Today in History: August 1

Today in History:  August 1

30 BC 
Octavian (later known as Augustus) enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Republic.

527 
Justinian I becomes the sole ruler of the Byzantine Empire.

1981 
Music Television is launched. The channel, popularly known as MTV was mostly known for showing music videos and for being hosted by Video Jockeys.

1980 
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir takes office in Iceland. The Icelandic politician was the fourth president of Iceland and the world's first democratically elected female head of state. Her 16 years of Presidency also makes her the longest serving female head of state in the world.

1951 
Japan Airlines (JAL) is founded. The flagship airlines of Japan, JAL started operating on October 25, 1951

1936 
The XI Summer Olympics are opened in Berlin by Adolf Hitler. Initially, Jews and people of African descent were to be barred from the games, however, a boycott was threatened by several countries and the German organizers relented. 18 African-American athletes, including James "Jesse" Owens and Matthew "Mack" Robinson, placed well in the track and field events, winning several medals.

1834 
Slavery abolished in British Empire. The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 came into force a year after it was passed by the British Parliament. The act was repealed in 1998.

Births On This Day – 1 August

1942 Jerry Garcia
American singer-songwriter, guitarist

1932 Meena Kumari
Indian actress

1930 Pierre Bourdieu
French sociologist

1929 Hafizullah Amin
Afghan politician

1819 Herman Melville
American writer

Deaths On This Day – 1 August

2009 Corazon Aquino
Filipino politician, 11th President of the Philippines

1970 Frances Farmer
American actress

1944 Manuel L. Quezon
Filipino politician, 2nd President of the Philippines

1920 Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Indian lawyer, social reformer

1714 Anne, Queen of Great Britain