On This Day in History — July 7

Highlights of July 7

• 2016 — A U.S. Army Reserve veteran ambushed and shot at police officers (memorial service pictured) in Dallas, killing five of them and injuring nine others, before being killed by a bomb attached to a police robot. Read more
• 1991 — Yugoslav Wars: The signing of the Brioni Agreement ended the Ten-Day War between SFR Yugoslavia and Slovenia. Read more
• 1983 — After writing a letter to Soviet premier Yuri Andropov, American schoolgirl Samantha Smith visited the Soviet Union as Andropov's personal guest, becoming known as "America's Youngest Ambassador". Read more
• 1974 — West Germany won the FIFA World Cup final against the Netherlands at the Munich Olympiastadion. Read more
• 1963 — The secret police of Ngô Đình Nhu, brother and chief political adviser of South Vietnamese president Ngô Đình Diệm, attacked a group of American journalists who were covering a protest during the Buddhist crisis. Read more
• 1937 — The Peel Commission published a report stating that the League of Nations' Mandate for Palestine had become unworkable and recommended the partition of British-administered Mandatory Palestine into two states. Read more
• 1911 — Four countries signed the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention, which banned the hunting of seals in the pelagic zone. Read more
• 1907 — Inspired by the Folies Bergère of Paris, American impresario Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. (pictured) staged the first of his Ziegfeld Follies. Read more
• 1898 — US president William McKinley signed the Newlands Resolution, annexing Hawaii as a territory of the United States. Read more
• 1800 — War of the Second Coalition: The British Royal Navy force attacked the well-defended French anchorage of Dunkirk (depicted), capturing a French frigate. Read more
• 1798 — Outraged by the XYZ Affair, the United States rescinded its treaties with France, resulting in the undeclared Quasi-War, fought entirely at sea. Read more
• 1777 — American Revolutionary War: British forces caught up with American troops withdrawing from Ticonderoga, capturing more than 200 men at the Battle of Hubbardton. Read more
• 1575 — Anglo-Scottish Wars: A dispute between Sir John Forster and Sir John Carmichael led to a Scottish raid on Northumberland, England, in which 27 men were killed. Read more
• 1456 — Joan of Arc was declared innocent of heresy in a retrial twenty-five years after her death. Read more

