On This Day in History — July 6

Highlights of July 6

• 2013 — Gunmen attacked a secondary school in Mamudo, Yobe State, Nigeria, killing 42 people, mostly students. Read more
• 2013 — In the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 777 airliner, Asiana Airlines Flight 214 (wreckage pictured) crashed on final approach to San Francisco International Airport, resulting in three deaths. Read more
• 2009 — Jadranka Kosor became the first female prime minister of Croatia. Read more
• 2006 — A gunman killed an 18-year-old man and injured six other people in a mass shooting on Cabildo Avenue in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Read more
• 1997 — The Troubles: In response to the Drumcree conflict, five days of unrest began in nationalist districts of Northern Ireland. Read more
• 1989 — A Palestinian Islamic Jihad member carried out a suicide attack by hijacking a bus and forcing it into a ravine near Kiryat Ye'arim, Israel. Read more
• 1971 — After visiting several Asian communist countries, Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu (pictured) gave a speech on a number of neo-Stalinist and socialist-realist ideals, which became known as the July Theses. Read more
• 1941 — Second World War: After a three-month siege, the Italian garrison of Saïo (in modern-day Ethiopia) surrendered to Belgian, British and Ethiopian troops. Read more
• 1940 — The Story Bridge in Brisbane, the longest cantilever bridge in Australia, was opened by Sir Leslie Wilson, Governor of Queensland. Read more
• 1936 — A major breach of the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal in England sent millions of gallons of water cascading 300 feet (90 m) into the River Irwell. Read more
• 1916 — First World War: Russian troops won a victory in the Battle of Kostiuchnówka, with the Polish Legions playing a key role on the Austro-Hungarian side. Read more
• 1915 — First World War: The British and French prime ministers, H. H. Asquith and René Viviani, met at Calais to discuss future offensives including the Gallipoli campaign. Read more
• 1809 — Napoleon's French forces defeated Archduke Charles' Austrian army at the Battle of Wagram, the decisive confrontation of the War of the Fifth Coalition. Read more
• 1801 — French Revolutionary Wars: A Royal Navy squadron failed to eliminate a smaller French Navy squadron at Algeciras before they could join their Spanish allies. Read more
• 1777 — American Revolutionary War: American troops at Fort Ticonderoga in New York completed a retreat from advancing British forces, causing an uproar among the American public. Read more
• 1685 — Troops loyal to James II of England defeated those of James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth at the Battle of Sedgemoor, the final battle of the Monmouth Rebellion. Read more
• 1614 — The Ottoman Empire made a final attempt to conquer the island of Malta, but were repulsed by the Knights Hospitaller. Read more
• 1483 — The last monarch of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty, Richard III, was crowned King of England. Read more

