1. On August 4, 1785, the University of Georgia was founded in Athens, Georgia. It is the oldest public university in the United States and the birthplace of the American system of public higher education.
2. On August 4, 1864, Union forces captured the city of Atlanta, marking a key victory for the Union in the Civil War. The capture of Atlanta paved the way for General William T. Sherman's famous "March to the Sea," which helped end the war in favor of the Union.
3. On August 4, 1900, Atlanta hosted the first-ever National Negro Business League Convention. The convention, organized by Booker T. Washington, aimed to help black Americans achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship and education.
4. On August 4, 1932, Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for president at the party's national convention in Chicago. Roosevelt was elected president later that year, and his New Deal programs helped bring the country out of the Great Depression.
5. On August 4, 1996, the Summer Olympics opened in Atlanta. The games featured over 10,000 athletes from around the world and were marred by a bombing at Centennial Olympic Park that killed two people and injured over 100 others. Despite the tragedy, the games were generally considered a success and helped put Atlanta on the international stage.