On This Day: July 2 - Historical Events, Births & Deaths

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27 Events 162 Births 96 Deaths

2024 A stampede during a religious event in Uttar Pradesh, India, leaves at least 121 people dead and 150 others injured. ↗
2013 A magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes Aceh, Indonesia, killing at least 42 people and injuring 420 others. ↗
2005 The Live 8 benefit concerts takes place in the G8 states and in South Africa. More than 1,000 musicians perform and are broadcast on 182 television networks and 2,000 radio networks. ↗
2000 Vicente Fox Quesada is elected the first President of México from an opposition party, the Partido Acción Nacional, after more than 70 years of continuous rule by the Partido Revolucionario Institucional, in the 2000 Mexican general election. ↗
1997 The Bank of Thailand floats the baht, triggering the Asian financial crisis. ↗
1994 USAir Flight 1016 crashes near Charlotte Douglas International Airport, killing 37 of the 57 people on board. ↗
1990 In the 1990 Mecca tunnel tragedy, 1,400 Muslim pilgrims are suffocated to death and trampled upon in a pedestrian tunnel leading to the holy city of Mecca. ↗
1986 Rodrigo Rojas and Carmen Gloria Quintana are burnt alive during a street demonstration against the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet in Chile in the Quemados case. ↗
1986 Aeroflot Flight 2306 crashes while attempting an emergency landing at Syktyvkar Airport in Syktyvkar, in present-day Komi Republic, Russia, killing 54 people. ↗
1976 End of South Vietnam; Communist North Vietnam annexes the former South Vietnam to form the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam. ↗
1966 France conducts its first nuclear weapon test in the Pacific, on Moruroa Atoll. ↗
1964 Civil rights movement: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964 meant to prohibit segregation in public places. ↗
1937 Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan are last heard from over the Pacific Ocean and disappear while attempting to make the first equatorial round-the-world flight. ↗
1934 The Night of the Long Knives ends after three days of killings. ↗
1921 World War I: U.S. President Warren G. Harding signs the Knox–Porter Resolution formally ending the war between the United States and Germany. ↗
1890 The U.S. Congress passes the Sherman Antitrust Act. ↗
1881 Charles J. Guiteau shoots and fatally wounds U.S. President James A. Garfield (who will die of complications from his wounds on September 19). ↗
1840 A Ms  7.4 earthquake strikes present-day Turkey and Armenia; combined with the effects of an eruption on Mount Ararat, kills 10,000 people. ↗
1823 Bahia Independence Day: The Siege of Salvador ends Portuguese rule in Brazil, with the final defeat of the Portuguese crown loyalists in the province of Bahia. ↗
1776 American Revolution: The Continental Congress adopts the Lee Resolution severing ties with the Kingdom of Great Britain, although the wording of the formal Declaration of Independence is not adopted until July 4. ↗
1645 Wars of the Three Kingdoms: Battle of Alford. ↗
1644 English Civil War: Battle of Marston Moor. ↗
1582 Battle of Yamazaki: Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeats Akechi Mitsuhide. ↗
1494 Age of Discovery: The Treaty of Tordesillas is ratified by Spain. ↗
1298 Battle of Göllheim: Albert I of Habsburg defeats Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg. ↗
866 Battle of Brissarthe: The Franks led by Robert the Strong are defeated by a joint Breton-Viking army. ↗
626 Li Shimin, the future Emperor Taizong of Tang, ambushes and kills his rival brothers Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng in the Xuanwu Gate Incident. ↗

1996 Julia Grabher, Austrian tennis player ↗
1995 Ryan Murphy, American swimmer ↗
1994 Henrik Kristoffersen, Norwegian skier ↗
1994 Derrick White, American basketball player ↗
1993 Vince Staples, American rapper and actor ↗
1993 Saweetie, American rapper ↗
1992 Madison Chock, American ice dancer ↗
1990 Kayla Harrison, American judoka ↗
1990 Merritt Mathias, American soccer player ↗
1990 Morag McLellan, Scottish field hockey player ↗
1990 Margot Robbie, Australian actress and producer ↗
1990 Danny Rose, English footballer ↗
1990 Bill Tupou, New Zealand rugby league player ↗
