On This Day in History — July 23

Highlights of July 23

• 2010 — The English-Irish boy band One Direction (pictured) were formed while auditioning for the 2010 series of the British singing competition The X Factor. Read more
• 2001 — Megawati Sukarnoputri was sworn in (pictured) as the first female president of Indonesia following her predecessor's impeachment. Read more
• 1999 — Forty-seven people were arrested in Tulia, Texas, for dealing cocaine; 35 of them were pardoned by the governor of Texas years later. Read more
• 1995 — Hale–Bopp, one of the most widely observed comets of the 20th century, was independently discovered by astronomers Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp. Read more
• 1984 — Vanessa Williams, the first African-American Miss America, was forced to resign after the magazine Penthouse published nude photos of her without consent. Read more
• 1982 — A helicopter crashed during the filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie in Valencia, California, killing actor Vic Morrow and two child actors. Read more
• 1968 — A shootout between police and a Black power group began in Cleveland, Ohio, sparking three days of rioting. Read more
• 1942 — The Holocaust: The gas chambers at Treblinka extermination camp began operation, killing 6,500 Jews who had been transported from the Warsaw Ghetto the day before. Read more
• 1942 — Bulgarian poet and communist activist Nikola Vaptsarov was executed by firing squad. Read more
• 1940 — Sumner Welles, U.S. Under Secretary of State, issued a declaration that the U.S. government would not recognize the Soviet Union's annexation of the Baltic states. Read more
• 1927 — Wilfred Rhodes of England and Yorkshire became the only person to play in 1,000 first-class cricket matches. Read more
• 1921 — The first National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party opened in a house in Shanghai. Read more
• 1891 — During a visit of the French Navy to Kronstadt in Russia, the two nations reached a secret agreement on a joint response to any future war in Europe. Read more
• 1860 — The trial of the Eastbourne manslaughter, which later became an important legal precedent in the United Kingdom for discussions of corporal punishment in schools, began in Lewes. Read more
• 1319 — A fleet led by the Knights Hospitaller sank 22 of 28 ships of the Turkish Aydinid emirate. Read more

