What Happened on Aug 17

Prospero Lambertini (Benedict XIV) elected Pope

He was born into a noble family of Bologna, which was at that time the second largest city in the Papal States.He was created Cardinal-Priest of... Read more

The Hebrew Congregation of Newport Congratulates George Washington On His Visit To Their City

On August 17, 1790, the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, presented a congratulatory address to President George Washington on the... Read more

Second Battle of Charleston Harbor

Description: During the night of September 6-7, Confederate forces evacuated Fort Wagner and Battery Gregg pressured by advancing Federal... Read more

Second Battle of Fort Sumter - Federals Launch Massive Bombardment and Naval Attack on Fort Sumter

Description: Federal batteries erected on Morris Island opened fire on August 17 and continued their bombardment of Fort Sumter and the Charleston... Read more

Battle of Gainesville

The Battle of Gainesville was fought on August 17, 1864, as part of the Florida Expedition of the American Background Gainesville, site of a... Read more

Battle of Stallupönen

On August 17 Rennenkampf started the invasion of Prussia, marching the First Army directly westward towards the German lines. Although he faced no... Read more

Two Russian Armies Invade East Prussia

Russian Northwest Forces, 450,000 General Gilinsky, Commander-in-Chief First Army—General Rennenkampf, Commander General Pflug General... Read more

Makin Island Raid

The Makin Island Raid (pronounced, "Muckin") (occurred on August 17, 1942 – August 18, 1942) was an attack by the United States Marine Corps on... Read more

First Quebec Conference is Held

The conference also established a new theatre of war in South East Asia, with Lord Mountbatten as commander, and reached an agreement to dissuade... Read more

"Animal Farm" Is Published

Animal Farm is a dystopian novel by George Orwell. Published in England on 17 August 1945, the book reflects events leading up to and during the... Read more

The Vanishing Prairie is released

The Vanishing Prairie was a 1954 documentary film by Walt Disney, which won the Academy Award for Documentary Feature in 1954. Read more

Alliance for Progress is Signed at an Inter-American Conference in Uruguay

...we propose to complete the revolution of the Americas, to build a hemisphere where all men can hope for a suitable standard of living and all... Read more

Operation Starlight, First U.S.-Only Offensive Military Action of the Vietnam War

Operation Starlite was the first offensive military action conducted by a purely U.S. military unit during the Vietnam War. The operation was... Read more

Muhammad Ali marries Belinda Boyd

On August 17, 1967, Ali (aged 25) married 17-year old Belinda Boyd. After the wedding, she converted to Islam and changed her name to Khalilah Ali,... Read more

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Dies

Over the last twenty years of his life, Mies developed and built his vision of a monumental "skin and bones" architecture that reflected his goal... Read more

Woodstock Music & Art Fair 1969 - Day three

Sunday, August 17 to Monday, August 18 Joe Cocker was the first act on the last officially booked day (Sunday); he opened up the day's events at... Read more

Stephanie Marley is born

Stephanie was born in Kingston, Jamaica August 17th, sharing her birthday with Jamaica's first National Hero and a leader against oppression,... Read more

W.A.S.P. release their self-titled debut album

W.A.S.P. is the debut eponymous album by W.A.S.P., released August 17, 1984. The album has been known under three different names. The spine of the... Read more

Cannibal Corpse releases Eaten Back to Life

Eaten Back to Life is the debut album by American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. It was released on 17 August 1990 through Metal Blade Records.... Read more

MST3K Ep. 310 - "Fugitive Alien"

Movie constructed from two episodes of a Japanese television show. An alien marauder named Ken becomes a fugitive from his planet Valnar's Star,... Read more

Exodus release Force of Habit

Force of Habit is the fifth album by the thrash metal band Exodus. The songs are a departure from the thrash metal style for Exodus, slower and... Read more

Ronald Reagan Delivers Last Major Address at the 1992 Republican National Convention

Thank you, Paul for that kind introduction. And Mr. Chairman, delegates, friends, fellow Americans, thank you so very much for that welcome. You've... Read more

Bad Brains release Rise

Rise is the fifth full-length studio album by hardcore punk pioneers Bad Brains. It is the first Bad Brains album to be released on a major label... Read more

Michael Jackson accused of and investigated for sexual abuse

In 1993, Michael Jackson was accused of abuse by Evan Chandler, on behalf of his then-13-year-old child, Jordan Chandler. Jackson and Jordan had... Read more

Pennywise releases Unknown Road

Unknown Road is the second album by Pennywise, released on August 17, 1993 through Epitaph Records. After frontman Jim Lindberg briefly left the... Read more