1989 Nadezhda Grishaeva, Russian basketball player ↗
1989 Alex Morgan, American soccer player ↗
1988 Lee Chung-yong, South Korean footballer ↗
1987 Esteban Granero, Spanish footballer ↗
1986 Brett Cecil, American baseball player ↗
1986 Lindsay Lohan, American actress and singer ↗
1985 Chad Henne, American football player ↗
1985 Ashley Tisdale, American actress, singer, and producer ↗
1984 Thomas Kortegaard, Danish footballer ↗
1984 Johnny Weir, American figure skater ↗
1983 Michelle Branch, American singer-songwriter and guitarist ↗
1983 Kyle Hogg, English cricketer ↗
1981 Nathan Ellington, English footballer ↗
1981 Carlos Rogers, American football player ↗
1980 Nyjer Morgan, American baseball player ↗
1979 Walter Davis, American triple jumper ↗
1979 Ahmed al-Ghamdi, Saudi Arabian terrorist, hijacker of United Airlines Flight 175 (died 2001) ↗
1979 Sam Hornish Jr., American race car driver ↗
1979 Joe Thornton, Canadian ice hockey player ↗
1978 Jüri Ratas, Estonian politician, 42nd Mayor of Tallinn ↗
1977 Deniz Barış, Turkish footballer ↗
1976 Krisztián Lisztes, Hungarian footballer ↗
1976 Tomáš Vokoun, Czech-American ice hockey player ↗
1976 Ľudovít Ódor, Prime minister of Slovakia ↗
1975 Éric Dazé, Canadian ice hockey player ↗
1975 Kristen Michal, Estonian lawyer and politician ↗
1975 Elizabeth Reaser, American actress ↗
1975 Stefan Terblanche, South African rugby player ↗
1974 Sean Casey, American baseball player and sportscaster ↗
1972 Darren Shan, Irish author ↗
1971 Troy Brown, American football player and actor ↗
1971 Bryan Redpath, Scottish rugby player and coach ↗
1970 Derrick Adkins, American hurdler ↗
1970 Steve Morrow, Northern Irish footballer and manager ↗
1969 Tim Rodber, English rugby player ↗
1965 Norbert Röttgen, German lawyer and politician ↗
1964 Jose Canseco, Cuban-American baseball player and mixed martial artist ↗
1964 Ozzie Canseco, Cuban-American baseball player, coach, and manager ↗
1964 Joe Magrane, American baseball player and sportscaster ↗
1962 Neil Williams, English cricketer (died 2006) ↗
1961 Clark Kellogg, American basketball player and sportscaster ↗
1959 Erwin Olaf, Dutch photographer (died 2023) ↗
1958 Pavan Malhotra, Indian actor ↗
1957 Bret Hart, Canadian wrestler ↗
1957 Jüri Raidla, Estonian lawyer and politician, Estonian Minister of Justice ↗
1957 Purvis Short, American basketball player ↗
1956 Jerry Hall, American model and actress ↗
1955 Kim Carr, Australian educator and politician, 31st Australian Minister for Human Services ↗
1954 Chris Huhne, English journalist and politician, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change ↗
1954 Wendy Schaal, American actress ↗
1952 Sylvia Rivera, American transgender rights activist (died 2002) ↗
1952 Anatoliy Solomin, Ukrainian race walker and coach ↗
1950 Lynne Brindley, English librarian and academic ↗
1950 Jon Trickett, English politician ↗
1949 Greg Brown, American musician ↗
1949 Robert Paquette, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist ↗
1948 Mutula Kilonzo, Kenyan lawyer and politician (died 2013) ↗
1947 Larry David, American actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter ↗
1947 Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton, English politician, Minister for International Security Strategy ↗
1946 Richard Axel, American neuroscientist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate ↗
1946 Ron Silver, American actor, director, and political activist (died 2009) ↗
1943 Larry Lake, American-Canadian trumpet player and composer (died 2013) ↗
1942 John Eekelaar, South African-English lawyer and scholar ↗
1942 Vicente Fox, Mexican businessman and politician, 35th President of Mexico ↗
1941 William Guest, American singer-songwriter and producer (died 2015) ↗
1941 Wendell Mottley, Trinidadian sprinter, economist, and politician ↗
1940 Kenneth Clarke, English politician, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain ↗
1940 Georgi Ivanov, Bulgarian military officer, cosmonaut and politician ↗
1939 Mike Castle, American politician, 69th Governor of Delaware (died 2025) ↗
1939 Alexandros Panagoulis, Greek poet and politician (died 1976) ↗
1939 John H. Sununu, American engineer and politician, 14th White House Chief of Staff ↗
1939 Paul Williams, American singer and choreographer (died 1973) ↗