Events

• 2022 — Boris Johnson announces his resignation as leader of the Conservative Party following days of pressure from the Members of Parliament (MPs) during the July 2022 United Kingdom government crisis. Read more
• 2021 — Haitian crisis: Haitian President Jovenel Moïse is assassinated in his residence in the capital of Port-au-Prince. Read more
• 2019 — The United States defeated the Netherlands 2–0 at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup final in Lyon, France. Read more
• 2017 — The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted with 122 countries voting in favour. Read more
• 2016 — Ex-US Army soldier Micah Xavier Johnson shoots fourteen policemen, killing five of them, in downtown Dallas, Texas at the end of a protest of recent police killings of Black men. He is subsequently killed by a robot-delivered bomb. Read more
• 2013 — A De Havilland Otter air taxi crashes in Soldotna, Alaska, killing ten people. Read more
• 2012 — At least 172 people are killed in a flash flood in the Krasnodar Krai region of Russia. Read more
• 2011 — A man goes on a killing spree in Grand Rapids, Michigan, killing seven and wounding two before killing himself. Read more
• 2007 — The first Live Earth benefit concert was held in 11 locations around the world. Read more
• 2006 — A shootout happens in Spiritwood, Canada, killing two Royal Canadian Mounted Police and wounding a third officer. Read more
• 2005 — A series of four explosions occurs on London's transport system, killing 56 people, including four suicide bombers, and injuring over 700 others. Read more
• 2003 — NASA Opportunity rover, MER-B or Mars Exploration Rover–B, was launched into space aboard a Delta II rocket. Read more
• 1997 — The Turkish Armed Forces withdraw from northern Iraq after assisting the Kurdistan Democratic Party in the Iraqi Kurdish Civil War. Read more
• 1992 — The New York Court of Appeals rules that women have the same right as men to go topless in public. Read more
• 1991 — Yugoslav Wars: The Brioni Agreement ends the ten-day independence war in Slovenia against the rest of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Read more
• 1985 — Boris Becker becomes the youngest male player ever to win Wimbledon at age 17. Read more
• 1983 — Cold War: Samantha Smith, a United States schoolgirl, flies to the Soviet Union at the invitation of Secretary General Yuri Andropov. Read more
• 1981 — US President Ronald Reagan nominates Sandra Day O'Connor to become the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. Read more
• 1980 — Institution of sharia law in Iran. Read more
• 1980 — During the Lebanese Civil War, 83 Tiger militants are killed during what will be known as the Safra massacre. Read more
• 1978 — The Solomon Islands becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Read more
• 1963 — Buddhist crisis: Police commanded by Ngô Đình Nhu, brother and chief political adviser of South Vietnam President Ngo Dinh Diem, attacked a group of American journalists who were covering a protest. Read more
• 1962 — Alitalia Flight 771 crashes in Junnar, Maharashtra, India, killing 94 people. Read more
• 1959 — Venus occults the star Regulus. This rare event is used to determine the diameter of Venus and the structure of the Venusian atmosphere. Read more
• 1958 — US President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Alaska Statehood Act into law. Read more
• 1953 — Ernesto "Che" Guevara sets out on a trip through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador. Read more
• 1952 — The ocean liner SS United States passes Bishop Rock on her maiden voyage, breaking the transatlantic speed record to become the fastest passenger ship in the world. Read more
• 1946 — Mother Francesca S. Cabrini becomes the first American to be canonized. Read more
• 1946 — Howard Hughes nearly dies when his XF-11 reconnaissance aircraft prototype crashes in a Beverly Hills neighborhood. Read more
• 1944 — World War II: Largest Banzai charge of the Pacific War at the Battle of Saipan. Read more
• 1941 — The US occupation of Iceland replaces the UK's occupation. Read more
• 1937 — The Marco Polo Bridge Incident (Lugou Bridge) provides the Imperial Japanese Army with a pretext for starting the Second Sino-Japanese War (China-Japan War). Read more
• 1937 — The Peel Commission Report recommends the partition of Palestine, which was the first formal recommendation for partition in the history of Palestine. Read more
• 1930 — Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser begins construction of Boulder Dam (now known as Hoover Dam). Read more
• 1930 — The Finnish far-right Lapua Movement organises the Peasant March demonstration in Helsinki to put pressure on the government to prohibit communist activities. Read more
• 1928 — Sliced bread is sold for the first time (on the inventor's 48th birthday) by the Chillicothe Baking Company of Chillicothe, Missouri. Read more
• 1916 — The New Zealand Labour Party was founded in Wellington. Read more
• 1915 — World War I: The First Battle of the Isonzo between Italy and Austria-Hungary comes to an end. Read more
• 1915 — Colombo Town Guard officer Henry Pedris is executed in British Ceylon for allegedly inciting persecution of Muslims. Read more
• 1911 — The United States, UK, Japan, and Russia sign the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention of 1911 banning open-water seal hunting, the first international treaty to address wildlife preservation issues. Read more
• 1907 — Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. staged his first Follies on the roof of the New York Theater in New York City. Read more
• 1900 — The luxury racing yacht Idler capsizes and sinks on Lake Erie during a storm, drowning six of its seven passengers (all members of the family of Cleveland businessman James C. Corrigan). Read more
• 1898 — US president William McKinley signs the Newlands Resolution, annexing Hawaii as a territory of the United States. Read more
• 1892 — The Katipunan is established, the discovery of which by Spanish authorities initiated the Philippine Revolution. Read more
• 1865 — Four conspirators in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln are hanged. Read more
• 1863 — The United States begins its first military draft; exemptions cost $300. Read more
• 1846 — US troops occupy Monterey and Yerba Buena, thus beginning the US conquest of California. Read more
• 1834 — In New York City, four nights of rioting against abolitionists began. Read more
• 1807 — The first Treaty of Tilsit between France and Russia is signed, ending hostilities between the two countries in the War of the Fourth Coalition. Read more
• 1798 — As a result of the XYZ Affair, the US Congress rescinds the Treaty of Alliance with France sparking the "Quasi-War". Read more
• 1777 — American forces retreating from Fort Ticonderoga are defeated in the Battle of Hubbardton. Read more
• 1770 — The Battle of Larga between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire takes place. Read more
• 1770 — After three days of battle around Chesma, the Russian fleet defeats the Ottoman Navy, inflicting one of the most severe naval defeats on the Ottoman Empire since Lepanto. Read more
• 1667 — An English fleet completes the destruction of a French merchant fleet off Fort St Pierre, Martinique during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. Read more
• 1585 — The Treaty of Nemours abolishes tolerance to Protestants in France. Read more
• 1575 — The Raid of the Redeswire is the last major battle between England and Scotland. Read more
• 1548 — Scotland and France conclude the Treaty of Haddington in response to the war known as the "Rough Wooing". According to the treaty, the five-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, is to marry the Dauphin of France. Read more
• 1534 — Jacques Cartier makes his first contact with aboriginal peoples in what is now Canada. Read more
• 1520 — Spanish conquistadores defeat a larger Aztec army at the Battle of Otumba. Read more
• 1456 — A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her execution. Read more