Events

• 2022 — The Georgia Guidestones, a monument in the United States, are heavily damaged in a bombing, and are dismantled later the same day. Read more
• 2021 — An Antonov An-26 operating as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Air Flight 251 crashes on approach to Palana Airport, killing all 28 aboard. Read more
• 2013 — At least 42 people are killed in a shooting at a school in Yobe State, Nigeria. Read more
• 2013 — A Boeing 777 operating as Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashes at San Francisco International Airport, killing three and injuring 181 of the 307 people on board. Read more
• 2013 — A 73-car oil train derails in the town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec and explodes into flames, killing at least 47 people and destroying more than 30 buildings in the town's central area. Read more
• 2006 — The Nathu La pass between India and China, sealed during the Sino-Indian War, re-opens for trade after 44 years. Read more
• 2003 — The 70-metre Yevpatoria Planetary Radar sends a METI message (Cosmic Call 2) to five stars: Hip 4872, HD 245409, 55 Cancri (HD 75732), HD 10307 and 47 Ursae Majoris (HD 95128). The messages will arrive to these stars in 2036, 2040, 2044, and 2049, respectively. Read more
• 1998 — Hong Kong International Airport opens in Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong, replacing Kai Tak Airport as the city's international airport. Read more
• 1997 — The Troubles: In response to the Drumcree dispute, five days of mass protests, riots and gun battles begin in Irish nationalist districts of Northern Ireland. Read more
• 1996 — A McDonnell Douglas MD-88 operating as Delta Air Lines Flight 1288 experiences a turbine engine failure during takeoff from Pensacola International Airport, killing two and injuring five of the 147 people on board. Read more
• 1995 — In the Bosnian War, under the command of General Ratko Mladić, Serbia begins its attack on the Bosnian town of Srebrenica. Read more
• 1989 — The Tel Aviv–Jerusalem bus 405 suicide attack: Sixteen bus passengers are killed when a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad took control of the bus and drove it over a cliff. Read more
• 1988 — The Piper Alpha drilling platform in the North Sea is destroyed by explosions and fires. One hundred sixty-seven oil workers are killed, making it the world's worst offshore oil disaster in terms of direct loss of life. Read more
• 1982 — While attempting to return to Sheremetyevo International Airport, Aeroflot Flight 411, an Ilyushin Il-62, crashes near Mendeleyevo, Moscow Oblast, killing all 90 people on board. Read more
• 1975 — The Comoros declares independence from France. Read more
• 1967 — Nigerian Civil War: Nigerian forces invade Biafra, beginning the war. Read more
• 1966 — Malawi becomes a republic, with Hastings Banda as its first President. Read more
• 1964 — Malawi declares its independence from the United Kingdom. Read more
• 1962 — As a part of Operation Plowshare, the Sedan nuclear test takes place. Read more
• 1962 — The Late Late Show, the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster, airs on RTÉ One for the first time. Read more
• 1957 — Althea Gibson wins at the Wimbledon Championships, becoming the first black athlete to do so. Read more
• 1957 — John Lennon and Paul McCartney meet for the first time, as teenagers at Woolton Fete, three years before forming the Beatles. Read more
• 1947 — Referendum held in Sylhet to decide its fate in the Partition of India. Read more
• 1947 — The AK-47 goes into production in the Soviet Union. Read more
• 1944 — Jackie Robinson refuses to move to the back of a bus, leading to his court-martial. Read more
• 1944 — The Hartford circus fire, one of America's worst fire disasters, kills approximately 168 people and injures over 700 in Hartford, Connecticut. Read more
• 1942 — Anne Frank and her family go into hiding in the "Secret Annexe" above her father's office in an Amsterdam warehouse. Read more
• 1941 — World War II: The German army launches its offensive to encircle several Soviet armies near Smolensk. Read more
• 1940 — Story Bridge, a major landmark in Brisbane, as well as Australia's longest cantilever bridge is formally opened. Read more
• 1939 — Anti-Jewish legislation in prewar Nazi Germany closes the last remaining Jewish enterprises. Read more
• 1937 — Spanish Civil War: Battle of Brunete: The battle begins with Spanish Republican troops going on the offensive against the Nationalists to relieve pressure on Madrid. Read more
• 1936 — A major breach of the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal in England sends millions of gallons of water cascading 200 feet (61 m) into the River Irwell. Read more
• 1933 — The first Major League Baseball All-Star Game is played in Chicago's Comiskey Park. The American League defeated the National League 4–2. Read more
• 1919 — The British dirigible R34 lands in New York, completing the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by an airship. Read more
• 1918 — The Left SR uprising in Russia starts with the assassination of German ambassador Wilhelm von Mirbach by Cheka members. Read more
• 1917 — World War I: Arabian troops led by T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") and Auda ibu Tayi capture Aqaba from the Ottoman Empire during the Arab Revolt. Read more
• 1892 — Three thousand eight hundred striking steelworkers engage in a day-long battle with Pinkerton agents during the Homestead Strike, leaving ten dead and dozens wounded. Read more
• 1887 — David Kalākaua, monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, is forced to sign the Bayonet Constitution, which transfers much of the king's authority to the Legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Read more
• 1885 — Louis Pasteur successfully tests his vaccine against rabies on Joseph Meister, a boy who was bitten by a rabid dog. Read more
• 1854 — The Republican Party of the United States held its first convention in Jackson, Michigan. Read more
• 1809 — The second day of the Battle of Wagram; France defeats the Austrian army in the largest battle to date of the Napoleonic Wars. Read more
• 1801 — First Battle of Algeciras: Outnumbered French Navy ships defeat the Royal Navy in the fortified Spanish port of Algeciras. Read more
• 1791 — At Padua, the Emperor Leopold II calls on the monarchs of Europe to join him in demanding the king of France Louis XVI's freedom. Read more
• 1779 — Battle of Grenada: The French defeat British naval forces in the Caribbean during the American Revolutionary War. Read more
• 1777 — American Revolutionary War: Siege of Fort Ticonderoga: After a bombardment by British artillery under General John Burgoyne, American forces retreat from Fort Ticonderoga, New York. Read more
• 1751 — Pope Benedict XIV suppresses the Patriarchate of Aquileia and establishes from its territory the Archdiocese of Udine and Gorizia. Read more
• 1685 — Battle of Sedgemoor: Last battle of the Monmouth Rebellion. Troops of King James II defeat troops of James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth. Read more
• 1630 — Thirty Years' War: Four thousand Swedish troops under Gustavus Adolphus land in Pomerania, Germany. Read more
• 1614 — Raid on Żejtun: The south east of Malta, and the town of Żejtun, suffer a raid from Ottoman forces. This was the last unsuccessful attempt by the Ottomans to conquer the island of Malta. Read more
• 1573 — Córdoba, Argentina, is founded by Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera. Read more
• 1573 — French Wars of Religion: Siege of La Rochelle ends. Read more
• 1560 — The Treaty of Edinburgh is signed by Scotland and England. Read more
• 1557 — King Philip II of Spain, consort of Queen Mary I of England, sets out from Dover to war with France, which eventually resulted in the loss of the city of Calais, the last English possession on the continent, and Mary I never seeing her husband again. Read more
• 1536 — Thomas More is executed after having been condemned on perjured evidence. Read more
• 1536 — The explorer Jacques Cartier lands at St. Malo at the end of his second expedition to North America. He returns with none of the gold he expected to find. Read more
• 1495 — First Italian War: Battle of Fornovo: Charles VIII defeats the Holy League. Read more
• 1484 — Portuguese sea captain Diogo Cão finds the mouth of the Congo River. Read more
• 1483 — Richard III and Anne Neville are crowned King and Queen of England. Read more
• 1439 — The reunion of the Catholic and Orthodox Church is proclaimed and celebrated with a public holiday. Read more
• 1438 — A temporary compromise between the rebellious Transylvanian peasants and the noblemen is signed in Kolozsmonostor Abbey. Read more

