Date·Lore

On This Day · The 221st day of the year

August 9

August 9 carries 10 recorded events spanning between 1810 and 2006. Napoleon annexes Westphalia as part of the First French Empire.

♌ZodiacLeo ◈BirthstonePeridot ❀Birth flowerGladiolus

Compiled & reviewed by · Last reviewed July 13, 2026

What happened on August 9?

August 9 is the 221st day of the year. It marks 10 notable events in history, dated between 1810 and 2006. Famous people born on August 9 include Eric Bana, Whitney Houston and Romano Prodi.

The shape of the day

August 9's recorded history is unusually compressed, gathered within recent centuries rather than reaching into antiquity. Its center of gravity is the 20th century, and conflict is a recurring thread.

Leo is the sign for August 9 — read more on the Leo page, or see August's birthstone & birth flower.

Released on August 9

Movies, games, albums & shows

2024

  • Game The Crush House
  • Game Supermarket Together

2023

  • TV Moving

2022

  • Game Two Point Campus

Release data from TMDB & IGDB.

Events

10 notable moments
  1. 1810

    Napoleon

    Napoleon annexes Westphalia as part of the First French Empire.

  2. 1830

    Louis Philippe I

    Louis Philippe becomes the king of the French following abdication of Charles X.

  3. 1862

    American Civil War

    American Civil War: Battle of Cedar Mountain: At Cedar Mountain, Virginia, Confederate General Stonewall Jackson narrowly defeats Union forces under General John Pope.

  4. 1897

    International Congress of Mathematicians

    The first International Congress of Mathematicians is held in Zürich, Switzerland.

  5. 1936

    1936 Summer Olympics

    Summer Olympics: Jesse Owens wins his fourth gold medal at the games.

  6. 1942

    World War II

    World War II: Battle of Savo Island: Allied naval forces protecting their amphibious forces during the initial stages of the Battle of Guadalcanal are surprised and defeated by an Imperial Japanese Navy cruiser force.

  7. 1944

    United States Forest Service

    The United States Forest Service and the Wartime Advertising Council release posters featuring Smokey Bear for the first time.

  8. 1965

    Singapore

    Singapore is expelled from Malaysia.

  9. 1971

    The Troubles

    The Troubles: In Northern Ireland, the British authorities launch Operation Demetrius. The operation involves the mass arrest and internment without trial of individuals suspected of being affiliated with the Irish Republican Army (PIRA). Mass riots follow, and thousands of people flee or are forced out of their homes.

  10. 2006

    2006 transatlantic aircraft plot

    At least 21 suspected terrorists are arrested in the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot that happened in the United Kingdom. The arrests are made in London, Birmingham, and High Wycombe in an overnight operation.

Famous birthday twins

Born on August 9

Eric Bana

b. 1968

Australian actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter

Whitney Houston

b. 1963

American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress

Romano Prodi

b. 1939

Italian academic and politician, 52nd Prime Minister of Italy

Jessica Capshaw

b. 1976

American actress

Juanes

b. 1972

Colombian singer and songwriter

Amedeo Avogadro

b. 1776

Italian physicist and chemist

William Alfred Fowler

b. 1911

American astronomer and astrophysicist, Nobel Laureate

John Key

b. 1961

New Zealand businessman and politician, 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand

Deaths

  • 2024Susan Wojcicki
  • 2010Ted Stevens
  • 1980Jacqueline Cochran
  • 1962Hermann Hesse
  • 1048Pope Damasus II
  • 833Al-Ma'mun

Holidays & observances

  • —Battle of Gangut Day (Russia)
  • —Christian feast day: Candida Maria of Jesus
  • —Christian feast day: Edith Stein (St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)
  • —Christian feast day: Firmus and Rusticus
  • —Christian feast day: Herman of Alaska (Russian Orthodox Church and related congregations; Episcopal Church (USA))
  • —Christian feast day: John Vianney (1950s – currently August 4)
  • —Christian feast day: Mary Sumner (Church of England)
  • —Christian feast day: Nath Í of Achonry

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.

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