Born on July 7

• 2005 — Ron Holland, American basketball player Read more
• 1999 — Moussa Diaby, French footballer Read more
• 1997 — Mizuho Habu, Japanese idol and model Read more
• 1997 — James Marriott, English musician and online content creator Read more
• 1996 — Yoon Chae-kyung, South Korean singer and actress Read more
• 1994 — Nigina Abduraimova, Uzbekistani tennis player Read more
• 1994 — Timothy Cathcart, Northern Irish race car driver (died 2014) Read more
• 1994 — Ashton Irwin, Australian musician Read more
• 1992 — Ellina Anissimova, Estonian hammer thrower Read more
• 1992 — Dominik Furman, Polish footballer Read more
• 1991 — Alesso, Swedish DJ, record producer and musician Read more
• 1990 — Lee Addy, Ghanaian footballer Read more
• 1990 — Pascal Stöger, Austrian footballer Read more
• 1989 — Landon Cassill, American race car driver Read more
• 1989 — Miina Kallas, Estonian footballer Read more
• 1989 — Karl-August Tiirmaa, Estonian skier Read more
• 1988 — Kaci Brown, American singer-songwriter Read more
• 1988 — Lukas Rosenthal, German rugby player Read more
• 1986 — Ana Kasparian, American journalist and producer Read more
• 1986 — Udo Schwarz, German rugby player Read more
• 1986 — Sevyn Streeter, American singer-songwriter Read more
• 1985 — Marc Stein, German footballer Read more
• 1984 — Minas Alozidis, Greek hurdler Read more
• 1984 — Alberto Aquilani, Italian footballer Read more
• 1984 — Mohammad Ashraful, Bangladeshi cricketer Read more
• 1983 — Justin Davies, Australian footballer Read more
• 1982 — Jan Laštůvka, Czech footballer Read more
• 1982 — George Owu, Ghanaian footballer Read more
• 1982 — Asia O'Hara, American drag performer Read more
• 1981 — Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Indian cricketer Read more
• 1981 — Synyster Gates, American guitarist Read more
• 1980 — John Buck, American baseball player Read more
• 1980 — Serdar Kulbilge, Turkish footballer Read more
• 1980 — Michelle Kwan, American figure skater Read more
• 1979 — Ibrahim Sulayman Muhammad Arbaysh, Saudi Arabian terrorist (died 2015) Read more
• 1979 — Anastasios Gousis, Greek sprinter Read more
• 1979 — Douglas Hondo, Zimbabwean cricketer Read more
• 1978 — Chris Andersen, American basketball player Read more
• 1978 — Davor Kraljević, Croatian footballer Read more
• 1976 — Bérénice Bejo, Argentinian-French actress Read more