1938 David Owen, English physician and politician, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs ↗
1937 Polly Holliday, American actress (died 2025) ↗
1937 Richard Petty, American race car driver and sportscaster ↗
1936 Omar Suleiman, Egyptian general and politician, 16th Vice President of Egypt (died 2012) ↗
1935 Gilbert Kalish, American pianist and educator ↗
1934 Tom Springfield, English musician (died 2022) ↗
1933 Peter Desbarats, Canadian journalist, author, and playwright (died 2014) ↗
1933 Kenny Wharram, Canadian ice hockey player (died 2017) ↗
1932 Dave Thomas, American businessman and philanthropist, founded Wendy's (died 2002) ↗
1930 Ahmad Jamal, American jazz musician (died 2023) ↗
1930 Carlos Menem, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 50th President of Argentina (died 2021) ↗
1929 Imelda Marcos, Filipino politician; 10th First Lady of the Philippines ↗
1927 Lee Allen, American saxophone player (died 1994) ↗
1927 James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern, Scottish lawyer and politician, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain ↗
1927 Brock Peters, American actor (died 2005) ↗
1926 Octavian Paler, Romanian journalist and politician (died 2007) ↗
1925 Medgar Evers, American soldier and activist (died 1963) ↗
1925 Patrice Lumumba, Congolese politician, 1st Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (died 1961) ↗
1925 Marvin Rainwater, American singer-songwriter (died 2013) ↗
1924 Chia-ying Yeh, Chinese-born Canadian poet and sinologist (died 2024) ↗
1923 Cyril M. Kornbluth, American soldier and author (died 1958) ↗
1923 Wisława Szymborska – Polish poet and translator, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2012) ↗
1922 Pierre Cardin, Italian-French fashion designer (died 2020) ↗
1922 Paula Valenska, Czech actress (died 1994) ↗
1920 John Kneubuhl, Samoan-American historian, screenwriter, and playwright (died 1992) ↗
1919 Jean Craighead George, American author (died 2012) ↗
1918 Athos Bulcão, Brazilian painter and sculptor (died 2008) ↗
1917 Leonard J. Arrington, American author and academic, founded the Mormon History Association (died 1999) ↗
1916 Ken Curtis, American actor and singer (died 1991) ↗
1916 Hans-Ulrich Rudel, German colonel and pilot (died 1982) ↗
1916 Reino Kangasmäki, Finnish wrestler (died 2010) ↗
1916 Zélia Gattai, Brazilian author and photographer (died 2008) ↗
1915 Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington, British peer, politician and soldier (died 2014) ↗
1914 Frederick Fennell, American conductor and educator (died 2004) ↗
1914 Mário Schenberg, Brazilian physicist and engineer (died 1990) ↗
1914 Erich Topp, German admiral (died 2005) ↗
1913 Max Beloff, Baron Beloff, English historian and academic (died 1999) ↗
1911 Reg Parnell, English race car driver and manager (died 1964) ↗
1908 Thurgood Marshall, American lawyer and civil rights activist, 32nd Solicitor General of the United States, and former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (died 1993) ↗
1906 Hans Bethe, German-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2005) ↗
1906 Károly Kárpáti, Hungarian Jewish wrestler (died 1996) ↗
1906 Séra Martin, French middle-distance runner (died 1993) ↗
1904 René Lacoste, French tennis player and businessman, created the polo shirt (died 1996) ↗
1903 Alec Douglas-Home, English cricketer and politician, 66th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died 1995) ↗
1903 Olav V, Norwegian king, 1957–1991 (died 1991) ↗
1902 K. Kanapathypillai, Sri Lankan author and academic (died 1968) ↗
1900 Tyrone Guthrie, English actor and director (died 1971) ↗
1893 Ralph Hancock, Welsh gardener and author (died 1950) ↗
1884 Alfons Maria Jakob, German neurologist and author (died 1931) ↗
1881 Royal Hurlburt Weller, American lawyer and politician (died 1929) ↗
1877 Hermann Hesse – German-born Swiss poet, novelist, and painter, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1962) ↗
1877 Rinaldo Cuneo, American artist ("the painter of San Francisco") (died 1939) ↗
1876 Harriet Brooks, Canadian physicist and academic (died 1933) ↗
1876 Wilhelm Cuno, German businessman and politician, Chancellor of Germany (died 1933) ↗
1869 Liane de Pougy, French-Swiss dancer and author (died 1950) ↗
1865 Lily Braun, German author and publicist (died 1916) ↗
