255
Major Events
- 1816 – Argentina declared independence from Spain during the Congress of Tucumán.
- 1877 – The inaugural Wimbledon tennis tournament began in London.
- 1955 – The Russell-Einstein Manifesto was released, warning of the dangers of nuclear weapons.
- 1982 – Pan Am Flight 759 crashed in Kenner, Louisiana, killing all 145 on board and 8 people on the ground.
- 1997 – Mike Tyson was banned from boxing for biting Evander Holyfield’s ear during a match.
Famous Birthdays
- Elias Howe (1819–1867), American inventor of the sewing machine
- Barbara Cartland (1901–2000), British romance novelist
- Dean Koontz (born 1945), American author of suspense thrillers
- O.J. Simpson (born 1947), former American football player and actor
- Tom Hanks (born 1956), American actor and filmmaker
- Courtney Love (born 1964), American singer, songwriter, and actress
- Fred Savage (born 1976), American actor known for The Wonder Years
Notable Deaths
- Zachary Taylor (d. 1850), 12th President of the United States (b. 1784)
- Alice Paul (d. 1977), American suffragist and women’s rights activist (b. 1885)
- Laurence Olivier (d. 1989), English actor and director (b. 1907)
- Rod Steiger (d. 2002), American actor known for In the Heat of the Night (b. 1925)
Holidays
- Argentina Independence Day – Celebrating the nation’s declaration of independence from Spain in 1816.
- Nunavut Day (Canada) – Commemorates the passing of the Nunavut Act, recognizing the establishment of the territory.
Fun Facts
- Wimbledon originally had only 22 male players and a crowd of about 200.
- Tom Hanks is one of the few actors to win back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Actor (Philadelphia and Forrest Gump).
- Alice Paul drafted the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923, which remains unratified.
- The Russell-Einstein Manifesto led to the first Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs.
- Argentina’s declaration of independence occurred over 200 years ago, making it one of South America’s earliest independent republics.