Famous people born on October 8 — and what else happened that day
If your birthday is October 8, you share it with Jesse Jackson, Sigourney Weaver, Matt Damon — and you were born under Libra, the sign of the charming, fair-minded, and a natural peacemaker.
Birthday basics for October 8
Libra ♎
Zodiac sign
Opal
Birthstone
Marigold
Birth flower
281st
Day of the year
October 8 is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years), with 84 days still to come.
Famous people born on October 8
Jesse Jackson — American civil rights leader and Baptist minister (born 1941).
Sigourney Weaver — Actress known for the Alien films and Avatar (born 1949).
Matt Damon — Oscar-winning actor known for Good Will Hunting and the Bourne films (born 1970).
Also sharing the day:
Eddie Rickenbacker (b. 1890) — American World War I flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient.
Chevy Chase (b. 1943) — American comedian and original Saturday Night Live cast member.
Bruno Mars (b. 1985) — American singer-songwriter behind "Just the Way You Are."
October 8 in history
1871 — The Great Chicago Fire began, leading to a dramatic rebuilding of the city.
1918 — Corporal Alvin C. York led an attack in France that earned him the Medal of Honor.
1956 — Don Larsen of the New York Yankees pitched the only perfect game in World Series history.
1945 — Percy Spencer filed the first patent for the microwave oven.
1958 — Swedish engineer Arne Larsson received the world's first implanted cardiac pacemaker.
1970 — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
October 8 birthday questions
What zodiac sign is October 8?
Anyone born on October 8 is a Libra — charming, fair-minded, and a natural peacemaker.
What is the birthstone for October 8?
The birthstone for a October 8 birthday is Opal, and the birth flower is the Marigold.
Who is the most famous person born on October 8?
Jesse Jackson is among the best known — American civil rights leader and Baptist minister (born 1941).
What happened on October 8?
In 1871, The Great Chicago Fire began, leading to a dramatic rebuilding of the city.
What day of the year is October 8?
October 8 is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years), with 84 days still to come.
Make their day unforgettable
Know someone born on October 8? 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.