August 19: Holidays, Historical Events, Famous Birthdays & Zodiac Sign

About August 19

August 19 brims with declarations of freedom and technological firsts. In the United States, it's National Aviation Day, fittingly timed alongside Orville Wright's birthday in 1871. The celebration echoes a legacy of reaching skyward that spans from the Wright brothers' first powered flight to the 1964 launch of Syncom 3, the first geostationary communications satellite, which later beamed live Olympic broadcasts across the globe.

The date also resonates with historic assertions of sovereignty. In 1812, the American frigate USS Constitution earned its legendary nickname "Old Ironsides" by defeating the British frigate HMS Guerriere off Nova Scotia. Meanwhile, in 1919, the Treaty of Rawalpindi granted Afghanistan its independence from Britain, ending years of conflict and establishing a sovereign nation.

Yet August 19 carries somber weight as well. World Humanitarian Day memorializes the 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Iraq that killed 22 people, including top envoy Sérgio Vieira de Mello. In 1991, the Soviet Union's August Coup began when hardliners placed Mikhail Gorbachev under house arrest, a desperate and ultimately doomed move that hastened the USSR's end. And in 1960, amid the Cold War's fiercest tensions, Soviet space dogs Belka and Strelka became the first living creatures to orbit Earth and return safely, along with 40 mice, two rats, and a variety of plants.

Holidays & Observances on August 19

• Afghan Independence Day, commemorates the Treaty of Rawalpindi in 1919, granting independence from Britain (Afghanistan)
• August Revolution Commemoration Day (Vietnam)
• Birthday of Crown Princess Mette-Marit (Norway)
• Manuel Luis Quezón Day (Quezon City and other places in the Philippines named after Manuel L. Quezon)
• National Aviation Day (United States)
• World Humanitarian Day

Fun & National Days on August 19

• International Orangutan Day — Celebrate these remarkably intelligent, critically endangered great apes and learn about rainforest conservation efforts.
• National Potato Day — Honor the humble, endlessly versatile tuber by mashing, baking, frying, or roasting your favorite spud variety.
• National Soft Ice Cream Day — Treat yourself to a swirly cone of creamy soft-serve and savor the quintessential taste of summer.
• 'Black Cow' Root Beer Float Day
• International Bow Day
• International Talk Like Jar Jar Binks Day
• National Hot and Spicy Food Day
• National Medical Dosimetrist's Day
• National Sandcastle and Sculpture Day