Events

• 2018 — A wildfire in East Attica kills at least 102 people. It is the deadliest wildfire in the history of Greece. Read more
• 2015 — NASA announces discovery of Kepler-452b by the Kepler space telescope. Read more
• 2014 — TransAsia Airways Flight 222 crashes in Xixi village near Huxi, Penghu, during approach to Penghu Airport. Forty-eight of the 58 people on board are killed and five more people on the ground are injured. Read more
• 2012 — The Solar storm of 2012 was an unusually large coronal mass ejection that was emitted by the Sun which barely missed the Earth by nine days. If it hit, it would have caused up to US$2.6 trillion in damages to electrical equipment worldwide. Read more
• 2011 — A high-speed train rear-ends another on a viaduct on the Yongtaiwen railway line in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, China, resulting in 40 deaths. Read more
• 2010 — The English-Irish boy band One Direction were formed while auditioning for the 2010 series of the British singing competition The X Factor. Read more
• 2005 — Three bombs explode in the Naama Bay area of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, killing 88 people. Read more
• 2001 — Megawati Sukarnoputri was sworn in as the first female president of Indonesia following her predecessor's impeachment. Read more
• 1999 — ANA Flight 61 is hijacked in Tokyo, Japan by Yuji Nishizawa. Read more
• 1999 — Space Shuttle Columbia launches on STS-93, with Eileen Collins becoming the first female space shuttle commander. The shuttle also carried and deployed the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Read more
• 1997 — Digital Equipment Corporation files antitrust charges against chipmaker Intel. Read more
• 1995 — Comet Hale–Bopp is discovered; it becomes visible to the naked eye on Earth nearly a year later. Read more
• 1993 — China Northwest Airlines Flight 2119 crashes during takeoff from Yinchuan Xihuayuan Airport in Yinchuan, Ningxia, China, killing 55 people. Read more
• 1992 — A Vatican commission, led by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, establishes that limiting certain rights of homosexual people and non-married couples is not equivalent to discrimination on grounds of race or gender. Read more
• 1992 — Abkhazia declares independence from Georgia. Read more
• 1988 — General Ne Win, effective ruler of Burma since 1962, resigns after pro-democracy protests. Read more
• 1983 — Thirteen Sri Lanka Army soldiers are killed after a deadly ambush by the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Read more
• 1983 — Gimli Glider: Air Canada Flight 143 runs out of fuel and makes a deadstick landing at Gimli, Manitoba. Read more
• 1982 — Outside Santa Clarita, California, actor Vic Morrow and two children are killed when a helicopter crashes onto them while shooting a scene from Twilight Zone: The Movie. Read more
• 1980 — Phạm Tuân becomes the first Vietnamese citizen and the first Asian in space when he flies aboard the Soyuz 37 mission as an Intercosmos Research Cosmonaut. Read more
• 1974 — The Greek military junta collapses, and former Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis is invited to lead the new government, beginning Greece's metapolitefsi era. Read more
• 1972 — The United States launches Landsat 1, the first Earth-resources satellite. Read more
• 1970 — Qaboos bin Said al Said becomes Sultan of Oman after overthrowing his father, Said bin Taimur initiating massive reforms, modernization programs and end to a decade long civil war. Read more
• 1968 — Glenville shootout: In Cleveland, Ohio, a violent shootout between a Black Militant organization and the Cleveland Police Department occurs. During the shootout, a riot begins and lasts for five days. Read more
• 1968 — The only successful hijacking of an El Al aircraft takes place when a Boeing 707 carrying ten crew and 38 passengers is taken over by three members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The aircraft was en route from Rome, Italy to Lod, Israel. Read more
• 1967 — Detroit Riots: In Detroit, one of the worst riots in United States history begins on 12th Street in the predominantly African American inner city. It ultimately kills 43 people, injures 342 and burns about 1,400 buildings. Read more
• 1962 — Telstar relays the first publicly transmitted, live trans-Atlantic television program, featuring Walter Cronkite. Read more
• 1962 — The International Agreement on the Neutrality of Laos is signed. Read more
• 1962 — Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Read more
• 1961 — The Sandinista National Liberation Front is founded in Nicaragua. Read more
• 1952 — General Muhammad Naguib leads the Free Officers Movement (formed by Gamal Abdel Nasser, the real power behind the coup) in overthrowing King Farouk of Egypt. Read more
• 1945 — The post-war legal processes against Philippe Pétain, the former president of Vichy France begin. Read more
• 1943 — The Rayleigh bath chair murder occurs in Rayleigh, Essex, England. Read more
• 1943 — World War II: The British destroyers HMS Eclipse and HMS Laforey sink the Italian submarine Ascianghi in the Mediterranean after she torpedoes the cruiser HMS Newfoundland. Read more
• 1942 — World War II: The German offensives Operation Edelweiss and Operation Braunschweig begin on the Eastern Front. Read more
• 1942 — Bulgarian poet and communist activist Nikola Vaptsarov is executed by firing squad. Read more
• 1940 — The United States' Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles issues a declaration on the U.S. non-recognition policy of the Soviet annexation and incorporation of three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Read more
• 1936 — In Catalonia, Spain, the Unified Socialist Party of Catalonia is founded through the merger of Socialist and Communist parties. Read more
• 1927 — The first station of the Indian Broadcasting Company goes on the air in Bombay. Read more
• 1926 — Fox Film buys the patents of the Movietone sound system for recording sound onto film. Read more
• 1921 — The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is established at the founding National Congress. Read more
• 1919 — Prince Regent Aleksander Karađorđević signs the decree establishing the University of Ljubljana. Read more
• 1914 — July Crisis: Austria-Hungary issues a series of demands in an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia demanding Serbia to allow the Austrians to determine who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Serbia accepts all but one of those demands and Austria declares war on July 28. Read more
• 1908 — The Second Constitution is accepted by the Ottomans. Read more
• 1906 — The Amsden Building collapse in Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S., claims 12 lives. Read more
• 1903 — The Ford Motor Company sells its first car. Read more
• 1900 — Pressed by expanding immigration, Canada closes its doors to paupers and criminals. Read more
• 1881 — The Boundary Treaty of 1881 between Chile and Argentina is signed in Buenos Aires. Read more
• 1874 — Aires de Ornelas e Vasconcelos is appointed the Archbishop of the Portuguese colonial enclave of Goa, India. Read more
• 1862 — American Civil War: Henry Halleck becomes general-in-chief of the Union Army. Read more
• 1862 — Begin of the Hyde Park Riots. Read more
• 1840 — The Province of Canada is created by the Act of Union. Read more
• 1829 — In the United States, William Austin Burt patents the typographer, a precursor to the typewriter. Read more
• 1821 — While the Mora Rebellion continues, Greeks capture Monemvasia Castle. Turkish troops and citizens are transferred to Asia Minor's coasts. Read more
• 1813 — Sir Thomas Maitland is appointed as the first Governor of Malta, transforming the island from a British protectorate to a de facto colony. Read more
• 1793 — Kingdom of Prussia re-conquers Mainz from France. Read more
• 1711 — The treaty of Pruth between the Ottoman and Russian Empire is signed. Read more
• 1677 — Scanian War: Denmark–Norway captures the harbor town of Marstrand from Sweden. Read more
• 1632 — Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe, France. Read more
• 1319 — A Knights Hospitaller fleet scores a crushing victory over an Aydinid fleet off Chios. Read more

