1775
Politics
Birth of first child and first French queen to nurse her own children
Gave birth to Marie Thérèse Charlotte. First French queen to nurse her offspring.
View detailsThis Day
06August
29 indexed achievements across recorded history.
1807
Science
Birth of Dorothy Catherine Draper
Dorothy Catherine Draper was born on August 6, 1807, later to become the subject of the earliest surviving photographic portrait made in the United States.
View details1881
Arts
Birth of Louella Parsons
The influential gossip columnist Louella Parsons was born on August 6, 1881.
View details1883
Activism
Born in Antwerp
Maria Baers was born on 6 August 1883 in Antwerp, Belgium, into a devout Catholic family.
View details1902
Science
Born in Bardichev, Russian Empire
Belle Kogan was born on August 6, 1902, in Bardichev, Russia (now Ukraine).
View details1911
Arts
Birth of Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball was born in Jamestown, New York, the first child of Henry Durrell Ball and Désirée Evelyn Hunt Ball.
View details1925
Activism
Death of Loretta Perfectus Walsh
Dies of tuberculosis at White Haven Sanatorium in Pennsylvania at age 29; buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Olyphant.
View details1926
Sports
First woman to swim the English Channel
On August 6, 1926, Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel, crossing from France to England in about 14 hours 31 minutes.
View details1926
Literature
Birth of Elisabeth Beresford
Elisabeth Beresford was born in Paris, France, on August 6, 1926.
View details1926
Sports
Channel crossing sets new benchmark time, beating men's record
Ederle's August 6, 1926 Channel swim beat the existing men's record time by nearly two hours, setting a new benchmark that stood for decades.
View details1932
Arts
First performance staged at the Minack Theatre
The first play, 'The Tempest', was performed on the cliffside garden theatre Cade built at Minack, Cornwall, on 6 August 1932.
View details1936
Sports
Ondina Valla wins first Italian women's Olympic gold
Valla wins the 80-meter hurdles, the first Italian woman to win Olympic gold.
View details1937
Arts
Death of Annie Horniman
Annie Horniman, a leading figure in theatre arts, died on August 6, 1937.
View details1938
Science
First women to boat the Colorado River through Grand Canyon; botanical survey completed
Clover and Jotter reached Lake Mead after ~45 days, completing the first successful passage by women through Grand Canyon and the first full botanical survey of the river corridor.
View details1945
Science
Survives the atomic bombing of Hiroshima at age two
On August 6, 1945, two-year-old Sadako was at home about 1.7 km from the hypocenter when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima; she survived without visible injury.
View details1946
Science
First UK family allowance payments made to mothers
The first UK family allowances were paid directly to mothers on 6 August 1946, realizing Rathbone's quarter-century campaign, though she died before seeing it.
View details1948
Sports
Gold Medal in 4×100m Relay
Secured fourth gold in the relay, completing her Olympic victory sweep.
View details1965
Politics
Voting Rights Act of 1965 signed
The Voting Rights Act was signed, a goal Baker championed.
View details1967
Science
First detection of radio signals from CP 1919
Jocelyn Bell Burnell recorded the first radio signals from source CP 1919, which later became known as PSR B1919+21.
View details1973
Arts
Death of Memphis Minnie in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis Minnie died on August 6, 1973, in Memphis, Tennessee, after years of declining health following a series of strokes.
View details1975
Law
Expansion of the Voting Rights Act signed into law
Led efforts to expand the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to protect language minorities; amendments signed into law on August 6, 1975.
View details1984
Sports
Born in Eden, North Carolina
Birth of Jennifer King, the North Carolina native who later became the first Black woman appointed to a full-time assistant coaching role in the NFL.
View details1993
Politics
First woman Secretary of the Air Force
Appointed as the first woman Secretary of the Air Force.
View details1993
Politics
Becomes first woman Speaker of Japan's House of Representatives
Takako Doi was elected the first female Speaker of Japan's House of Representatives on August 6, 1993.
View details2005
Sports
World Championships 100m gold
Williams won the women's 100-meter world title at the World Championships in Helsinki.
View details2016
Sports
100 m butterfly heat victory at Rio 2016
Won heat in 100 m butterfly for IOC Refugee Team at Rio 2016.
View details2016
Sports
First-ever IOC Refugee Olympic Team participation
Competed as part of the inaugural IOC Refugee Olympic Team.
View details2018
Politics
Announced Departure from CEO Position at PepsiCo
On August 6, 2018, Indra Nooyi announced her departure from the CEO position at PepsiCo.
View details2021
Science
Becomes most decorated female athlete in Olympic track and field history
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on August 6, 2021, Felix won bronze in the 400m, securing her 10th career Olympic medal and surpassing Merlene Ottey's record.
View details