Discover what happened on August 23 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, executed in 1927 for murder of payroll messenger.

August 23

Discover what happened on August 23 with HISTORY&#8217;s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

What Happened on August 23 | History.com

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America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian - the U.S. president - would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a governmental structure that has remained in place for more than 200 years.

U.S. Presidents

World War I pitted Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire against Great Britain, the United States, France, Russia, Italy and Japan. New military technology resulted in unprecedented carnage. By the time the war was over and the Allied Powers claimed victory, more than 16 million people—soldiers and civilians alike—were dead.

World War I

Crime

Protests

In the Roaring Twenties, a surging economy created an era of mass consumerism, as Jazz-Age flappers flouted Prohibition laws and the Harlem Renaissance redefined arts and culture.

Roaring Twenties

Film

Crime has been a dark and powerful undercurrent in human society throughout history. Uncover the facts behind some of the most daring robberies, brazen scams and brutal murders ever committed.&nbsp;

The Civil War was America's bloodiest and most divisive conflict, pitting the Union Army against the Confederate States of America. The war resulted in the deaths of more than 620,000 people, with millions more injured and the South left in ruins.

Civil War

The 1990s is often remembered as a decade of relative peace and prosperity: The Soviet Union fell, ending the decades-long Cold War, and the rise of the Internet ushered in a radical new era of communication, business and entertainment.&nbsp;

1990s

Sports and recreation are an integral part of human history, from the ancient Olympics to the Kentucky Derby, Jackie Robinson, Negro League Baseball, the Super Bowl and more.

Sports

The Revolutionary War waged by the American colonies against Britain influenced political ideas and revolutions around the globe, as a small fledgling nation won its freedom from the greatest military force of its time.

American Revolution

Art history tells the complex story of human civilization through art and design. It ranges from prehistoric art of the Neolithic period through Renaissance masterpieces, Impressionism, Modernism, the Bauhaus and contemporary art.

Art, Literature, and Film History

Scandals

<a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the <a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> team. Articles with the “<a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> Editors” byline have been written or edited by the <a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen.

History.com Editors

<a href="https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history">World War II</a> was the biggest and deadliest war in history, involving more than 30 countries. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, the war dragged on for six bloody years until the Allies defeated Nazi Germany and Japan in 1945.

This Day In History: August 23

This Day in History

FDA fully approves the Pfizer COVID‑19 vaccine

First Little League World Series champion crowned

Marcario García becomes first Mexican national to receive U.S. Medal of Honor

Star of the silent‑screen Rudolph Valentino dies

Sacco and Vanzetti executed

Germany, Soviet Union sign non‑aggression pact

Pete Rose gets booted from baseball

Dolley Madison saves portrait from British

Lou Reed plays his last show with the Velvet Underground

First “Survivor” finale airs

New York City reports first cases of West Nile virus

Austrian teen escapes after eight years in captivity

Confederate spy Rose O’Neal Greenhow is arrested

State of Franklin declares independence

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