What Happened on August 9?

August 9 is Book Lovers Day — curl up with a story! The same date Jesse Owens won his fourth Olympic gold in 1936, Singapore became independent in 1965, and President Nixon's resignation took effect in 1974.

• 1173 — Builders begin the Leaning Tower of Pisa

  On August 9, 1173, workers laid the foundation for Pisa's famous bell tower — which soon began to tilt in soft soil. Read the full story →

• 1854 — Henry David Thoreau's Walden is published

  On August 9, 1854, Thoreau published Walden — his classic about living simply beside a pond and paying attention to nature. Read the full story →

• 1936 — Jesse Owens wins his fourth Olympic gold medal in Berlin

  On August 9, 1936, Jesse Owens anchored the U.S. 4x100-meter relay to gold — his fourth medal of the Berlin Games. Read the full story →

• 1945 — An atomic bomb destroys Nagasaki — survivors later teach peace

  Three days after Hiroshima, a second atomic bomb struck Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. Survivors later became messengers for a world without nuclear war. Read the full story →

• 1965 — Singapore becomes an independent nation

  On August 9, 1965, Singapore separated from Malaysia and began life as a sovereign city-state — now celebrated as National Day. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Whitney Houston (1963–2012) · Sam Elliott (1944) · Anna Kendrick (1985) · Gillian Anderson (1968)

Days & observances

Book Lovers Day · International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples · National Rice Pudding Day · National Veep Day