1862 William Henry Bragg, English physicist, chemist, and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1942) ↗
1849 Maria Theresa of Austria-Este (died 1919) ↗
1834 Hendrick Peter Godfried Quack, Dutch economist and historian (died 1917) ↗
1825 Émile Ollivier, French statesman (died 1913) ↗
1821 Charles Tupper, Canadian physician and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Canada (died 1915) ↗
1820 George Law Curry, American publisher and politician, 5th Governor of the Oregon Territory (died 1878) ↗
1820 Juan N. Méndez, Mexican general and interim president, 1876-1877 (died 1894) ↗
1819 Charles-Louis Hanon, French pianist and composer (died 1900) ↗
1797 Francisco Javier Echeverría, Mexican businessman and politician. President of Mexico (1841) (died 1852) ↗
1724 Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, German poet and author (died 1803) ↗
1714 Christoph Willibald Gluck, German composer (died 1787) ↗
1667 Pietro Ottoboni, Italian cardinal and art collector (died 1740) ↗
1665 Samuel Penhallow, English-American soldier and historian (died 1726) ↗
1648 Arp Schnitger, German organ builder (died 1719) ↗
1647 Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, English politician, Lord President of the Council (died 1730) ↗
1597 Theodoor Rombouts, Flemish painter (died 1637) ↗
1492 Elizabeth Tudor, English daughter of Henry VII of England (died 1495) ↗
1489 Thomas Cranmer, English archbishop, theologian, and Protestant martyr (died 1556) ↗
1486 Jacopo Sansovino, Italian sculptor and architect (died 1570) ↗
1478 Louis V, Elector Palatine (died 1544) ↗
419 Valentinian III, Roman emperor (died 455) ↗

2025 Sophia Hutchins, American socialite (born 1996) ↗
2025 Julian McMahon, Australian-American actor (born 1968) ↗
2020 Ángela Jeria, Chilean archaeologist and human rights activist (born 1926) ↗
2020 Byron Bernstein, American Twitch streamer (born 1989) ↗
2019 Lee Iacocca, American automotive executive (born 1924) ↗
2018 Alan Longmuir, Scottish musician (born 1948) ↗
2017 Vladislav Rastorotsky, a Russian (and former Soviet) artistic gymnastics coach, (born 1933) ↗
2017 Smith Hart, American-born Canadian professional wrestler (born 1948) ↗
2016 Caroline Aherne, English actress and comedian (born 1963) ↗
2016 Michael Cimino, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1939) ↗
2016 Patrick Manning, 4th & 6th Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago (born 1946) ↗
2016 Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, activist, and author (born 1928) ↗
2015 Ronald Davison, New Zealand lawyer and judge, 10th Chief Justice of New Zealand (born 1920) ↗
2015 Charlie Sanders, American football player and sportscaster (born 1946) ↗
2015 Jim Weaver, American football player and coach (born 1945) ↗
2015 Jacobo Zabludovsky, Mexican journalist (born 1928) ↗
2014 Emilio Álvarez Montalván, Nicaraguan ophthalmologist and politician (born 1919) ↗
2014 Manuel Cardona, Spanish physicist and academic (born 1934) ↗
2014 Mary Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe (born 1915) ↗
2014 Harold W. Kuhn, American mathematician and academic (born 1925) ↗
2014 Louis Zamperini, American runner and World War II US Army Air Forces captain (born 1917) ↗
2013 Anthony G. Bosco, American bishop (born 1927) ↗
2013 Douglas Engelbart, American computer scientist, invented the computer mouse (born 1925) ↗
2013 Armand Gaudreault, Canadian ice hockey player (born 1921) ↗
2013 Anthony Llewellyn, Welsh-American chemist, academic, and astronaut (born 1933) ↗
2012 Maurice Chevit, French actor and screenwriter (born 1923) ↗
2012 Julian Goodman, American journalist (born 1922) ↗
2012 Angelo Mangiarotti, Italian architect and academic (born 1921) ↗
2012 Betty Meggers, American archaeologist and academic (born 1921) ↗
2012 Ed Stroud, American baseball player (born 1939) ↗
2011 Itamar Franco, Brazilian engineer and politician, 33rd President of Brazil (born 1930) ↗
2010 Beryl Bainbridge, English screenwriter and author (born 1932) ↗
2008 Natasha Shneider, Russian-American singer, keyboard player, and actress (born 1956) ↗
2008 Elizabeth Spriggs, English actress and screenwriter (born 1929) ↗
2007 Beverly Sills, American operatic soprano and television personality (born 1929) ↗
2006 Jan Murray, American comedian, actor, and game show host (born 1916) ↗