Born on July 23

• 2003 — Alex Consani, Model and Influencer Read more
• 2002 — Séléna Janicijevic, French tennis player Read more
• 2001 — Lily Phillips, British pornographic actress Read more
• 1998 — Deandre Ayton, Bahamian basketball player Read more
• 1996 — Alexandra Andresen, Norwegian heiress and equestrian Read more
• 1996 — David Dobrik, Slovak YouTube personality Read more
• 1996 — Kasperi Kapanen, Finnish ice hockey player Read more
• 1996 — Danielle Bradbery, American singer Read more
• 1993 — Lili Simmons, American actress Read more
• 1992 — Danny Ings, English footballer Read more
• 1991 — Lauren Mitchell, Australian gymnast Read more
• 1991 — Jarrod Wallace, Australian rugby league footballer Read more
• 1991 — Dmitry Orlov, Russian ice hockey player Read more
• 1990 — Kevin Reynolds, Canadian figure skater Read more
• 1989 — Daniel Radcliffe, English actor Read more
• 1989 — Donald Young, American tennis player Read more
• 1989 — Harris English, American professional golfer Read more
• 1987 — Alessio Cerci, Italian footballer Read more
• 1987 — Felipe Dylon, Brazilian singer Read more
• 1987 — Serdar Kurtuluş, Turkish footballer Read more
• 1987 — Julien Ribaudo, Belgian politician Read more
• 1986 — Aya Uchida, Japanese voice actress and singer Read more
• 1986 — Nelson Philippe, French race car driver Read more
• 1986 — Yelena Sokolova, Russian long jumper Read more
• 1985 — Tessa Bonhomme, Canadian ice hockey player and sports broadcaster Read more
• 1985 — Luis Ángel Landín, Mexican footballer Read more
• 1984 — Walter Gargano, Uruguayan footballer Read more
• 1984 — Matthew Murphy, English singer and guitarist Read more
• 1984 — Brandon Roy, American basketball player Read more
• 1984 — Celeste Thorson, American actress, producer, and screenwriter Read more
• 1983 — Bec Hewitt, Australian actress Read more
• 1983 — Aaron Peirsol, American swimmer Read more
• 1983 — David Strettle, English rugby player Read more
• 1982 — Ömer Aysan Barış, Turkish footballer Read more
• 1982 — Joe Mather, American baseball player Read more
• 1982 — Gökhan Ünal, Turkish footballer Read more
• 1982 — Gerald Wallace, American basketball player Read more
• 1982 — Paul Wesley, American actor, director, and producer Read more
• 1982 — Pia Maria Wieninger, Austrian politician Read more
• 1981 — Steve Jocz, Canadian singer-songwriter, drummer, and director Read more

