A Glance at August 12 in History

Today marks the 224th day of the year 2026, leaving 141 days until the year concludes. Significant events have shaped this date throughout history.

Key Historical Events

In 1990, Sue Hendrickson uncovered one of the largest and most well-preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletons in South Dakota. This exceptional find, known as “Sue,” is on display at Chicago’s Field Museum. On February 19, 2019, Bill Simpson, head of geological collections at the museum, showcased a cast of Sue’s bone.

Other Notable Events

• In 1867, President Andrew Johnson faced potential impeachment for suspending Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, clashing over Reconstruction. The Senate acquitted Johnson.
• The Spanish-American War ended in 1898.
• The Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909, home of the Indianapolis 500.
• Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. died during World War II in 1944, when his explosives-laden Navy plane exploded over England.
• The Soviet Union secretly tested its first hydrogen bomb in 1953.
• In 1960, the U.S. launched Echo 1, the first balloon communications satellite, from Cape Canaveral.
• IBM unveiled its first personal computer, model 5150, in 1981.
• In 1985, a Japan Airlines Boeing 747 crashed, killing 520 people with four survivors.
• In 1994, Major League Baseball’s eighth work stoppage began as players struck over salary limits proposed by team owners.
• The Kursk submarine went down in 2000 during Russian naval exercises, taking 118 sailors’ lives.
• James “Whitey” Bulger, a notorious mob boss and former FBI informant, was convicted of numerous crimes in 2013. He received a life sentence and was later killed in 2018.
• A tragic incident occurred in 2017 when James Alex Fields drove into a crowd in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing Heather Heyer. Fields received life sentences for federal hate crimes and additional state charges.
• Salman Rushdie, an author who faced death threats from Iran, was attacked in 2022 just before giving a lecture in New York.

Today’s Birthdays

Several notable individuals celebrate their birthdays today:

• Investor George Soros turns 96.
• Actor George Hamilton is 87.
• Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits is 77.
• Singer Kid Creole is 76.
• Director Chen Kaige is 74.
• Jazz musician Pat Metheny reaches 72.
• Actor Bruce Greenwood is now 70.
• Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard is 67.
• Rapper Sir Mix-A-Lot is 63.
• Actor Peter Krause turns 61.
• Tennis champion Pete Sampras is 55.
• Michael Ian Black and Yvette Nicole Brown both celebrate their 55th birthdays.
• Actor Casey Affleck is 51.
• Boxer Tyson Fury marks 38 years.
• Actor Lakeith Stanfield celebrates his 35th birthday along with NBA star Khris Middleton.
• Actor Cara Delevingne is 34.
• Tennis pro Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrates his 28th year.