1. On August 30, 1790, the first census of the United States took place in the newly established District of Columbia. The census recorded the population of the district as 3,447.

2. In 1831, on August 30, Nat Turner's slave rebellion began in Southampton County, Virginia. The rebellion had a significant impact on the anti-slavery movement in the District of Columbia and contributed to the decision to abolish slavery in the city in 1862.

3. On August 30, 1890, the National Zoo opened in the District of Columbia. The zoo was established by an act of Congress and initially housed 400 animals from different continents.

4. In 1951, on August 30, civil rights leader Ralph Abernathy was arrested in the District of Columbia for attempting to integrate a bus in Virginia. Abernathy was a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr. and played a key role in the civil rights movement.

5. On August 30, 1983, the first African American mayor of the District of Columbia, Marion Barry, was arrested for drug possession during an FBI sting operation. The arrest and subsequent trial and conviction had a significant impact on the city's politics and the national perception of the District of Columbia.