AUGUST 4 | Birthdays and Events
Famous Birthdays
People born on August 4
Deodoro da Fonseca
Died: August 23, 1892
The first President of Brazil.
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother)
Died: March 30, 2002
Born into Scottish nobility, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon became queen consort as the wife of King George VI. Later known as the Queen Mother, she provided vital moral support during World War II.
Louis Armstrong
Died: July 6, 1971
American trumpet player and singer nicknamed “Satchmo” or “Pops”. His career spanned five decades and included trumpet player, singer, and influential figure in the Jazz genre.
Glenn Vernice Cunningham
Died: March 10, 1988
Middle-distance runner who was considered the greatest American miler of all time. In 1933, he received the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the U.S.
David Raksin
Died: August 9, 2004
Film score compose referred to as the Godfather of Films Music.
Warren Avis
Died: April 24, 2007
Founder of Avis Rent a Car System.
Richard Belzer
Died: February 9, 2023
Actor best known for his role as John Munch Homicide: Life on the Street and then Law & Order: SVU.
Billy Bob Thornton
Actor known for his roles in Tombstone, Sling Blade, and A Simple Plan.
Barack Obama
Lawyer, Noble Prize laureate, and 44th President of the U.S.
Jeff Gordon
Race car driver who is considered one of the greatest and most influential drivers in NASCAR history.
Soleil Moon Frye
Actress known for her role as Punky Brewster.
Meghan Markle
Duchess of Sussex, media personality and actress.
Historical Events on August 4
Events that occurred on August 4 throughout history
A newly passed tariff act creates the Revenue Cutter Service.
President George Washington passes a tariff act to create the Revenue Cutter Service, which was the forerunner of the U.S. Coast Guard. Fleet consisted of 10 fast-moving sailing vessels and operated under the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The Saturday Evening Post is published for the first time.
The Saturday Evening Post is published for the first time as a weekly newspaper. The Post was originally a 4 page paper that published current events, editorials, human interest pieces, humor, illustrations, a letter column, poetry, and cartoons.
President Jimmy Carter signs the Department of Energy Organization Act.
President Jimmy Carter signs the Department of Energy Organization Act, creating the U.S. Department of Energy.