Born on July 6

• 2000 — Zion Williamson, American basketball player Read more
• 1998 — Comethazine, American rapper Read more
• 1995 — Ludwig Ahgren, American YouTuber and live streamer Read more
• 1994 — Andrew Benintendi, American baseball player Read more
• 1992 — Na-Lae Han, South Korean tennis player Read more
• 1992 — Manny Machado, Dominican-American baseball player Read more
• 1990 — Jae Crowder, American basketball player Read more
• 1990 — Magaye Gueye, French footballer Read more
• 1990 — Jamal Idris, Australian rugby league player Read more
• 1990 — Justin Schultz, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1988 — Kevin Fickentscher, Swiss footballer Read more
• 1988 — Cody Fern, Australian actor Read more
• 1987 — Sophie Auster, American singer-songwriter and actress Read more
• 1987 — Manteo Mitchell, American runner Read more
• 1987 — Kate Nash, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress Read more
• 1987 — Caroline Trentini, Brazilian model Read more
• 1986 — David Karp, American businessman, founder of Tumblr Read more
• 1985 — Ranveer Singh, Indian film actor Read more
• 1984 — Zhang Hao, Chinese figure skater Read more
• 1983 — Gregory Smith, Canadian actor, director, and producer Read more
• 1982 — Brandon Jacobs, American football player Read more
• 1982 — Misty Upham, American actress (died 2014) Read more
• 1981 — Nnamdi Asomugha, American football player Read more
• 1981 — Roman Shirokov, Russian footballer Read more
• 1980 — Pau Gasol, Spanish basketball player Read more
• 1980 — Eva Green, French actress and model Read more
• 1980 — Joell Ortiz, American rapper Read more
• 1979 — Kevin Hart, American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter Read more
• 1978 — Adam Busch, American actor, director, and producer Read more
• 1978 — Tamera Mowry, American actress and producer Read more
• 1978 — Tia Mowry, American actress and producer Read more
• 1978 — Kevin Senio, New Zealand rugby player Read more
• 1977 — Max Mirnyi, Belarusian tennis player Read more
• 1977 — Makhaya Ntini, South African cricketer Read more
• 1976 — Rory Delap, English-Irish footballer Read more
• 1976 — Ioana Dumitriu, Romanian-American mathematician and academic Read more
• 1975 — 50 Cent, American rapper and actor Read more
• 1975 — Sebastián Rulli, Argentine-Mexican actor and model Read more
• 1975 — Amir-Abbas Fakhravar, Iranian journalist and activist Read more
• 1975 — Kristian Woolf, Australian rugby league player and coach Read more