Died on July 23

• 2024 — Robin Warren, Australian pathologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1937) Read more
• 2022 — Zayar Thaw, Burmese politician and rapper (born 1981) Read more
• 2022 — Kyaw Min Yu, Burmese political activist (born 1969) Read more
• 2017 — John Kundla, American basketball coach (born 1916) Read more
• 2015 — Shigeko Kubota, Japanese-American sculptor and director (born 1937) Read more
• 2015 — Don Oberdorfer, American journalist, author, and academic (born 1931) Read more
• 2015 — William Wakefield Baum, American cardinal (born 1926) Read more
• 2014 — Dora Bryan, English actress and restaurateur (born 1923) Read more
• 2014 — Norman Leyden, American composer and conductor (born 1917) Read more
• 2014 — Ariano Suassuna, Brazilian author and playwright (born 1927) Read more
• 2014 — Jordan Tabor, English footballer (born 1990) Read more
• 2013 — Rona Anderson, Scottish actress (born 1926) Read more
• 2013 — Pauline Clarke, English author (born 1921) Read more
• 2013 — Arthur J. Collingsworth, American diplomat (born 1944) Read more
• 2013 — Dominguinhos, Brazilian singer-songwriter and accordion player (born 1941) Read more
• 2013 — Emile Griffith, American boxer and trainer (born 1938) Read more
• 2013 — Kim Jong-hak, South Korean director and producer (born 1951) Read more
• 2013 — Djalma Santos, Brazilian footballer (born 1929) Read more
• 2012 — Margaret Mahy, New Zealand author (born 1936) Read more
• 2012 — Sally Ride, American physicist and astronaut (born 1951) Read more
• 2012 — Lakshmi Sahgal, Indian soldier and politician (born 1914) Read more
• 2012 — Esther Tusquets, Spanish publisher and author (born 1936) Read more
• 2012 — José Luis Uribarri, Spanish television host and director (born 1936) Read more
• 2011 — Amy Winehouse, English singer-songwriter (born 1983) Read more
• 2010 — Daniel Schorr, American journalist and author (born 1916) Read more
• 2009 — E. Lynn Harris, American author and screenwriter (born 1955) Read more
• 2008 — Kurt Furgler, Swiss lawyer and politician, 70th President of the Swiss Confederation (born 1924) Read more
• 2007 — Ron Miller, American songwriter and producer (born 1933) Read more
• 2007 — Mohammed Zahir Shah, Afghan king (born 1914) Read more
• 2006 — Jean-Paul Desbiens, Canadian journalist and academic (born 1927) Read more
• 2005 — Ted Greene, American guitarist and journalist (born 1946) Read more
• 2004 — Mehmood Ali, Indian actor, director, and producer (born 1932) Read more
• 2004 — Carlos Paredes, Portuguese guitarist and composer (born 1925) Read more
• 2004 — Piero Piccioni, Italian pianist, conductor, and composer (born 1921) Read more
• 2003 — James E. Davis, American police officer and politician (born 1962) Read more
• 2002 — Leo McKern, Australian-English actor (born 1920) Read more
• 2002 — William Luther Pierce, American activist and author (born 1933) Read more
• 2002 — Chaim Potok, American novelist and rabbi (born 1929) Read more
• 2002 — Clark Gesner, American author and composer (born 1938) Read more
• 2001 — Eudora Welty, American novelist and short story writer (born 1909) Read more

Holidays & observances

Birthday of Haile Selassie (Rastafari); Children's Day (Indonesia); Christian feast day: Blessed Basil Hopko; Christian feast day: Bridget of Sweden; Christian feast day: Heiromartyr Phocas (Eastern Orthodox); Christian feast day: Blessed Giovanna da Orvieto; Christian feast day: John Cassian (Western Christianity); Christian feast day: Liborius of Le Mans; Christian feast day: Margarita María; Christian feast day: Martyrs of Daimiel; Christian feast day: Rasyphus and Ravennus; Christian feast day: July 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); National Remembrance Day (Papua New Guinea); Renaissance Day (Oman); Revolution Day (Egypt)

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