Died on July 7

• 2025 — Wayne Dobson, English magician (born 1957) Read more
• 2025 — Roman Starovoyt, Russian politician (born 1972) Read more
• 2025 — Norman Tebbit, English journalist and politician, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (born 1931) Read more
• 2024 — Jane McAlevey, American labor organizer and author (born 1964) Read more
• 2021 — Robert Downey Sr., American actor and director (born 1936) Read more
• 2021 — Dilip Kumar, Indian film actor (born 1922) Read more
• 2021 — Jovenel Moïse, Haitian entrepreneur and politician, President of Haiti (born 1968) Read more
• 2015 — Maria Barroso, Portuguese actress and politician (born 1925) Read more
• 2015 — Bob MacKinnon, American basketball player and coach (born 1927) Read more
• 2014 — Alfredo Di Stéfano, Argentinian-Spanish footballer and coach (born 1926) Read more
• 2014 — Eduard Shevardnadze, Georgian general and politician, 2nd President of Georgia (born 1928) Read more
• 2014 — Peter Underwood, Australian lawyer and politician, 27th Governor of Tasmania (born 1937) Read more
• 2013 — Artur Hajzer, Polish mountaineer (born 1962) Read more
• 2013 — Robert Hamerton-Kelly, South African-American pastor, theologian, and author (born 1938) Read more
• 2013 — Donald J. Irwin, American lawyer and politician, 32nd Mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut (born 1926) Read more
• 2013 — Ben Pucci, American football player and sportscaster (born 1925) Read more
• 2012 — Dennis Flemion, American drummer (born 1955) Read more
• 2012 — Ronaldo Cunha Lima, Brazilian poet and politician (born 1936) Read more
• 2012 — Doris Neal, American baseball player (born 1928) Read more
• 2012 — Jerry Norman, American sinologist and linguist (born 1936) Read more
• 2012 — Leon Schlumpf, Swiss politician (born 1927) Read more
• 2011 — Allan W. Eckert, American historian and author (born 1931) Read more
• 2011 — Dick Williams, American baseball player, coach, and manager (born 1929) Read more
• 2008 — Bruce Conner, American sculptor, painter, and photographer (born 1933) Read more
• 2008 — Dorian Leigh, American model (born 1917) Read more
• 2007 — Anne McLaren, British scientist (born 1927) Read more
• 2007 — Donald Michie, British scientist (born 1923) Read more
• 2006 — Syd Barrett, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1946) Read more
• 2006 — Juan de Ávalos, Spanish sculptor (born 1911) Read more
• 2006 — John Money, New Zealand-American psychologist and author (born 1921) Read more
• 2003 — Izhak Graziani, Bulgarian trumpet player and conductor (born 1924) Read more
• 2001 — Fred Neil, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1936) Read more
• 2000 — Kenny Irwin Jr., American race car driver (born 1969) Read more
• 1999 — Vikram Batra, Param Vir Chakra, Indian Army personnel (born 1974) Read more
• 1999 — Julie Campbell Tatham, American author (born 1908) Read more
• 1998 — Moshood Abiola, Nigerian businessman and politician (born 1937) Read more
• 1994 — Carlo Chiti, Italian engineer (born 1924) Read more
• 1994 — Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte, German general (born 1907) Read more
• 1993 — Rıfat Ilgaz, Turkish author, poet, and educator (born 1911) Read more
• 1993 — Mia Zapata, American singer (born 1965) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Æthelburh of Faremoutiers; Christian feast day: Felix of Nantes; Christian feast day: Illidius; Christian feast day: Job of Manyava (Ukrainian Orthodox Church); Christian feast day: Blessed María Romero Meneses; Christian feast day: Pantaenus; Christian feast day: Peter To Rot; Christian feast day: Blesseds Józef and Wiktoria Ulma with seven children (Catholic Church); Christian feast day: Willibald (Catholic Church); Christian feast day: July 7 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Solomon Islands from the United Kingdom in 1978.; Ivan Kupala Day (Belarus, Poland, Russia, Ukraine); Saba Saba Day (Tanzania); Tanabata (Japan); World Chocolate Day

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