Home › Almanac › On This Day
On This Day in History — July 18
‹ July 17The AlmanacJuly 19 ›
Highlights of July 18
- 2019 — An arson attack at the studio of Kyoto Animation in Japan led to the deaths of 36 people. Read more
- 2014 — The conviction of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who had been found guilty of paying for an underage prostitute, was overturned on appeal. Read more
- 2012 — A suicide bomber attacked an Israeli tour bus at Burgas Airport, Bulgaria, resulting in the military branch of Hezbollah being designated a terrorist organization by the European Union. Read more
- 1995 — Selena's album Dreaming of You, instrumental in popularizing Tejano music, was posthumously released. Read more
- 1989 — American actress Rebecca Schaeffer was shot and killed by Robert John Bardo, eventually prompting the passage of anti-stalking laws in California. Read more
- 1984 — Parts of the dismembered body of Swedish prostitute Catrine da Costa were found in Stockholm. Read more
- 1984 — A gunman massacred 21 people and injured 15 others at a McDonald's restaurant in the district of San Ysidro of San Diego, California. Read more
- 1976 — At the Olympic Games in Montreal, Nadia Comăneci (pictured) became the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 for her routine on the uneven bars. Read more
- 1966 — Angered by racism and poverty, African American residents of the Hough neighborhood of Cleveland began to riot for six days. Read more
- 1949 — Francisco Javier Arana, the chief of the Guatemalan armed forces, was killed in a shootout with supporters of President Juan José Arévalo. Read more
- 1936 — Nationalist rebels attempted a coup against the Second Spanish Republic, sparking the Spanish Civil War. Read more
- 1899 — Newsboys from Long Island City turned over a distribution wagon for the New York Journal, marking the start of the Newsboys' strike of 1899. Read more
- 1863 — American Civil War: Led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first African-American military units in the Union Army, spearheaded an assault (pictured) on Fort Wagner, South Carolina. Read more
- 1841 — Pedro II, the last emperor of Brazil, was crowned at the Old Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro. Read more
- 1806 — An explosion at a gunpowder magazine in Birgu, Malta, killed an estimated 200 people. Read more
- 1723 — Johann Sebastian Bach directed the first performance of his cantata Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz in Leipzig. Read more
- 1290 — King Edward I issued an edict to expel all Jews from England. Read more
Events
- 2019 — A man sets fire to an anime studio in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan, killing 36 people and injuring dozens of others. Read more
- 2014 — The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant requires Christians to either accept dhimmi status, emigrate from ISIL lands, or be killed. Read more
- 2013 — The Government of Detroit, with up to $20 billion in debt, files for the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Read more
- 2012 — At least seven people are killed and 32 others are injured after a bomb explodes on an Israeli tour bus at Burgas Airport, Bulgaria. Read more
- 2002 — A Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer crashes near Estes Park, Colorado, killing both crew members. Read more
- 1996 — Storms provoke severe flooding on the Saguenay River, beginning one of Quebec's costliest natural disasters ever. Read more
- 1996 — Battle of Mullaitivu: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam capture the Sri Lanka Army's base, killing over 1,200 soldiers. Read more
- 1995 — On the Caribbean island of Montserrat, the Soufrière Hills volcano erupts. Over the course of several years, it devastates the island, destroying the capital, forcing most of the population to flee. Read more
- 1994 — The bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (Argentine Jewish Community Center) in Buenos Aires kills 85 people (mostly Jewish) and injures 300. Read more
- 1994 — Rwandan genocide: The Rwandan Patriotic Front takes control of Gisenyi and north western Rwanda, forcing the interim government into Zaire and ending the genocide. Read more
- 1992 — A picture of Les Horribles Cernettes was taken, which became the first ever photo posted to the World Wide Web. Read more
- 1984 — McDonald's massacre in San Ysidro, California: James Oliver Huberty kills 21 people and injures 19 others before being shot dead by police. Read more
- 1982 — Two hundred sixty-eight Guatemalan campesinos ("peasants" or "country people") are slain in the Plan de Sánchez massacre. Read more
- 1981 — A Canadair CL-44 and Sukhoi Su-15 collide in mid-air near Yerevan, Armenia, killing four. Read more
- 1979 — A landslide occurs on the Iliwerung volcano in Indonesia, triggering a tsunami that kills over 530 and leaves 700 missing. Read more
- 1976 — Nadia Comăneci becomes the first person in Olympic Games history to score a perfect 10 in gymnastics at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Read more
- 1970 — An Antonov An-22 of the Soviet Air Forces crashes into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 23 aboard. Read more
