History for August 20

History for August 20 - On-This-Day.com
Benjamin Harrison (U.S.) 1833, Edgar Guest 1881, Jacqueline Susann 1921 - Author


Don King 1931, Ron Paul 1935, Al Roker 1954 - Telvision personality


1882 - Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" debuted in Moscow.


1923 - The first American dirigible, the "Shenandoah," was launched in Lakehurst, NJ. The ship began its maiden voyage from the same location on September 4.


1940 - France fell to the Germans during World War II.


1964 - A $1 billion anti-poverty measure was signed by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.


1967 - The New York Times reported about a noise reduction system for album and tape recording developed by technicians R. and D.W. Dolby. Elektra Record's subsidiary, Checkmate Records became the first label to use the new Dolby process in its recordings.


1997 - Britain began voluntary evacuation of its Caribbean island of Montserrat due to the volcanic activity of the Soufriere Hills.