AUGUST 18 | Birthdays and Events
Famous Birthdays
People born on August 18
Meriwether Lewis
Died: October 11, 1809 (age 35 years)
Lead explorer of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Benjamin Harrison
Died: March 13, 1901 (age 67 years)
The 23rd President of the U.S., serving from 1889 to 1893.
Marshall Field
Died: January 16, 1906 (age 71 years)
Founded of department store chain Marshall Field's.
Burleigh Grimes
Died: December 6, 1985 (age 92 years)
The last MLB pitcher to officially throw the spitball.
Margaret Murie
Died: October 19, 2003 (age 101 years)
Adventurist who is considered the "Grandmother of the Conservation Movement."
Robert Redford
Died: September 16, 2025 (age 89 years)
Critically acclaimed actor, director, and producer. Redford is well known for his roles in several award-winning films, such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men and The Natural.
Patrick Swayze
Died: September 14, 2009 (age 57 years)
Actor with award winning accolades in The Outsiders, Red Dawn, and Dirty Dancing.
Al Roker
News anchor, television personality, and author.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Died: July 20, 2025 (age 54 years)
Actor fondly remembered for his role as Theo Huxtable on the sitcom The Cosby Show.
Historical Events on August 18
Events that occurred on August 18 throughout history
John White returns to the Roanoke Colony to find it completely deserted.
John White, the governor of the Roanoke Colony, returns from a supply trip to England and finds his settlement deserted. He discovered no signs of a struggle or violence. The only clue he found was the word "CROATOAN" carved into a post.
The American Society of Dental Surgeons is founded.
The American Society of Dental Surgeons is founded. The organization was the first national dental organization in the U.S. to set professional standards and advance dental education.
French astronomer Pierre Janssen discovers helium.
French astronomer Pierre Janssen discovers helium while viewing a solar eclipse.
Montgomery Wards issues the first mail-order catalog.
Aaron Montgomery Ward of Montgomery Wards issues the first mail-order catalog. The catalog was printed as a single 8x12-inch sheet of paper and featured 163 products with ordering instructions. The catalog was intended to serve rural and farming communities by cutting out middlemen.
The Anti-Cigarette League of America forms in Chicago, Illinois.
The Anti-Cigarette League of America forms in Chicago, Illinois. Created by Lucy Page Gaston, the organization campaigned against tobacco use by youth. the movement used the slogan "A Smokeless America by 1925" before losing momentum after World War I.
Hound Dog and Don't Be Cruel reach #1 in the charts.
Elvis Presley's Hound Dog and Don't Be Cruel reach #1 in the charts. Both hits spent a total of 11 weeks on the charts and sold over 4 million copies by the end of the year. By 1961, copies sold surpassed 6 million.
The first Black student graduates from the University of Mississippi.
James Meredith becomes the first Black student to graduate from the University of Mississippi. President John F. Kennedy sent U.S. Marshals enforce the law and protect him during his time at the University. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science.
The FDA approves Minoxidil as a hair loss treatment.
The FDA approves Minoxidil as a hair loss treatment. The product was specifically designed to treat androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness) in men and women. It was first approved as a treatment for men in 1988, with approval for women years following.
