August 16: José Paranhos, Viscount of Rio Branco

José Paranhos, Viscount of Rio Branco (1819–1880) was a politician,
monarchist, diplomat, teacher and journalist of the Empire of Brazil. In
1871, Rio Branco became the President of the Council of Ministers (Prime
Minister) for the first time. He would become the Council's longest-
serving president, and his cabinet the second longest, in Brazilian
history. His government was marked by a time of economic prosperity and
the enactment of several necessary reforms—though they proved to be
seriously flawed. The most important of these initiatives was the Law of
Free Birth, which granted freeborn status to children born to slave
women. Having become one of the main leaders of the Conservative Party,
the passage of this law increased Rio Branco's popularity. However, his
government was plagued by a long crisis with the Catholic Church that
had resulted from the expulsion of Freemasons from its lay brotherhoods.
After more than four years heading the Cabinet, Rio Branco resigned in
1875. Following a long vacation in Europe, his health swiftly declined
and he was diagnosed with oral cancer. Rio Branco died in 1880 and was
widely mourned throughout the country. He is regarded by most historians
as one of Brazil's greatest statesmen.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Paranhos,_Viscount_of_Rio_Branco>

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Today's selected anniversaries:

1777:

American Revolutionary War: The Americans, led by General John
Stark, routed British and Brunswick troops under Friedrich Baum at the
Battle of Bennington in Walloomsac, New York.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bennington>