1519 – Panama City was founded on the 15th August 1519.
1857 – Albert Ballin the German businessman was born on the 15th August 1857 (died 1918).
1860 – Florence Harding the American publisher, and 31st First Lady of the United States was born on the 15th August 1860 (died 1924).
1865 – Mikao Usui the Japanese spiritual leader, and founder of Reiki was born on the 15th August 1865 (died 1926).
1872 – Sri Aurobindo the Indian guru, poet, and philosopher was born on the 15th August 1872 (died 1950).
1914 – The Panama Canal opened to traffic on the 15th August 1914, with the transit of the cargo ship SS Ancon.
1950 ~ Andres Serrano the American photographer and artist was born on the 15th August 1950. Andres Serrano became notorious for his controversial work Piss Christ in 1987.
1965 – The Beatles played to nearly 60,000 fans at Shea Stadium in New York on the 15th August 1965, an event later regarded as the birth of stadium rock.
1964 – Melinda Gates the American businesswoman, philanthropist and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was born on the 15th August 1964.
1968 ~ Debra Messing the American actress was born on the 15th August 1968. Debra Lynn is best known for her television roles in Will & Grace, The Starter Wife and Smash.
1969 – Woodstock opened on the 15th August 1969.
1969 – Bernard Fanning the Australian singer-songwriter from Powderfinger was born on the 15th August 1969.
1972 – Ben Affleck the American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer was born on the 15th August 1972.
1977 ~ The Wow! signal was a strong narrowband radio signal detected by Jerry R. Ehman on the 15th August 1977, while he was working on a SETI project at the Big Ear radio telescope of The Ohio State University (originally located at Ohio Wesleyan University‘s Perkins Observatory in Delaware). The signal bore the expected hallmarks of non-terrestrial and non-Solar System origin, lasting for the full 72-second window that Big Ear was able to observe it, but has never been detected again.
1978 ~ Waleed Aly the Australian radio and television presenter was born in Melbourne on the 15th August 1978. Waleed Aly has also worked as a lawyer and rock musician.
1986 ~ Anna Segal the Australian freestyle skier was born in Melbourne on the 15th August 1986. Anna Segal won a gold medal at the 2011 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships. Anna Segal grew up as an inner city kid in Melbourne and started skiing at the age of 3, and ironically hated skiing then. After a few years Anna discovered that skis gave her the chance to escape from parental supervision and roam the mountain free with her friends. Anna originally raced in cross country skiing, and eventually crossed over to mogul skiing. Anna trained and competed with the Australian Development team until she discovered free-skiing. Anna spends the Northern winters in Breckenridge Colorado, and the Southern winters in the mountains of Australia and New Zealand. Anna Segal’s official website: www.AnnaSegal.com | Anna Segal’s Twitter verified: www.Twitter.com/AnnaSegal | Anna Segal’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/Anna.Segal.14 |Anna Segal’s Olympic Winter Institute of Australia bio | Anna Segal FiS-Ski.com Profile | YouTube video: (K2 Skis) SkiRotica – Anna Segal’s 2012 Season Mashup…
1989 – Joe Jonas the American singer-songwriter from the Jonas Brothers was born on the 15th August 1989.
1990 ~ Jennifer Lawrence the American actress was born in Louisville, Kentucky on the 15th August 1990. Jennifer Lawrence at age of 20 was the 3rd youngest actress to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. At the age of 22, Jennifer Lawrence won an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, Satellite Award and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Actress for her performance in the romantic comedy Silver Linings Playbook (2012), making her the youngest person ever to be nominated for 2 Academy Awards for Best Actress and the 2nd youngest Best Actress winner. Jennifer Lawrence also ranked No. 1 on AskMen‘s list of Top 99 Most Desirable Women of the year. Jennifer Lawrence’s website: www.jenniferSLawrence.com | Jennifer Lawrence Facebook verified account: www.FACEBOOK.com/JenniferLawrence | YouTube video: The Silver Linings Playbook (2012) Official Trailer [HD]: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence & Robert De Niro…
2013 – The Smithsonian announced the discovery of the Olinguito on the 15th August 2013, the 1st new carnivoran species found in the Americas in 35 years.
Today in History for August 15th ~ video presented by the Associated Press…