1842
Medicine
Birth of Mary Corinna Putnam Jacobi
Mary Corinna Putnam Jacobi was born in London, England.
View detailsThis Day
31August
22 indexed achievements across recorded history.
1842
Activism
Birth of Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin
Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
View details1851
Literature
Birth in Warsaw
Birth of Stefania Wolicka in Warsaw, Congress Poland, Russian Empire.
View details1862
Arts
Debut at the Comédie-Française
Bernhardt's major professional stage debut in Racine's Iphigénie.
View details1870
Medicine
Birth of Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori is born in Chiaravalle, Italy, on August 31, 1870.
View details1910
Science
Harvard spectral classification system adopted internationally
The International Solar Union formally adopted Cannon's Harvard System of stellar spectral classification worldwide on August 31, 1910.
View details1910
Science
First successful flight of the Mayfly
Bland achieved the first successful powered flight of her self-built aircraft, the Mayfly, at Randalstown, County Antrim.
View details1910
Science
First woman to design, build, and fly her own aircraft
Bland became the first woman in the world known to have designed, built, and piloted her own airplane.
View details1910
Science
First woman to fly an aircraft in Ireland
Bland's flight of the Mayfly made her the first woman to pilot an aircraft in Ireland.
View details1910
Science
First powered biplane flight in Ireland
The Mayfly became the first powered biplane to fly in Ireland, piloted by its own designer and builder, Lilian Bland.
View details1918
Arts
Saturday Evening Post cover: Red Cross Nurse
The 'Red Cross Nurse' cover by McMein was published on August 31, 1918.
View details1919
Literature
Birth of Amrita Pritam
Amrita Pritam was born on August 31, 1919, in Gujranwala, Punjab.
View details1929
Activism
Helped organize the first Bud Billiken Day Parade
Joyner assisted Chicago Defender founder Robert S. Abbott in organizing the first Bud Billiken Day Parade.
View details1941
Literature
Death of Marina Tsvetaeva
Marina Tsvetaeva died by suicide on August 31, 1941, in Yelabuga, amidst WWII hardships.
View details1962
Activism
Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding
Mother Teresa receives the Ramon Magsaysay Award for her humanitarian efforts.
View details1970
Arts
Birth of Debbie Gibson
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Gibson was born in Merrick, New York, United States.
View details1987
Sports
World Championships gold in heptathlon, Rome 1987
Joyner-Kersee wins gold in the women’s heptathlon at the 1987 World Championships in Rome.
View details1995
Science
Retires from NASA
Retires from NASA as associate chief of Space Science Data Operations Office on August 31, 1995.
View details2001
Sports
National media recognition of Division I football first
ABC News and other national outlets reported on Martin's historic August 30 kick, confirming her place as the first woman to score in Division I football.
View details2012
Exploration
Completion of sea-kayak expedition from Seattle to Juneau
Completed her sea-kayak journey, arriving in Juneau from Seattle.
View details2013
Sports
Start of successful Cuba-to-Florida swim
At age 64, Nyad began her fifth attempt to swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida—a 110-mile marathon swim.
View details2020
Sports
Gold medal – Tokyo 2020 4x100m universal relay
Wins gold in the 4x100m universal relay at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics on 31 August 2021.
View details