787
Politics
Convocation of the Second Council of Nicaea restoring icons
On 24 August 787, Irene convenes the Second Council of Nicaea, restoring the veneration of icons and ending the harshest phase of Byzantine iconoclasm.
View detailsThis Day
24August
34 indexed achievements across recorded history.
787
Politics
Second Council of Nicaea concludes
The Second Council of Nicaea concluded under Irene's regency restoring the veneration of icons.
View details1200
Politics
Marriage to King John of England
Isabella of Angoulême married King John of England at Bordeaux, becoming Queen consort of England.
View details1552
Science
Birth of Lavinia Fontana in Bologna
Born in Bologna, Italy, daughter of Mannerist painter Prospero Fontana, who trained her in his workshop.
View details1559
Science
Alternative birth date of Sophia Brahe at Knudstrup Castle
Alternative documented birth date for Sophia Brahe at Knudstrup Castle.
View details1572
Politics
St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre
The massacre of Huguenots began in Paris, deeply associating Catherine with the event.
View details1587
Exploration
Baptism as first child christened into Church of England in America
Virginia Dare was baptized into the Church of England, a first for America.
View details1814
Politics
Rescues Washington portrait before White House burning
Saved George Washington portrait before 1814 White House fire.
View details1862
Science
Birth of Zonia Baber
Zonia Baber was born in Edgar County, Illinois, on August 24, 1862.
View details1885
Medicine
Birth of Elizabeth Lee Hazen
Birth of Elizabeth Lee Hazen in Rich, Mississippi; the future microbiologist would help develop nystatin, the first useful antifungal antibiotic.
View details1890
1899
Literature
Birth of Ruth Schaumann in Hamburg
Ruth Schaumann was born on August 24, 1899, in Hamburg, Germany, into a family of artists.
View details1901
Science
Death from yellow fever during experimental inoculation
Clara Maass died of yellow fever on August 24, 1901, in Havana, Cuba, at age 25 — the only woman and only American to die in the 1900-01 yellow fever experiments.
View details1901
Science
Death from yellow fever in Havana, Cuba
Clara Maass died of yellow fever in Havana on August 24, 1901, at age 25, ending the era of human mosquito-bite experiments.
View details1920
Sports
Olympic Mixed Doubles Gold Medal
Gained the Olympic mixed doubles gold medal with Max Décugis, completing her tennis double.
View details1923
Literature
Death of Kate Douglas Wiggin
Kate Douglas Wiggin passed away on August 24, 1923, in Harrow, England.
View details1923
Literature
Death of Kate Douglas Wiggin
Kate Douglas Wiggin died in Harrow, England, on August 24, 1923, at age 66.
View details1932
Aviation
First woman to fly solo nonstop coast-to-coast
Flew solo nonstop from Los Angeles to Newark in 19 hours 5 minutes, setting an FAI women's distance record and becoming the first woman to solo the continent nonstop.
View details1942
Science
Birth of Karen Keskulla Uhlenbeck
Karen Keskulla Uhlenbeck was born in Cleveland, Ohio, later becoming a foundational figure in geometric analysis and gauge theory.
View details1943
Activism
Death of Simone Weil in Ashford, Kent
Simone Weil dies on 24 August 1943 at Grosvenor Sanatorium in Ashford, Kent, from heart failure linked to tuberculosis and self‑imposed malnutrition, aged 34.
View details1951
Science
Cuban commemorative postage stamp issued
On the 50th anniversary of her death, Cuba issued a postage stamp honoring Clara Maass's sacrifice in yellow fever research.
View details1975
Sports
First Woman Under 6 Seconds in Quarter‑mile
Shirley Muldowney became the first woman to run under 6 seconds over the quarter-mile in August 1975.
View details1978
Exploration
Death of Kathleen Kenyon
Kathleen Kenyon passed away on August 24, 1978, in Wrexham, Wales.
View details1979
Sports
International shot put performance in Montréal
Bev Francis threw 15.16 m in shot put at Montréal's Olympic Stadium on 24 August 1979, a notable mark in her track-and-field career.
View details1979
Aviation
Death of Hanna Reitsch
Hanna Reitsch passed away on August 24, 1979, in Frankfurt, Germany.
View details1984
Science
Death in Los Angeles, California
Susanna Bökönyi died on August 24, 1984, in Los Angeles, at age 77, having lived one of the longest documented lifespans among people with dwarfism.
View details1993
Exploration
First person to solo all six great Alpine north faces in one season
First climber to solo the six great north faces of the Alps in one season.
View details1995
Arts
Release of Phantasmagoria, pioneering live‑action adventure game
Phantasmagoria, a pioneering live-action adventure, was released by Sierra On-Line.
View details2003
Sports
First woman to win a million-dollar race (Pacific Classic)
Julie Krone rode Candy Ride to victory in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes, the first woman to do so.
View details2004
Medicine
Death of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross died on August 24, 2004, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
View details2009
Exploration
First Woman and Youngest Person to Row Solo across the Indian Ocean
Landed in Mauritius after solo rowing across the Indian Ocean.
View details2010
Arts
Release of *Teenage Dream*
Perry released *Teenage Dream*, the album that would later match Michael Jackson's record for five Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
View details2013
Politics
Death of Muriel Siebert
Muriel Siebert passed away at 84 due to cancer complications in NYC.
View details2014
Exploration
Completion of Aleutian Islands Kayak Leg
Completed 1,500-mile kayak journey along Aleutian and Alaskan coastlines.
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