Blackout hits Northeast United States

Born on This Day

Magic Johnson

1959 -

Basketball player and entrepreneur who led the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA titles. Known for his HIV advocacy work.

Halle Berry

1966 -

Star who was the first African American to win a Best Actress Oscar, known for roles in Monster’s Ball and Bullworth.

Steve Martin

1945 -

Actor, writer and musician known for The Jerk, Planes, Trains and Automobiles and the Father of the Bride series.

Magic JohnsonNBAE via Getty Images

Halle BerryFilmMagic

Steve MartinFilmMagic

1975

AUG14

The Rocky Horror Picture Show premieres in London. Midnight showings—complete with spirited audience talkback and prop throwing—become an enduring tradition, making it the longest theatrical release in film history.

Timeline

Also on This Day in History

Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on August 14th

A daughter poisons her father

Francis Blandy falls into a coma and dies in his home outside London, England. Later that night, Blandy’s daughter Mary offered one of the family’s servants a large sum of money to help her get to France immediately. Mary was forced to flee on her own when he refused, but she was chased down and […]

George Washington signs Jay Treaty with Britain

On August 14, 1795, President George Washington signs the Jay (or “Jay’s”) Treaty with Great Britain. This treaty, known officially as the “Treaty of Amity Commerce and Navigation, between His Britannic Majesty; and The United States of America” attempted to diffuse the tensions between England and the United States that had risen to renewed heights […]

China declares war on Germany

On August 14, 1917, as World War I enters its fourth year, China abandons its neutrality and declares war on Germany. From its inception, the Great War was by no means confined to the European continent; in the Far East, two rival nations, Japan and China, sought to find their own role in the great […]

FDR signs Social Security Act

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs into law the Social Security Act on August 14, 1935. Press photographers snapped pictures as FDR, flanked by ranking members of Congress, signed into law the historic act, which guaranteed an income for the unemployed and retirees. FDR commended Congress for what he considered to be a “patriotic” act. Roosevelt had […]

Japan’s surrender made public on V-J Day

In what later became known as V-J Day, an official announcement of Japan’s unconditional surrender to the Allies during World War II is made public to the world on August 14, 1945.

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Pitching ace Bob Gibson throws first no-hitter

On August 14, 1971, St. Louis Cardinals ace Bob Gibson throws the first no-hitter of his storied career. Gibson’s heroics helped his team sail to an 11-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Gibson overcame numerous childhood ailments—including rickets, asthma and a heart murmur—to earn a basketball scholarship to Creighton University after high school. His basketball […]

Michael Jackson takes control of the Beatles’ publishing rights

On August 14, 1985, King of Pop Michael Jackson purchases the publishing rights to the vast majority of the Beatles’ catalog for $47 million. It was while collaborating on 1983’s “Say Say Say” that former Beatle Paul McCartney is said to have advised Jackson to invest some of his enormous wealth in music publishing. It […]

The terrorist known as Carlos the Jackal is captured

On August 14, 1994, French intelligence agents capture terrorist Illich Ramirez Sanchez, long known as Carlos the Jackal, in Khartoum, Sudan. Since there was no extradition treaty with Sudan, the French agents sedated and kidnapped Carlos. The Sudanese government, claiming that it had assisted in the arrest, requested that the United States remove their country […]

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