2005 Ernest Lehman, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1915) ↗
2005 Norm Prescott, American actor, composer, and producer, co-founded Filmation Studios (born 1927) ↗
2004 Mochtar Lubis, Indonesian journalist and author (born 1922) ↗
2003 Briggs Cunningham, American race car driver and businessman (born 1907) ↗
2002 Ray Brown, American jazz musician and composer (born 1926) ↗
2000 Joey Dunlop, Northern Irish motorcycle racer (born 1952) ↗
1999 Mario Puzo, American author and screenwriter (born 1920) ↗
1997 James Stewart, American actor (born 1908) ↗
1995 Lloyd MacPhail, Canadian businessman and politician, 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island (born 1920) ↗
1994 Andrés Escobar, Colombian footballer (born 1967) ↗
1993 Fred Gwynne, American actor (born 1926) ↗
1991 Lee Remick, American actress (born 1935) ↗
1990 Snooky Lanson, American singer (born 1914) ↗
1989 Andrei Gromyko, Soviet economist and politician, Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1909) ↗
1988 Allie Vibert Douglas, Canadian astronomer and astrophysicist (born 1894) ↗
1986 Peanuts Lowrey, American baseball player and manager (born 1917) ↗
1980 Tom Barry, leader of the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War (born 1897) ↗
1978 Aris Alexandrou, Greek author and poet (born 1922) ↗
1977 Vladimir Nabokov – Russian-born novelist and critic (born 1899) ↗
1975 James Robertson Justice, English actor (born 1907) ↗
1973 Betty Grable, American actress, singer, and dancer (born 1916) ↗
1973 George McBride, American baseball player and manager (born 1880) ↗
1973 Ferdinand Schörner, German field marshal and convicted war criminal (born 1892) ↗
1972 Joseph Fielding Smith, American religious leader, 10th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (born 1876) ↗
1970 Jessie Street, Australian suffragette and feminist (born 1889) ↗
1966 Jan Brzechwa, Polish poet, author, and lawyer (born 1900) ↗
1964 Fireball Roberts, American race car driver (born 1929) ↗
1963 Alicia Patterson, American publisher, co-founded Newsday (born 1906) ↗
1961 Ernest Hemingway – American novelist, short story writer, and journalist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1899) ↗
1955 Edward Lawson, English soldier, Victoria Cross recipient (born 1873) ↗
1932 Manuel II of Portugal (born 1889) ↗
1929 Gladys Brockwell, American actress (born 1894) ↗
1926 Émile Coué, French psychologist and pharmacist (born 1857) ↗
1920 William Louis Marshall, American general and engineer (born 1846) ↗
1915 Porfirio Díaz, Mexican general and politician, 29th President of Mexico (born 1830) ↗
1914 Joseph Chamberlain, English businessman and politician, Secretary of State for the Colonies (born 1836) ↗
1912 Tom Richardson, English cricketer (born 1870) ↗
1903 Ed Delahanty, American baseball player (born 1867) ↗
1857 Carlo Pisacane, Italian soldier and philosopher (born 1818) ↗
1850 Robert Peel, English lieutenant and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (born 1788) ↗
1843 Samuel Hahnemann, German physician and academic (born 1755) ↗
1833 Gervasio Antonio de Posadas, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 1st Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (born 1757) ↗
1778 Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Swiss philosopher and composer (born 1712) ↗
1746 Thomas Baker, English antiquarian and author (born 1656) ↗
1743 Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (born 1673) ↗
1674 Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg (born 1614) ↗
1656 François-Marie, comte de Broglie, Italian-French general (born 1611) ↗
1621 Thomas Harriot, English astronomer, mathematician, and ethnographer (born 1560) ↗
1591 Vincenzo Galilei, Italian lute player and composer (born 1520) ↗
1582 Akechi Mitsuhide, Japanese samurai and warlord (born 1528) ↗
1578 Thomas Doughty, English explorer ↗
1566 Nostradamus, French astrologer and author (born 1503) ↗
1504 Stephen III of Moldavia (born 1434) ↗
1298 Adolf, King of the Romans (born 1220) ↗
936 Henry the Fowler, German king (born 876) ↗
866 Robert the Strong, Frankish nobleman ↗
862 Swithun, English bishop and saint (born c. 800) ↗
649 Li Jing, Chinese general (born 571) ↗
626 Li Jiancheng, Chinese prince (born 589) ↗
626 Li Yuanji, Chinese prince (born 603) ↗