August 20 in History
August 20 is the birthday of Prince Gabriel of Belgium (2003) and the anniversary of the death of Al Attles (2024). Below are famous birthdays, deaths, events for August 20, plus editor's picks and genealogy records.
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Shahrukh Mirza, ruler of Persia and Transoxiania was born in 1377, while Lucius Caesar, Roman son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa died in AD 2.
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Famous people born on August 20
Famous people who died on August 20
2021
Igor Vovkovinskiy (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
Ukrainian-American known for being America's tallest person
2013
Sathima Bea Benjamin (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
South African vocalist and composer (1936–2013)
2013
Marian McPartland (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
English-American jazz pianist and radio host (1918–2013)
2009
Larry Knechtel (Wikipedia, opens in a new tab)
American keyboards and bassist session musician (1940–2009)
What happened on August 20
- 2020
Joe Biden gives his acceptance speech virtually for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2016
Fifty-four people are killed when a suicide bomber detonates himself at a Kurdish wedding party in Gaziantep, Turkey.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2014
Seventy-two people are killed in Japan's Hiroshima Prefecture by a series of landslides caused by a month's worth of rain that fell in one day.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2012
A prison riot in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, kills at least 20 people.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2011
First Air Flight 6560 crashes 1 mile (1.6 km) from the Resolute Bay runway, killing 12 of the 15 aboard.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2008
Spanair Flight 5022, from Madrid, Spain to Gran Canaria, skids off the runway and crashes at Barajas Airport. Of the 172 people on board, 146 die immediately, and eight more later die of injuries sustained in the crash.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2007
China Airlines Flight 120 catches fire and explodes after landing at Naha Airport in Okinawa, Japan.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2006
Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Tamil politician and former MP S. Sivamaharajah is shot dead at his home in Tellippalai.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 2002
A group of Iraqis opposed to the regime of Saddam Hussein take over the Iraqi embassy in Berlin, Germany for five hours before releasing their hostages and surrendering.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1998
The Supreme Court of Canada rules that Quebec cannot legally secede from Canada without the federal government's approval.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1998
U.S. embassy bombings: The United States launches cruise missile attacks against alleged al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and a suspected chemical weapons plant in Sudan in retaliation for the August 7 bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1997
Souhane massacre in Algeria; over 60 people are killed and 15 kidnapped.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1995
The Firozabad rail disaster kills 358 people in Firozabad, India.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1992
In India, Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language) is included in the scheduled languages' list and made one of the official languages of the Indian Government.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab) - 1991
Dissolution of the Soviet Union, August Coup: More than 100,000 people rally outside the Soviet Union's parliament building protesting the coup aiming to depose President Mikhail Gorbachev.
Wikipedia source (opens in a new tab)
Births, deaths and events from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab).
Editor's picks
Born on August 20
- 1377 — Shahrukh Mirza, ruler of Persia and Transoxiania (died 1447)
- 1517 — Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle, French cardinal and art collector (died 1586)
- 1561 — Jacopo Peri, Italian singer and composer (died 1633)
Died on August 20
- AD 2 — Lucius Caesar, Roman son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (born 12 BC)
- AD 14 — Agrippa Postumus, Roman son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (born 12 BC)
- 535 — Mochta, Irish missionary and saint
Source: Wikipedia historical listings for August 20
Quick answers
Who was born on August 20? Prince Gabriel of Belgium (2003), Lieke Klaver (1998), Kaho Minagawa (1997).
Who died on August 20? Al Attles (2024), Darya Dugina (2022), Igor Vovkovinskiy (2021).
Explore genealogy records
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Live genealogy events
This calendar is live and has its own date controls; it is separate from the August 20 historical article above.
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