- 1968 — Intel is founded in Mountain View, California. Read more
- 1966 — Human spaceflight: Gemini 10 is launched from Cape Kennedy on a 70-hour mission that includes docking with an orbiting Agena target vehicle. Read more
- 1966 — A racially charged incident in a bar sparks the six-day Hough riots in Cleveland, Ohio; 1,700 Ohio National Guard troops intervene to restore order. Read more
- 1944 — World War II: Hideki Tōjō resigns as Prime Minister of Japan because of numerous setbacks in the war effort. Read more
- 1942 — World War II: During the Beisfjord massacre in Norway, 15 Norwegian paramilitary guards help members of the SS to kill 288 political prisoners from Yugoslavia. Read more
- 1942 — The Germans test fly the Messerschmitt Me 262 using its jet engines for the first time. Read more
- 1925 — Adolf Hitler publishes Mein Kampf. Read more
- 1914 — The U.S. Congress forms the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps, giving official status to aircraft within the U.S. Army for the first time. Read more
- 1872 — The Ballot Act 1872 in the United Kingdom introduced the requirement that parliamentary and local government elections be held by secret ballot. Read more
- 1870 — The First Vatican Council decrees the dogma of papal infallibility. Read more
- 1863 — American Civil War: Second Battle of Fort Wagner: One of the first formal African American military units, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, supported by several white regiments, attempts an unsuccessful assault on Confederate-held Battery Wagner. Read more
- 1862 — First ascent of Dent Blanche, one of the highest summits in the Alps. Read more
- 1857 — Louis Faidherbe, French governor of Senegal, arrives to relieve French forces at Kayes, effectively ending El Hajj Umar Tall's war against the French. Read more
- 1841 — Coronation of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil. Read more
- 1812 — The Treaties of Orebro end both the Anglo-Russian and Anglo-Swedish Wars. Read more
- 1806 — A gunpowder magazine explosion in Birgu, Malta, kills around 200 people. Read more
- 1723 — Johann Sebastian Bach leads the first performance of his cantata Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz, BWV 136, in Leipzig on the eighth Sunday after Trinity. Read more
- 1555 — The College of Arms is reincorporated by Royal charter signed by Queen Mary I of England and King Philip II of Spain. Read more
- 1507 — In Brussels, Prince Charles I is crowned Duke of Burgundy and Count of Flanders, a year after inheriting the title. Read more
- 1389 — France and England agree to the Truce of Leulinghem, inaugurating a 13-year peace, the longest period of sustained peace during the Hundred Years' War. Read more
- 1334 — The bishop of Florence blesses the first foundation stone for the new campanile (bell tower) of the Florence Cathedral, designed by the artist Giotto di Bondone. Read more
- 1290 — King Edward I of England issues the Edict of Expulsion, banishing all Jews (numbering about 16,000) from England. Read more
- 1216 — Election of pope Honorius III following the death of pope Innocent III two days prior.
- 1195 — Battle of Alarcos: Almohad forces defeat the Castilian army of Alfonso VIII and force its retreat to Toledo. Read more
- 645 — Chinese forces under general Li Shiji besiege the strategic fortress city of Anshi (Liaoning) during the Goguryeo–Tang War. Read more
- 452 — Sack of Aquileia: After an earlier defeat on the Catalaunian Plains, Attila lays siege to the metropolis of Aquileia and eventually destroys it. Read more
- 362 — Roman–Persian Wars: Emperor Julian arrives at Antioch with a Roman expeditionary force (60,000 men) and stays there for nine months to launch a campaign against the Persian Empire. Read more
- 477 BC — Battle of the Cremera as part of the Roman–Etruscan Wars. Veii ambushes and defeats the Roman army. Read more
Born on July 18
- 2007 — Cameron Boozer, American basketball player Read more
- 2006 — Caleb Wilson, American basketball player Read more
- 2001 — Agustina Roth, Argentine BMX rider Read more
- 2000 — Sarah Kinsley, American singer-songwriter Read more
- 1999 — Miro Heiskanen, Finnish ice hockey player Read more
- 1997 — Bam Adebayo, American basketball player Read more
- 1997 — Noah Lyles, American sprinter Read more
- 1997 — Fionn Whitehead, English actor Read more
- 1996 — Yung Lean, Swedish rapper and singer-songwriter Read more
- 1996 — Smriti Mandhana, Indian cricketer Read more
- 1996 — Shudufhadzo Musida, Miss South Africa 2020 Read more
- 1994 — Nilo Soares, East Timorese footballer Read more
- 1993 — Lee Tae-min, South Korean singer and actor Read more
- 1993 — Michael Lichaa, Australian rugby league player Read more
- 1992 — Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Greek basketball player Read more
- 1991 — Mandy Rose, American wrestler and television personality Read more
- 1991 — Eugenio Suárez, Venezuelan baseball player Read more
- 1990 — Canelo Álvarez, Mexican boxer Read more
- 1989 — Jamie Benn, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
- 1989 — Sebastian Mielitz, German footballer Read more
- 1989 — Yohan Mollo, French footballer Read more
