Famous people born on August 18 — and what else happened that day
If your birthday is August 18, you share it with Meriwether Lewis, Roberto Clemente, Robert Redford — and you were born under Leo, the sign of the warm, confident, and born for the spotlight.
Birthday basics for August 18
Leo ♌
Zodiac sign
Peridot
Birthstone
Gladiolus
Birth flower
230th
Day of the year
August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years), with 135 days still to come.
Famous people born on August 18
Meriwether Lewis — American explorer who led the Lewis and Clark Expedition (born 1774).
Roberto Clemente — Puerto Rican baseball Hall of Famer and humanitarian (born 1934).
Robert Redford — American actor, director, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival (born 1936).
Also sharing the day:
Rosalynn Carter (b. 1927) — American First Lady and lifelong advocate for mental health care.
Patrick Swayze (b. 1952) — American actor and dancer who starred in Dirty Dancing and Ghost.
Edward Norton (b. 1969) — American actor known for Fight Club and Birdman.
August 18 in history
1587 — Virginia Dare became the first English child born in the Americas, at Roanoke Colony.
1920 — The 19th Amendment was ratified, guaranteeing American women the right to vote.
1963 — James Meredith became the first Black graduate of the University of Mississippi.
1838 — The U.S. Exploring Expedition led by Charles Wilkes set sail to survey the Pacific and confirm Antarctica.
1868 — French astronomer Pierre Janssen discovered helium while observing a solar eclipse.
1877 — Astronomer Asaph Hall discovered Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons.
August 18 birthday questions
What zodiac sign is August 18?
Anyone born on August 18 is a Leo — warm, confident, and born for the spotlight.
What is the birthstone for August 18?
The birthstone for a August 18 birthday is Peridot, and the birth flower is the Gladiolus.
Who is the most famous person born on August 18?
Meriwether Lewis is among the best known — American explorer who led the Lewis and Clark Expedition (born 1774).
What happened on August 18?
In 1587, Virginia Dare became the first English child born in the Americas, at Roanoke Colony.
What day of the year is August 18?
August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years), with 135 days still to come.
Make their day unforgettable
Know someone born on August 18? See the full story of their exact birthday — the headlines, the #1 song, what things cost — and turn it into a personalized front-page newspaper they can keep.