Died on July 6

• 2026 — Megas, Icelandic musician (born 1945) Read more
• 2024 — Khyree Jackson, American football player (born 1999) Read more
• 2022 — James Caan, American actor (born 1940) Read more
• 2022 — Arnaldo Pambianco, Italian former professional road racing cyclist (born 1935) Read more
• 2022 — Norah Vincent, American writer (born 1968) Read more
• 2020 — Charlie Daniels, American singer-songwriter, fiddle-player and guitarist (born 1936) Read more
• 2020 — Mary Kay Letourneau, American child rapist (born 1962) Read more
• 2020 — Ennio Morricone, Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor, and trumpet player (born 1928) Read more
• 2019 — Cameron Boyce, American actor (born 1999) Read more
• 2019 — João Gilberto, Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist, pioneer of bossa nova music style (born 1931) Read more
• 2018 — Shoko Asahara, founder of Japanese cult group Aum Shinrikyo (born 1955) Read more
• 2015 — Jerry Weintraub, American film producer, and talent agent (born 1937) Read more
• 2014 — Alan J. Dixon, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 34th Illinois Secretary of State (born 1927) Read more
• 2013 — Lo Hsing Han, Burmese businessman, co-founded Asia World (born 1935) Read more
• 2012 — Hani al-Hassan, Palestinian engineer and politician (born 1939) Read more
• 2011 — Carly Hibberd, Australian road racing cyclist (born 1985) Read more
• 2010 — Harvey Fuqua, American singer-songwriter and producer (born 1929) Read more
• 2009 — Vasily Aksyonov, Russian author and academic (born 1932) Read more
• 2009 — Robert McNamara, American businessman and politician, 8th United States Secretary of Defense (born 1916) Read more
• 2007 — Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, American author (born 1939) Read more
• 2006 — Kasey Rogers, American actress (born 1925) Read more
• 2005 — Ed McBain, American author and screenwriter (born 1926) Read more
• 2005 — Claude Simon, Malagasy-French novelist and critic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1913) Read more
• 2004 — Thomas Klestil, Austrian politician, 10th President of Austria (born 1932) Read more
• 2004 — Syreeta Wright, American singer-songwriter (born 1946) Read more
• 2003 — Buddy Ebsen, American actor, singer, and dancer (born 1908) Read more
• 2003 — Çelik Gülersoy, Turkish lawyer, historical preservationist, writer and poet (born 1930) Read more
• 2002 — Dhirubhai Ambani, Indian businessman, founded Reliance Industries (born 1932) Read more
• 2002 — John Frankenheimer, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1930) Read more
• 2000 — Władysław Szpilman, Polish pianist and composer (born 1911) Read more
• 1999 — Joaquín Rodrigo, Spanish pianist and composer (born 1901) Read more
• 1998 — Roy Rogers, American cowboy, actor, and singer (born 1911) Read more
• 1997 — Chetan Anand, Indian director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1921) Read more
• 1995 — Aziz Nesin, Turkish author and poet (born 1915) Read more
• 1994 — Ahmet Haxhiu, Kosovan activist (born 1932) Read more
• 1992 — Marsha P. Johnson, American drag queen performer and activist (born 1945) Read more
• 1991 — Mudashiru Lawal, Nigerian footballer (born 1954) Read more
• 1989 — János Kádár, Hungarian mechanic and politician, Hungarian Minister of the Interior (born 1912) Read more
• 1987 — Elli Stenberg, Finnish politician (born 1903) Read more
• 1986 — Jagjivan Ram, Indian lawyer and politician, 4th Deputy Prime Minister of India (born 1908) Read more

Holidays & observances

The first day of the Festival of San Fermín, which lasts until July 14. (Pamplona); Christian feast day: Goar of Aquitaine; Christian feast day: Maria Goretti; Christian feast day: Blessed Mary Theresa Ledóchowska; Christian feast day: Moninne; Christian feast day: Nazaria Ignacia March Mesa; Christian feast day: Romulus of Fiesole; Christian feast day: Thomas More; Christian feast day: July 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Constitution Day (Cayman Islands); Day of the Capital (Kazakhstan); Independence Day (Comoros), celebrates the independence of the Comoros from France in 1975.; Independence Day (Malawi), celebrates the independence of Malawi from United Kingdom in 1964.; International Kissing Day (informally observed); Jan Hus Day (Czech Republic); Kupala Night (Poland, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine); Statehood Day (Lithuania); Teachers' Day (Peru)

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