Kylie van Zyl

John White returns to the Colony of Roanoke (in today’s North Carolina, USA) to find the settlement deserted and the entire population vanished. The mystery prevails to this day.

1590:

the Great Meteor of 1793 is seen across the United Kingdom.

1793:

Sukarno becomes the first President of Indonesia, following the country’s declaration of independence from the Netherlands the previous day.

1945:

James Meredith becomes the first African-American to graduate from the University of Mississippi, an important milestone for the USA’s Civil Rights Movement.

1963:

Steve Biko is arrested in a police roadblock in King William’s Town, Eastern Cape.

1977: Born: 1774:

Meriwether Lewis, American explorer, who along with William Clark explored the Louisiana Territory, which later became part of the USA.

1935: 1952: 1962:

Died: 1850:

1940: 1945:

Hifikepunye Pohamba, second President of Namibia. Patrick Swayze, American actor, known for Dirty Dancing, Ghost and Donnie Darko.

Felipe Calderón, former President of Mexico. Honoré de Balzac, French novelist and playwright. Walter Chrysler, founder of Chrysler. Subhas Chandra Bose, Indian nationalist and politician.

18 August is National Science Day in Thailand, Constitution Day in Indonesia, and Vietnam Veterans Day in Australia.