What Happened on August 25?

August 25 is National Banana Split Day — a sweet summer treat — on the same date Paris was liberated in 1944, the National Park Service was created in 1916, and Voyager 2 flew past Neptune in 1989.

• 1609 — Galileo demonstrates an improved telescope in Venice

  On August 25, 1609, Galileo Galilei showed Venetian officials a telescope he had improved — opening the door to discoveries that changed astronomy. Read the full story →

• 1825 — Uruguay declares independence from Brazil

  On August 25, 1825, leaders in the Banda Oriental declared independence, a key step toward the nation that became Uruguay. Read the full story →

• 1916 — President Wilson signs the act creating the National Park Service

  On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act that created the National Park Service to protect America’s parks for future generations. Read the full story →

• 1939 — The Wizard of Oz premieres in theaters

  On August 25, 1939, MGM’s The Wizard of Oz opened widely in U.S. theaters, sending Dorothy and her friends down the Yellow Brick Road into movie history. Read the full story →

• 1944 — Allied forces and the French Resistance liberate Paris

  On August 25, 1944, Free French and U.S. troops freed Paris after more than four years of Nazi occupation in World War II. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Sean Connery (1930–2020) · Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990) · Althea Gibson (1927–2003) · Tim Burton (1958)

Days & observances

National Banana Split Day · Kiss and Make Up Day · National Secondhand Wardrobe Day · National Whiskey Sour Day