Date·Lore

On This Day · The 228th day of the year

August 16

August 16 carries 10 recorded events spanning between -1 and 1964. Wang Mang consolidates his power in China and is declared marshal of state. Emperor Ai of Han, who died the previous day, had no heirs.

♌ZodiacLeo ◈BirthstonePeridot ❀Birth flowerGladiolus

Compiled & reviewed by · Last reviewed July 13, 2026

What happened on August 16?

August 16 is the 228th day of the year. It marks 10 notable events in history, dated between -1 and 1964. Famous people born on August 16 include Madonna, Hongxi Emperor and Zachary Taylor.

The shape of the day

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Richard Wagner — August 16 carries the weight of round numbers. Its center of gravity is the 20th century, and conflict is a recurring thread.

Leo is the sign for August 16 — read more on the Leo page, or see August's birthstone & birth flower.

Released on August 16

Movies, games, albums & shows

2025

  • Movie The Shadow's Edge

2024

  • Game Castaway
  • Game Farewell North

2022

  • Game Rollerdrome

2021

  • Game Road 96
  • Game Greak: Memories of Azur

Release data from TMDB & IGDB.

Events

10 notable moments
  1. -1

    Wang Mang

    Wang Mang consolidates his power in China and is declared marshal of state. Emperor Ai of Han, who died the previous day, had no heirs.

  2. 1777

    American Revolutionary War

    American Revolutionary War: The Americans led by General John Stark rout British and Brunswick troops under Friedrich Baum at the Battle of Bennington in Walloomsac, New York.

  3. 1793

    French Revolution

    French Revolution: A levée en masse is decreed by the National Convention.

  4. 1876

    Richard Wagner

    Richard Wagner's Siegfried, the penultimate opera in his Ring cycle, is premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus.

  5. 1891

    San Sebastian Church (Manila)

    The Basilica of San Sebastian, Manila, the first all-steel church in Asia, is officially inaugurated and blessed.

  6. 1920

    Ray Chapman

    Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians is hit on the head by a fastball thrown by Carl Mays of the New York Yankees. Next day, Chapman will become the second player to die from injuries sustained in a Major League Baseball game.

  7. 1942

    World War II

    World War II: US Navy L-class blimp L-8 drifts in from the Pacific and eventually crashes in Daly City, California. The two-man crew cannot be found.

  8. 1946

    Direct Action Day

    Mass riots in Kolkata begin; more than 4,000 people would be killed in 72 hours.

  9. 1960

    Cyprus

    Cyprus gains its independence from the United Kingdom.

  10. 1964

    Vietnam War

    Vietnam War: A coup d'état replaces Dương Văn Minh with General Nguyễn Khánh as President of South Vietnam. A new constitution is established with aid from the U.S. Embassy.

Famous birthday twins

Born on August 16

Madonna

b. 1958

American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and director

Hongxi Emperor

b. 1378

of China

Zachary Taylor

b. 1816

daughter of Zachary Taylor

Didier Cuche

b. 1974

Swiss skier

James Cameron

b. 1954

Canadian director, producer, and screenwriter

Arvind Kejriwal

b. 1968

Indian civil servant and politician, 7th Chief Minister of Delhi

Moussa Sissoko

b. 1989

French footballer

Helmut Rahn

b. 1929

German footballer

Deaths

  • 2003Idi Amin
  • 1977Elvis Presley
  • 1956Bela Lugosi
  • 1893Jean-Martin Charcot
  • 1258Theodore II Laskaris

Holidays & observances

  • —Bennington Battle Day (Vermont, United States)
  • —Children's Day (Paraguay)
  • —Christian feast day: Ana Petra Pérez Florido
  • —Christian feast day: Armel (Armagillus)
  • —Christian feast day: Diomedes of Tarsus
  • —Christian feast day: Roch
  • —Christian feast day: Stephen I of Hungary
  • —Christian feast day: Translation of the Acheiropoietos icon from Edessa to Constantinople. (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Historical facts, event summaries, and biographical lines above are adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) license. DateLore adds curation, structure, and original editorial commentary. DateLore is not affiliated with the Wikimedia Foundation.

About the author

Roman Tailor compiles and reviews every date on DateLore. He's the writer and editor behind the site's editorial essays and the day-by-day almanac. Corrections and questions are welcome — read more about DateLore or get in touch.

Born on this day?

Make your birthday card.

Drop in your birth year and we'll work out your exact age, the day of the week you were born, your Chinese zodiac, your generation, and the countdown to your next candle.