crowd was infiltrated by hooligans who began attacking law enforcement agents.
2018
Horizon Air employee Richard Russell hijacks and performs an unauthorized takeoff on a Horizon Air Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 plane at SeattleTacoma International Airport in Washington, flying it for more than an hour before crashing the plane and killing himself on Ketron Island in Puget Sound.
2019
Thirty-two are killed and one million are evacuated as Typhoon Lekima makes landfall in Zhejiang, China. Earlier it had caused flooding in the Philippines.
Notable Births
1814
John C. Pemberton was a United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole Wars and during the Mexican-American War. He resigned his commission to serve as a Confederate lieutenant-general during the American Civil War. (d. 1881)
1821
Jay Cooke was an American financier who helped finance the Union war effort during the American Civil War and the postwar development of railroads in the northwestern United States. (d. 1905)
1874
Herbert Clark Hoover, the 31st president of the United States, was born in West Branch, Iowa. (d. 1964)
1877
Frank Marshall was the U.S. Chess Champion from 1909 to 1936, and one of the world's strongest chess players in the early part of the 20th century. (d. 1944)
1889
Charles Darrow was an American board game designer who is credited as the inventor of the board game Monopoly. The original idea for the game came from Lizzie Magie's The Landlord's Game. (d. 1967)
1909
Leo Fender was an American inventor known for founding the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and designing the company's early models, the Fender Telecaster, Fender Precision Bass, and Fender Stratocaster. (d. 1991)
1927
Jimmy Martin was an American bluegrass singer and musician, known as the "King of Bluegrass". (d. 2005)
1928
Eddie Fisher was an American singer and actor. He was one of the most popular artists during the 1950s, selling millions of records and hosting his own TV show. (d. 2010)
1928
Jimmy Dean was an American country music singer, television host, actor and businessman. He was the creator of the Jimmy Dean sausage brand as well as the spokesman for its TV commercials. (d. 2010)
1933
Doyle Brunson was an American poker player who played professionally for over 50 years. He was a two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion, a Poker Hall of Fame inductee, and the author of several books on poker. (d. 2023)
1933
Keith Duckworth was an English mechanical engineer. He is most famous for designing the Cosworth DFV engine, an engine that revolutionized the sport of Formula One. (d. 2005)
1940
Bobby Hatfield was an American singer. He and Bill Medley were the Righteous Brothers. He sang the tenor part for the duo, and sang solo on the group's 1965 recording of "Unchained Melody". (d. 2003)
1943
Jimmy Griffin was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work with the 1970s soft rock band Bread. (d. 2005)
1947
Ian Anderson is a Scottish musician best known for his work as the singer, flautist, acoustic guitarist and primary songwriter of British rock band Jethro Tull.
1954
Rick Overton is an American screenwriter, actor and comedian. His writing credits include Dennis Miller Live, and his acting credits include Beverly Hills Cop, Million Dollar Mystery, Groundhog Day and Mrs. Doubtfire.
1958
Michael Dokes was an American professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 1997, and held the WBA heavyweight title from 1982 to 1983. (d. 2012)
1959
Rosanna Arquette is an American actress. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for the TV film The Executioner's Song (1982) and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the film Desperately Seeking Susan (1985).
1960
Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and director. Known for his work in films of several genres, and he has received various accolades.
1963
Andrew Sullivan is a British-American author, editor, and blogger. Sullivan is a political commentator, a former editor of The New Republic, and the author or editor of six books.
1965
Mike Smith is an American jockey who has been one of the leading riders in U.S. Thoroughbred racing, was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2003, and has won the most Breeders' Cup races with 27 Breeders' Cup wins.
1967
Riddick Bowe is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1989 and 2008. He held the undisputed world heavyweight championship in 1992, and won the super heavyweight silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
1969
Emily Symons is an Australian actress, active on both Australian and British television.
1971
Justin Theroux is an American actor and filmmaker. He gained recognition for his work with director David Lynch in the mystery film Mulholland Drive.
1972
Angie Harmon, American model and actress
1997
Kylie Jenner is an American socialite, media personality, and businesswoman. She starred in the E! reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Notable Deaths
1916
John J. Loud was an American inventor known for designing the first ballpoint pen. (b. 1844)
1922
Reginald Dunne, Irish Republican, executed for the killing of Sir Henry Wilson
1922
Joseph O'Sullivan, Irish Republican, executed for the killing of Sir Henry Wilson
1932
Rin-Tin-Tin was a male German Shepherd born in Flirey, France, who became an international star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier, Lee Duncan (b. 1918)
1945
Robert H. Goddard was an American engineer, professor, physicist, and inventor who is credited with creating and building the world's first liquid-fueled rocket.
1969
A day after murdering Sharon Tate and four others, members of Charles Manson's cult kill Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.
1993
Euronymous, was a Norwegian musician and a founder of and central figure in the early Norwegian black metal scene. He was a co-founder and guitarist of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. (b. 1968)
2002
Michael Houser was a founding member and lead guitarist of the band Widespread Panic. He appeared on seven studio albums during his 16-year tenure with the band from 1986 till 2002. (b. 1962)
2002
Kristen Nygaard was a Norwegian computer scientist, programming language pioneer, and politician. Internationally, Nygaard is acknowledged as the co-inventor of object-oriented programming. (b. 1926)
2007
Tony Wilson was a British record label owner, radio and television presenter, nightclub manager, impresario and a journalist for Granada Television, the BBC and Channel 4. (b. 1950)
2008
Isaac Hayes was an American singer, songwriter, actor, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, serving as both as an in-house songwriter and as a session musician and record producer (b. 1942)
2011
Billy Grammer was an American country music singer and accomplished guitar player. He recorded the million-selling "Gotta Travel On", which made it onto both the country and pop music charts in 1959. (b. 1925)
2013
Jody Payne was an American country musician and singer. He is best known as a longtime guitarist in Willie Nelson's band, The Family. (b. 1936)
2015
Buddy Baker, American race car driver and sportscaster (b. 1941)
2019
Jeffrey Epstein was an American sex offender and financier involved with many high powered and well-known people. (b. 1953)
2022
Vesa-Matti "Vesku" Loiri was a Finnish actor, musician and comedian, best known for his role as Uuno Turhapuro, whom he portrayed in a total of 20 movies between 1973 and 2004. (b. 1945)