- 1988 — Änis Ben-Hatira, German-Tunisian footballer Read more
- 1988 — César Villaluz, Mexican footballer Read more
- 1987 — Tontowi Ahmad, Indonesian badminton player Read more
- 1986 — Natalia Mikhailova, Russian ice dancer Read more
- 1985 — Chace Crawford, American actor Read more
- 1985 — Panagiotis Lagos, Greek footballer Read more
- 1985 — James Norton, English actor Read more
- 1984 — Ben Askren, American mixed martial artist and boxer Read more
- 1983 — Mishaal Al-Saeed, Saudi Arabian footballer Read more
- 1983 — Carlos Diogo, Uruguayan footballer Read more
- 1983 — Aaron Gillespie, American singer-songwriter and drummer Read more
- 1983 — Mikk Pahapill, Estonian decathlete Read more
- 1983 — Jan Schlaudraff, German footballer Read more
- 1982 — Ryan Cabrera, American singer-songwriter and guitarist Read more
- 1982 — Priyanka Chopra, Indian actress, singer, and film producer Read more
- 1982 — Carlo Costly, Honduran footballer Read more
- 1981 — Dennis Seidenberg, German ice hockey player Read more
- 1981 — Michiel Huisman, Dutch actor Read more
- 1980 — Kristen Bell, American actress Read more
Died on July 18
- 2026 — Chen Gang, Chinese composer (born 1935) Read more
- 2026 — Zdeněk Chovanec, Czech-Venezuelan-Portuguese racing driver (born 2004) Read more
- 2025 — Edwin Feulner, American political scientist (born 1941) Read more
- 2024 — Lou Dobbs, American political commentator and television host (born 1945) Read more
- 2024 — Abner Haynes, American football player (born 1937) Read more
- 2024 — Bob Newhart, American comedian and actor (born 1929) Read more
- 2023 — Oommen Chandy, Indian politician, former Chief Minister of Kerala (born 1943) Read more
- 2021 — Tom O'Connor, English comedian (born 1939) Read more
- 2018 — Jonathan Gold, American food critic (born 1960) Read more
- 2018 — Adrian Cronauer, American radio personality (born 1938) Read more
- 2015 — Alex Rocco, American actor (born 1936) Read more
- 2015 — Buddy Buie, American songwriter, producer and publisher (born 1941) Read more
- 2014 — Andreas Biermann, German footballer (born 1980) Read more
- 2014 — João Ubaldo Ribeiro, Brazilian journalist, author, and academic (born 1941) Read more
- 2014 — Dietmar Schönherr, Austrian-Spanish actor, director, and screenwriter (born 1926) Read more
- 2013 — Vaali, Indian poet, songwriter, and actor (born 1931) Read more
- 2013 — Olivier Ameisen, French-American cardiologist and academic (born 1953) Read more
- 2012 — Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, Lithuanian-Israeli rabbi and author (born 1910) Read more
- 2012 — Jean François-Poncet, French politician and diplomat, French Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1928) Read more
- 2012 — Dawoud Rajiha, Syrian general and politician, Syrian Minister of Defense (born 1947) Read more
- 2012 — Assef Shawkat, Syrian general and politician (born 1950) Read more
- 2012 — Hasan Turkmani, Syrian general and politician, Syrian Minister of Defense (born 1935) Read more
- 2012 — Rajesh Khanna, Indian actor (born 1942) Read more
- 2009 — Henry Allingham, English soldier (born 1896) Read more
- 2009 — Jill Balcon, English actress (born 1925) Read more
- 2007 — Jerry Hadley, American tenor (born 1952) Read more
- 2007 — Kenji Miyamoto, Japanese politician (born 1908) Read more
- 2006 — Henry Hewes, American theater writer (born 1917) Read more
- 2005 — Amy Gillett, Australian cyclist and rower (born 1976) Read more
- 2005 — William Westmoreland, American general (born 1914) Read more
- 2004 — André Castelot, Belgian-French historian and author (born 1911) Read more
- 2004 — Émile Peynaud, French wine maker (born 1912) Read more
- 2002 — Metin Toker, Turkish journalist and author (born 1924) Read more
- 2001 — Mimi Fariña, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1945) Read more
- 1990 — Karl Menninger, American psychiatrist and author (born 1896) Read more
- 1990 — Yun Posun, South Korean politician, 2nd President of South Korea (born 1897) Read more
- 1989 — Donnie Moore, American baseball player (born 1954) Read more
- 1989 — Rebecca Schaeffer, American model and actress (born 1967) Read more
- 1988 — Nico, German singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and actress (born 1938) Read more
- 1988 — Joly Braga Santos, Portuguese composer and conductor (born 1924) Read more
Holidays & observances
Christian feast day:
Arnulf of Metz; Christian feast day:
Bruno of Segni; Christian feast day:
Camillus de Lellis (optional memorial, United States only); Christian feast day:
Eadburh (or Edburga) of Bicester; Christian feast day:
Elizabeth Ferard (Church of England); Christian feast day:
Frederick of Utrecht; Christian feast day:
Maternus of Milan; Christian feast day:
Pambo; Christian feast day:
Philastrius; Christian feast day:
Symphorosa; Christian feast day:
Theodosia of Constantinople; Christian feast day:
July 18 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Constitution Day (Uruguay); Nelson Mandela International Day
Events, births and deaths from Wikipedia contributors, “July 18”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Lists are selections; the full record lives at the source.