JULY 7 | Birthdays and Events
Famous Birthdays
People born on July 7
Otto Frederick Rohwedder
Died: November 8, 1960
Inventor and engineer who created the first automatic bread-slicing machine for commercial use. He was often referred to as the "Inventor of Sliced Bread."
Robert Heinlein
Died: May 8, 1988
His dedication to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction earned him the name the "Dean of Science Fiction Writers".
Satchel Paige
Died: June 8, 1982
Professional baseball player/pitcher who played in the Negro League and Major League. He joined the Major League at the age of 42, making him the oldest player in the history of baseball. He retired at the age of 59.
Helene Johnson
Died: June 6, 1995
Acclaimed Harlem Renaissance poet.
Shelley Duvall
Died: June 11, 2024
Actress who played Wendy Torrance in The Shining and Olive Oyl in the movie Popeye.
Historical Events on July 7
Events that occurred on July 7 throughout history
The first comic book is published.
The first comic book, The Wasp, is published in New York by Harry Croswell. The publication was a satirical political pamphlet primarily designed to mock President Thomas Jefferson and his Republican allies.
The conquest of California begins.
U.S. troops occupy Monterey and Yerba Buena, marking the beginning the US conquest of California.
Conspiritors in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln are hanged.
Co-conspirators Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, David Herold, and George Atzerodt are hanged for their involvement in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
president William McKinley signs the Newlands Resolution.
President William McKinley signs the Newlands Resolution, annexing Hawaii as a U.S. territory. The annexation formally ended the Hawaiian monarchy.
The United States, UK, Japan, and Russia sign the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention of 1911.
The United States, UK, Japan, and Russia sign the North Pacific Fur Seal Convention of 1911 banning open-water seal hunting. The treaty address the Fur Seal being near extinction due to hunting. It was also the first international treaty to address wildlife preservation issues.
Sliced bread is sold for the first time.
Sliced bread is sold for the first time by the Chillicothe Baking Company of Chillicothe, Missouri. The date of sale was in honor of the inventor's 48th birthday.
Construction of Boulder Dam begins.
Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser begins construction of Boulder Dam. The Dam as renamed as Hoover Dam in honor of of President Herbert Hoover in 1947.
Henry Phillips receives patents for a new "cross-recessed" screw and screwdriver.
Henry Phillips receives patents for a new "cross-recessed" screw and screwdriver. Phillips purchased the original screw invention from John P. Thompson, improving it before he submitted it to be patented. Phillips did invent the screwdriver.
Mother Francesca S. Cabrini becomes the first American to be canonized.
Mother Francesca S. Cabrini becomes the first American to be canonized. During her life, she established 67 institutions, including orphanages, schools, and hospitals across the United States, Europe, and Latin America.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Alaska Statehood Act into law.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Alaska Statehood Act into law after multi-decade lobbying effort by prominent Alaskans and federal advocates. However, the state wasn't admitted to the Union until January 3, 1959.
President Ronald Reagan nominates the first female to the Supreme Court.
President Ronald Reagan nominates Sandra Day O'Connor to the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice O'Connor became the first female member to serve on the Supreme Court. She served until her retirement in 2006.
A U.S. schoolgirl flies to the Soviet Union to meet General Secretary Yuri Andropov.
Samantha Smith, a U.S. schoolgirl, flies to the Soviet Union to meet General Secretary Yuri Andropov after sending him a letter about the importance of peace between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team wins the FIFA Women's World Cup.
The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team wins the FIFA Women's World Cup, defeating Norway 2-1 in the final.