JULY 2 | Birthdays and Events
Famous Birthdays
People born on July 2
Thurgood Marshall
Died: January 24, 1993
Lawyer and civil rights activist who was the first African American to be elected to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Ken Curtis
Died: April 28, 1991
Actor who is fondly remembered for his role Festus Haggen in the Western television show Gunsmoke.
Barry Gray
Died: December 21, 1996
Radio personality and interviewer who started call-in radio.
Medgar Evers
Died: June 12, 1963
Civil rights movement activist who was the the NAACP's first field secretary in Mississippi. Evers was was murdered at his home in Jackson, Mississippi.
Dave Thomas
Died: January 8, 2002
Founder of the fast food restaurant Wendy's.
Polly Holliday
Died: September 9, 2025
Actress who played the sassy character Flo in the sitcom Alice.
Richard Petty
The first race car driver to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship seven times. His racing career lasted for 34 years.
Paul Williams
Died: August 17, 1973
Founding member and original lead singer of the Temptations (Motown).
Roy Bittan
Rock piano and accordion player for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
Historical Events on July 2
Events that occurred on July 2 throughout history
The Continental Congress adopts the Lee Resolution and cuts ties with Great Britian.
The Continental Congress legally voted to adopt the Lee Resolution, severing ties with the Kingdom of Great Britain. Two days later, on July 4, Congress formally approved the Declaration of Independence to explain that historic decision to the world.
President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act.
President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act. The Act granted 10 million acres of federal public land to states to be used to fund public colleges that focused on agriculture, mechanical arts, and military tactics.
President James A. Garfield is fatally wounded in an assasination attempt.
Charles J. Guiteau shoots and fatally wounds U.S. President James A. Garfield. President Garfield died on September 19 from complications from his wounds.
U.S. Congress passes the Sherman Antitrust Act.
The U.S. Congress passes the Sherman Antitrust Act, establishing free market competition as the fundamental rule of American trade and strictly prohibiting businesses from using unfair practices to create or maintain monopolies.
President Warren G. Harding signs the Knox–Porter Resolution
President Warren G. Harding signs the Knox–Porter Resolution formally ending the war between the United States and Germany (WWI).
Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappear over the Pacific Ocean.
Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan are last heard from over the Pacific Ocean. The duo disappears during an attempt to make the first equatorial round-the-world flight.
The first Walmart store opens for business
The first Walmart store opens for business in Rogers, Arkansas. There was a crowd of over 500 people waiting to get in on opening day!
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, officially ending segregation in public places and illegalizing employment discrimination.
The U.S. issues the first coin featuring a woman.
The Susan B. Anthony dollar is issued and becomes the first U.S. coin to honor a woman.
The first self-service restaurant opens in New York City.
Horn and Hardart opens in first New York and becomes the first self-service restaurant. The establishment was coin-operated, waiterless, and dispensed hot meals, pies, and famous fresh-brewed coffee through gleaming glass-and-chrome cubbies.